“Before you can see the light, you have to deal with the darkness.”
– Dan Millman
Some people hear the word shadow and go silent with fear. They assume that whatever lurks in the dark must be monstrous. What we know about our very human shadow is that it can also contain our brilliance, our intelligence, our generosity, our kindness. Unacknowledged, those parts of ourselves can also hide in shadow – for our conditioning comes in many flavors.
A compelling question to ask ourselves is, “What shadow element am I supporting by keeping this door shut?” What discomfort am I avoiding?” As Nelson Mandela said, “…Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”
In our families, we learned that being “powerful beyond measure” was taboo or dangerous. We were taught to conform to the family culture…subtly, if we were lucky and with harsh repercussions if not. Bypassing our own wants, desires, needs, we “metabolized” these messages without deconstructing them. They became our shadow – deeply etched into our response patterns.
If the time has come to shine a light on these areas of your life, to liberate the trapped energy for more creative endeavors, look no further. If you are finally willing to go into the dark to integrate ALL of you for a richer, bigger, more meaningful life, begin a dialogue with us at The Valiant Group. We love working with the shadow – our own and yours and we have the experience to guide you on this courageous journey. Call now!
