Finding Light Through the Shadow

We’re heading into Halloween – a time in which we revel in bringing hidden parts of ourselves to the forefront, in the spirit of fun and fantasy. We give ourselves permission to welcome aspects of ourselves that we might otherwise be afraid to let shine brightly, whether because of societal norms or conditioning. It’s also a time where we face our fears, often bringing them to life and embracing them with glee.

With this same spirit we can embrace the shadow parts of ourselves and allow them to be our teachers so that we may step into wholeness and let our inner light shine. The shadow is essentially the parts of ourselves that we may fear, be ashamed of, or find unacceptable. As a result, we often repress them and end up expressing a muted version of ourselves. When we can’t express our dark parts, we are less able to express our light. And so, we’re not able to experience the polarity of life in its fullness. In other words, we don’t allow ourselves to “live out loud” when we let fear of our shadows run the show.

So, what can we do to help us step into fearlessness, to embody our true essence and live unapologetically? We shine a light on those hidden parts, embrace them and integrate them so that we can step into the most whole and unapologetic version of ourselves. In shamanism, the archetype of the Jaguar illuminates that which is hidden so that we may step into fearlessness and our most luminous warrior selves. In Animal Speak, Ted Andrews states that the black panther (jaguar) is “a symbol for the life and power of the night” and that it “helps us to understand the dark and death and the inherent powers of them; and thus by acknowledging them, eliminate our fears and learn to use the powers.”[1] In essence, we become stronger once we acknowledge what’s hidden.

The Egyptian god Set, an archetype of the shadow who helps us open to our dark aspects, can also be used as a guide. Nicki Scully and Linda Star Wolf say in Shamanic Mysteries of Egypt that “Set acts out for us the unholy energies, thoughts, and actions . . . which are most often projected unconsciously into the world.”[2]They go on to say that “[t]he key to transforming these issues is to be able to express them, embrace them, and feel the negative emotions associated with them – anger, grief, jealousy, or whatever comes up – in a safe and holy container of self-love, forgiveness, and acceptance.”[3] In the end, as Debbie Ford says, in The Dark Side of the Light Chasers, “[o]ur shadows hold the essence of who we are. They hold our most treasured gifts. By facing these aspects of ourselves, we become free to experience our glorious totality: the good and the bad, the dark and the light.”[4]

There are many ways to explore your shadow and harness its gifts and teachings so that you step more fully into your light:

• Meditations for Shadow Work
• Altars incorporating totems symbolizing the energy of Halloween such as a black cat, panther, or obsidian.[5]
• Shamanic journeying, which is particularly resonant at this time as it takes you from the seen to unseen (invisible) realms to receive guidance, information, healing and empowerment.

For guidance on shamanic journeying and a sample shamanic journey (where you could journey with the intention of healing your shadow parts), check out my article on Shamanic Journeying for Guidance, Information, Healing and Empowerment at https://www.krystalhealingarts.com/content/shamanic-journeying-for-guidance-information-healing-and-empowerment-1.