President’s Message

Embracing our Shadow Self

Where do our biases come from? What’s our background?
We’re learning all the time in different ways, in different environments. School, church, community, the family dynamic, all are part of our education, our ongoing process. It’s all part of growing up, all good, hopefully, but sometimes not so. Life can be full of frightening, terrifying events, intimidating, and emotional, physically painful events. So many possibilities, small or dramatic and sometimes traumatic. But we usually survive and put those experiences aside, bury those painful ones. That’s common, human, and we succeed by carrying on, surviving and learning and keep growing.

When we look back, some memories might be joyous, enlightening, Some, hopefully most of those thoughts are beautiful, pleasant, and enjoyable when they pop up and out. I’d call them pink, Sunshine or Barbie memories. These are the ones we cherish.

Pleasant thoughts, but if we look too far, others not so, because some might be frightening, painful. Both memories are formative, Sunshine vs Shadow. The Shadow is dark. That’s our “Shadow Self”.

“Your ‘Shadow Self’ refers to the unconscious aspects of your personality that you may repress, reject, or hide. These can include emotions, fears, desires, or traits that conflict with your “conscious” self-image or societal expectations. And…it refers to the parts of ourselves that we may deny or suppress, often due to perceived negativity or shame”, according to Wikipedia.

What is it in our “Shadow” personality, the Dark Shadow”? Are we talking “dragons”, the “Boogey Man” in our past? It could be a myriad of things.

These are the things that have formed us, things that have happened to us, been done to us, things we’ve done, good or bad. These are the things and actions we don’t want to talk about, things hidden, suppressed, painful. They’re still there, stifled, below willing memory, but, Still There! You may deny them, refuse to accept those painful memories as true or valid, they haunt you if indeed you let them out. They haunt you more intensely if you refuse to let them out.

And if we bravely look at the dark shadows in our life, or continue to suppress and hide them? Realize they’ve also made us Who We Are! The dark and the light! Embrace them! That’s okay; they have made us Who We Are!

They are the painful ghosts of our past. The Past! But, with a firm refusal to accept the truth of them, they are still shackles to emotional freedom, a cross to bear. Suppress or release them, it’s your choice!

So on our August church break, be brave, look for your demons and write them down and next month, let’s look at a way to embrace, forgive and release them.

Namaste! Chas