The Healing Potency of Shadow Work
There are powerful healing opportunities found in the dark shadows of our awareness. The shadows may look like our shameful parts. They may show up as unacceptable characters in our life story; the perpetrators and carriers of pain and hurt..
Pushing away the intensity of dark forces is a totally understandable and human thing to do. That said, something transformative and magical happens when we lean into the vulnerability, accept the unacceptable and reclaim the life force invested in resisting what is.
Susan’s Story of Liberation
Recently I was blessed to witness the gorgeous metamorphosis of a 40 something year old woman landing in her body with love and delight for the first time in her life.
How did she get there? How did she find herself radiating sunlight from her heart, grounded in her lusciousness?
She willingly embraced what she had spent a lifetime resisting.
For the majority of Susan’s life, the notion of being “flawed” was mortifying. If a blemish erupted or a stain was found on her clothes, her energy would mobilize to contain the situation and eradicate the "flaw".
Although Susan’s presentation was certainly flawless, it came at a cost. Since so much of her life force was occupied with resisting “flaws” her ability to enjoy the moment, her body and her inherent goodness felt limited. The conditions she placed on herself kept her a prisoner of her unattainable expectations.
Susan didn’t realize how much resisting being “flawed” was costing her until she made the commitment dive into the experience of being “flawed” with wonder and curiosity. With courage, devotion to present moment awareness and an ally there to hold her with care, she faced her demon and it dissolved.
It wasn’t until she surrendered to being “flawed” did she recognize that she had been robbing herself of the option of simply being. With the containment of the unacceptable no longer on her agenda, Susan was free to be her whole Self-- flaws and all.
She liberated her juiciness with the willingness and commitment to be with that which she had always avoided. The newly transformed Susan had a sparkle in her eyes, delight in her voice and a newfound sense of creative passion. She was aware of her body in a whole new way and it was delicious.
I hope that Susan’s story has some medicine for you. And that you desire for your juicy liberation found some inspiration in Susan’s story.
Loving up Our Shadows
Here are some questions to help you navigate the shadows with grace and awareness:
What are you resisting? Failure, rejection, anger, stagnation..?
How can you bring the light of curiosity and present moment awareness to that which you avoid?
What would your life be like if you weren’t invested in defending yourself against the unacceptable?
Do you have relationship containers that provide safe space and support to help you face your dark, scary stuff?
How can you enlist friends and allies to help you love up your shadows?