This week,
The moon will glide silently in front of the sun's light,
Casting its shadow across much of North America.
People will buy funny glasses and run outside at just the right moment,
Possibly wearing a shirt themed for the occasion,
Maybe with their friends at a watch party.
And isn't that the way that our shadows work?
They can compel us to behave in certain ways while blocking our true light.
Carl Jung said,
Everyone carries a shadow,
And the less it is embodied in the individual's conscious life,
The blacker and denser it is.
At all counts,
It forms an unconscious snag,
Thwarting our most well-meant intentions.
So today,
Let's take a closer look,
Get to know that unconscious part that is so often and invisibly pulling the strings.
Take a look around your space,
And if you feel safe enough,
Close your eyes.
Take a deep breath.
Allow that darkness to register.
Look out into that blackness behind your eyes.
Let it spread,
Becoming wider,
Taller,
Deeper.
Black in all directions now.
Imagine this darkness to be a space you can navigate,
Float through.
And when you're ready,
Push off into the darkness.
What do shadows represent in your life?
Those aspects of yourself that you may have neglected or suppressed.
The ones you've judged as bad or inconvenient.
The ones you forced into corners or basements.
Deep breath.
Maybe put your hand on your heart,
And remember that you are able to navigate this space with curiosity and compassion.
That there is not a human who has ever existed without their own shadows.
Judging or criticizing certain aspects of yourself appears to be a uniquely human thing to do.
It just means you're one of us.
So invite any shadow that wants to be witnessed to come forward.
Selfishness,
Laziness,
Pride,
Rage,
Greed,
Sexual expression,
Weakness.
What is the thing you just cannot tolerate in yourself?
The thing that you strive to avoid.
The thing that you were taught were terrible.
And if it's willing to be named,
Name it.
And you can imagine those brilliant moments of the eclipse.
When everyone looks to the sky for a glimpse of the moon's shadow being cast down.
Patiently waiting for the light to dim,
And the reflections to make little crescent shapes all over the sidewalk.
Can you bring that level of reverence to your own shadow?
A sense of awe that such a thing can live inside you.
Just allow it to glide across and be one small aspect of who you are.
Instead of fear or resistance,
Welcome the shadow with open arms.
Even allowing yourself to merge with the shadow.
Integrating it fully into yourself.
No more hiding.
No more pushing or fighting.
No more running.
Feeling your compassion extend to this part that was rejected.
Feeling it heal and need less control over you now that it has been seen.
You can tell this part that it's okay for it to exist.
You are big enough to hold it,
Contain it.
That it can be a part of you without taking over.
Living in harmony with the rest of you.
And imagining that the eclipse is coming to a close.
The shadows begin to brighten,
The light returns.
See yourself emerging from this eclipse transformed.
More integrated.
Feeling whole and accepting of yourself.
And take a moment to find some gratitude for this journey.
Knowing that you can return to the space whenever you'd like.
Or whenever the shadows try to wrestle control.
Or fill you with shame.
And when you are ready,
Gently bring your awareness back to this present moment.
This breath.
Until next time,
Be well.
