Me and my Shadow | INFJ Forum

Me and my Shadow

S

Shadowforce

Well, by my user name you may see that I have a present interest in learning about and incorporating my shadow side. I asked some questions in my intro about it and liked what dneecey said about befriending it a lot.

the shadow
[SIZE=+0]Unfortunately there can be no doubt that man is, on the whole, less good than he imagines himself or wants to be. Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser it is. If an inferiority is conscious, one always has a chance to correct it. Furthermore, it is constantly in contact with other interests, so that it is continually subjected to modifications. But if it is repressed and isolated from consciousness, it never gets corrected.[/SIZE]​
[SIZE=-2]"Psychology and Religion" (1938). In CW 11: Psychology and Religion: West and East. P.131

(Carl Jung)
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Shadowforce said:
[SIZE=+0] Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser it is. If an inferiority is conscious, one always has a chance to correct it. Furthermore, it is constantly in contact with other interests, so that it is continually subjected to modifications. But if it is repressed and isolated from consciousness, it never gets corrected.[/SIZE]​
[SIZE=-2]"Psychology and Religion" (1938). In CW 11: Psychology and Religion: West and East. P.131

(Carl Jung)
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Well the way I see it is that there aren't enough people who are completely aware of themselves and in that respect aren't completely honest with themselves either. I have to put myself in this category as well, because I am daily learning more of myself, but I try to view myself without rose colored glasses and see my flaws as a person as well as my good attributes.

If a person can see their darkness, become familiar with it, and learn from it than it most certainly should be done. Life isn't all sunshine and rainbows and neither are we. We all have good and bad in us, darkness and light, or at least I believe we all do, and we should all embrace every side of ourselves in order to become better people.
 
[SIZE=+0]In researching (The little I have done so far) I notice Jung posits a personal shadow and a collective shadow. The collective shadow is so dark and dense and massive it seems!!!! I wonder if a person can even take this on? However, I suppose the place to start is with the personal shadow. I note he even considers this a powerful undertaking. First is to get in this "House of gathering" < I do like this term. I notice he seems big in the idea that we project onto others that which we do not assimilate or realize within.

"If you imagine someone who is brave enough to withdraw all his projections, then you get an individual who is conscious of a pretty thick shadow. Such a man has saddled himself with new problems and conflicts. He has become a serious problem to himself, as he is now unable to say that they do this or that, they are wrong, and they must be fought against. He lives in the "House of the Gathering." Such a man knows that whatever is wrong in the world is in himself, and if he only learns to deal with his own shadow he has done something real for the world. He has succeeded in shouldering at least an infinitesimal part of the gigantic, unsolved social problems of our day."[/SIZE]​
[SIZE=-2]"Psychology and Religion" (1938). In CW 11: Psychology and Religion: West and East. P.140

Ps: Love the shadow quote in your sig. :smile:
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I'll agree with that. The first thing anyone can do for the world is not be a pain in the ass, I think.
Yeah, very many people project their negative aspects onto others, although I wouldn't go so far as to say everything wrong with the world is based on the individual...however, everyone is responsible for how they deal with a situation, so blame should be centered on the self, in a healthy way -- don't be negative, but understand that you have the control over what you do and be willing to own up to that.
 
What is interesting is, it seems like there alot of people who use there shadow, more often then they really are. It is sort of like a split personality really. There are people who are very sensitive, caring, careful, and thoughtful. Yet, they won't act like that. Almost out of fear of rejection, and they put on a reverse persona of that. Mabye our shadows are out more then we perceive.
 
by developing all your functions patiently and roundly, the shadow becomes easier to recognize and thus control in ourselves. crisis and life's low points can help us explore our less used functions almost readily.

these times may be so hard on us precisly because we feel we have exhausted our primary and most comfortable functions. we may be in mind block, in denial, in anger and confusion in these times and most everything we attempt may appear futile to us as nothing may seem to work out. during this state, its amazing how our weariness can force us to engage in other mental processes we have seldom had access to before.

for instance, an overworked Ni and Fe may cause us to delve into depression as we feel increasingly groundless and pulled to the expectations of others. if there is an underdeveloped Ti and Se up until this point, it may be hard not to introvert negative emotions.

as this pain numbs us, we hit rock bottom and may gain a sense of calm apathy. we don't want to feel, use Fe, anymore as it leads to more pain. we stop internalizing and start reasoning our way through, looking at things in a more objective manner with Ti...we may find a change in perspective actually stops us from believing our own negativity as much of it 'doesn't make sense'. this happened to me and really helped me develop my Ti.
same with Se. i find just by focusing on my surroundings as they are and not reading so much into meanings, whether it be objects or people in relation to my identity, it gives me a sense of peace as if the world is running as it is and nothing can harm me in the present moment.
 
The more I look into this, the more excited I become. I am convinced that opening up the shadow and understanding and accepting it for me would be to unleash inner powers that have been long hidden to me.

I don't think my shadow is such that it would cause me to bring harm to anyone, but I think unfolding it's mysteries, could help to open me up some, and make me more complete and integrated.
 
If you're put under enough stress for long enough, you start living by your shaddow side.

If you are under constant pressure for a long time, you can even being to forget what the side that is not in the shaddow is like. This isn't a good thing. Looking back to the time before life went sour, I was a better person. To my distress, I can't honestly say I am the same person any more.
 
Negative knowledge can be a negative thing. Because you can't forget the experience once it is seen. What if your dark side wanted to kill some one. My buddy drinking whiskey a lot got him in touch with his dark side real good. He's in jail now. As I grow older I realize that knowledge is power but ignorance is, true bliss....
 
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