What is Shadow to One Comfortable in the Dark?
I first thought of this topic when a fellow church member, Soror Draig, did a ritual on discovering your shadow self. It occurred to me that people comfortable in the dark might have a different view of what a shadow is and would getting to know the shadow self mean something to them. I came to the conclusion that in my opinion there is a difference. In fact, there is a difference if you are comfortable in the light as well. It is better to not be comfortable in either dark or light because these are extremes and set up different ways of viewing the universe.
If someone is comfortable in the dark, they are always surrounded by shadow. One might make the conclusion that they are then at peace with their shadow self since they are in the dark all the time and might be familiar with it. I do not believe this is the case because of the way shadow acts in the dark. There is really no shadow in the dark. Any darkness that invades the dark will be absorbed or seem to blend in. It is for this reason that I believe that to someone comfortable in the dark, shadow is illusion. Shadow will interfere with what this person believes is real. Thus, they are not at peace with their shadow self because they think everything is fine and any beckoning from their shadow self will be seen as only construction and not true reality. To such a person, all their problems are the result of other people having problems with them and not really understanding them. For such a person to find and become at peace with their shadow self, they must first acknowledge all their faults and work towards changing them. They must take responsibility for their life, which will shine a bit of light into the darkness.
If one isn’t comfortable in the dark, one might first assume that all is well. However, another extreme can exist. A person can be comfortable in the light. In this case, there is no dark and everything is always illuminated. At first one might think this is fine and the person would suffer no ill because of it, but always being in the light can cause problems as well. If someone is always in the light, any dark that invades will be seen as something that obscures or interferes. Thus, I believe to someone who is comfortable in the light, shadow is doubt. Shadow causes confusion and bewilderment, covering up what the person believes to be truth. This person is not at peace with the shadow self either. Such people often have trouble with self-confidence and faith in general. Any beckoning from their shadow self will only confuse them into doubting what they perceive. For such a person to be at peace with the shadow self, they need to believe that there is a bigger world out there and that they personally, flaws and all, can make a difference.
Contacting the shadow self can be a valuable experience for everyone. Whether you are someone who is comfortable in the dark, light, or neither, learning about your deepest, darkest, best-kept secrets will help you evolve, spiritually and mentally, but also help you develop a strong belief in yourself as a magical person, in all your variety. You can learn about talents you never knew you had and continue to uncover layers of being beyond belief. Becoming at peace with the self is a step on the road to fulfillment of purpose.