The Shadow

"When heavy and dark feelings come up, how do you deal with them? I asked for everything unconscious to become conscious and a lot is coming up. It’s not very beautiful. What do you do? " A.D

Some heavy feelings have a message for us: we need to look more deeply at what is going on and what we may be avoiding, or what is hidden or unexpressed. Committed and compassionate self-honesty is the key, and being willing to find out the truth no matter what the consequences. Sometimes we can't resolve it for ourselves. Knowing and accepting when outside help is needed is a sign of maturity and wisdom.

Some dark feelings are generated from a raging ego not able to get its own way. These feelings still have to be faced and acknowledged and recognised for what they are (but not indulged). As always, all experience, including feelings, are arising in the field of consciousness which is what you are. They are passing phenomena and can never touch the untouchable Self, and this enables us to be interested in them and not feel intimidated by them. The further we go in spiritual life the more the hidden aspects of ourselves will emerge. There is no running from them if we want liberation. We are the Self but all our human aspects have to be embodied and faced - kindly, bravely and with self-compassion, while always knowing we are the infinite field which contains them all.