The Power of Your Shadow

…

Have you ever looked inside yourself and felt uncomfortable with what you found?
Society has taught us to be ashamed of the hidden parts of ourselves, so we only show
our good qualities to the world.

Because of this, most people cannot face them at all.

As a result, most of us don’t realize that we are escaping from ourselves. In fact, ignoring
the parts we are scared to face might actually be our power.

Carl Gustav Jung claims
that these parts are called the “shadow.”

According to his ideas, the shadow is not
something we have to be afraid of, but something we should focus on more in order to
understand what is going on inside us.

As he said, “Who looks outside, dreams; who
looks inside, awakens.”

This essay aims to explore this idea more deeply and explain
how we can succeed in doing so.
When you read the word “shadow,” what comes to your mind is probably evil
tendencies.

However, the shadow actually involves many things, not only bad parts like
jealousy, the sedire to do harm, or thinking only about yourself.

It can also include
repressed potential, power, and creativity.

These are not dark things, but sometimes
people do not use them because they are afraid of others’ expectations or because they
focus too much on what society wants.

For example, someone who wants to be a
painter may become a lawyer instead, but the pleasure of painting stays with them
forever.

This pleasure, which is never fully lived, might turn into a shadow for life.
However, what happens when we repress our shadow? It can show itself through
sudden outbursts of anger, escaping from the self, or projecting our hidden parts onto
others.

Therefore, if people do not accept their own darkness, they often end up judging
others.
But, why do people judge?

Here, we should consider another important concept:
persona. Persona is the mask that we wear in society and the shadow is usually hidden
behind it. When people see someone who appears without this mask, they start to
project their own feelings onto them.

This is because most people grow up with strict
beliefs, traditional customs, or sins that are not allowed by authorities or religions. As a
consequence, they start to believe all of them without examining them; it is an easier
way than facing all of them.

As referenced in “V for Vendetta”, ‘If you wear a mask long
enough, you begin to forget who you are beneath it.’ Humans awaken only when they
notice that the things they hate in others are actually things they have in themselves.
But how do people become aware of this? Despite the many factors that shape our
personality, we also have a subconscious, where most of our fears are hidden.

Therefore, the first step toward self-awareness and self-actualization is having the
courage to go deeper into the subconscious. As Jung said, “Until you make the
unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”

After accepting this truth, the real journey begins—and it takes time. People can start by
observing their emotions: When do you get angry? Why do you feel jealous? What
triggers you?

The shadow often appears in these moments. Writing can also be helpful.

While thinking, we can easily deceive ourselves, but writing forces us to face our
thoughts and emotions more honestly.

In addition, spending time alone is essential.
Silence, self-observation, and reflection allow hidden parts of the mind to surface. When
you are around others, observe your reactions. Did you feel irritated? Why?

That feeling might be a part of your shadow.

At the heart of Jung’s theory lies the idea of knowing oneself. On this journey, people
must understand that the shadow is not our enemy, but our teacher—our guidebook.
The more we delay reading it, the more we are deprived of knowledge about who we
truly are.

References
Jung, C. G. (n.d.). Who looks outside dreams, who looks inside awakens (Compilation).
Destek Yayınları.
Portal. (2022). Understanding the human psyche: Carl Gustav Jung [YouTube video].

WRITER