Honouring Our Shadow: Shines light on our darkness

Made at New Year, Honouring Our Shadow naturally incorporates the energies of Janus, the Roman god of contrasts, whose two (sometimes four) faces help us look in all directions whilst making new beginnings. 

 The essence first supports and encourages us to see in the dark.   This can be one of the most humbling experiences we can undertake but, in the process, many of our shadow aspects can, at least, become illuminated and transformed into ‘saving graces’.  Our dark controlling side, for example, can now be honoured as the shadow of our desire to help others; our ‘selfishness’ the shadow of our willingness to love and care for ourselves as well as our selflessness in allowing others freedom to do the same.  We can also begin to recognise the traits we dislike in others as projections of qualities we do not like in ourselves.  With the healthy introspection and wisdom Honouring Our Shadow encourages, our darker side can thus become a key teacher, giving us access to our undeveloped potential. 

Honouring our Shadow should be a key ingredient of any shadow treatment as it helps us move from secrecy, shame and guilt, to acceptance, compassion and self love.  By taking it, our shadow will, at least, become lighter and we can honour it by accepting, loving and valuing the truth it offers.

Picture © Pixabay jplenio