Shadow Integration
In the words of Alberto Villoldo, “Nothing that needs to hide in the dark has any real or authentic power of its own.” These words were part of an online training he created called Healing the Dark Side. This perspective of the dark takes away any power it holds over us. It opens us up to the belief in the possibility of integrating our darkness in a way that works with us and not against us. This is the role of the shaman, to bring light to the darkness in order to create rapid, radical transformation.
You might be wondering, what is this darkness? Darkness can show up, be perceived, and be represented in many ways. Some may think of it as negative entities, negative emotions, or negative energy. Here we are speaking about darkness in terms of the shadow. The shadow contains that which we repress or are not willing to see. It feels as though it would be devastating for it to be seen by others so we hide it away. The shadow tends to be heavily denied. It’s the ugly and uncomfortable parts of ourselves that we disregard because we deem them unworthy of our attention, or so disgusting that we try to separate them from who we are. It is what we feel ashamed of or guilty about, it contains our dirty secrets. The shadow acts out from an unconscious place when we do not acknowledge it as part of who we are. The truth is that the shadow is part of our soul, the very core of our being.
There may be a part of us that fears what we could become once the shadow becomes conscious. The good news is that the shadow is not anything to push away, turn away from, or fear, for God is omnipresent. Alberto said, “the shamans ask, “how could there be anything without God if he’s omnipresent?”” This speaks for itself. God, Source, Our Creator, weaves the threads of His ways into all that exists. It is understood that light cannot exist without darkness. He cannot work through us without the shadow. With this understanding we can observe, engage in dialogue with, build a relationship with, and integrate the shadow in a way that serves Him through us.
It is important to note that the shadow occurs on both an individual and collective level. Alberto Villoldo says that, “Our shadows are fed by our own fear and the collective fear of humanity. In order to disempower these shadows, we need to cultivate fearlessness.”
Fearlessness is the embodiment of the conscious warrior. It is approaching the deep dive into the dark side wholeheartedly without fear. It is shining a light on and loving the darkest parts of ourselves, illuminating every aspect of our minds, hearts, and souls to be held as precious. It is hearing our dark thoughts with genuine compassion. The foundation of fearlessness is a bedrock of Faith, knowing that there is more to life than just ourselves. From a place of fearlessness we welcome the shadow. In this process of recognition is forgiving, mourning, releasing, breathing, crying, flowing, laughing, being, becoming, living and embracing the entirety of the experience. Meeting the shadow with fearlessness brings the shadow from our subconscious into our conscious awakened state, changing how we meet the world by integrating it into our being. The shadow is a strength when we accept its presence.
Collective fearlessness in community is an even brighter light that dispels darkness. Fearlessness in community looks like everyone speaking their truth and standing up for what they believe in. It looks like active listening, the practice of an intrinsic understanding that we are all worthy of being heard. It is honoring that we all hold collective and ancestral trauma. It is synergy and collaboration, as well as heart-centered discussion and resolution in the face of disagreement. It is resilient compassion with healthy boundaries. It is being in the ring, being vulnerable. It is seeing beyond our own projections to honor the soul of each human being. It is supporting the Earth, the family, the community, and the collective as we all move through awakening.
