“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light but by making the dark conscious.”
- Carl Jung
This IS the foundation of our new class series: Shadow into Light. The darkness of winter is the perfect invitation to go within and discover what’s been hiding in the shadows. Short days and long nights are Mother Nature’s way of gently nudging us into our shadows- our unconscious. It is a time for personal and collective contraction so when we pass through the birth canal of the spring equinox, we have a greater awareness to fuel our expansion. And the deeper we go into the shadow, the greater our capacity to expand beyond limitations. This is how we become boundless beings.
Anything sunlight touches has a shadow and that shadow is dynamic. Whether it’s because you’re moving your body or because time is moving around you, your shadow is always changing. And as it changes we gain access to different aspects of our unconscious. Winter is the season for old ways of being to die so that they can be resurrected in a new form when spring arrives singing her sweet songs of fertility and rebirth.
Healing, or becoming whole, is not about fixing or bettering yourself. It’s about becoming aware of all the unconscious material that has been authoring your life. Because the more we become conscious of what is in the shadow, the more we can integrate those aspects of ourselves into the psyche- and the more complete we become. This IS healing. Spending time in the darkness is the best way to make friends with the unknown- the void- the great mystery. It’s terrifying we know.
Believe me, we know.
But it’s in the unknown that ALL of the unexplained phenomena live- the miracles, the quantum leaps, the radical remissions, the mystical moments that transform us at the core. This unknown is where the magic is. But it’s hiding deep in the shadows just waiting to come into the light. It’s an initiation. Awareness demands that you confront your fears and have the courage to open Pandora’s Box. But there is a difference between facing your fears all alone with no safety net and facing your fears with community in a safe container. And the latter is EVERYTHING. This is how we explore the darkest depths of ourselves- by creating a sense of safety and doing it together.
Pursuing enlightenment by dressing up in flowing goddess dresses and chasing unicorns and is to neglect the lower 4 chakras completely. Yes, shadow exists in the upper chakras- but the lower chakras hold the majority of the material from your past- the stuff you’ve chosen not to look at time and time again. The objects of your repression, denial and shame- the pain and and the heartbreak that you think has broken you. This is deeply unconscious material- and yet it’s impacting every single move you make- and every life decision that shapes your reality.
So this winter, we invite you to enter those shadows with us.
Because you deserve to heal.
You deserve a safe container to confront your fears.
You deserve to be aware enough to be in control of your life.
You deserve the boundless expansion the awaits your arrival every spring.
We know this work is scary. It’s not for the faint of heart.
But together we can. And while we won’t promise you anything, we commit to walk beside you into the shadows- as ugly and painful as they may be ... until your light emerges. Shadow into Light starts Sunday January 17th, 2021 at 2pm. Each week we’ll explore a different aspect of our shadow- personal and collective. We can’t wait to expand our consciousness with you.
With love,
Erica and Paul