How to Embrace your Dark Side and live an Authentic life
Dark Side (Shadow) = Qualities you try to repress and deny about yourself
The shadow is hidden…
Created in your younger years
Triggered in deep moments of stress and insecurity
The shadow is hidden…
Created in your younger years
Triggered in deep moments of stress and insecurity
In your childhood you wanted your parents attention.
If you did not receive what you wanted, you were selfish and manipulative to get it
Your parents wanted you to:
•Sit still
•Be cooperative
•Not throw tantrums
•Not embarrass them
If you did not receive what you wanted, you were selfish and manipulative to get it
Your parents wanted you to:
•Sit still
•Be cooperative
•Not throw tantrums
•Not embarrass them
When you grew older, you tried to fit in with others by building a persona…
A character
This came at a price:
The suppression of your Shadow
A character
This came at a price:
The suppression of your Shadow
Notice how you are drawn to what is forbidden or culturally is inappropriate?
•The Joker
•Walter White
•The Godfather
•The Joker
•Walter White
•The Godfather
It takes a lot of energy to hide your dark side
It can be draining being “the nice guy”…
Always putting on a mask to hide your true emotions
Your Shadow wants to express itself and come to life
It can be draining being “the nice guy”…
Always putting on a mask to hide your true emotions
Your Shadow wants to express itself and come to life
Signs of the Shadow
•Denial
•Projection
•Hypocrisy
•Neuroticism
•Emotional outbursts
•Accidental behaviour
How do you integrate your Shadow in a healthy way?
•Denial
•Projection
•Hypocrisy
•Neuroticism
•Emotional outbursts
•Accidental behaviour
How do you integrate your Shadow in a healthy way?
You are capable of good and evil
To deny darkness is to deny part of yourself
The Shadow is your friend
And becomes hostile when ignored
To deny darkness is to deny part of yourself
The Shadow is your friend
And becomes hostile when ignored
Become self aware of your Shadow and integrate it productively and creatively into your consciousness
Stop trying to be perfect…
Try to be WHOLE
This will make you authentic and complete
Stop trying to be perfect…
Try to be WHOLE
This will make you authentic and complete
1. See your Shadow
•Become aware
•Follow your thought patterns
2. Embrace your Shadow
•Accept, don’t deny
3. Explore your Shadow
•Become aware
•Follow your thought patterns
2. Embrace your Shadow
•Accept, don’t deny
3. Explore your Shadow
4. Show your Shadow
Channel it in healthy ways:
•Martial arts (exercise)
•Stand up for what you believe in
•Care less what others think of you
•Assert yourself more, compromise less
•Respect your own opinion more than others
•Sometimes you need to offend toxic people
Channel it in healthy ways:
•Martial arts (exercise)
•Stand up for what you believe in
•Care less what others think of you
•Assert yourself more, compromise less
•Respect your own opinion more than others
•Sometimes you need to offend toxic people
Use the Shadow to your benefit
Use it to become a more authentic, human being
WARNING:
Dr. Jekyll describes what happens when you hide your Shadow for too long:
“My devil had long been caged, he came out roaring”
Use it to become a more authentic, human being
WARNING:
Dr. Jekyll describes what happens when you hide your Shadow for too long:
“My devil had long been caged, he came out roaring”
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