Light and Shadow

It is so easy to lose sight of our blessings that I think sometimes we must experience extreme opposites to see the worth in both the wonderful things and the lessons that life brings us, shadow in light and light in darkness. It is here we can learn the true value of that which feeds our soul.

Sometimes the pendulum swings too hard and we find one overshadowing the other, often the dark outshadowing the light, leaving the reflection of light hidden in shade. It can also be true that in only focusing on the good and worthy we ignore the darker parts of ourselves - those parts are always there, when we stand in the light our shadow stands beside us.

Balance is the key, accepting all parts of ourselves and seeing their worth no matter how little we like those parts, accepting the unwanted guest at the door of our subconscious mind, inviting it in so that we may get to know it, this is never a comfortable process but one that brings great rewards.

There is an I ching proverb that says:

It is only when we have the courage to face things exactly as they are. Without any self deception or illusion That a light will develop By which the path to success will be recognised  

The treasures of the earth do not sit glinting in the sun for us to find, they lie deeply buried in the earth in dark hidden places and are formed under intense heat and pressure in the darkness of the cavern, they do not shine in the dark but remain as dull lifeless stone. It is not untill we excavate them and bring them to light that we see the wonders that they are.

This is much like the human psyche, inside the shadow parts of ourselves formed through lifes pressures and the hard places lie great wonders. Strengths we see as weakness, honour we see as shameful, bravery where we see fear. We cannot know one without the other, without fear there is no courage and to find courage first we must find fear. What treasures lie buried in the shadows of your consciousness?

Karen x