Re: Re- Shadow

[Guest guest]

I would like to offer this consideration: Sometimes the activity of the

anima can appear " shadow-y " without necessarily being Shadow in the strictest

sense. Some-times they are hard to distinguish if we don't have a conscious

relationship with anima or animus. I think this formula would also apply to

our relationship with the Shadow, that is, vice versa. With consciousness

comes the ability to discern the work of the anima/mus within as over against

the Shadow (as defined here), withdraw our projections, etc. Then there are

disguises. Part of what a rejected aspect of the psyche can do is mascherade

as something else, usually in a negative way, and disguised with another of

our projections. For example, [being male, I'll put it this way]: My

relationship with my beautiful blonde wife gets contaminated by my projection

of the inner goddess (all beautiful blonde women must be very wise and good,

and so I will defer to their judgment in all matters). When I discover she

is not the goddess, but a mere mortal, my shadow is aroused- the victim

complex being predominant- and I fall into harsh judgment of her, and myself.

Since I am not in a very good relationship with the feminine here, she

appears shadowy and inaccessible. Then my shadow shoves the ego out of its

place, and run things for awhile- with my complicity, of course. At such a

point I become very aware of the shadow (I didn't know I would have that

reaction!) but since I am in the complex I am helpless to do anything about

it, until matters run their course. ASAP, I relegate the shadow to the

cellar of my mind once again, and cease to believe in his existence. I may

very well, start believing she is the goddess again, especially if she

reaches out to me. That would constellate my " puer " , wouldn't it?

Would welcome any discussion on these points.

Gene Baker

[Guest guest]

Hello -

I'll throw my two bits in to the discussion of shadow by telling how it

works for me. I've taken the classic Jungian position that male dream

figures are animus in a woman and females are shadow. When I first

became aware of dream figures and started to track them I had male

figures who ignored me(dreamego) and I found that the more time and

attention I gave my dreams, these male figures would warm up and be more

approachable, sometimes even offering me help and advice. Some would be

more distinct than others, but I found that the ones with black hair

were especially significant - as much of my mother's family had dark

hair. When the men were blond I assumed I was seeing aspects of my

father/or his family. (I also noted what they were wearing - if it's a

brown suit, I know who's come to call.)

When I began having really neat interactions with the males, I felt I

was doing something right; " the work " perhaps. (One telephone dream -

the male told me he was selling real estate in Florida - so they're

working even in dreams!)

With the females it was much the same, there were more of them and some

were more indistinct than others - I took those to be farther from

consciousness. When a particularly " bossy " woman showed up, at first I

found her repugnant, than I thought " where am I like that in my life and

do others see that quality in me? " It gave me much to think about and

reflect on. And now, I've come to the feeling that I need more of that

bossy quality in my day life, but I need to be aware and judicious in

its use. All in all, it's fascinating and many times I find the dream

world dancing counterpoint to my daylight activities. It's a treasure

that I'm so grateful to have found. Cheers, Shirley

[Guest guest]

> " EXACTLY. " I believe that is what " Projection " means.

*Depends what you mean by (appropriate quotation marks) " other " ... There's

one heck of a lot of " other " right here behind my specs... I may spew it

out on some other unsuspecting man or woman, but it still remains me - my

shadow - my darkness - nothing to do with my selected " other " ... Good

example is Dan and me a couple of weeks back. Finally wonder who was

talking to who.

Fortunately for us, he joined your list, SC, so we haven't lost him (or - I

hope - hurt him) completely. Sooner or later, no doubt, he'll be back...

Projection, in my book, is BECAUSE of the shadow, but is not necessarily

it... (as in 'You're it')... The shadow is the weakness - the lack I

experience in myself - the lack that is so unacceptable that it CAN'T be me

so it MUST be you... But that second step is just that: secondary.

Then again, I may just be making all this up.

m