Making peace with our shadow aspects can be challenging but essential for healing. Although we may not like them, they serve an essential purpose providing us with opportunities to grow and recover.
SHADOW WORK AND ITS PURPOSE
There is a common expectation that life is supposed to be good and beautiful. Specially for our kids, we only want them to have a good life. While life indeed can be good and beautiful, we all know it encompasses much more than that: The spectrum of emotions we encounter on Earth is vast.
By recognizing that we are not solely human beings, but also spiritual entities, we may tap into our soul's purpose and undergo a wide array of emotions that our souls chose for us to experience in this life time. The soul needs the physical body as a vessel to navigate through life.
"The shadow is the greatest teacher for how to come to the light."
Ram Dass
WHY IS THERE DARKNESS AT ALL?
The darkness might not be popular at all, but it has an important purpose: We can heal our fractured sense of self. Instead of separating ourselves into "good" and "bad" components, we can embrace all facets that the cosmic interplay of duality has bestowed upon us for the purpose of healing.
The purpose of spiritual practice is not to to get rid of the shadow, as this is an impossible task. Rather, we are encouraged to illuminate our shadow aspects so that they do not dominate our existence. When we remain unaware of our shadow, it can cause chaos. However, by acknowledging it, we can consciously engage with it and comprehend its purpose and blessing.
The initial step towards this journey involves acknowledging the darkness. If we reject its existence it may manifest itself in various ways until we are willing to confront it directly. You probably know these moments when you get to the point realizing that you are dealing with the same issue over and over - again and again? It's the lesson you struggle with and it will repeat itself until you learn from it. Basically, the shadow forces us to face what we don't want to face and to make peace with what we do not want to acknowledge. It urges us to illuminate our darkness in order to grow through the process of transformation.
This process can last a while, sometimes it can be frustrating. One can feel stuck. It may require delving into multiple layers of inner work. Additional time might be necessary to address all elements of a particular issue. If you are in one of those processes, than please be gentle with yourself. Keep in mind that certain patterns, such as those developed in childhood, took years to form, so it's important to practice patience and trust in the process, even if you feel it's not processing.
"Change is inevitable, but transformation is a choice."
Heather Ash Amara
THE POWER OF "GURU"
The term "Guru" originates from the combination of "Gu," meaning "cave" representing darkness, and "Ru," symbolizing light. Therefore, "Guru" describes the process of transitioning from darkness to light. In Western culture, the term "Guru" is commonly associated with a spiritual leader, a person, which is accurate to some extent. But "Guru" is more than that, it signifies the powerful ability of transformation and calls on our precious gift of intuitive healing powers. It also refers to the teacher within - the divine aspect within us - our soul.
When we tune in at the beginning of a Kundalini Yoga class, we bow to the Divine Creation (Ong Namo) and to the teacher within (Guru Dev Namo).
HOW TO SHED LIGHT ON YOUR SHADOW?
The possible ways to illuminate our shadows are myriad. Depending on our experiences the darkness within might call for a classical therapy, a shamanic treatment, a somatic experience, a regular Yoga practice, channeling... just to name a few.
Among all these precious ways of healing, I would like to recommend a Yogic tool that uses the healing power of frequency, suitable for everybody: The powerful mantra WAHE GURU!
THE MANTRA WAHE GURU
The use of the mantra Wahe Guru is a celebration of our sacred ability to transform darkness into light. "Wahe" refers to the ecstasy when transforming. If you picture a butterfly breaking free from its cocoon. This very moment would perfectly describe the "Wahe" - the ecstasy of transformation.
To work with the Mantra Wahe Guru, it is recommended chanting it for 11 minutes daily in a comfortable meditation position with your eyes closed. It is beneficial to maintain a mantra practice consistently for a minimum of 40 consecutive days. Alternatively, you can listen to the mantra throughout the day. Personally, I find it helpful when I need motivation for tasks I enjoy less. In such cases, the first link with the one-hour chant is particularly effective.
Here are two of my favorite versions of Wahe Guru:
Try it out and if you wish to share your experience I would love to read from you in the comments or in a direct message. Sat Nam Wahe Guru!
If you liked this article you might be interested in how chanting mantra in general can impact you in a beneficial way, check out my post Sacred Words of Healing
More infos about the polarities as such, you'll find in posts like Let's Talk About Sex
In case you would like to do some more specific work on your shadow aspects, I would be happy to provide you with Yogic tools to help yourself. Just drop me a message.
Amazing new blog- very interesting the duality aspect and the explanation of Guru🙏thank you for sharing your world with us