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get to know your shadow


There’s a reason Peter Pan was trying to stitch his shadow back on. Without it, he wasn’t whole.


Like Peter, we all have a shadow side and we aren’t whole without it. So, it’s worth getting to know your shadow if you strive to be a more mentally healthy person. Contrary to what you might think, it’s not something dark or wrong or bad in you. It’s part of the entirety of you.  


There are plenty of resources out there for people who want to know more about the shadow, a term coined by CG Jung and still used clinically by Jungian analysts and other mental health providers. Here’s one: Click here. Here’s another: Click here.


But for this discussion, let’s turn away from the deeply clinical to a simple visual matrix called the Johari Window, a square divided into four squares like a four-paned window. One more link for those who prefer the visual – here – and here’s a quick explanation. The four quadrants or panes of the window represent parts of yourself. The first one is that which is known to you and to others, the open part of you. Second is that which is known to you but not known to others, the hidden part of you. This could be personal feelings you prefer to keep to yourself, or a secret. Third is that which is known to others but not to you, called the blind spot. The fourth pane, called unknown, is that which is not known to you nor is it known to others. All but the first quadrant are part of your shadow side.


The Johari Window is often used to educate groups and facilitate better communication. The four panes of the window can shift size, so to speak, as we open ourselves up or close ourselves off.


As we tread deeper into the tangled woods of the upcoming election season in our country, we’d all do a favor for ourselves and each other if we spend time in quiet contemplation of our own shadows, examining honestly the ways they may be affecting us and seeking ways we can improve our own mental health. 


9/16/2024

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