The Light And The Shadow

 

John Baptist

30th January 2022

    The sun radiates light and, our eyes can see. It is in the light that we see clearly and can move around. It is necessary to have external light to see things and our path. It is also essential to have internal light to see the reality of our human existence and make the right choices. Another important aspect of being in the light is that it reveals our shadow. Where there is light, there is shadow too. Shadow is a reality of human life. Shadow can be any dark, unhealthy, or unhelpful side of ourselves that we need to heal. Shadow also can be our existential limitations, which might not change, and hence must be integrated with awareness and grace. Richard Rohr, a Franciscan monk, mystic and wisdom writer says, “Those things we repress or deny about ourselves become our shadow. The qualities we “place” in our shadow aren’t necessarily or only bad; they simply are the ones that are not rewarded by our family system or culture”.

Each one of us has a shadow in ourselves which needs to be recognized before we can work upon it. Anyone who claims for the light also needs to face the shadow. Seeing one’s shadow might be distressful initially nevertheless, it has to be recognized. Though uncomfortable, the process for healing or integration of the shadow must begin. Wisdom and Divine grace are necessary to do the shadow work and develop healthy self-critical thinking, which alone allows us to see beyond our own shadow and disguise and to find who we truly are (Richard Rohr). Can we dare to be in the light and face our own shadows? Unless we allow God’s light to penetrate our shadows, we can never hope to discover who we truly are.  

Notes

Richard Rohr, Unveiling the Shadow, https://cac.org/unveiling-the-shadow-2021-06-13/