Do you ever get “triggered” by people? Is your reaction more dramatic than it should be? It may be that you have met your “shadow side” in the other person.
Our “shadow” is the part of our psyche that we’ve denied or disowned. We may not realize it’s there or if we do, we deny that it’s part of who we are. But, it is part of who we are. And, the shadow has a reason for being. Therapy can help us uncover and accept these hidden aspects of ourselves.
Here is an exercise to try. Think of five people that you are currently having difficulty with in your life. Write down the aspects of their personality that are objectionable to you.
Now, here’s the hard part. Which of these personality traits reside in you? Can you think of situations when these traits have surfaced in you? What were the benefits of having these traits arise? Can you accept that these traits also live in you? How might you use these parts of your personality to serve you better?
At the Transformational Arts College, my teachers often reminded the students that to have light, there must also be darkness. There must be contrast to see the light. And, there is contrast within each of us! Learn to embrace both the light, and the shadow within you. Both the light and the shadow of our being will serve us in some way.