Lately the idea of the Jungian ‘shadow’ self has been coming up, largely because at the time of writing, we are just out of the eclipse season. Eclipses show us our shadow. It’s said that we all have a one.
Our shadow side is the part of us that we think is somehow wrong. As we grow up, we are told to hide this part of ourselves and this we never deal with it.
The New Age teaches us that instead of burying this part of ourselves, we should work with it. We’re taught to love our shadow side because we need to love all of ourselves, for our souls to evolve.
This week, we have a Mercury square Saturn connection, which heralds tough times to do with communications and also to do with the mind. It’s a potentially somewhat dark time which can bring out our shadow.
Saturn is the planet of fear and when it’s triggered by the mind planet Mercury, as is happening this week, our thoughts can spiral negatively.
Mercury/Saturn is a time that we can “terrorise ourselves with our thoughts” to quote late, great publisher and teacher Louise L. Hay. Whenever we frighten ourselves with our fears, that’s our shadow side at work.
To rise above this, we need to use Mercury (mind) and Saturn (training) as a time to train our minds. We need to firmly (Saturn) decide (Mercury) to love ourselves … and see our faults with love too.
Can you re-story the last thing you did that you’re a bit ashamed of as a “foible” rather than some grave misdemeanour which makes you less loveable?
The more we can love and forgive ourselves, treat ourselves kindly and let go of the past, the better we will treat and relate to other people.
The good news is that after the Mercury/Saturn clash, there’s a lovely and healing Mercury/Chiron connection; healing balm for troubled minds. Connect with someone who cares for you and vice versa, especially on Wednesday.
