What is the “Golden Shadow”?
Why we unconsciously resist embodying our positive potential and how to reclaim it.
The “shadow” is a Jungian term that refers to the unconscious part of our psyche that contains our repressed and rejected traits, desires and instincts (see my previous post).
Many misunderstand the shadow as consisting only of our negative and undesirable qualities. However, our shadow includes radiant, positive qualities, such as our untapped potential, creativity and hidden strengths, which Jungian scholars often refer to as the “Golden Shadow.”
In Jungian psychology, the path of becoming psychologically whole and living as one’s true self, known as individuation, requires bringing the shadow into our conscious awareness and integrating the qualities we have repressed and disavowed. This is a lifelong journey that includes welcoming our darker aspects as well as our golden shadow—those latent positive qualities.
But, why would we have difficulty embodying our positive qualities in the first place?
The shadow is formed when we are young. As we absorb information about what is seen as favorable and unfavorable—by our caregivers, family, teachers, society, and peers–subconsciously, we push away and hide “unacceptable” qualities in order to fit in and survive. Over time, we become more and more cut off from our authenticity and wholeness.
Parker Palmer beautifully describes the detrimental impacts of this conditioning in his book, A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life,
“Afraid that our inner light will be extinguished, or our inner darkness exposed, we hide our true identities from each other. In the process, we become separated from our own souls. We end up living divided lives, so far removed from the truth we hold within that we cannot know the integrity that comes from being what you are.”
We may have learned early that it is immodest to shine. We may come from families where our strengths (such as artistic expression or emotional sensitivity) were not valued. Perhaps we had a very accomplished sibling whose excellence made us feel ashamed of our own talents and afraid to pursue them. A young girl who is confident and direct may have received feedback that those qualities are undesirable, so she learned to suppress them.
Ultimately, the shadow gets held in place by shame and our fear of rejection.
Paradoxically, people often have the most difficulty embracing their so-called “light” qualities.
In his book Owning Your Own Shadow, Jungian scholar Robert A. Johnson observes,
"Curiously, people resist the noble aspects of their shadow more strenuously than they hide the dark sides."
Often, this is because we fear the power and the responsibility that comes from fully stepping into our gifts. If we acknowledge our positive qualities then we’ll feel compelled to live up to them. As Marianne Williamson famously wrote in her book, A Return to Love,
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.”
If our family culture rewarded humility, fully embodying our gifts and becoming powerful beyond measure, may feel conceited or selfish. We risk being seen as “boastful” or “too big for our britches.”
But the even bigger risk is that we might fail at—or be rejected for—what feels most closely connected to who we truly are. And that can seem unbearable.
I have found that many of my clients resist embodying their golden qualities because on a deep level they don’t believe they are worthy of them. They ask themselves, as the Marianne Williamson quote above continues,
“Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?”
Most of this takes place on an unconscious level, so we are not only unaware of the qualities we possess, we are also largely unaware of our resistance to them.
Our shadow, both dark and light, is buried within layers of the unconscious mind. Therefore, uncovering any aspect of the shadow and bringing it into conscious awareness requires inner work and can be uncomfortable. So, it makes sense that we would resist it. However, recognizing and integrating the “golden shadow” is essential to fulfilling our potential and living an authentic life.
How can we welcome and integrate qualities we don’t even know we possess?
Because our shadow is hidden from us (in the unconscious), it is necessary to discover it indirectly. Looking at what we project onto others is one of the primary methods for uncovering the shadow.
Projection is an unconscious defense mechanism that involves attributing thoughts, feelings and qualities we find unacceptable in ourselves onto other people. It enables us to avoid confronting those aspects in ourselves. People typically understand that we project our negative attributes, but we also project positive ones. When we project our positive traits and potential, it allows us to keep them at a distance and avoid the responsibility of embodying them.
Our strong reactions to and judgments of others typically reveal our own shadow. So, anytime you feel disgust and dismay, but also anytime you feel a strong sense of awe and admiration, you are likely encountering your shadow. Ask, what qualities in the Other are eliciting those responses.
If you would like my support with integrating your shadow, living more authentically and transforming your life, reach out for a complementary clarity session to explore how we can work together.