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Shadow Self: Do this When You See Your Shadow

7/2/2024

6 Comments

 
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Shadow work involves working with your unconscious mind to uncover the parts of yourself that you repress and hide from yourself. This can include trauma or parts of your personality that you subconsciously consider undesirable. - betterup.com

Shadow Work & the Shadow Self


Carl Jung described the shadow self as the darker part of our psyche. And the quote above adds the idea that we've repressed it and need to acknowledge and embrace it in order to grow as human beings.

And here is what I believe...

The shadow self is composed of the most blamed, shamed and rejected parts of the personality self you created in childhood and then came to believe was who you really are. Though it does not actually exist, the shame, blame and rejection do, as does the habit of avoiding painful feelings, and they are what need healing, along with the limiting beliefs about who you are. Until ascension, we are likely to need to accept, love and heal the shadow self, even though it isn't who we really are.   
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The Simulation Hypothesis


What if the world as we know it, is fake? Is that possible? Let's look at one theory that supports that idea...
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The Simulation Hypothesis posits that our reality might actually be an advanced digital simulation. Though the hypothesis is currently unprovable with the tools at our disposal, it forces us to confront profound questions about existence, reality, and our place within the universe. - earth.com

Philosopher Nick Bostrom first articulated this theory in 2003, in a paper he wrote titled Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?, and it has gathered support from tech visionaries Elon Musk and Peter Thiel. In fact, Elon Musk has said that the chances that we are not living in a simulation are one in billions.

While this theory is impossible to test (so far), it does have some support from the scientific community.
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From a physics standpoint, some theorists point to limits on our ability to probe reality at microscopic scales as possible evidence that we are in a simulation. The quantized nature of fields and particles, discreteness of spacetime, and the uncertainty principle may emerge naturally from a simulated reality. 
- article from earth.com

According to ScientificAmerican.com, recent scientific papers have refined the original statistics to suggest that there is a 50% chance that we are living in a simulation.

If you want more, read these...

Hardware/Simulation Theory
Of Course We're Living in a Simulation
​Can We Model Our Universe as a Simulation?

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Remember The Truman Show?


In the Truman Show, we find Truman living in a simulated reality that he believes is real. He reacts genuinely to everything he experiences, having no idea that his entire life is scripted.

But eventually, he has what I would call a spiritual awakening, and begins to question the reality he is experiencing. He's reluctant to believe that what he has always trusted, including the environment around him, is not real.
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Truman struggles to overcome the sense of attachment he feels to his fake reality despite knowing how it is holding him back from achieving freedom. He feels bound by the fake fears, insecurities, and traumas the show's creators instilled in him all his life. While Truman literally and metaphorically breaks Seahaven's walls and steps outside into the real world..., it is hard not to wonder if he will ever be able to trust anyone after what he went through. - ScreenRant.com

Lightworkers, that's our quest.

To practice living in the truth, in the hope that those who don't yet see the truth will get curious enough about what they might be missing, to eventually have their own spiritual awakening. That's one of the things we came here to do.

But we were deeply wounded during the years when we didn't know who we truly were, so we also have been handed the task of surrendering those wounds to our own divinity and to God or Spirit (or whatever name you prefer.)

But you might be wondering why we have to deal with the shadow self at all once we realize that we are not who we thought we were. Well, it's because, just like the personality self or ego, as a whole, we so deeply believed it was who we were, that unraveling that untruth will take time.

My Life inside The Jeanine Show

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The essence of who the character of Jeanine was written to be was a someone traumatized and mousy, afraid of her own shadow and completely defeated by the painful heaviness of her story.

Squeak! You couldn't really hear her voice because she didn't know she had one.

Besides, she believed that if she was seen or heard, she would probably get squashed.

As the observer living in her body, I forgot I even existed. 

But these days, having walked through the metaphorical fake wall, I am learning to be the me who watched the Jeanine show, but has now turned the channel.

I turn that channel every day, but often it's only after I realize I was mesmerized once again.

I'm committed to an ongoing quest to remember who I am. Separating the truth from the lies is not just an inside job, it's a full-time mission.

As a lightworker, I know that the more I can live from the truth of who I am, the more that energy and frequency will radiate out to others. 

My mission is to help other lightworkers connect to their divinity, step away from the lie, and walk through the portal of their own truth, healing shadow wounds along the way.

I write about how important it is to slow down and create daily rituals. And it's because you have to create these portal moments every day, so you don't get sucked back in to watching & living your own Truman show.
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So What Should We Do
with the Shadow Self?


One possibility is to change the story we believe. I was trying to think through this idea of simulation and the implications for us, so I asked Canva's AI tool to connect the simulated world possibility to the shadow self, and boy, did that take a turn...

Imagine for a moment that life as we know it is a grand simulation, a divine playground, where each challenge is a loving nudge from the universe, urging us toward greater self-discovery. The shadow self, in this context, is not an adversary but a sacred teacher. By embracing and befriending these shadowy aspects, we reclaim fragmented pieces of our soul, thus becoming more whole and aligned with our true essence. What lessons do your shadows hold for you? What would happen if you embraced them with compassion and curiosity? Trust in the process, and know that every moment of self-reflection, every act of self-love, brings you closer to the radiant core of your being.

The Simulator is the Universe?


Well, that's a nice thought! 

It isn't what I believe, but I find it interesting that that is where the AI tool went. 

On the other hand, I do believe that God/Spirit/the universe is loving. And I do believe that every challenge is an opportunity for self-discovery and spiritual growth.

Here's what else I agree with...

the shadow self is a sacred teacher

befriending the shadow self & offering it love and compassion is important

we can trust the process and know that every moment of introspection and every act of self-love will bring us closer to the truth of who we are


But all of that inner work is taking place within a world that is not benevolent, and it succeeds in spite of it.
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The Simplest
​Shadow Self Solution


What do we do with the shadow self?

The simplest answer is to do this when you see your shadow: bring your own self-love and divinity to it. 


(1) Acknowledge it whenever we become aware of it.

(2) Accept whatever it tells or shows us with full, loving presence.

(3) Sit with the energy and feelings that come up until they fade or dissolve.

Does what I have written here resonate with you? I'd love to know what you think.

See you next time!

love, Jeanine
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​In my Inner Goddess Breakthrough eCourse (coming this fall?), there's a whole section devoted to emotional self-care & healing rituals for the shadow self. Join the waitlist.

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6 Comments
Stacey Myers link
7/2/2024 05:54:55 am

What a fascinating theory. I very much enjoyed reading about the possibility that we are living in a simulation.

Thank you for sharing some of your story. Self-love seems to pretty much always be the answer to everything.

Reply
Jeanine Byers link
7/2/2024 01:26:01 pm

Thanks so much, Stacey! Yes!! No matter what the problem is, self-love is the answer.

Reply
Tamara link
7/2/2024 08:11:52 am

If I don't know my shadow, does it mean it's so repressed it doesn't dare showing itself, or don't I have a dark side? (Honest question). I mean, there are always situatin where I think I could have done more / better / faster, but it's not nagging or anything.

Reply
Jeanine Byers link
7/2/2024 01:28:27 pm

Well, I think the shadow pops up in those moments when you think you overreacted, can't believe you said or did something or know that something triggered you. If any of that resonates, you have experienced your shadow.

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Paul Taubman link
7/2/2024 09:49:11 am

Thank you for sharing such an insightful and transformative piece on the shadow self. Your reflections on embracing and healing the parts of ourselves that we've repressed are both profound and inspiring. The connection to the simulation hypothesis adds a unique perspective that encourages deeper self-discovery and spiritual growth. I especially appreciated the practical steps for acknowledging and accepting our shadow self with love and compassion. Your dedication to helping others connect with their true selves shines through beautifully. Looking forward to more of your wisdom!

Reply
Jeanine Byers link
7/2/2024 01:30:05 pm

Paul, I could just hug you! Thank you so much!! <3

Reply



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    Hi, I'm Jeanine

    Spiritual guide, intuitive, and comfort ritual creator. I help lightworkers stay grounded, peaceful, and soul-aligned. Try a comforting ritual (free) or explore the Fearless Lightworker Toolkit.

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