Beyond Good and Bad

We've all grown up in a time where good and bad are deeply embedded terms.  What is considered "good" and what is considered "bad" is highly variable depending on the family structure you grew up in, the friends you had, the teachers you had etc.  Either way, we're dealing with the repercussions of internalizing shame and guilt for being bad, and only wanting to present to others what we've decided or have been taught is good.  For many of us there is a push or internal drive to be more authentic and less split or conflicted.  This process involves integrating the light or what has been deemed good and the shadow or what has been deemed bad.  Usually, through our upbringing we've denied, rejected, dis-owned and suppressed anything about us that someone thought or decided was bad.  These aspects of us become what can be named as the shadow self. 

​In order to become integrated, whole, present and available for life now, in ways that will enable us to truly thrive, it requires us to claim what has previously been in the shadows and allow all that we are to be in the light or be conscious or known to us.  The question is, how do we get in touch with what we've previously denied, rejected, dis-owned or suppressed?  This begins by acknowledging that the shadow self exists then choosing to re-claim it, own it, become aware of it, and embrace it, which is really about claiming, owning, acknowledging and embracing more of who you are.  As you desire to re-integrate the shadow and choose to know and be more of who you are, the way to do this will present.  One thing to keep in mind is that there is often fear involved in meeting the shadow.  We think that all we will discover are things that are bad and wrong about us and why would we want to do that? 

In reality, what we will often discover hiding in the shadows are our gifts, our greatness, our talents and abilities, our brilliance, and our uniqueness.  Why would that be the case?  These are all things that make us different or make us stand out, or make us not liked by people who don't know what to do with that.  What is in the shadows are the things about us that make us unable to be controlled, anything that would lead us to to doing things that other people don't think of, or doing things that don't make sense or don't lead towards societally defined rewards or away from societally defined punishments.  What's there are things that we think that if we express we will end up alone, isolated, abandoned, rejected and hated. What's key as we choose to re-integrate these aspects of us is to bring to them the perspective and awareness we have now about what our choices create.  Often, expressing an aspect of our being that would have lead us to abandonment or isolation could now lead us to greater intimacy, joy and ease of living.  It's also important to acknowledge that by bringing these aspects into the light, it doesn't mean that we have to express them in the world, it just gives us the choice to.

We can step beyond good and bad into acknowledging the totally of our being, so that we can know who we are and express what creates the life we'd like to have here.  As we become more conscious and loving, we have a greater capacity to acknowledge and receive the gifts from aspects of us that were previously rejected or denied.  Are you willing to know you beyond light and shadow or good and bad?  Are you willing to be you beyond that?  Are you willing to reclaim your authentic desires and allow the universe, the earth and the world to contribute to you fulfilling them?  How many people can benefit from you being fulfilled, joyful and happy?