The Shadow

May 12, 2011 | Pamela | chopra, deepak, shadow | comment »

“The book begins with Deepak Chopra’s discussion of the concept of the shadow. Chopra writes, “In the fog of illusion [aka, the shadow], we don’t even see our worst impulses as self-destructive. They’re irresistible, even fun…The shadow exerts its power by making the darkness seem like the light.” These lines had me hooked and thinking back to the days when I used to view the world through a negative lens. The shadow of negative thinking can be a strong force and it can take over our mind in such a way that it seems like it’s fun. (Just think of so many self-destructive behaviors that actually seem like fun!) Admittedly, I’d been a bit doubtful when I’d opened the book. I was curious about the shadow effect, but I wasn’t sure how it could really be applied to me. Reading Chopra’s words led me to believe that there really is a shadow within all of us and it’s something we must truly understand to move forward positively with our lives.

Chopra notes that one way the shadow takes shape within us is in the form of projecting, which happens when we feel like we’re not good enough so we look around to see what’s not good enough in others. Projecting our own insecurities on others results in states such as jealousy, superiority, injustice, arrogance, defensiveness, blame, etc. It is one of the key ways the shadow within us dominates us. What I found most interesting about Chopra’s insights on projecting was this: Chopra notes that one of the easiest ways to determine if you’re projecting on others is to look for negativity. He writes, “…projection is never neutral. It manifests as negative energy because what it’s disguising is negative.” When you are experiencing negative emotions towards others, you are most likely projecting your own negativity onto them. Now, I know this is no brand new revelation, but every time I read about this concept, I’m reminded to be more conscious of my feelings towards others.

In his section, Chopra asks one of the best and most basic questions relating to one’s shadow self: “Why is it so hard to let go of negative emotions?” I don’t want to give it all away (since you should really check out the whole book for yourself), but Chopra unveils why it can be so difficult to let go of negative emotions — and how to start actually letting go of them. One of the ways to do this, according to Chopra, is to rebuild you emotional body, a concept I found fascinating and a section I would definitely recommend to anyone looking to rid their lives of negativity. The concept of the emotional body is an intriguing one, especially as it relates to the physical body. Chopra writes, “Every time you feel a negative emotion, your emotional body is expressing discomfort, soreness, fatigue, or pain,” and Chopra notes that we should not ignore those feelings of discomfort or pain.

Chopra, in this section, also provides some wonderful insights on how to let go of negativity and one of the best take-aways from this segment (and the book!) was this line: “You get the emotions you think you deserve.” It sounds unfair or maybe even cliche, but it is so true that, if you focus on certain emotions, you will experience those emotions. You must be aware of what you are feeling and learn how to deal with both the positive and negative forces within you.