Healing Our Shadow Elements

Question:

I am in need of some clarification regarding the dark-side/shadow aspect of human beings. I am confused as to whether a person's shadow side is a permanent fixture of their awareness—to be accepted and integrated—or whether it is something that is to be eventually transcended and/or dissolved through diligent meditation practice. I seem lately to regularly encounter seemingly contradictory viewpoints on this matter where sometimes the dark/shadow side is spoken about in terms of past conditioning or accumulated stress and karma wherein the implicit understanding is that, given enough time and due diligence with meditation, one would eventually tread past their negativity and emerge into unconditional love. Other times though it seems that the shadow is portrayed as being a permanent, inescapable fixture of the human condition (love and hate coexist always) wherein the goal is simply to acknowledge it, accept it, and learn to live with it. If one tends to favor their positive aspects over their negative ones does that necessarily mean that they are denying and suppressing parts of themselves? I can’t imagine not preferring love over hate.

Anyway, I can’t help but see the above two points of view as being utterly contradictory. Do enlightened individuals really have the same dark aspects as everyone else? If so, what is it exactly that makes them enlightened? Or have they indeed let go of and moved beyond all negativity.

Answer:

When the shadow elements are accepted, integrated and healed, they cease to be in the dark. Reactions like hate and greed would vanish because the ignorance holding them in place would be replaced with self-awareness. So in that sense the shadow or negative side is not permanent. What is permanent are those basic elements of our personality that were previously dysfunctional and repressed, but are now functionally working in concert with our spiritual aspirations. The strength and energy of that part of us that was previously cut off from us has been brought back into alignment with our higher purpose.

The ignorance, shame, guilt, and fear that characterize the shadow side are not permanent fixtures of human awareness. When we outgrow those aspects of the psyche, then we no longer create these shadows. It is as if the contents of our consciousness then becomes fully transparent to the light.

The idea of a shadow side is a different issue than what you have described later as the need for contrast or opposites to give meaning to our experience. It is not necessary to have a hidden hateful part inside in order to love. Being able to love and express the full range of human experience is available to an enlightened person, even though he or she is no longer has a covert side motivated by shame, guilt or fear.
Love,
Deepak