Shadow Energies

The intensity of shadow energies is a way of getting noticed: Hiding something is not the same as killing it. Shadow energies remain alive. Even though you refuse to look at them, they aren’t extinguished–in fact, their desire for life becomes all the more desperate.

To catch your attention as a parent, a child who is overlooked will become more and more extreme in its behavior: first a call for attention, then a cry, then a tantrum. Shadow energies follow much the same pattern.

It seems only reasonable to see panic attacks, for example, as a hidden fear throwing a tantrum. That same fear first called out to be noticed in a normal way, but when the person refused to notice it, a call turned into a cry and finally ended up as a full-blown attack.

Fear and anger are especially adept at increasing the voltage to the point where we feel that they are alien, evil, demonic forces acting without our will. They are actually just aspects of consciousness forced into inhuman intensity by repression. Repression says, “If I don’t look at you, you will leave me alone.” To which the shadow answers, “I can do things that will make you look at me.”

Bringing consciousness to any energy diffuses it: This follows naturally from the last statement. If an energy demands your attention, then paying attention will begin to satisfy it. An overlooked child isn’t placated by only one glance. It takes time to change any behavior for good or ill and, like children, our shadow energies get stuck in patterns and habits.

But this doesn’t alter the general truth that if you bring light into the shadow, its distortions start to lessen and eventually are healed. Is there time enough and patience to do the whole job thoroughly? There’s no fixed answer to that.

Adapted from The Book of Secrets, by Deepak Chopra (Harmony Books, 2004).

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Leanne B.

2:45PM PST on Jan 12, 2012

Thanks so much!

send a green star

Past Member .

3:49AM PST on Dec 10, 2011

Whisper my secret name from the shadows.
Draw me into forbidden embrace.
Let dark energies circulate,
articulate.
Yes!

Jane H.

2:47PM PDT on Aug 9, 2011

Oh, how true....thank you.

colleen p.

1:51PM PDT on May 10, 2011

OHH. i so want to put Persona(video game) Quotes
X_X

Camila K.

7:26AM PDT on May 4, 2011

Yes, Carl Jung stuff, spiritual truths, all the same stuff. Its not enough to know that we should transmute these energies, that's so intellectual. Most of us didn't even know these concepts just a few years ago. Its time to embrace the entire self as acceptable, warts and all, shadows and light, because being human means we have both. Once we accept, we can tolerate those aspects better, and that's what it is to shine light on them, which begins to dissipate them. Its a visceral experience, and we are all here to do this who are here, and ready to ascend. Its very difficult to realize those things in oneself, but this is the beginning of healing. Accept everything, and go forward toward better choices.

5:38AM PDT on May 1, 2011

shadow? like Carl Jung type stuff?

Angie C.

7:18PM PDT on Apr 28, 2011

.....all of this is so fresh and rescent to me....as i just finished a very moving book by Debbie Ford, called : The light Chassers into the Dark side, ( i might have the worded wrong-if not you know the book I'm mentioning),.... It's all of the dark, light, every aspect of us that makes us. To be truthfully honest I had to space my time out reading this picticular novel. I'm no big book readed by all means but if there was a pt.2 or next book inline to this I wouldn't mind having it and diving into it. This book I mention here inregards to aka-the dark side really had a great impact on all levels and had to be slowly digested bit by bit. Sometimes I didn't read it for a week because it held so much truth and how it was written-.... really nailed many many aspects and more . I don't become big fans of much people or stuff but D.P , she's pretty brilliant and pure in her writtings and words.

7:17PM PDT on Apr 28, 2011

Uma C.

7:56AM PDT on Apr 27, 2011

Thank you Bob I'm so glad to see you remind every one of us that it's DR. Chopra. As the pioneer of mind/body science he took the brunt of the incensed reactions of traditional science, as did the quantum theorists. They had invested so much in their beliefs that they cant deal with the radical changes quantum based science summons. Even as we speak the technology we are using is based on the new viewpoint, ie. computers are becoming ever smaller even to the nano level, where do they store the vast amounts of information? From my point of view coming from the despised psycho/magical studies I am delighted to see formal science close the circle and how quantum explains how the magic, creative invocation, works. I don't have the math to understand the physics of it thou I try but from a lifetime of successfully teaching and using "creative invocation"the basic theories ring true. It works...the proof of the pudding is in the tasting. Who knows what Dr Chopra is up to ? He has a life apart from this with all the joys and sorrows natural to it. As an evolving being he too has challenges to master. I'm only grateful that he has set up this rich forum where our minds can meet. His presence isn't necessary . The point is that we engage our minds with each other. In a classroom setting, after all, the instructor just sets up the material, guides the discussion, and supplies encouragement. We don't need that.

Bob C.

7:01AM PDT on Apr 27, 2011

Just a gentle reminder to Max and his fans that Deepak Chopra is an MD credentialed in endocrinology, i.e. a scientist. That said, I have my own issues with how Chopra uses the term 'quantum" and with the fact that we NEVER see any comments from him here. We're left to discuss these things amongst ourselves here while he apparently works on his next book. Oh well.