Life and shadow !

Our shadow accompanies us!

What is this shadow! Shadow is often dark and and it is so because of the light that falls on the surface. 

The darkness of the shadow symbolises the hidden world that resides within us! What we are externally or reveal through our self disclosure of confessions, clarifications, conversations or experiences make us known to others.  

Some of us widen the self disclosure to include experiences, habits or thoughts that we are hesitant to talk about or being known for to limited number of people so that there is an increasing revelation about our personal habits, thoughts or past. 

If the shadow or the inner world we carry within ourselves contradicts or invalidates the impressions we create, then we live our lives in two different planes: what is revealed and what is concealed! During the recent public debate on the immoral behaviour of some clergy in the church, what surprised many was the efforts on their part to conceal facts and behaviour! Even now, there is no hope of confession and conciliation!

Jesus of Nazareth, looking at Nathaniel, said, 'Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile'!(John.1:47), to which Nathaniel answered, 'How do you know me?'

This conversation brings us to the inwardness that is central to life and living! We ought to be known for who we are inside! What resides within us matter. Jesus in another occasion, said that a tree is known by its fruits and 'the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart'(Mat.12:33-34).

This has been a personal struggle of an intense demand on me during the last tow years when some relationships with people whom I knew for 20 or so years got muddled up on account of different optics on matters that were important in the life of an organisation in which I was in solved. 

After the initial reaction of anger and reaction, I had to come to terms with the words of Jesus, 'the mouth speaks that which fills the heart'. !

Ever since I began this inward journey to free people from the grief or pain they caused, although it was a slow process, they are less of a conversation within me. They are becoming like others, with whom I choose to relate at the level I can. The hidden thoughts or feelings or attitudes which constitute the shadow can become healthy when tolerance, acceptance and forgiveness continue to heal us to make us less dichotomous! Our  thoughts and actions spring form inner healing. This is the beginning of integrated living. 

I have been helped in this consciousness from a profound thought which Richard Rohr introduced in his book, 'Things hidden, Scripture as spirituality'. He referred to 'orthodoxy' as 'right ideas' and 'orthopraxy' as 'right practice'! 

From living with good intentions or ideas, the invitation became personal to practice them! When this becomes an increasing reality within me, I know that the shadow that I would cast would be a replica of my healed inwardness !

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)