Going Back to the Shadow.
I love LotR! And this scene strikes me as a metaphor for my work.
Gandalf telling Balrog to go back to the Shadow is something most of us do on a regular basis. We tell our anger, our wounds, our fear to go back into our subconscious mind; to not interfere with what we are trying to do.
The problem with that is that just because those parts of us, those memories, those emotions are not present in our conscious mind does NOT mean they are not still affecting our choices and motivating our behavior.
How many times have you done something contrary to what you consciously wanted and looked back and wondered "Why the hell did I do that?!"
How often do you self-sabotage or choose to do something that doesn't feel right while you are doing it?
It is not because you lack the strength or motivation. It is because those things you pushed into the Shadow, i.e., subconscious recesses of your mind, are still working hard to be acknowledged and healed. They are now just doing it covertly.
As Gandalf drops the demon into the abyss, all is well for a moment. Then the demon uses one of its tentacles to grab Gandalf and drag him down too.
But… it is by going down into the shadows that Gandalf can then emerge as The White Wizard. A wonderous and wise being in his full power. That is how we can heal.
That's the purpose of Shadow Work!
I know it can be scary. And it is not always pleasant or easy. But it isn’t always painful and hard either.
There are many moments of ease, fulfillment and joy.
For me doing this work allowed me not just to heal, but to access gifts I had long forgotten I had. One of my favorite quotes is from Joseph Campbell:
"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure that you seek." And to me, there is no better way to step into your purpose and your power.
Or, in the words of Gandalf…
FLY YOU FOOLS!
To learn more about how I can help you on your healing journey, click below.
I am a Spiritual Life Coach & Emotional Healer who came to this work as part of my own healing journey. I am a Certified Practitioner of Teal Swan's The Completion Process (CP), a Certified ARCH Healing® Practitioner (C-AHP) and a Certified Soul Realignment™ Practitioner. I completed Dr. Gabor Mate's Compassionate Inquiry Masterclass. And, I am also a co-author of the Amazon Bestselling book Woke: A-ha's, Awakenings, & Illuminations on the Path to Conscious Living & ENLIGHTENMENT and several other works.