“When an inner situation is not made conscious, it happens outside, as fate.” – Carl Jung
Jung coined the term “Shadow” to refer to the personal unconscious, that part of the mind/body that carries our rejected, unacceptable feelings, beliefs, aspirations, and behaviors. These forbidden parts – rage, jealousy, shame, addiction, lying, greed, resentment – often erupt in repeating patterns and sabotage our conscious desires. With shadow-work, we can learn to identify them before they erupt, defuse negative emotions, release the guilt and shame associated with them, recognize our projections onto others, and achieve a deeper, more genuine self-acceptance. Although we think of the shadow as dark, its essence is pure gold.
Intro Video:
Weekly Sessions:
Week 1:
Meeting the Shadow: This class explores the nature of the human Shadow and how to begin to detect it in yourself. You will learn how to attune to the cues that a shadow part is emerging, form it into a shadow character, and begin to “romance” it, or make a conscious relationship with it. We will explore two examples with time for self-reflection.
Week 2:
Shadow-boxing in Relationships: This class explores how the Shadow arises in romantic relationships and friendships, often causing hurt and even a feeling of betrayal. You will learn how to attune to the cues that a shadow part is emerging in relation to someone else and how to observe it, rather than act it out. In this way, we can break free of hurtful, destructive patterns and move toward more conscious relationships and a deeper intimacy, which I call “a shadow marriage.”
Week 3:
Reviewing Your Unlived Life in the Shadow: This class demonstrates how to do a life review that connects our conscious, lived lives with our unconscious, unlived lives in the Shadow. When we bring our unlived talents and aspirations into conscious awareness, we can reclaim them now, whether they are creative dreams, unfinished projects, or new ventures.
Week 4:
Meeting the Shadows of Age: This class explores how the Shadow arises in midlife and beyond. With extended longevity, we have the opportunity for extended emotional and spiritual development. We have the chance to become an Elder, leaving behind past roles and narrow identities, and becoming more fully authentic. But if our unconscious denial and resistance to age blocks the transition, then we cannot move from self-rejection to self-acceptance. We cannot repair the
past to be fully present. We cannot allow mortality to be a teacher. And we cannot shift our identity from role to soul.
Required Reading:
– Meeting the Shadow: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side by Connie Zweig and Jeremiah Abrams
– Romancing the Shadow: A Guide to Soul Work for a Vital, Authentic Life by Connie Zweig and Steve Wolf
– The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul by Connie Zweig
Dates: Four Wednesdays on Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28, 2022 | Location: Zoom – 10.00-11:30 AM PST | Academic Credit: Masters – 1 credits; Doctoral – 1 credits
Email our Registrar Veronica Saldias for more information.