Yasha Prashna Talks, Mysore, 2017
Post by Gillian
The spiritual aspirant must not only identify with the good and ideal, but must also look at the darker aspects of one’s mind and behavior, “the shadow.” The shadow includes both the conscious and unconscious aspects of the personality. When we become aware of the shadow, though it may be difficult, we begin to mature through the cultivation of honesty and humility.
“Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and darker it is. If an inferiority is conscious, one has the chance to correct it… but if it is repressed and isolated from consciousness, it never gets corrected.” ~ Carl Jung
Over the past five weeks we have been sitting with Ācārya in “the forest” contemplating both the light and the dark, attempting to pierce through the granthis, (knots) so that we may proceed on the path toward Realization. Inquiring into the darker themes such as egoism, greed, jealousy, anger, ignorance, laziness, lack of faith and wickedness, we are asked to sit with the shadow. The inner work required here is to notice if and where these issues may live in our minds and how they might play out in our lives. Yoga states that each day we must reflect on our actions and conduct and assess where we need to correct our thoughts, words and actions. This self inquiry is a meaningful part of the spiritual journey. With courage and honesty, we may live more happily and grow with grace.