The philosopher Carl Jung posed the possibility that each person, including you and I, has a hidden “dark side” to our personality referred to as the “shadow.” The shadow is essentially our unconscious self that holds some of our more undesirable characteristics that are virtually out of our control. We took a closer look at this philosophy and compiled seven of the most interesting (and somewhat frightening) facts about shadow selves. See if any of this match up with what you’ve noticed about yourself, or people in your life.
1. Nuts and Bolts
Shadow selves are behind the wheel of a person’s base impulses such as lust, hunger for power, and extreme anger.
2. The Demons Within
Scientifically, instances of supposed demonic possession can often be explained away by a person’s shadow self overwhelming them and being left behind the wheel, so to speak, for longer than is healthy in polite society.
3. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of a man divided by good and evil is a perfect depiction of the shadow self and how when a person attempts to repress their more negative aspects, they’ll come out eventually, in sometimes unexpected and horrifying ways.
4. Dream Messages
Philosophers have developed theories that our shadow selves often attempt to work out our repressed urges or psychological wounds in our dreams.
5. Do Your Homework
Psychologists have developed tests that can help you get a better understanding of what your own personal shadow self is like, and how you can learn to live with it in a healthier way.
6. Not the Same As Shadow Figures
In the paranormal world there’s often mention of “shadow figures” being seen while investigating haunted locations, but that’s not the same as “shadow selves.” Shadow figures are the residual energy of a person who has died but is trapped in this realm. Shadow selves have to do with the living.
7. On The Bright Side
While a lot of blame is placed on a person’s shadow self for their negative actions and impulses, a majority of a person’s creativity can be attributed to their shadow self.
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