Eclipse of the Soul: Finding Your Strength in Life's Darkest Moments
Last night, many of us looked up at the sky, mesmerised, as the moon was obscured by the Earth. For a few moments, the moon grew dim and glowed red, a powerful reminder that even the brightest light in the night sky can be temporarily obscured.
It made me think about our own lives and the "shadows" we all carry within us—the parts of us that we’d rather just live in a shadow and were never seen.
"Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate."
~ Carl Jung ~
These parts of us we’d rather no one saw aren't necessarily evil or bad; they're simply the parts of ourselves we deem unacceptable. Maybe it's a fear of failure we never admit, a deep insecurity we constantly mask, a past mistake we refuse to forgive ourselves for, or even a creative passion we buried because someone once told us it wasn't practical. We tuck these parts away, often believing that if we keep them hidden, they can't hurt us or make us seem less capable.
But here's the truth: what we hide doesn't disappear. Instead, these parts live with us and travel with us through life, subtly changing our thoughts, our decisions, and how we interact with the world. It can lead to self-sabotage, anxiety, or a constant feeling that we're not truly living our most authentic life. Just like a constant ache you ignore, it never truly goes away until you examine it and deal with it.
So, how do we shine a light on these hidden parts? It starts with a simple act of courage: acknowledging they exist. You don't need to tackle everything at once or share your deepest secrets with the world immediately. You can start by gently observing your own reactions. When do you feel particularly defensive? What topics do you avoid? What past events still make you uncomfortable? These can be clues to where your shadows reside.
Facing these parts of ourselves is not about judging them; it’s about understanding them. It's about recognising that these parts were often created out of a need for protection at some point in your life. With gentle curiosity, you can start to integrate these aspects of yourself. Perhaps that fear of failure is simply a longing for security, or that buried passion is a genuine need for creative expression?
Just as the sun always re-emerges after an eclipse, bringing renewed light, courageously facing your inner shadows allows your true strength to shine. When you acknowledge and accept all parts of yourself, you become more whole, more resilient, and far more capable of handling whatever life throws your way. This isn't just about surviving the dark moments; it's about using them to discover a deeper, more powerful light within you.
#InnerShadows #SelfDiscovery #MentalToughness #EmbraceYourself #PersonalGrowth