Although I greatly respect Jungian Psychology (and have been an active member of the International Association for Jungian Studies for many years), their assertion of the “Shadow” seems limited from my experience as a Shaman. This is part of what Wikipedia says:
“In Jungian psychology, the shadow (also known as id, shadow aspect, or shadow archetype) is either an unconscious aspect of the personality that the conscious ego does not identify in itself; or the entirety of the unconscious, i.e., everything of which a person is not fully conscious. In short, the shadow is the unknown side.”
If you do a little research on books written about Shamanism and their relation to the Shadow, you’ll find that most authors don’t veer very far from the above psychological definition.
I’ll quickly break it down for you, as one of my Master Shamans (without any college education) did. As a Human, you walk this Earth and at the same time you walk inner worlds (your thoughts, feelings, impulses, etc.). Within these inner worlds there will be many allies and foes, some will be very alien to you and others so intimate that they might as well be you. As long as you know who, where, when and what you are; your thinking is clear and your heart is pure; none can influence you (for good or bad) without your consent.
This is easier said than done, but at least it gives you a target to center back into on a regular basis. Where the scientific mind wants to understand and analyze the components and pieces of the “Shadow”. The Shaman seeks to communicate and negotiate a win-win Path for the person and his shadow. We, Shamans, understand that there are no negative energies in the Universe, but there can misunderstandings, miscommunications, misplacements, etc. We also know, that it is in the darkest recesses that the largest treasures are found. For us, encountering the “Shadow” is an optimal and promising pursuit.
The “Shadow” will roughly usher us into what seems like an uncontrolled state of being as a way to help us evolve and grow. Initiations, tend to follow a very similar process. To the average working citizen this will feel like a breakdown. To a Shaman it will be a time of evolution and awakening…
Shaman Flavio 