Embracing the Shadow

The monks in the medieval times used to whip themselves to make the lust go away. This method of self-degradation was so prevalent that it became a vice in itself. There must be  a different way to deal with the dark side that probably every spiritual path traveler discovers sooner or later.

We aspire to be the Christ or the Buddha and in the process develop a voice inside that screams 'hey, this isn't me'. Then we pray it would go away or classify it as our ego that wants us to deviate from our True Self. The point is we are in a transition phase, we are on a journey to our Core and we still have a lot of psychological baggage to throw overboard. We need the therapy of life to let the air out of the psychological bubble.

I am an economist by training so I have studied many models of how the world is supposed to function and how policy is supposed to be conducted. Then came the global financial crisis of 2008 along and surprise, surprise, the mainstream economic profession was clueless about what to do. Only the historians had advice to give for they studied the cancerous financial deleveraging phase of the 1930s and the post-bubble environment in Japan. Very much as in theory the financial sector is just assumed to do its job, so will our spiritual community tell us that we should only have an eye out for the Christ or the Buddha. Fact of the matter is that you are neither the Christ nor the Buddha, you are you, and you are in transition towards who you really are.

There are three ways to advance. The religious path you know already: You appeal to the True Self inside you and quietly endure the shadow effect. The opposite approach is the yoga of aghori which is practiced in India: you consciously engage in many not-so-holy activities and find out that way who you really are. The option in between is the path of the Tao. You accept the battle between good and evil inside yourself and you don't take sides. Instead you use this creative tension to channel it in a productive direction consistent with your spiritual path. There is very little to do, you just follow the signs the Tao brings your way and let life deflate the remaining air in your psychological bubble. This spiritual journey defines you. It is the impurity in the oyster that creates the pearl. 

No matter which path you travel, it does get easier. Soon you will get a feel for who you are not. Patterns in life and actions will suddenly look familiar. Phases of guilt, illnesses and struggle get shorter and shorter because you realize that is you yourself who punishes you for your supposed misstep. You also learn than every rain cloud is followed by weeks of sunshine. Keep up your journey and soon you will realize that pretty much no matter what do there is only one purpose each situation has to offer: reveal to you who you really are.