Take a Walk to the Dark Side

I was drawing with the boys the other day out of a book that had step by step drawing instructions for ghosts, witches and similar Halloween folks, and the character they chose just happened to be Mr. Hyde. The boys were asking why he looked so sad and angry and given that I had little appetite to start a discussion about shadow personalities with kindergardeners, I said that Mr. Hyde felt sad and angry because his friend, Dr. Jekyll, didn't want to associate with him. They asked me how the story ended and I had to admit to them that Mr. Hyde got more and more destructive to get Dr. Jekyll's attention, but he never succeeded until the day when they both got locked up. They were sad to hear that, but then felt better when I told them that it was just fiction anyway.

I would guess that we all have a shadows personality, the demon on the other side of the shoulder, sitting just next to the angel.The spiritual path traveler has the added problem that he probably condemns his shadow; he doesn't want to associate with him and feels guilty about his dark drives. Yet, listening to the advice that I gave the boys, perhaps Mr. Hyde just wants to be acknowledged and wants to be understood.

A light worker has to have a shadow, so please understand that what you are going through is normal. Ask and the Tao will always tell you why your demon exists and why he acts the way he does. But you have to be willing to look towards the shadow, otherwise Mr. Hyde will never go away and probably scream louder and louder in the process. Hang out with Mr. Hyde and experiment with the dark forces until you understand them. When you understand the psychological forces as play, you perhaps can even incorporate some of your shadow demands into your persona without undermining your spiritual journey.

Eventually you will find a way to keep your shadow at arms-length, because the problem statement will never change, Mr. Hyde wants to march in the opposite direction of the light worker. Of course you will find this arrangement that works for you; this is your problem, you gave it to yourself to gain wholeness. Spiritual path travelers have powerful allies who help you finding and defining yourself. So relax my friend, wholeness is waiting for you. Take a walk to the dark side and find the way that keeps your shadow at arms-length permanently.

They say that the Christ and the Buddha at one time on their spiritual journey just said no to their ego. Three times in total the temptation came and went and then it was gone forever. This feat is hard to replicate and we ordinary mortals feel guilty that we don't have the willpower like the Ones we aspire to be. I have a slightly different experience. After a long struggle, a dark symbol appears, it flashes by you like a vanishing dream and at that point you just understand what the demon is up to. Willpower is required to get you to that stage, the never-ending back and forth, the dance of shadow and light, but the last step is as much an insight as a decision to abstain. Just like that the insight strikes and the ostensibly never-ending struggle is over!