Me and My Shadow

Humans distrust shadows; we have a natural tendency to wonder what might be concealed in the darkness. In movies, shadows are often an ominous sign and are used by film makers to build tension. At first glance, then, when the psalmist in Psalm 88 asks, “Can shadows rise and sing praise?” the answer would seem to be, “Of course not.” However, I think the answer to this question might actually be yes!

We all have a shadow side, which is simply those things about ourselves of which we are unaware. For example, I might be “blind” (in the dark) about the fact that I am overly competitive. (It’s perfectly natural to yell at the TV during Jayhawk basketball games, right?) However, our shadow self ironically provides a mirror of who we truly are, enabling us to ask if we need to make changes in our attitudes or behavior. As Karen Casey and Martha Vanceburg say in The Promise of a New Day, “[Shadows] provide an additional opportunity to move closer to the person we are called to become.” In that sense, shadows can indeed rise (become known to us) and sing praise to a God who leads us to greater understanding and wisdom.

I recently attended a retreat at Sophia Center, “A Journal for the Journey,” by Sr. Thomasita Homan. One journalling technique she introduced was having a dialogue with someone or some aspect of our life, and it occurs to me that having a dialogue with my shadow might be helpful. I can talk to the competitive part of me as if is a person and ask why it’s part of me, what I gain from it, and how my life would change if I didn’t believe I always have to win. Instead of trying to banish my shadow, I can allow it to rise and eventually, I hope, sing praise.