"The Shadow” was a highly successful American radio program that ran from 1937 to 1954. The title character, a caped vigilante, was one of the most enduring and influential creations of the Golden Age of Radio. The episodes were melodramatic, with the Shadow often tracking down mass murderers and psychotic killers who were carrying out bizarre crimes. But he was also a rather disturbing character — at least to a small child when I sometimes heard it playing on my parents' radio. Each program began with a mysterious sounding voice saying, “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow Knows!” (followed by a fiendish, creepy laugh). That laugh always scared the living daylights out of me. Seventy-plus years later it still gives me the “willies.” (You can hear it on YouTube).

    Carl Jung first developed the concept of Shadow Work in the early 20th century, but today it has passed from personality theory and psychiatric treatment into the spheres of metaphysical and spiritual practice. Today, “Shadow Work” means working with your subconscious mind to uncover the parts of yourself that you repress and hide from yourself.

    Maitreya, channeled by Margaret McElroy, calls the Shadow the [Lower] Self. It is “trapped” or “unused” energy in the soul memory that has not yet been healed, transformed, or as yet detached from and is the realm of the “Dark Side,” the “Satan of the Bible” according to Yogananda. No matter how hard or fast you run, your Shadow will ALWAYS follow you wherever you go. You will have a Lower Self, a Shadow, as long as you have a physical body; it is an energetic creature of the Earth plane. When you are fully focused in the World of Spirit, you have no physical body and thus no shadow.

    For many (if not most) people, the Shadow we speak of today is just as mysterious and scary as the radio show. But the radio show character was a crime solver, while most people today regard the Shadow as akin to a criminal — hence the image of the “Dark Side,” “Satan,” etc. so often attributed to the Shadow. Maitreya tells us that it is a conscious energy that was originally the survival instinct in humankind. But it has evolved from its initial role in human survival to that of something like an “energy vampire” that “feeds” on negative energy carried in the subconscious mind. It knows your soul history far better than you do and it knows all the buttons to push to bring out the myriad of doubts, fears, guilt, etc. that each of us carries into this life in the soul memory of other times, places, and personalities of previous incarnations. So indeed, “The Shadow Knows!”

    And why is that? Is the Shadow really a crime solver as depicted in that old radio show series? Well, I believe that, in a way, the answer is “YES!” Is it really “dark” and “spooky?” YES! — at least to those who cannot yet appreciate the necessary role it plays in our own spiritual development. In fact, I believe that we should better regard the Shadow as a real hero! Disagree? Read on:

    You may not be old enough to have seen the Star Wars movies, but they are a cultural icon known to most people today. Think of the Shadow in the context of the Star Wars saga beginning with the first movie, “Episode 4: A New Hope,” in 1977 and continuing over the 40+ years since. The Star Wars films, especially the first trilogy, were extremely metaphysical and spiritual in nature whether or not that was the intention of their creator, George Lucas. In essence, they are about the trials and eventual victory of the “Light Side” of the Force (Creator, All-That-Is, God — whatever label you are comfortable applying to that energy) over the “Dark Side.”

    Interestingly, I have never heard or seen a reference to the “Dark Side of the Force,” but, as the illusion of duality of the Earth plane, it is absolutely necessary to the story line. What story would there be if there were no “Dark Side?” There wouldn’t be much of a plot at all. And just as important from a spiritual perspective, what else could the “Dark Side” be if it were not “of the Force?” Even Satan has been historically described by many theologians as a “fallen angel,” disreputable as a creature close to God, but an “angel” nonetheless!

    Back to the Shadow as the “crime solver.” Crimes are regarded as “mistakes” regardless of whether they are intentional or unintentional. Maitreya tells us that “There are no mistakes,” “There are no rights; there are no wrongs,” and that “There are only decisions and learning opportunities.” The “learning opportunities” he refers to are the life lessons that always accompany karma and trapped energy. Maitreya frequently refers to trapped energy as “unused” energy because it is not available right here and right now as a positive component of our life force.

    Energy is just energy; it is neither positive nor negative except by virtue of how we choose to use it. “Negative energy” is just energy that we have chosen not to heal, transform, or detach from — yet. The only “mistake” is not choosing to heal, transform, or detach from it — yet. The only “judgement” involved is made by the soul itself in a review (the Hall of Mirrors) of the previous incarnation after the body dies and the soul takes stock of its progress in soul evolution. The “mistake” isn't a sin and it isn't permanent (“eternal”) because in each incarnation we are presented with a continuing stream of opportunities — moment by moment — to choose to grow into a better version of ourselves, soul evolution (a process called “Conscious Living” in my three “Dancing with the Energy” books).

    The Shadow is a “crime solver” in the sense that it brings trapped energy (lessons not yet learned) to the surface of conscious awareness to be dealt with (healed, transformed, detached from) — or not — yet. It is a choice we make moment-by-moment in the course of everyday life on the Earth plane. The Shadow doesn't really “feed” on “negative” (trapped) energy, it simply thrusts it into our conscious awareness and demands (very insistently at times) our own decision. But doing nothing (staying in the comfort zone) is also a decision, and a very frequent one at that. Without the Shadow, what motivation would we have to choose to grow into a better version of ourselves? The Shadow is thus “My Hero!” (See my blog, “In Defense of the Lower Self”).

    But the Shadow is also a great teacher — if we learn to see the lesson it portrays for us. Like the “Dark Side of the Force,” the Shadow exists only in the presence of the Light. It is, in fact, created by the Light for the purpose of reminding us why we are here on the Earth plane (to learn to choose to become a better version of ourselves — soul evolution). The Light (represented by the Sun) is a metaphor for the Higher Self, and the elevation of the Sun above the horizon is the degree to which you live your life in Alignment with Higher Self. The higher the Sun, the shorter (smaller) the Shadow. If you focus your attention on the Shadow, it will get longer (larger) because you aren't focusing your life on Higher Self.

    The direction you are pointed toward determines whether you can see (conscious awareness) the Shadow. Just remember that Spirit ALWAYS “has your back.” That is why you see the Shadow in the first place! It is Spirit's way of reminding you that you have lessons to learn (Alignment), karma to balance (Balance), and trapped energy (most of it from past lives) to heal, transform, or detach from (Allowing), the three elements of soul evolution as outlined in my three “Dancing with the Energy” books).

    Only when you turn toward the Light (consciously choose to focus your life energies on Alignment with Higher Self) will your awareness of the Shadow (Lower Self) diminish. And when the Light (Sun) is directly overhead (full attention on Aligning with the Higher Self), it casts the smallest Shadow possible. Remember, you will always have a Shadow as long as you inhabit a physical body on the Earth plane, but it doesn't have to be your enemy. It can be your guide to growth and freedom.

    “The Shadow (Lower Self) Knows” that its days are numbered so it fights back — especially when you consciously choose to take steps to raise your vibration (become the Master of your life). It just doesn't know WHEN you will finally decide that this is the purpose of your life. But that is up to YOU! And when you do decide, then the battle between the Dark Side and the Light Side really begins in earnest (called the “Dark Night of the Soul”). That “battle” is only to determine whether you have removed all doubt about who you really are as a “Spark of the Infinite.” That is why you are here in this incarnation on the Earth plane.

    Hermes is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology, and is considered to be the Herald of the Gods. He moves quickly and freely between the worlds of the mortal and the divine, aided by his winged sandals. He also plays the role of “soul guide" — the conductor of souls into the afterlife. He is credited with writing the phrase, “As above, so below; as within, so without.” “The Shadow Knows” that this would be Heaven (above) on Earth (below) as reflected in the soul (within) creating its own version of its life experience (without). That is the purpose of Conscious Living.

Keep “looking up” and have a great month!

Dennis
www.DennisDossett.com