Me and My "Shadow"

The plaintiff lyrics of the wistful  ballad, "Me and My Shadow", describe the loneliness of being "all alone and feeIin' blue".  It's a beautiful song, with a melodious refrain, but it's the stereotyped version of the shadow.

The Divine Universe has something else in mind. 

The SHADOW which the Divine Universe provides us with is none other than our own HIGHER SELF and there is nothing sad or lonely about this companion. 

Our HIGHER SELF embodies unconditional love, mastery, brilliance, compassion, sensitivity, power.  The list goes on.  

This significance of this "shadow"  is the fact that HIGHER SELF is ALWAYS with us.  We can choose not to be aware, to fail to connect with this power...to go alone on our own path, but support and assistance and wisdom ARE within our reach in this glorious, yes..luminous, "shadow" which we all possess.

HIGHER SELF reveals itself to us on so many occasions...IF we are listening.

Recently, I did some reading on the concept of  Surrender...something which has intrigued me greatly and, in this moment, I WAS listening carefully.   Up until that point I had thought that the guidance to Surrender (which I had read in many different places) meant stop trying to solve the problem.   But now I saw a new interpretation of Surrender...and it was Surrendering to the experience itself (and not just to the issue of discovering the solution).

Shortly after this I found myself unable to find my way through a difficulty of some magnitude.  I decided to try "Surrendering to the experience itself" and was astounded to discover that no sooner had I taken that step, the wisdom of many insights began to enter into my consciousness.  

I had acknowledged the challenge facing me and accepted it (surrendered to it) with amazing results. 

Which leads me to the questions:   

Is it our earthwork to realize that in this illusion we call LIFE it is our job to "see" we are not alone and open the door to guidance from HIGHER SELF?  

Is  the door closed until WE open it by acknowledging the power and wisdom we already possess and which is housed in our HIGHER SELF?

Later I had still another experience of HIGHER SELF support. 

At this time I found myself affected by a comment which triggered an emotional memory of pain.  I chose at that point to be completely aware of my body's reaction and to stay in that place of great mindfulness until my body became calm so that my hippocampus could have the time and opportunity to reframe the experience of pain. 

Here again I found my "Shadow", HIGHER SELF, stepping in to help me see that the pain I had been experiencing was only the result of the earth journey I was on (with its accompanying lessons to be learned).  

The truth is that I am (as are you) ALREADY perfect as embodied in HIGHER SELF. 

It is only in this experience (life) that we take on the veil of forgetfulness  that we are ALREADY perfect... ALREADY whole...luminous and loving....and courageous enough to take on our earthly journey to learn lessons within this dimension.

And, as real and as intense as they may feel, our experiences here are ONLY the illusions of our earth journey.

What magnificent wisdom is possessed in that glorious entity, our heavenly "Shadow"...what brilliant insights...what support and affirmation...what reassurance and peace!

Know that this most wonderful Shadow is unconditionally following your life...with curiosity and delight and unquestioning support. 

You are NOT alone.

image from thornesquest.com 

originally printed November 21, 2011