October 2010 - Shadow and Heart Centering

When one does personal shadow work, it is important to have a developed heart-centered transpersonal state (HCTS) of consciousness. The HCTS has no bias. One can make conscious the deep structures and forces underneath the shadow. Once a structure is conscious and then held in a HCTS of compassion then, the structure cannot be projected but has to be carried.

At this stage, one can see more clearly and more deeply. What I mean by ‘clearly seeing’ is not only a function of the ego or the intellect. To understand from a surface ego perspective is not clearly or deeply seeing as it does not involve being present with fear. Fear is the force underlying a projection or shadow. To grasp a projection using only the intellect is an ego-defense of control and reaching for power because you are vulnerable to the underlying fear. This does not represent transformative work. The fear continues to exist. However, working with the fear in a HCTS allows one to be present with fear and no need to build ego defense.

Many of my clients will stop the process of consciousness when they have grasped an understanding of the thing that is giving them difficulty in their life. “I feel better now. I have control of this thing. I don’t feel chaotic as before.” Ego defense is still in play and one has not surrendered to their vulnerability through the HCTS to allow transformation into presence to occur. This is the most difficult part of the transformative process.