The Pagan, Shamanic Celts and Lakota Sioux believed in Shadow Self, the part of people that is rejected. Carl Jung, founder of analytical psychology, shared the belief.
Carl G. Jung Personality Theory, a Brief Overview
Carl Jung was Sigmund Freud’s heir apparent until they had a falling out over what Freud called Jung’s obsession with the, as it was called then, “occult.” Jung believed the psyche is made of different parts. The Persona is the part we reveal to others, the mask or veneer we project to the outer world, other people. The Ego is the center of our consciousness or our identity. It is not the total psyche, the personality or the soul. Anima/Animus are, respectively, the female soul image of the man and the male soul image of the woman. This is a messenger between the unconscious and the conscious. There are two types of the unconscious, collective and personal. The collective is universal and ancestral. The personal unconscious has all of what is not in the conscious, that of which we are aware of, but these memories, thoughts and experiences can be brought to awareness. It is also where thoughts and experiences that people are not comfortable with and submerge. The Shadow is that part of people they do not like and reject, the darker side of human nature. The Self is the total and the center of the psyche.
Nagi, Lakota Shadow Self
Nagi is one of the Sixteen Great Mysteries of Lakota Sioux tradition. Nagi is Ghost and Shadow Self. Ghosts are the humans’ shadows. It is believed that there is a circle for those who have not done Earth walk in compliance with the Laws of Spirit and have used others for their own personal gain or have killed another or themselves without moral cause. This circle lies between Earth and the Spirit World. They must walk the circle endlessly until the prayers and offerings of the living are able to release them. The Spirit World is for those who have lived in accordance with the Creator’s ways. This is to live in balance and harmony and as one mind, one prayer.
When people are not in balance, it is time to embrace the Shadow Self, acknowledging it exists and learn from it in order to heal and walk in balance and harmony.
Ksa, Goddess of Water, one of the eight Supernaturals, can help us confront the Shadow. As people experience negative thoughts and events, they are often submerged only to come into awareness again and again until we are able to confront them for resolution if we step back and allow the answers to come to us.
Celtic Shadow Self
According to Celtic belief, Shadow Self is the part of a person’s mind and being that have the parts of us we reject and keep hidden from others. Most of these aspects are negative, although some are positive. Among the positive could be the desire to practice Shamanism in all of its positive aspects, but some people fear rejection from others, so this is kept secret.
Shadow Self is born with us and remains so until we die. Every time we have negative thoughts and feelings we dwell on, Shadow Self grows in strength. Although the Shadow is negative, it is not evil. It must be accepted and confronted so it can be worked with and one can be in balance. A good example of unbalance is ignoring what one needs and making unnecessary negative sacrifices or denying the needs are real.
Read more about the following related topics:
Famous Psychoanalysts Involved with the Paranormal
Chief Archie Fire Lame Deer and Helen Sarkis, The Lakota Sweat Lodge Cards, (Destiny Books, 1994)
D. J. Conway, By Oak, Ash & Thorn, (Llewellyn Publications, 1996)
