Workshop: Removing Your Mask and Facing Your Shadow

Internationally renown poet, author and leader of men, Robert Bly, in his book, The Little Book of the Human Shadow, has taken up the challenge of the dark side of the human personality and the importance of confronting it. Robert states, “We notice that when sunlight hits the body, the body turns bright, but it throws a shadow, which is dark. The brighter the light, the darker the shadow. Each of us has some part of our personality that is hidden from us…” and, I would add that we strive to hide from others. We tend to show others only what we want them to see. Our Personas are designed for others and our Shadows are designed to conceal that which is considered private or unpresentable. It has been said that we're only as sick as our secrets and that the truth will ultimately set us free. Over the Temple at Delphi is the statement: To Thine Own Self Be True.

Author Connie Sweig in her book, Meeting the Shadow: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature, states that there are “…key moments in one’s personal journey, those mythic moments that are archetypal in our own lives: our acceptance of family lineage and duty; our disillusionment with the status quo and poignant longing for something more; an encounter with an unexpected guide or beloved; a reversal in our values and priorities; a seemingly terrible loss; and an inner realization or awakening. This journey from innocence to knowledge, from knowledge to love, and from love to illumination is the journey of the saints and sages in all traditions -- and it is our own.”

These are interesting times for sure. We are dealing with a shifting economy, facing global environmental challenges and walking a critical personal path. We are hanging onto hope and compassion in a storm of uncertainty. We are each being tested by the conditions around us and by the reactions of a frightened world. Every one of us is being called into a spiritual process of choosing faith or fear on a moment-to-moment basis. In choosing fear, we fall prey to our inner demons and become lost in the shadow we hide from the world. In choosing faith, we open to the infinite possibilities for change and begin to become the masters of our destiny.

This workshop is about having the courage to take off the masks and bring our shadows into the open. As we expose our shadow to the light, it ceases to have power over us. As we move forward in faith, we discover a power within that we didn’t know was there. This is a workshop for the brave. Come discover your true power. On the one hand, it could save your very life, and at least it can allow your journey to be a little less harrowing.

To download the flyer/application for the Workshop, click HERE