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A powerful archetype, the shadow, perhaps the most disowned and denied power within the subconscious, may appear out of nowhere to threaten the goodwill of the dreamer. It may appear as a villain, an assassin, a tyrant, or even as the Devil himself to torment and threaten our sense of worth or fulfillment. Like the Grinch (who stole Christmas) or the Wicked Witch of the West, the shadow may indicate the power of evil, which must be confronted and challenged in order to win back our innocence and embrace fulfillment. The nightmarish quality of a shadow dream may bring about fear and terror. Most of us have had a confrontation with the shadow in a dream, in which we are being chased, threatened, or robbed of actualization. We may run or hide when he pursues us and awaken with a jolt. The shadow rests in our subconscious, the place where we may deny the evil within ourselves in order to live moral lives. Our shadow nightmares reveal this conflict within ourselves.

One of my students dreamed that her boyfriend doodled an inscription on the skin of her leg through a hole in her jeans that read JC/Satan. This dream expressed perfectly the conflict between good and evil, between Jesus Christ, the resurrected son of God, and Satan, the fallen angel. It was clear that this deeply embedded conflict was imprinted in her “genes.”

Our shadows cannot be denied, bargained with, or destroyed. They must be faced, or their evil will continue to haunt our dreams and rob us of our opportunities for fulfillment and pleasure in life.

There is a natural attraction to what we repress or deny within the subconscious. An example might be a woman who is attracted to a “bad boy,” a lover who seduces or tricks her and perhaps even abuses her. She may really be yearning to embrace her own disowned antisocial desires. The danger is in the trap of believing that she does not deserve better because of the shame of such dark yearnings.

Those within the culture who are attracted to negative symbolism, who wear tattoos of devils and images of death, may act out the disowned shadow for the culture as a whole. Positive or negative overidentification with archetypes may be dangerous because this assigning of black or white devalues other pieces of the self that, when integrated, offer a more complete picture of the individual.

Modern positive archetypes such as Mickey Mouse, Big Bird, or Winnie-the-Pooh hold significant power and archetypal meaning. When we were children, they taught us important values through their stories and characterizations. In adulthood, their messages still urge us to adopt their principles. Mickey is a jovial character who teaches us to appreciate the Kingdom of the Magical Child. Winnie-the-Pooh shows us ways to unconditional love. Big Bird demonstrates the value of having a special friend. Each reminds us of important spiritual and human values.

Copyright © 2001 Ariadne Green and Skylight Press

Tags: Dreams

About the Author

In Ariadne's Book of Dreams she brings meaning to the everyday symbols which we often witness without understanding. She is authoring a complementary book to the first, which will teach the reader how to view life as a dream more directly through practice. She views dream work and shamanism as the clearest and most direct way of tapping into the wealth of wisdom and healing potential within the subconscious. She holds the vision of transforming culture through dream work and shamanism.