The Shadow

            The personal unconscious contains the shadow, “a living part of the personality” which “cannot be argued out of existence or rationalized into harmlessness” (Jung, 1990, p. 20). Johnson (1991) calls the shadow the dark side of the psyche and says that should it develop more energy than the ego, it will erupt in us as an overpowering rage or depression. He says that “the shadow gone autonomous is a terrible monster in our psychic house” (p. 5). He also points out that the psyche must keep its equilibirium through control mechanisms as accurately as the body balances temperature, chemicals, and other parameters. The shadow acts as a control mechanism by balancing the ego.

            According to Johnson (1991), “the ego and the shadow come from the same source and exactly balance each other ... one cannot exist without the other” (p. 17).

The shadow designates aspects of ourselves that we cannot accept; these aspects do not agree with our ego ideal, and are often in disagreement with the values established by society. We therefore repress them and prefer to see them projected onto other people, where we can fight them. (Kast, 1992, p. 197)

            When we associate the ego with order, then the shadow, its polar opposite, becomes associated with chaos. According to Jungian psychology, health requires a balance of all polar opposites or syzygies. Jung (1981) says that “one-sidedness” can be removed by the “realization of the shadow” (p. 208). In other words, we must realize that a certain amount of  irrationality exists within us, and come to terms with it.