Gold in the Dark
Fixed water: the shadow, the void, the deep
That which we do not bring to consciousness appears in our lives as fate.
– C G Jung
Almost four years ago, I hosted a winter solstice retreat called Gold in the Dark.
The theme of the event was drawn from a quotation attributed to C. G. Jung about the treasure that can be discovered in our most shadowy parts.
It was also about the return of the sun after months of darkness and fit with the theme of the solstice. On reflection, I think this is a Scorpio concept, more than a Capricorn one. Scorpio is a time of moving deeper into darkness, and solstice is when we emerge from that time.
Thinking about the possibilities and pleasures of darkness, and the power of our shadows, can help with this transition.
Though Jung wasn’t responsible for the concept of the shadow (it is an important aspect of many religious and spiritual belief systems), he did popularise the idea of shadow work as a way to understand the unconscious.
The shadow is that hidden, repressed, for the most part inferior and guilt-laden personality whose ultimate ramifications reach back into the realm of our animal ancestors and so comprise the whole historical aspect of the unconscious.
(C G Jung)
There are many other ways that shadow is represented in the wider culture, as articulated here by Connie Zweig:
The shadow goes by many familiar names: the disowned self, the lower self, the dark twin or brother in bible or myth, the double, repressed self, alter ego, id.
(Connie Zweig)
Why look at the shadow when you are thinking about writing and sharing work?
We are all looking for the answer to the central mystery of our lives: who are we and what do we want? This applies to our ambitions and desires especially.
Our shadow is the place where we can find answers to these questions. In the dark, abyssal, cosmic place we try to repress, and which drives our behaviour.
“There is gold in the dark”.
How can you use this idea as we enter Scorpio season? Perhaps by using this meditation, to find your own hidden treasures.
🪞 Gold in the Dark Meditation
Find a quiet space, ideally where you can close the door and avoid interruption for twenty minutes. Be as comfortable as possible.
When you are ready, begin the meditation, by focussing on the one thing that you would love to express about yourself, but you feel scared, embarrassed, guilty, ashamed, or just confused about.
Which thing is it that you are denying over and over again, which is taking up all of your energy, and still it isn't working?
Spend the rest of the time journalling about what would happen if you accepted this part of yourself, and if you showed it, without shame or guilt, to the world. What would you lose if you let this happen? What would you gain? Who would you be? This is where the gold in the dark is hidden.