THE SHADOW PLACE~~
“When a person’s energy leads him (or her) into the Shadow Place—through grief, infirmity, frustration, or other form of intensity—it’s best to simply go there and complete the task at hand. We go no matter what it may cost, or how long it takes.
Some try to outrun Shadow, and that may work for a season. But sooner or later adverse circumstance or sudden energy shifts catch us off guard, and we run out of excuses……..and energy to resist. I have a friend who, when she feels called to her Shadow Place, will simply say to me: “I’m going down,” and I know exactly what she means.
For me, I simply go into my cave. If someone asks what’s up, I explain: “I’m not fit for human consumption right now,” and that’s exactly how it is. From experience, I know there will come a time when I’ll share what’s happening, in detail. I’ll enjoy human love and comfort, and light will come streaming back in. But not at this point. There are no words, no formed thoughts—not even clear questions, let alone answers! There is only deep, pervasive, brooding silence.
The Shadow Place can be a profound gift to self….medicine for an ailing soul! It might taste and smell yucky, like certain medicines do…..but, taken in the proper dosage, it heals like nothing else can.
If you “go down” in Shadow like my friend does—go ALL THE WAY down. This is no time for 
messing around. In today’s society, we learn how to sanitize, deodorize and sterilize anything that reminds us of primal, animal, earthy instincts or urges. In the Shadow Place, all that gets suspended. You go there, sit in your own stink, and experience whatever’s locked up inside. There’s a dungeon down there. Maybe it’s time to feed the prisoner. Maybe someday you’ll even set him free.
There’s no predicting what will happen in the Shadow Place. To paraphrase a popular slogan: “What happens in Shadowland stays in Shadowland.” You may not feel better right away. You may even feel worse! So be it. This level of growth is not for the faint of heart. It takes what it takes. Normal folks live by set rules, follow protocols, and push anything away that feels negative or dark. Yet Darkness is. And all things physical have both a Light Side and a Shadow Side. Those who want to be Whole must inhabit both poles.”
~Daniel Jacob
