How Well Do You Know Your Dark Side
All of us have a dark side – the Shadow in terms of Jungian psychology. This aspect of the self has the dark impulses, the hurtful inclinations within us. It is good to know this hidden part of the self. So here are signs if you really know well your dark side.
- You are aware of the way in which your criticisms, judgments and anger towards other people reflect your own weaknesses. The psychological defense mechanism called projection especially colors how we think of others. Sometimes we attribute to them characteristics that are actually our own weaknesses.
- You recognize that there is pain, evil and suffering in the world. Recognizing the evil around us can help us understand that there is also evil inside us.
- You know that sometimes your words or actions can express fear and anxiety. Fear and anxiety are certain feelings that are expressed by the body or by words such as when your heart races up.
- You know that sometimes your words or actions can express jealousy and envy. Jealousy and envy are rooted in selfishness, a selfishness that is quite hard to root out.
- You know that there are times your words or actions express covetousness and greed. Covetousness and greed comes from our attachment to the material and temporal things of this world.
- You know that there are times your words express contempt and spite. Contempt and spite for others are born of anger and hatred – fruits of not being able to handle frustration in a positive manner.
- You are aware of your fears and anxieties.
- You are aware of your feelings of jealousy and envy.
- You are aware of your feelings of greed.
- You are aware of your feelings of anger. Being aware of these kinds of feelings can make you understand certain actions (including saying something) that you find involuntary. Sometimes, we do not mean to hurt people but deep inside, these feelings are still there, so unconsciously we do hurt people. It is best to be aware of these negative feelings and then process them through psychotherapy.
Knowing your dark side enables and empowers you to begin certain life changing adjustments. Now you can know what ticks you off, and you can begin to adjust accordingly. You can steer more clearly from temptation and other allurements. Of course, temptation does not disappear completely, but you are no longer unprepared to handle certain situations.
Irsan’s passion is to write on wide varieties of subjects. His latest writing is at http://www.smalldieselgenerator.org/ which contains reviews on small diesel generator and other information about small generators.