The Shadow Self contains all thoughts, feelings, desires, and personality traits that we have rejected and suppressed.
Every human has a shadow. Our Shadow Selves are those dark and mysterious places within us that we have refused to shine the “light” on, because our family, our community or society at large rejects it. Pretty much most of us are conditioned to believe that we must hide, repress, reject or judge parts of ourselves that are considered “unlovable,” “unacceptable” or “taboo.” Twentieth-century psychologist, Carl Jung called the outlawed parts within us “the Shadow Self.” The more we repress these parts of ourselves, the bigger our Shadows grow. This can show up as self-hatred, mental illness, drug and alcohol abuse, neuroticism, and relationship dysfunction on the extreme. Less extreme and yet equally as destructive, you might find that your Shadow self frequently sabotages your happiness, work-life success, and relationship harmony.
You may not be conscious of these aspects of the Self, and yet the unconscious Self may be controlling your behavior.
