Integrating Shadow: Authentic Being in the World

Since its inception, the notion of shadow is recognised as one of Jung’s major contributions to the world of psychology. Shadow traits are often unconsciously felt to be threats to our self-image, so we use defence mechanisms, such as repression and denial, to dismiss its existence and place it on to others, either in the personal or collective sphere. Although there exists considerable overlap between the strands, dividing the shadow into three constituent parts, personal, collective, and archetypal, helps to fully explore its impact on the world. The personal shadow is usually viewed as the base, inferior part of personality, although it can also include positive aspects, but it needs to be acknowledged and incorporated to make an individual whole. The collective shadow is found in many dark periods of history: witch hunt trials, religious wars, the Holocaust, and Rwandan genocide to name but a few; in today’s world, it is spread at the speed of light by mass media. The archetypal shadow emanates from the realm of the collective unconscious and may be equated with evil. Alongside shadow is the inextricably linked concept of persona, the outer face that is presented to the world, which is also explored in detail, as well as the role of the shadow in the act of scapegoating and within the professional sphere, and Jung’s links to the social sciences, in particular anthropology and sociology.

Shadow is a theme that Ann Casement returned to many times in her decades-long career, always finding new ways to explore and explain it. Integrating Shadow: Authentic Being in the World brings together these many years of presentations and research to present a multi-layered and rich discourse on the meaning, importance, and consequences of the shadow in all our lives.