YashmisCrone
That makes perfect sense.
Yes it was me talking about the elephants- how some humans ( often christians ) see all humans as flawed or imperfect. I argued that we wouldn't look on a herd of elephants and view them as being flawed elephants. They are simply elephants with all that character diversity that being sentient gives them.
I don't view my shadows in a particularly negative way, these aspects me are often associated with and indeed part of the same energies that give me my positive traits.
For instance I am a "mercurial" person. I have a lot of nervous energy- which can make me prone to anxiety, and sometimes temper flare up.
My anger lasts around 30 seconds, I don't bear grudges.
That same energy can fire up getting projects going, enthuse others, provide impetus and excitement for things- whether business, making a new vegetable patch or planning a Halloween party.
While I do work to turn that energy into a positive aspect, there will always be that slightly quick tempered part of me, always part of me that feels anxiety, but that is my make up. I accept all of what I am.
OH for instance is very easy going, a great listener, very patient, extremely tolerant of others, very accepting and understanding. Never gets rattled.
But he can be very lazy, has a manyana attitude which sometimes is to his detriment. but again that's him.
To me a lot of shadow work is not about fixing thing, but simply to recognise, understand and accept.
I have had a lot of sadness in my life, my teenage years especially, and led to my early adult life being unhappy too, but again my shadow work is about accepting and nurturing my past self.
Because those dark places within us are often the source of our strongest power, whether negative aspects of our personality or pain that we have suffered.
I don't think I would be half the parent that I am if I had not experienced those lost teenage years.
In that place I found a fire, a determination to make sure my own children had the support and parenting that they needed - that I never had.
Our shadows are treasure.