As Jungian analyst John Sanford points out, when a story like this one touches the chord of our humanity in such a way that it rings true for many people, it must have an archetypal quality—it must speak to a place in us that is universal.#1441•
All the feelings and capacities that are rejected by the ego and exiled into the shadow contribute to the hidden power of the dark side of human nature#1451•
It's usually the shadow self who laughs at jokes.#1449•
English psychoanalyst Molly Tuby suggests six other ways in which, even unknowingly, we meet the shadow every day:
In our exaggerated feelings about others ("I just can't believe he would do that!" "I don't know how she could wear that outfit!")
In negative feedback from others who serve as our mirrors ("This is the third time you arrived late without calling me.")
In those interactions in whch we continually have the same troubling effect on several different people ("Sam and I both feel that you have not been straightforward with us.")
In our impulsive and inadvertent acts ("Oops, I didn't mean to say that.")
In situations in which we are humiliated ("I'm so ashamed about how he treats me.")
In our exaggerated anger about other people's faults ("She just can't seem to do her work on time!" "Boy, he really let his weight get out of control!")#1447•
As Nietzsche puts it: "We have art so that we shall not die of reality."#1446•