This powerful process for integrating the shadow aspects of ourselves was developed by the philosopher and Integral guru, Ken Wilber.  Ken’s  work is one of greatest influences to my SOULutions work. This  process is part of The Integral Institutes Integral Life Practice. You can learn more about ILP at www.intergralinstitute.org.

The 3 — 2 — 1 shadow process uses shifts in perspective as a way of identifying and integrating shadow material 3 — 2 — 1 refers to third person, second person, and first person — the perspective is that we move through in this exercise.

Each part that we’d this home is at first an aspect of our I or first person awareness. But, for whatever reason, that aspect poses a threat. So we push it outside of ourselves, often on to someone else. It’s important to note that the aspect can be positive or negative. We can own both lower and higher aspects of ourselves. In either case, we project it as you… but not me. “You are angry.” “You are being selfish,” ect. In other words we just place it from a first person I to a second person you.

If the threat of this emotion or situation become so great it requires a total rejection, we banish it totally as a third person it, stripped of humanity at that point, we can often recognize shadow as a sense of irritation, reactivity, fear, phobia, rage or aversion toward things… but we you really don’t know why.

Under these circumstances, most forms of meditation won’t help; in fact, Bill makes things worse. They suggest dis-identification from experience, when what is necessary is RE- identification with this own dimensions of our experience and ourselves. You can only let go of that which you have first owned. Meditation instructions to “observe all experience and know that consciousness is and tended and free from experience” don’t work with experience from which we’re disassociated. Healthy dis-identification is only possible once we’ve re-owned, re-associated and re-identified with the disowned parts of ourselves. For this reason, there is no substitute for shadow work.

To sum up, disassociation proceeds from first person to second person to third person: 1-2-3. The reversal of disassociation bus goes from 2 to 2 to 1. The process is summarized as: Face it (3), Talk to it(2), BE it(1).

The specific steps to come in the next blog.

Did you find this BLOG closser to….Bold - Language - Of - Grace OR….. Boring - Long - Oustentatious & Glib ???

Tell we met again,

In Wholeness, Michael

PS. Don’t forget to check out next Tuesday’s free Essence Circle at The Body Awareness Studio at 7:pm and the up coming Fire Of Wholeness and Embrace Your Shadow Workshops. Click on the links to the right to find out more.