The Play of Light and Shadow An Interview with Theodore Kyriakos (part 2)
mythic consciousness offered to me many years ago by Dr. Douglas Brooks was this: “You are every character in the story.”
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This teaching immediately resonated with me and expanded the seam of my awareness even more where my gifts, vulnerabilities, proclivities, strengths, weaknesses, and longings all revealed themselves with tender opening.
.Why is the dark so frightening to our psyche when we rest best in the darkness, close our eyes to sleep, and feel at home when wrapped in our lover’s embrace?
It is a very interesting question, one that I haven’t asked myself before. My first observation is that the two darks you are describing have different qualities. The frightening dark is unfamiliar and unsafe, whereas the dark of our sleep and our lover’s embrace is a familiar resting place; it is safe. Maybe what we’re frightened of is not the dark, but rather the unknown, which metaphorically symbolizes the dark. And I don’t think it is our psyche (Greek word for Soul) that is frightened, but our egos that have limited awareness. Often our fears are projected because our small self, the ego, is frightened of knowing the bigger Self, our psyche, both equally important to our journey.
.In our first interview, you mentioned the term “spiritual bypass.” Can you explain this more?
This is one of the potential perils when we decide to work with the shadow that I think is very important to be aware of. What may be referred to as “spiritual bypass” can be quite tricky to identify. It is obvious to most of us that dealing with our emotional pain or fear by taking drugs (legal or illegal) is not a good idea, nor does it help. Some can even recognize that going to the gym to deal with one’s anger might not be enough. It can happen with our spiritual practices as well. When we are accustomed to avoiding something, we will use any means at our disposal to achieve this. For example, in the moments that we feel anger we might decide to practice a meditation on love and compassion to get rid of that unwanted and potentially distracting feeling. However, this can be a clever way to repress what is rising from within. The true shadow worker or the true light
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OriginMagazine.com
ll around the world in every culture, there are myths and stories that embody the epic battles between good and evil, often depicted as light and dark. One of the great insights of
ORIGIN COLUMNIST Photos: Mario Covic
Sianna Sherman
There is an Indian goddess known as Durga. She fiercely rides a tiger while stalking the jungle in the dark. Her image is one that invites you to the totality of being, to the intimacy of your deepest knowing, to stalking your own self where the play of dark and light are the woven tapestry of your thoughts, feelings and deepest desires. Her story is our story and how each of us can encounter the terror of our shadow with empowered presence and even joy.
In this second part of Theodore’s interview, we continue the exploration of the play of light and shadow. Enjoy the ride.
Painting: Amanda Giacomini
worker (these are one and the same) will work with the shadow to reveal more light in oneself, not work with the light to bypass the shadow. Of course light practices are important, and a metta meditation on love and compassion can help us to experience a state of bliss. My suggestion is to be respectful and accepting of whatever rises and falls. If you engage with your shadow, it will transform; and when the fire melts through your heart, then maybe this is a better time to meditate on love.
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