Letting in Shadow and Light

In this Session, we consider how our grounding practice, along with our ethical commitments to mindfulness-based action, supports opening up to the full range of our experience. The metaphor I’m using for that range is “Shadow and Light,” to emphasize the aspects that we may habitually miss – the Light of novelty and possibility in a world in which it can seem that we have “already seen it all;” AND, the Shadow of what we have trouble seeing, that “dark side” that travels along with even the most uplifted aspects of our experience. From the place of feeling more at home in the body wherever we are, we will experience greater capacity to be with what is difficult, including various shadow aspects of our existence and of our way of being in relationship to all things. With guided support, we can turn toward rather than away from the aspects of our experience that have more often been un-examined. If we’re feeling anxious or afraid as we do so, once again, we can take specific steps to remind ourselves of our being safe enough where we are. And then – once we are reminded of our relative safety – we can not only drop into the moment, but we can turn toward it with curiosity. From that place, we can open up a bit more fully into our window of tolerance for that which troubles us, allowing the protective dimension of mindfulness practice to help us notice when we have had enough, and need to come back to center and ground.

Audio Reflection

This is an invitation to reflect on your habits around dealing with difficulty, and meeting both shadow and light in your experience. As a preliminary reflection, and before we sink into a meditation practice, we’ll take time here, getting to know our habit mind around orienting toward that which is uplifting and that which we find troubling. By doing so, we expand our consciousness, and this supports us in deepening the meditative container within us for intentionally being with shadow and light in ourselves and in the world.

Guided Meditation

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