No Shadow Day!

May 13 was the "no shadow" day. On this day, at 12 noon, our shadow, supposed to follow us throughout  our life, vanishes! How is this phenomenon explained? Exactly at noon, the sun is exactly above head. As the sun is directly overhead (at zenith) at local noon, the shadows fall directly underneath objects, hiding hence the shadows.

Gone is the physical shadow! Explained is the phenomenon logically, rationally, scientifically. How about the other shadow which, forever, dogs our very existence? Yes, I am referring to the Jungian notion of the shadow. 

What Freud  called the "id", Jung chooses to call the shadow. Just as Freud talks about the sublimation of the id, especially by the artists, Jung, too, talks about 'integrating' the ' shadow. 

Why so? The "shadow" refers to the unconscious, repressed, or disowned aspects of the personality—the "dark side" containing traits deemed unacceptable, both by the ego and/or society. Anger, selfishness, or forbidden desires can be considered examples of the 'shadow work'. 

Integrating the shadow is crucial for individuation, as it holds hidden potential and prevents destructive projections. In other words, there can be  'no shadow' day psychologically, too! Indeed, some hope!!! 

Pratima@ 'Geniuses think alike.' Explains the similarity in the ideation of Freud and Jung. Never ever forget the second half of this quote by Alexander  Pope who insisted that "so do fools."

Quote of the day:                                                           " We are but dust and shadow," says Horace. 

Word of the day:  silhouette                                       A silhouette is the dark solid shape of somebody/something seen against a light background.