Shadow

The shadow is Jung’s central contribution to dream interpretation. It is not evil; it is the part of the self the ego has refused — the qualities the dreamer believes themselves not to possess. A shadow figure in a dream is usually of the same gender as the dreamer, and often arrives as a stranger, an intruder, or a pursuer. Integration does not mean acting out; it means acknowledging. A dream in which you turn toward the shadow figure and look them in the face is one of the most important dreams a person can have. It marks the beginning of a fuller self. Notice whether the shadow pursues, beckons, or simply stands.