The Monster You Fear Becomes the Saviour You Need

As the alchemists stated, in sterquiliniis invenitur (in filth it will be found). What you need most is often found where you least want to look. But this is easier said than done. We resist confronting the despised or terrifying aspects of ourselves, and when we neglect or run away from the filth in ourselves, the unconscious responds accordingly by presenting us with nightmares, grotesque visions, or unknown figures chasing us down. These visions, however, are nothing more than fragments of our own psyche, carrying urgent messages we desperately need. Until we acknowledge them, we remain in misery, no matter how convincingly we pretend that all is well. We know that the mask of the unconscious is not rigid—it reflects the face we turn towards it. Hostility lends it a threatening aspect, friendliness softens its features. The monster you fear becomes the saviour you need. #shadow #alchemy #carljung