This pathworking accompanies the Magickal Alignment Series…

The Journey of the Shadow

Turn your focus and attention to your breath. Allow your consciousness to move with the rise and fall of your chest and the filling and release of the lungs. Continue in this manner for several breaths; allowing each to become softer, smoother and slower. With each breath your physical body appears to lighten and your center of consciousness floats upwards towards the inner eye. You find yourself enveloped by the mist of transition between the Physical and Astral. And as this veil thins, you see before you an opening in the fabric of the space around you.

A mist of Lavender surrounds this enclosure as you pass through the darkness. As you move through this space, feelings of foreboding and a sense of being out of place in a time that is neither here nor there and in a place that is both upwards and down simultaneously flood your emotions. You are disoriented and are aware of the depths of sadness and loneliness that is felt in this space. Your only thoughts are the hopes that you will pass quickly and easily through this space. Quite the contrary, time seems to slow and the angst seems to become greater. And, just as you are about to scream out in sheer frustration, you remember the lesson of surrender. You remember the call to walk in perfect love and perfect trust; despite that you are completely engulfed in shadow. Glimpses of light are hidden beneath what appear to be shadowy figures and although you do not feel threatened, you know this is a place of great power and well deserving of care and respect as you pass through.

There is no flooring under you and you have a sense of weightlessness and somehow being suspended in space. Although there are no definitive boundaries, the impression is one of being enclosed tightly in a very confining space. You take a deep, cleansing breath and you allow yourself to simply be open, receptive and non-resistant to lesson of this place of shadow. You take another deep breath in and ready yourself to move forward and explore this place. As soon as the sigh of exhale has passed, feelings of sadness begin to well up within you. You are fearful and now wish you had decided against entering this space. Your former resolve of being receptive and open is weakening steadily as you begin to feel that you are sinking even deeper into this space of darkness.

You take another deep breath, hoping to restore your composure and as you exhale your awareness that you are alone in this space heightens. You strain to hear any sound that might point you in the direction of moving towards something; even the faintest sound of another human or animal would give you comfort. But, there is nothing, absolute and pure nothingness in this space. Your breath comes in short bursts now and the combination of sheer and utter loneliness, silence and disorientation keeps this rapid pace going.

You are just about ready to let out a cry of desperation when you notice a shadowy figure in what appears to be a corner of this space. A faint light glows down from what appears to be an opening very far above and you can now make out the silhouette more clearly as the figure approaches you. You feel the power of its energy as you step closer to one another and have a sense of familiarity even though you are unable to clearly see its face. You step closer still and take a deep breath in summoning all of your courage to come face to face with whoever this shadow may be.

You become aware that more light seems to be filtering through with each of your steps and as you come to rest just arms’ length away you see a shadowed face peering back at you. It is as though this being is covered in a grey misty veiling. You instinctively reach out and the figure reaches towards you in response. You breathe in deeply and are surprised to see the resemblance between the two of you. It is as though you are standing facing yourself cloaked in shadow and veil. You move closer still and can see the reflection of your image in the other’s eyes that are deep pools and shades darker than your own. You know that this is your shadow self and the fear you thought you would have is replaced by a sense of deep insight into its workings and the need for this twin aspect of yourself. As these thoughts move through you, you feel yourself in resonance with the energy of this other. You feel the fear and doubts that it has. You feel the power of the darkness it has dwelled within and the yearning it has had to know the light aspect of itself.

You step forward and embrace this being; knowing that it has strengths and weaknesses that may be called upon just as your strengths and weaknesses may be used to enliven it. You feel the interweaving and co-mingling of its energy with yours and as you take a deep breath in you and the shadow become one. The light that has dimly lit this space quickens and brightens at the integration of you and your other. You feel stronger and enlivened and the flow and movement of energy through you is purposeful. As your breath slows to an even and steady pace you see that the light is growing brighter and larger and you feel yourself rising towards it. Each breath of inhalation pulls you closer to its light and radiance and the space surrounding you begins to brighten; the darkness and magnetic pull of the intense experience held within it slowly fading in its energy and effect on you with each exhalation.

You continue to rise upwards, coming to rest on a soft surface supportive beneath your feet and completely enveloped in the brilliance of this light emanating from a space directly above you. You look at your hands and take note of a luminescent glow about them and the lower part of your body as you look downwards toward your feet. You breathe in deeply and feel the energy of light and dark within you working together to produce this rarified brilliance of light.

The light begins to dim slightly and you know that there is still more of the journey you must follow in learning the lessons of the shadow self. You take a deep breath in, close your eyes and resolve that you will embrace each step and challenge that is presented to you as you travel your spiritual path. You think on the lesson of this experience, and the birthing of light from what was held in the shadows.

You gently open your eyes and see that the blue veiling of transition through which you entered is just a few steps in front of you. You feel yourself enveloped in this veil of transition between the Physical and Astral world. The veils of transformation and all they contain gently fade from your sight and you begin the descent back into your physical state of being and the room and space in which you began this pathworking. Return to awareness of the rhythm of your breath and the rise and fall of your chest. Become aware of the physicality of where you are sitting or laying; your body pressed against cushion, chair or floor. And when you are ready, gently flutter your eyes open.

Return to Magickal Alignment: The Higher SELF