May Theme: "The Shadow"

As you may have guessed, April kicked my ass. There was just too many things going on - from last minute work trips to one of the worst colds I've had in a couple years. I'm hoping May will be smoother. Today is Beltane (or Bealtaine, which is the Gaelic spelling and my preferred version), an ancient fertility festival and one of the eight Sabbats in the pagan Wheel of the Year. Traditionally, it marked the beginning of the Summer and rituals were performed to celebrate/encourage the new growth of the coming season. It also happens to be my favorite Sabbat. What can I say? As much as I like spooky, goth stuff, I am - and always will be - a "dancing naked around a bonfire" type of pagan. The tent's big enough for all types. (For the record, I have not done this....but I also know myself well enough to know that, if the opportunity arose, I would not say "no." Keep in mind - before all the commercialization, I used to think going to Burning Man might be a fun vacation. I know, I know - I'm a dirty hippie. Sorry, not sorry.)

Now, I fully realize that Beltane falls during a time frame where people are focused on the coming good times and looking forward to feeling the sun our faces. But, most importantly, it's a time of growth and there is no growth without facing the hard times (and by "facing," I mean intense, analytical study). After a day (fuck it - a whole month) where I've been really feeling my limitations,  I thought I'd take one last look at the darkness before we get to the freer, sunnier months of June and July. For this month, I decided to focus on The Shadow, the Jungian concept of the dispossessed, uncomfortable parts of us that societal norms have labeled "bad" but are essential and inextricable from the human experience. I'm also a big fan of songs whose lyrics contain darker imagery, even if the overall tone of the song is intended to be upbeat. I'm pairing the songs up with short discussions of Jungian archetypes and some recommendations for addressing them through shadow work. It goes without saying but the topics discussed this month are probably not going to be light and I'll be drawing on my own knowledge of Psychology (as well as helpful resources for those who want to learn more) to inform my writing. That being said, there should be some humor in it to - the best comedy comes from recognizing the shadow and understanding that there's nothing in it to be afraid of. To quote a great wizard, "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."