Here's something i wrote in response to a question about darkness, personal evil, etc -- hope someone finds it interesting --(posted 7930 days ago)I'm going to have to review some info for those who might not be familiar with all this, so for those for whom it's old stuff, please pardon the review --
Most everybody learns in grade school that our modern culture is based on Greek culture and philosophy. Classical Greek philosophy had many positive elements, but there were also some problems that we've inherited.
Classical Greek philosophers saw the entire universe as being divided between two sets of opposites called "Dualisms":
LIST A LIST B light - dark high - low Spriit - matter mind - body logic - emotion heaven - earth culture - nature order - chaos sun - moon above - below reason - intuition
Everything in the first column ("A") was said to be superior to everything in the second column ("B"), and it was said that for the universe to function properly, everything in column A must rule over and "hold in check" everything in column B. NOw, guess who these (most male) philosophers associated with List A -- right, males. Females were consigned to List B. This was the philosophical rationale for white males "ruling over" dark-skinned people, earth and women... (See Rosemary Reuther's _Sexism and God-Talk_)
Christianity incorporated this dualistic view of the universe through "Saint" Paul, who was quite enamored of Greek philosophy. Thus Christian theology exalts spirit, heaven, the sun, the mind, etc. and demonizes matter, intuition, the earth, the physical body, emotion, women -- and darkness in general. The "dark arts" were things like divination, magick, and shamanic journeying. Metaphysics, having fed from the same philosophical "plate", similarly demonizes (or at least discredits/ trivializes) the physical body, the earth, emotion, etc. For example, Madame Helena Blavatsky, founder of Theosophy and author of many of its basic texts, wrote of the "Great White Brotherhood". And NewAgers, having grown from the blending of these two, call themselves "Lightworkers" who constantly seek "the white Light", and look forward to heading off to the stars, leaving behind this boring Earth, which by then will have been raped clean of all its crystals.
Paganism, having developed from a different source than patriarchal, dualistic Christianity, has a very different perspective -- and this is one of the MAJOR differences between Paganism and New Age. Paganism recognizes and values the other ("B") side of the Dualisms! It sees darkness as merely the "other" (not the inferior) half of the cycle of renewal. It knows that a seed must be planted in the dark earth in order to sprout. For a human being to be healthy, s/he must rest during the dark part of the diurnal cycle. Unremitting light is as deadly as unremitting darkness; unchecked life is what we call "cancer."
Further, Paganism recognizes the human Shadow. "The personal shadow develops naturally in every young child. As we identify with ideal personality characteristics such as politeness and generosity, which are reinforced in our environments, we hsape what W Brugh Joy calls the New Years Resolution Self. At the same time, we bury in the shadow those qualities that don't fit our self-image, such as rudeness and selfishness. The ego and the shadow, then, develop in tandem, creating each other out of the same life expereinces. "The shadow acts like a psychic immune system,defining what is self and what is not-self. For different people, in different familiies and cultures, what falls into ego and what falls into shadow can vary. For instnace, some permit anger or agftression to be expressed, most do not. Some permit sexuality, vulnerability, or storng emotions; many do not. Some permit financial ambiotion, or artistic expression, or intellectual development, some do not. All the feelings and capacities that are rejected by the ego and exiled into the shadow contribute to the hidden power of the dark side of human nature. However, not all of them are what we consider to be negative traits. According to Jungian analyst Liliane Frey-Rohn, this dark treatsury includes our infantile parts, emotional attachments, neurotic symptoms, as well as our undeveloped talents and gifts. The shadow,, she says, "retains contact with the lost depths of the soul, with life and vitality -- the superior, the univerally human, yes, even the creative can be sensed there." (Connie Zwieg and Jeremiah Abrams, "The Shadow Side of Everyday Life", in _Meeting the Shadow_, Zweig and Abrams, ed, pp xvi-xvii.)
Not only individuals, but groups, cultures, countries, movments -- all have Shadows.
Now, instead of denying, discounting, demonizing, trivializing, ignoring, or "killing" the Shadow -- as Christianity, New Age, and many other (Patriarchal) religions do; nearly every Pagan path has *built into it* a way in which the Seeker/ practitioner must eventually confront, work through, and incorporate the Shadow. This is one of the major strengths of Paganism. In Wicca, especially if you train under a *good* Elder High Priest/ess, you eventually must confront your Shadow. Traditionally this is done most intensively and consciously during study/ preparation for the Second Degree. (Many people indicate that even if they are solitary, somehow the Goddess brings them to this stage).
(For those who would like a bit of a hint about how to proceed to contact the Shadow: think about the people who drive you *crazy* -- people or qualities that make you nuts, irritate the heck out of you, or who you feel are utterly despicable. They are most likely carrying some aspect of your Shadow. -- I know, this is a tough one {rueful grin} that's why it's frequently reserved for Second Degree work! )
A few warnings: Failure / refusal to do Shadow-work, ensures that eventually it will come back and bite you! THIS, btw, is what gets a lot of people into trouble when they first begin metaphysical/ magickal work - they try something that accesses their Shadow, and they are unprepared for it. [This is generally what's going on when a beginner reports contacting "evil demons" with a seance or Ouija board -- a beginner simply does not have sufficient power or knowledge to actually conjur a demon -- what they have "conjured" is their own dark, dangerous, hungry, untamed Shadow.] And one more hint: the "brigher" your "light" side, the darker and deeper your Shadow will be. If you have aspirations of being a Great Lightworker, your Shadow's aspirations will be equally powerful and profound.)