The Mirror is Dark

The eve of the dark moon. 
The mirror is dark. 
A time to look at the shadow of me...if I feel strong enough...and I do.

So I look, and what do I see...
Less love than I expected.
And if that isn't shadowy enough, I see...
Less well-wishing than I've offered before.
And, in case that's not enough, I see...
A part of me that could really care less or give a fuck.

It's one thing to feel strong enough to see in the dark,
It's another to bring out the shadow.
But I do cause I feel strong enough...yeah...I do.

I reach for the mirror, 
The shadow slick on my hands,
"No, no, not me!" she cries...in multiple voices.
One sounds like a big bad witch,
Another like a lonely little girl,
And the last like a well-seasoned attorney.

"Look at me!" 
I speak to the mirror.
Come out and be strong with me...I lie...I do.

And she comes, 
Wearing the masks of love misdirected,
Believing she is strong enough to live forever.
But she's only a region of opacity,
In the landscape of my heart.
In the dark she fades into me completely.

And the mirror is dark
On the eve of the dark moon
When it's dark enough to see... and I do...yeah...I do.



Notes on shadow work:

I have found the eve of the dark moon is the best time to work with my shadow because with the help of the moon the work is easier and softer. One often hears the phrase 'bring the shadow into the light' - I have found that only makes the shadow more resistant and much more difficult to integrate. 

Also,the shadow is more like a wild or feral animal than the demon some people claim it is. My shadow feels slick like a cat that doesn't want to be held. I have to lure her out and she comes out with less provocation in the dark of the moon because it feels safest. 

Shadow work is immensely important to our health and well being. Owning the shadow frees the body from having to carry the 'region of opacity' which can manifest in illness and disease. 

It is always more skillful to address shadow issues with poetry or art, it's more responsive that way...and much less likely to cause serious backlash from a pissed off shadow. Shadow work is intuitive work and increases our capacity to move into the realm of the irrational. It is healing for our souls to be able to 'hold the both/and' of life.