4 Reasons for Repression

[Emerald]

Here's a helpful post for anyone who's interested in doing Shadow Work for Personal Development.

One thing that has become evident to me in my Shadow Work practice is that there tends to be 4 main reasons why people repress parts of themselves away into the Shadow. I'll list them below with a brief description for each...

• To preserve an identity - When we identify ourselves with a particular quality that we label as good or desirable in some way, we will try to preserve that identity (in our own eyes and in the eyes of others.) And the way we do this is by denying and repressing any quality in ourselves that might undermine the qualities that we identify with.
• To preserve a worldview - Our identity is always built upon the foundation of our worldview. So, worldview preservation is often identity preservation in disguise. For example, if I'm the Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt, my identity as the Pharaoh slots directly into a particular cosmology and a very specific way of viewing reality. And if someone comes over from Ancient Greece with a totally different cosmology and a different Pantheon, this might threaten my identity as the Pharaoh.
• To cope with trauma - When we experience events in our lives that produce emotions in the Nervous System that are too intense to process at a given time, the body/Nervous System shuts the processing of these feelings down and we go unconscious to them. And the parts of our psyche that bore the brunt of these experiences will also be made unconscious. That's where this type of repression comes from.
• To cope with unmet needs - When we have a chronically unmet need (especially one that we've never had met before) we have an in-built mechanism for coping with this unmet need. And that is to go unconscious to the parts of the personality that are most in touch with that need. For example, if we need connection from our parents as children, but our parents aren't capable of giving us that connection... then we may go unconscious to this part of us that has this connection need. And we may feel like we don't value connection at all and are more of a loner type... but down in the Shadow there is a part of ourselves that's constantly seeking connection in subtle ways.

[Kamo]

Hi Emerald. Love your channel by the way on YouTube. Definitely good content that resonates with Leo's style of work. I had a question about your post. These reasons all sound quite accurate and rather likely.

 What would be your advice for reversing/coping with these phenomena?

I try looking at it as finding its opposite. Expression. Expressing emotions or thoughts in a healthy and constructive way. Also apply Conscious Awareness and actively acknowledging and accepting thoughts, feelings, and memories without judgment.
However this doesn't particularly seem like enough?
Then I figure, Integration, Incorporating repressed material into conscious awareness in a healthy way, leading to a more complete understanding of oneself but even that just kinda gets you by for the time being. The memories love to resurface randomly.
Obviously recommendations of Mindfulness, even then a practice of being present and fully engaged with the current moment without judgment, can only help in recognizing and accepting repressed emotions or thoughts. The repression just looses a little more pressure rather than fully dissolving?  Staying fully present is difficult to lock into ones baseline state of consciousness. Which I know can be done with significant practice, yet thats a long time horizon to work with. What else would I be missing? Seems more that its based more on the mental patterns and neural connections becoming more hardwired into the nervous system. I mean possibly a good psychedelic trip to reboot it all in a way might be an option but repression certainly is a tricky thing to overcome. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Bobby_2021]

Good points. 

[Bazooka Jesus]

On 9.3.2024 at 5:41 AM, Emerald said:

To cope with unmet needs - When we have a chronically unmet need (especially one that we've never had met before) we have an in-built mechanism for coping with this unmet need. And that is to go unconscious to the parts of the personality that are most in touch with that need. For example, if we need connection from our parents as children, but our parents aren't capable of giving us that connection... then we may go unconscious to this part of us that has this connection need. And we may feel like we don't value connection at all and are more of a loner type... but down in the Shadow there is a part of ourselves that's constantly seeking connection in subtle ways.

I can sooo relate to that one... that right there used to be me in a nutshell, and to a certain extent it still is.

It's fascinating to examine what factors are at play in the construction of one's identity, and very humbling to realize how little - if anything - of it is actually based on conscious choices. (Of course, even your so-called conscious choices are ultimately predetermined by factors that you have zero control over; this entire virtual fabrication which you call "me" is like a sculpture whose every inch is constantly being shaped and moulded by the entire universe, and the illusion of personal autonomy that is so prevalent especially in our individualistic society becomes laughable once you truly realize the dynamics at play.)

A man can do what he wills, but he cannot will what he wills.

- Arthur Schopenhauer -

This is why shadow work is a very effective antidote against (spiritual) hybris. It's very apt to hand you a healthy slice of humble pie and make you realize that "you" aren't any more special, autonomous or holy than a little leaf that's flying in the wind.

 

Edited March 10 by Bazooka Jesus

[Emerald]

11 hours ago, Bazooka Jesus said:

I can sooo relate to that one... that right there used to be me in a nutshell, and to a certain extent it still is.

It's fascinating to examine what factors are at play in the construction of one's identity, and very humbling to realize how little - if anything - of it is actually based on conscious choices. (Of course, even your so-called conscious choices are ultimately predetermined by factors that you have zero control over; this entire virtual fabrication which you call "me" is like a sculpture whose every inch is constantly being shaped and moulded by the entire universe, and the illusion of personal autonomy that is so prevalent especially in our individualistic society becomes laughable once you truly realize the dynamics at play.)

A man can do what he wills, but he cannot will what he wills.

- Arthur Schopenhauer -

This is why shadow work is a very effective antidote against (spiritual) hybris. It's very apt to hand you a healthy slice of humble pie and make you realize that "you" aren't any more special, autonomous or holy than a little leaf that's flying in the wind.

 

Definitely! I use that quote all the time to teach unconditional compassion. Everyone's ALWAYS doing the best they can... no exceptions.