Have the words that are coming out of your mouth ever completely surprised you? Have you ever been caught off guard by thoughts or ideas that seem darker than what you normally allow yourself to think?
If you have, then you have encountered your dark side, and it might be time to let it out a little!
We believe that everyone has a dark side. This dark side dwells within us, sometimes buried very, very deeply, and sometimes it can lurk closer to the surface. When this dark side bubbles up into ideas, thoughts, words, and even actions, we may be inclined to try to shove it forcibly back down and stuff it into a little box deep within ourselves, lock the door, and throw away the key.
But really, is this the best course of action? Where does this dark side spring from?
This dark side is really just a part of the energy inside of us, the beautiful dance of yin and yang, light and dark, energies that form balance in the universe. Each energy must exist to balance the other. Likewise, each energy must be expressed to a degree in order for peace and balance to reign.
Suppressing and ignoring our dark energy can cause serious consequences.
When we stuff down and ignore our darker side it can sometimes break free and spring loose when we least expect it, causing injury, emotional, mental, and maybe even physical, to ourselves and the ones whom we love. Trying to keep our darker sides boxed and penned in can also cause disturbing psychological effects such as low self-confidence, chronic self-doubt, and deep feelings of unfulfillment. We can begin to feel disconnected from ourselves and from our lives and become plagued by regret.
To avoid such potentially damaging effects, wouldn’t it be better to instead embrace and work to understand our dark sides?
Our dark side voices are actually unexpressed and unvoiced desires that we have kept hidden away and have denied for whatever reason. Maybe those desires are culturally or socially shunned, or maybe you believe that living out those desires would disappoint your family or friends. Sometimes this dark side within us can be the result of boundaries that have been placed around us that are too restricting that we long to push back against, or the result of not having sufficient boundaries in the first place.
Working to embrace and understand the underlying factors behind our dark side voices can lead to positive and empowering choices in our lives. Delving into the personal truths that are hiding behind these seemingly inappropriate dark side voices can actually cause us to make life changing decisions that benefit not only our own selves, but also our friends, families, and our entire global communities.
So how can we tap into the hidden truths lurking behind our dark side voices?
Here are some questions to ask yourself the next time your dark side rears up and attempts to make itself heard.
• What would be the worst thing that somebody could call you if you act on this dark side desire?
• How would acting on this dark side desire affect the way that you see yourself?
• What would it mean for your life, present and future, if you stepped into where this dark side voice is leading you
• What is the positive learning that you can gain about yourself by understanding the driving motivation behind these dark side voices?
Our dark sides have a lot that they want to teach us, but it is up to us to decide whether we are going to listen. The next time you hear that dark side voice, practice listening and understanding what it is saying to you and why and you may just be on the road to unlocking a healthier, and more empowered you!
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