The shadow derives from our pre-human animal past when our concerns were limited to survival and reproduction; a time when we were not self conscious.
It remains a part of the human constitution.
Everybody has a shadow. The symbols of this shadow include the snake, the dragon, monsters and demons.
In our dreams it appears in many disguises; sometimes as a foreigner or a gypsy, a tramp, prostitute or murderer, theif, stranger, alcoholic, drug addict, rapist, burglar, crippled, deformed, blind, a servant or someone following you.
Often it guards the entrance to a cave or pool of water, which is the collective unconscious.
The shadow is not always represented as an enemy in dreams; for indeed it contains values that are needed by the consciousness and it only becomes hostile when ignored and misunderstood.
The shadow suggests the "dark side" of the ego but it is actually amoral, being neither good nor bad. Just like an animal, it does what it does and it is "innocent".
Yet from our human perspective, the animal world looks rather brutal; and this is mainly why the shadow has become the part of ourselves that we cannot quite admit to but really ought to; the part of ourselves that we disown.
Now when something within is disowned, that which is disowned wrecks havoc.
In such an instance, the only way back to safety is through the restoration of balance.
As clearly as there is work to be done, this work could be described as shinning a light into a part of ourselves that we have previously been blind to.
This is a time for reflection, for slowly turning and examining things, for becoming aware. It is the origin of great good fortune and meaningful events.
In undertaking this task, we fund a will to strengthen character; and both modesty and good temper are essential at such a challenging time.
The shadow is synonymous with the dragon or the primordial soul which is the same as instinct or the subconscious.
The instinct or subconscious is something that controls us when we are unaware of it.
It was originally meant to protect us by dealing with issues relating to personal space as well as our responses, such as fighting or fleeing, to outside stimuli.
There are two aspects to instinct.
The negative dragon uses the shadow qualities such as fear, guilt, blame, shame and self-pity, qualities which lead to abject misery, to gain power because it thinks that this power will save it from death. But the energies that motivate this so called "power" only draws a person closer to that which they fear; for in truth, death has never been anything other than an ally, a friend in disguise and in the dream world, a symbol of change.
The negative dragon is representative of the noxious spirits that breed pain through lies and discontent; another word for this being wickedness. It is the dragon of destruction characterised by the greed and materialism which gives birth to that which is hideous in all our societies.
It carries its actions out through surrogates who allow themselves to give in to fear; and in this manner as by infection, it hands itself down from generation to generation, passing its actions off as tradition and valid ways of being which indeed it is not.
There is a true dragon and it is symbolised as a sacred vessel.
It is the dragon of creative and transformative energy.
It signifies a connection with the beneficient spirit and the ancestors who are called the foundation of dynasties and noble houses. Indeed on the "tree of life", the sphere of the subconscious is called yesod which means foundation and it is described as the machinery of the universe.
The I ching says it like this: that when one has become trustworthy to the spirits {this is termed kung fu and was first touched on in lesson 18} then one becomes aware of "the right time to act". It is what is referred to as "cooking" in both literal and spiritual terms.
But first one must be carried through the mouth of the "Tiger" (the tiger being an I ching term for subconscious) by the "Shen" or "Bright Spirits".
These are the happy, inspiring and calm spirits that are said to live in the heart; the spirits that put our imagination to good use.
The job of becoming aware of instinct is referred to as "riding the tiger".
Now the I ching describes the "tiger" as a very dangerous being. It says that one must be careful not to step upon its tails as this implies the risk of being mauled or gnawed to death.
Stepping on the tiger's tail is equivalent to wallowing in self-pity, in living in fear, being guilty and in allocating blame, shame and punishment. In other words: using the energies of the negative dragon.
On the other hand, the "bright spirits" are so capable that their energies simply carry you through the mouth of the tiger and because of their presence, the tiger cannot and will not bite you!
Therefore the essence of the true dragon is this: that one is finally able to "tame the beast", not through rebuking it, tying it up in chains or locking it up in a cage; for that will only cause it to attack you in its turn.
Rather one is again able, with the help of the "bright spirits", to come into friendly terms with a powerful part of one's self; capable as it is of protecting us and keeping danger away.
And therefore the adage goes that he who is afraid of dying will find that he has lost his life; whereas he who willingly gives his life away, would indeed have found it.
And life is full of ironies like these.