How Halloween Teaches Us to Embrace Our Dark Side
I’ve always believed that Halloween can teach us so much about ourselves as highly sensitive people (HSPs), empaths, survivors, and seekers. Every year, it encourages us to explore and embrace a different, darker side of ourselves. Carl Jung refers to this dark side of our personality as the shadow self. It is the parts of who we are that we don’t like—or that we think society wouldn’t like—and therefore, we reject and repress them. It’s also not something we want to talk about.
Consider all messages we’ve received from society about our dark sides since we were children. “Pretend that they don’t exist. Hide your dark side. Don’t let your shadow self come out.” It’s no wonder why we don’t know how to deal with our hurt, our anger, and our powerlessness in healthy ways. Instead of teaching us to embrace and integrate these dark parts, society has been telling us that they are shameful.
However, our dark sides are part of who we are as human beings. To deny them would be to deny a part of ourselves. When we accept and connect with our dark side as part of the human experience, we are able to deeply heal from our wounds, release shame and guilt, embrace playfulness and creativity, and fully live in the light, with more peace and freedom.
Dressing up for Halloween offers us a unique opportunity for us to acknowledge, process, and integrate our dark sides in a safe and healthy way. I’ve been dressing up and painting my face elaborately for many years now. I’ve been a shark, a lizard, a witch, and a scary doll. I find that there is deep healing and knowledge in holding space for the wholeness of our being, instead of just the parts that are socially accepted.
What would you like to dress up as for Halloween this year? What might your shadow self teach you about who you are in the light of day? For, there is no way to be in the light without also having made peace with our dark parts.
To hear the exclusive podcast episode that inspired this blog, join our growing seeker's community at Patreon here
I’d love to see what you dressed up as for Halloween! Tag us on Instagram: @nikkieisenhauer/@theemotionalbadass.
Have a happy, safe, and playful Halloween!