I.

To protect your public image, all negative and contrary

aspects of yourself have to go underground,

hidden from others and even yourself, apparently,

but there is hope, so please don’t frown.

 

II.

Your shadow you refuse, about yourself, to see,

and you go to lengths to show to others who you’d like to be.

 

III.

We never get to the second half of life

without major shadowboxing,

so it’s time to face the inner strife

and stop all the outfoxing.

 

IV.

Neither our persona nor our shadow self

is evil in itself:

they just allow us to do evil

and not know it,

or even call it good when we show it.

 

V.

The closer you get to the Light,

the more of your shadow you see.

Full human life demands some shadowboxing

with the shadow side of every reality.

 

 

* Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation: Shadowboxing, Sabbath Meditation, Saturday, May 17, 2014