Not many commonly used mantras are more destructive than ‘Good Vibes Only!’. Even though well meant, it promotes a mindset of disregarding the relativity of what makes us human and our shadow is an essential part of that experience. Promoting to look away from it and running towards the ‘good vibes’ is nothing more than running away from ourselves. It is disassociative and often creates a space of unresolved trauma that can lead to coping mechanisms such as addiction as a form of escapism and deep shame of who we are which leads to a spiral of hiding ourselves from others as much as we can. Instead of ‘Good Vibes Only’ we need a new perspective of inclusion, befriending our shadow as legitimate part of us and others. A new understanding. An unshaming of what we think is the least lovable about us. Triggers are an invitation to heal. Our shadow is talking to us as much as our light does. In fact, there is no separation of the two. The one exists relative to the other and in the end they are the same: us. Our shadow is our least visited home. It’s our body on alarm. It’s our mind in shame. And it is us longing to be heard, seen and loved despite what we have learned and taught ourselves is oh so unlovable, and despite the deep wound it might hold. There is incredible wisdom to be voiced from here. It is a doorway to our truths we would hide away if we only focus on the ‘good vibes’. And they are there always. If you look at them or not. And they are making themselves heard one way or another. They manifest our body. So let’s see in the dark. Sitting in it feeling the hurt, shame, pain, grief and love. The love that says we did the best we could at the time. The love that wants us to feel safe again after all these years. The love that wants us to unlearn the unloved. The love that is us even though it’s hidden in the dark. We are it. All the vibes. The bad vibes only.. miss us. - MODEL: @kathazuna #model #shadow #lines #feelings #dark