Final Call: Eating the Shadow, Vancouver Island Oct 23-27
Plus, how to understand your sexual shadow.
This the final call for my upcoming in-person men's immersion: Eating the Shadow, Oct 23-27, on Vancouver Island.
We have 2 spots left for men who are ready to dive into work on their sexual shadow. You can apply by booking a call asap.
What is the shadow?
In Jungian psychology, "the shadow" refers to the unconscious parts of our personality that our conscious mind doesn’t identify with - residing below the surface of awareness.
This includes both negative traits and hidden positive qualities. When it comes to our sexuality, the "sexual shadow" encompasses the desires, fantasies, and behaviors we might believe taboo, shameful, or unacceptable, leading us to repress or deny them.
Society, culture, and personal beliefs often cause us to repress parts of our sexuality. We might hide desires we consider immoral or wrong, leading to a lack of awareness about our true sexual needs.
Repressed sexual elements don’t just disappear—they manifest in dreams, fantasies, or even compulsive behaviors. These unconscious influences can affect our relationships and self-perception, sometimes causing guilt, shame, confusion & harm.
Acknowledging and exploring the sexual shadow means recognizing these hidden aspects of our sexuality without judgment.
This work can be very powerful done in a group settings as a way of consciously engaging with our shadow in consensual ritual containers.
As well, confronting and integrating our sexual shadow often requires healing wounds related to sexual shame or trauma. With the right support, we no longer need to hide parts of our identity. Through confronting and integrating the shadow, we can find healthy ways to understand and express our desires.
This can lead to sexual relationships based on mutual understanding and respect for each other’s explorations and boundaries.
By integrating our sexual shadow, we accept all parts of ourselves. This process leads to a more authentic and fulfilling erotic identity and taps into the wellspring of Eros - the primal force of life.
EATING THE SHADOW, OCT 23-27, VANCOUVER ISLAND
My upcoming offering with collaborator Deus Fortier builds upon our first Level: Awakening the Wild Erotic.
The name “Eating the Shadow” comes from the chapter of Iron John where the young prince is sequentially given three horses and three suits of armour - the Red, the White, and the Black.
For Bly, he connects each color to represent various aspects of a man's psychological & soul development.
White Armour: Represents purity and innocence, marking the beginning of the hero's journey. When the young man first dons this armour, it signifies his emerging potential and the first steps toward self-awareness.
Red Armour: Associated with vitality and passion. The red armour reflects the capacity to access warriorhood and discipline. It is the color of blood that surges in the heat of battle and in the lover’s chamber.
Black Armour: Symbolizes the darker, unconscious aspects of the psyche, including struggles, challenges, and the confrontation with shadow elements. Wearing the black armour signifies the young man's deeper engagement with his own inner turmoil and growth.
Bly writes:
"When a [man] moves into the black, that process amounts to bringing all the shadow material back inside. That process could be call retrieving and eating the shadow. How many years pass before a man finds the dark parts of himself that he threw away? When he does find those parts, and retrieves them, other people will begin to trust him.”
Eating the Shadow invites men on a journey into the underworld, where you will consciously unearth, explore, and integrate the hidden aspects of your psyche.
This experience offers the chance to dance within the liminal space—between awareness and the unknown, between the personal and the archetypal. You will call upon the forces of mystery to reclaim lost parts of yourself, forging a path towards a renewed sense of wholeness.
If you’re feeling called, join us Oct 23-27 on Vancouver Island. Get full details & apply here.