Healing and integration require a willingness to open to difficult aspects of our experience, embracing the shadow in all its manifestations.
Transcending dualistic perceptions and recognizing the interconnectedness of all phenomena leads to a non-dual awareness and freedom from attachment and fear.
Deep dives
Healing and Integration of the Shadow Self
The podcast explores the concept of the shadow self and emphasizes the importance of healing and integrating all aspects of our experience, even the difficult ones. By opening ourselves to the shadow side, such as feelings of hatred, unworthiness, and loneliness, we can bring them to consciousness and begin the process of healing and self-integration. This process of unifying the persona and the shadow leads to less conflict in our lives and a deeper sense of wholeness.
Unifying Subject and Object, Self and Other
The podcast discusses the duality between subject and object, self and other, and emphasizes the need to transcend these dualistic perceptions. It explores how the identification with a separate self creates fear, attachment, and separation. By recognizing the interdependence and interconnectedness of all phenomena, we can move towards a non-dual awareness. The practice of mindfulness allows us to operate on different levels of perception, tapping into a deeper energy and promoting freedom from attachment and fear.
Moving from Ego Center to Zero Center
The podcast explores the progression from ego-centered perception to the zero center, where there is a non-identification with any aspect of experience. By unifying the mind and the body, and by recognizing the interplay of inside and outside, we can move towards a sense of oneness and interconnectedness. The practice of love, understood as acceptance and allowance, becomes the connector between different levels of perception. This process of healing and integration involves honesty, dispassion, and the ability to discriminate and act with wisdom.
Extricating us from dualist concepts of self and other, Joseph helps us move from the 'ego-center' to the 'zero-center' through opening to love.
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“There are so many parts of our experience which we don't like, we don't want to be there. We condemn, we judge, we push away—it can be difficult feelings in the body, difficult emotions, feelings of hatred, rage, unworthiness, loneliness, profound alienation. It can be so many things, so many parts of the mind that are the shadow side. The process of healing, the process of integration, is a willingness to open to all of those sides, to see the shadow in all its manifestation.” – Joseph Goldstein
In this episode, Joseph dives into:
How we create the concept of duality/seperation (self and other, inside and outside, persona and shadow, etc.)
Understanding our practice of Dharma as reintegrating and unifying
Using mindfulness to shine light on our shadow by making the subconscious conscious
Moving from the 'ego-center' to the 'zero-center' using the intermediate space of love (a very deep appreciation, respect, and openness for every moment's experience)
Carlos Castaneda and the relationship between impeccability and emptiness
This episode recorded 11/29/1986 at the Insight Meditation Society was originally published on DharmaSeed