If we think of the potential and infinite complexity of our human body it serves as a wonderfully accurate mirror for the human psyche. Both have universal attributes that connect us as similar beings, yet each is so unique there are never two the same. Whilst we can learn so much from those who have lived before us and with us, we also have to learn where we are different, and need to tailor approaches to life for our own situation – our physical and psychological profiles. 

The body seems to be a particularly helpful living and constant metaphor for psyche when looking at our Shadow, or underutilised parts of ourselves. Our Shadow sides, or qualities, are often misinterpreted as negative traits. But Shadow in this sense just means the other end of the continuum. For example rather than considering that we are emotional or stoic people, in a black or white sense, we all have the capacity to be either, but for many reasons have gravitated towards one habitual way of being that we then often identify as a part of who we are. An unchangeable.

When we might look at another body which has heightened balance, for example, we might be met with a self-judgement that we can’t perform the same way. Yet theoretically our body might be just as capable, we just haven’t practiced that skill. Those muscles haven’t been used in that way, haven’t become familiar with communicating with each other.

We all have such infinite, expanding capacity in every facet of what we are; intellectually, creatively, psychologically, physically. Yet we so often trap ourselves in our own self-defined limitations.

Knowing that so often what we want to develop in ourselves is already there, just under-used, can be liberating and comforting. We probably even use that part of ourselves more than we realise, but because we don’t have a strong identity with it we’re not seeing it when it is present.

Just like developing a physical skill doesn’t mean we have to grow a new body part or new muscles, it just means activating what might have been under-utilised for a while, so to can we realign psychologically to create more balance, more range, more freedom in feeling capable of accessing more of ourselves.

And it is so often something we develop consciously, because of our appreciation for why we value it that evolves into our biggest strengths.