Golden Shadows are gifts and talents that we have not fully owned. An easy way to discover your Golden Shadow is to ask yourself this question: Which reoccurring complements do I often push away with my words?
Examples:
Complement: You’re so creative.
Response: No, I really am not.
Response: No, I really am not.
Compliment: You’re a great organizer.
Response: No, it’s just something I do.
Response: No, it’s just something I do.
Compliment: You’re so caring.
Response: Not all the time.
Response: Not all the time.
Golden Shadows are batted away as quickly as a menacing insect. They are obvious to others but we choose not to see them. Refusing to accept our gifts and talents impacts others. Denying them sends a message that life is about playing small. When we claim our whole self others find courage to do the same. An invitation to be fully present is sent when, we graciously and bodaciously say, “Thank you! Yes, that is who I am.”
New aspects of ourselves are often first seen in others. This is a long-standing human pathway of development. In infancy, we lock eyes with caregivers, usually our mom, as we discover who we are. What passes between us in those early moments begins to shape our sense of self. This process, of looking out to discover who we are, continues throughout life.
If we are fortunate, we have a relationship with someone, a partner, teacher, aunt, therapist, friend, parent or grandparent, who will temporally tend the gold of who we are. These “holders” need to have a strong sense of self. While they hold our gold we often see an idealized image of them.
When we take our gold back, they appear in a truer light. They are not glistening perfected beings, but human beings with flaws. Owning up to who we truly are is hard work. Knowing our gifts and talents mean it’s time to manifest them.
We cannot drink in the fullness of who we are all at once. We have to sip small quantities so we don’t scare ourselves to death. Seeing our Golden Shadow out there first is a way to sneak up on our power. If you repeatedly hear a similar complement and reject it with a quick quip, your soul is signaling that it’s time to claim some gold.
When we stop projecting our gold and embrace our gifts two important things happen.
• We have direct access to our gifts and talents.
• We can create, manifest and maintain the life we want to live.