It's amazing how the collective unconscious works. There are images that come to clients unexpectedly, spontaneously, but at the same time are universal, understandable to everyone. Today at the client’s session a Shadow appeared. In images it can be the Witch, Baba Yaga, the Black Sorcerer, the Tempter Serpent, and many other characters. This is one of the most important stages of psychotherapy and self-study - getting to know your Shadow. She is the most unpleasant, disgusting thing that is in us, but that we are trying to cover up, destroy, not notice. Aggression, anger, envy, jealousy, cruelty, commercialism, greed and much more. If we do not see it and do not recognize it, then it begins to act from around the corner, manifesting itself unconsciously. Trying to do “good”, we will add poop. And if the Shadow cunningly manifests itself, it can capture us. Then control and power over oneself will be lost. I really love Dostoevsky for his ability to expose and describe our shadow part. He does it very tasty, frankly, accurately. Now I’m reading the work “The Brothers Karamazov”, and I remember one episode: “Oh, I want chaos. I still want to set the house on fire. I’m imagining how I’ll come up and light it slowly, definitely slowly. They put it out, but it burns. And I know, but I’m silent. Oh, nonsense! And how boring! She waved her hand in disgust. “You live richly,” Alyosha said quietly. “Isn’t it better to be poor?” “Better.” “Your late monk told you that.” It is not true. Even if I am rich and everyone is poor, I will eat candy and drink cream, but I won’t give it to anyone. Oh, don’t say anything, don’t say anything,” she waved her hand, although Alyosha didn’t open his mouth, “you told me all this before, I know it all by heart.” Boring. If I’m poor, I’ll kill someone, and if I’m rich, maybe I’ll kill, why sit around!” Here Lisa gets acquainted with her “demonic part,” talks about it, explores it. And this is one of the most important stages of acceptance - to speak out, to admit one’s blackness. By doing this, a person can integrate many vital resources into himself - energy, passion, competitiveness, firmness in defending his boundaries, the right to do and get what he wants. There is evil in everyone, and the one who talks about it is unlikely to do it, because the libidinal energy will already be withered. Therefore, whether we like it or not, everyone will face the terrible within themselves. And how to handle it will be a choice. But living the Shadow Archetype is extremely difficult, it is a crisis. You always want to blame everything on others - they are so evil and bad, and I am good. And recognizing your Shadow is brave, but painful. However, true understanding of oneself cannot occur without this stage..