Everyone Has a Dark Side: Identifying Your Shadow

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You may have seen the term “shadow” tossed around in astrology articles, e.g., phrases like “the shadow expression” of an aspect or sign. Or, someone acting out their shadow. But you may not know what this term means, or if it even applies to you. What exactly is a shadow, and how do you deal with it?

Defining your Shadow

Each sign has a shadow expression, as does every planet. It is the unhealthy or less evolved side. We all manifest it as behavior that we retreat to when afraid, angry or unaware. Shadow behavior can be completely unconscious, but not always. Some people are aware of their shadow, and act it out anyway. But it doesn’t matter how kind, humble or self-aware you are: you have a shadow. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be human. The opposite of the shadow is the  evolved or higher expression of a sign/planet.

Recognizing Your Shadow

The easiest place to begin is with the shadows of the signs. You’ve seen them as clichés: Leos are egomaniacs, Scorpios are stalkers, Libras are superficial. But there’s a grain of truth in these simplistic descriptions. Any unpleasant characteristic of a sign is a description of its shadow. Let’s look more closely at Leo. On a good day, this sign can be proud, generous, creative and romantic. But Leo can’t be shiny all the time. The shadow side of pride is runaway ego. The flow of generosity and romance can be choked off and curdle into childish self-entitlement. Uninhibited creativity can mushroom into attention-seeking drama. The shadow is an exaggeration or distortion of the good things a sign expresses. Each sign has a key that triggers the fear or anger that brings on the shadow. In Leo’s case: being ignored or repressed. This is the sign of creative self-expression, and if that is denied, distorted versions of its energy can emerge.

Things get more complicated when we throw planets into the mix. Planets describe what you do, and signs describe how/why you do it. Each “what” has a shadow expression as well, based on the planet, and modified by the sign it’s in … which is further modified by aspects the planet makes to other planets. Mars describes action, anger, and sexual energy. At the most basic level, having a healthy natal Mars means owning your anger and sexual desire, expressing it appropriately, and taking action in a way that works for you. Shadow Mars would be projected/repressed anger and sexuality, and ineffective actions. For example, you abuse your partner. Or, you “never” get angry at your partner, but inside you’re seething. You don’t stand up for yourself, or you constantly dominate your partner. You deny your sexual desires, or express them in ways that hurt others.

Let’s put Mars in Leo. Your actions and sexuality are expressed via Leo creativity, pride and the drive for attention. An example of shadow behavior might be creating an angry scene at a party when your lover ignores you. Or, becoming so narcissistic in the bedroom that your partner is nothing more than a tool to gratify your desires. It’s never about their pleasure, and always about yours. Conversely, you have so much invested in being a sexual god/goddess that one casual remark from your lover torpedos your pride and sends you into an angry spiral. You respond with “If I’m not good enough for you, then we’ll never have sex again!”

Building on the above scenario, let’s say your Leo Mars squares your Moon (in one of the Fixed signs). This is a tremendously energetic aspect, because your needs (Moon) are challenged by how you take action. The tension of the square pushes you to express your feelings ASAP. Much can be accomplished with this aspect, because your primary emotional responses are usually competitive. You get things done, preferably before everyone else. But this is also an insecure aspect, because the safety needs of your Moon are constantly challenged by the square to Mars. And that insecurity is where the shadow lies. You may express it as volatile emotions and impulsive explosions of hurt feelings. Anything that triggers Mars in Leo’s shadow (described above) will also injure your more sensitive Moon, triggering its shadow. So now we don’t just have anger, we have insecurity and hurt feelings. You may become the rampaging man/woman child who bullies their partner. Or, you interpret everything as a direct challenge. Your shadow whispers, “You need (Moon) to fight (Mars) for your pride and freedom of expression (Leo) because others are threatening you.”

The good news is, no one is at the mercy of their shadow. Acknowledging it is half the battle. Note that saying, “Yeah, I’m a *insert sign here* so that’s why I act this way” is not good enough. Paying lip service to your shadow, but then acting it out, makes you no better than the completely unaware person. After you identity your shadow, the next step is taking responsibility for it.  Identifying the triggers, and concentrating on not responding in a knee-jerk manner. The goal is not to wipe out your shadow in a glorious blaze of enlightenment. That’s impossible. It’s part of who you are, and it grows when you deny it. You just want to name it, own it, and find a healthier way to express that energy.

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