‘This thing of darkness I acknowledge as my own’

Thus declares Prospero in The Tempest,  speaking of the monster Caliban whom earlier he had called ‘a demi-devil’.

The story of St. Francis taming the wild wolf of Gubbio is symbolic of the need we each have to tame our inner wolf, that aspect which Jung refers to as our ‘shadow’. All too easily we project our darker side – meanness, jealousy, lust, anger – onto others and fail to see that it lies within us.

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5 thoughts on “‘This thing of darkness I acknowledge as my own’”

  1. Thank you! These always seem to pop up at exactly the right time with exactly the right message. I hope you are well.

  2. This period of lock-down has made this very aparrant to me. Not exactly a revelation of truth, more of a re-awakening to its reality
    within and a job to undertake, life long I suspect, but made possible by God with us and indeed in us as we open our eyes to the need again. Thank you dear James.

  3. Yes, indeed, my first breakdown aged 17, and the putting together again taught me that with such clarity.

  4. I am finding being in uninterrupted proximity with my partner is an exercise in my capacity for generosity and kindness. I love him, but … thank you James for reminding me that it’s easy to dump my own anger and meanness on to someone else! Anna

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