What it is
In Carl Jung’s psychology, the shadow is the part of the psyche you don’t acknowledge: the traits you’ve disowned because they don’t fit who you think you are. Aggression, lust, envy, the urge to dominate, but also sometimes gifts you were taught to hide.
Unacknowledged, the shadow tends to come out sideways, often by spotting it in other people. Acknowledged, it becomes energy you can actually use.
How it shows up for me
Doing an honest inventory of my shadows was one of the most uncomfortable and useful things I’ve done. The things I judged hardest in others were almost always right there in me.