shadow

The inward exile of those parts of a man’s nature disowned through repugnance, shame, or intolerance; whether by deliberate repression or unconscious renouncement. The shadow-self is unknowingly self‑created, shaped by a man’s judgement, and arises from the tension between his given human nature and the aureon he strives to resemble. Though its character may shift as his values evolve, the shadow remains within him, never fully extinguished, and exerts its influence from the margins of awareness: warping conscience, corroding self-understanding, and sustaining an inner conflict whose repression breeds only neurosis.