One of the ways I have learned to see where my own shame hides is to look at my harsh judgments of other women. When I feel shame about something, it goes into shadow. Shadow is those things that Carl Jung taught us about our unconscious and our abilities to hide, repress and deny parts of ourselves. When we are shamed or learn to hide parts of ourselves, they go into our shadow self. Often we then "project" them onto other women and judge them harshly, criticize them or detest them.

Here are some tools for embracing our shadows, owning and transforming these shame filled shadows and free our energy for service and contribution:

•Identifying Shame-review how do we know when we are in shame.

•Embrace it, honor it and share it in safe circles and with safe people.

•Spiritual Solution develop a prayer and meditation practice.

•Sponsorship/12 steps-sharing with another human being makes all the difference.

•Group Support-find support circles that understand how to identify and heal shame.

•Risk feeling shame by practicing new behaviors. New behaviors will often trigger shame as we learn to do things outside of how we learned to survive. Knowing this is part of the process helps.

•BioEnergetic Healing-Reframing-Sculpting, Family Constellations-Shadow Work-Episode Writing-Role Playing

•Competition with Women, Oppression of Women-learn about this and how you, yourself, compete and oppress yourself and the women in your life.

•Practice good, healthy anger and associate with women who support you in your power.

Blessings on your journey,

Sally