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I wasn't entirely sure if this was the appropriate section but it was the closest I could get.

Has anyone tried working with shadow as an element? What led you to that and how did it work out for you?

Idle curiosity, which is what drives most of my questions.

I have not worked with shadow explicitly as en element in of itself, and I wonder if it could even be classed as one.

In many practices, including my own, based on western traditions, there are at most 6 degrees of freedom arguably.

Firstly, obviously the four elements, Fire, Water, Earth and Air.

You then have the axis mundi, which opens up to the 2 other degrees, to both Life energies and Death energies.

In my work with the Tree of Death, shadows have often been manipulated by spirits and other entities, so my own personal belief is thats the realm where such control can be learned. Shadow is an absence, or alternatively something that absorbs all light.

Its difficult for me to class as an element. Its actually quite hard one when you think about it, as to where it would fall, but for me its closely linked with the Tree of Death. Space is black but certainly has existence as three dimensions, so i find it a very interesting thing to muse over.

Just my own observations though, best i can do for now im afraid.

Thank you

I asked to see people's thoughts and opinions, I have to admit I hadn't thought of the connection with the tree of death though. That gives me something to think on.

The shadow is a part of yourself. How can be it seen as an element?

Wouldn't you say shadows and a Person's Shadow are different things though?

I think the OP was asking about controlling actual shadows. Either way I agree, i find it most likely not an element but a byproduct of other things.

I had a train of thought going when i went to lunch from work today buts it's gone!

Excellent point.

I read the OP as working with the Shadow Self. Working with actual shadows is something I don't think I've done yet.

Sorry I should have clarified:

I mean shadow as in an element or entity unto itself. Not the shadow self

Umbrakinesis is the power to manipulate 'darkness'. Is this kind of what your after? I dont think you view it necessarily as an element but it might be interesting/ relevant considering.

Thanks for the replies and the ideas to think on. I can safely say that I view shadow quite differently from other people around here - not necessarily a bad thing.

Shadow as in the deeper or darker aspects of your self?

Shadow as in the shadow an object casts?

Shadow as a representation for all external shadows?

Shadow as a representation of all internal shadows in the universal unconsciousness?

Shadow as the opposite of light?

Shadow as another aspect of light, since the opposite would be darkness but shadows are something in between?



In Japan there is some mentioning of shadow magic in that sense that you can manipulate an object or person by manipulating their shadow.
There is a popular game of tag when you try to step on a persons shadow and if you do they are either "dead" or paralyzed for a moment.

In europe and america there was a belief that crossing the shadow of something evil would cause harm to you as well. The black aggie statue for example.

I remember reading about a magician giving his shadow to his elementary so when his elementary was away his shadow was not visible. (But I can't remember the source)

I would love to hear your beliefs regarding shadow.

I present this not as a fact, but my belief and to some extent, my experiences. We're all individuals, etc etc

There is another shadow which has gone unmentioned, it is the shadow which I enjoy playing with. It's an entity unto its own right, I'm unsure quite how to define it. Part of me wants to call it an element as it behaves similarly to when I use fire, but it's more sentient. There is a distinct personality there, one of playfulness, wildness and the feral curiosity. Words are failing me I'm afraid, but thus far I've found it in the gaps between, not physical gaps. Those gaps which fall between planes, for a better word and explanation. They're usually caught out the corner of the eye at first, just on the edge of our perception until I grew used to the idea and explored it further.

I rarely discuss that. Especially in a public forum. Words didn't fail you. I know exactly what you're talking about now.

Words are failing me I'm afraid, but thus far I've found it in the gaps between, not physical gaps. Those gaps which fall between planes, for a better word and explanation. They're usually caught out the corner of the eye at first, just on the edge of our perception until I grew used to the idea and explored it further.

Sounds like Liminality to me.

The liminal is what lies between and betwixt.

On shadow manipulation: obtenebration is the term I'm more familiar with and it does actually exist as a concept both prior to /outwith Whitewolf games [for those who may wonder why that reference is here].

Heck,if you're feeling particularly postmodern,there's nowt wrong with examining the WW stuff as well. [wink]

You should look into folklore about liminality and shadows too,there is a lot available to draw from there especially regarding Gloom and Gloaming and moving around in and through/working with Liminal points and places. [grin]

The time when the Sun is down and the Moon is not yet up is one laden with magickal posibilities,I find,as is it's opposite in the morning,between Moon set and Sun rise too.

Nahemah wrote:
Sounds like Liminality to me.

The liminal is what lies between and betwixt.

I did a google search, found the wikipedia article, and it feels like Liminality has a lot of different meanings. None of them that seems to fit with what you are describing.

Do you have any links to what you are talking about. I get the general idea of it, but can't find any concrete source.

Nahemah:

Thanks, I've been hiding from the pagan community since I left here so I'm out of touch with the proper terms and such. As to the times of the day, dusk and that period just after are easily when I'm happiest and most at home.

Rosered: No harm intended, as I said above I'm out of touch with the pagan community so I'm unfamiliar with what is and isn't broached in public

and now I know that posts I make on my kindle aren't taking. ugh!

I personally don't discuss it often because it is sacred to me. I don't know why others choose not to. It's rare that it comes up in conversation.

I would love to see more information regarding this.

At the moment I'm following my instincts which is leading me to do things I wouldn't usually.

This is the first time I've really spoken of my dealings with the shadows, it just, felt like the right thing to do

'Shadow' and various meanings of it have come up in my life quite a bit recently. Perhaps it's time to pay attention.

Shadow is a draw that draws in understanding.

In understanding your spell you understand why it was cast that way and you gain comprehensions of the innerworkings of your own magick.

I'm reading this thread with this song bumping in the background [smile]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g3y4eMh6Eg

And maybe I'm misinterpreting exactly what you're referring to, but I'm familiar with the shadow as an entity or a living presence. At least in my experience, once you notice them they definitely take notice of you (and by "they" I mean they appear to have individual consciousness, although I suspect they may be parts of a whole choosing to present itself in a way humans can comprehend). I've also found it takes an absolute lack of fear to work with them safely.

the_spiral wrote:I'm reading this thread with this song bumping in the background [smile]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g3y4eMh6Eg

And maybe I'm misinterpreting exactly what you're referring to, but I'm familiar with the shadow as an entity or a living presence. At least in my experience, once you notice them they definitely take notice of you (and by "they" I mean they appear to have individual consciousness, although I suspect they may be parts of a whole choosing to present itself in a way humans can comprehend). I've also found it takes an absolute lack of fear to work with them safely.

Those are Shades. You can see them by humming towards your eyes as a specific frequency.

RaineAshford wrote:

the_spiral wrote:I'm reading this thread with this song bumping in the background [smile]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g3y4eMh6Eg

And maybe I'm misinterpreting exactly what you're referring to, but I'm familiar with the shadow as an entity or a living presence. At least in my experience, once you notice them they definitely take notice of you (and by "they" I mean they appear to have individual consciousness, although I suspect they may be parts of a whole choosing to present itself in a way humans can comprehend). I've also found it takes an absolute lack of fear to work with them safely.

Those are Shades. You can see them by humming towards your eyes as a specific frequency.

Maybe there's a language barrier here, but I've always referred to certain types of malevolent human dead as Shades. What I am referring to here is not a human ghost and likely never has been.

the_spiral wrote:

RaineAshford wrote:

the_spiral wrote:I'm reading this thread with this song bumping in the background [smile]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g3y4eMh6Eg

And maybe I'm misinterpreting exactly what you're referring to, but I'm familiar with the shadow as an entity or a living presence. At least in my experience, once you notice them they definitely take notice of you (and by "they" I mean they appear to have individual consciousness, although I suspect they may be parts of a whole choosing to present itself in a way humans can comprehend). I've also found it takes an absolute lack of fear to work with them safely.

Those are Shades. You can see them by humming towards your eyes as a specific frequency.

Maybe there's a language barrier here, but I've always referred to certain types of malevolent human dead as Shades. What I am referring to here is not a human ghost and likely never has been.

You got it. This shadow is something else then.

I think op was talking about Prana Shadows then.

I just wanted to say that Nahema made a really good reference, as WhiteWolf has a lot of interesting concepts that can be applied to real practice.
I highly recommend reading up on their wiki whether you play tabletop or not. You can learn a lot about reality just by exploring new concepts.

I'm also posting here to bookmark this thread for myself as it progresses. I have nothing interesting or productive to add.