The Absolute Shadow

Book excerpt: This book explores Jung’s central concept of shadow from a particular configuration that the author calls "Absolute Shadow," placing it in relation to the idea of destiny as catastrophic. Clinically based and supported by a vast number of therapy cases, the book exemplifies how the Absolute Shadow is a result of the projection of the most fragile and destructive parts of one’s psyche. In some cases, it may cause loss of identity and, through the mechanisms of false/double personality, is bound to result in psychosis. Other aspects of the Shadow, like the intergenerational shadow, are also examined in depth. The Absolute Shadow is the well-informed result of Caramazza’s fifty years of study and clinical experience. It is important reading for Jungian and depth psychologists, as well as for psychoanalytic students, trainees, and clinicians of all schools of thought.