The Shadow Symposium
Join us for three Sundays in June to explore the hidden pathways to confident centeredness, personal flourishing, and spiritual transformation. It's all there, waiting in the Shadow.
Between the sinister and the sublime,
The Grey Robes are starting to align.
Why do dreams fascinate us, and what can they reveal? Why do we fantasize about forbidden things when we know acting on such fantasies could destroy us? And how can we tap into *the god within* (ένθεος) without offending the Allmind (אדון אלוהים)?
Carl Jung used several different metaphors to describe the Shadow.
The Dark Side.
The Cellar.
The Beast Within.
Dreams. Libido. Fantasy. Ambition. Entheos. Anger.
Shittalk. Horror. Paradox. Criticism. Death. Sadness.
Jung also refers to the Shadow as a hidden treasure because it contains psychic elements that contribute to our creativity and wholeness. But if we keep such elements hidden, they will impede flourishing or risk erupting in paroxysms.
In this series, we will explore the Shadow purposefully and intellectually over three Sundays in June. Purposeful means we will discuss practical, transformative ideas to help us become more resilient, creative, and centered.
Five Things You Will Get Out of the Symposium
Novelty. Equip yourself with new lenses to break you from creative ennui.
Connection. Bond with others who dare to explore these dark depths.
Development. Access actionable personal development frameworks.
Efficacy. Tap into your ambition without identifying with it.
Significance. Learn to activate the god within, while extending the will of the All.
Shadow Symposium Contents
1. Eudaimonia: Shadow, Flourishing, and Confrontation
Sunday, June 8, 2025 (1:00 pm ET - 3:00 pm ET)
Hour One. Eudaimonia, the ancient Greek concept of flourishing, calls us to a life of fulfillment. In our pursuits, purpose and virtue elevate us beyond mere survival. To pursue flourishing is to seek the most genuine expression of who you can become. But lurking beneath this aspiration are unexplored elements of our Shadow—suppressed desires, fears, and untamed impulses that can cast doubt, sow discord, or obstruct the path. Yet in the Shadow lie energy sources waiting to be tapped. The paradox of integration lies in this: How do we enhance flourishing without losing ourselves to the darkness we uncover?
Hour Two: We explore personal dialectics as a means to flourishing.
2. Equinoxes: Shadow, Seasons, and Exploration
Sunday, June 15, 2025 (1:00 pm ET - 3:00 pm ET)
Hour One. Time has dominion over our shadow lives. But as the seasons shift, they offer us natural rhythms—sacred containers—for our explorations. Each month is an invitation to confront and embrace what lies beneath. Twelve distinct shadow rituals align with the months of the year for Grey Robes. For example, we dedicate June to ambition. By compartmentalizing repression, exploration, and immorality, we can transcend our fragmented selves to step more fully into our wholeness. But the Grey Robes’ journey to integration is like a loop and a line.
Hour Two: We will explore our shadow birth months together.
3. Esoterica: Shadow, Spaces, and Rituals
Sunday, June 22, 2025 (1:00 pm ET - 3:00 pm ET)
Hour One. Around the world, anthropology reveals shadow spaces—areas where humanity made ritual practice out of shadow exploration. Consider the adyton, the inner sanctum of an ancient temple reserved for mysterious or divine encounters. Our forebears sought entheos—the god within. What sacred sites and hallowed rooms are set apart for ritual purposes? Some draw us into darker waters, while others lift us into the sublime. Both reflect an understanding that place and practice are vital. In this session, trace the evolving contours of the Grey Robes order, developing our own adytons. What spaces and rituals can help us plumb depths to discover the god within?
Hour Two: Imagining spaces, returning to rituals, and discovering the god within.
Private Shadow Exploration (VIP only*)
Date and time to be determined by VIP subscribers
The group first establishes kinship and trust among members.
We will hold a meeting of The Shadow Council, where the exclusive group will identify and personify shadow attributes or selves.
The facilitator prompts members of the Shadow Council to reveal themselves, discuss their desires, and offer the others insights without fear of judgment.
None of the above is a hippie’s vague invitation to do “shadow work.” It is an effort to provide you with frameworks for shadow learning and play, even as these can be unsettling.
Do not be afraid.
Subscriber + Symposium Options
Free subscribers: Get your $120 symposium pass here.
Monthly Subscribers: Get your $50 symposium pass here.
Annual Subscribers: Get your $50 symposium pass here.
VIP Subscribers: Get your $50 symposium pass + private shadow exploration.
Scholarship and Hardship passes are available upon request. Reply to this email.
Remember to get your pass and mark your calendar for:
June 8, 2025
June 15, 2025
June 22, 2025
We’ll hold a private Shadow Exploration for Inner Sanctum VIPs (date TBD).
Direct any questions to max (at) social-evolution (dot) com. Or reply in the comments.