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The Shadow and Cognitive Functions

nzAShadow

New member
Joined
Feb 17, 2008
Messages
64
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
9w1
Possibly the most intriguing aspect of personality to myself is the concept of the Shadow.

This being said, I have trouble in figuring out how to identify the shadow in yourself. I've read of a couple theories about how your inferior function is your shadow, or that the initial four functions are able to be called upon consciously, but the remaining four are what makes up the shadow.

As such, I'm am a little hazy about the subject, so I'm looking for information. If anyone knows where I can find the different theories of the order of all eight functions, with detailed descriptions into their theories and reasoning behind it, I would greatly appreciate it.

Also I'd like to discuss aspects of the shadow, and how to tap into it, how it works, etc.

I'd love to make a point to go from there, but I'd rather run off another's 2 cents.
 

zelo1954

ISFJophile
Joined
Aug 6, 2012
Messages
218
MBTI Type
INfp
Enneagram
4w5
Instinctual Variant
sp
I'm highly delighted to see this question posed. Asking the self-same question was one of the main reasons I joined this forum. I'm not however delighted to see zero replies after 2 and a lot years. I'm just going to leave it at that for now. If nothing else I've at least put the question back on the board. If we draw a blank again I'll try to cobble something together myself from elsewhere.
 

INTP

Active member
Joined
Jul 31, 2009
Messages
7,803
MBTI Type
intp
Enneagram
5w4
Instinctual Variant
sx
shadow how jung defined, doesent really have anything to do with functions as a concept, but how it relates to functions is that undeveloped(undifferentiated) functions are guided by the contents of your personal unconscious, which shadow(and other complexes, archetypal(like shadow is) or personal) naturally is part of. developed(differentiated) functions are more guided by your ego(central operating system in the field of consciousness). but at times when strong enough complexes are activated, your ego sort of takes an beating from the complexes, or in other words the way you consciously operate the system(like focusing on some perception, memory etc or how you use your developed functions) is affected by the contents of your unconscious.
 

MacGuffin

Permabanned
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
10,710
MBTI Type
xkcd
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
I too, am mostly confused. There seem to be two competing theories: one that uses the four main functions, but flips them to get the shadow. The other uses the four remaining functions to determine the shadow.

So an INTP (Ti, Ne, Si, Fe) becomes an ESFJ (Fe, Si, Ne, Ti) under the first theory.

Under the second theory the INTP becomes ENTJ (Te, Ni, Se, Fi) - essentially the functions are turned inside out.
 

rav3n

.
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Messages
11,655
I've been mulling over shadow now for quite awhile, believing it to be combined functions of the same spectrum (T + F and N + S), acting in concert as pairings to mimic other functions. When it's an unconscious manifestation, then it's brutally draining since these functions are fighting each other. But when it's a conscious or more assimilated usage where functions have developed more fully within the individual, there's less battle, more one/two punch activation.

Example of an ENTJ 'shadow':

Te/Fi mimics Ti.
Ni/Se mimics Ne.

Example of an INTP 'shadow':

Ti/Fe mimics Te.
Ne/Si mimics Ni.

Haven't finished delving into the tert and inferior mimics or if they even exist except as unhealthy pairings. Need to contemplate this more.
 
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