@jjones I appreciate the way you connect True Will as being contained within the shadow, yet I am curious about the definition of shadow being "all of which we choose not to identify as." I wonder if there are aspects of our shadow that are not part of our True Will, things we do not identify with and no longer serve us. Sounds like tricky business! Because on the other hand, I agree with you that "there will always be some aspect of True Will within [the] Shadow." You bring up an excellent point that even for those who can state their True Will in words, life is an ever-evolving dynamic motion and how our True Will is best expressed changes across a lifetime, even more. So, there will always be blind spots... which, you know what, I think I see your point now. Makes me think of the Masonic legend of the rejected stone! Perhaps many of us have unconsciously thrown out our True Will into our Shadow, and now we have to dig through that deep to find it again? In your next paragraph, I definitely relate. It reminds me of the Emperor with no clothes... for some reason it is so embarrassing to think of other people seeing my shadow before I see it myself. Especially when I first started this kind of introspective work, I was aware of how big my blind spots were, yet I hadn't built the skills to see myself clearly, it was so frustrating!! And, I knew other people were more skilled in this than I, and could definitely see that shadow all over the place. I was mortified. Luckily, as I grow in self-awareness, I feel more at peace with my younger self because as I can see mine and others' shadows more clearly, I have much more compassion. Likely, the people I worried about the most were also the least judgmental. Also, I think humor really helps. I know that if I can laugh at myself, then I am free from that aspect of my shadow. It is quite silly to attend a parade with no clothes on, very serious-like, and puffed up... if only the emperor learned to laugh at himself! There would be much less violence in this world if people learned how to laugh. I also really appreciate how you say "the things we repress as society atrophy our ability to adequately perceive and understand those psychic objects being repressed." This makes me think about the power of naming something... how if we collectively repress it, we no longer have the power to define it. We forget about its existence while it remains active and churning in our lives. There is something here about history, how important stories are in defining the ego of a culture. Later you talk about the way initiates have an almost irritating effect on non-initiates, which I believe is especially the case for adepts. I think people who have integrated their shadow and exist simply in a state of certainty and truth can be very disquieting to others. I'm not sure but I wonder if this is perhaps the "red powder of projection." Adepts have a way of, just by being in proximity to others, increase the rate of putrefaction and, ultimately, transmutation. Sometimes this looks messy at first. I think it sparks a sense of unease, wondering why they aren't so clear, leading them to question just how much they know of themselves and the world. I think this happens to those who are primed to search. I really love how you describe the state of being an example for others by not projecting your Shadow on them as "one of the greatest expressions of True Will I have experienced thus far in my journey." That is beautifully said! And now thinking about it, it is safe to say that this is an aspect of every person's True Will, imho... something to practice living everyday! I so so appreciate your alternative interpretation of the story!! I agree that Von Franz seems to do the thing she warns against, trying to fit a rigid model to the story... your correspondences to the three planets makes a lot of sense. I especially like your association of the Tailor to the Sun. Honestly, I did not like the story or her interpretation... but using your analysis, especially discovering that it is a Thelemic parable, makes me like it much more! While reading this section of your post, I thought of how cool it would be to write fairy tales using the tarot trumps and court cards to highlight the nuances of their energy, for example, their ego, superconsciousness, shadow, etc.. like how you uplift those layers in the characters of this tale. Very cool! Your ending statement, so solid and inspiring. Fear being the enemy of shadow work is deeply resonate, thank you for sharing!