Into the Shadows

We have been playing with the idea of shadows a lot lately because they are so integral to the idea of the Heyokah.  Bill said the other day that the Heyokah makes light of difficult issues; the Heyokah lights up the darkness that we try to hide, and also lightens the mood so that we can laugh at our mistakes.

Shadows are scary because they are unknown, they are dark, they are mysterious.  In just about every campfire story I know, creatures lurk in the shadows, ready to strike.  Shadows are also deceptive; a tiny mouse can cast a giant shadow, the shadow of a tree can look like the shadow of a human, and so the Heyokah's job is to shine a light into the darkness and to help people see the truth.

This idea of shadows resonates very deep with me because I know that there are certain situations that make me very uncomfortable, but instead of shining a light on them to see why they make me so scared, I just avoid them at all costs.  Thus, my fear of those situations builds irrationally and causes me to miss opportunities to make friends and to have fun.  For example, when I was in sixth or seventh grade, I watched the episode of Full House in which DJ and her friend Kimmy go to a "real party" with alcohol.  Kimmy wears a beer hat, gets super drunk, and then DJ and Kimmy are kicked out of the party.  For some reason, the episode made me very uncomfortable.  I never wanted to be in a situation in which I had to deal with someone like Kimmy who was out of control and making very poor decisions.  Thus, from that day on, I avoided any situation that I perceived could potentially turn into a "Kimmy party."  I didn't go to middle school dances, I avoided places that played popular music, and I only hung out with band kids.  Although it was true that I didn't end up at a "Kimmy party" until my roommate brought home a keg in college, I also missed out on a lot of life opportunities.  I was so scared and judgmental that I lost a lot of my ability to relate to my peers, an ability that could have helped me avoid my stress and anxiety at Rice.

Anyhow, we have been playing with shadows, both literally and figuratively, and spent an entire afternoon using an overhead projector, two flashlights, and several sheets exploring the different ways to cast shadows and to use shadows to tell stories.  I wish that I could show you pictures, but it is extremely difficult to take any good ones in a shadow-focused setting.

Thus, you will have to come see the show in order to experience the fruits of our labors!