As usual, I learned a great deal from your writing in this piece, Rebecca. I had never heard of the term hungry ghost and did not realize it had roots in so many ancient traditions.

But your reference to Jung's concept of the Shadow raises a question for me. I thought the Shadow referred to hidden parts of our own personalities, disowned aspects of ourselves we're unable to see except in the lives of others. Especially when those individuals show up in dreams.

Certainly, the hungry ghost you mentioned in this piece made me want to "ghost" her. I'm glad you were able to disengage from her negative energy. Something about her behavior during your spiritual retreat reminds me of the temptations of Buddha and Jesus. These forces always seem to come out when we're engaged in a sprirutal journey, don't they?

Thanks, as always, for writing this enlightening piece.

Namaste, my friend.