Finding The Flavour Of The Shadow Of Our Core Wound Gene Key

A photograph of a forest in Wiltshire called Grovely Wood. The shot is taken along a track between pine trees. The trees are all in shade and there is golden sunlight at the end of the tree tunnel.

We are taking part in a group container called Devoted, where we are travelling with our Gene Key Golden Path for the whole of 2025. When we were working with our Core Wound sphere, our Guide, Hayley Curtis, brought to us the concept that our Core Wound Gene Key is actually also the CORE of every other Gene Key in our charts! That’s a pretty expansive way to look at your Gene Keys.

I heard this as meaning that you could look into the heart of each Gift in your chart, and see the Gift of your Core Wound beating in time with it.

She also spoke about how the Shadow of our Core Wound is like the root tendrils underneath all of our other Shadows.

We both took this idea and applied to our charts. In two mammoth journaling sessions, I first went through all of my Shadows from Life’s Work to SQ and asked myself “Where is the root of Arrogance in this Shadow?”, and then I went through each of the Gifts asking “How does Leadership make this Gift bloom?”

Meghan did the same thing, only she didn’t journal, she used her voice. It is so perfect that we both used the métiers with which we are so at ease … me with the written word, Meghan with the spoken word. (I have Gene Key 31.6 here – Arrogance -> Leadership -> Humility; Meghan has 22.5 here – Dishonour –> Graciousness –> Grace). So, the writing in this article is mine (Lizzie) and the audio is Meghan’s. We had the most delicious conversation about this in Episode 10 of the Conversations With A Couple Crones Podcast.

A photograph of a small copse of trees in Wiltshire. Low winter sun is shining through the trunks, casting shadows.

Lizzie’s Shadow Stories …

At The Root Of All My Shadows Is This Fear To Get It Wrong.

Finding the flavour of my Shadow of Gene Key 31 inside my other keys, means that this is the underlying feeling … “I’m not only feeling that I’m not good enough, but I’m petrified of being seen as not good enough to lead.”

If Leadership truly is the Core Gift inside every other Gift, then this Shadow of Arrogance really is going to be terrified of being found out to be a fraud … not a true leader, because it doesn’t know enough. It’s terrified of the unknown because it has a corrupted opinion that “good” leaders should know everything.

It’s the fucking Emperor’s new clothes … I’m terrified I’ll be laughed at, that if I put my head above the parapet and attempt to lead, people will see my inadequacy, my lack of knowledge and they will say, who is she to lead?

A photograph of two bare hawthorn trees on Salisbury Plain. There is snow on the ground and you can see the shadows of the trees.

Where is the root of Arrogance in the Shadow of Provocation?

What if I am only Provoked because I don’t know enough?

What if I am only Provoked because I am not good enough?

If I knew everything and was a good leader, then Provocations wouldn’t happen. I wouldn’t be tripped up, because I’d be up on my pedestal, lofty, knowing all, anticipating provocations and neutralising them before they could occur.

A view of patchwork fields in Wiltshire, taken from a ridgeway. The fields are green and gold. Above is a blue sky full of fluffy white clouds.

Where is the root of Arrogance in the Shadow of Struggle?

If I knew everything, then struggle would be eliminated. It just wouldn’t exist. Why would I struggle? I’d know all the pitfalls, I’d know how to avoid every hardship.

I still struggle therefore I cannot be a leader.

Who wants a leader who struggles with their darkness?

Who wants a leader who isn’t perfect?

A photograph of young saplings in Marridge Woods in Devon. Sunlight is streaming through the trunks creating shadows on the ground.

Where is the root of Arrogance in the Shadow of Control?

Control and Arrogance are partners. Arrogance wants to control everything and everyone, so there is no danger of anyone thinking it could get anything wrong.

Arrogance thinks that a good leader has Control of everything; a good leader runs a tight ship, no chaos, no random occurrences.

No wrong answers.

Arrogance is Miss Hospital Corners on fucking steroids.

Arrogance cannot bear the idea that it might be seen as having no Control.

A photograph of a ridge line on Salisbury Plain. Undulating landscape. A lone tree with shadows.

Where is the root of Arrogance in the Shadow of Inadequacy?

Aaargh! The arch enemy!

Arrogance doesn’t want anyone to see its Inadequacy.

Arrogance is terrified of the Void, because it needs to be seen as knowing everything.

Inadequacy worries that it’s not good enough; Arrogance worries that people will find out just how NOT-good it is!

Getting something wrong means your whole self is wrong, and Inadequacy thinks it gets things wrong all the time. Arrogance screams, “Who saw? Who knows? Hide. Run away. Don’t let anyone see your flaws!”.

A photograph of an autumnal copse on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire. The ground is carpeted in orange beech leaves. The photograph was taken using a Pentax 110 18mm lens which created a fish-eye effect.

Where is the root of Arrogance in the Shadow of Intellect?

Arrogance needs to have ALL the facts, all the information. And it’s not good enough just to have the facts, Arrogance needs to win with the facts. Top of the class, ‘A’ student, Gold Star Girl, always the winner in Trivial Pursuit!! “Look at me. Look at all the things I know.”

And Intellect better fucking keep up or we’re all fucking screwed.

A photograph of a lone tree in Chisbury, Wiltshire. Long winter shadows are cast across the field in front of it. A clear blue sky above.

Where is the root of Arrogance in the Shadow of Vanity?

Oh, this is a double whammy! Vanity and Arrogance both think they’re the dog’s bollocks, but nobody better think they’re vain or arrogant, no siree!!!

The fear of being found out to be vain and arrogant is debilitating. This is the Emperor’s new clothes on fucking steroids. I mean, you want to believe in yourself and have a high opinion of yourself, but never want anyone to know that because being vain is bad.

It’s a fucking bear trap this one.

And for our lovely non-British readers …

A screenshot of the definition of "the dog's bollocks". Slang for a person or thing that is the best of its kind.

Where is the root of Arrogance in the Shadow of Confusion?

Arrogance hates Confusion!

How can it possibly be seen to know everything and to be getting everything right, it it is in Confusion?

You can’t have a confused leader!

Confusion leads to uncertainty. And uncertainty is not acceptable. 

How can I show the world that I am right, that I am a suitable leader, if they think I am not certain of EVERYTHING?!

I have to be seen as having all my ducks in a really straight fucking row.

Where is the root of Arrogance in the Shadow of Victimisation?

No, no, no, no, no!!!

This is not allowed. I cannot ever be seen to play or be the Victim. How can I be a leader, if I show such weakness?

The irony is that Arrogance victimises Victimisation!

Underneath that fear of being seen as a victim, there is the fear that it’s all my fault.

I am only a victim because I am inherently wrong. There is something wrong with me.

How horrific for people to see that! To know that I am so weak and so wrong and so pathetic, that I am able to be turned into a victim.

Arrogance hates my weakness.

Arrogance thinks that to be seen as a victim negates everything, all my work on myself is meaningless.

Oh my goodness, those roots of Arrogance go deep!

A photograph of the Roman road to Old Sarum which runs though Grovely Wood in Wiltshire. A long straight avenue between trees, with shadows cast across the road.

Meghan’s Shadow Stories

Listen to Meghan tell you the story of how her Core Wound Shadow of Dishonour is at the root of all of her other keys …

In the next article we will explore our Gifts through the lens of our Core Wound!

And don’t forget to listen in to Episode 10 of the Conversations With A Couple Crones Podcast for more juice on this!

A sunset photograph of golden light streaming through a line of trees, which are casting shadows across a field of barley. The photograph was taken near Hackpen Hill in Wiltshire.

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About the Author

Lizzie and Meghan ()

Two crones taking you on contemplative journeys with laughter and play. We are A Cauldron of Crones, two women in our 60s who have discovered the joy of finding friendship later in life. We are embracing our creative expression in a way we never have before. We write inspirational articles, go deep with tears and laughter in our podcasts and share our lives as art. We have been doing the inner work for many decades, with diverse teachers, and are now deeply connected to the Gene Keys. In our 60s we are remembering and rediscovering how much fun it is to play … with words, with images, with our voices, with our art. But don’t be fooled by our ages into thinking that we are only crones because of those numbers attached to our identities. We are crones because we are learning to see further. We are crones because we are embracing life and creativity. We welcome community of all ages! A Cauldron of Crones Welcome to our transformational space, where we come home to our heart.

Website: http://acauldronofcrones.net

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