Basics of Shadow Work (Patreon)

It was requested a little while ago for some more information on shadow work, so that is what this post is all about! Here you’ll read about what shadow work is and what your ‘shadow’ means. Stay tuned for shadow work practice methods and techniques.

What is shadow work?

Shadow work is essentially examining yourself from within. It is a psychological practice where you search deeply and introspectively to uncover any shadows that are hindering you to go forward in being the most authentic, creative and emotionally free person you can be. Carl Jung is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who is the first person to explore and name this topic.

What does your ‘shadow’ mean?

The ‘shadow’ is a part of your personality that has the sides of yourself that you either do not like, try to hide, deny or refuse to acknowledge. It can also be parts of your personality where you feel shameful or unacceptable. It can also be when you feel envious, jealousy, lust, inner rage or desire power. Wounds from your childhood could also be hidden and manifesting within you in a negative way.

In the beginning, it is on your unconscious side. With different methods and techniques you can learn how to be more self-aware and discover what your shadow is. You may think that the ‘shadow’ side of you is rather ‘negative’, however that is not entirely the truth. Everyone has struggles and demons they are dealing with inside of them. When you fight them, you may win or lose. The demons that are affecting us can be small or large. Sometimes due to being guilty or shameful, people can neglect to acknowledge their shadows and push them further into their unconsciousness. By doing do, this can manifest negatively in many ways. Negative affects can be manifested physically and mentally. Some may think that these parts of yourself should stay hidden because they feel it affects their conscious self negatively. How many times have you seen posts about always spreading love and happiness? Have you seen many about learning from the darker sides of yourself? It’s easy to only focus on the positive side of oneself and it’s more challenging to learn from the shadow side of oneself, which is why many try to avoid it. When you try to only concentrate on the positive side of yourself, it doesn’t allow you to fully reach down to the depths of your true self. You want everything to feel like rainbows and butterflies, however that may not truly be the case deep down inside. Within each one of us, there are shadow aspects of ourselves that are lurking beneath. These may be small or than can be chaotic. You may not even realize they are there. If you want to be able to access the very core of your being, you have to be willing to explore the darker parts of yourself by doing shadow work. You can become more at peace with yourself if you do not keep your shadows buried.

How do I start shadow work?

You can begin doing shadow work by acknowledging and accepting that you are human. Everyone has flaws, something the need or want to work on, or something negative about themselves they wish to change. Do not be ashamed of having a shadow, everyone does! You can call this your dark side, shadow side or whatever works for you. Avoiding, suppressing or repressing your shadow can lead to sabotaging yourself, according to Jung. This can be mentally or physically. Manifestations can occur in various ways such as “addictions, low self-esteem, mental illness, chronic illnesses, and various neuroses.” (Holly Hughes Intuitive) Physical pain can also be manifested, too.

Don’t fret though! Even though you may be feeling discouraged right now, you can learn how to figure out what your shadow is and learn from it so you can be your true authentic self while feeling more at peace. Many people choose to deny their shadows and true self, however you can use different methods or strategies to fully accept who you are and feel more at ease with your true self. In order to transform, you must accept your flaws rather than avoid or deny them. Learning from your darkeness and shadows can create changes that are positive to your well-being. Learning to work with your darker side helps you reach the true core of yourself rather than pretending you are all “love and light”. You may even still be thinking that there can’t be any positivity from acknowledging and working with your dark side. However, you can! You can improve yourself and feel better about yourself dramatically if you work with all aspects of yourself.