Shadow work sounds scary
Both the name and how people talk about it
Shadow work is the process of learning about the dark parts of you, healing what is in pain, and accepting the parts you once exiled. We cannot live a whole life if we are pushing away half of who we are. Shadow work helps you become whole and love every part of who you are.
To be completely honest…
Yes, shadow work can be scary!
I grew up in a situation that required me to be perfect or I would be scared of being hurt
There are probably more parts of me that I have pushed away than parts that I accept and love
So letting those parts that were a threat to my safety for so many years out to be part of me again is terrifying!
But the healing that results makes facing those fears worth it
I have struggled with Depression and Anxiety for years
I read that an anxious mind takes a lot of evergy, so the brain puts itself into energy saving mode
That energy saving mode is Depression
Having parts of your personalty be a threat to your safety is a constant spike of anxiety
Anxiety is there to keep you safe if unsafe situation!
So it becomes an unending cycle until you can accept those parts of yourself as non threatening
Once the threat is gone, the cycle breaks
What is Shadow work?
Shadow work is often a form of learning about yourself through journaling
You can use voice recording too, but it really does help to have record of what you are saying
If you struggle to get started, journal prompts are excellent
I tent to struggle to get started unless my head is exploding
Choose a question to answer and just meditate on it for a while
Once you have the thought flowing, avoid judging them
Judging your thoughts will make them stop
Write down everything that comes to your mind until your thoughts go silent
If there is repetition, write it down again
Get everything out of your head and onto paper
When you have days, weeks, or months recorded, look for statements that appear a lot
Those are your beliefs
Another way to do shadow work is if you know exactly what you want to work on
Sit down with a seat in front of you
I like to use my bed with space in front of me
Do some breathing exercises
Breath in… 1. 2. 3. 4
Breath out… 1. 2. 3. 4
Vizualize the version of you that you want to work with
Build what you looked like at that time in your mind and sit with them for a minute
Ask them questions, listen, and treat them like a dear loved one
Listen to them and treat them with love and compassion
What do they need from you?
Do they need your forgiveness?
Do they need validation?
Or is it something else?
Give them what they need
This can be a very emotional process so make sure that you are ready before you start
Be in a safe place and around safe people
It may be beneficial to light a candle or incense too
This is a powerful thing
Sometimes we get stuck in the past because we didn’t get what we needed from people around you
When you vizualize, the same parts of your brain that light up when something is actually happening lights up
To your brain, you just got that thing that you desperately needed at that time of your life
And you didn’t need it from anyone else because you gave it to yourself
What is the best way to do shadow work?
Anything that is connected to magick is a very personal journey
What is best for me may not be best for you
The best thing that you can do is follow your instincts
But I know that isn’t helpful for a newbie
The first thing you need to do is decide how you best learn and how you best communicate
I find it way easier to write instead of speak when I’m talking about something uncomfortable
So I decided that journaling is the best option for me
If you would rather talk, or scream, then try a voice to text or record yourself
Just make sure that you are documenting what you are thinking outside of your mind in some way
This will help you clear your mind and it will make it possible to look back and find the patterns
If you are choosing between journaling and visualization, the best one depends on what you want at the end
Do you want to learn more about yourself?
Then choose journaling
Do you want to work on something you already know about?
Then choose visualization
Do what you need to do with the goal of just moving forward a single step
What are the benefits of shadow work?
There are many benefits of shadow work
Shadow work is a very empowering and healing process
If you are like me, the parts of you that you exiled are terrifying
I was literally scared of those parts of me that I didn’t like
What is more empowering than facing your greatest fears and overcoming them?
Or accepting those fears and learning to not be afraid anymore
I don’t think there is anything more empowering than that
In addition to that empowerment, you learn to live a more fulfilling life
You ares hiding parts of you or tortured by things you don’t understand
You have healing the parts that need healing, and you have accepting the rest as a beautiful part of who you are
You can’t live fully when you pretend that your shadow doesn’t exist
If it is going to be affecting your life no matter what, why not choose how it affects you and change the parts that don’t serve your goals?