It can be easy to worry about the science behind the magick that we do
But usually, it is magick until science understands and then it becomes science
Shadow work in psychology is the process of understanding the part of you that is unconscious and push far into your mind. Those parts of us are called the shadow. Is it the parts of us that are hidden. When you go to a therapist, a lot of the work is understanding the hidden part of you.
Shadow work was founded by Carl Jung, a psychiatrist in the 1800 and 1900s.
He founded analytical psychology and his work has influenced many areas of science today
To learn more about Carl Jung, check out this article
I tell you this to give you an idea of where Shadow work came from
It came from a psychology professional that has made a huge impact on the work as we know it
We also came up with the concept of introverts and extroverts
This helped give me more confidence when I was considering trying Shadow work
What does psychology say about Shadow Work?
Shadow work explores the side of you that is not conscious
It can be done in therapy or by yourself
Psychology and Shadow work agree that we have different parts of ourselves and the part that we exile is our shadow
We read that we start creating self-image and other mental development at a very young age (as young as 2-years-old) even though we don’t have memories that young
As we develop and grow in our society, there will be parts of ourselves that we suppress and deep unacceptable
Shadow work allows you to find what is in your Shadow and either heal the pain there or accept all the pieces that make you… you
Shadow work helps a lot with guilt, fear, anger, and other emotions that warn you that something is wrong
Many of us grew up believing that we need to be happy all the time and the other emotions are “bad”
So we hide those emotions
Shadow work helps you learn to accept those emotions as healthy and a part of you
It improves your feeling of well-being, interactions with others, and learning healthy ways to meet your needs
Shadow work also helps people with generational trauma to hel and break the cycle
What are shadow behaviors?
Shadow behaviors are the behaviors that you do without thinking
Unconscious behaviors (or reactions) can be big or small
But they happen without you purposefully choosing it
Examples of small shadow behaviors are your thoughts
Do you think negative and terrible things about yourself or others when you see them?
Is your reaction to a negative situation in your life “this always happens!”
That is your shadow talking
That is the pain in your subconscious and the limiting beliefs that it created
Big shadow behaviors are how you physically react to a situation
Does someone yelling cripple you mentally and throw you into a panic?
How do you react when you are angry? Do you talk about why you are angry or does everything that has happened in the past 2 years come up?
When we push these thoughts, emotions, and memories deep into our mind, they turn into our reactions and our beliefs
Pushing them away may be the safest option at first, but it affects your life the more and more you do it
Why is shadow work important?
Many people struggle with understanding why they feel so empty
Depression and anxiety are at a all time high
We are not made to exile a part of who we are
When we do that, we lose the feeling of being whole
It makes you feel empty and lost
Like you don’t know who you are anymore
I know because I have been there
It wasn’t until I start accepting the side of me that made me ashamed for many years that I started to feel whole again
Shadow work may be scary and painful, but that is because you are learning to find that parts of you that you don’t like and either heal or accept it
We get so busy trying to fit in and get accepted by the crowd that we lose who we are
I love to learn about life and nonfiction
But I pushed that side of me away for years because I was bullied and called a freak in high school
I was homeschooled but I volunteered at a zoo high school program so I was still around other high schoolers a lot
I was told that it wasn’t normal and that I should enjoy fiction books, not “boring non-ficiton”
It took years to let that go because I tried so hard to change myself to fit in better
I think everyone that went through highschool in any way understands that feeling
But I want you to imagine how much brighter my life has been since I accepted that passion for learning
I don’t care what others think now
I am going to be authentic to me and not worry about anything else
When should you consider doing shadow work with a professional?
Sometimes there are traumas and pain that are so bad and triggering that it isn’t safe to face them alone
There is no shame in that!
If you are going through that right now, I am proud of you
Facing those traumas with the goal to heal is incredibly brave!
But make sure that you keep yourself safe
If it is extreme enough that you worry about your safety, get professional help
They will help ground you and guide you as you heal your shadow
Just make sure that you trust the therapist that you choose and they you both have the same goal
They need ot be on the same page as you
And there needs to be a plan if you spiral out of control
Mental health and facing your shadow is no joke
Don’t let fear keep you from getting the help you need