A Brief Guide to Shadow Work

Shadow Work is a widely debated topic in the spiritual community, in that everyone has an opinion based on whether or not you actually need to do Shadow Work to be considered spiritual. The answer is obviously no, you don't need to do Shadow Work to be considered spiritual as Shadow Work just simply isn't for everyone. It takes a lot to dig deep and work through trauma and negative events that may have happened in your life and some people just might not be ready to confront their Shadow in that way. Another important notice is that Shadow Work should never replace therapy. If you feel as though a problem is too big to overcome by yourself, it is best to see a therapist who can help you work through it. That being said, Shadow Work can be majorly beneficial to those who choose to do it. There are multiple ways of doing Shadow Work, some of which will be covered in this post. Let's start with the basics.

What is Shadow Work?

Shadow Work is basically confronting your Shadow in such a way that you are able to work through traumatic events and negative experiences that may have affected you at some point in your life. What is your Shadow, you ask? It's a concept created by Karl Jung that explores the existence of a Shadow Self. This part of us houses all our impulses and negative emotions, hence being called our Shadow. It's essentially our "dark side". Contrary to popular belief, our Shadow is not some evil entity that wishes us harm, in fact, it actually wants to protect us. Our Shadow holds all of our negative emotions and trauma because it doesn't want us to consciously feel that pain. This is why doing Shadow Work can be so beneficial: you're confronting that pain so that your Shadow can release it.

So, how do you actually do Shadow Work?

• One of the easiest ways to do Shadow Work is by meditating. Going into a meditation with the intention of Shadow Work can yield some impressive results. The easiest way to do this is by meditating and exploring anything that comes up during your meditation. If you've set the intention of Shadow Work, something is bound to come up. Regardless of how strange or obscure you think the subject matter is, it could lead you to an epiphany of what you need to work through.

• Doing Shadow Work via tarot cards is probably the most popular way of going about things. One method of using tarot cards to help you is by pulling three cards: The Situation, How it Has Affected You, and How to Release it. Another method of using tarot cards for Shadow Work is by pulling as many cards as you feel necessary and going off of that. The trick to using tarot cards in your Shadow Work is analyzing the cards on a deeper level and not just taking them at face value. If you get stuck you can always use a pendulum to ask for clarification.

• Journaling can also be very useful. Taking a mindful moment everyday to reflect on your emotions and how you felt can be a great way to pick up on patterns and behaviors that possibly need to be assessed. Some good questions to ask yourself are "Why did [X] make me feel that way?" "Why don't I like doing [X]?" "How would addressing [X] make me feel better?"

In Conclusion

Shadow Work can be a messy and draining thing, but it can also help you better understand yourself and the things you do, which at the end of the day is the most rewarding thing about doing Shadow Work. Understanding yourself is crucial to easily communicating with your higher self. Doing Shadow Work takes a lot of bravery and determination, so just remember that when you start to think you can't get through a particularly tough session. Shadow Work doesn't have to be an everyday thing if you don't want it to be, your mental, physical and spiritual health comes first, so be gentle with yourself. It's a process that shouldn't be rushed and should be taken at your own speed. And with that being said, go forth and do your Shadow Work!

Here's an article for if you want to find out more about Shadow Work from a more psychological perspective: https://scottjeffrey.com/shadow-work/