Introduction to Shadow Work

What is Shadow Work?

Shadow work is seeking the truth of the self. When we understand where our wound is and how that negatively impacts our life, we can release the blocked energy (repressed emotions) and redirect our energy from self-destruction to empowerment.

Finding the origins of our pain and suffering doesn't necessarily "fix" the wounds, but that isn't the point. The purpose is self-discovery and thus acceptance of one's self. When we find out how our own humanity is intertwined with other humans and other lifeforms, we no longer see ourselves as separate. We can then discover that we are all of the same source, and our individual identities make up a more significant body of oneness.

Us vs. them mentality and the isolation of separateness is a source of great suffering. It is how we can justify war, hoarding resources, and keeping our hearts closed for perceived protection. This separation and closed heart centers keep us from giving and receiving the tremendous energy of life-- love. The healing journey is not about finding perfection but about opening our hearts, finding our personal source of power, and manifesting a life of joy and less suffering.

To benefit from Shadow Work, one does not need to be magickally inclined or a part of a specific religious orientation.

History of Shadow Work

In the Western world, Carl Jung is credited for the term "shadow work." Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology.

In our podcast, The Shadow Realm Episode 1: Introduction to Shadow Work, my co-host Cole states that to Jung, consolidating one's ego identity and constructing a persona is the principal task of the first half of life. Only in the second half of life, after reclaiming our projections of shadow, is 'true' relatedness possible. Thus, the ego, persona, and shadow develop 'in step with one another under societal and parental values' influence.

Although Jung receives credit for coining the words "shadow work," we know that indigenous peoples, Hindus, Buddhists, and cultures across the globe have been practicing unveiling the shadow long before Jung arrived.

The practices became lost in the Euro-centric, Western World as colonization sterilized nature-based practices in the name of "progress," fear, power, and greed. In shadow work, we understand a separateness from nature is not "more evolved," as colonized mentality would have us think. We must sync back into the rhythm of nature for healing, self-discovery, and balance.

How to Perform Shadow Work

Shadow work can be performed in 3 steps. I came up with the three R's to easily remember. The three R's are realize, release, and redirect.

Step 1: Realize you are having an emotion. The emotion may be uncomfortable.

Is this a secondary or primary emotion? If I feel irritable (secondary) about a mess, maybe it is because I fear (primary) not being in control. If I am angry (secondary) about my partner lying to me, it could be because I fear (primary) I cannot trust them. Fear is usually the foundation of most uncomfortable emotions.

Identify your emotion. Ask yourself what this emotion is trying to tell you. All feelings are messengers from your subconscious to your conscious. Have you felt this feeling before in childhood? What does this discomfort remind you of? Where do you feel it in your body?

Step 2: Release the emotions. We don't cry to fix the problem; we cry for release. So cry, scream, dance, journal, work out, or whatever comes naturally to you that is not self-destructive. Maybe just talking to a therapist or a trusted friend is enough.

Step 3: Redirect the energy (emotions) you would ordinarily pent up with self-destructive coping mechanisms into something that promotes healing.

Our past coping mechanisms helped us survive, so please don't shame yourself. Once you know better, you can do better, but your shadow got you here. The shadow is much like the ego. You cannot kill it because it has a function for your survival. You must not hide it away ashamed (repression), but learn to balance it.

Rather than picking up the bottle (alcohol), maybe you quit drinking for avoidance. Instead, perhaps you start setting intentions to make a healthier environment for yourself that feels safe and gives you fewer triggers that push you into binge drinking. For example, you let go of toxic friends, workplaces, or habits for outlets that make you feel better long term.

What to Take Away

I think giving steps to shadow work is helpful for understanding as we are learning, but I don't think one should get too caught up in semantics or the perfect way to perform it. Perfectionism is a trauma response, and getting acquainted with your shadow means letting go of that.

Shadow work is intuitive in my practice, and my inner voice is my guide. My higher self is there to lead me forward in the process of shedding layers and self-discovery. I follow my emotions as they are there to tell me something.

I feel the pain, fear, and confusion to fully release it- whether by meditation, journaling, ritual, or crying. If I am feeling an immense feeling, I stay curious. I ask myself, "What did I learn from this? What are my intentions moving forward?"

Sources

https://www.unstoppablerise.com/shadow-work-on-shadow-self/

Neoshamanism and the Shadow: 'the soul's journey'. Robert ...https://researchdirect.westernsydney.edu.au › citation

https://academyofideas.com/2016/06/joseph-campbell-myth-of-the-heros-journey

https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/shadow-work#what-is-it

https://www.thesap.org.uk/articles-on-jungian-psychology-2/about-analysis-and-therapy/the-shadow/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22039947/

https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/magazine/20jung-t.html

https://www.bybhumika.com/blog/shadow-work-and-colonialism-3