What is Shadow Work?

What is Shadow Work?

Shadow work is a term used to describe the process of exploring and working with the aspects of our personality that we typically keep hidden or repressed. These aspects, often referred to as our “shadow,” can include our fears, insecurities, traumas, and other negative emotions and experiences that we have learned to suppress or ignore. While this process can be difficult and uncomfortable, shadow work is a powerful tool for personal growth and self-awareness.

Origins of Shadow Work

The concept of the shadow was first introduced by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, who believed that our conscious selves are only one part of our psyche, and that we also have an unconscious mind that is made up of repressed or suppressed aspects of ourselves. According to Jung, these unconscious aspects can influence our behavior and attitudes in ways that we may not even be aware of, and that the process of integrating our shadow can lead to greater wholeness and a deeper understanding of ourselves.

Shadow work can take many forms, including journaling, therapy, meditation, or other forms of self-reflection. Some common techniques include identifying and exploring patterns in our behavior or relationships, uncovering childhood traumas or repressed emotions, and examining our beliefs and values.

 

READ MORE: WORKING WITH YOUR INNER CHILD

 

Benefits of Shadow Work

One of the main benefits of this work is that it can help us to break free from patterns of self-sabotage and negative behavior. By becoming aware of the aspects of ourselves that we have been trying to hide or ignore, we can begin to heal and integrate these parts of ourselves, leading to a greater sense of self-acceptance and empowerment. Shadow work can deepen our relationships with others. When we are able to recognize and work through our own shadow, we become less judgmental and more compassionate towards others, allowing for more authentic connections and deeper understanding.

Shadow Work is A Process

This work is not a one-time process or a quick fix. It’s a lifelong journey of self-discovery and self-improvement. It requires a willingness to confront and acknowledge uncomfortable truths about ourselves, and a commitment to ongoing self-reflection and growth. It’s also important to approach shadow work with self-compassion and without judgment. It’s natural to feel resistance or discomfort when exploring our shadow, but it’s important to remember that these aspects of ourselves are not “bad” or “wrong,” they are simply parts of us that need attention and healing.

Shadow work is a powerful tool for personal growth and self-awareness. By exploring and integrating our shadow, we can break free from patterns of self-sabotage, deepen our relationships with others, and ultimately lead a more fulfilling and authentic life. While the process can be uncomfortable, the benefits are well worth the effort. So, take a deep breath, be gentle with yourself, and embrace the journey of shadow work.

Here is a guided meditation using the medicine of Crow.

Check out this article with 45 prompts that can help you explore your patterns of behavior. 

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Casi Ari on Dismantling Illusions

Casi Ari on Dismantling Illusions

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Should we be afraid of our own darkness? How is creativity an act of freedom? How do our judgment and expectations become our teachers? In this episode, we explore why dismantling our illusions is our path to freedom.  We explore spiritual bypassing, participating in our collective shadow, and why creativity is essential to dealing with our trauma. We also talk about spiritual paradoxes and why listening to opposing positions helps us heal ourselves.

About the Guest

Cassandra aka “Casi” Ari (pronounced K-C-R-E) was born and raised in Nebraska. She attended Catholic school in one of the strictest Catholic dioceses in the U.S. from ages 6 to 18, where she was first introduced to spirituality and the nature of the Divine.

As a young adult, Casi was unconscious and created chaos in her life. Unacknowledged emotions and unconscious programs lead to circumstances with poor boundaries, violent partners, eating and exercising disorders and depression.

In the midst of her unconsciousness, Casi was granted a transformative and perspective-altering spiritual experience which changed the course of her life forever. After this experience, she quit her 9-5 job, started her own soul-based design business, and traveled throughout the U.S. and Asia studying the nature of reality through different perspectives, belief systems and practices.

Now, Casi works to uncover truth and dismantle illusions through words and art. Her purpose is to serve as a lighthouse to direct others “home,” even in the face of immense darkness. Divine Truth, Worthiness and Personal Power are key messages woven into the majority of her work.

Casi now resides in Miami, Florida. You can usually find her under a palm tree writing, designing, and dismantling illusions one day at a time.

Links

Casi’s Website https://www.casiarisoul.com

www.chaosandlight.com

 

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Shadow Work: Are We Done Yet?

Shadow Work: Are We Done Yet?

In This Episode:

The shadow is everything that is incongruent with our self-image. Anything we want to hide and cast into the darkness that doesn’t fit with the way we see ourselves or the image we want to project to others. In this episode, Angela Levesque shares her personal story of working with Crow medicine and why going into one’s shadow is an integral part of our personal evolution. We look that the way that the collective shadow forces us to swing between extreme polarities in an attempt to find equilibrium. An energetic and emotional regulatory mechanism called enantiodromia. And suggests a reason as to what lies at the root of our collective fear and discontent. We also explore ways to do shadow work on an individual level to find balance without resorting to such extremes.

Resources:

Dark Gold: The Human Shadow and the Global Crisis by Carolyn Baker

The Shadow, Projection and the Scapegoat by Scott Preston

Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World by Tyson Yunkaporta 

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Shadow Work with Crow Guided Meditation

Shadow Work with Crow Guided Meditation

 
 
 
This guided meditation is part of a weekly Living Light Meditation gathering in the Chaos & Light Community. This meditation asks you to work with the spirit of Crow and look deep into your shadow. The Chaos & Light Community is an online space for spiritual seekers to collaborate, share, inspire and learn with a community of like-minded people that nurture and foster evolving states of consciousness, and promote personal evolution and well-being.
 
Music credit by StockProMusic
Photo credit Canva.com

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