Shadow Work

I refer to shadow work as all the emotional, and often times physical, work that is involved when we deep dive into our the hidden parts of our psyche.

Carl Jung referred to our shadow side as those parts of ourselves that we repressed inside. They are the unconscious parts of ourselves that are considered our darker side. We often don’t want to accept that we have these shadows inside of us. Judgmental? Me? No!

Before doing shadow work, we are shut off from, closed down from, parts of our own selves that we don't want to take ownership of, or even parts that we don't know exist inside of us.

The shadow often causes us problems because we don’t accept them or even realize they are there. We may recognize the problem in other people but not see the same issue within ourselves. It takes practice to have self awarenes. We may see a behavior in someone else and it will trigger us and we will react in a dramatic way.

The goal is to recognize our shadow and integrate that behavior by validating its existence within yourself and gaining control over it so when triggered you do not act out.

Each of us has shadow aspects within us. We must meet the shadow within and make peace with it. 

The god of the Bible is a good example of our own natures. The god of the Old Testament was angry, vengeful, jealous, abusive (think Job), murderous, war mongering, child killing, and deceptive. If we are created in this god’s image, it would make sense that we would also have these tendencies as evidenced by the events on the planet. This creator god is also said to have created this planet which is beautiful. Why wouldn’t we have both dark and light within?.

"If it has been believed hitherto that the human shadow was the source of all evil, it can now be ascertained on closer investigation that the unconscious man that is, his shadow, does not consist only of morally reprehensible tendencies, but also displays a number of good qualities such as normal instincts, appropriate reactions, realistic insights, creative impulses, etc. ” 

Carl Jung

The best way to start shadow work is to journal. Some suggestions are asking yourself what is triggering you and why. Asking yourself are you seeing that behavior in yourself in any way?

The work of Byron Katie is very powerful and she has free exercises on the internet. Reading The Complain Free World is a great mind opener to having a different point of view. Starting a gratitude journal is vital!