Has anyone ever said to you, “oh, you need to do some shadow work?” I remember when I first heard the term, I was very confused, should I be talking to my shadow on the floor? I am going to explain to you what people mean by this term Shadow Work. Then how you can start doing it.
The term “Shadow Work” was originally founded by a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst named
Carl Jung. The “shadow” refers to the unconscious part of one’s personality that contains the unrecognised, repressed and often darker aspects of oneself.
Are you ready to embrace your shadow?
The shadow can comprise of negative parts of ourselves, emotions, or feelings that we don’t like (anger, hatred, jealousy, anxiety). But also positive qualities that we may not have yet embraced or come across. Traumatic events can deepen or exacerbate these shadows. (See my blog on types of Traumas and how it affects everyone differently.) It is common when we experience trauma whether it be during childhood or adulthood or yesterday evening for our minds to repress the pain. This pain of emotions, memories, or thoughts to protect oneself from the overwhelming pain. These memories are then no longer part of our conscious thoughts but become part of the “Shadow”, influencing our behaviour and emotional responses to situations and life.
How do you feel about your shadow?
Embracing this part of yourself involves some bravery and confrontation to yourself, your memories, feelings and emotions. It is a journey of self-discovery and healing that will acknowledge the darkness and light within oneself. This can then lead to a more harmonious and authentic life, giving balance to your emotions and conscious reactions to situations and experiences. A Less triggering life.
How do you find your shadow?
Some techniques that can help with shadow work are journaling, meditation, dream analysis, and guided imagery. However, these techniques will only work if you are open with yourself, and you ask yourself the really hard questions. The best way to really open up and find your shadow is to get down to the root cause of these painful repressed memories, thoughts and feelings. Some people find that when they start working on their shadow it can cause a lot of emotional turmoil, and in some cases a mental breakdown. It is therefore advised to begin shadow work with a professional who can guide you though it, ensuring that you don’t take on too much too quickly and give you the techniques to keep grounded.
Is shadow work good for us?
Shadow work is beneficial for so many reasons, not only will you understand yourself better, why you act the way you do, why some things upset you more than others, what your triggers are and how to change or work around that. But you will also release pent-up emotions and trauma, improving your self-awareness, personal growth and leading to a wholeness within yourself.
When should you seek help with shadow work?
If you have gone through what you would consider as traumatising events in your life or have blockages in your memories, especially in childhood then it would be recommended to have a professional guide you though the start of your shadow work process as when confronting these deep traumas, it can be intense and potentially re-traumatising.
How can I help?
You now understand shadow work, what it is and how it can help you. If you feel you need someone to guide you through it, that’s where I come in.
During Emogic sessions I can check in with you and find what you need to release and when you are ready for these releases using kinesiology. Facilitating though any traumatic memories or feelings that may come up and making sure that you are in a good place by the end of our session. I never leave anyone upset at the end of a session; this does mean that sometimes our sessions can overrun a bit (because emotions don’t happen in a timely manner), you will leave the session feeling calm and relieved (possibly with some things to think about). I usually give out home work the next day when I check in with you, these can range from relaxation or breathing techniques or affirmations to continue bettering yourself.
So, if you would like to book in for a free consultation then drop me a message. We can talk about what you would like to work on and go from there. I look forward to hearing from you soon.