Shadow Work.  It feels like a bit of a buzzword for the spiritually savvy these days, so much of the information out around the internet is incredibly vague, and so many of the “tools” that exist are more confusing than they are useful.  In this post I’ll share a bit about where shadow work comes from and what it is, how I personally approach shadow work, and I’ll share a link to a free example of what you can expect from the Journey Through Shadow workbook series, links to my workbooks in my store, and a link to the Journey Through Shadow private support group.

 

What Is Shadow Work

Shadow work draws on the work of psychiatrist/psychoanalyst Carl Jung. The shadow self is the part of us we struggle with–the things that we keep to ourselves, the things that hold us back, the things we’re ashamed of, the things that we’re scared to shed light on. We are the complete sum of our parts–the shadow AND the light. When we ignore those darker pieces of us and don’t find ways to address and accept all of us we end up suppressing and dimming our light.  Engaging with and dissecting the shadows throughout or lives and experiences should be a regular, ongoing self-care practice to recognize, address, examine, and integrate them into our lives for a more full and complete understanding of who we are and how we move and engage with the world around us.

 

My Shadow Work Experience

I’ve found through my own shadow work hits and misses that it can often be a challenge to figure out what exactly one should be working on in the range of shadow work, especially when you’re just starting on the path. I’ve long turned to tarot as a useful tool for digging up those things I don’t want to admit or face but need to confront and move through. I’ve discovered the Children of Litha Tarot by Xia Hunt to be an exceptionally wonderful deck for digging down into the soul and shadow of matters, so my prompts tend to be drawn from there, though the images in my workbooks come from the public domain (definite goal list item: be able to license the CoL images for my workbooks).

 

Journey Through Shadow

In the Journey Through Shadow workbook series I utilize my own unique brand of prompt-building.  Where most journals out there are very basic (“When have you felt scared?” or “When have you felt unappreciated?”), my prompts dig deep and my workbooks offer suggestions for ways to dig into the heart of the prompt, uncover the good the bad and the ugly, and to integrate what you’ve learned moving forward.  You can download a free shadow work meditation and introductory prompt here for a glimpse of how deep the Journey Through Shadow series really goes:

Free Meditation and Sample Journey Through Shadow Prompt 

   

Following Your Shadow

Ready to take the leap into your own Journey Through Shadow experience? Check out our current workbooks below, and join our private group!

Introductory Workbook (four starter prompts)

Identifying Your Purpose & Callings (five detailed prompts)

Making Moves in Romantic Relationships (five detailed prompts)

Journey Through Shadow private Facebook group

 

The Importance of Support

I’ve also personally found that the best results for anything usually come from some combination of magickal and mundane. One of the best and safest ways people engage with shadow work is with their personal therapists. Professional support is always the gold standard if possible and accessible, though I am also very aware of how difficult that support can be for many to find and utilize. This can be mentally wrenching work, and finding solid support (through professional therapy and/or private support or friend groups) to lean on through the roughest waves is crucial.  Through the Journey Through Shadow program I also offer a private group for those embarking on their own shadow work journeys.

Note: I am not a licensed therapist, and nothing shared within the Journey Through Shadow tools and group should be taken as professional medical or mental health advice.