My Awakening: A Journey Through Shadow Work

Have you heard the term shadow work thrown around the internet lately? I know that I had never heard of it until some time in 2020 when a video suggestion popped up on my YouTube recommendations. I thought that it sounded dark, mysterious, and up my alley so I clicked on it to see what it was all about. At first I thought it could be dark witchcraft… you know, working in the shadows, a less favorable type of witchcraft or even something to do with working with a book of shadows, also known as “grimoire” to some. 

Boy, was I wrong. It has nothing to do with witchcraft and everything to do with self healing and personal growth. I recommend that you check out the video by Christina Lopes, DPT, MPH, a fantastic YouTuber who posts regularly on the aforementioned subject matter. Since watching that particular video, I have dug a little deeper and done quite a bit of soul searching. I thought I would share some cliff notes on the subject. I encourage you to check out the podcast airing Wednesday this week because we go into detail on the subject and how we apply shadow work in our own lives.

What is the Shadow or Shadow Self?

• Phrase coined by Carl Jung, Psychologist

• Represents the unconscious parts of our personalities

• The ego does not acknowledge these character traits as part of itself

• Specific happenings in ones life during their youth imprint on the personality

• Characteristics that are deemed “bad” are rejected by the ego

• These characteristics and beliefs form the shadow

• Shadow form takes over when a person is triggered

• Triggers can be other peoples actions as well as an experience. 

Why should you care about your shadow?

• You are having a hard time changing a behavior, breaking an old pattern

• You are struggling to achieve a goal

• You are feeling stuck in life

• To improve your self worth 

• You have a bias toward other people, gender, races, religion etc.

• You might not like how your shadow reacts to certain triggers

• You see a shift in your mood and want to find out why

What is Shadow work:

• Identifying what those triggers are 

• Acknowledging the deep rooted programing

• Accepting the flaws and parts of you that are not “your best”

• Working with your personality vs. against it

What is a Dark Night of the Soul?

• From 16th Century Poem by Catholic, San Juan de la Cruz

• Oftentimes triggered by a sudden life change

• Opportunity for growth and change in your life

• A chance to evaluate your values and perspective

• A deep dive into your spiritual beliefs

• Those going through this may be awakening to a new perspective on life

• Not just one night, could take longer to pass through this phase

What is an Awakening?

• Increased awareness of oneself and others

• Becoming more aware of one's thoughts, feelings and actions

• Greater compassion for others 

• Seeing connections in life that you were oblivious to before

• Finding more purpose and meaning in one’s life 

What are some things to do during these times of change and deep introspective thought?

• Meditate

• Spend time outside in nature

• Journal

• Read up on subject matters that relate to your awakening

• Connect with others, seek counseling, therapy, or a trusted friend

• Seek out spiritual guidance

Have you ever had a spiritual awakening? Have you ever practiced shadow work? I have been working on my own shadow work, and even more so since I read Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. I have found it to be beneficial towards my personal development and also help me be a better leader, spouse, mother, daughter and friend. I am always looking forward to continuing my journey of growth and development. I hope that you can find this article useful in your own journey. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.