Everyone eventually finds out things about themselves they don’t like to handle. It could be that something happens and you respond in a way that is completely out of character for you. You are left asking yourself “Where did that come from?”
Some of your reactions may even surprise your family and friends.
At other times, everything in your life may not be going exactly as you think it should be. Everything seems to be a challenge. You don’t understand why this is happening seemingly suddenly.
Both situations may be an indication you need to do some shadow work.
What Is Shadow Work?
The practice isn’t as obvious as the name implies. It references delving deep into your psyche to uncover parts of yourself that may be unpleasant to fix. This idea originates from Jungian psychology.
Everyone has parts of themselves that they don’t often display. Some of these attitudes are so deep and hidden within us that we don’t even realize they’re there. It can be judgment, greed, jealously, projection, anger, blame, and insecurities, or other negative aspects.
These are shadows of our normal personalities and they pop up at times. Sometimes, these aspects subtly affect our lives in such ways that it causes our lives to hit a negative spiral. This is when you need to do work to resolve these negatives.
How to Do Shadow Work?
Several techniques exist for people to work within their shadow selves to deal with unresolved issues and clear away negativity. There are four clear ways to start on your journey.
Meditation
Learning to use meditation to be an observer of your emotions without judgment is one of the best ways to heal things in your subconscious. It also helps you accept yourself and show how to be effective in resolving issues.
Use Art
A creative outlet like art is a way for you to explore your shadow self and figure a path to healing. Art can be traditional forms like painting but cam also is more unconventional like vision boards, collages, or mind maps.
It’s important is to let your subconscious flow as you are working out your creativity.
Capture Your Thoughts
This aspect comes from the Bible. Basically, it means to become aware of thoughts that cross your mind and ask yourself why it’s there if it’s helpful or should you use it for healing and dismissal.
Being self-aware is the first step to healing. Exploring why you have strong reactions will help to heal.
Journaling
Writing out your thoughts and exploring them through journaling is a good way to work through dealing with your shadow self. It also helps to go back and read what you wrote later to see how far you’ve come.
Final Thoughts
Learning to deal with the less favorable part of ourselves is worth the effort. It will help you release repressed feelings, accept yourself as you are, and live a happier life. It may be painful to look at our shadow selves at first but the benefits and joys that come at the end of the process are well worth the pain felt in the beginning.
