Shadow Work is becoming a more popular subject these days and it’s a really good sign. People are willing to look at themselves instead of avoiding what is coming up. This leads to more and more awareness and healing. Not only individual healing but also collective healing. What happens when more people are aware of their thoughts and their emotions and know how to regulate them? They make better decisions for themselves. And better decisions lead to a better life over time.
Shadow Work in a Nutshell
So, what is shadow work in a nutshell? Shadow work is the process of bringing the subconscious (what you don’t know and have no awareness of) to the conscious mind (things you do know). When something is subconscious, we cannot see it, and so you are unaware of something, and that is called a ‘shadow’.
In other words, it’s the process of something that you didn’t know before that you now know. It’s similar to an ‘aha’ moment or when a lightbulb in your head says ‘ding’. That means that anything that you do that brings about more awareness is a form of shadow work. But when we are talking about ‘doing’ shadow work or having a shadow work practice, then we are talking about consciously going within.
When you do shadow work you don’t wait for life to happen to you that forces you to reflect on your life because you attract unwanted experiences. You can though, that’s definitely a learning curve for your life and many people go through life this way. But when you commit to a shadow work practice you take note of the sensations and emotions that are coming up. You start to observe yourself and catch yourself in the moment when you feel triggered. But also, be aware that it’s not supposed to consume your life, shadow work isn’t a way of being. It’s more so a tool to bring about awareness so as to create with intention.
Shadow Work is not something dark, as it might sound like at first. And by focusing on shadows doesn’t mean you will get more shadows, it doesn’t work that way. It’s already a point of attraction whether you focus on it or not, since it’s in the subconscious mind which is about 90-95% of what you attract. The more you do shadow work the less shadows you have to integrate.
Shadow work feels heavy at times but because we bring light (awareness) to the subconscious by doing shadow work, it’s actually the highest form of light work that you can commit yourself to. It’s about consciously choosing with your freewill to no longer run from the uncomfortable and get to know yourself better on a much deeper level. And you will create a much better relationship and connection with yourself (and others).
What are Emotional Triggers?
An emotional trigger is anything that makes you feel upset. You usually feel (emotional) stress or unease accompanied with it. And we all have emotional triggers from time to time. When we are triggered as an adult it’s usually always an echo from our childhood. There’s something coming to the surface that it unresolved and it’s looking for resolution. It’s important to view your triggers as messengers. They are not out to get you, but it comes up for an important reason. When you experience a trigger it’s an opportunity for integration and healing. Try to bring your attention to your feelings the next time you are triggered, without being reactive to them, judge them or try to change them. Simply observe your experience.
What to do when you realize you always feel triggered?
At the beginning of this work you may realize that you always feel triggered. But know that over time you will start to learn how to process your triggers and learn how to naturally release them without force. The moment you release resistance to the trigger that you are experiencing, is the moment you may experience integration. Integration is when two or more parts within you have found alignment with each other. This occurs when you understand why the trigger is there (and/or by simple allowing the sensations to be there). You want to learn how to be present with sensation and investigate these triggers when they arise by going within.
Why do we need to go within?
What does going within mean? It means you are literally sitting down with yourself with your eyes closed and you focus on the trigger (the upset) when it comes up. This is where your shadow work practice starts. When we do shadow work we ‘work’ with the subconscious mind and that means shadow work involves emotions. Since your emotions are the doorway to your subconscious mind. Your emotions are your internal guidance system in life and is a higher intelligence or higher aspect of you. Therefore, the subconscious mind can tell you things you didn’t know about yourself before. Things that the mind (ego) can’t tell you. That means your emotions are a crucial part of doing shadow work.
What is healing?
When we do shadow work we are working on self-healing. We are clearing everything that doesn’t need to be there, things that are weighing us down and things that are not in alignment for us personally. We are clearing things from the past that we have been carrying to our present. What we are essentially doing is changing a pattern. Getting from where you are (point a) to where you want to be (point b). Shadow work can be used as a shortcut to where you want to be. And you heal when you experience the opposite of the pain you have felt. And if you don’t want to change and if you don’t want to experience something different then you are used to, then you actually don’t want to do shadow work.
This also means that shadow work is not the only way to heal. There are different tools that can be very valuable and necessary at different times for different people. Everyone is at a different level of awareness and need different things at different times when they are ready for it. This is also why shadow work isn’t the best healing tool for everyone right now. Even though it can benefit anyone! Shadow work may also look similar to somatic practices and nervous system regulation, only within shadow work we want to become aware of the ‘why are you feeling this way’ and really learn to tune into your internal guidance system.
Healing happens in layers and one layer you might peel off by doing mirror work or parts work, another layer you peel of when you have received specific information that you needed and another layer you peel of when doing shadow work. But the guarantee that shadow work gives you is that it gets you to the root of your problems.
Our problems always have a mental and emotional root. When we try to fix the external we end up wasting time in our healing and keep turning circles. And facing our emotions is one of the hardest things at times and the last thing most people want to look at. Which is completely understandable. Shadow work isn’t easy and can be very hard to do, but it’s the way to true lasting healing and integration. The one good thing about trauma is that everyone on this planet has it and we are all in this together (wink).
Can we heal everything with Shadow Work?
The Shadow behind Shadow Work
When we are on the path of healing we may also encounter the healing trap. The shadow behind shadow work is the subconscious belief that there’s something wrong with you and that you need to heal. There is one part that wants to be loved exactly as they are and the other part needs a solution to the problem. The problem is this case is: I’m not ok and loved as I am, so I need to fix myself. And this is the wound that gets us into personal development. This is the healing trap.
The quickest way to heal is to realize that there’s nothing to heal in the first place and then you’re done healing and you can live your life. But this is easier said than done…It takes understanding and awareness to even get to this state of being. So, if you can’t find a sense of inner peace or feel like you’re not living in alignment and if you feel called to do this work then you can start your shadow work integration practice and work layer by layer.
What are the benefits of Shadow Work?
So why do we want to do shadow work really? Does it get any fun? Yes! We want to heal when things don’t go well for us and we also want healing because we think it will improve our lives, right? The more we become aware and the more layers we peel of the better we will feel about our lives and the better decisions we will make. Here are a few benefits that shadow work can give you:
- You will create resolution with past experiences and trauma (emotional and mental distress). And therefore, change patterns and feel so much lighter and at peace within yourself.
- It creates awareness which will help you make smarter decisions and consciously create a life that you want to live.
- You will figure out what you truly desire and what your life purpose is and why that is so.
- Better manifestations by releasing resistance to the things that block you from attaining it
(is shadow work the new manifestation technique?).
- You can become the truest and most authentic version of yourself.
- Create conscious and healthy relationships.
- More self-love and emotional intimacy with yourself.
- Your health and wellbeing will improve on an emotional, mental & physical level.
There are many more benefits but these are just a few to give you an idea.
This is shadow work in a nutshell. We talked about what shadow work is, triggers, emotions, healing and the benefits of shadow work. And now we want to actually commit ourselves to a shadow work practice. Are you ready?
Until next time.
With Love, Naomi
P.s. you may also like to read my other blog ‘When is it not the time to do Shadow Work?’.
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Written by Naomi
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