Everyone has demons inside and we fight against them every day.
You can achieve peace and a big part of healing by doing Shadow Work and that can only be achieved by facing those parts of yourself that you pretend they didn’t exist.
The Shadow is a term fabricated by psychologist Carl Jung. He referred it to our deepest wounds. The wounds that make us believe we’re not loveable, deserving and achieving.
All these wounds are generally created during childhood, but they can be developed later in life. This not only lowers your confidence but also your will to live a happy and fulfilled life.
Sometimes these wounds are created in you when you’re being bullied in school or experiencing traumatic life events. These wounds can be cultural and they develop in you from prevailing social beliefs, such as “You won’t be able to prove your worth if you don’t have money.”
But Shadow work can help you get rid of these wounds, and you’ll be able to stop interpreting something that isn’t going to happen to you. In this article, I want to discuss “What is Shadow Work” and I would also like to speak about the benefits of it. Let’s get started.
What is the Shadow?
“The shadow, a concept brought to light by famed Swiss psychologist Carl Jung — is the part of ourselves we don’t want to look at — qualities we deem unattractive, try to push away, overlook, sugar-coat or hide under the surface.” — Ashley Turner
The shadow is the Dark Side of anyone’s personality, and it consists of a lot of things such as Primitive, Negative Human Emotions, Envy, Greed, Desire, Striving for Power and a lot more.
But you can overcome these Negative Shadows and turn them into Positivity by practicing key steps that I’m about to break down now:
No Emotion is Bad
Acceptance is the key here, if you accept “No Emotion is Bad” you’re already healing from the Dark Side of the Shadow.
Sometimes we start to feel things more, get annoyed and even overreact on small things. But you know what? These emotions can help us heal from the Dark Side of the shadow because we can easily examine the location of the wounds and can work on them.
When you feel an emotion, ask yourself these questions:
- Why am I feeling this way?
- What am I feeling?
- What makes me feel this this way?
Now take a deep breath and wait for the answer. The answer may not come swiftly but you’ll get the answer. Patience is the key here and if you wait patiently, you’ll get the answer and you’ll start noticing change.
Identify the Shadow
Identifying the Shadow isn’t an easy task because it’s an integral part of our psyche and it can be difficult to notice.
Some of the common Shadow Beliefs include the following:
- I am not good enough
- No one loves me
- I am Flawed
- My feelings aren’t valid
- I can’t make money
These are the common Shadow (Dark Sides) you might be facing, and you’ll have to keep on fighting with them in order to get rid of them.
Now, let’s move to the benefits of doing shadow work.
Benefits of Shadow Work
A lot of people are unaware of the topic “Shadow Work” and why wouldn’t they? Who enjoys owning their weakness, flaws, hate and other negative aspects? Barely anyone.
But you’ve to acknowledge them because you can’t ignore the Dark Side of the Shadow without dealing with it. And brave are those people who fight everything that haunts them. Exploring our shadow side can be a daunting task, but it can give you tremendous opportunities for growth and development.
Let’s get started with the benefits of Shadow Work.
Your relationships will improve
When dealing with your Shadow, you’ll be able to see yourself more clearly. You can become Grounded, Humble, Kind and really, truly start listening to others. When you accept your own darker side, you’ll be able to understand the dark side of others too. As a result, other people’s behaviors won’t trigger you anymore, and you’ll also have an easier time communicating with those people around you. Your relationships in general will improve.
Improvement in Physical Health
When dealing with loneliness and depression, you can’t take care of your physical nor mental health so well. Once you’re on your way to fully accepting yourself, you’ll then be able to take care of your health both physically and mentally. Shadow Work can bring you inner strength and a great sense of balance, making you a better person and you’ll be able to face the challenges of life without any fear.
In a Nutshell
Shadow Work can help you feel at peace with yourself and improve your overall quality of life.
Have any questions in mind? Feel free to comment down below.
Sources:
C.G. Jung – Archetypes
C.G. Jung – Die Beziehung zwischen dem Ich und dem Unbewussten
Debbie Ford – The Shadow Effekt
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