how to start shadow work

Shadow work is the fundamental foundation of spiritual work. Until you see, honour and integrate your shadows, they will keep on pulling you back, holding you back and triggering you in those dark places. Once the light is illuminated in your shadows, you are released. You experience full blown release which kicks in that momentum of leaps and miracles.

YOU ARE A MANIFESTOR AT THE CORE.

ALL OF YOU.

This is how we were made.

We have the ability to transform our realities, shift into a new dimension.

All we need to do is to peel back the layers which don’t serve us.

I know dreaming about the beachside house feels more fun than looking at these shadows, but that way is known as Spiritual bypassing. We know it’s so prevalent in the spiritual community because it has worked for a while. But if you want to build a life of long-lasting, sustainable shifts, not a one-time magic and poof story, then you CANNOT escape inner work aka real shadow work.

what is the shadow and why shadow work?

We all have a shadow aspect within ourselves which consists of this part we are not very much proud of. This aspect of us holds a lot of shame, guilt. trauma, pain, and triggers. It’s basically that aspect which our conscious mind will do everything possible to escape, hide or suppress. We don’t like our shadows, to be precise. However, when we live with non-integrated shadows, we allow these shadow aspects to take on the driving seat. This is when our shadows start driving our lives. This is when our shadows start ruling us.

We live in this constant fear of being seen, heard or perceived as our shadow. It is a lot like living with a blackmailer. You are always hiding, fixing, substituting and proving yourself to not be ‘too much’, or ‘too less” or ‘be seen as an impostor’. This behaviour is not just exhausting to your self but also holds you back in showing the world with all that you are, meaning not just shadow gets hidden (which again unless integrated are shadows, once the perception shifts, the shadows become your light!) but also your light, your gifts, the best of you.

This is why we do the shadow work to melt away this fear around being yourself, embodying yourself and loving yourself for all that you are.

Once you do, there is no more fear or shame or pain .

Once you do, you experience freedom and healing which actually righteously propels your forward movement in action and miracles both.

However before you sit and do this, I would highly recommend you to get into a relaxed space so that your subconscious is ready to respond and your body feels safe to open up.

The Shadow Work can primarily be divided into three parts:

Awareness

Connection & Release

Integration

01. awareness

The first step is the conscious awareness. This is when you start noticing the voices in your head. This is when you start seeing the pattern. This is when you start experiencing the triggers. And this is also the place, where you get an opportunity to do the work.

Whenever a trigger shows up, take this opportunity to pause and self-enquire.

What am I really feeling?

Why am I feeling so much pain/frustration/anger?

Tell your self your feelings are valid. But also,

Is this about what just happened? Or is there more?

What is the pain showing me?

What wounds have I been suppressing or hiding?

What am I ashamed of? What is it that I am afraid of being seen?

You can journal these questions or you can simply sit in a meditation practice and bring these up one by one. Stay compassionate to yourself through the process. If possible, have someone around you at an accessible distance so that in case something triggers you, you have someone to lean on.

02. connection and release

The second step is “Connection”. This is where you start going deeper and start joining the dots. This is where your subconscious starts participating with you and giving your clues – smells, visions, dreams, memory etc. It can also come in the form of feelings or a physical pain. One of the best ways to follow through is literally asking your body – what is this pain about, as we did above.

As you start connecting, you will also start releasing. There are a number of healthier ways to release this stuck and stagnated energy than reacting or responding to the triggers itself – which is why we are doing this work.

It is important to release this pain rather than staying stuck in blame and shame.

Few ways of releasing these emotional pains:

Breathwork,

Sweating

Screaming into the pillow

Crying

Writing

Feel free to find your own way of expressing or releasing. There is truly no right or wrong way as long as it is not harmful to your self or to someone else around you.

03.integration

Lastly, we are here to integrate these shadows instead of hiding or suppressing them. Integration takes time, space and patience. It’s a nurturing process. It takes self-care practices and self-nurturing activities in your daily routines to integrate your shadows and show love to them. It is all about Self acceptance. Mirror work is one of the most amazing tools to integrate your shadows.

Love this?Let me in the comments below if this supported you in some way. If you have questions, feel free to drop them too, I’d love to answer!

Wanna go deeper?

Learn about Shadow work in depth and do the inner work of healing and integration in this module from DLL Membership. Also available for purchase separately.