What is shadow work?
 

Our shadows are the aspects of ourselves that we have rejected, repressed, and buried deep within our unconscious mind. Shadow work is the practice of bringing unconscious shadows into conscious awareness in order to heal them.

So, where does our shadow come from?

Shadows arise when our brain classifies an encounter as traumatic. "Anytime the brain feels [something is] too traumatic to hold onto, it represses it into the unconscious," "It's sort of like hiding something that might be too scary to deal with."

And because we are all people who have been traumatised to some extent, we all carry shadows. A traumatic experience can range from something as minor and seemingly insignificant as a freind telling you that she cant play with you, making you feel inadequate, or witnessing your parents fight and believing it was your fault, to major trauma such as domestic violence or serious illness.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even if we forget the horrific experience, it remains inscribed in our unconscious minds and continues to influence our lives, unbeknownst to us. As we progress through life, many events might elicit emotions, physical reactions, and thoughts linked with the trauma, resulting in patterns that make the world feel unsafe. This, in turn, can influence our decisions and how we conduct our lives.

For example, a shadow based on fear of change can keep you stuck in a 9-to-5 job you don't enjoy rather than pursuing something new.It alters how you perceive the next steps of shadows. It alters your actions because if you are fearful of events, you will avoid those that are potentially dangerous. In other words, shadows prevent us from doing the things we want to accomplish, and shadow work helps us develop the confidence and sense of safety in our minds and bodies to do those things.