Shadow work is a term widely known in the personal growth and healing arena. The shadow is a psychological term for everything we can’t see in ourselves, and it refers to our deepest wounds.
As the renowned psychiatrist, Carl Jung said, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.” The shadow is the reason we do certain things in life without understanding why we do them.
Growth is in the shadow work.
This time of year, as we are fast approaching the New Year, there is always so much talk surrounding new years resolutions and picking your ‘word of the year.’ But most everyone is more than likely not picking the right word for themselves. We tend to pick a word that relates to what we want more of or what we want to accomplish in life. But if your word of the year doesn’t scare you, it’s not the right word. The word you pick should directly reflect your shadow self.
Growth and learning only happen in your shadow. Your area of natural strength is never where you are going to grow, which is why you need to pick a word on the opposite side in order to counterbalance your primary side. The growth you are looking for is in the shadow work.
Exploring the depths of shadow work.
This work is necessary if you want to learn and improve your life. And the truth is, no one else can do it for you.
Shadow work isn’t a huge thing that requires years of planning. It’s simply becoming aware of what’s hidden and gradually healing those aspects of yourself. It’s making the unconscious conscious and the unacceptable acceptable. The goal of shadow work is integration. The integration of the unconscious leads to complete and total awareness. To do shadow work is to bring your shadow self closer to you. It is part of who you are, after all.
Conclusion: Make peace with your shadow self so you can find peace.
Every person on earth has gone through a difficult time in their life that created shadows within them. The good news is the entire universe is on our side, trying to help us become whole again. Every action of the universe is headed in the direction of growth and expansion.
We are provided with opportunities to confront our shadow selves so that we can finally be free of them. The more you become aware of your shadow self and accept it, you can consciously change your behavior and, in doing so, change your life and start living your fullest life.
