shadow work 101.
what is your shadow?
how do you integrate it?
what is your shadow?
how do you integrate it?
your shadow is a part of you which you perceive as dark & inferior about yourself. itβs that part of you that you have been trying to keep hidden, denying of its existence.
no matter how much you try to repress those parts in you, they never really go away. they are always there like a shadow. but remember, the more you ignore & try to disown that part in you, the more it will work against you.
when you repress your shadow, you start projecting, judging & hurting others. when you judge someone, thatβs you judging your shadow. when you hurt someone, thatβs the pain your shadow is already burdened with.
your reactions towards external circumstances & people are a great indication of the state of your shadow. this is how you start becoming conscious of it. by exploring your triggers & your reactions.
when you dive deep into your shadow self, you will release a lot of burden you have been carrying unconsciously. you will stop looking at reality through that distorted lens.
shadow work, which is exploring that shadow side is not fun work initially. who wants to look at those parts that they have swept under the rug? facing your shadows takes great strength. itβs not for the faint hearted.
this is why a lot of humans are running around hurting & projecting. insecure & full of issues. it is their shadow that is wreaking havoc in their lives because they decided to suppress it.
so how do you face your shadow? how do you integrate it?
1. you can look at your triggers. for an example, you might get irritated over someoneβs traits. the way you react, the emotions that bubble up, they are all indications.
1. you can look at your triggers. for an example, you might get irritated over someoneβs traits. the way you react, the emotions that bubble up, they are all indications.
if you have a strong dislike towards someoneβs qualities such as someoneβs hot temper or their impatience, it is very likely that you have those qualities in you as well. but β
itβs important to realise that itβs in our nature to not prefer negative traits in another human & to want to avoid them. this is normal. but if you have a strong distaste towards them where their mere presence irritates you, you have lessons to uncover there.
imagine someone is being awkward & socially uncoordinated. you feel embarrassed FOR them aka you cringe. this is literally your shadow sending you a message reminding you of all the βcringeβ parts in you that you have been trying to hide.
2. shadow work prompts. a great way to uncover your shadows without the help of external triggers. you answer questions that seem harmless, but when you truly start writing the answers, you will f e e l the resistance.
resistance indicates the presence of a possible shadow. why donβt you want to write about it? why donβt you want to express it? is it because it is something you are trying not to face head on? here are some shadow work prompts to start with.
3. explore what qualities in you that you are overly attached to. they often reveal which parts you are afraid to show the world. for an example, someone who is attached to the idea of their resiliency might be fearful of being vulnerable.
so exploring socially accepted positive traits in you that you have used to define who you are, will reveal you the opposite traits that you have been trying too hard to hide.
there are other many methods to integrate the shadow. but these are three basic yet powerful steps you can take. free your shadow in order to rise above it.
image credits: @aldousmassie
image credits: @aldousmassie
bonus. check out my pinned 𧡠on masculine archetypes which also has the feminine archetypes attached.
each archetype comes with its own set of shadows. by finding out the archetype(s) you resonate with, you will also gain an idea on which shadow traits you might be harbouring.
each archetype comes with its own set of shadows. by finding out the archetype(s) you resonate with, you will also gain an idea on which shadow traits you might be harbouring.
if you have a n y questions, ask. :)
also if you enjoyed this thread & learned something from it & if you think someone else might also benefit from it, please retweet the first tweet. thank you love you.
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