You may have landed here because you are ready to begin the deep spiritual work and are asking yourself "how to start shadow work."  Keep reading to discover the 3 shadow work questions that may change your life and encourage your spiritual journey. 

Whether you’re a lightworker, empath, intuitive channeler, or a combination of all three — you’ve likely stumbled across the term “shadow work” on your journey.

In books, on social media, in videos, and on your friends' lips… you can’t seem to escape the concept.

Even though you want to shove it far, far away and never look back.

You’re here to bring light to this planet so why on earth would you ever want to get involved with something called “shadow” work!?

Besides, it sounds super edgy and esoteric.

How real can it be, right?

Well, let me answer that for you, 😉

It’s real.

Very real.

 

Psychologist Carl Jung describes your “shadow” as the unconscious part of your personality that your conscious ego doesn’t want to identify in itself.

 

So, how to start shadow work?

Your shadow self is made up of all the repressed memories, limiting beliefs, negative thoughts, and unresolved traumas that are tucked away in your subconscious mind.

While you’re not looking, your shadow sneaks out of hiding in the form of…

• Self-sabotage
• Feelings of shame
• Co-dependency
• Negative self projections
• Trauma responses
• Heightened stress
• & numbed intuition

You will only stop projecting your wounds onto others and truly heal once you have learned to embrace your shadow. Through facing your fears, doing the inner work, and alchemizing trauma, you’re creating more space for light to exist within you. This light gives you a bigger capacity to love & accept other people’s shadows.

All light work starts with shadow work.

So, if you’re ready to transmute your pain into your purpose, this blog post is for you.

Here’s how to start shadow work (using the 3 shadow work questions that changed my life)

And that I’m certain will change yours too.

Shadow Work Questions

What are you afraid of facing?

Every single one of us has something that we’re too afraid to admit and embrace.

Maybe, it’s a memory that you’ve tucked away and refused to accept. It could be a truth about yourself that you’re too stubborn to confess. Or it could be a habit that you’re too afraid to break because you can’t live without it.

Dig deep and write down every truth, habit, experience, trait, memory, or thought that you’re afraid of facing.

It’s okay for emotions to come up as you start to think about these things. Don’t push that emotion down, just allow yourself to feel it and ride the wave deeper until you get to its core.

What gifts have you received from these experiences?

The thing about the shadow is that it doesn’t just exist to ruin our lives & make us miserable.

It’s trying to do the opposite.

Your shadow self wants to keep you safe, that’s why it holds on to all of these dark things that your conscious self isn’t able to hold. It takes the burden. It carries everything so that you can go through your day without feeling the weight of your entire past. Your shadow is the reason you’re able to smile, laugh, and pretend like everything’s okay even when it isn’t.

Your subconscious shadow is also responsible for bringing you valuable lessons.

Every pain & hardship that we go through is a lesson to guide us on our spiritual journey.

For example, leaving a toxic relationship is painful but it allows you to heal independently & connect with other soulmates that will help you on the next level up.

So, take some time to appreciate the “blessings in disguise” and thank your shadow for the work that it’s done to try to protect you.

What do you want to let go of?

Now that you’ve acknowledged what your shadow self has done for you, it’s time to lovingly let go.

Write down all of the limiting beliefs, damaging habits, & un-forgiveness that are keeping you from moving forward in your healing journey. These things may have served you in one season but, now, it’s time to heal. It’s time to outgrow the old version of your old self and embrace your new 2.0 self.

Once you’ve made a list of all of the things you’re ready to let go of, burn it in a safe space so the energy can be released.

While you are burning the list, you can say out loud to the universe something like this: “Please take my fear and transmute it to love. I am now asking for your help to grow.”

Feel the weight lift off your shoulders as you realize that you are no longer bound to those shadows.

You have created a new path for healing & safety to emerge.

This, my love, is what the start of the shadow work journey looks like. It’s not as dark and scary and daunting as it seems in our mind, right?

Yes, this type of work will bring up big emotions and at times will bring you to your knees in surrender and what appears to be brokenness, but it will also help you align with your wholeness. This process gets lighter and lighter each time you begin, I promise.

Now that you know how to start shadow work you can...

Just keep noticing keep feeling, and keep releasing.

 

Love,
stephanie <3

P.S The above ritual was taken straight from The Happy Empath’s Workbook — my complete gameplay for creating a joyous and full life as an empath! If you’re an empath wanting to heal through your shadow, ignite your intuition, and manage your energy, then CLICK here to check it out. It’s filled with so many strategies & rituals that I know you’ll be obsessed with!