Shadow Work Basics
To define shadow work, we must first understand what the shadow is. As described in Radical Regeneration: Sacred Activism and the Renewal of the World (p. 34):
“The shadow is any part of us that doesn’t match with our ego image of ourselves and that we unconsciously send away and say, ‘That’s not me.’… [It] personifies everything [we] refuse to acknowledge about [ourselves].”
Because we do not live in a solitary bubble, we carry not only personal shadows but also collective shadows. These collective shadows are shaped and transformed by the ways we influence—and are influenced by—our education, political affiliations, family, friends, groups, community, and culture.
When left unaddressed, these shadows often demand resolution by projecting themselves into our lives as various challenges. This intensification of internal conflicts through highly specific external situations can make confronting these shadows feel even more daunting. Survival mode then kicks in, leaving us feeling stuck—unable to reach where we need or want to be. This sense of doom, failure, or stagnation seeps into all areas of life, and the cycle continues. A cycle that most are all too familiar with, which is now geopolitically intensifying at a scarily rapid rate.
Shadow work is the process of addressing both personal and collective shadows. It involves the deeply introspective practice of confronting and healing unconscious, negatively pervasive internal and external patterns that manifest in our minds and lives. For instance, why do we keep dating the same type of person until we heal from a particular painful cycle? Or how does the inherent entitlement of privilege shape our behaviors and beliefs?
There are many ways to engage in shadow work. Journaling and therapy are two common methods. Dialectical reasoning—reasoning through the discourse of contradictory concepts or ideas—is an especially versatile approach. In shadow work, these contradictions often lie between your shadow and your ego. When triggered or deeply upset, try to attempt, without judgment, to uncover the root of that trigger. Question your shadow about its expectations, emotions, and desires in the situation. By impartially inquiring rather than overthinking, can halt the spiral of dooming thoughts our shadow can present.
Dialectical reasoning can be practiced through journaling, internal conversations with yourself, or dialogues with someone you trust deeply and wholeheartedly (such as a therapist or a “ride-or-die” best friend). This method is adaptable and can be tailored to virtually any situation.
It’s important to note that our shadows affect us physically as well as mentally. When engaging in shadow work, we must account for the physical toll of sadness, stress, depression, and grief. As they say, the body remembers. As a disabled trauma survivor, I know this all too well.
Somatic therapy techniques provide excellent tools for holding space for yourself. Somatic therapy techniques are focused on the connection between the body and mind. Yoga is a classic example. Studies show that dancing can significantly improve your mood; simply choose music that resonates with the beat your heart and move freely. Similarly, research highlights the healing potential of breathwork. Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing, 4-7-8 breathing, alternate nostril breathing, and lion’s breath are just a few examples. Body tapping during strong emotional moments can help you ground and release tension. Speaking of grounding, techniques that encourage you to deeply engage with your five senses can be immensely helpful in staying present and not overthinking when triggerred.
As political, economic, and ecological tensions rise, it can be easy to lose ourselves in the currently tumultuous, socially Darwinistic seas of survival. With crashes becoming increasingly likely and swift, it’s crucial to tend to our rafts using the resources we have. History is repeating itself, and these are undeniably dark times. Yet our resources are more bountiful than they seem. With the unpleasantness of fertilizer comes the nutrients necessary for the garden to grow. That garden, the entirety of your being, is worth investing the time, energy, and love it takes to grow into all you are meant to be.
