What Is Shadow Work And How Do You Do It?

Shadow work is discovering the hidden emotions within yourself. It's getting to know your true reflection by removing the instructions on how to live in this world. By getting to know the side of you that has been kept hidden behind a mask or a false identity to how you appear to the world, you unlock the ability to explore. The shadow self exists and operates through the subconscious mind. And through the subconscious mind is where you’ll find that mundane activities do not exist nor do they apply.

Mundane activities are what keeps the shadow self hidden. It still operates through the alpha state however, the purpose of the shadow self is to act freely of the true desire of existing. There is a reason why you're here and it is up to you to go within your mind and ask the very same question we often like to ask, why am I here? 

The shadow self or your true self is hidden through multiple streams of programming. After consciousness is developed, differentiating what no longer needs to be applied to your life will become simple. This will allow you to gain full control over your emotions and your mind which creates the reality you would like to have instead of one subliminally chosen for you.

Having full awareness of your surroundings will give you the advantage of decoding and knowing the different types of programming tactics that are being performed to you and around you, which will help with decoding and trusting what you find within your shadows.

Your first programming is done through verbal language (the dos and the don'ts). Do not touch this and do your homework. It is the first stage of learning how to take commands. The other type of programming is done through all forms of schooling: homeschooling, grade school, colleges, and the 9-5s. Then you have subliminal programming which is done through repetition of colors, images, shapes, vision, and sound.

Each of those programs shapes your thinking, your emotions, and your actions. By being aware of what is happening around you, you will be able to make your own decisions for your own best interests. The goal is to take information that is necessary and leave the rest behind.

You are here because you are looking for more

You are looking for more than what you have created. Looking for outside answers may temporarily help however, it also provides an unhealthy clutch. Depending on something or someone weakens the connection between you and yourself. By relying on something or what someone says instead of making your own realizations will not help you discover your hidden shadows. This work is an inward journey and needs to be done alone. 

• What you are unraveling is the emotions that keep your heart heavy.
• What you are facing is what keeps you in fear.
• What you are exploring is the emotions that keep you from creating and expressing yourself in all forms. 
• What you are questioning is if you feel guilt and shame.
• What you are discovering is what is keeping you from having the energy and willpower to do what you are passionate about.
• What you are asking is if you give yourself unconditional love, compassion, and honesty on an everyday basis.
• What you are realizing is if you say what you mean and mean what you say: if you have been truthful to yourself.
• What you are revealing is how to make your own realization about yourself and about this world.
• What you are repairing is the connection between you and yourself. 

Have you ever felt emotionally triggered and could not explain the reason why? Was it an emotional breakdown or an irritation towards someone? In the moment of feeling off-balance, those feelings need to be explored. To ask yourself, "why am I going through this?" There is something inside of you letting you know what you are facing is due to an unresolved past experience. 

Shadow work is diving into what makes you uncomfortable to start with: the emotions you feel when a statement is made or behavior when something doesn't go according to plan. Maybe it's your feeling towards another person or the feeling towards yourself.

Shadow work is the beginning stage of shedding your humanity by understanding what caused you to be the way you are. Traumatic experiences occur to help us accept and understand ourselves which in return strengthens your mind, heart, and spirit. Becoming defensive is a sign that you allowed memory to have control over your emotions. It is up to you to process it, understand it then let it go. 

People enter our lives often to trigger our memories which causes us to be emotionally balanced. And a few responses given is usually looked like an outburst, an uncomfortable feeling, an attitude, or a highly offended reaction by an action or statement the other person made. This is called being triggered.

There is a reason why you are behaving that way. Being emotionally triggered is a memory you’ve attached to a feeling. The more you question and analyze yourself, the more control you will have over your emotions.

By understanding why you feel that way, you will start to release the emotions you've kept hidden inside. Finding the root of where your feeling stems from will mend the past and bring light to your shadows. This takes being presently aware of your thoughts, your behavior, and your reactions. Always ask yourself the question of "Why".

Family and close friends can help you in your inward journey by giving you an evaluation to their fullest honesty. Strangers and friends can help too just by having a simple conversation with them; getting to know someone may help you. It is then up to you to continue doing the work by understanding then shedding the layers of the mask to get to your core. 

Going to the past will help you understand your present

When shadows are explored, the inner work of healing your emotional wounds begins. Going back in time to not fix what happened but to understand it better will help you release it. To understand why it had to happen and how it shapes you now. Most people carry their past with them not realizing the pain they hold makes them who they are today. The untold sad story from your childhood needs to be expressed, understood, and accepted in order to be free from it. 

We’ve reached a point in evolution where everything is circling back to look inward instead of outwards. The outside answers are no longer available or applicable. This is nothing new. Moving forward by going through the pain will help clear up your thoughts and shape a new way of viewing your life. By addressing the defensive self, you are destroying patterns by allowing transformation to take place.

By choosing to let go, you will see there is no law or matter that can dictate how to live your life. Freedom to explore without limitations and borders is fully exercising the subconscious mind. Tapping into your subconscious mind and bringing about what you would like to see within your reality will release you from humanity’s expectations. Being able to operate freely without validation from your outside environment will help you tap into your own power and help you understand your purpose in this lifetime. 

Re-parenting yourself is part of the shadow work. While in the physical world, you are both your mother and your father. Balancing both feminine and masculine energies will place your humanity in check. You are solely responsible for your growth and every decision and choice you make will be the correct one.

The answers to why you are here are inside your mind and your heart. Deprogram your mind to figure out what that is. The journey of discovering who you are is an exciting and unexpected path. There’s a true version of you that needs to be awakened, wouldn't you like to find out?