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    Shadow Work

    I've been hearing the term "shadow work" in videos on youtube lately, and am trying to look into what it is and how it's done. From what I've gleaned, it seems to be about working through trauma and identifying bad parts of your personality, but I don't understand the actual process of working on it. I know it's varied, but the video that explained it the most seemed to just be talking yourself through the problem until you find the root of it.

    Can anyone help shed more light on this (pun intended)?
    Army of Darkness: Guardians of the Chat

    Honorary Nord.

    Habbalah Vlogs

    #2
    Re: Shadow Work

    There's a lot of different ways to do shadow work... the three most common I've seen are probably the 'talking yourself through it' thing that you mentioned above; 'learn to love your shadow' type things where you actively give that side of yourself loving and accepting attention; and shamanic journeying to meet and reconcile with a personified shadow self. But I've also seen shadow work mentioned in all sorts ways... I think I even have a Tarot Shadow Work book somewhere on my bookshelf.

    There are two main attitudes that you can approach shadow work with... generally you're either setting out to conquer your inner demons, or you're setting out to accept and integrate the parts of yourself that you don't like or accept. I'm more in the accepting camp... personally I think that trying to conquer your demons is part of the reason you've ended up with a significant shadow in the first place (because you've ostracized and hated a part of yourself). I just don't think that treating your Shadow with (metaphorical) force is a great way to integrate and move past it. But that's me... shadow work is very individual. As a shamanic practitioner, I also tend to take either a psychological or a shamanic journey type approach to shadow work.

    Of course, the reality is that a lot of counseling and psychology treatments are essentially shadow work. So is a lot of Self Help type stuff. To an extent, 'Shadow Work' is a bit of a neo-pagan buzz word that isn't really describing anything new or dramatically pagan... but I do think it's a useful buzz word. Shamanic soul retrieval may or may not be considered shadow work, depending on the soul piece that you are looking for and the reason it split off in the first place. A quick note here... I believe that soul retrieval is Innerworlds work and that the soul fragments that have 'split off' are parts of ourself that we have buried deep for whatever reason... which incidentally is what a lot of shadows are. The difference between a soul fragment and a shadow is that soul fragments split off for a number of reasons, but often as a defense mechanism during traumatic events or due to an unhealthy co-dependent relationship; while shadows are usually unconsciously split of by us because we don't like them (or are afraid of them, or have been taught that they are 'bad' etc).

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      #3
      Re: Shadow Work

      Originally posted by Rae'ya View Post
      Of course, the reality is that a lot of counseling and psychology treatments are essentially shadow work. So is a lot of Self Help type stuff. To an extent, 'Shadow Work' is a bit of a neo-pagan buzz word that isn't really describing anything new or dramatically pagan... but I do think it's a useful buzz word. Shamanic soul retrieval may or may not be considered shadow work, depending on the soul piece that you are looking for and the reason it split off in the first place. A quick note here... I believe that soul retrieval is Innerworlds work and that the soul fragments that have 'split off' are parts of ourself that we have buried deep for whatever reason... which incidentally is what a lot of shadows are. The difference between a soul fragment and a shadow is that soul fragments split off for a number of reasons, but often as a defense mechanism during traumatic events or due to an unhealthy co-dependent relationship; while shadows are usually unconsciously split of by us because we don't like them (or are afraid of them, or have been taught that they are 'bad' etc).
      Hm. This part in particular really caught my attention. I'll have to think on this. Thank you.
      Army of Darkness: Guardians of the Chat

      Honorary Nord.

      Habbalah Vlogs

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        #4
        Re: Shadow Work

        Shadow work is a process of self knowledge. The idea is that we all have beliefs so deeply embedded that we are not aware of them even though they shape our judgments and decisions all the time. Remember, though, that it is shining the light that makes the shadow, then you can identify the source and own the shadow rather than having something rattling around in the darkness causing you grief.

        Since, presumably, a person doing shadow work is seeking things they have intentionally been hiding, the search is typically not straight forward. Two ways we subconsciously reveal such beliefs to ourselves are projecting onto others and attracting particular types of people/situations into out lives. In the case of the former, we tend to blame others for faults we deny within ourselves and, in the case of the later, the people and tings we attract match our personal vibration -- like calls to like.

        I think the easiest strategy I've heard, and one I've used myself, is playing the "what's so bad about that?" game. When something bothers you you can try to root out the foundational belief that is causing you to resist the situation by asking two questions: (1) What does this mean to me? (2) Why would that be bad? Continue with these two questions until asking the first question no longer makes sense.

        For what it's worth.

        "No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical." -- Niels Bohr

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          #5
          Re: Shadow Work

          Thank you, nbdy. Something that bothered me in the little bit of research I did was some methods of shadow work were basically "I have accepted the fact that I'm lazy, and that's okay". Shouldn't one be trying to work on an aspect of themselves that they don't like? Some aren't possible, sure--I'll never be tall, and I accept that--but with stuff like that, wouldn't it be more beneficial to find out your weaknesses and improve them?
          Army of Darkness: Guardians of the Chat

          Honorary Nord.

          Habbalah Vlogs

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            #6
            Re: Shadow Work

            Originally posted by habbalah View Post
            Thank you, nbdy. Something that bothered me in the little bit of research I did was some methods of shadow work were basically "I have accepted the fact that I'm lazy, and that's okay". Shouldn't one be trying to work on an aspect of themselves that they don't like? Some aren't possible, sure--I'll never be tall, and I accept that--but with stuff like that, wouldn't it be more beneficial to find out your weaknesses and improve them?
            There is something I had once done that I suppose it falls into the realm of shadow work. It was a process of meditation and trancework, to explore outside the physical world to get in touch with my fylgja. It's a spirit that is tied to each person that fulfills a number of roles. It is a guardian, a spirit tied to your fate and fortune, and very much a part of yourself. It can appear as your own doppleganger, an animal, or even that of a woman. By reaching out for contact with it, it helped get in touch with all parts of my psyche, and helped with many issues that I was having at the time. It's not about "fixing" what's wrong, but simply tapping into more of who you are.

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              #7
              Re: Shadow Work

              I think people can automatically perceive "shadow" as undesirable because it is hidden, but treasure can also be hidden. It is what we do with knowledge that matters; the knowledge itself is neither good nor bad, and any flaw can be great strength if applied appropriately. It is a matter of taking some part of yourself off of automatic pilot, though, of owning your actions.

              "No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical." -- Niels Bohr

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                #8
                Re: Shadow Work

                Originally posted by habbalah View Post
                Thank you, nbdy. Something that bothered me in the little bit of research I did was some methods of shadow work were basically "I have accepted the fact that I'm lazy, and that's okay". Shouldn't one be trying to work on an aspect of themselves that they don't like? Some aren't possible, sure--I'll never be tall, and I accept that--but with stuff like that, wouldn't it be more beneficial to find out your weaknesses and improve them?
                Acceptance is the first step. You can't fix yourself unless you identify and accept your flaws. You can't put the pieces together til you wknd the shape of the holes that need to be filled. Without accepting your flaws, you can't truly accept yourself and without accepting yourself, you can't make take responsibility and ownership of those holes and flaws to improve them. Basically, you can't better yourself when you hate yourself.
                Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
                sigpic

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                  #9
                  Re: Shadow Work

                  Originally posted by thalassa View Post
                  Acceptance is the first step. You can't fix yourself unless you identify and accept your flaws. You can't put the pieces together til you wknd the shape of the holes that need to be filled. Without accepting your flaws, you can't truly accept yourself and without accepting yourself, you can't make take responsibility and ownership of those holes and flaws to improve them. Basically, you can't better yourself when you hate yourself.
                  Oh, I'm not arguing that at all. The problem I had was never going beyond the acceptance stage. That it became "I'm really rude, and that's okay", and just leaving it at that. I would hope that with the realization and acceptance of a flaw, the next step would be improvement.
                  Army of Darkness: Guardians of the Chat

                  Honorary Nord.

                  Habbalah Vlogs

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                    #10
                    Re: Shadow Work

                    Peter Carroll and Nathaniel Harris have made some good points on what Carroll calls 'panpsychism', which is the idea that we have various selves and instead of trying to thwart and exorcise them we should seek to bring them into balance, which has already been stated. Their process of doing this is by invoking or evoking these different aspects through trance work, given them a form, name, sigil, and basically creating servitors and guides. It allows one to deal with different aspects of the self in their own time instead of trying to let one self take over for every situation.

                    It is not only about coming to terms with various aspects of the self but understanding the good and bad of each self. If martial arts me is allowed to take over every situation in life, then I can become overbearing and even violent. But at work and during training then martial arts me is excellent as it keeps me focused on getting tasks done in an efficient manner. If magic me is allowed to take over every situation then I am not grounded and look past material reality for what it is and end up sounding, and even acting, like a lunatic, but if magic me is allowed to take over during certain conversations around certain people then I am opened up to significant realizations pertaining to the conversation at hand and to receiving insights about people around me (if they want a reading for instance, which I haven't done in a long while).

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                      #11
                      Re: Shadow Work

                      Originally posted by habbalah View Post
                      Oh, I'm not arguing that at all. The problem I had was never going beyond the acceptance stage. That it became "I'm really rude, and that's okay", and just leaving it at that. I would hope that with the realization and acceptance of a flaw, the next step would be improvement.
                      But part of itis also realizing that sometimes you need to be rude...or lazy...or angry...or fearful. One persons rudeness,is,someone else's bluntness or sayong no or not being a doormat or cautiom. Generally acceptance isnt saying hey, I'm a lazy slob and thats okay. Its more like....I have a terrible time with being angry. I was raised with a dad that was a mean drunk. It was not acceptable to be honest about how I felt, because I'd get in big trouble. You just sucked it up and bided your time til he was sober. So I suppress alot of anger, and when,it finally comes out, its terrible. So part of my work is accepting that it is okay to get angry and tp ezpress that, and infact,that it is heathy to do so, and not healthy the way I learned,to handle it.
                      Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
                      sigpic

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                        #12
                        Re: Shadow Work

                        Originally posted by thalassa View Post
                        But part of itis also realizing that sometimes you need to be rude...or lazy...or angry...or fearful. One persons rudeness,is,someone else's bluntness or sayong no or not being a doormat or cautiom. Generally acceptance isnt saying hey, I'm a lazy slob and thats okay. Its more like....I have a terrible time with being angry. I was raised with a dad that was a mean drunk. It was not acceptable to be honest about how I felt, because I'd get in big trouble. You just sucked it up and bided your time til he was sober. So I suppress alot of anger, and when,it finally comes out, its terrible. So part of my work is accepting that it is okay to get angry and tp ezpress that, and infact,that it is heathy to do so, and not healthy the way I learned,to handle it.
                        That makes a lot of sense. Thank you.
                        Army of Darkness: Guardians of the Chat

                        Honorary Nord.

                        Habbalah Vlogs

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                          #13
                          Re: Shadow Work

                          The negative emotions are very powerful, a source of strength.

                          But they have to be used in a way that is appropriate for the context, and that means "control." A person can't control what he/she denies one has, so acceptance is the first step - but only the first - in control.

                          Also, what one tries to hide from one's self, one ends up projecting on others.
                          Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

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                            #14
                            Re: Shadow Work

                            Originally posted by thalassa View Post
                            Acceptance is the first step. You can't fix yourself unless you identify and accept your flaws. You can't put the pieces together til you wknd the shape of the holes that need to be filled. Without accepting your flaws, you can't truly accept yourself and without accepting yourself, you can't make take responsibility and ownership of those holes and flaws to improve them. Basically, you can't better yourself when you hate yourself.
                            Very true. I've found that self-acceptance is the foundation to any kind of self-discovery or development. Not judging.
                            Once a man, like the sea I raged;
                            Once a woman, like the earth I gave;
                            And there is in fact more earth than sea.
                            Genesis lyric

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                              #15
                              Re: Shadow Work

                              This thread is already better than an average self help book.
                              baah.

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