Your Shadow Work Journal Prompts:
What traits or behaviors in others trigger strong negative reactions in me, and why might they reflect something within myself?
What am I most ashamed or afraid to admit about myself, and how might that part of me be influencing my decisions or actions?
In what ways do I sabotage my own happiness or success, and what deeper fears or beliefs could be driving this?
What unexpressed emotions (anger, sadness, jealousy) do I tend to suppress, and how can I safely acknowledge and release them?
Hello, Soul Journalers!
Have you ever done shadow work? Perhaps you’ve heard of it but haven’t known where to begin or why it’s beneficial. I fell into that category until recently, and I honestly sort of just avoided it or danced around with it, never going too deep. But it’s a huge part of getting to know and understand yourself—and it is especially helpful in identifying the false stories that prevent you from hearing the true stories of your Soul.
This week’s episode is all about shadow work, and I am excited to welcome Kylie as our guest host to guide us through it!
Kylie explains what shadow work is, the benefits of doing it, and how journaling can help. With this being Scorpio season and with Samhain, Halloween, and Day of the Dead upon us, this is the perfect time to explore shadow work. (Of course, it is good to do shadow work any time of year, whenever you feel called, so don’t worry if you are listening to or reading this at a later time—it definitely still applies.)
About Kylie
Kylie is a trained trauma Shadow Work guide, writer, and teacher who helps highly sensitive women heal from the inside out so they can live authentically and thrive. You can connect with Kylie on most social media platforms and also on Spotify under the name Intuitive Legacy. You can also check out Kylie’s website and Substack publication.
Read her full essay on shadow work below, or listen to the podcast episode and journal along with us.
Shadow work is a practice that involves exploring the unconscious parts of yourself, often referred to as the "shadow." This shadow includes the emotions, desires, and traits that you've repressed or denied because they don’t align with your conscious identity. By bringing these hidden aspects into awareness, you can better understand yourself, heal emotional wounds, and grow as a person. Our shadows live in our minds, such as limiting beliefs but they also have imprinted on our DNA and nervous system.
So how do you know if your shadow is playing out and energetically impacting your life?
If you find yourself reacting strongly (with anger, jealousy, or judgment) to traits or behaviors in others, this could be a projection of your shadow. Often, what bothers us most in others reflects something in ourselves that we haven't fully accepted.
If you notice that you're stuck in repetitive cycles of behaviour that are self-destructive, unhelpful, or cause friction in relationships, it may be your shadow at play. This can include procrastination, self-sabotage, or unhealthy relationship dynamics.
Suppressed emotions like rage, shame, guilt, or envy often belong to the shadow. If you feel uneasy when certain emotions arise, you might be unconsciously avoiding them rather than acknowledging and processing them.
The unconscious mind communicates through dreams, and your shadow might appear in dream symbols, figures, or situations that evoke fear, anxiety, or discomfort. Recurring themes or confrontations in dreams can reflect shadow material.
If you find yourself reacting impulsively, irrationally, or in ways that surprise even you, it could be the shadow taking over in moments of stress or vulnerability.
Denial of certain aspects of yourself, or rationalizing behavior that you know deep down is unhealthy or unkind, is another sign of the shadow. The more you try to suppress or avoid parts of yourself, the more likely they are to emerge in indirect ways.
What are the benefits of doing shadow work?
1. Increased Self-Awareness
Shadow work helps you become more aware of your unconscious patterns, triggers, and emotional responses. When you acknowledge parts of yourself that you may have been suppressing, you gain greater control over how you respond to situations in life and business. In your personal life, this can lead to healthier relationships and emotional stability. In business, increased self-awareness can help you make more mindful decisions and avoid self-sabotaging behavior, such as procrastination or perfectionism.
2. Healing Emotional Wounds
By addressing past traumas and unresolved emotions, shadow work can help you release limiting beliefs or habits that hold you back. Often, these suppressed emotions manifest as insecurities, fears, or self-doubt, which can hinder your confidence and creativity in business. When you heal those wounds, you become more empowered, allowing you to show up authentically in both personal and professional settings.
3. Boosting Creativity
Your shadow can hold untapped potential, including creative ideas that you've repressed due to fear of judgment or failure. By integrating your shadow, you free up mental and emotional space, which can lead to bursts of creativity. For example, in your work with Instagram reels featuring raw poetry, tapping into repressed emotions can allow for more evocative, vulnerable, and authentic content that resonates deeply with your audience.
4. Improved Decision-Making
When you’re unconsciously controlled by suppressed fears or desires, your decisions can be clouded. Shadow work brings these subconscious drives to the surface, allowing you to make decisions with clarity. In business, this means you're less likely to act out of fear (e.g., fear of failure, rejection) and more likely to make decisions based on what truly aligns with your goals and values.
5. Enhanced Emotional Intelligence
Understanding your shadow also helps you develop empathy and compassion toward yourself and others. In both life and business, this can lead to stronger relationships. You'll be more patient, better able to handle criticism, and more adaptable when dealing with challenging situations. For example, recognizing your own fears can help you better understand the fears or frustrations of others, whether it’s a team member or a client.
6. Overcoming Limiting Beliefs
Shadow work helps you challenge and dismantle limiting beliefs that keep you playing small. You may discover that past experiences or societal expectations have created false narratives about your capabilities or worth. By confronting these narratives, you can replace them with empowering beliefs, allowing you to expand your personal growth and business success.
7. Increased Resilience and Self-Acceptance
When you’ve done shadow work, you become more comfortable with discomfort. Instead of running away from failure, criticism, or fear, you can face them head-on, which makes you more resilient. Accepting all parts of yourself – even the darker aspects – builds inner strength and confidence, which are crucial for navigating the ups and downs of life and business.
How to Begin Shadow Work Journaling
Write About Triggers: Reflect on situations or people that provoke strong emotional reactions in you. What do they bring up, and why?
Explore Emotions: Dive into feelings of jealousy, anger, or shame. Ask why they arise, and what they are trying to tell you.
Identify Patterns: Notice recurring thoughts or behaviors, especially those you're not proud of. What part of your shadow could be influencing them?
Embrace Self-Compassion: Shadow work can be intense, so treat yourself with kindness as you navigate it.
The four core shadow work journal prompts listed at the top of this post are designed to gently guide you into exploring your shadow in a reflective and meaningful way.
Thank you again so much to Kylie for being a guest host of the podcast, and I hope that you enjoy diving deeper into your shadows with Kylie’s prompts.
If you decide to do shadow work, remember to be kind to yourself throughout the whole process!
Have you ever explored shadow work before? What insights did you gain from this episode? Let us know and leave your thoughts in the comments below. We’d love to know if this resonated with you.
And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with anyone else who could benefit from it.
With much love and gratitude,
Marcy
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