#INTO THE WILD SHADOW WORK JOURNAL HOW TO#
#INTO THE WILD SHADOW WORK JOURNAL FREE#

Maybe your brother was teasing you one day, and it finally got too much, so you shouted at him to stop and threw a tantrum. You felt shame and embarrassment, and perhaps you tamed your personality down from that day forwards.

Maybe you were messing around and being silly at school one day, and your teacher made you stand up and shouted at you in front of the whole class. All of a sudden, your mother came over and shouted,” pull your dress down, and don’t do that again, that’s a very bad thing to do! And so, you learned to think your body was bad or something that should be hidden.

#INTO THE WILD SHADOW WORK JOURNAL FREE#

We’ve all experienced negative cues from society when we expressed certain parts of ourselves.įor example, maybe as a little girl, you were playing in the garden with friends in the summer, and you lifted your dress up because you were warm, having fun, and feeling free in the moment. Except, this child carries this ever-growing bag around with her, often unknowingly, for the rest of her life. Those unaccepted or discouraged parts of herself are gathered into a bag and sealed tightly at the top, out of view. Plus, they fear that any disapproval may threaten their safety and basic human needs. Most children want nothing more than to make their parents proud and feel like they belong.

But when she does something “bad,” she will be scolded or made to feel judged or rejected. When she does something “good,” she will often be met with praise and appreciation. Opinions, judgments, and self-awareness are yet to find her, and so she is unapologetically herself in every moment.īut as she grows up, she learns to view certain behaviors and thoughts as good and bad. When a baby is first born, she has a beautifully clean slate. Each time you repress your shadow, it grows. They become a part of our unconscious, which remains with us wherever we go, whatever we do. Except, they don’t go anywhere, and we never get rid of them. We push them as far down as we possibly can, out of sight and out of mind. We edit, tame, and disown this part of ourselves because we don’t believe these emotions align with the image we want to portray to the outside world.Īnd so, we disown these parts of who we are. But anything we have deemed bad, inferior, or unacceptable becomes a part of our shadow. “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.”-Carl Jung.Īlthough negative emotions like rage, envy, desire, and greed reside in our shadow, many positive emotions can be found in the darkness. In contrast, our conscious mind is the light-we can see it and are aware of it. The shadow is also known as our subconscious mind-we cannot see it clearly, which means we are not fully aware of it. We walk out into the world wearing a mask because we believe bearing who we truly are feels too painful or daunting, and we fear being judged or outcast by society. The parts we consciously repress or aren’t aware of. Our shadow is the hidden parts of our being. The concept of the shadow self was first coined by psychologist Carl Jung, whose work is often referred to as Jungian psychology.

All you’ll need is an open mind and heart.

#INTO THE WILD SHADOW WORK JOURNAL HOW TO#

If you’re looking for a simple yet clear explanation of what the shadow self is and how to start your own shadow work today, you’re in the right place. Shadow work can be particularly beneficial for anyone who has experienced deep trauma, including child abuse, partner abuse, sexual assault or rape, or extreme violence. Is it easier to ignore your shadow self and pretend it doesn’t exist? In knowing what is holding me back, I have created a more authentic and fulfilling life. Through shining a light on those dark places, I have stripped those thoughts and memories of their power. However, I very much believe that when we stay within our comfort zone, we remain stagnant and miss out on growth.Įngaging in regular shadow work has forced me to confront all the things that lurk deep inside me-all of the fears, shame, and trauma I’ve buried and repressed since childhood. That’s why I’ll be breaking those myths down in this article and showing you how to embrace and work with your shadow and the many benefits of doing so.Ĭonsistently confronting my shadow self and engaging in regular shadow work hasn’t always been easy or comfortable. The terms shadow self and shadow work are loaded with misconceptions and mystery. Welcome to this in-depth guide on shadow work for women.

Into the wild shadow work journal