Written by: Barbora Jedlovská, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
''Diving into your shadow work isn't always easy or enjoyable but on the other side of it is a life where you get to be your true, unique self.'' ‒ C. B. Reid We all have certain parts of us that are hidden, covered in guilt, grief, shame, doubts, or worries that we accumulated throughout life, and exposing yourself as an onlinepreneur can bring up those parts even more intensely. Those parts of us that are hidden in the shadows need to come to light in order for us to evolve, to grow, and often, to heal.
As much as shadow work can sound scary I want to reframe that for you and show you that investing your time in shadow work eventually brings a lot of love, light, inspiration, and excitement. Not even mentioning other benefits that it can cause by putting it into regular practice. In this beginner guide to shadow work, I am going to give you a taste of how to start with shadow work, including why it might be beneficial on your spiritual journey that surely might affect your business, too.
What is Shadow work and why is it important?
At its core, shadow work is about self-reflection, self-discovery, and self-examination. It is a form of introspective work where you are exploring, discovering, and sometimes confronting the version of you who you really are based on traits that you disowned. Simply put, it's about getting to know yourself on a deeper level ‒ the good, the bad, the ugly.
The pattern that usually shapes your shadow self is often based on traumas and hurtful experiences and memories that you have lived through or ideas that you have about yourself that are untrue. Some of these might be conscious but the majority is unconscious and your conscious awareness will not recognize it until you start exploring them.
Essentially, shadow work is the part of ourselves that we don't like to acknowledge or it's really hard for us to do so because it's that dark side of our personality that is often based in guilt, envy, shame, or greed. And why do we blind ourselves to these parts of ourselves? Because since a young age we are not encouraged to face them, yet rather to reject them.
Let's reframe
Again, not trying to belittle how shadow work can feel, rather I invite you to reframe the whole vibe around it. I want to encourage you to not see it as anything good or bad (because nothing really is good or bad, everything just is), but to accept it as part of you and approach it gently, with an open heart and compassion. Entering the whole shadow work practice with such an attitude definitely helps to decrease resistance around it and not see it as 'something is wrong with me, so let's fix it' kind of thing. There is nothing necessarily to fix, it is all about becoming aware of the opposite side of your bright side. Shadow work does not define you, you are not a bad person or less worthy, we all have things that have happened in our lives and they somehow emotionally touched us, however, as much as shadow work should not leave you feeling less, it is important to realize that as long as your shadows go unexamined, you might continue repeating the same patterns and experiencing the same triggers over and over again in your life.
How to start with Shadow work?
It can be recommended to look for professional support while starting with shadow work. Identifying and facing parts that need to be healed can be a very challenging and painful process, so having that extra support from someone who can also navigate you how to deal with everything that comes up is a wise choice.
Remember that the purpose of shadow work is to have greater self-compassion and grace with yourself, not to feel worse about yourselves! The support of a professional can help you frame and process what you discover and channel it into greater love for yourself. If you still want to start on your own, I recommend journaling and mostly, being patient, compassionate, and kind with yourself, making sure you do not slip into identifying yourself with anything that comes up while practicing shadow work and not letting yourself down into a hole of negativity, despair, and self-hate. That being said, I would still recommend having someone professional take you through this process especially when you are a beginner. Journaling Prompts for Shadow work: One of my favorite practices and tools to dive deeper into my shadow work is journaling. I do believe that journaling gives us the opportunity to self-reflect and explore in the safety of our own presence. There is no one else to judge. It is just between you and you. If you feel called to try journaling for shadow work, try using some of these prompts that can be good guidance: What triggers me most in my life and my business/work and why?
What do I overdo or overcompensate with? When do I feel unworthy?
When are my boundaries unclear with others?
What do I do to protect myself and why? I hope this beginner guide to shadow work serves you well. Remember that shadow work is not bad altogether, it is a part of your journey to free yourself from what is owning you and often eating you from inside out. Connect with me on IG if you have any questions or if you want to share your experience. Thank you for stopping by, Barbora
Barbora Jedlovská, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Barbora Jedlovska is an international Mindset, Manifestation & Personal-development coach, online educator, and ex-pat living in Scandinavia for the last 11 years. She has been certified as a high-performance Proctor Gallagher consultant working alongside Bob Proctor.
Barbora helps to draw out your hidden blocks and blind spots, effortlessly dissolve them and propel you towards your highest potential. With Barbora, you work on reprogramming your thinking and unblocking limiting beliefs that are holding you back on your deepest subconscious level.
Barbora supports people who are stuck, frustrated, confused and isolated to find inner peace, clarity and connection so they can go all out and really flourish instead of merely existing or settling for a mediocre life. She is all about bringing more alignment and ease to your life while helping you to raise your awareness and consciousness to reach your full potential.
Barbora's approach is half scientific and half esoteric/spiritual as she strongly believes that both aspects are equally important when it comes to transforming someone's life. In her work, she applies Human Design, Neuroscience, Quantum physics, Spirituality and Energetics.
