Thread by @thehealingpaige, Okay, let's spend some time to talk about Shadow Works!I'd like you [...]

Okay, let's spend some time to talk about Shadow Works!
I'd like you all to note that what I'm saying below is all based on my own experience and journey. This is not the 101 guide and if you have your own opinion/ method, feel free to work with what's been working for you,

I'm not here to tell you what to do, and I won't tell you what to do. Do we have an understanding here? Okay, good, let's go.

So what we are starting with is, what exactly is a Shadow Self?
According to Wikipedia:
In Jungian psychology, the "shadow", "Id", or "shadow aspect/archetype" may refer to (1) an unconscious aspect of the personality which the conscious ego does not identify in itself, or

(2) the entirety of the unconscious, i.e., everything of which a person is not fully conscious. In short, the shadow is the unknown side.

Personally, I define the Shadow Self as an expect of ourselves which we have hidden away in order to fit into this society, for safety, for survival. It is one of the many aspects within a human character, some lighter, some darker, but neither are good nor bad. They just are.

Understanding that the world doesn't just make up of black and white would help you understand a Shadow Self so much better. The Shadows are basically shades of greys, they are not the bad guys. Some of them could appear to be scary though, but it's as scary as Elsa who's unable

to control her own ice power and allowed her power to control her instead. Indeed, Elsa's character in Frozen has showcased her Shadow Works. Her ice power is the shadow she was forced to hide, because her parents conditioned her that way out of fears.

Now, this part is important to understand. Her parents told her to conceal her power out of care, out of wanting to protect Elsa and Anna. That doesn't make them a pair of bad parents. They are afraid, they don't understand Elsa's power and hence they did the only thing they

could to help her. Understanding this would help you find some compassion within yourself to forgive those who has forced you to hide your own shadows as well. The world isn't bad to us by conditioning us to hide our uniqueness, the world just didn't understand our uniqueness.

The Shadows indeed, are our unique self. It could be that you who are super confident and bright, but your parents could have been raised the way that they relate anyone who is super confident and bright could lead them into troubles, so they conditioned you to be like them:

"keep your head down", "never talk to others if you're not talked to first", "don't be stupid and volunteer to do things for free because others are going to rip you off", etc. Sounds familiar? Yeah, a lot of the older generations would rather keep a low profile because they

don't want to get into any troubles. It is understandable, time were tough back then and those were the lessons they've learned. It's not like the same can still be apply nowadays. We are living in a different society now compare to when they've fought for their survival.

So how do we work with our shadows, you ask? Well, firstly, you have to start by wanting to get to know them. The first and foremost thing a shadow ever wanted is to be seen, to be understood and to be loved. And if you're trying to look into it via a lens of judgement, you're

already scaring your Shadows to hide deeper into yourself.

So what came easy to me when I started working with my Shadows. I've always been doing some sort of Shadow Works all my life, only that I never know what to call it. While yes, my Scorpio placements do help me to get

into this naturally - I'd say, any placements can do this work. But it does require a certain level of honesty with yourself to help you get through this.

So, the biggest obstacles in this work is our judgement and our fears towards our shadows. How do we take these two out of

the equation that could help us to see our shadows better?

My method is to start with seeing your Shadows Self as a fictional character. We are just going to play pretend a little, and see your Shadow as this antagonist. Hurt, in pain and would lash out to anyone trying to get

closer to them. They are often misunderstood, painted as villain. But you can sympathize why these characters are the way they are, right? Why are they scared? Won't you want to spend a little more time to understand them? To accept them as they are? To give them love?

Perhaps that I've been that writer who wrote one too many broken characters allowed me to see and do this work easier. My Shadow Self to me, is a part of me - sometimes I call her little Paige - who's just often misunderstood, she pretends to be strong to hide her weakness, and

she definitely craves for love deep down too. Having this compassion and love and most importantly, non-judgement - would allow you to get closer to your Shadows and subsequently understand them much better. And that's all a Shadow ever wanted, to be understood and held and

accepted. Your Shadows have so much to give too, they hold gifts sometimes even you never thought you've own. And no, not all shadows are dark and scary, some of these shadows are simply that 5-year-old you that was being told to hide her tears because she has grown up enough

and shouldn't be crying in public. I call her my Shadow Child (literally, it's a work of Shadow Self and Inner Child combine), and embracing her has allowed me to get more in-touch with my emotions, with expressing my emotions, and in turn, my relationship with myself, and my

psychic abilities too, has just shot right up (which makes sense, of course, because a lot of our psychic abilities rely on our ability to feel).

I hope this thread brought you all some insight regarding Shadow Works, I was meant to do a proper blog post about this but things

had been hectic and I've once again put it off to a back-burner until my guides came at me today and like, "No Paige, you need to do this today," and here I am, sharing some insights on one of my favourite topic among all spiritual topics.

If you have any questions, feel free to drop them my way! I'll answer them if I know the answer and have the time for it.

I'd like you all to know that, while yes, I've been doing the Shadow Work all my life I've only been doing it intuitvely. Like, sure, I've read some

articles about it, but I've never been very invested in following the instructions written and hence. I'd say I'm learning and still learning about this work, as well as everything else.

A shameless self plug here: I do offer Tarot Reading and Reiki Session for Shadow Self!

Also, because your girl here needs to eat and pay her rent, so if you find this thread helpful and you'd like to tip, I'd gracefully receive.

https://www.paypal.me/paigeyin119

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