Have you seen the shadow work journaling jazz across the internet? It’s been trending a lot over the past few years, but what is shadow work journaling really all about?
Shadow work journaling is not the end-all and be-all for personal growth, but rather a tool on your journey of self-growth.
It’s all about self-reflection and getting to know yourself better than ever before. Then, you begin to understand yourself so well that you can begin to heal emotional issues.
Get ready to accelerate your journey to emotional freedom and self-discovery. Prepare to meet your shadow!
The Origin of Shadow Work
The concept of the shadow self was brought to life by the great psychologist Carl Jung.
Jung believed that human beings keep insecurities, fears, and other darker parts of themselves hidden within their shadow self.
According to Jung, though we may be aware of certain negative aspects of our personality, we tend to suppress them and stow them away. Why? To avoid pain.
It’s a form of psychotherapy that focuses on parts of the psyche that are hidden away from the conscious mind.
Confused? Here’s a good demonstration of your shadow in action. Have you ever had a sudden burst of anger because of a comment from a coworker? That’s your shadow.
Many (if not most) of us have strange reactions, fears, and negative emotions that seem to come out of nowhere.
It’s as if there are hidden programs somewhere in our operating system that turn on and off when we least expect it.
Journaling for the Shadow
The shadow self and shadow work concepts have been used as psychological tools since their official discovery in the 1930s. However, it wasn’t until the 2000s that journals began to adopt shadow work.
Thanks to social media influencers, shadow work journaling has grown in popularity a lot. I love it because it takes a complex topic and turns it into an easy daily ritual.
Psychotherapy can be a daunting process for many people. The shadow work journal has become a companion that helps people throughout the process.
Shadow work isn’t a replacement for psychotherapy. Actually, it can support it.
Shadow Work Benefits
The ultimate goal of shadow work is to identify patterns of pain, and hidden emotional triggers, and declassify the countless dark files of the mind.
It’s worth noting that not every aspect of the shadow self is bad.
For example: you may be an impulsive person, but in a good way (e.g. productivity). Impulsiveness isn’t inherently bad. However, it is generally frowned upon by society. It sure is useful for getting chores done!
Benefits of Shadow Work
Here are a few benefits that you’ll notice from shadow work.
Increased Self Awareness
So many people walk around as if they’re programs in The Matrix. Reactions, behavioral patterns, and habits are very automatic.
Very few of us take the time to examine why act the way that we do. Maybe it’s the cashier that you lost your patience with or you raised your voice at your child.
If you’ve ever paused and thought “Why do I act this way?”, I believe that you’re in the small percentage of people on this Earth that is self-aware.
Heck, just the fact that you’re reading a blog post about shadow work shows that you probably have some good self-awareness.
The beauty of shadow work is that it takes your self-awareness to a whole new level.
You’ll have a lot of aha moments where you realize “Oh, so that’s why I act this way” or “Oh, so that’s why I got angry last night.”
Heal Your Inner Child
One thing that I learned from the entrepreneur and self-growth author Brian Tracy is that adults are just grown-up children.
While people do grow in knowledge and wisdom, they still have thousands of “brain tattoos” from all of the trauma, beliefs, and ideas from their childhood.
It’s a sad fact that many people grow old and die while they’re still struggling with the same emotional baggage from when they were 8 years old.
But there is hope. Emotional trauma and limiting beliefs can be healed. If you don’t believe me, just look at how the brain can change – even with seconds!
The first step to healing your inner child is to understand your inner child.
Start having compassion for the little you. Give little you a big hug and have a long talk about what’s bothering him/her.
Better Relationships
I once heard from my life coach that your partner is your greatest spiritual teacher. Boy, isn’t that the truth!
I don’t know about you, but you can only hide a fear or insecurity from a significant other for so long.
You may put on a mask at the beginning of the relationship, but your deep baggage will eventually emerge to the surface in the form of anger, jealousy, or another negative emotion.
Dealing with your shadow self head-on and embracing the journey of inner child healing will gradually transform you into a meta-cognitive human being.
The more that you heal and love yourself, the more soothing your presence will be. You’ll react less, be calmer, and be able to handle relationships much easier.
What happens if you snap out in anger for no reason? No problem; just have self-compassion and do some inner exploration to find the cause of your anger.
Less Stress
No matter how healthy your diet is or how physically active you are, let’s face it, psychological issues can eat you alive.
Resolving, or at least healing, your inner child means less stress, more relaxation, and greater enjoyment throughout your daily activities.
Get On With It!
Another benefit of shadow work is that you can start to move on from the same personal baggage that has held you back for years!
What have your own limiting beliefs, fears, and baggage prevented you from doing? Procrastination? Getting into a new relationship?
Shadow work helps you to forgive and let go so that you can reach your full potential as a human being.
Why Journaling Is the Perfect Shadow Work Tool
With all of the dark, messy baggage inside of your brilliant brain, healing can seem a bit daunting.
The beauty of having a journal is that you can break down shadow work into easy-to-digest chunks. In fact, it’s all just one question at a time!
A Great Tool for Therapy
Also, if you’re seeing a therapist, there may be times when you get nervous or have brain fog.
If your therapist asks a question, you may stumble to answer because you can’t “reach” for the answer in your brain.
A shadow work journal is not meant to replace therapists but to complement them. If a therapist brings up an insecurity or problem that you have, you can just whip out your handy dandy shadow work journal.
You can even let your therapist read some of your shadow work journal if you like – only if you’re comfortable with it of course.
Put Your Inner Mess On Paper
You may also find that by putting all of your messy thoughts on paper, your brain feels a little less heavy.
It’s like how people recommend putting your thoughts on paper before bedtime to improve your sleep.
Putting your thoughts on paper allows you to take a break from them. If you ever want them back, they’ll be right there on paper.
Tips for Getting Started
Shadow work is an easy-to-start process. Deep inner work might be a big animal to tame, but baby steps will turn into giant leaps. Here are a few tips for getting started right away.
Personalize Your Journal
Your shadow work journal is your safe haven for self-growth and self-reflection.
There are no rules for creating a perfect shadow work journal. Personalize your journal and make it fun. Spiral bound, notebook style, or a mess of papers – whatever suits you.
I’ve seen a lot of great videos on YouTube and TikTok where people share their journals. You can use blank sheets of paper or journal prompts.
You can even write down inspirational quotes, colors, or stickers.
Design your journal so that you can stick with it and have fun in the process.
Heck, you can even have a journal with a big smiley face on the front, or dare I say, a shadow or the moon.
Optimize Your Journaling Area
It’s important to have a good, safe area for doing your shadow work journaling. With shadow work, you’re going to be in a deep state of contemplation.
You definitely want to avoid getting distracted while journaling and be able to get into the zone.
If you’re inside and live with other people, set up a relaxing nook in your room, maybe by the window or in a cozy spot in the corner.
You can even go to the park and get outside if you’d like. Parks are wonderful places for journaling.
Use Shadow Work With Other Personal Growth Tools
As I stated above, your shadow work journal is a tool for personal growth. However, it’s meant to complement other self-growth tools.
My work here at Mind Body Jungle is all about blending together psychology, healthy habits, and mind/body practices all into one.
Here are some other personal growth tools that you can use to complement shadow work.
Therapists
A therapist is like a mental health coach who helps you to grow and become the greatest version of yourself. Your personal guide on the path to healing.
Just as you get a massage therapist for sore muscles or a chiropractor for a kinked-up spine, you get a therapist for your aching mind.
Based on my experience and the experiences of other people, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all therapist. Just like you personalize your journal, personalize your therapist.
Find a therapist that you resonate with and is willing to work with you on your shadow work journaling journey.
And remember, no shame in therapy. I’m pretty sure that having a therapist is cool these days.
Mindfulness & Meditation
While I’m a big fan of shadow work, there is a caveat. You have to think, think, think, and then, think some more. It can have your mental wheels spinning a lot!
Take a break from thinking about shadow work and ground yourself in the present moment. Get to the essence of who you are which is the stillness within.
I believe that each one of us is already 100% whole and complete at the core of our being. Being broken and hurt are simply emotions that are on the surface.
The depth of your being is like the bottom of the ocean – always calm and still. Then, you get to the surface of the ocean and everything is violent, wavy, and may even have a hurricane or two.
Take 5 minutes or so each day and bring yourself back to the stillness within. Then, you can return to your shadow work journal. It’ll always be there for you when you’re meditating.
Furthermore, meditation and mindfulness increase your self-awareness which perfectly complements shadow work.
Stretch and Breathe
Negative emotions make the body very tense. Exploring your shadow self can bring up a lot of negative emotions and tense up your body.
Staying as loose and relaxed as possible throughout your shadow work journey will make life a lot easier.
My recommendation is to take time every day to breathe deeply and stretch out your body.
Qi gong exercises are also great for shaking out the nervous tension from the body and wiping the slate clean on your nervous system.
Consider making stretching and deep breathing a part of your morning or evening routine. It’s my own personal belief that getting rid of tension in the body helps a lot with emotional healing.
Spirituality
I’m not sure what your spiritual or religious beliefs are, or if you have neither, but tapping into the spiritual side of things can benefit your shadow work journey.
Whatever your beliefs are, focusing on your spiritual life can give your life more meaning and purpose. It’ll make shadow work all the more powerful on your healing journey.
Recap
Shadow work is the beginning of an incredible journey of facing your inner demons, overcoming limiting thought patterns, and reaching your full potential.
And remember, you don’t have to be on this journey alone. Enlist the help of friends, parents, your therapist, or whoever else for support on this journey.
Consider doing shadow work with friends and having a partner go through the same process with you. Share your thoughts and tips with one another.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post and gained some clarity about shadow work journaling! If you’d like some shadow work journal prompts, check out my blog post here for some ideas.