Good Morning Kittens, 

I am so excited to be writing about our ongoing Shadow Workshop series. In this post I hope to convey what the Shadow is, what sorts of methods we use to explore the shadow and ways in which you can take this work and do it at home if you’d like. 

Shadow work is a transformative practice that involves bringing our unconscious thoughts and behaviors into the light. Triggers play a crucial role in this process, acting as signals that guide us toward areas in need of healing. By engaging in shadow work, we confront and integrate these hidden parts of ourselves, fostering greater wholeness. This is exactly what we’re going to be working with our time together on Wednesday. We are going to allow you to bravely work through triggers with supportive and lovely individuals who are all aimed at the same goal. By viewing these moments from different perspectives, we gain insight into their root causes, leading to deeper self-awareness and growth.

 

Triggers are those specific events, interactions, or words that provoke a strong emotional response within us. While often perceived negatively, these moments of discomfort hold immense potential for personal growth and self-understanding. Rather than thinking of the world in binaries of good and bad, the idea here is the view all things how they truly are. Triggers are teachers that allow us to, with some help, reframe our perception of triggers, viewing them not as setbacks, but as powerful opportunities for transformation.

Triggers are our greatest teachers, revealing the deep-seated beliefs and stories we've constructed about ourselves. These stories often clash with our true eternal Devine, whole and already perfect self. By examining these reactions, we can begin to understand and dismantle the narratives that no longer serve us.

Growth often requires us to step into discomfort. By intentionally placing ourselves in challenging situations, we open the door to profound self-discovery. When we examine why certain situations or words trigger us, we uncover the hidden aspects of our psyche, allowing us to address and heal them.

We’re going to be using a few different tools in Wednesdays workshop to get through this together. Dr. Carolyn Elliott’s work offers valuable tools for handling emotional responses. Her advocacy for existential mirror work helps individuals confront and understand their triggers, promoting healing and integration. Her understanding of the universe has been pivotal in helping me to release fears and truly start living the life I’d like to live. It’s allowed me to give myself permission to live to my own standards. My own path. My own journey. While people’s input is important, it’s far less important than living my own authentically me life. 

She outlines several really valuable tools to help us explore and look more deeply at ourselves. 

Byron Katie’s work and the 4 questions and turn-around are just one tool we’ll be using for our workshop. The following is the breakdown of those questions and how they work.

The Four Questions:

Is it true?

This question asks you to examine whether the thought or belief you have is absolutely true. It encourages honesty and reflection.

Can you absolutely know that it's true?

This question goes deeper, asking for absolute certainty. Often, this reveals that many thoughts and beliefs we hold are not as solid as we think.

How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?

This question helps you to see the impact of the thought on your emotions, behavior, and overall well-being. It brings awareness to the consequences of holding onto the belief.

Who would you be without the thought?

This question invites you to imagine your life and your emotional state if you didn't have the thought. It helps to reveal the freedom and peace that could be present without the belief.

The Turnaround:

After answering the four questions, you perform the Turnaround, which involves reversing the thought or belief to its opposite. There are typically three types of turnarounds:

To the Self:

This involves turning the thought around to reflect on yourself. For example, "He doesn't listen to me" might become "I don't listen to me" or "I don't listen to him."

To the Other:

This turnaround reverses the thought to apply to the other person. For example, "He doesn't respect me" might become "I don't respect him."

To the Opposite:

This involves stating the complete opposite of the original thought. For example, "I am not good enough" might become "I am good enough."

These questions along with a guided meditation and some free writing exercises are what you can expect in this next workshop. All of this integration works because you are the one willing to step up and start looking more closely in the mirror. It’s all just you, remember?

The journey of embracing and understanding and working to incorporate your shadow is one of becoming whole. By facing our discomfort head-on, we unlock our true potential, living more holistically and with less emotional reactivity. This process not only transforms our relationship with ourselves but also enhances our interactions and relationships with others.