If you’re new to your personal spiritual journey you might have recently come across the terms light work and shadow work, and you might find yourself wondering what that is. Many people practice light and shadow work as a way of bettering themselves and becoming more in tune with their bodies and minds. But what is light and shadow work and how do you get started? With so many techniques and so much information out there on the subject, it can be hard to know where to start.
If you’re unfamiliar with the terms, it is important to understand what light and shadow work is and how you can use it to your advantage to help you grow spiritually. Knowing the basics of light and shadow work will allow you to perfect your own personalized light and shadow techniques. So if you’re curious about exploring light and shadow work, keep reading for some basic tips to help you get started.
Before you can begin practicing light and shadow work, you first need to understand what it is and the importance of it. Light and shadow work focuses on the importance of balance in one’s life. It is believed that when we’re born, we are born whole. However, as we grow our lives affect us and the different aspects of ourselves can be split into two groups; light and dark. In order to be at total peace with ourselves, we have to find a balance between the two groups.
In life there is good and bad, light and dark, which within each of us is the same. Every person has dark and light within them, and it is important for these two aspects of ourselves to become and remain balanced. Having this balance allows us to fully connect with ourselves on a deeper level. If you are wanting to grow and accept all parts of yourself, light and shadow work can help you balance and connect both sides of yourself.
There are different ways one can practice light and shadow work, but the most important aspect of practicing light and shadow work is our intention behind it. If you want to get the most out of your light and shadow work, you have to commit to it. You get what you give in this instance, so if you want your light and shadow work to be effective then you have to have the right intention for doing it. If your intention for practicing light and shadow work isn’t genuine, you won’t get a genuine result.
The theory that every person has light and dark within them refers to the idea that there are both good and bad (or less desirable) aspects to each of our subconsciouses. When referring to the light aspects of our personalities and selves, we are referring to the more positive aspects of ourselves. These aspects can be our conscious dreams, our desires, our motivations, etc.
Light work is the process of enhancing and feeding our light within ourselves. The idea behind light work is to take the light aspects (our creativity, our positive thoughts, etc.) and to put it out into the world. This can be done through art, journaling, beginning a new journey, etc. Essentially, if you want to “feed” your light with light work, focus on positive experiences and activities that help you enhance these aspects.
Practicing light work is important to our well being because it allows our positive attributes to shine through. Doing light work is positive and uplifting not only for ourselves, but also for others around us. When we focus on expanding our positive attributes, we make ourselves better and ultimately are better friends, lovers, and family members.
When referring to shadow work, the “shadow” aspects of our subconsciousness aren't always something negative. The shadows discussed in shadow work can refer to the less desirable aspects of ourselves, but it can also refer to the aspects of ourselves that are unknown. Throughout our lives, some events can affect us more than others. Sometimes we can forget or repress these effects, and this is what is meant by “shadows” within shadow work.
Shadow work is the process of searching our subconscious for these aspects we might not want to think about. Shadow work is about recognizing our weaknesses and accepting them. This can take the form of meditating on past experiences, journaling, or just taking time to think on one’s past and the experiences that have shaped us into who we are.
Shadow work is important because it allows us to connect with forgotten or unknown parts of our subconsciousness, even the parts that might not be as desirable. However, in order to become fully whole and at peace with ourselves we have to accept all parts of ourselves. Practicing shadow work helps us to bring these darker aspects of ourselves into the light so that we can accept them and use them to our best ability to create a harmonious life.
Light and shadow work can be challenging at first, but the end result can be very beneficial for not only yourself, but those around you. When beginning light and shadow work it can seem intimidating, but getting started is the first step to bettering yourself and becoming more in tune with yourself. Once you start light and shadow work, it is important to remember your intentions. If you want to get the most out of your light and shadow work, then you need to put into your shadow and light work what you want to get out of it. Use this quick guide to help you get started on your light and shadow work journey.
