Hello beautiful souls...
If you have been following the past few articles here about the dark night of the soul, this article is a continuation of the process I've been going through, and I am eager to share these realizations with you as you journey on your own path. So let's dive in.
~Shadow Work~
I mentioned shadow work briefly in the last article and want to explain a little more about what it is and how we benefit from working with our shadow self.
Shadow work is a process of exploring the areas of ourself that remain hidden and suppressed to our conscious mind.
Its the parts of our past that we have chosen to forget; experiences that caused some form of trauma that remain unhealed, and the personality traits that were birthed from these experiences that are less than desirable.
A part of shadow work is observing the shadow self through life experiences that are filled with stress, emotional distress, and mental anguish. Our shadow self is the parts of our personality that engages in the opportunities to finally be witnessed by the conscious mind when perceived negative situations seem to be running our lives.
Over the past few weeks its become increasingly clear the importance of vulnerability in shadow work, and why we have no choice but to embrace it, if we desire true healing for the soul.
I have realized how much inner strength that can be found in the act of being vulnerable while consciously observing our shadow self.
Last week I was journaling and wrote down some of the "negative" traits of my personality that I am witnessing, and decided I was going to find out why they exist at all... meaning, where did they come from and how it is serving me..
Some of the personality traits that I perceive as parts of my shadow self that I don't want to acknowledge are.. entitled, bossy, controlling, and cruel.
~Its important to understand when choosing to witness your shadow self parts, its not about name-calling on yourself, its simply acknowledging without judgement but instead with awareness and a yearning to understand better.~
When you are doing inner soul work, its important to ask why... then ask why again... and again and again, until you get to the roots, the origin of which these came. (this is why journaling, actually writing things down, is so highly advised)
What I found within myself was an entire cauldron of distrust... distrust in life, in people, in the male figures in my childhood, in the concept of support on all levels... distrust to the Nth degree.
and needless to say I was stunned, but then again, no I wasn't, you know what I mean?
If I were to lay out my life's timeline to you, you would understand. If you were to lay out your life's timeline to me, I would understand too... and this is where the medicine of vulnerability shines its big and beautiful light.
Shadow work is an amazing opportunity to not only learn and love yourself more deeply, it is an opportunity to love others and understand them more deeply too.
Every relationship you have can become more pure, more supported, more genuine when you do your own shadow work. Because in our own shadow work, we become more understanding of others shadow. We don't need to know the details of why someone is the way they are; its easier to see that others have had circumstances within their personal life's journey too that has created where they are right now.
We become less concerned with trying to fix others.
We become more forgiving and understanding, offering more grace.
In these last few weeks of connecting with my own vulnerability and sharing what I am going through with all of you, many of you have reached out to me expressing your own dark night of the soul..
thats what vulnerability does. It allows others the space to open up and become a conscious witness for themselves. Vulnerability is the medicine for any spiritual awakening..
So, I will end with this...
Be vulnerable in what you are going through. Be vulnerable in how you see yourself, and how you see others. Simply choosing to become vulnerable may be your first step in your journey to uncovering your own truths, and that act of self love will change your outer world as your inner world evolves.
Love to all of you,
Tara Renee'
The artwork in the title is a mural I took a picture of here in Tucson, AZ. I was drawn to it for a number of reasons. The black and white of the woman in a colorful background is how I have been feeling lately. I am also called to remember the cycles of life, as not going up or down but rather around and around, with new lessons to be learned.
This mural can be found in downtown Tucson.