The name “shadow work” sounds so much more scary and cool than it is. Shadow work is simply accepting the parts of ourselves that we don’t like. Shadow work is essential in anyone’s craft because the more we accept ourselves, the more power we tap into. This will speed up your manifestation and get you into that 5d state of mind. I am making it sound so easy but this is the side of witchcraft that isn’t as fun. How I like to do my shadow work is through meditation and a couple rituals that I have found effective.
First I like to do a guided meditation. Even if I already know what is wrong, meditation helps me hone in on the root of the problem. It also helps to give my mind a more accurate perspective. Meditating usually shows me that my problem is smaller than I think it is which helps me integrate the shadow aspect of myself that I am struggling with. I have one meditation that I always use that I will link at the bottom. After that I like to find meditations that pertain to the specific problem I am dealing with. For example if I am dealing with anxiety I will find a meditation for anxiety. After I meditate I like to journal everything I learned or realized.
Next I do a ritual with a candle. All you need for this is is dark room, a white candle, and a pen and paper. In a dark room you will light a candle and write a sentence about what you are feeling. Make it deep and detailed. Then you will chant the following incantation until you can really feel the healing energy inside you:
My shadow
My darkside
I see you, I know you, I bless you, I embrace you
No need to hold back
I want you to be bright
For without darkness there is no light
Next I have my mirror ritual. All you need is a mirror. I prefer to do this in the dark as well but its up to you. Whenever you are ready, look in the mirror and start saying negative aspects about yourself until one conjures an emotional reaction. This is what we are going to focus on. Then start saying that you are not that. For example if I thought that I was ugly I would start by saying “I am ugly” and then I would change it to “I am not ugly.” I also like to say affirmations like “I am beautiful” because affirmations are powerful if you use them regularly. Do this until you feel an inner motivation for change. This feeling means the transmutation has begun. To end the ritual I also like to say “the transmutation has begun.”
Shadow work is a hard thing to do sometimes but once you do it you will most likely feel better. Sometimes it will even take you on a journey. There are also so many ways to do shadow work so it’s good to research and find the best method for you. If you want to learn more, research the psychologist, Carl Jung because he coined the term shadow work. Witchcraft also has a lot of psychology so this concept is very interesting to explore, especially if you are a beginner.
Venusian VVitches 