What Is Shadow Work? A Beginner’s Guide With 5 Journal Prompts

What is shadow work? This beginner-friendly guide explains the practice and offers 5 journal prompts to help you start safely and intuitively.

What is shadow work?

Carl Jung, father of modern psychology and popularizer of the term “shadow work” wrote:

“Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is. At all counts, it forms an unconscious snag, thwarting our most well-meant intentions.”

In psychology and spirituality, “shadow work” is essentially what we do when we consciously investigate the parts of ourselves that we’d normally prefer to keep hidden. This often involves looking at what we perceive as our “negative,” “unattractive,” or “undesirable” impulses and traits.

Why We Need Shadow Work

By bringing what has previously been in darkness out into the light of awareness, we become more integrated and self-aware. We become empowered to forgive ourselves for what we’ve previously hidden. We accept and approve of ourselves more than we did before, which in turn helps us to feel more grounded, more powerful, and more comfortable in the world.

There is no one who doesn’t have both “positive” and “negative” desires, impulses, and traits. For example, we all have narcissistic tendencies. We can all be selfish at times. We all have mean-spirited thoughts. None of us get through life without making social gaffes, feeling awkward, and seeing ourselves as the odd man out. When we are not honest with ourselves about this stuff, it can sneak up and sabotage us when we aren’t looking. Shadow works helps us reclaim our power.

Often, we think of shadow work as a drag. But shadow work can actually be pretty fun. We can learn a lot from our less saintlike or socially approved aspects. For example, shadow work can teach you to transform heartbreak into joy and create beauty out of past pain. Shadow work can help you set yourself free.

So, now that you know what it is, how do you actually get started with shadow work? How do you actually “do” it? Here are 5 shadow work journal prompts that will help you begin to explore your shadow.

1. Ask Yourself: Who Am I Jealous of? Whom Do I Envy?

Your shadow aspects are not always “unlovable” in the eyes of the world. Sometimes, we actually suppress the beautiful and light-filled aspects of ourselves out of a lack of belief in our strengths, talents, abilities, or general worthiness. Or maybe we think we’d be “showing off” if we let our inner rock star out. The people we’re jealous or envious of serve as neon-lit arrows pointing to these shadow strengths. Because jealousy and envy help point the way to something we’re not expressing or claiming in ourselves. If you are jealous of three people, or five people, or twenty people (people you know personally or famous people you only know from afar), what traits or behaviors do these people have in common? And how can you begin to embody these traits or behaviors yourself?

2. Ask Yourself: Who Annoys or Irritates Me?

Annoyance is often an X that marks the spot above a shadow aspect in your own psyche. Most likely, whatever it is that annoys you is showing you something you really don’t want to see in yourself. Maybe something you don’t like about yourself or something you’re afraid to embody or claim.

This journal prompt asks you to explore just what it is about this person or people who annoy and irritate you so much. What feelings do they give you? What do you resent about them? And when you look honestly at these qualities you resent or dislike, can you see anything you wish you could embody yourself? Or anything you have been judging about yourself?

Bring these shadow aspects into the light. Admit them to yourself and let them have a seat at the table of your awareness. In the days ahead, see if you want to embody them, admit them, embrace them, or let them go. Soon, you will likely notice that you are much less annoyed by the other person.

3. Ask Yourself: What Traits Am I Most Afraid of Embodying?

Most of us have at least one or two things that we are horrified of being or becoming. Maybe you’re always working yourself to the bone out of a terror of being lazy or broke, or maybe you run yourself ragged making small talk because you hate the thought of being rude or aloof. Thanks to media and advertising, many of us live in fear of being unattractive or out of style.

Honestly assess the qualities you absolutely, hands down, never ever want to be. Then answer this journal prompt by asking yourself, “What if I weren’t terrified of being that anymore? What if I were comfortable with the idea that I might, sometimes, be lazy or rude or out of style (or whatever). And what if I loved myself anyway? How would that feel?”

4. Ask Yourself: What “EMBARRASSING” or “Unattractive” behaviors Might be sorta fun?

This one can turn up some delightful answers. For example, maybe it would be kinda fun to take cheesy selfies of yourself all the time, unapologetically wear your pajamas to the grocery store, or make snarky jokes at inappropriate times. Think of the “unlikable characters” you most enjoy in books, movies, and television. There’s a reason you’re partial to them! Just maybe you admire their freedom to be unliked.

5. Ask Yourself: How Does My Shadow Show Up In My Dreams?

Finally, respond to this shadow work journal prompt: do I have any recurring dreams that might relate to my shadow?

Many people have recurring dreams about being naked in public, being late for something important, or trying to cover up a murder they’ve committed. If you feel shame or fear about something you are (or aren’t) or something you’ve done (or not done) in a dream, chances are good your shadow is playing a role.

 If you are absolutely petrified of not being responsible 24/7, it’d be natural to dream about being late for a plane or a work meeting. Dreaming of being naked in public could indicate exposing something about yourself you’d rather keep hidden..

Ask yourself what such dreams are showing you about your shadow. Then free write and you’ll discover you probably know the answer. If you think you don’t, try asking yourself, “But what if I had to guess?” Shine light into the shadow aspect of yourself and see if you can be OK with not being a saint, or Mr. Responsible, or always knowing how to behave, or whatever. Imagine how great it would feel if you didn’t have to pretend to be perfect. Imagine if you could just be exactly as you are, and love yourself anyway. What if you could love your whole, multi-faceted, full-spectrum self, without apology? Can you imagine how powerful you would feel?

Remember:

Deciding to engage in shadow work doesn’t mean you have to criticize yourself, or indulge your worst aspects, or become someone you don’t like. It simply means that you’re willing to open up to the fullness of who you are. When you do that, you gain more mastery, not less. When you invite all the parts of you to the party, you widen your perspective and open up to more possibility and potential. By acknowledging your whole self, you don’t have to worry about hidden aspects popping up and asserting themselves at inopportune moments. Rather, you can listen to all your impulses and intuitions, and choose which ones to act on in any given moment.

Once you’ve uncovered shadow aspects by responding to the journal prompts above, you might want to put on music and dance them. Or paint them. Or write stories or screenplays about them. Or let your wardrobe or sense of humor reflect them. In general, get creative and have fun with all the many intriguing and rebellious aspects of who you are.

 Did the shadow work journal prompts reveal anything that surprised you? I’d love to hear about it! Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

P.S. If you’re looking for a book on shadow work, I loved this one.