Does shadow work work?
Yes, shadow work does, in fact, work. Doing shadow work can be very life-changing because you grow to love yourself, others, and life in general. You will start to manifest the things you want without resistance, and you will let go of resentment along with the weight of others' expectations.
Before I get into signs your shadow work is working, I want to make sure you understand a few important things.
What is the shadow and what is shadow work?
The shadow is the side of yourself that's disconnected and unfelt. It's the part of yourself that's been rejected since childhood and you have no awareness of.
Shadow Work is integrating the entire spectrum of your being. It's the intentional process of admitting the parts of yourself you've ignored and repressed.
Does shadow work... work?
Assuming you've been taking back your projections, doing shadow work prompts, the beginner techniques, or even Active Imagination—
Here are signs your shadow work is working:
1 - You don't get triggered anymore.
Those things that people used to do that triggered you, no longer trigger you anymore. Or at least they've lost some power over you.
What is a trigger? A trigger is a quality or action that someone has/does that emotionally affects you more than it should.
For example, if you are abnormally disgusted by a lazy person, while everyone else is not affected by this person's laziness, you may be triggered by laziness.
A lot of triggers stem from qualities that are within us, but we've disowned at some point growing up. The fact that we can't see this quality in ourselves means that it's within the shadow.
Since the shadow wants you to consciously acknowledge it, one of the ways it can get your attention is via projection.
However, the very fact it triggers you into feeling disgust is evidence of self-hate.
The mind rejects what it believes it is not.
Shadow work is learning to love the parts we've rejected.
When you find your triggers and integrate those qualities into your personality, they lose their power over you.
You will no longer be emotionally affected.
Sure, it may take a while to do. But it's well worth it.
You can learn more in my Shadow Work Course where you also get a cheatsheet workbook that tells you how to integrate numerous kinds of triggers.
2 - You stop blaming other people.
One of the greatest gifts you get for doing shadow work is emotional maturity.
You take responsibility for your own happiness and satisfaction. And the more developed your self-love is, the less you rely on other people to make you happy.
This is important because many, if not most, people rely on others to make themselves happy or feel fulfilled.
This leads to people trying to control the lives of other people. Which, believe it or not, is the absolute opposite of love.
The following is a list of beliefs that immature people mistake for feelings:
- Betrayal
- Abandonment
- Disappointment
- Humiliation
- Isolation
Immature people believe these are emotions, but they’re not.
Instead, it’s a list of beliefs that are created to point blame.
For example, anger comes from the belief that you should be treated fairly, expected honesty, and believe yourself to be insulted by a betrayal.
This is immaturity.
By performing shadow work, you grow in consciousness and love. You begin to see the error in your ways. As well as the mistakes of others.
If you're interested in developing self-love, check out my affordable course A Light Among Shadows: A Guide to Self-Love & Being here.
3 - You stop judging others.
You realize that judging other people is self-sabotage. In fact, when you judge others, you are preventing yourself from developing in that area in which you judge.
Here are two brief videos that do a good job summarizing the importance of not judging others.
If you enjoyed these videos, follow me on TikTok and Instagram.
4 - You are very attracted to healthy people and healthy relationships
Shadow work helps you see through your own bullshit.
No more learned helplessness. No more dysfunctional patterns and shitty relationships.
You learn how to simply be. Which is what I teach you in the Self-Love Course.
You will no longer bother with people who are still dealing with a wounded inner child. Or people who aren't aware of their shadow's sado-masochistic desires.
Personally, the moment I see that someone is playing games, I'm able to walk away without a problem. No concerns. No what-ifs. Because I know myself is enough and I'll find the right person at the right time.
Learn more about the role of your shadow in your romantic relationships here.
5 - Life is a dream and you're loving it
At some point, you're going to realize that everything is one interconnected being.
You won't be afraid to go after your dreams and ambitions.
You won't be afraid to fail.
Because you'll realize that fear is what separates you from everything else. Which is a self-deception.
Fear is a lack of love. Fear is evidence of you projecting.
In fact, fear is a remnant of your inner child wounds and lack of maturity.
When you accept Oneness and that the world will meet you however it wants, you feel freer to enjoy this ride we call life.
This doesn't mean you throw away all your responsibilities and ambitions.
It's the opposite.
It allows you to act on those things from a place of love, rather than a place of fear.
When you experience this yourself, you'll realize that it's all you've ever wanted.
Until next time.
Your brother,
- Rich
Check out the Shadow Work Course here.
Check out A Light Among Shadows: A Guide to Self-Love & Being here.
