The Rewards of Shadow Work
Since completing my Shadow Workbook I have been very focused on introducing individuals to shadow work, what it means, what’s entailed, and the ‘why’ of the work. When initially introducing the concepts, it is a tad challenging to convey to my students the long-term rewards to taking on what seems to be a challenge. Sometimes it can feel like ripping the scab off of old pain.
The question often comes – why should I bother looking at something that hasn’t bothered me? Why should I dig up these old wounds? Why not let these memories stay buried if I have lived with them so long and I am okay. Questions like these are common. The answers, while available, can be challenging to get the student to see the wisdom. The following is a great example of the stunning rewards that come from doing the work.
My recent journey has taken me to British Columbia, Canada, and then to a variety of cities in the beautiful state of Washington, including Bellingham, Seatle, and Olympia. This journey was about offering my passions on forgiveness and shadow work to practitioners, ministers, and lay people. By my trips end, I will have been (still on it) to five different cities, hosted by five different amazing people – all with very different personalities and customs. This trip has afforded me a plethora of opportunities to be curious about people, foods, habits, and living customs.
But here is the reward of my devotion to shadow work.
Shadow work has invited me to love all aspects of myself and the reward is my love, appreciation, and acceptance of others in a deep and meaningful way. Healing the pain of my shadow has helped me to make room for all sorts of individuals and maintain a beautiful curiosity and appreciation for the diversity of individuals that reflect all the shades of me that live within my inner landscape. The work has afforded me the ability to easily blend into the customs and flow of the lives of people that in truth I did not know very well. One of the greatest gifts is finding beauty and joy within all of these homes, and all of these lovely individuals. This has allowed me to navigate all the circumstances with ease like a master surfer staying on top of the waves while balancing themselves on the powerful ever-moving waters.
Come with me into the forest, on my walk in the woods.
On one leg of my journey my host and I went for a walk into a place called Whatcome Falls. (Click on the link and check it out.) The day was damp and rainy – not uncommon for the area but a kind of misty rain which fell in a sweet and welcomed way. As we stepped in the thick of the park, my olfactory senses came alive from a beautiful fragrance that seemed unique to this forest. The water of the river rushed and the sounds of the falls were calming and healing. Many of the trees were covered with moss and some of this moss grew dangling tendrils. I had to touch, to pet the trees because I wanted to know what this felt like.
More then once while my eyes were full of the forest’s beauty, my nose filled with its’ fragrance, I teared up with joy, spontaneous, unexpected healing moments of joy. This, my friend, is the reward of shadow work. This is what happens when you clear the vessel of trauma, judgment, and adopted fear, you give the beauty of life free access to your heart. The reward of shadow work is Joy, palpable Joy.
