It is often when we feel undermined by life that we start our journey for self discovery. To give sense about what does not make any, our suffering, and to heal. 

Stepping into this world can be very confusing, and the rabbit hole never ends. you can go as far as you want you will always discover more. But what those many years taught me, it is in the hidden corners of our psyche that we heal the most. 

Our shadow self is actually our best ally to make sense of our pain and free ourselves truly. 

It is within our unconscious part aka shadow self that resides in the transformational process…

The big picture

In the holistic well-being approach we consider wellness  and people as a whole, taking in consideration all aspects of an individual (this is why I use a multimodal approach- several tools for different aspects of our being). 

Within this complexity, we are invited  to look inside and acknowledge the parts of ourselves that we often repress because we fear them—the shadows.

The shadow enigma

The term "shadow" is a concept from the famous psychologist Carl Jung, referring to the concealed and mostly unconscious aspects of the personality. Shadows are made up of repressed feelings, unacknowledged fears, and unexpressed desirability. They reside against the dark background, spreading their influence over our thoughts, actions, and relationships, most of which we do not realize.

Where shadows meet holistic well-being

At first, the connection between shadow work and holistic well-being isn't obvious. But if we take a closer look, we can see that they are pretty much interconnected.

The research of Bhattacharya (2017) shows how shadow work can nourish literacies for navigating disowned and painful parts of ourselves and our experiences to foster healing and well-being.

Sherwood's (2013) work on holistic counseling highlights shadow work for compassion and healing. In doing so; it explains Jung's theory, taken together,  it shows the the connection between holistic well-being and shadow work in the proposition that addressing one's shadows conduces to emotional liberation, authentic self-acceptance, mental clarity, and resilience.

Emotional freedom

When we speak about well-being, emotions are a big slice of the cake. Some of our most profound feelings and the reason why we have them  live hidden deep inside our shadow. Understanding them releases the emotional baggage that we hold on for years. This process helps us find emotional freedom and inner peace in regards to our feeling that we too often shame.

Authentic self-acceptance

True self-acceptance is embracing both our good and bad sides. Shadowwork criticizes flaws; it makes us accept our imperfections as part of ourselves. This acceptance nurtures self-love and compassion within us.

Mental clarity

To work on shadow clears mental blocks from repressed thoughts and feelings so we can build a resilient, strong mindset to face life's challenges with resilience.

Resilience and transformation

What I prefer in the process of uncovering our shadow is that we really shine some light upon our weakness, we become conscious about it. And this simple yet powerful fact, brings resilience and adaptability, as we stop being undermined by unconscious and unresolved patterns.

The road to integration

Meeting our repressed feeling, shame, guilt is a challenging path that take courage, 

self-reflection, and the readiness to explore our subconscious. But as we embrace and integrate our shadows, we achieve a sense of relief and by so well-being.

Conclusion: lighting up the way

Shadowwork can lead you to better health and overall well-being. By recognizing and taking note of the repressed part, we become aware and with time we heal and growth. Embrace your shadows; they have the potential for a truly lived life.

Bibliography:

• Bhattacharya, K. (2017). Walking through the Dark Forest: Embodied Literacies for Shadow Work in Higher Education and Beyond.
  

• Sherwood, P., & Edwards, S. (2013).Holistic Counselling: Through the Shadow to Compassion.