There is a high probability that you have heard a reference to “shadow work,” especially in the circles of somatic therapy and psychedelics.

An online search to define Shadow Work will bring a few interpretations and perspectives, including:

• Shadow work is, at heart, about developing self-awareness and ultimately, self-acceptance and compassion. 
• It is working with your unconscious mind to uncover the parts of yourself that you repress and hide from yourself.
• In economics, shadow work is a special kind of unpaid labor (which is ironic to this article)

In my humble opinion as a steward of Taoist Medicines, shadow work is embracing the Yin within a painfully overbearing culture of Yang.  It is freeing the shadows oppressed by the domination of Yang for too long. 

I like to see myself as both a student of enlightenment and of endarkenment, embracing the balanced wisdom of the Yin Yang.

There is a common misinterpretation of the Yin Yang symbol.  Even as far as interpreting Yang to be good, and Yin as bad.   Yet, the swirling Yin Yang in its full balance is health & balance, and outside of that is chaos.

According to Taoist wisdom Yin represents the night, darkness, feminine, passive, while Yang is day, lightness, masculine, and active. 

Yang represents “doing” while Yin represents ”being,” and with capitalism seated on the throne, we have morphed into human-doings and have lost the connection on how to simply be. 

Subtleties aside, the most repressed voices within our Yang dominated societies are Black females and WOC. This powerful force of Yin is also the most threatening to the reigning white male patriarchy.  

Elevating our wisdom through Shadow work is not only illuminating the repressed parts of our inner psyche, but is a celebration of feminine strength and the qualities of empathy and compassion.

As we embrace our luminous shadows we have an opportunity to reconnect to our collective Yin energy, understanding that healing individualized trauma without healing collective trauma is an unsustainable solution to our mental health crisis.

It’s also of no surprise that Yin represents our connection to Earth, as Yang is the sky and the Sun.  Reconnecting with nature and reigniting a love for our planet is a side benefit to Shadow work.

For as we redirect our focus on healing and regenerating of Earth after years of non-stop, active extraction, we can tilt the scales. The Yin can gather strength, and only then will we rebalance Yin and Yang.

Shadow work is nothing to be scared of.  It can be the path to collective liberation, as we stop hiding from ourselves and learn how to adjust our vision to the spectrum of shades that emulate growth & vitality.

Shadow work includes the journey of

• Remembrance; healing past wounding while honoring our ancestral wisdom
• Resilience; finding our center while feeling our many edges
• Regeneration; reciprocity & connection for truly sustainable health

It is not meant to be easy, but is less arduous if supported in community.  Our individual healing does have a ripple effect, so I invite you to also be a student of endarkenment and be part of the movement for regenerative care.

Wishing you wellness 🌿💚