Facing the Shadow

Facing the Shadow: When Darkness Rises & How We Move Through It.

Within this piece you will find a deep dive into shadow work, reflections on my own descent, guidance for navigating the void, full moon insights, elemental wisdom for the full moon, a shadow work ritual, a shadow work pdf and ways to receive support.

This year has not begun gently.

It has pulled me under, tested my resolve, and shaken the foundations I thought were solid. I have been met with challenge after challenge, each one stripping away another layer, revealing parts of myself I thought I had already healed. The kind of initiation that forces you to sit in the discomfort, with no certainty of when or how it will shift.

There have been days when I have felt the weight of it pressing down—heaviness in my bones, doubt creeping in, old fears resurfacing louder than before. Days when I have questioned my path, my strength, my own knowing. Days when I have resisted, clinging to the illusion of control, afraid to fully surrender to the void.

But even in the depths of the pit, even when everything feels uncertain, I know I am exactly where I need to be.

The Shadow does not rise to break us. It rises because we are ready to meet it. To witness the parts of ourselves we have buried. To hold the wounds that still ache. To move through the fire and come out the other side more whole, more powerful, more ourselves.

And I know that I will prevail. Because I always do. Because we always do.

But first, we must face it.

The Shadow: What It Is & Why It Rises.

The Shadow is everything we have suppressed, denied, or rejected within ourselves. The emotions we’ve been told are ‘too much.’ The desires we’ve been shamed for. The wounds we’ve pushed down because we didn’t feel ready to face them.

It holds our deepest fears, our unprocessed grief, our hidden rage. It carries the ancestral patterns we unknowingly repeat, the beliefs we inherited, the stories we tell ourselves about who we are.

And when the Shadow rises, it can feel like everything is falling apart. But really, it’s an invitation.

It rises not to punish us, but to be integrated. To be seen, felt, and transmuted into power.

We don’t move through the Shadow by bypassing it. We move through it by facing it—by sitting in the discomfort, by allowing ourselves to feel what we have spent lifetimes avoiding, by reclaiming the parts of us that were never truly lost.

This is the work. The deep, messy, powerful work of healing.

When the Shadow Pulls You Under.

Shadow work is often romanticised—but the truth is, it’s not gentle. It’s not a neat process of ‘release and heal.’ It’s a raw, visceral descent into the underworld of your own being.

At first, the resistance is strong.

We avoid it. We numb ourselves—through distraction, overworking, scrolling, saying “I’m fine” when we’re anything but. We intellectualise our pain instead of feeling it. We look for quick fixes, for ways to escape the discomfort.

But the Shadow is patient.

And when we ignore it, it does not simply disappear. It shows up in different ways—through self-sabotage, through relationship patterns that repeat, through the deep knowing that something is not aligned.

Eventually, we find ourselves in the pit. The space where everything feels stuck. The in-between, where the old version of us no longer fits, but the new has not yet fully emerged.

This is the void.

And though it is uncomfortable, it is sacred. Because it is here, in the depths, that we truly meet ourselves.

How We Move Through It.

The Shadow is not here to be fought. It is here to be integrated, reclaimed, transmuted into power.

1. Witness Without Judgment

The first step is simply acknowledging what is rising. Instead of resisting or labeling it as ‘bad,’ allow yourself to sit with it.

Ask yourself:

• What is this showing me?

• What truth have I been avoiding?

• What part of me needs to be reclaimed?

Often, the Shadow is trying to bring something into your awareness. Meet it with curiosity instead of fear.

2. Feel It Fully

We have been conditioned to suppress. But healing requires feeling.

Let yourself grieve the versions of you that are being shed.

Let yourself rage at the injustices you have endured.

Let yourself tremble as the old energy leaves your body.

Emotions are energy—they must move. Allow yourself to release.

Try:

• Movement – Dance, shake, scream, let your body purge what no longer serves.

• Water immersion – A ritual bath, a river, even a shower—let the water cleanse you.

• Writing & burning – Speak your truth onto paper, then release it into the flames.

3. Reclaim Your Power

The Shadow often holds the parts of ourselves we have been taught to suppress. Your voice. Your boundaries. Your creativity. Your wildness.

Ask yourself:

• Where have I been dimming myself?

• What parts of me are ready to return?

• What power have I been afraid to step into?

Shadow work is reclamation. It is calling your power home.

A Story of My Own Descent.

These past weeks have felt like an initiation I didn’t ask for. A fire I didn’t know I needed to walk through. But here I am—caught in the depths of my own resistance, feeling every ounce of my being pull away from what’s unfamiliar. The questions began to rise: Am I enough? What am I doing here? I had thought I was moving forward, feeling aligned with my work and my purpose. But suddenly, there I was again, facing old patterns, seeing those shadows I thought I had vanquished in years past.

I found myself tangled in a web of doubt and fear, watching familiar old emotions rise again. Anger. Sadness. Grief. Pain. They demanded to be heard, even when I wanted to turn away, pretend they weren’t there. There was an old voice inside of me that whispered, You are not worthy. That familiar feeling of being too much, or not enough, crawled back into my skin, reminding me of all the times I had let others tell me who I should be.

For a while, I fought it. I resisted the descent. I tried to maintain control, to fix things, to make sense of the chaos that seemed to engulf me. But the Shadow doesn’t listen to resistance. It rises, regardless of what we think we can handle. And so, I was forced to surrender. To stop trying to run away from the discomfort.

I let myself feel everything—the heaviness in my heart, the knot in my stomach, the fear that clung to my skin. I sank into the pit. I cried, I raged, I let go of the control I had clung to so desperately. In that surrender, I found myself in a deeper state of stillness.

The clarity didn’t come all at once. It came in fragments. Pieces of wisdom, glimmers of understanding, that told me this descent wasn’t a punishment. It was a process of integration. Each tear, each angry thought, each moment of discomfort was a step forward.

And as I moved through it, the transformation began. The clarity I was seeking was not found by running away from the shadow, but by leaning into it. By trusting that I was exactly where I needed to be. That in the deepest part of the pit, there is power. There is wisdom. And when we allow ourselves to move through it, we don’t stay stuck. We rise, like the phoenix from the ashes. Stronger. Whole. More aligned with our truest selves.

And so, as hard as it has been, I know that I will prevail. I know that we all will. Because in the depths of our own descent, we find the parts of ourselves that are waiting to be reclaimed. The parts of us that are ready to be seen, loved, and allowed to shine.

Shadow Work PDF.

If you’re feeling called to dive deeper into your own Shadow work, I have created a Shadow Work PDF to support you in this journey. This PDF is a tool that offers guidance and practical exercises to help you navigate the uncomfortable but transformative process of facing the Shadow.

It includes:

• Self-reflection prompts to uncover hidden beliefs and patterns

• Rituals and practices to help you feel, release, and reclaim

• Integration tools to help you make sense of the process and integrate the healing into your life

This is for those who are ready to sit with the discomfort, to meet their own darkness with compassion, and to turn it into light.

You can receive your copy of the PDF today to start your journey of healing and self-discovery, follow this link and a copy will be sent to you.

As we prepare to meet the Shadow under the light of this Full Moon, we can draw upon the energies present to guide us. This upcoming Full Moon in Leo illuminates themes of self-expression, courage, and transformation—aligning powerfully with the deep work of integration. When working with the Shadow, the four elements can serve as anchors, offering different pathways to embodying and moving through the energy of this lunation.

As we approach the Full Moon on February 13th at 12:53am, it’s an opportune time to delve into its energies and explore guidance through the lens of the four elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.

Under the Full Moon’s Light: Elemental Guidance for Your Sign

The Shadow rises in cycles, just as the Moon does. This Full Moon in Leo brings illumination, urging us to step into our authenticity, courage, and creative expression. Yet, how this energy moves through us will be unique depending on our elemental alignment. The way we process the Shadow is deeply connected to our nature—whether through fire’s intensity, earth’s stability, air’s intellect, or water’s depths. As you navigate this lunation, here’s what may arise for you and how to move through it.

🔥 Fire Signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius)

What’s Rising: A surge of passion, but also old wounds around confidence, visibility, and worthiness. The fire within you burns bright, but is there a part of you that fears being truly seen?

Guidance: Instead of reacting impulsively, channel your fire intentionally. Use movement (dance, breathwork, or even primal sound) to move stuck energy. Ask yourself: Where am I still dimming my own flame?

🌿 Earth Signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn)

What’s Rising: A deep discomfort with uncertainty, resistance to change, and old fears around stability. Your foundation may feel shaky, revealing hidden fears about control.

Guidance: Root yourself in ritual. Work with grounding practices like connecting with nature, holding crystals, or simply placing your bare feet on the earth. Ask yourself: What am I clinging to that is keeping me stuck?

🌬️ Air Signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius)

What’s Rising: An overactive mind, spiraling thoughts, or difficulty expressing emotions. You may be processing more than you realise but intellectualising it instead of feeling it.

Guidance: Allow your emotions to be felt, not just analysed. Write, speak, or share what is surfacing. Meditative breathwork or singing can help clear energetic congestion. Ask yourself: Where am I avoiding depth by staying in my head?

💧 Water Signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)

What’s Rising: Deep emotional waves, ancestral wounds, and past life echoes. This Full Moon may be uncovering subconscious patterns you thought were long buried.

Guidance: Create space for release—whether through ritual bathing, crying, or creative expression. Surrender to the flow instead of resisting it. Ask yourself: What am I ready to release back into the cosmic waters?

A Portal of Release & Rebirth

The Moon is a mirror, reflecting back to us all that is ready to be seen. And under her light, the Shadow stirs.

This Full Moon is not just an invitation—it is a portal. A space where old identities crumble, where wounds rise to be acknowledged, where the masks we’ve worn begin to slip away. It is a time to sit with the discomfort, to meet ourselves fully, and to step into the next version of who we are becoming.

If you feel the weight of something stirring within you—an old wound, a hidden truth, a part of yourself that longs to return—know that you are not alone. This is the work. The deep, messy, powerful work of transformation.

And ritual is how we move through it.

Below is a sacred practice to support you in honouring what is rising, releasing what is ready to be let go, and reclaiming the parts of you that are waiting to emerge.

Ritual for Meeting the Shadow.

If you are feeling the weight of your own Shadow rising, here is a ritual to guide you through it that I felt called to in my own experience.

You will need:

• A candle

• Your journal

• A chalice/bowl of water

• A mirror

1. Create Sacred Space

Light your candle. Take deep, intentional breaths, grounding into your body.

2. Face the Shadow

Look into the mirror. Soften your gaze. Speak to your reflection as if you were speaking to your Shadow.

Ask:

• What do you need me to see?

• What truth have I been avoiding?

• What power have I been denying?

3. Write & Release

Journal what comes up. Do not censor yourself. Let the truth spill onto the page.

4. Water Alchemy

Dip your hands into the chalice/bowl of water. As you do, say:

“I release what no longer serves me. I call my power home.”

Feel the weight lift. Let yourself be cleansed.

5. Close the Ritual

Blow out the candle, giving gratitude for the wisdom received. Honour what has been revealed.

Walking This Path Together.

If you are deep in your own Shadow work and seeking support, I am here to hold space for you.

Through Energy Medicine Healing, we clear stagnant energy, release old wounds, and bring you back into alignment.

For a deeper journey, The Energy Medicine Immersion includes:

✨ Two one-on-one sessions

✨ A personalised pre- & post-session plan

✨ Three days of voice note support after each session

Book within 7 days and receive a personalised declaration to guide your journey.

If your Shadow is calling, let’s walk this path together.

Book your session through my bookings page or email me to find the right path for you.

With love, determination and perseverance,

TJ | Shamanic Roots