Here we uncover what’s behind the TikTok trend ‘Shadow Work’ – an approach to wellbeing that you can do during the daylight hours but also when you are asleep! Here, we interview expert Charlie Morley to find out more.
Charlie Morley
Q: Tell us more about the TikTok trend we’re hearing about?
A: Although the concept is far from ‘new’, at the end of 2023, ‘shadow work’ experienced a boom on TikTok after US-based Keila Shaheen sold over 1 million copies of her book The Shadow Work Journal. She took a range of activities, exercises, journaling prompts, from her journal and shared them on TikTok – and the concept went viral.
Q: What is Shadow Work? Can you explain what it means…
A: Although only recently hitting the world by storm, the roots of ‘shadow work’ derive from the work of Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Jung who coined the term nearly 80 years ago.
Q: What is ‘the Shadow’ exactly?
A: The shadow is the part of us that is made up of all that we hide from others: our shame, our fears and our wounds, but also our divine spirit, our blinding beauty and our hidden talents. The shadow is our dark side, but not dark as in ‘negative’ or ‘malign’, rather dark as in ‘not yet illuminated’. It is comprised of everything within us that we don’t want to face. That is, everything both seemingly harmful and potentially enlightening – all that we have rejected, denied, disowned or repressed.
Q: What is the main goal and how do you approach ‘shadow work’?
A: Although a relatively new concept to the mainstream, although Jungian analysts and other Jungian therapists will often refer to ‘shadow work’ within their client sessions, now other mainstream channels such as medical websites also acknowledge that shadow work is considered to be a kind of psychotherapy that focuses on the parts of the psyche that people often keep hidden, such as trauma and resentment. The main goal is to integrate your shadow aspects into other parts of your psyche.
Q: How do you integrate your ‘shadow’?
A: Anytime we move from shame to loving acceptance, we integrate a shadow aspect. Anytime we transform a fear or make friends with anxiety, we integrate a shadow aspect. Anytime we are courageous enough to accept (not condone but accept) the most shameful parts of ourselves, anytime we choose love over fear and anytime we step into the fullest expression of who we are, we integrate our shadow.
Q: How can you do ‘shadow work’ in your sleep?
A: You can undertake a range of approaches such as experimenting with dream incubation techniques – this is when you go to bed with the intention of having a certain kind of dream. For example, you could have a dream and ask to meet your ‘shadow self’ in a dream. Or you might recite mantras before you go to sleep such as Tonight I dream of what shadow integration looks like for me. Alternatively, a popular way to use shadow work during your dreams is to meet aspects of yourself within a lucid dream. The idea being that through acknowledging, witnessing and embracing these parts of yourself within a lucid dream can be a profound experience which can lead to integration for many.
New Book – Coming Soon
In February 2025, Charlie Morley will be releasing a revised edition and fully updated edition of his original book, Dreaming Through Darkness, published by Hay House, under the new title Do the Shadow Work which will include brand new content, new exercises, cutting edge research and real life case studies who have transformed their lives using shadow work.
What Makes Charlie’s Approach Different?
Charlie has been practicing Tibetan Buddhism for over two decades. In fact, he lived with the monks and nuns at Samye Dzong Buddhist Centre for over 7 years. In addition to having 15 years’ experience practising, teaching and writing about shadow work, Charlie uses ancient methods from Tibetan Buddhism alongside contemporary techniques from Western psychology to power the alchemical process of shadow work. Every exercise he shares has been developed, tested and refined through the workshops that he has taught in over 20 countries around the world.
https://www.charliemorley.com/
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