Shadow Work

Shadow Work – a psychological and self-exploration practice that involves discovering, accepting, and integrating the hidden or repressed parts of your subconscious mind.

The concept of Shadow Work comes from the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, who defined the “shadow” as the unknown or unacknowledged side of human personality. The “shadow” is parts of the personality that you have pushed away because they feel unacceptable, shameful, or uncomfortable. Usually the “shadow” holds difficult emotions like anger, jealousy, or fear, but can also hold positive traits like ambition, creativity, and assertiveness that you were taught to suppress. This “shadow” develops during childhood, when we learn what behaviors bring approval, and which bring rejection. We learn early on to hide the rejected parts, to feel safe and loved. These rejected parts are pushed into our unconscious mind.

These rejected parts don’t disappear though; they stay pretty hidden. However, they quietly control moods, triggers, and even relationship patterns. They show up as intense sudden reactions or strong judgment that is often a reflection of the hidden “shadow” – known as projection. Facing these hidden “shadows” helps you stop fighting with yourself, and leads to better emotional control, lower stress, and a more authentic life.

Some suggested ways to do shadow work are:

• Journaling strong emotional triggers and reflecting on why they upset you
• Therapy sessions to safely unpack deep and painful memories
• Self-reflection to notice reoccurring relationship conflicts without self-judgement

Witchcraft + Shadow Work

In witchcraft, Shadow Work is treated as a powerful form of inner alchemy. Instead of viewing it through a clinical lens, practitioners view the hidden “shadows” of the subconscious as a source of raw, untapped power and deep wisdom. The goal for practitioners doing Shadow Work is to reclaim power that was lost, stolen, or hidden due to societal conditioning, family trauma, or fear.

Some common “shadow” topics practitioners usually work on include:

• The Witch Wound – exploring the deep-seated fear of being seen, speaking your truth, or practicing your craft. This steps from the historical (and present) persecution of witches and often manifests as fear of judgment or a need to keep your spirituality hidden.

• The Good Person Conditioning – examining where you suppress anger, boundaries, or desires just to make other people comfortable. Practitioners look into how this conditioning suffocates personal sovereignty and magical authority.

• Fearing Your Own Power – addressing the anxiety that your magic and intense emotions or manifestation abilities are “too dangerous” or “too much” for the world to handle.

• Dark Feminine/Masculine – integrating the primal, untamed parts of yourself, including exploring your relationship with your sexuality, your raw rage, your ambition, and your capacity to say “no” without guilt.

• Jealousy and Envy – instead of feeling guilty for being jealous of another practitioner, look at envy as a subconscious map that shows exactly what your soul desires, but have restricted yourself from pursuing.

• Spiritual Materialism + Ego – examining why you practice magic. Is it to genuinely connect with the universe, or is it using “witchy aesthetics” and spiritual superiority to mask deep insecurities or the need for control?

• Generational Trauma – unpacking emotional patterns, addictions, or toxic beliefs that have been passed down through your bloodline or culture. Resolving these is considered doing “healer work” for both your ancestors and future generations. This is where generational curses are broken.

• Relationship With the Dark Unknown – examining your fear of literal darkness, death, endings, or periods of emptiness (the void), and learning to see darkness not as “evil” but as fertile soil where new magic can grow.

• Religious Guilt – removing subconscious guilt about your practice and trusting your intuition, from the dogmatic and restrictive religious environments you may have come from (spiritual deconstruction).

• Control vs Flow – looking closely at your spellwork to reflect if you are performing magic out of a desperate need to control external situations or people, because of feelings of powerlessness.

• Savior Complex – exploring the urge to constantly use magic, energy, and empathy to fix, heal, or save everyone around you – often at the expense of your own physical and spiritual wellbeing.

Crafting Shadow Work

Practitioners often use rituals, divination, and the cycles of nature to help in their Shadow Work and bring hidden “shadows” to light.

Divination allows a bypass around the logical mind and speak directly to the subconscious.

• Tarot “Mirror” Spread – pull cards while specifically asking “what am I hiding from myself,” “what am I projecting onto others,” and “what power have I suppressed?”

• Scrying – gazing into a black mirror, bowl of dark water, or crystal sphere to quiet the mind and allow buried emotions or symbols to surface.

Aligning Shadow Work with the natural cycles of darkness and introspection, such as the seasonal shifts and lunar cycles is a common practice in witchcraft.

• Waning + New Moon – the fading moon is the traditional time for banishing, releasing, and looking inward, while using the new moon to sit with your darkness and set intentions for inner healing.

• Samhain + Dark Half – the autumn and winter months are naturally suited for deep introspection, honoring the underworld, and doing heavy emotional lifting,

Through rituals of release and integration, magic uses physical actions to represent internal psychological shifts.

• Burn Rituals – write down a repressed belief, fear, or childhood wound that you are ready to acknowledge, and then burn the paper while feeling that part of you being transformed by fire into pure, usable energy.

• Cord Cutting – perform a symbolic ritual to cut ties with an old version of yourself, a harmful coping mechanism, or a shadow trait that no longer serves you.

Having the aid of specific entities, archetypes, or deities as guides can help you navigate Shadow Work.

• “Shadow” Deities – working with deities that are associated with the underworld, magic, and transformation to act as protectors and guides through your personal underworld.

• Ancestral Work – sometimes our shadow traits are inherited familial traumas, and connecting with ancestors can heal generational cycles.

Using the physical properties of herbs and crystals can help ground and protect you during heavy emotional Shadow Work.

• Mugwort + Blue Lotus – usually used in teas or ritual baths to enhance dreaming and access the subconscious mind.

• Obsidian + Black Tourmaline – keeping protective grounding stones nearby to absorb intense emotional energy while diving into painful memories.

A WORD OF CAUTION –

Shadow Work can stir up heavy trauma. Grounding and centering yourself after a ritual is crucial to avoid feeling emotionally overwhelmed. And as always, seek professional help if thoughts become too much.

• Suicide Crisis Line: 988
• The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
• LGBTQ+ National Hotline: 1-888-843-4564
• LGBTQ+ Youth (25 or younger): 1-800-246-7743
• LGBTQ+ Adults and Caregivers: 1-877-360-5428
• Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
• International Hotline List: https://blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/

Reflection

If you have been doing our QOTDs, congratulations you have already started some Shadow Work reflection!

In what ways do I feel like a “fraud” in my practice? Who’s approval am I subconsciously waiting for before I consider myself a “real” witch?

Where am I over-extending my energy, performing unpaid emotional labor, or playing the savior in my spiritual or mundane communities, at the expense of my own wellbeing?

What rules from my childhood, past religion, or societal conditioning am I still letting dictate my magical ethics? Do I secretly fear divine punishment when I step into my power?

Am I focusing more on the external look, tools, and lifestyle of a witch than the actual, messy, internal work of transformation? What am I hoping the outer aesthetic will hide?

Ancestral Work

Ancestral work is the practice of connecting with the spirits of those who have come before you, for wisdom, guidance, protection, and strength. 

There are many ways ancestors can aid in our practices. They can act as spiritual guardians, mentors, and foundational power sources. They can offer a macro-perspective, and guide your path in the physical realm, provide guidance, and even mentorship.

Some practices view magic as a collaborative effort backed by a court of ancestors. As ancestors have invested in the success and survival of the bloodline, they can intercept negative energy, curses, and ill intentions. They can also boost intuition, vivid dreams, and give physical signs to pay attention. 

Ancestors can act as "translators" of the spiritual realm, passing information to your subconscious, protect you from untrusted entities, and help interpret divination details. Lending their energy to spellwork can boost it, and enhance manifestation. 

Ancestral work can heal generational trauma and send healing backwards through the generations, possibly even unlocking ancestral blessings, strengths, and talents. 

Types of Ancestors

• Blood Ancestors - biological relatives, including unknown family lines
• Chosen Ancestors - close friends, mentors, adopted family
• Spiritual Ancestors - historical figures, artists, or past spiritual practitioners who inspire your path

Remember, you do not have to consent to working with anyone you don't want to. You do not have to honor, invite, or work with abusive, toxic or harmful ancestors.

Hearing the Call

Ancestors usually communicate through repetition, emotional resonance, and everyday synchronicities. They use your immediate environment, your subconscious mind, and your sensory perception to get your attention. 

The dream realm is the easiest place for spirits to contact you because your conscious mind and skepticism are asleep. Repeatedly dreaming of a specific deceased relative, even if you weren't thinking about them before sleeping, could be the loved one trying to make a connection with you. Dreaming of an unfamiliar person who treats you with intense familiarity, love, or protection could be an unknown ancestor trying to reach out. Being handed an object like a key, book, ring, or even a piece of fruit from someone in your dream is a classic sign of an ancestor trying to pass down wisdom or an inheritance of power. 

Spirits also frequently manipulate the air and sensory memories to make their presence know. Suddenly smelling something distinctly associated with a deceased loved one where there is no physical source nearby (examples: specific type of tobacco or cologne, a cooking spice, favorite flower), could be an ancestor making their presence known. Also hearing your name being called out clearly by a voice you recognize, usually right as you are falling asleep or waking up, can be an ancestor trying to get your attention.

Spirits sometimes use small animals or physical objects to leave a metaphorical "paper trail" for you to follow. Specific birds, insects, or other animals suddenly behaving oddly around you, like lingering longer than normal, or staring directly at you, could be messengers from ancestors. Repeatedly finding specific tokens, like coins, feathers, or unique stones, on your path could be gifts from ancestors. Clocks stopping at the exact time a loved one dies, or a specific song that reminds you of them suddenly playing when you are thinking of your family, could be calls from ancestors saying "pay attention!"

If practices like meditation are already things you do, pay attention to how your body may shift during these moments. A sudden localized drop in temperature or a wave of goosebumps running down your body when you mention or think of a deceased loved one, may be them reaching out to you. Feeling a comforting weight on your shoulder, or sudden overwhelming waves of emotion could be an ancestor touching you. If a candle flame on your altar suddenly leaps, dances, and acts wildly when you approach or reflect on your family, this could be an ancestor saying "I'm here!"

Sometimes though, the sign isn't an external presence acting on us. Sometimes its an unshakeable internal compulsion, usually to look into your family history. Deep desire to look through old photo albums, ask older relatives about their childhood, desire to build a family tree or trace lineage could be a "pull" triggered by an ancestor to look for them. 

Establishing Simple Connections

• Set up a simple ancestral altar
• Cleanse the area, usually with smoke or sound
• Light a white or neutral candle to show that the space is open for communication 
• Speak aloud to introduce yourself and state your clear intention to connect only with healed and benevolent ancestors, or a specific ancestor
• Give yourself time to feel their presence, visualize a light of connection between you and them, or allow space to receive their message or response
• Thank them for their presence, leave an offering to show your gratitude, and extinguish the candle. Remember to clean and remove offerings before they spoil.

The Silent Supper

Sometimes referred to as a "dumb supper," this is a silent meal held to honor and remember deceased loved ones or ancestors. 

Set Up - set your dining table normally, but add an extra place setting at the head of the table, reserved for spirits. The spirit chair is often draped in black cloth.

Food - serve seasonal foods or recipes passed down through the family. When serving, the spirit plate receives a small portion of every dish first. 

Silence - from the moment you sit to eat until the meal is finished, stay absolutely silent. Eat mindfully and meditate on loved ones, listening for subtle shifts in the room's energy.

Closure - once the meal concludes, the silence is broken and participants traditionally share stories about the ancestors they were remembering. The food from the spirit plate is usually taken to be left at a crossroads or under a tree to return it to the earth. 

Simple Ancestral Tarot Spread

A three card ancestral tarot spread can assist in communicating with ancestors and receive their messages.

Card 1 - What ancestral trauma or pattern am I currently breaking?

Card 2 - What wisdom or strength do my ancestors want to bless me with right now?

Card 3 - What is my ancestor's message or guidance for me as I enter the dark half of the year?

There are plenty of other tarot spreads to use, but this is a simple one to get started with.

Ancestor Work Reflection:

When discussing ancestral work with my lovely coven, one member shared their experience with hearing the call from ancestors. They gave me permission to share:

"I was raised in a protestant cult. The kind of cult that was terrified of demons, of ancestor worship, of ghosts, of secular music and movie theaters and jazz chords. Everything was evil. The world was swarming with perdition and hell paths. And why did my Caribbean family choose this cult? Well… because they were running away from things the church said were “ultimate evils."

On my father’s side, there was Rebecca. I’m named after this woman, and yet I never got a chance to meet her. She died before I was conceived. She was my paternal great-great grandmother, and by all accounts she was a very powerful witch. Except, we don’t talk about Rebecca. All we know, all that has been discussed, is her choice to be a witch and how naughty that decision was. I don’t know anyone in my family that has anything of hers aside from a picture, and no one wants to discuss with me what her practices were because everyone on that side is still deeply in the cult and feel that Rebecca was worth running from. 

On my mother’s side, there was Isabel. She’s my maternal great-great grandmother, and that one is finally being excavated by our family. Not everyone on my maternal side is in the cult, a lot of them are even more curious about her now that I’ve started asking questions. However, her namesake, my grandma who has late stage dementia, is still traumatized by her childhood experiences with this woman and her spiritual practice. More running. More fear. 

Until two weeks ago, even I was trepidatious about fooling around with whatever it was she was into.  I also never met Isabel’s son, my great-grandfather Angel. They both died before I was born, and while Angel was spoken of as a great father, husband, provider, and general gentleman, Isabel was spoken of as a powerful medium who did strange things. She was loved in her spiritual community, healed many people, was a real Curandera that received acknowledgment and mourning at her passing. In her own family, however, she was a bad omen. She played with spirits, ghosts, tinctures, blood, and many other things that the cult says is a huge no-no. To the immediate family, being associate with her was shameful. 

Two weeks ago, I was putting myself through the ringer. My introduction to polyamory was messy. I participated unethically and its been hard to forgive myself despite my life being 180 wonderful and blessed now after years of shadow work, therapy, and reconciliation. I saved my marriage. I saved my other marriage. I lost one though, and their impact still had me asking every few weeks “am I crazy?”

So I’m on my umpteenth round of that when I suddenly feel this… tug. That’s it. A tug. 

See, I’d already written about Isabel. I’d sent a submission to an indigenous YouTube channel that features viewer stories about spooky things, and I’d felt her presence enter the chat then. That was months ago. But, no talking, no dreams. Nothing but a feeling that she was there, watching me. 

Anyway, so two weeks ago I’m lamenting to my therapist about my sanity and I felt this tug. This “remember who you are Simba” type shit. 

I said to my therapist, “You know, my great grandfather already broke the generational curse of staying in toxic, abusive relationships. Angel left his first wife and remarried, bought a farm, had more children, and died loved. His ex wife died and was left in a cemetery with a simple slab of stone with numbers spray painted on top to find her. She died racist, abusive, angry, and alone while her ex husband died abundant, loved, cared for, and peaceful. SO WHY THE FUCK AM I WONDERING IF LEAVING THIS PERSON WAS THE RIGHT THING???”

It hit me in the chest like a ton of bricks. The curse was already broken. He broke it. His mother broke it. So what if my other relatives choose to live as though that wasn’t the case? Am I seriously gonna spit in the face of all that power because a cult guilt tripped my living relatives into subservient fear?

Ugh, that shit was wild. That shit had me swirling. My IBS was threatening me that day. I shared this with my wife and they made a loaf of bread. As the aroma of the bread wafted through the living room, I heard clear as fuck “Dinner is at 8 then, mija.”

I went on a walk. Put my feet to earth and breathed deep. I found a horned owl feather and placed it on a plate with some powdered flower petals. Then my meta comes in later and says “I found a pigeon feather and I thought of you.”

I thought of Angel and Isabel. Dinner was for two. I was meeting them officially for the first time and I was gifted offerings. You see, owls are not bad omens for the Taino people, its just the symbol of our cemi of the underworld. 

It was time to meet them. One white candle for peace and reverence, one black candle for protection and grounding. And then Isabel said “You’re gonna give me bread with no cafecito, mija??” Like whoops, I haven’t had coffee in years because it flares my IBS like crazy but I fuckin' found some coffee and made her a cup! We had a candle lit dinner. I won’t tell you the details, that’s no ones business but ours, but what I will say is I walked away with a sense of absolution. 

I felt more like myself than I ever had before. Angel was gentle, sweet, and a bit busy. Isabel was keen and intense, but kind. And I… wasn’t afraid anymore."

-as told by Acolyte HBA

The Chinese Zodiac

Long ago, the Jade Emperor, ruler of heaven and earth, decided to create a way to measure time. He invited all the animals in the world to participate in The Great Race, announcing that the first 12 animals to cross a wide, rushing river would each have a calendar year named after them in the order they finished.

At the time, the Cat and the Rat were the best of friends. Neither was a good swimmer, so they hatched a clever plan to ask the kind, strong Ox for a ride across the river. The Ox, always generous, readily agreed and told them to hop onto his broad head.

As the race began, the Ox steadily navigated the strong currents, pulling far ahead of the other animals. For most of the journey, the Cat and the Rat sat comfortably together, watching the shore get closer. But as they neared the finish line, the Rat's ambition got the better of him. Wanting first place all to himself, the Rat snuck up behind the Cat and pushed him straight into the rushing river. The Cat, terrified of water and unable to swim, splashed wildly and was swept downstream by the current.

Meanwhile, the Ox reached the riverbank. Just as he was about to step ashore to claim victory, the Rat leapt forward off the Ox's head, crossing the finish line first. The Ox took second place.

After this, the rest of the animals fought through the rushing river, each using their own unique strengths, and facing their own distractions.

The powerful Tiger used heavy, exhausting strokes to fight the strong current. He crossed the line gasping for breath, explaining to the Emperor that the river's pull almost swept him away.

The clever Rabbit could not swim at all. Instead, he hopped nimbly from one stepping stone to another. Halfway across, he slipped, but luckily grabbed hold of a floating log that washed him safely to the shore. Little did the rabbit know that just behind him was the dragon. The dragon saw the little rabbit in need and graciously blew wind to carry the log all the way to shore.

The Jade emperor was curious and asked the dragon why it came in fifth place when it could fly. It turns out, the dragon had been distracted from the race by a village that was in drought. The dragon provided rain to save the village then continued the race and was declared fifth place by the emperor.

The Horse came sprinting toward the finish line, completely unaware that the clever Snake had wrapped itself around his front hoof. Just before the line, the Snake untangled itself and slithered ahead, startling the Horse into rearing back. The Snake stole sixth, leaving the Horse with seventh.

The Goat, the Monkey, and the Rooster found a wooden raft and worked together. The Rooster spotted the raft, the Monkey cleared away the thick river weeds, and the Goat used all his strength to pull it through the water. The Emperor was so pleased with their teamwork that he awarded them consecutive spots.

The Dog was one of the best swimmers in the kingdom, but he was incredibly playful. He found the river water so clean, fresh, and inviting that he spent most of his time splashing around and taking a bath instead of racing. When he realized he had lost track of time, he anxiously set out to finish the race, awarding himself eleventh place.

The Pig became hungry early in the race, stopped to eat a massive feast, offering helpings to the other animals as they passed. Then he promptly fell fast asleep. He woke up just in time to waddle across the finish line right before the Emperor closed the gates, securing the very last spot.

And the Cat? By the time he finally struggled out of the mud and crawled onto the shore, the race was long over. Because of the Rat's ultimate betrayal, the Cat missed his chance, cementing a bitter and eternal enmity between cats and rats that remains to this day.

And so the Chinese Zodiac was born.

The Chinese Zodiac

As we saw in the story, the Chinese Zodiac is made up of 12 animals, cycling through in a fixed order. Each animal is assigned a year, and those born within that year are thought to share the corresponding animal’s traits. This zodiac follows the lunar cycle, and begins on the Chinese New Year,  a date that shifts annually, but usually falls sometime between January 21st and February 20th. 

Each year is also assigned an element: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Each element rules for 2 consecutive years before rotating. The traits of each animal sign is modified by the traits of the corresponding element of that year. These specific element-animal combinations repeat every 60 years. 

• Metal - strength, independence, focus - rules years ending in 0 and 1
• Water - intuition, fluidity, diplomacy - rules years ending in 2 and 3
• Wood - growth, creativity, flexibility - rules years ending in 4 and 5
• Fire - passion, energy, dynamism - rules years ending in 6 and 7
• Earth - stability, patience, reliability - rules years ending in 8 and 9

Each year is also assigned either the energy of Yin or Yang. 

• Yin - passive and cool energy - assigned every even year
• Yang - active and hot energy - assigned every odd year

The Animals

Rat

• Healed: quick-witted, resourceful, versatile, kind
• Toxic: can be timid, stubborn, overly critical 

Ox

• Healed: diligent, dependable, strong, determined 
• Toxic: can be stubborn, dogmatic, poor at communication 

Tiger

• Healed: brave, confident, competitive, charming 
• Toxic: can be irritable, reckless, overly sensitive 

Rabbit

• Healed: quiet, elegant, kind, responsible 
• Toxic: can be hesitant, melancholy, overly conservative 

Dragon

• Healed: confident, intelligent, enthusiastic, powerful
• Toxic: can be arrogant, impatient, demanding

Snake

• Healed: enigmatic, intelligent, wise, intuitive 
• Toxic: can be jealous, suspicious, cold

Horse

• Healed: animated, active, energetic, free-spirited
• Toxic: can be impatient, self-centered, hot-headed 

Goat

• Healed: gentle, mild-mannered, sympathetic, creative
• Toxic: can be indecisive, timid, pessimistic 

Monkey

• Healed: sharp, smart, curious, mischievous 
• Toxic: can be arrogant, opportunistic, manipulative 

Rooster

• Healed: observant, hardworking, courageous, proud
• Toxic: can be vain, boastful, hypersensitive 

Dog

• Healed: honest, loyal, amicable, prudent
• Toxic: can be stubborn, anxious, prone to worry

Pig

• Healed: compassionate, generous, diligent, calm
• Toxic: can be naive, lazy, easily fooled

In Comparison

While both the Chinese Zodiac and the Western Zodiac stem from ancient systems, provide a framework for understanding personality and future predictions, they are built on entirely different foundations. 

There are some obvious differences: the timeframe for each sign, how each sign is represented, and some different elements. Let's take a closer look. 

The Elements

The Western Zodiac uses the familiar four elements, Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. In the zodiac, these elements represent the core psychological temperaments of the signs. The Chinese Elements, Wood, Fire, Ear, Metal, and Water represent seasonal phases of a changing natural energy. In Chinese philosophy, Air is not viewed as an element, but rather it is viewed as the invisible life force that breathes life into the other elements. The elements Wood and Metal are included as they were vital to daily survival and cosmic harmony in ancient agricultural China, giving them permanence among the other elements.

In the Western Zodiac, the assigned element is permanent. Each sign has a very specific and fixed element. Whereas in the Chinese Zodiac, the elements rotate, allowing for each animal sign to partner with each element, and while the same animal to element pairing only happens once every 60 years, it is still a fluid shift. This fluidity allows for a sign's corresponding traits to be shaped by the shifting, cyclical current of the universe. 

The Ego & Community Bonds

The Western Zodiac focuses heavily on the individual, maping planetary placements to create a unique psychological fingerprint to identify a person at their core. Meanwhile, the Chinese Zodiac prioritizes generational traits, emphasizing how a person fits into society, family dynamics, and the destiny relative to the year's ruling energy. 

The Symbols

The symbols of the Western Zodiac include mythological creatures, inanimate objects, humans, and animals, giving an abstract range of identification. Whereas the Chinese Zodiac includes animals that have real-world importance within Chinese culture, save the Dragon, who still holds great cultural importance.