What Is Golden Shadow Work?

“We build our pedestals out of untapped potential.”

~David Richo

What is Golden Shadow Work?

Golden shadow work is a therapeutic process that helps individuals to confront and heal the parts of themselves that they have deemed unlovable. By bringing awareness to the “shadow self,” golden shadow work can help one to integrate the aspects of themselves that they have been pushing away. This type of work can be challenging, but it can also lead to a greater sense of self-acceptance and wholeness.

Carl Jung created the term Shadow Work. With Shadow Work you are dealing with the aspects of yourself that are the dark within, with Golden Shadow Work you are dealing with the light within that you are denying. Carl Jung called this “your submerged creative potential”.

Who are the people you admire and put on a pedestal?

Who do you celebrate and wish you could be like?

The Difference Between Golden Shadow Work and Other Types of Shadow Work

Shadow work is a process of uncovering the parts of ourselves that we have hidden away, and it can be done in many different ways. Golden shadow work is a specific type of shadow work that focuses on our positive qualities that we have been denying.

Other types of shadow work may focus on our negative qualities or the things that we are ashamed of. However, golden shadow work helps us to embrace out greatness. It is a way of accepting ourselves fully and recognizing our own worth.

The Benefits of Golden Shadow Work

Golden shadow work is the process of shining a light on the aspects of ourselves that we have hidden away, or that we have disowned. It is a way of bringing these parts of ourselves into the light so that we can see them for what they are, and begin to heal our relationship to them.

Golden shadow work can feel like we aren’t being humble enough, but it is also incredibly healing and liberating. When we allow ourselves to see the parts of ourselves that we have been hiding, we can begin to understand them and own them. We can also see how disowning them has been affecting our lives in negative ways, and begin to make changes. This will definitely raise our self esteem.

We often think of shadow work as being the parts of us that we are ashamed of, but we can disown the good parts of us too, the parts of us that would make us shine, or stand out, or perhaps be a leader.

Here in New Zealand we have a thing called the tall poppy syndrome. Wikipedia describes it as “…..a cultural phenomenon in which people hold back, criticise or sabotage those who have or are believed to have achieved notable success in one or more aspects of life, particularly intellectual or cultural wealth; “cutting down the tall poppy”.

So you do it to yourself, for fear that others will cut you down, you dull your light and cut yourself down first. Don’t be better than the group. Don’t be too big for your boots.

How To Do Golden Shadow Work

Golden shadow work is the process of uncovering and owning the aspects of yourself that you have deemed as undesirable.

This type of work can be difficult and challenging, but it is worth it to get in touch with all parts of yourself. One way to do golden shadow work is to start by identifying who it is you admire and what is it you admire about them.

But, what you admire doesn’t have to be in the area of expertise that they are successful in.

For eg: I love musicians, I love their skill, the dedication it takes to be able to play an instrument with aptitude and ease. For most of my life I have tried to learn an instrument but failed miserably. I religiously watch Justin Hawkins on his YouTube channel, Justin Hawkins Rides Again, where he deep dives into discussing a song, every day. The ease at which he hears a piece of music and can repeat it is awe inspiring. I was quite depressed about this recently wondering why it is that I loved musician’s ability so much but I was pretty bad at it myself. Why would I have that desire about music?

Then I heard that golden shadow work can mean that it may not be the same area you have the same ability. I finally got it!! I have that with my healing work. With personal growth. I am like a dog with a bone, I have been deep diving for decades. And I hadn’t owned that I have that same level of immersion in the field of body/mind/spirit/emotions myself. I’m as dedicated to healing as Justin is at playing the guitar.

Conclusion

Shadow work is a process of self-discovery that leads to personal transformation.

Golden shadow work can be beneficial for anyone who feels like they are not living up to their full potential. It can help us to see the aspects of ourselves that we have been hiding away, and it can help us to become more confident and self-assured.

By facing our shadows, we can begin to heal the wounds of the past and create a brighter future for ourselves. If you’re ready to embark on this journey of self-discovery, there are many resources available to help you get started.