After meeting our inner child in last week’s post, it is time to observe our findings about ourselves. The more that we practice spending time with and listening to our inner child, the closer we become to understanding why we behave in certain ways as ‘grown-ups.’ The more light we cast on our shadows, the more of our self will be visible and in healthy association with the rest of us.

When we focus on understanding our subconscious motives and resistances, we are shedding light on our shadow selves.

To begin today, we’re going to look at a ‘centering’ exercise. When we engage with shadow work, it is important to be centred within ourselves.
If we are ‘blended’ with part of our shadow, we cannot evaluate ourselves objectively or sense what is true to ourselves.

Centering Exercise
Standing up, breathe in while raising yours arms upwards.
Pause for as long as feels comfortable.
Lower your arms with the exhale of breath. Do this three times while focusing on your diaphragm.

When reading the notes made in conversations with our inner children, we can start to recognise harmful patterns or faulty reasoning in our thinking, which may be at the root of difficulties we face in the present.

Remember what we learned in ‘Re-parenting yourself’ and approach yourself with love and acceptance. We have to meet our guilt and shame with acceptance and warmth. We want to make our repressed-self our friend.

It is important that we now focus on developing our self awareness. We have to approach our shadow work with a reflective and observational standpoint. We are looking to observe our behaviours, thoughts, and feelings, without judgement. We have to accept about ourselves that which we wish wasn’t there at all.

This process may be emotional but your courage stands to be rewarded by a unified self and a more adept skill in self development moving forwards.
Proceeding with total self honesty, in your private journal, it’s time to begin.

Part One.
What did you write about your conversations and meditations last week?
Read through your notes and look to observe patterns. Were there any recurring thoughts or feelings which seemed to overwhelm or otherwise stand out?
Note these reflections down.

Part Two.
Now it’s time to write a letter. The aim is to express the emotions of your inner child. Once they are brought into the light we can begin to realise and incorporate the remedy into our character.
It can be more useful to write from the stance of your own inner child but if that feels like too much right now perhaps write to your inner child instead.
You could write to your inner child to show understanding and presence, demonstrate your support and comfort yourself. Consider what you used to like doing in your memories and if you can, engage in those behaviours now.

After writing your letter take a few breaths to recenter.

Well done. Our shadows are often repressed by our ego. As such we are destabilising and challenging who we have told ourselves we are, often for many years. This can be exceptionally uncomfortable. Facing our vulnerabilities makes us fearful but we are able to heal through these explorations.

Journal your thoughts today. Reflect and close your session. Thank yourself for having the love and respect you need to heal yourself, for yourself.
By recording our discoveries we keep what we uncover visible, we block its return to its pit in the shadow, and we can work on integration.

Please make contact if you feel you need support through this journey.

With love,
OnceUnchained

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