Hexagram 5 > Hexagram 23
I have to admit, I've never really been interested in 'Shadow Work'.
Years of therapy helped with that process of 'integration' in a natural (albeit, gradual) way.
But I know that with its current popularity in our world, there's a lot of people that are just beginning the process of addressing these patterns in their life.
And while the 'shadow' of each of us can be described using a wide variety of metaphors, this is the particular one that's resonating with many at the moment. And one metaphor is all you need to see the less-than-desirable aspects of yourself in a new, more helpful light.
What follows is a system for identifying and integrating your shadow using prompts to spark thinking, action steps to do something with that raw data, and I Ching readings to see your particular challenge from a different perspective.
I hope that it's helpful.
1) Getting Feedback
This first step is why people go to therapy: To get feedback and assistance with life's problems in a way that they can't see without that outside set of eyes.
If there's someone you trust to give non-manipulative feedback (or even criticism), it can be helpful to direct the first set of questions to them. If you have a therapist, you can try to field their feedback for this section.
But if you're not comfortable with that, try to use the prompts in the second section to think back on the feedback and criticisms you may have already received. Any little bit will help.
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Actively Getting Feedback From Others
- What is my biggest weakness?
- What is my biggest strength?
- What do you think is the source of most of my problems?
Passively Using Feedback That Has Already Been Received
- What is the most common criticism I've received from my family?
- What is the most common criticism I've received from my friends?
- What is the most common criticism I've received from my bosses?
- What is the most common criticism I've received from my colleagues?
- What is the most common criticism I've received from my teachers?
- What is the most common criticism I've received from my classmates?
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2) Self-Awareness
The fact that you're reading this shows you're already well ahead of many others when it comes to self-awareness.
We all have flaws, we've all made mistakes, we all can be better and do better in one area or another.
With these question prompts, try to distance yourself from your most vicious self if that's a tendency you find yourself leaning into.
The goal here isn't punishment, but illumination. You want to understand yourself better so you can consciously change into a future that you'd prefer to live in.
So, try to see yourself with a scientist's eyes rather than someone that wants to ruin your day.
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- What criticism have I received that I agree with?
- What are my least favorite habits?
- What have I repeatedly tried to change in my life, and unfortunately come up short?
- Or: What result have I said I don't want for my life, yet I continue to receive?
- What are my biggest regrets?
- What events do I wish I could go back and do differently?
- Are there patterns here that have kept coming up?
- What are the traits that I like the least in others?
- Do I sometimes display these traits, too?
- What traits am I afraid to show in the world?
- What traits of mine do I actively suppress in the world?
- What things do I regret not doing in my life?
- What beliefs prevented me from doing those things?
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3) Self-Compassion
Once you've gotten outside, and internal feedback, the next step is to give yourself some credit.
It's easy to default to self-criticism, or self-destruction. The thing to keep in mind is that you didn't see, and probably won't see how everyone else you know would answer the previous two sections for their own lives.
If you have a tendency to really beat yourself up, therapy is a great choice if it's possible for you. But for the purpose of this process, I hope asking yourself the following questions gives you a different perspective on your own perceived shortcomings.
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- Where am I my harshest critic?
- Where have I, or what have I refused to forgive myself for?
- What have been the advantages of the same things I've been criticized for?
- What have been the advantages of the things I've criticized myself for?
- What things have others told me I'm too hard on myself for?
- Are there negative circumstances, experiences, or events in my life that I wasn't the sole cause of?
- What skills, talents, and accomplishments do I tend to discredit, or try to avoid acknowledging?
- What challenges have I had to face that seemingly no one I know had to go through?
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4) Getting Complete
For this next step, the goal is to leave your relationships with others, and with yourself, with nothing left unsaid. Even if you don't actually have a real conversation with someone else. Start with these two questions:
- Which relationships in my life ended without resolution?
- Which relationships in my life are suffering, or have suffered?
For each relationship, get a notebook and write a letter to each of those people, getting everything off your chest, and addressing everything that's gone unaddressed.
And for yourself:
Write a letter to the different versions of yourself that you continue to carry with you (and would rather not). What do you wish that past version, or those past versions, knew about themselves, the world, and their history, that you know now from your future perspective.
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I will say that 'venting' usually doesn't help too much. So try to do less of that with this exercise, and more of looking at the past from a different perspective.
Try to empathize with your past self, and these other individuals that you're writing to, because with a different perspective, you can actually change your behavior in the present moment.
While some of you may want to send these letters, or get on the phone with these people, and hash out the troubles, I'd suggest being cautious.
Sleep on it. Try to transpose them and see if you still feel like it'd be a good idea. It could be that writing what you wrote is enough of a remedy for you to move forward. And moving forward is ultimately as good as you're gonna do with this entire process.
The past only has so much in terms of resources to mine.
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5) Goals For Growth
Looking back at your work for the previous four steps, see if there's been any repetition:
- What patterns, words, feelings, or actions, have come up repeatedly throughout my responses to these prompts?
- In light of this information, what changes would I like to make to my life?
- Potentially ask: What would need to be true for me to fail to be the person I want to be in the future, and then use those answers to guide your goals.
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6) Using Magic To Facilitate Growth
This is a completely optional step, but when I have a goal I don't know how to tackle directly, I tend to do magic about it.
I'll create an Awareness Sigil, or I'll make a bunch of drawn sigils, and let time move me closer to the direction I identified as desirable.
Reading the posts I've linked to above will help direct you, but below, I offer some sigil ideas as well:
- 'I am completely and permanently satisfied with my shadow integration process'
- 'I always change my negative traits for the better'
- 'I am always comfortable with receiving negative feedback and criticism'
- 'I always have mastery over adversity'
- 'I am always able to let the past go'
- 'I feel satisfied with how my life has turned out'
- 'Ever since a young age, I've been able to successfully deal with adversity'
- 'I am always able to be authentic about my inauthenticities'
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7) Shadow Work I Ching Readings For Every Astrological Rising Sign
Given that I have tens of thousands of readings of I Ching readings under my belt, I often turn to it for direction, and it often pays off.
Since I can't do Shadow Work readings for everyone reading this particular piece, I chose the next best thing: A reading for each of the 12 signs you could have in your first house.
And in addition to the I Ching, I asked the same question of my Practical Oracle deck, to give you additional guidance on where you should focus to integrate your shadow, and how you might do it. I hope it helps.
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How Aries Risings Can Integrate Their Shadow
Reading: Hexagram 59.1 > Hexagram 61
If Aries is in your 1st house, integrating your shadow is possible by taking a look at what assistance is currently available to you. It's up to you whether you utilize *that*. But what you can do, regardless, is identifying the positives (and adding to them), and doing the opposite to what's detrimental.
Practical Oracle Reading:
With ... security's activity
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How Taurus Risings Can Integrate Their Shadow
Reading: Hexagram 32.2.5 > Hexagram 31
Transitional Reading: Hexagram 32.2 > 32.5 > 62.5 > Hexagram 31
If Taurus is in your 1st house, integrating your shadow is possible by first finding some separation as it relates to attraction and reciprocity. There's a need here to persist while lowering your expectations just a bit, as hard as that is to hear. Reduce your available options, and if a new direction presents itself, only go for it if you're really sure you want it.
Practical Oracle Reading:
With ... blocked innocence
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How Gemini Risings Can Integrate Their Shadow
Reading: Hexagram 28 Unchanging (uc)
If Gemini is in your 1st house, integrating your shadow is possible by first identifying the areas of your life that might be cracking. It's important to realize that something here is too excessive to last for the long-term. The next, and last step, is to figure out what *new* direction is worth committing yourself to.
Practical Oracle Reading:
With ... cryptic necessity
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How Cancer Risings Can Integrate Their Shadow
Reading: Hexagram 62.1.3.4 > Hexagram 24
Transitional Reading: Hexagram 62.1 > 62.3 > 55.3 > 62.4 > 51.4 > Hexagram 24
If Cancer is in your 1st house, integrating your shadow is possible by first surrendering, and returning. There's a need to not pursue a reward carelessly, because you'll likely experience a 180 turn that's hand-in-hand with an incorrect assumption. Ultimately, try to heedfully balance things out as a sudden change (potentially, a positive one) doesn't lead to any big results.
Practical Oracle Reading:
With ... strength's discovery
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How Leo Risings Can Integrate Their Shadow
Reading: Hexagram 24 Unchanging (uc)
If Leo is in your 1st house, integrating your shadow is possible by coming back to something. That 'thing' may be mental, or physical. But wherever, or whatever you're returning to, make sure you're not being taken advantage of in the process.
Practical Oracle Reading:
With ... anger's privacy
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How Virgo Rising Can Integrate Their Shadow
Reading: Hexagram 7 Unchanging (uc)
If Virgo is in your 1st house, integrating your shadow is possible by starting with a big idea, dream, or mission. To go with that vision, you're going to also need to be disciplined in your pursuit of it. And like much of everything else in this world, your success will likely be dependent on who you recruit to help you fulfill that vision.
Practical Oracle Reading:
With ... sustainable hope
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How Libra Risings Can Integrate Their Shadow
Reading: Hexagram 27.4.6 > Hexagram 51
Transitional Reading: Hexagram 27.4 > 27.6 > Hexagram 51
If Libra is in your 1st house, integrating your shadow is possible by applying some patience with any sudden jolts or changes. There's a need here to do some deliberation about any cravings you might have. *You* actually have something valuable in the eyes of others, but keep in mind that there might be something you're not hearing with all of this (and be open to opening your ears).
Practical Oracle Reading:
With ... an upheaval's spying
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How Scorpio Risings Can Integrate Their Shadow
Reading: Hexagram 63.1.2.5.6 > Hexagram 18
Transitional Reading: Hexagram 63.1 > 63.2 > 39.2 > 63.5 > 48.5 > 63.6 > 46.6 > Hexagram 18
If Scorpio is in your 1st house, integrating your shadow is possible by being heedful about repair-work, and accepting an incompletion of sorts. Things may be better off after a loss, even if it's causing problems for more than just you, so give the little you can give, because there's a gain in there for you somewhere. Another important to-do is: dial back that confidence, and accept that you can't see the complete direction you're going to find yourself heading in.
Practical Oracle Reading:
With ... gain's movement
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How Sagittarius Risings Can Integrate Their Shadow
Reading: Hexagram 2.1.3.4.6 > Hexagram 30
Transitional Reading: Hexagram 2.1 > 2.3 > 24.3 > 2.4 > 36.4 > 2.6 > 55.6 > Hexagram 30
If Sagittarius is in your 1st house, integrating your shadow is possible by following your North Star amidst the stress and accepting the separation and clarity that defines your current, continuing direction. Don't expect major rewards with a meaningful completion, know that you may be going back and forth with things here, and something may stay concealed as you get an understanding that helps you trudge forward. If there's two options or elements battling it out, the correct response may be the one that leans towards a meaningful isolation.
Practical Oracle Reading:
With a dead end's cunning
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How Capricorn Risings Can Integrate Their Shadow
Reading: Hexagram 44.1.5 > Hexagram 14
Transitional Reading: Hexagram 44.1 > 44.5 > 1.5 > Hexagram 14
If Capricorn is in your 1st house, integrating your shadow is possible by letting large amounts come together naturally, while simultaneously regulating what may be *too* excessive. Know that a tempting reward may require a lot groundwork for success to actually happen. Ultimately, it's likely wiser to let what will fall into your lap do so on its own timeline.
Practical Oracle Reading:
With ... an exchange's safety
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How Aquarius Risings Can Integrate Their Shadow
Reading: Hexagram 9.4 > Hexagram 1
If Aquarius is in your 1st house, integrating your shadow is possible by addressing that anxiety. If something legitimate is causing it, or has caused it, acknowledging that the worst is over is a start. Even if it's hard to let yourself breathe.
Practical Oracle Reading:
With ... weakness' windfall
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How Pisces Risings Can Integrate Their Shadow
Reading: Hexagram 62.1.2.5 > Hexagram 43
Transitional Reading: Hexagram 62.1 > 62.2 > 55.2 > 62.5 > 34.5 > Hexagram 43
If Pisces is in your 1st house, integrating your shadow is possible by being decisive about your wandering, while also thinking twice about being needlessly reckless in pursuing something attractive. The truth is, you should expect something *other* than what you expected, and when that happens, your job is to maintain the diplomacy to build up a little trust. By reducing the options available to you, you could be losing an advantage, but it may not ultimately make you feel like you did.
Practical Oracle Reading:
With ... lonely repair
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Conclusion
Shadow Work can potentially be a lifelong process.
You grow, you change, you naturally find new regrets, you just hope that you've accumulated enough wisdom to handle them in a more skillful way than you did when you were less experienced with the world.
And this kind of work takes time. Seeing life from a different angle takes time. Most of all, it takes continued effort, and a desire to get better.
If you've read this far, chances are you already have that drive and willpower. I hope that with the questions, and action steps listed above, you're able to gradually inch closer to a future that's a little less murky for yourself. I wish you luck.