Maybe you’ve journaled those shadow work journal prompts but you’re still getting triggered by the same situations. Maybe you’ve answered the question but you have an inner knowing that somethings still missing. Maybe you’ve completed a few questions and that alone drained you.
The Reason Why Shadow Work Is Draining
There is a reason
Sitting down in suffering mode all weekend or any day for that matter is not fun
Shadow work is often penned as this serious integration work.
Being in a state of seriousness when it comes to change is painful, there are easier ways!
Here’s the deal you may believe that shadow work is serious because you’ve been taught personal development is heavy.
Our culture tells us that shadow work is serious because we’ve been taught that’s growing pains are part of adulting.
The subconscious actually welcomes play…
Why do you think 🤔 social commentary comedians hold our attention more than politicians ever will 😅
The shadow much like Peter Pan’s own shadow was actually designed to be FUN
Cognitively when you lean into playtime you create easy neural pathways that help you create habits that serve you while bypassing the logical part of the brain that often resists change
How To Use Netflix To Do Shadow Work
So here’s what this process looks like with Netflix:
You’ve got a set of questions to think about like…
😛 Where are you being destructive in your life choices?
😛 Where is negativity showing up in your everyday?
😛 What part of your life are you unwilling to rebuild?
And you can answer this by watching Cobra Kai.
Yes! Cobra Kai which was recently was added to Netflix
I can’t get enough of this show
I spent the weekend watching it in my room
I actually growled at my daughter when she disturbed 😳 me from watching it
Side note: I don’t do talking in the cinema either
I haven’t been this obsessed with a show since The Umbrella Academy and before that, it was Gilmore Girls
Back to Cobra Kai and shadow work😜…In one episode of Cobra Kai, you observe that Johnny keeps on making assumptions, speaks without thinking, and shoots himself in the foot.
What archetype does that sound like? Yes…the Saboteur.
The saboteur is one of the many archetypes (characters) that we can identify with
When dark the saboteur is self-destructive, negative and has an unwillingness to rebuild.
Johnny’s character was playing out this identity because he felt rejected.
This rejection was to help Johnny redirect his life so he could rebuild
But Johnny kept on focusing on the dark elements of the saboteur so was unable to see the light
Johnny sees the light in the saboteur when he PAUSES & reflects on his life choices
That’s the medicine AKA gift of the saboteurs
Because like Picasso once said “Every act of creation is, first of all, an act of destruction”
and that’s what you will discover when you become a master observer for the specific archetype you’re playing with
Then when it comes back to dealing with our shadow self
😛 Where are you being destructive in your life choices?
😛 Where is negativity showing up in your everyday?
😛 What part of your life are you unwilling to rebuild?
It gets much easier to pinpoint because you’re relaxed, open and detached because you’ve seen it play out on the big screen 😎
When you are not in the relaxed, open state to do this work, this is what normally happens …
You fight with the saboteur and stay in the dark because you don’t want to feel
But it isn’t for one day, it can last months, weeks, years and decades of avoidance
In order to do the integration work, we must sit with the dark parts from a place of compassion (I guide you to do this with my MC ICE framework).
The reason why I encourage my clients to not bypass the feeling is that it’s the feeling that often sparks the trigger
And it’s the trigger that needs the readjustment
We reprogram the association with the new feeling to do that integration work.
There are parts of Johnny’s story resonates with the parts of us that feel rejected.
Watching Netflix is just some of the creative playwork I encourage my clients to do based on their behaviour type.
Some people choose Netflix, others choose painting, others choose dancing, whatever it is I honour their behaviour type
The point is to there are no rules to playing with the shadow
This is some of the work that I do with my 1:1 clients in my 3-month coaching package for professionals who have trauma to heal around being seen & heard unapologetically.
I also equip you with tools to be visible, connect with your soulmate clients with ease without having to have a large following. PM me by clicking here if you’re interested in this program and we will chat on messenger to see if you’re a good fit; if so, we can get you started right away.
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