While we usually think of the shadow psyche as a place that contains our pain and old hurts, our shadow stories also carry tales of missed opportunities. These can take the form of repressed creative expression, aspirations, and hopes we’ve long since buried.
Maybe we took on the early belief that following our artistic heart is too frivolous of a career, and instead were steered into a more “practical” path. If we haven’t also continued to express ourselves along the way with a creative outlet, that talent and energy become trapped in our psyche, and molded into a personal identity beset by frustration and plagued by the feeling of a lack of fulfillment. Or perhaps, there’s a deep desire or aspiration we never explored, something that fell to the wayside and into the shadows when we decided we would never succeed.
By examining the stories that arise within you when you think about these missed opportunities, you can uncover another layer of your shadow, and start embracing those parts of you you’ve left in the dark.
Nicole fosters a space to explore the stories that have been constricting you. By shining a light on what binds you, you’ll find the creativity that has been waiting for your embrace.
Course Overview:
Class 1. Mapping the Shadow
In this session, we will define the shadow, how it formed, and the many golden and dark forms within it. We’ll explore how stories get created and lodged in our psyche, and how those affect us throughout our lives, unless we learn how to meet and embrace them. Creative exercises will include a simple explorative activity, guided visualization, and self-reflective journal work.
Class 2. Traits, Skills, and Talents Hidden in the Shadow
In this session, we will go deeper into the portions of the shadow that carry the golden parts of us we’ve long since put aside. We will journey back to the places they were first discovered, so we can meet and revisit them, beginning to create new narratives about them, as we start to integrate those traits into our current day selves. Creative exercises will include guided visualization, and self-reflective journal work.
Class 3. Aspirations and Dreams Hidden in the Shadow
In this session, we will look at the hopes and dreams we may have had at one time in our lives that we’ve since neglected or pushed away. We will explore the stories we’ve carried about those aspirations, and where those stories came from. Then, we will work towards a re-narration of those stories, as we embrace these pieces of ourselves. Exercises will include a guided visualization and self-reflective journal work.
Class 4. Overcoming the Fear of Being Fully Ourselves
In this session, we will discuss the fears that arise when we embrace all parts of the shadow, both dark and golden. We will strategize on ways to incorporate more of these golden shadow parts into our day-to-day experiences, and learn to trust what then unfolds. Exercises will include self-reflection and journal work.