What is shadow work and why is shadow work such an important part of self healing, raising your vibration and consciousness.
What is Shadow Work?
Shadow work is about healing our shadow traits, our inner wounding, our fears, mental and emotional triggers, unhealthy beliefs, actions and programming. Every single one of us have positive traits and shadow traits, that impact how we show up in our life. The roles we play, even the circumstances we attract in our life.
Shadow work is an important part of raising our vibration and level of consciousness. It requires a certain amount of self-awareness, self-inquiry and self-responsibility and it is an ongoing process. It is not something you just do over a period of time and all is healed, shadow work is a fundamental part of the spiritual journey.
As they say its’s a journey not a race.
There is all different types of shadow work and in many ways different layers to shadow work. One common aspect of shadow work is healing the inner child and this is normally done along side other archetypal shadow work. Where one explores the most dominant archetypal patterns that are playing out in their personality and behaviours.
We just need to explore the Wounded Healer a strong archetype in healers, therapists and many medical professionals.
The Wounded Healer
The Wounded Healer has both light and shadow traits.
In it’s highest positive light traits the wounded healer, is able to support someone’s healing process through compassion and healing from their own wounding.
“In 1951, Jung first used the term wounded healer.11 Jung believed that disease of the soul could be the best possible form of training for a healer. In a book published days before his death,12 Jung wrote that only a wounded physician could heal effectively” National Library Of Medicine – The wounded healer
In its shadow traits the ego wants to heal others than working on their own healing. The Shadow traits can show up in all sorts of way in the wounded healer. Especially in healers who wants to fix others than constantly working on their own mental, emotional, physical and spiritual healing. Healing is an ongoing process.
A healers unhealed wounding can also show up in healers who move from training to training, certificate to certificate just for the title or to add something to their business., but don’t apply the tools and techniques to their own life. Or healers and coaches who only look at light work and positive mindset and use all sorts of avoidance techniques to avoid the shadow within and around them.
Healing Our Shadow Traits
Shadow work, healing our shadow traits is an ongoing process, in a 3d world we all carry different wounding that is keeping us stuck.
Anything that triggers a negative emotional reaction is a wounding; a persons words, actions, beliefs.
Any behaviour pattern that is not of the highest vibration is a shadow trait; from the things we do or don’t put in our body and mind, what we do and don’t do in our life.
That is why things like avoidance, procrastination are shadow traits. Even over attachment to materialistic things are shadow traits as it means your ego is running the show and putting more importance to material things than your soul.The need to be right, even certain expectations are shadow traits.
There is also so many different types of shadow selves like the naive shadow, superficial shadow, cowardly shadow, suspicious shadow, controlling shadow…
5 Ways To Heal Our Shadow Traits
5 different types of shadow work that helps heal our negative traits
The Art Of Stillness
The art of being still and being able to be in the moment is a powerful part of healing our shadow wounding as it all starts with self awareness. When we struggle to be still, struggle to stop or meditate, in many ways something else is running the show. Childhood trauma or conditioning can create all sorts of unhealthy beliefs or programming around busyness, or fear of facing the shadow within. That is why deep traditional meditation practices are extremely powerful at increasing self awareness and better soul connection.
Soul Connection
Building a deep heart and soul connection helps us naturally get more connected and guided with our soul’s essence. It helps us loosen our attachment to things outside ourselves that is not of the light our divine truth. Soul work naturally helps expand our vibration and helps heal our wounding and triggers, the biggest cause of unhappiness.
It also helps elevate our consciousness and awareness to such a degree that you are not as easily influenced or programmed by the illusion and deception of the 3rd world.Equally you also become less polarised, that is why so many lightworkers who have good soul connection and good soul power can see through the veil of illusion and chaos and still stay very positive and grounded.They can look at the dark and not be as touched by, while others want to hide, because they are hiding from their own shadow.
Inner Child Healing and Inner Child Therapy
There are so many different types of inner child work that can help us explore and heal hidden and deep seated emotional triggers and unhealthy shadow traits that are keeping is stuck in patterns. Inner child play is good for beginners, it is helps form a more calm and relaxed connection with the inner child. There are a variety of psychological and healing approaches to inner child and shadow work.
I use some psychic approaches because of the amount of energetic and psychic interferences and attachments people are carrying, especially healers. For inner child work, make sure you choose a therapist who has a good understanding of trauma, the psyche and schisms.
Archetypal Therapy and Healing
Archetypes are a powerful way to highlight both positive and shadow traits in every area of our life. Technically inner child work is one aspect of archetypal work, though archetypal work outside just the realm of the inner child but all different archetypal patterns that are playing out.
I have been studying archetypal work for over 25 years and even though there is so many layers to archetypal work I find it extremely powerful to help healers, therapists and coaches and any sort of lightworkers, move through their self-sabotaging shadow traits.
Therapeutic Story Telling
Creative and therapeutic storytelling can be a powerful way to heal inner child trauma and wounding. It can be extremely healing and empowering. One of the most fun, creative and healing sessions I ever run many years ago was a Fairytale Inner Child Writing Course. Healing and changing our story our narrative about how we see ourselves is a powerful way to move out of the sabotaging survival archetypes we take on. That is why therapeutic storytelling can be used alongside other types of shadow work.
NOISE Sensitivity – Why Noise Can Be A Child’s Biggest Stressor
Why Noise Sensitivity Could Be One Of Your Child’s Biggest Cause Of Stress, Anxiety And Depression
So What Is Noise Sensitivity?
Noise sensitivity is reduced tolerance to sound. It is exacberated by fatigue, infection, medications, medical conditions, stress and other stimuli. It causes different changes to brain function . In-fact it is shown that some noise sensitivity shows an increase in grey matter volume
There are different kinds of noise sensitivity.
Hyperascius is an intolerance or even pain to different types of sound, it often occurs with tinnitus. It is extremely common in children, though many children out grow it.
Hypersensitive hearing of specific frequencies is seen in many children with autism. Some frequencies such as those above 70 decibels can be unbearable.
Misophonia is a strong reaction to specific sounds, the individual is triggered by specific sounds. There is often a strong emotional correlation to the specific sounds.Misophonia is viewed as a neurological condition it can be a symptom seen in adhd, aspergers, autism
Phonophobia (also called ligyrophobia or sonophobia) is viewed as a sub-category of misophonia. It is an emotional or anxiety disorder which is triggered by a fear of particularly loud sounds. And is often triggered by the discomfort and environmental conditioning of living with hyperacusius
Recruitment is linked to sensorineural hearing loss, the individual often has extreme hearing loss. But when someone for example shouts they suddenly hear and it can be very uncomfortable.
Many assume noise sensitivity is a psychological condition but it is main causes are a neurological reaction.
Some children do get less sound sensitive, some adults or those with specific medical conditions like untreated chronic lymes can develop increased sound sensitivity.
Some children with autism are oversensitive others are undersensitive.
Causes of noise sensitivity
According to the Brain Injury Society those with noise sensitivity “may have a history of Lyme’s disease, Meniere’s disease, TMJ, serious head injury, frequent migraines, Bell’s Palsy, facial nerve dysfunction, excessive ear irrigation or surgery. Hyperacusis can later develop as a result of damage sustained to the hearing apparatus, or inner ear, or the condition may be acquired as a result of damage to the brain or the neurological system during a head trauma event.”
I have lived with noise sensitivity for at least 28 years. But over the last few years the hyperacusis became very extreme and was accompanied by serious light and sound vibration. It got worse after surviving sepsis and approx 30 years diagnosis of m.e. But I have to say according to a test in germany it may be chronic lymes ( I had strange bites at 14 years old) and I was mercury poisoned.
As somone who has taught stress management to parents and kids for 18 years. I have worked with many children who have hyper sound sensitivity issues. But until recently And I had no ideal how disabling, painful, uncomfortable and exhausting hyperascisus could be.
Many people say it can be torterous and I understand why they decribe it this way. I had to move from my previous home because of how the noise started to affect me. It was changed into a main through road for local traffic. And most people could never imagine how dramatically this impacted my daily life and health. On many occasions I nearly passed out, lost my balance and had violent non-epileptic type seizures all times triggered by noise. Now yes mine would appear to be caused by long-term bacterial and viral infection.
But I would urge you to try and comprehend how uncomfortable or painful noise may be for your child. Particularly if you have a very young child or a child who struggles to communicate what they are experiencing.
I am a stress management expert, with highly extensive and advanced techniques and tools to help me remain calm and relaxed in any situation. And although thank goodness I am lucky to have these tools this does not take away how much this disorder can impact your child’s mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
So How Can You Support your Sound Sensitive Child?
1.Understand your child’s type of sound sensitivity, their triggers and symptoms.
2. Educate your child’s school and teachers on your child’s specific noise sensitivity challenges, the level of sensitivity and key triggers.
3. Prior warning of alarming and noisey sounds can prepare your child’s central nervous system. So work together with teachers, family and friends to work out cues that prepare your child for noise isssues like alarms.
4. Plan and prepare ahead- when you can choose specific times of day, places and areas of a room where your child will be less exposed to too much or particular noises. I know of a situation where a child’s mental wellbeing became seriously distressed and depressed due to the noise of the internet router next to her in her classroom.
5. Minimise the impact when you can: although it may not be a good ideal to completely eliminate your child from all noises. Noises that are extremely uncomfortable, painful or disabling can be reduced by ear muffs, ear plugs and sound cancellation ear phones.
6. Teach your child how to set healthy boundaries– an important part of growing a strong resilient child is teaching them healthy boundaries. A noise sensitive child has usually a very sensitive central nervous system. Noise is one of modern day living’s biggest stressor. So to keep your child physically, mentally and emotionally healthy. It is vital your child can learn how to say NO to noises, games and situations that are di-stressing.
7. White Noise – Some children who are noise sensitive find white noise or fans can soften out the sharp shock of other loud noises.
8. Take Breaks & Rest – regular rest breaks from noisey environments, too many people, parties or events helps keep a child’s nervous system in check.
9. Calm And Patience: It is important that the child and parent learn hows to be calm and patient around sound sensitivity issues. Meditation is an extremely powerful tool that can help the individual cope more resiliently with the challenges. Anything that will calm the central nervous system and help reduce the stress response will help the sound sensitive child.
10. Holistic aids; Deficiencies are sometimes viewed as an issue in sound sensitivity. Many people reduce their sensitivity with supplements of magnesium. Magnesium helps inhibit glutamate which can be a major cause of tinnitus. Magnesium also protects the ears from damage to noise sensitivity. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame often in many children’s foods, sweets, yoghurts and drinks are reputed to be neurotoxic. So elimination may be helpful.
