Exploring Shadow Work through Myth Work / Part One

Although I think every season reflects an aspect of Shadow Work, I feel especially drawn to it in winter. The long nights and quiet stillness create a natural space for introspection, while the stark, bare landscape mirrors the vulnerability of facing our inner truths. Just as the earth sheds its layers, winter invites us to strip away our facades and sit with who we truly are. Do you ever feel this way in winter—that its stillness invites a deeper connection with yourself?

In my previous post, I wrote about Myth Work. In this post I’d like to share with you my thoughts on how Myth Work can be combined with Shadow Work to make Shadow Work feel more accessible and relatable and therefore easier to work with.

Shadow Work is the process of exploring and integrating our shadow self which is made up of the unconscious aspects of ourselves that we’ve pushed aside, often because they don’t align with how we see ourselves or how we think others want us to be. Shadow Work involves intentionally bringing these hidden parts of ourselves into awareness to foster deeper self-understanding and personal growth. Myth Work, on the other hand, uses stories from mythology to explore the deeper layers of the human psyche. Combined, Myths can serve as powerful tools for navigating Shadow Work, providing symbolic frameworks and archetypes that bring the process to life.

Here’s why I think combining these two practices is so helpful:

Myths make the unconscious visible. Shadow Work is about bringing the hidden aspects of yourself into awareness. Myths act as mirrors, offering metaphors and archetypes that reflect those hidden parts back to us in a way that’s easier to understand.

They both use archetypes. Archetypes are universal patterns of behavior and experience, and they show up in both Shadow Work and Myth Work. Myths bring these archetypes to life through characters and stories that often reflect the “inner figures” we meet during Shadow Work.

Myths give us a map. Shadow Work can feel messy and overwhelming, but myths often follow familiar patterns—descent, struggle, transformation, renewal. These stories can be used as a framework for understanding our own process, especially when we feel lost or stuck.

They share a focus on wholeness. The goal of Shadow Work is to integrate the parts of ourselves we’ve ignored or rejected so we can feel more whole. Myth Work provides a symbolic language and narrative structure to make sense of that process. Together, they can help us reflect on where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re headed.

Encourage greater self awareness. Shadow work involves a “descent” into the darker, less conscious parts of the psyche while Myth Work often uses the motif of descent into the underworld (e.g., Inanna, Persephone, Orpheus) as a metaphor for confronting shadow aspects and emerging with greater self-awareness.

Journaling brings them together. Writing about our personal experiences through the lens of a myth can be a powerful way to explore our inner world. It helps us see patterns, uncover hidden emotions, and reflect on the symbolic connections between our life and the myths we’re drawn to.

In essence, Myth Work enriches Shadow Work by providing a rich, symbolic language for the unconscious, while Shadow Work brings a personal, transformative focus to the universal themes found in myths. Together, they form a potent duo for self-awareness and growth.

In next post, I’ll share with you a mini-guide to Shadow Work based on Myth Work.