🌑 What Is the Shadow?

There was a moment—quiet and unremarkable on the outside—that cracked something open in me.

I had snapped at someone I loved, for what seemed like no real reason. My words came out sharper than I intended, my voice louder than the feeling actually was. And as the room fell quiet, a pit bloomed in my stomach. Shame crept in quickly.

It wasn’t about them. It wasn’t even about what they said.

It was something inside of me, deeper than the surface. Something I couldn’t name yet—but it had made its way out anyway, uninvited but not unfamiliar.

That was one of the first times I met my shadow.

🌘 Meeting the Shadow

The “shadow” is a word for all the parts of ourselves we’ve pushed into the dark—out of sight, out of safety, sometimes even out of memory. These are the parts we were told were too much, too loud, too emotional, too needy… or not enough.

The parts that didn’t get permission to be loved.

Maybe it was your anger, your sensitivity, your magic, your weirdness, your grief. Maybe it was the part of you that wanted attention, or the part that needed rest.

We hide these parts to feel safe or accepted.

But they don’t disappear.

They live quietly in the corners of our inner world, waiting for a moment to come out. Sometimes they sneak in through our triggers, projections, and patterns. Sometimes they show up when we're tired, overwhelmed, or stretched too thin. And sometimes, they knock gently—asking to be heard, not feared.

🕯️ The Shadow Is Not the Enemy

Shadow work isn’t about fixing what’s broken. It’s about gently turning toward the parts of you that were never given the chance to be seen with compassion.

The shadow is not evil.

It is wounded.

It is protective.

It is, at its core, asking: “Will you still love me, even here?”

🌿 An Invitation Into the Dark

This path is not about rushing into the shadows with a spotlight and a list of things to fix.

It’s about sitting with a cup of tea beside your inner cave and saying,

“Whenever you're ready, I’m here to listen.”

If you’d like to take this journey with me, here are some soft places to begin:

🧷 Journal Prompts

• When was the last time I overreacted—what might have been underneath?

• What parts of myself do I judge or try to hide?

• What was I told growing up that made me feel unlovable or “too much”?

• What emotions feel unsafe for me to express?

🔮 Oracle or Tarot Prompt

Pull a card and ask:

“What part of me is asking to be seen right now?”

🌿 A Gentle Ritual

Light a candle in a quiet space.

Breathe deeply.

Write a letter to a part of yourself you usually silence.

You don’t have to send it anywhere. Just let it be heard.

🌙 You’re Not Alone in This

The shadow can feel like lonely terrain—but I want you to know, it’s not.

I’m walking it too. Not as an expert, but as someone gently turning on the light in my own inner forest.

So, tell me…

• Have you met your shadow before?

• What comes up when you think of the parts of yourself that stay hidden?

• What does your inner child still long to hear?

If you feel called to share in the comments, I’ll be right there with you.

If not, that’s okay too. Grab your journal, pull a card, or just breathe into the knowing that this—this deep, quiet work—is sacred.

🌾Rooted in the dark,

curious beneath the surface,

learning to love every part of me.

Blessed Be,

Bobbi Ann

💚 Want to support Root & Rising? Visit the Tip Jar in the shop. Every bit of support helps me keep creating with heart. Thank you.