The Shadow Work Tarot Spread: Tips for a Better Healing Experience

Sometimes, in talking about shadow work, people are unnerved because they immediately associate the term shadow with something that's bad or evil. But the "shadow self" is not a ghost or something to be afraid of.

So then, what is the shadow self, and why are we often afraid to get to know it?

What is shadow work, and why are we so afraid of doing it?

In this post, we will answer these questions and walk you through how you can use shadow Tarot cards to uncover the truth about your shadow side and understand the shadow work that will help you most.

What is the Shadow Self?

From a psychological perspective, the terms "shadow self" and "shadow work" were first brought in the Western World by the psychologist Carl Jung. Carl Jung describes the shadow as the unconscious aspects of the personality that don't correspond with the ego ideal, causing the ego the resist the shadow in analytical psychology.

In brief, the shadow self is typically made up of the aspects of ourselves that we find unacceptable. To Jung and to the field of psychology, the shadow self is really something that is born in your childhood, depending of what your inner child can recall about what was going on in that childhood with your family.

The Shadow Self in Spirituality

If we try to dig deeper by understanding the term "shadow", we can also see that it has its own definition in the spiritual world. So, from a spiritual standpoint, the shadow is any part of you that you do not see, acknowledge or accept of yourself.

In other words, it is not just something that exists in your psyche; it is in fact multifaceted from a spiritual perspective and parts of the shadow, facets of the shadow can exist outside of the mind.

That's why if you're trying to heal by eliminating or running from the parts of yourself that you don't like, you'll never get there. So, in order for us to fully heal and integrate the shadow self, we have to understand that it's not just an abstract phenomenon, it's a true aspect of your being.

As an example of how the shadow self can inhibit us: one of the biggest shadow aspects that many people have to heal in this lifetime is being afraid of coming into their power. This fear of their power made them repress it for many years. They might make themselves small, or deny themselves the best opportunities out of a lack of complete self love.

The shadow self is usually born in childhood. For some people, that shadow was born from their past lives.

Regardless of its origin, understand that Shadow Work is vital to overcoming your own shadow and becoming the greatest version of yourself.

The healing process

Shadow work is a practice in which we try to understand our shadow self: the shadow side (the side of us that we try to hide from others and/or from ourselves) in order to accept it and improve it.

According to the psychologist Carl Jung, the only way to free from the negatives effects of the shadow selves is by facing it and by learning how to incorporate it in a more holistic self-image.

Thus, Tarot cards come in to play. We can perform a Tarot reading to go deeper into one's individual conscious life and channel the messages the spirit guides are trying to share. This helps the healing process go as smoothly as possible.

If you have a Tarot deck and are prepared to take a long, honest look into yourself, then you are ready to try the Shadow work Tarot spread.

If you're new to shadow work tarot spreads and/or don't know how to read tarot, you can still do it for yourself with the help of supplementary materials. Take a look at our Tarot masterclass, which helps dive into the many possible interpretations of the cards that can emerge in this spread.

The Five-card Shadow Work Spread

Tarot is always an excellent tool for exploring your shadow self and overcoming any obstacles you may encounter. Below, we break down the Shadow work tarot spread and provide tips to help you heal your shadow self.

Note that performing a shadow work Tarot reading is not a particularly light journey. Unlike simple Tarot readings for financial or romantic questions, this reading dives into deep details about yourself that highlight the shadow aspect, the most uncomfortable element of your person.

In working through the Shadow Tarot spread, and in any Shadow work session you engage it, make sure not to be too hard on yourself. Everyone has a dark side, it's part of a human! Everyone has done things they regret, everyone has things about themselves they wish they could change. It's all okay–it's not something bad or wrong.

So, with that, let's jump into the Shadow Work Tarot spread:

1- The side of yourself you present to the world

This first card represents your outward, non-shadow self. It is an important foundation for this Tarot spread because it gives you contrast to see what your shadow work will be done on.

There are a variety of Tarot cards that can emerge here, as it is a profoundly open-ended question. Between the Major arcana and minor arcana, the Tarot deck captures the various ways of being, so depending on your energy, you could pull anything from the Hermit to the Two of Pentacles. This card is highly specific to you so rely heavily on your Intuition for interpretation.

2- The shadow side you're repressing

The second position often referred to as the "shadow card" will highlight the nature of your shadow self. After all, the first step in your shadow work is to understand your shadow side.

Tarot spreads have an interesting way of structuring the answer to a question, and that is especially true here. The second card in this spread can represent your shadow self in a multitude of ways. The Devil would be an obvious one to emerge, representing a lack of control over your lower-frequency desires. Some others might be the Five of Swords, Death reversed, Justice reversed, etc.

Pay careful attention to the imagery of Shadow card, as well as its place in the Tarot Deck.

3- The main source of your shadow

The third card dives deep as it relates to the origin of your shadow side. Cards pulled here, such as the moon card, star card, or eight of cups, can give you insight into what may have caused the need for your shadow work.

This is a nuanced card, so be sure to explore the full range of possible interpretations for whatever card emerges here.

4- The negatives impacts of it

Your shadow self might drag you into bad habits that are destructive to your quality of life. In order to fully immerse yourself in your spiritual evolution, you must understand how not addressing it affects you. This will help motivate you and put you in the right mindset to make the change.

If you are reading this for a querent, converse with them about how the individual's conscious life is impaired by not performing the necessary shadow work. This is ultimately what may "sell" the significance of following through on the shadow work Tarot spread's prescription.

5- What to focus on in your shadow work

This card gives you some simple advice you can follow immediately.

The previous four cards in this spread detailed your shadow–everything from its cause, to the impact it has on your life. The first card offers you the contrast necessary to discern the true nature of this side of you. Knowing these things, you are ready to receive the guidance of the fifth and final card.

Again, the theme in this spread is uniqueness. Anything pertaining to shadow work is ultimately going to vary quite a bit from person to person. It should be a fairly straightforward interpretation as all Tarot cards have specific advice associated with them. If the card that emerges in this position does not seem to make sense, take some time to meditate on it. You can even ask your Spirit guides for help.

The most important thing in your shadow work is action. You will learn everything you need to know from this shadow work spread, so all that is left is that you actually engage in the work.

Using Shadow Work Tarot Spreads for Personal Growth

This shadow work tarot spread will help you explore other aspects of who you really are. This can be extremely helpful in integrating your shadow self into a more comprehensive view of yourself.

Once you've completed your shadow spread, take your time to meditate so you can understand better how to face your fear, the shadow side, in order to work with it and heal from it. Be free from any bias or interfering thought, and let your Intuition and Spirit Guides speak freely to you.

The cards will speak to you by themselves, so the more still you are when you listen, the faster you'll get the answers you need.

Engaging in Shadow Work

However, as we mentioned in our description of the fifth position, the spread is only as useful as the work that follows. If you acknowledge the advice it gives without engaging in the work that needs to be done, you are doing yourself a grave disservice.

Shadow work is not going to be the most fun thing in the world, that's why it's called work! But its benefits are undisputed. What matters most is that you simply do the work to this end.

Sometimes we fall victim to "analysis paralysis," an abstract form of procrastination where we think we need to keep searching for more answers and more information. The reality is that the action we take is the only thing that matters. All you need is a little inkling to set you off on the right path and you will learn everything necessary to succeed along the way.

Closing Thoughts on Shadow Work

It may be difficult to engage with shadow work. It's even harder for people new to spirituality.

Just remember, you don't need to know everything about the shadow work tarot spread, how shadow work influences you, or the capabilities of Tarot. You only need to focus a little bit on beginning your shadow work journey. Before you know it, you'll be a happier, more whole person.

It takes a lifetime to address all the facets of your shadow work, so don't feel the need to rush. Take your time to connect with your "dark side" and understand the steps you need to take to develop as a person.

While this kind of introspection is not necessarily easy, it is vital if you wish to live up to your greatest potential. While Tarot readings for lighter questions, like if a romantic interest thinks about you, are more fun, this type of reading is much more impactful. A deep examination of yourself is a key step in understanding who you are and what you are capable of.

If you are willing to tolerate the short-term discomfort of unpacking some darker aspects of yourself, you can unlock a much more full and beautiful existence. It takes a commitment on your part, but the rewards of shadow work quickly make themselves plentiful; most find it is well worth the effort.

You won't have all the answers on day one, and that's okay. Just start on your shadow work!