The dark half of the year is a perfect time to undertake shadow work. Throughout late autumn and fall I take time to revisit the land of my subconscious and find out what actions and beliefs no longer serve me. Shadow work is an ongoing, cyclic journey with no set endpoint but with many rewards.

Psychologist Carl Jung believed that the shadow was comprised of the parts of ourselves that have been hidden or repressed but which still have an impact on our decisions. Typically without our conscious awareness, shadows have a tendency to perpetuate choices that interfere with obtaining that which we desire. If we wish to achieve greater life success and happiness, it is crucial that we familiarize ourselves with our shadow aspects.

Shadow work is challenging. At best, it can be disconcerting and emotional, and at worst, it can be traumatic. I am therefore grateful for the comfort and guidance of spiritual allies who walk beside me as I do this work. For many years, I invoked the aid of Persephone in these efforts. I have always felt a strong connection to Her, and her role as Queen of the Underworld makes her an ideal ally, not only with the literal dead but also with “dead” beliefs and behaviors that we have outgrown but which may still cause us pain.

Upon writing my book about Perspehone, I began to hear the whispers of some of those closest to Her. The first in Persephone’s circle to reach out to me was her mother, the goddess Demeter. Soon thereafter, Hecate, the faithful companion of both Demeter and Persephone, made herself known. It soon became clear that each of these deities had unique attributes which made them ideal shadow work allies.

I believe shadow work can be broken down into three parts: past, present, and future. Uncovering and confronting our past is akin to pulling out weeds by the root. We cannot prevent the “weeds”, or shadows, from continuing to come back if we don’t descend into our own personal Underworld to get to the heart of what caused them in the first place. This is Persephone’s realm of influence.

Early on in her story, Persephone was defined by those around her and never had an opportunity to determine her true identity for herself. Oftentimes, it is the labels that are ascribed to us by ourselves or others that hold us back. One helpful way to uproot our shadow aspects is to take time to identify all of the labels we have been carrying around and evaluate whether or not they accurately represent who we are at our core. Labels can interfere with our ability to truly know and appreciate ourselves and may prevent us from pursuing opportunities that could contribute to our happiness and growth.

An  activity that I have found to be beneficial is to imagine myself walking a path with Persephone while wearing several cloaks-one for each inaccurate label that I have been carrying around. As I walk with Persephone in my mind’s eye, I name each label and remove one of the cloaks. By  the end, I am spiritually lighter-no longer suppressed by the dead weight of false labels. Given Persephone’s association with the Underworld, She can also aid you in accessing ancestral wisdom and information from deceased loved ones.

Once we have found the initial causes of our shadows, we must determine how to redirect  or release the energy that is bound up in these roots. It is in this stage where Demeter is most helpful. While Persephone went through a transformation, so did her mother. It was at the point of reunification that Demeter began to finally accept Persephone’s shift from child to young woman and was able to let go of beliefs that served neither Her nor her daughter.

 So how do we let go of some of our most daunting shadow related feelings-such as depression, anger or grief- and live in the present? A rarely considered aspect of Demeter is that she took action in the midst of her darkest emotions. Despite being mired in grief,  Demeter chooses to act as a nursemaid to the young son of a powerful family. In other myths featuring Demeter, she is associated with the vengeful Erinyes and, in some cases, inflicts severe punishment on others who have wronged her. While we should not enact vengeance or perpetrate violence as Demeter does, it can be healing to channel our feelings into productive action.

There are many ways to take action, such as by using creative expression as an outlet for our feelings, pursuing our interests, or using one’s voice to advocate for others or change systems that are unjust. Demeter was also a goddess who oversaw public policy and justice and thus can be helpful with advocacy or systems change efforts.  As a mother goddess, I have found Her to be nurturing when emotions become overwhelming.

We must, at some point, integrate what we have learned in order to manifest a future that is aligned with our health, happiness and our sovereignty. Hecate holds the keys to unlocking a new vision for our future. Wisdom is Her gift. Just as Hecate became Persephone’s constant companion at the end of her story, wisdom becomes our constant companion as a result of our shadow work.

In many ways, Hecate is a guide both at the crossroads and as we walk our paths. Hecate can help us to both assimilate our newfound wisdom and to re-envision our future. I recommend exploring resources such as Cyndi Brannen’s book, “Keeping Her Keys”, and  The Temple of Hecate for more information about this goddess.

Ultimately, all of these goddesses have attributes and experiences that resonate with the human experience. I encourage you to explore them as shadow work allies, for truly their gifts comprise the hopeful light that we may glimpse as we work our way through the darkness.

The goddesses and their myths have long been powerful forces in Robin Corak’s life, leading her to a passion for helping others to transform their lives by unleashing their full potential and recognizing the unique divine gifts that lie within. As a practicing pagan for nearly 20 years, Robin has been trained and initiated in the Taibhsear and NROOGD traditions and has been a member of the Sisterhood of Avalon since 2002, where she currently serves as its Board Secretary. She is also a skilled Tarot reader, a Reiki Master, a Priestess, and a leader in both the spiritual and non-profit community.

Since 2012, Robin has been the CEO of a non-profit, social services organization with a consolidated budget of $66 million. Throughout her 22 years in the non-profit field, she has helped thousands with diverse challenges to discover their often long neglected talents, take control of their lives, and achieve their dreams A leadership development coach and instructor for both adults and youth, Robin has won leadership awards such as Advancing Leadership’s 2017 Bob Wroblewski Servant Leadership award and Soroptomists of Federal Way’s Woman of Distinction and Women Helping Women awards Robin is a graduate of the University of Washington Non-Profit Leadership Institute, a member of the Forbes Non-Profit Council and possesses a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management.

Robin has had her writing featured in publications including Goddess, When She Rules, Flower Face Bloduewedd Anthology, Her Sacred Garden: An Avalonion Herbal Journey, and Pagan Writer’s Press Yule Anthology. In addition, Mrs. Corak has been a frequent contributor to online publications such as the Tor Stone, Forbes, Buddha Groove and The Call of the Morrigan. Robin was a presenter at the 2018 Pantheacon conference (SOA Hospitality Suite), Land, Sea, and Sky’s Year With Our Gods online conference series and the 2017 and 2018 Avacon conferences. She is scheduled to be a presenter at the 2019 Paganicon and has taught classes locally and online on topics such as Reiki, Divination, Incense Making, and Gods/Goddesses. Robin is the owner of Phoenix Awen Rising, an organization which provides transformative tarot readings, presentations, and coaching services designed to help individuals identify and achieve the life that they desire. You can find Robin at her website: http://www.phoenixawenrising.com. Phoenix Awen Rising can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/phoenixawenrising. Robin resides in Washington state.

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