Breathwork & Shadow

Working with your shadow-self is a practice in looking at the darker, maybe more negative aspects of yourself in order to heal them. If you are feeling stuck or noticing recurring negative patterns or cycles in your life, this practice will benefit you.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to your breathwork and guided meditation with me today.

This is Kumbi.

Thank you for joining me.

Today we explore the theme of healing our shadow,

Beginning with breathwork before our meditation.

Working with your shadow self is a practice in looking at the darker,

Maybe more negative aspects of yourself.

The parts of you that are hidden,

Pushed aside,

Denied,

Usually after years of social conditioning and self-judgment.

But they're still there and they work deep in our subconscious,

Coming out only as an unconscious reaction to a perceived threat or danger,

Maybe under an extreme amount of pressure or stress or anxiety.

It shows up as a pattern of behavior or habits that eventually negatively affect our well-being.

If you're feeling stuck or noticing recurring negative patterns or cycles in your life,

This practice will benefit you.

The shadow increases whenever we resort to the following.

Keeping truths from ourselves and others,

Harboring guilt and shame,

Making yourself and or others wrong,

Needing someone to blame,

Ignoring your own weaknesses while criticizing those around you or separating yourself from others.

These are the choices we can make to bring the shadow back into balance.

We can stop projecting.

We can detach and let go.

We can give up self-judgment and we can begin to rebuild our emotional body.

The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.

Joseph Campbell.

We're going to begin in a comfortable,

Relaxed position.

Close your eyes and begin to relax every single part of your body.

Turn your palms down and begin deep,

Relaxed breathing.

Relax your jaw,

Your shoulders,

Your chest,

Belly and hips.

Relax your thighs,

Knees,

Ankles and feet.

Feel yourself grounded,

Safe and relaxed.

Feel yourself surrender and open.

Gradually begin to deepen your breathing through the nose only now,

Noticing the pauses at the top after your inhale and the pause at the bottom after your exhale.

These are the four parts of the breath we will be working with.

Inhale,

Pause,

Exhale,

Pause.

We will be building up to Samana breathing or even breath ratio or square breathing.

Remember,

Try not to strain too hard,

Relax in the holdings,

Take extra breaths as needed and drop the technique altogether if you're feeling overwhelmed or too uncomfortable.

Now exhale out all of your breath until you're empty.

Inhale and exhale out all of your breath.

Exhale out all of your breath.

Again inhale 6,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Exhale 6,

5,

4,

3,

2,

1.

Inhale for 6,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6.

Exhale for 6,

5,

4,

3,

2.

Taking pauses,

Inhale for 6,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Hold for two counts.

Exhale 6,

5,

4,

3,

2,

1,

Hold out for two counts.

Inhale for 6,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Hold for four counts.

Exhale for 6,

5,

4,

3,

2,

1,

Hold for four.

Inhale 6,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Hold again for 4,

2,

3,

4,

Exhale 6,

5,

4,

3,

2,

Hold out for four.

Inhale for 6,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Hold again for four.

Exhale for 6,

5,

4,

3,

2,

Hold it out for four.

Inhale for 8,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

7,

8,

Hold for four.

Exhale out 8,

7,

6,

5,

4,

3,

2,

1,

Hold out for four.

Inhale for 8,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Hold for four.

Exhale 8,

7,

6,

5,

4,

3,

2,

1,

Hold it out for four.

Inhale for 8,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

7,

8,

Hold for four.

Exhale for 8,

7,

6,

5,

4,

3,

2,

1,

Hold it out for four.

Exhale for 8,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

7,

8,

Hold for six.

Inhale for 8,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Exhale for 8,

7,

6,

5,

4,

3,

2,

1,

Hold it out for six.

Inhale for 8,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

7,

8,

Hold for six.

Inhale for 8,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Exhale for 8,

7,

6,

5,

4,

3,

2,

1,

Hold it out for six.

Exhale for 8,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

7,

8,

Hold for six.

Exhale for 8,

7,

6,

5,

4,

3,

2,

Hold it out for six.

Inhale for 8,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

7,

8,

Hold for six.

Inhale for 8,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Exhale for eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Hold it out for six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two.

Now even ratios,

Inhale for 8,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

7,

8,

Hold for eight,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight,

Exhale for eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

Hold it out for eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

Inhale for eight,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight,

Hold for eight,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Exhale for eight,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Hold it out for eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

Inhale for eight,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight,

Exhale for eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

Hold it out for eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

Inhale for eight,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight,

Hold for eight,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Exhale for eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Hold it out for eight,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Inhale for eight,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight,

Hold for just four,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Exhale for eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

Hold it out for four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Inhale for eight,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight,

Hold for four,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Exhale for eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

Hold out for four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Inhale for eight,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight,

Hold for four,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Exhale for eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

Hold it out for four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Last time,

Inhale for eight,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Seven,

Eight,

Hold for four,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Exhale for eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Hold it out for four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Inhale for six,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Hold for two,

Exhale six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

Hold out for two,

Inhale for six,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Hold for two,

Exhale six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

Hold out for two.

Now let go of the counts and let go of the pauses.

Allow each inhale to move straight into the exhale and the exhale to flow right away into the next inhale,

Just smooth,

Deep,

Even and concentrated breathing and yes,

Just slightly forced.

See if you can maintain this breath throughout the guided meditation.

With your body remaining relaxed,

Set an intention for yourself to illuminate into love,

Part or all of your shadow side.

You can silently say to yourself,

My intention right now is to shine light on the parts of myself that I have hidden,

Judged and denied.

My intention is to begin to love and accept my whole self.

Now identify a trait or a characteristic within you that you are very proud of,

That you have identified with as a positive quality about you.

Maybe you are a compassionate and loyal partner,

Maybe honest and trustworthy.

Do you consider yourself optimistic and positive,

Hardworking and responsible?

Are you a great parent,

Boss,

Leader?

Are you artistic and creative?

Are you empathetic and sensitive?

A great listener,

Supportive and uplifting?

By one or a few traits that you really,

Really love about yourself.

Visualize yourself embodying this trait or characteristics,

You being your best self,

You shining in the light of your positive self-judgment.

Embracing and identifying with these traits and characteristics,

Notice how you feel and continue the deep breathing.

Now identify what would be the opposite of this trait or characteristic.

If embodied within you,

The part of you that is the opposite that maybe you are not so proud of,

Maybe the opposite of hardworking is the lazy part of you.

If you're honest and trustworthy,

The opposite would be the unreliable and dishonest part of you.

If you're optimistic and positive,

Is there negativity and cynicism within you?

If you're compassionate and kind,

The opposite would be hateful and mean.

But just identify this opposite first,

Maybe name it or visualize the embodiment of that opposite however shape or figure it comes up as it could be.

Found within another person or character that you observe,

Either real or fictitious,

Or more possibly found within you,

A different version of you at another time.

Maybe as a child,

Teenager,

Young adult,

Or maybe even more recent,

Maybe last week.

Just visualize it,

Visualize you and feel it,

Noticing what it looks like and how it feels,

Possibly uncomfortable.

Continue deep breathing.

Try to remember the last time or a significant time you felt this negative or opposite energy.

What was the circumstance or situation that may have triggered you?

What did you do that you may not be so proud of?

How did a darker side of your character or personality express itself?

What kind of drama or pain did it create?

Observe that situation and the feelings it brings up.

Allow it to fill up your awareness,

Not pushing it away,

No longer hiding from it or denying it,

But welcoming it into your awareness and attention,

Fearlessly looking at it,

At you,

Accepting all of it,

All of you,

The whole experience,

The full expression of your shadow side for what it was and is.

Notice any guilt,

Shame,

Embarrassment,

Or judgments.

Now let's guide your dark past self,

Shadow self,

Or the embodiment of that negative feeling into a light,

A warm,

Bright,

Loving white light glowing brightly on top of you and around your shadow,

Your darkness,

Sending your shadow self love with this light,

Silently say to your past self,

I forgive you.

Forgive me for judging you.

Forgive me for ignoring you.

Allow me to love you,

Care for you,

Nurture you.

Allow me to hug you and hold you.

Visualize embracing it,

Embracing you,

Your shadow self.

Taking gratitude for its existence,

For your awareness,

For coming into the light.

Thank it for trying to protect you or help you.

Allow it,

Allow you to soak up the white light and to be accepted and loved as a hurt and neglected part of yourself slowly,

Slowly honoring its existence and no longer allowing it to harm or control you or others.

Continue deep cyclical breathing.

Farmers Mississippi.

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Come back to yourself in this present moment.

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Feel a sense of wholeness,

Love and light.

Envelop your entire body and being.

Relax and bask in it.

Allow your breath to become even,

Neutral and light.

Our real enemy is not the darkness within us,

But our rejection and denial of it.

It is not by turning away from the shadow side of ourself that we find peace.

But in turning toward it,

Yet,

Embracing it as a long lost part of ourselves.

Barbara DeAngelis.

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Slowly coming back,

Wiggle your fingers and your toes.

Circle your wrists,

Maybe ankles.

Take a deep inhale filling up your chest,

Your ribs and your belly.

And a long exhale out of your mouth.

Check in and notice how you feel now.

Notice how your body feels.

When you're ready you can slowly open your eyes.

Thank you for joining me.

Have a wonderful rest of your day.

Reviews

Wow sis 🥲🥲🥹thank you so much, perfect

Lovely 🌻

Thank you Kumbi, I absolutely loved that meditation ✨ 🙏🏼

This is a great meditation for anyone! For me specifically I’m a creative person questioning my life journey right now and this meditation reminded me of the dark side that needs love and acknowledgement to move forward

Absolute bliss. Thank you.

Excellent! Thank you, Kumbi!