Shadow Work in the Bible: My Personal Journey and Reflections

"I am curious to hear where shadow work is in scriptures, the gospel, Bible teachings and in churches as to where it is viewed.

What is your perspective?

Any particular scriptures for context?

Thanks"

Below is my reply, organized into sections for clarity.

1. My Journey to Jesus Christ

I think the first thing I need to share with you is how I came to Jesus Christ—so you can understand what differentiates me from the average churchgoer or pastor.

In 1999, I nearly died from a drug overdose. I finally realized I could not keep living a life of crime, drug dealing, and drug use—I wouldn’t survive. That moment became the turning point. I made a decision to change my life, even though I didn’t believe in God at the time. My only exposure to a higher power had been through court-ordered AA meetings.

I began searching for answers in the library, studied many different religions, and started practicing Zen Buddhist meditation. This practice of observing the mind and what’s happening around us turned out to be a beautiful foundational discipline—a practice that, I now believe, God directly guided me to.

Although I was once opposed to Jesus Christ and the Bible, in the year 2000 I experienced a profound inner revelation. Suddenly, I was filled with light, and my awareness turned inward toward the center of my own being. I fell to my knees and instinctively exclaimed, “Jesus Christ.” In that moment, I fully recognized Jesus as the central axis of the universe—the very center of my being and the truth of who we are at our core.

Please understand that at that time I was only 21 years old, not a regular churchgoer, and had not read the New Testament. Yet, I found myself standing in the light of a profound, cosmic truth—a recognition of Jesus Christ not as an external figure but as the very source of all creation.

After this encounter, I did start attending a church to which I was invited. While sharing my experience, I encountered resistance—one group leader even threw a Bible at my feet, saying, “If it's not in the book then it's not the truth.” I responded that although I didn’t know everything in the book, I knew what God had revealed to me. I prayed for God’s help to understand the Bible and, more importantly, to know God and Jesus Christ deeply so that I could communicate this truth to others.

Before diving into specific Bible verses, I want to emphasize that I stand apart from the average churchgoing Christian. I love my brothers and sisters in Christ, but I believe few study or practice the revelations and truths of the Bible as deeply as I do. My life is devoted to leading people into the reality that God has shown me—revealing who we truly are in Christ.

I don’t subscribe to many fundamental church beliefs or practices. I simply follow the Lord—not men—unless God specifically directs me otherwise. I have no need to belong to a group because I value seeking and pursuing truth above groupthink. Before encountering God, I was in relentless pursuit of truth, and that quest has never waned.

2. Shadow Work in the Bible

Now, let’s talk about shadow work and its place in scripture.

2.1 What Is Shadow Work?

Shadow work is the practice of bringing awareness—of shedding light—on the repressed, unconscious parts of our psyche. It isn’t demonic. In fact, the word "demonic" (from the Greek daimón) originally referred to personifications of concepts like love, darkness, or justice. The idea was about an unseen influence that could shape destinies for better or worse.

Ancient thinkers described unseen forces much as we do today, though over time we’ve often mis-translated and misunderstood their meanings. In modern psychology, the shadow represents the unwanted, repressed, or disowned parts of ourselves. These hidden areas might contain both negative elements—like repressed anger—and positive ones, such as unexpressed love. For example, someone who struggles to express love might be repressing it, locking it away in darkness. Likewise, anger that’s never properly expressed can be dangerous, leading to emotional harm.

Shadow work, then, is about bringing these unconscious elements into the light—acknowledging, loving, and integrating them so they no longer remain suppressed.

2.2 Scriptural Perspectives on Shadow Work

The Bible offers many scriptures that resonate with the principles of shadow work. Here are some key verses and their interpretations:

• Isaiah 9:2
  “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”
  This verse speaks to the transformative power of awareness—the light that dispels the darkness of our unconscious shadows.

• Luke 4:18 (Jesus quoting Isaiah 61)
  “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.”
  Here, recovery of sight symbolizes our ability to see into the hidden recesses of our psyche—the very essence of shadow work.

• John 1:5
  “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
  This light is the awareness that illuminates the unconscious parts of ourselves. Without this light, our repressed emotions can have damaging effects.

• John 3:19-20
  “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.”
  This passage underscores the fear of exposure that keeps us trapped in our shadows. It speaks to the power of shadow work in revealing and healing these hidden parts.

• Ephesians 5:11-13
  “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them... But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible.”
  The exposure of hidden deeds through light mirrors the purpose of shadow work: to bring what is hidden into conscious awareness so that true healing can begin.

• Matthew 7:5
  “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
  This metaphor challenges us to address our own unconscious blind spots—the shadow—before judging others.

• Matthew 6:22-23
  “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
  Here, a healthy “eye” represents clear vision unclouded by the repressed elements of our psyche. Unhealthy vision signifies how our shadow can distort our perception.

I could go on from Genesis to Revelation with scriptures that validate the process and necessity of shadow work. For me, it’s simply about bringing awareness to the unconscious content of our mind, emotions, and even bodily sensations.

3. The Transformative Power of Shadow Work

What I do—integrating shadow work into a faith-based approach—has produced miracles in people’s lives. Relationships that once seemed doomed have been restored, and those struggling with despair have discovered hope. These breakthroughs occur without the need for rigid indoctrination, belief systems, or religious jargon. Every day, I witness the liberating power of God as people are set free from the chains of their own hidden fears.

Just as Jesus healed on the Sabbath despite the criticisms of the Pharisees, modern Christians sometimes reject healing that doesn’t fit neatly into established boxes. Before judging any new age or alternative healing modality, ask yourself: “Am I falling into the trap of the Pharisee, or am I following Jesus’s commands and life?”

Hope this helps 🙏🏻