Embrace the Shadows: The First Step in Becoming

Taylor & Lauren
Sep 1
3 min read

“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”

-Carl Jung

September arrives draped in twilight. The sun softens. The air sharpens. Leaves curl at the edges, and the nights stretch just a little longer. It is here, in this hush of late summer and early autumn, that we begin.

The first step of becoming isn’t easy. It asks you to truly look at yourself. Not just the polished parts you show the world. But the quiet corners you avoid. The thoughts you don’t say aloud. The fears you keep folded in the dark.

These are your shadows, and they are part of you. This month, we don’t banish them. We don’t fight them. We meet them.

Why We Begin in the Shadows

We’ve been taught to fear our shadows - to keep them hidden and pretend we are only our light. But the truth is:

🌑 Your shadows hold your power.

🌑 Your shadows hold your truth.

🌑 Your shadows hold the pieces of you that are waiting to be loved back into the whole.

Like the moon waxing and waning, you are both light and dark. And wholeness begins when you stop turning away.

We’ve both seen how easy it is for ourselves and others to fill every moment with noise just to avoid the quiet - to keep busy so you don’t have to look at what’s waiting in the dark. But the truth is, the dark is where you find the things you’ve been missing. The parts of yourself you forgot were there.

Meeting Your Shadow

You don’t need anything elaborate - just a little time, and a willingness to sit with yourself.

🌙 What You’ll Need:

A candle or small light
A piece of paper and something to write with
A quiet space

🌙 Steps:

1️⃣ Light your candle. Let the soft glow remind you of your own steady flame.

2️⃣ Take three deep breaths and close your eyes.

3️⃣ Ask yourself: What am I avoiding? What part of me have I been hiding?

4️⃣ Let the answers come, even if they’re just feelings or single words.

5️⃣ Write them down on the paper. Name them.

6️⃣ When you’re finished, fold the paper, and (if safe) burn it in a fireproof dish, or bury it outside. As you do, say: I see you. I honor you. I release what no longer serves.

Journal Prompts

For those who want to go deeper, here are a few prompts to explore this month:

What do I fear others would see if they really knew me?
What stories about myself am I ready to unlearn?
How might my shadows also be my teachers?

Our favorite way to ground into this is through scent: earthy, smoky, and a little wild - a reminder of what lies below the surface.

Consider diffusing some essential oils like:

🌲 Vetiver & Cedar - grounding and deep

🌒 Smoked Orange & Clove - warm, dark, and mysterious

🖤 Light a candle or mist your space before journaling.

You are not just your light. You are not just your dark. You are the whole - the flame and the shadow it casts. This month, honor the parts you’ve kept hidden. Sit with them. Learn from them. Because only when you meet yourself fully can you begin to truly become.