Crystals are widely used for different reasons from healing, crystal therapy and manifestation.

Not only are crystals often beautify to have and hold, they are effective to work with the energy of the crystal for physical healing and inner transformation.

Crystals can be worked with for manifestation such as money magick and spells (link) or inner soul work such as shadow work.

 

So, what exactly is shadow work?

 

Before we dive into the six crystals that are best for shadow work, let’s briefly cover what shadow work entails.

Shadow work is consciously bring forward unconscious aspects of the self that often remain hidden, buried or ignored for a different reasons.

Many times, these aspects of the “hidden” self are qualities, traits or memories that are stored within the unconsciousness and are suppressed.

 

In these parts of the “shadow self”, there may be fear, shame, anger, anxiety or hatred – all the parts that we are told to hide away from the light because they aren’t desirable, acceptable or understood.

When we ignore these parts of our shadow, they don’t disappear; rather these parts seep out and create problems in our life the more we try to ignore or suppress them.

Shadow work is about analyzing these aspects of our hidden self to better understand and heal these aspects that desperately need attention, resolution and healing.

 

6 Crystals for Shadow Work

 

Let’s begin right away.

 

Here are six (6) crystals for shadow work to try:

• Onyx
• Jet
• Black tourmaline
• Obsidian
• Black moonstone
• Labradorite

Next, we’ll see what each of these crystals have to offer for working with them in shadow work:

 

Onyx

 

This crystal is excellent for working on past life issues and past life recall.

If you find you have issues in your shadow self while doing shadow work and you feel that these issues have no foundation or connection to your life (e.g. childhood or in your past), you may possibly have unresolved issues from a past life.

Working with this crystal can assist with unraveling fear, anxiety and phobias that may originate from a past life, including behaviours, habits or patterns that you’re not able to change, which may come from a past life memory.

To know more about past life workings, be sure to read How to do Past Life Work & Healing. (Link)

 

Jet

 

If you have feelings that have been suppressed or locked away, this crystal will help to release these barriers.

Be prepare though: working with jet in shadow work could unleash a floodgate of emotion especially if these feelings and emotions have been suppressed for a long time.

Allow yourself the time and space to process what is hidden under the surface in the shadow self.

Jet can assist with learning to accept these repressed feelings and emotions for what they are, to accept the way you feel as a way to validate your feelings, and learn how to process these feelings and emotions in a healthy way.

Adding Rose Quartz with Jet can provide a loving energy to soften the process and embody self-love and self-acceptance.

 

Black Tourmaline

 

Working with black tourmaline in shadow work can assist with overcoming deep seated fears, worry, anger, feelings of worthlessness, self-hatred, negative thought patterns and pessimism.

The cause of any of these conditions could potentially come from the shadow self which is often imprinted with memories and energy from the past.

This is an abundant stone that’s readily available and often affordable and comes in a variety of sizes for every budget.

Black tourmaline is closely connected to the lower chakras, especially the root chakra.

 

Obsidian

 

There are different forms of obsidian which technically is a form of volcanic glass.

These are the known types of obsidian:

• Black obsidian
• Gold sheen obsidian
• Silver sheen obsidian
• Rainbow obsidian
• Apache Tear obsidian or Smoky obsidian / Marekanite
• Mahogany obsidian
• Peacock obsidian
• Snowflake obsidian

Each obsidian stone has a slight variation on the properties of what it does.

Technically, depending on what aspect of your shadow self that you want to do the shadow work, you could use one of these obsidian stones for that specific working.

Black obsidian is a good stone for working on ancestral healing and past lives, so if you feel that parts of your shadow self are connected to your lineage or past lives, you may decide to use this crystal for your shadow work.

Black obsidian is known for revealing inner truth, so when worked with for shadow work, it will reveal to you who you are underneath everything.

 

This stone is associated with Pluto, the energy that strips everything away down to the underworld.

If you’re ready to face the shadow in its raw form, working with black obsidian may reveal that to you.

If you wish to know more about the other forms of obsidian, check out this article from Crystal Vaults.

 

Black Moonstone

 

This crystal is said to be connected to the dark moon, dark goddess and Black Madonna.

Black moonstone is connected to lunar and feminine energies while still infused with facing the shadow aspect of the Divine Feminine.

If you want to heal and uncover the shadow side of your anima/feminine self, black moonstone may be the crystal to work with.

If you have unresolved shadow issues involving fertility, menstruation and femininity, meditating or journaling while working with black moonstone may benefit you.

 

Labradorite

 

Labradorite is a mystical crystal and has a softer energy than obsidian, onyx or jet.

This crystal works to illuminate past memories, to dispel fear and anxiety that may be triggered from these past memories that become locked within the subconscious.

Labradorite is an excellent crystal for shadow work that involves self-reflection and introspection, to better understand your reasons and motives behind what say, do or how you feel.

Working with this crystal can help shed light on certain behaviours that are rooted in the shadow self and assist you in becoming more aware of your actions and behaviours.

 

How to work with Crystals for Shadow Work

 

Crystals can be used in a variety of ways for healing and improving overall health/balance.

Here are a few ways that crystals for shadow work can be used:

• Meditation
• Spell work / magick
• Crystal grids
• Journaling
• Tarot readings
• Chakra healing

 

Let’s explore in more detail how you can use these crystals for shadow work with the above methods:

 

Meditation

 

Meditation is one of the simplest and easiest ways to work with any kind of crystal.

After cleansing and “programming” the crystal for your intended work, you can begin to meditate with the crystal to delve deeper into your shadow work journey.

To know more about how to “program” a crystal, check out this post by Ethan Lazzerini.

 

Meditation with a crystal for shadow work can be done in silent meditation, with music or with a guided meditation.

It’s important always to select the right crystal for the type of work that you’re doing, including what kind of shadow work that you’re doing (i.e. what your goal for the shadow work meditation is.)

 

If you’re seeking to work on shadow work meditation about past lives or issues from past lives that may be in your shadow self, then working with the crystal onyx would be better than black moonstone.

 

Spell Work / Magick

 

If you’re performing a spell that is meant for doing shadow work, such as to transform, heal and release aspects of the shadow self, crystals can be added to spells to enhance the energy of the working.

If you wish to carry crystals during your meditation or while journaling, you can create a spell/charm bag that contains herbs, tokens and crystals that are associated with shadow work.

 

Crystal Grids

 

Crystal grids are amazing sacred geometric structures formed by placing crystals in a specific pattern for a desired effect.

A crystal grid can be set up using certain crystals that match your intention and are placed somewhere (such as a table or in a garden) where the crystal grid won’t be disturbed or touches for several days (anywhere from 24 hours to 30 days.)

Crystal grids can be made from scratch without using a preset outline such as a crystal grid cloth or crystal grid wooden board.

Some geometric patterns can be found online and printed on paper to place your crystals on the pattern.

Looking for a wooden crystal grid board? Try Cave & Canyon.

 

Journaling

 

Do you love writing?

Do you think better when you write?

Journaling about shadow work can be therapeutic and effective to pour out and over all the thoughts, feeling and emotions that become unleashed during shadow work.

Working with a crystal for shadow work while journaling can assist you to go deeper into the process.

If you add divination such as tarot to your shadow work, the cards can give you more prompts to write about as the crystal gives more energy to “flesh out” what lies underneath the surface.

 

Tarot Readings

 

Tarot can be an excellent way to dig under the surface and explore what’s hidden in the shadow self.

Working with crystals during a tarot reading can amplify this affect.

Try meditating or programming a crystal best for shadow work prior to doing a tarot reading for shadow work to assist with being more receptive to unconscious/subconscious messages.

Want to try tarot and shadow work together? Get your copy of Tarot for Troubled Times: Confront Your Shadow, Heal Yourself & Transform the World by Shaheen Miro & Theresa Reed.

 

Chakra Healing

 

The root chakra is strongly connected to the past and physical world.

It’s the chakra that keeps us grounded, rooted and connected to our physical environment.

If you feel you have underlying issues connected to a chakra which may originate from the shadow self, you can start by working on the chakra first then work your way deeper to uncover the root cause laying beneath in the shadow self.

By starting at the chakra that has an issue, this can act as a “gateway” and make the process easier to understand as you delve deeper into the cause or problem.

An issue with a chakra may be that the chakra is overactive or underactive in which by using your intuition, you can determine if the problem is caused by a shadow self issue or if by something else.

Healing the chakra may fix the chakra if it is overactive or underactive, however if you dig deeper to find the root cause – and perhaps do some shadow work – you may find that the issue with the chakra will be less likely to return so soon or at all.

 

Now it’s up to you!

 

Shadow work isn’t easy and can take a long time to see significant progress.

It’s OK if there are some issues that you can’t face on your own or that you really just don’t want to go there and open that Pandora’s Box.

The key about shadow work is to go gently into working in the shadow as far as you can tolerate in one sitting.

Don’t get frustrated if certain parts of your shadow feel as though they are under lock and key, that you just can’t break through.

Sometimes these barriers are for our own good as a protection mechanism; other times we can only go so far and may need as a qualified therapist to help guide us safely through that part of the shadow.

 

As a parting note, you can balance shadow work with crystals that are gentler and loving which may promote self-love and self-forgiveness such as Rose Quartz, Larimar and Rhodonite while going through your shadow work journey.

 

Crystals for Past Life Work & Healing

 

Working with Ragana Baltic Goddess of Witchcraft & Death

 

How to Work with your Ancestors

 

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