The goal of Tarot Shadow Work: Using the Dark Symbols to Heal written by Christine Jette and published by Llewellyn Publications, (ISBN1-56718-408-1 $12.95), is to “...free yourself from the shackles of the shadow’s power.”  What is the shadow?  The Shadow is our forbidden feelings, secret wishes, inner conflicts, unexpressed emotions and creative urges that are buried in our unconscious.   The shadow was believed by C.G. Jung to be the one of the most powerful archetypes containing the darker aspects of our character that have remained undeveloped because they have not been given expression and if neglected, our shadow will rule us and “…will appear in our world around us as fate.”
Through use of the Major Arcana images in the tarot, the author attempts to show us how to identify, get to know and embrace our shadow. The author states, “The goal of shadow work is integration, not rejection, of the shadow.  Understanding of the shadow will give you wisdom, choice, freedom, power, compassion and hope.”

The book proceeds to go through the steps we are to follow.  First is the preparation for doing shadow work. This involves creating sacred space, circles of protection, building a shadow altar and meditations and journaling. Next the real shadow work begins with a tarot layout called the “Star of Discovery.”  Here we discover our shadow.  In another tarot layout called the “Star of Recovery,” we begin to explore our shadow and get to know this hidden part of ourselves.   In the remaining chapters, we start the process of acceptance and integration of our shadow.  A layout called the “Star of Illumination” shows us areas that need to be healed.  The final layout is the “Star of Hope” shows us the hope of the possible future.  Each layout is in the same star shape and as such there is no need to remember a different layout for each step. I feel this helps to keep us focused on our goal by giving us something familiar to work with.

The author says you need no knowledge of the tarot to use Tarot Shadow Works and gives the shadow meanings of the Majors in the appendix. But Tarot Shadow Work is not a book for the beginning tarot student wanting to learn tarot.  I feel this book is for tarot students who use the tarot for self-discovery and are ready to discover more about themselves than they might really want to know. It will help you come face to face with your own fears.  This is not an easy thing to do.  This book tries to lead us to where few people want to go.  To look at our shadow side and to accept what we find.  While I do not know if I am ready yet, the book will be here when I am.
 
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