By gaining a deeper awareness of what our subconscious wants to express—secret desires, hopes, insecurities, and fears, our pathway to that realm becomes more lucid. This opens up the doorway for beings in our subconscious awareness to come through into our waking consciousness. Opening up this pathway allows for a deeper connection to the realm where we can communicate with our plant allies.
This 25-minute audio file is a guided journey into shadow work, set to a background of peaceful binaural beats. It is also a great way to get a small taste of the work offered in our plant apprenticeships.
The Guided Journey into Gentle Shadow Work
In this audio meditation, we gently work with material that is not always readily available to our conscious minds: hopes, fears, and desires that we dont always provide with the time, attention, and honoring needed.
About Dara del Rio
Dara del Rio | Years ago, Dara’s life was saved by a powerful medicine woman & shaman. The chance encounter altered the course of her life. Dara’s vision asks for a depth of healing that is only possible when mind, body, and spirit are given equal attention and weight. Her approach incorporates somatic awareness and transpersonal practices that encourage and facilitate direct communication with the natural world, drawing inspiration from Amazonian, Buddhist, and Taoist healing traditions. She strives to maintain cohesion & clarity in her work with clients, keeping it simple, grounded, balanced, and slow.
Gentle Shadow Work Transcript
Welcome.
This is Dara, and today we’re going to do a meditation on opening the pathways for connecting to the spirit realm where our plant allies can meet us and help us. The idea with this meditation is to strengthen our imagination, which you can think of as a muscle. The more we use our imagination, the stronger it becomes. This realm, called the imaginal realm, is the same place we journeyed to in our last meditation—the underworld, lower world, or subconscious mind. It has many names but exists on a different plane of reality, no less real than our day-to-day world. When we use our imagination to access this imaginal realm, we can consciously plant the seeds of intention to manifest in our physical reality.
Preparing for the Journey
Before we dive in, find a comfortable space that feels private and safe. You can either be seated or lying down. Start to take in the space around you. Let your eyes wander, relaxing your focus, and notice where your body touches the ground. Feel supported by the earth beneath you.
Take a few deep breaths, notice the rise and fall of your belly and chest, and gently close your eyes. With your hands resting on your lower belly, we’ll anchor ourselves, grounding our connection to our subconscious.
Imagining Your Landscape
In your imagination, call up a piece of land that you feel connected to. It could be a special place in nature where you’ve been before, perhaps a scenic vista, a creek, or a body of water.
This landscape will be used as a map of your psyche during this meditation. Find a comfortable spot, and settle in.
One way we create a pathway for connection to the spirit realm is by integrating our conscious and subconscious minds. This means becoming aware of what our subconscious wants to express—our hidden hopes, desires, insecurities, and fears. As we integrate these into our conscious mind, the pathway opens for communication with our subconscious and with other beings in that realm, including our plant spirit allies.
Entering the Shadow Realm
As you settle into this landscape, imagine the shadow of night falling across the land. The sun sets, and darkness surrounds you. How do you feel in this space now that night has come? Is there a moon above? Can you see the stars? Feel the wind, rain, or even a thunderstorm.
What happens as you settle into the darkness? Simply notice without judgment.
Now, call your plant ally into this space. Invite it to join you as a guide. How does it arrive? Is it a physical presence, a sensation in your body, or an image in your mind? Ask your plant ally to show you what is hidden in your subconscious that inhibits you from accessing this realm in your daily life.
Gentle Exploration of Your Shadow
Begin a gentle inquiry into your shadow. Ask your plant ally, “What do I keep hidden in my shadows that is ready to be revealed?” There’s no need to rush. This is just the beginning of opening this pathway.
With the help of your plant ally, find an area of your shadow that feels ready for integration into your conscious mind. Ask your ally for help in doing this. You don’t have to figure it all out on your own—simply ask for guidance.
Integration and Compassion
As you integrate this shadow aspect, notice what happens in your body. What insights arise? What messages do you receive?
Remember to have compassion for yourself. Our shadow aspects are simply hurt parts of ourselves that need love and support. If it’s difficult to feel compassion, ask your plant ally for help. Ask, “How can I have compassion for myself in this space?”
Closing the Journey
Once you’ve completed one cycle of shadow work, thank your plant ally for its help. Now, imagine the light of the sun rising from the east. Feel it casting light on the cherished landscape around you.
Ask yourself or the spirit of the land what offering would be a good way to show your gratitude. Imagine the offering appearing in your hand, and place it on the land.
Returning to Conscious Awareness
As the journey concludes, gently return to the awareness of your hands on your lower belly. Take a few deep breaths, and slowly transition back into your normal state of consciousness.
Once you’re fully back, take time to stretch and notice how your body feels. I encourage you to journal, reflect, or visit the real-life landscape you connected with during this meditation.
Thank you for taking this journey with me.
So, if you have any questions or you want to know more about this practice, feel free to reach out to us here. And thank you for spending your time with me.
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