Using Tarot to Illuminate Our Shadow Selves

Written on 03/24/2025
Patti Kashima


Tarot cards can be a powerful tool for connecting with your inner spirit and gaining deeper self-awareness.

By approaching tarot with an open mind and heart, you can use it as a powerful tool for spiritual growth, self-reflection, and connecting with your inner spirit. Remember that the true wisdom comes from within you - the cards simply help illuminate the path.

By using tarot as a tool for shadow work, you can confront your fears, desires, and traits that you find uncomfortable, leading to greater self-understanding and personal transformation. Remember, the shadow self is not something to be feared or eliminated, but rather an aspect of yourself to be acknowledged, understood, and integrated for holistic growth.

The shadow self is an unconscious aspect of our personality that contains the parts of ourselves we reject, repress, or find unacceptable.Introduced by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, the shadow represents traits, impulses, and desires that we push into our unconscious mind because they conflict with our ideal self-image or societal expectations

Key aspects of the shadow self include:

  1. Unconscious nature: The shadow exists in our unconscious mind, often beyond our immediate awareness.
  2. Repressed content: It typically contains aggressive impulses, taboo thoughts, shameful experiences, immoral urges, fears, and unacceptable desires.
  3. Contrast with persona: The shadow is the opposite of the persona, which is the self we present to the world.
  4. Projection: We often project our shadow qualities onto others, seeing in them the traits we refuse to acknowledge in ourselves.
  5. Positive potential: While often associated with negative traits, the shadow can also contain positive aspects like creativity that we've suppressed.
  6. Psychological importance: Jung believed that integrating the shadow is crucial for personal growth and self-awareness.
  7. Manifestation: The shadow can emerge through strong emotional reactions, dreams, fantasies, and unconscious behaviors.

The tarot images and symbolism are meant to trigger your unconscious mind. Only then can you touch base within your Self and do the shadow work required to remove all that holds you back. By gaining self-knowledge, you’re empowering yourself to tap into your own inner wisdom. 

When you use tarot for inner work, you learn quickly that these cards act as a mirror of your Self.

The major arcana cards are typically archetypal images displaying the spiritual journey of the human being.

The minor cards are depictions of life experiences you face often throughout your existence as a man or woman. These images are more personal and detailed for different phases of development.

Shadow Work 3 tarot card spread:

·       Card 1: Reveals a hidden aspect of yourself or your shadow.

·       Card 2: Offers insights or lessons related to this shadow aspect.

·       Card 3: Suggests ways to integrate this shadow into your conscious self.

TAROT CARDS: Major Arcana

UPRIGHT

0. The Fool - New Beginnings

1. The Magician - Skills and Abilities to be successful

2. The High Priestess - Trust your Instincts

3. The Empress - Embrace your Softer Side

4. The Emperor - Father Figure - Logic over Emotion

5. The Hierophant - Traditional Values

6. The Lovers - Harmony - Balance

7. The Chariot- Overcome Obstacles - Go for It

8. Strength - Inner Strength - Overcome Inner Challenges

9. The Hermit - Soul Searching - Self Reflection - Spiritual Enlightenment

10. Wheel of Fortune - Change 

11. Justice - Karma - Actions have Consequences

12. The Hanged Man - Situation you are not Happy with

13. Death - Spiritual Transformation - Unexpected, Difficult, Sudden, Traumatic

14. Temperance - Inner Calm

15. The Devil - Depression, Addiction, Trapped, Restricted

16. The Tower - Chaos, Destruction, Bomb going off

17. The Star - Hope for the Future

18. The Moon - Situation/Person is an illusion, 

19. The Sun - Positivity, optimism, freedom, fun

20. Judgment – Spiritual awakening, facing your true self

21. The World - the World is at your Feet