4 Best Shadow Work Books [Written by Professionals]

Shadow work is such a fascinating topic but, in order to really explore it and do some practice, we definitely need to be a bit more educated on it!

If you want to learn more about shadow work, about its theory, its practice, and its origins, these are some amazing readings you should take a look at! So here’s a list of my favorite shadow work books.

Why do I need to learn more about shadow work?

Shadow work can be tricky and, being a topic that goes into psychology, our inner self, and more complex and articulated related topics, being educated is a must. Besides, it’s so fascinating!

Also read:
Is Shadow Work Dangerous? [Here’s What We Think]
Here’s How to do Shadow Work on Yourself [Step-By-Step]

My Favorite Books about Shadow Work

Meeting the Shadow: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature

By Connie Zweig and Jeremiah Abrams

This book is one of those books that involves getting to know shadow work from a professional viewpoint but is explained in an easy way that you definitely have to read! The book is edited by two Jungian therapists/counselors and is written by different authoritative voices from the psychological and the spiritual field.

Basically, it’s like a compendium of many research studies (more than 60 essays!) so it has great insights and notions about the topic. Basically, the book offers some theory but also practical guidance to help you deal with the dark side of yourself based on Jung’s concept of “shadow”.

It’s a great tool to get started, especially if you want to get practical. I love the idea of having essays and not a novel long book, so it’s easier to focus on different topics one-by-one instead of being overwhelmed by all the content all at once!

If you want to explore the unexplored but you don’t know where to start, this book is definitely for you!

Shadow Work Journal

by Jessica Cross

I love this one! If you are more into the practice and less into the theory, this book is so good! Jessica Cross created a shadow work program to help you connect with your inner hidden self to unveil it and embrace it.

She called this program an “enlightening process” and I think she couldn’t have described it in a better way! With some practical tools like activities and guided meditations, you are going to focus on your past, let your true self out, and be ready to become more aware of who you truly are to shape and live a better life.

Writing this shadow work journal will help you achieve balance and emotional well-being: you can better manage the stress you feel during the day, and writing down the small setbacks that you have had to face will help you move them away from your mind and see them from another perspective.

In this way, most likely, you will also find a better solution to solve your problems. How many times do you feel like there is something that is holding you back? How many times do you feel like you are anchored to the past? This journal will give you the chance to press the pause button, reconnect, and focus on the present and your true self.

I love the fact that you have a series of questions to ask yourself and writing it all down will help you really bring to the surface what we often try to shut down and plus, you can do the program over and over again when you feel stressed out and disconnected.

Love it!

Owning Your Own Shadow: Understanding the Dark Side of the Psyche

by Robert A. Johnson

Robert A. Johnson is an acclaimed Jungian analyst and bestselling author who, with this book, wants to help us dive into the incredible exploration of our dark side, to get to know it, embrace it, and own it. I think this is a wonderful tool to learn the basics and learn more about shadow work but also to deal with the side of you that you are trying to avoid.

The author gives tips and tricks on how to acknowledge each side of you as this is a mandatory step to really understanding and owning your shadow.

I love this concept as I firmly believe that only by owning your shadow you can love and accept yourself and this is a foundation to live a more conscious, happier life. The book starts from the very beginning with the origins of the concept of shadow with more sections all about a deeper understanding of the philosophy behind it.

A great book!

The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious

by Carl Gustav Jung

I studied this back in high schools and I have to admit, it was so hard to read! So, it’s not a beginner-friendly book but being the very first book Jung wrote about the topic and being that Jung is the father of the concept of shadow work, if you want to get more in-depth into shadow work this is for you!

With the discovery, on the one hand, of the collective unconscious and its constitutive structures, the archetypes, and, on the other, of the process of individuation, the perspective function of dreams, and the principle of synchronicity, Carl Gustav Jung has expanded the boundaries of deep psychology beyond the horizon of Freudian psychoanalysis, annexing unexplored territories to the investigation.

He proposed to his contemporaries, and to all of us, an unprecedented model of human life that is integral, total, and open to infinity: a model with which even those who do not share the theoretical hypotheses that underlie it are called to confront.

Let me know which one is your favorite! 🙂