Shadow Work by Rúnahild

“Shadow Work” is a concept first developed by psychoanalyst Carl G. Jung.
Shortly explained, it is about uncovering parts of ourselves that we have repressed in our unconscious either as a result of traumas (whether personal and/or generational), as a survival strategy or as cultural conditioning for example.
In this way, to me, shadow work kind of reflects in psychology what soul retrieval is in shamanism, which is to retrieve pieces of our soul believed to be lost or forgotten after a traumatic experience.

At age 37 I am finally being diagnosed with autism, after a lifetime of navigating this world in the dark. 
My whole life I have struggled with the words “I am”. I would feel so much anger and frustration when being asked to present myself, for all I truly felt for saying was “I am broken”. That used to be my truth, until now. Understanding autism is explaining my very whole existence, and is allowing me to accept myself as who I am, and rewrite my truth to “I am autistic, this is how I function and I am worthy as who I am”.   

My song Shadow Work is deeply entwined with this process as it is about recovering my identity, shedding a light in the darkness of my past to finally understand my whole journey.
It is about getting to know myself by remembering who I am at my core just as it is about becoming conscious of where I am today instead of staying prisoner of the past.

 Shadow Work to me is about retrieving and reclaiming my authentic autistic self. But the song itself isn’t specifically about autism, it is about recovering the parts of ourselves hidden in the dark. So it is up to you to give your own meaning to it when you listen so you can use it for your very own journey within your unconscious.

Tracklist

1.	Shadow Work (stripped down version)	2:55

2.	Shadow Work	4:25

Credits

released November 25, 2023

Music, lyrics and artwork: Rúnahild.
Mixed and mastered by Gustav Holberg at Astral Synergy Productions.

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