Lately I have noticed an increase in social media chatter about “shadow workings”, and in particular relation to working with “shadow beings”. While these days everyone seems to have their own interpretations with respect to things, I feel it is important to differentiate between “shadow working” (based on a Jungian psychological term for understanding the repressed/rejected aspects of the self), and working with actual ghost like “shadow beings” who are not of this mortal world.
Throughout history, “shadows” (as in “shadow beings” or “shades” as they were also called) referred to the spirit or ghost of someone who had died and was residing in the underworld. When the Greek hero Odysseus descended into Hades (the Underworld) in Homer’s Odyssey, he encountered “shades”, tormented ghost like beings. Likewise, Aeneas who traveled into the Underworld in Virgil’s Aeneid. In his Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri also referred to many of the dead as “shades”, including his own guide, Virgil.
Similar to “shadows” are “shadow persons”, or “shadow beings”, where a patch of shadow is perceived to be a living, humanoid figure. These are often interpreted as the presence of a spirit or other entity in various cultures as well as by believers in the paranormal or supernatural.
“Shadows” are not always perceived as menacing and evil. Within some paranormal realms, they are considered to be extra-dimensional inhabitants, that is, residents from other universes who have some connection to our mortal realm. However this appears to be more of a rarity as opposed to a common interpretation.
For the most part, “shadows” regardless of whether they appear within a metaphysical or occult context, relate to beings who are not of the physical realm but who are somewhat earth bound due to rather malicious connections. If this is an area of magical working that you are interested in undertaking, I would strongly recommend that you undertake adequate research regarding the most appropriate means to do this, not to mention being personally knowledgeable when it comes to protection (both physically as well as psychically and even emotionally).
The full version of this article, together with "The Shadow and the Dark Goddess", can be found in the latest edition of Witchology Magazine .
