Spiritual Shadow Work

Empowering Chats with Susan Burrell

Ep #240 - Spiritual Shadow Work, an Interview with author, Connie Zweig

My guest for this episode of Empowering Chats is retired psychotherapist, Connie Zweig. Connie is also an author of many books. Her most current book is “Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path. The Dance of Darkness and Light in Our Search for Awakening.”

I opened the interview by asking Connie to tell my listening audience how this book came about. She shared how at nineteen she became attracted to a young man who refused to go out with her because she was not “enlightened.” He was into Transcendental Meditation or TM and it was important to him that she also incorporate this practice into her daily life. So, she began to meditate – and she noticed that her anger began to dissipate and she learned how to quiet her mind and deeply relax. This changed her direction in life and she became a TM teacher in the early 70s. She was in this movement for about 10 years.

It was about this time that she also began to witness the hypocrisy surrounding her teacher and the TM movement. She noticed that the movement became very rigid and hierarchal. She became discouraged and disillusioned, so she left the TM movement and lost many of her friends. Religious and spiritual abuse was prevalent in many of these areas and up to his point she had not been aware of what was occurring behind the scenes.

Shadow work became Connie’s focus as she began her career in psychotherapy. Her work and this book specifically talks about the shadows that are locked in the whole-body mind, and in the subtle body, the chakras. And when the shadow material gets triggered and acted out – many people go into shock and despair.

This is especially prevalent when accusations of the shadow side are aimed at an esteemed religious mentor or spiritual guru. It’s important that the “abuser” be called out, however oftentimes groupthink takes over and the “whistle blower” is banished. Nobody in the group wants to believe their charismatic leader would sexually or emotionally abuse them. Again, it’s the shadow side being met on both sides (that of the abuser and the abused) that is being denied even exists. We all have a shadow side.

Connie believes the change the transformation begins with the individual accepting their shadow side first. It has to start there with the inner work. We must allow ourselves to look at our blind spots. It’s important to take responsibility for our own buried feelings.

Connie has organized circles with groups of people who want to go through her book together. These groups support each other in making good choices about their life and in acknowledging their shadow side. The groups are free and organized by time zones. Connie will connect you with other people in your time zone so that you can do this work together and build community around it. Connie is clear that this is not therapy it is deep listening and support of each other. It’s about being heard.

In order to join these groups send a message to Connie directly at: [e-mail].

To learn more about the work Connie does and other books she has written visit: ConnieZweig.com

To purchase Connie’s book, “Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path” visit: https://www.amazon.com/Meeting-Shadow-Spiritual-Path-Awakening

To learn more about how I show up in the world please visit my website: SusanBurrell.com