This year started with a bang.

2016—a 9 year in numerology—was a big year with a lot of chaos, change, and unexpected events for many.

We started 2017 hopeful and relieved that the year that was had passed—and with the expectation that with the dawn of 2017 comes a shift, new opportunities, and an abundance like we have never seen before.

And yet, many have been experiencing a different reality: a period of lack, crisis in confidence, crisis in purpose and direction, a deep feeling of being stuck and unable to move forward. But why?

When on the spiritual journey, it is important to remember that it’s not always rainbows, affirmations, and an abundance of happiness. We are here on the earth to experience life in all its facets, and that includes periods of shadow of the soul.

A shadow period is usually a period of deep internal transformation. It can come with a deeper sense of doom, or feeling depressed without a real reason why. You may feel it physically through a brain fog, or a bone tiredness and flu-like symptoms. Or it shows up as a crisis of confidence and direction. Shadow periods are a deep yearning for change, a feeling that things aren’t right, and that something has to shift to create the life you really want. It is your soul’s way of getting you to pay attention to the bigger purpose and the bigger meaning of your life.

Shadow periods can be confusing and frustrating. Anger can arise from a sense of things being blocked from your path, that your manifesting ability has switched off, and that you are wallowing in despair and negativity. A period of shadow, not darkness, as there is still light in the soul. They can be painful, prolonged, and frustrating. Not words that are usually associated with spirituality—but it’s real, it’s raw, and it’s honest.

What do you do when you are in a shadow period, and you are uncertain of why this has presented?

Own it:

When you are experiencing the shadow period, you have to own it. Be honest about it. Don’t try and plaster affirmations over the cracks; instead, own the feelings, allow them to come up, and really feel them. Ask yourself honestly: Where is this coming from? Why do I need to feel this so deeply?

Be prepared to do the work:

Sometimes shadow periods can last longer than we may anticipate, and truthfully, they linger because you have not yet cleared what you need to. When you have taken a step forward, but then suddenly you are back where you started, you need to honestly reflect upon what still needs to heal? What do I need to own? What forgiveness do I need to offer to myself and to others? What is there below the surface that still needs my attention.

Get help:

If you are experiencing a shadow period, but are struggling to ascertain what needs to be released and forgiven, get help. There are a plethora of mentors and coaches who can help you lovingly work through the process. They can help guide you and give you the tools so that you can continue to clear the way.

Meditate:

Just 20 minutes out of the available 1,440 in a day (broken up in to more manageable chunks if you need to), can make a huge difference. Meditation really does help to quiet the noise. It allows time for a deeper connection to self, and it allows time to slow down. Remember, meditation is not about having no thoughts, but becoming the observer—and when you observe, you are better equipped to know what you need to work on.

This too shall pass:

Shadow periods—just like watching a shadow in life—change, shift, and then dissipate. By doing the deeper work, and releasing what is required, the shadow period of the soul will also release and dissipate. Trust the process and embrace the transformation.

When your shadow period passes, know that you too have to step back out into the light, shining brightly and ready for the next journey of the soul.

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Author: Jess Mulcahy 

Image: Flickr/LaVladina

Editor: Travis May