Sculpting Shadow

"How can I be substantial if I do not cast a shadow? I must have a dark side also if I am to be whole."

— Carl Jung

What Is Shadow?

Shadow is not the dark, evil twin lurking in the basement of your psyche. Shadow is simply what you cannot see—like the back of your head.

It's the parts of yourself that were too dangerous, too vulnerable, too much, or not enough to show. It's also the parts you never knew you had: hidden strengths, unlived potential, beauty you were taught to hide.

The work is not to eliminate shadow, but to turn around and look. To make the invisible visible. To befriend what you've been carrying without knowing.

"We confuse 'unknown' with 'bad.' But think of a room in your house you've never entered. It's not evil, it's just unexplored. Shadow work is opening that door."

The Back Body as Metaphor: Everything you carry and cannot see. Everything that supports you without asking for credit. Everything that was safer to keep hidden. This is your back body—literal and metaphorical. This is your shadow.

On Development & Safety: As children, we learned which parts of us were acceptable and which needed to be hidden. The hiding wasn't wrong—it was intelligent survival. Now we have the chance to invite those parts back into the relationship.

The Gift of Shadow: Your shadow holds everything you rejected in order to belong. But it also holds everything you sacrificed to survive. Reclaiming shadow isn't just meeting darkness—it's reclaiming vitality, creativity, and wholeness.

What you learn

• Embodied self-knowledge - discover parts of yourself through sensation, not just thinking

• Reduced shame - shadow loses its power when it's witnessed and named

• New inner dialogue - learn to speak with (not at) the parts of yourself you've rejected

• Somatic tools - practices for sensing and befriending the unknown in your body

• A tangible companion - take home your clay sculpture as an ongoing dialogue partner

• Community witnessing - experience being seen without judgment

Who this is for

• You're curious about shadow work but want an embodied, gentle approach

• You sense there are parts of yourself you don't know yet

• You want to work creatively with difficult emotions or hidden aspects

• You're interested in somatic work, Jungian psychology, or embodied practices

• You want to explore self-discovery through art and clay

When: 21st May 2026 | 7 pm CET / 6 pm UK
Duration: 2 hours
Where: Online (Zoom link sent upon registration)

Sliding Scale Pricing: €25-40

What to prepare:

• Air-dry clay or polymer clay (approximately 500g)

• A workspace where you can get a bit messy

• Comfortable clothes you can move in

• Journal and pen

• Small clay tools (optional - your hands are enough)

• Wet wipes or a damp cloth for cleanup

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need experience with clay or art? No. This is not about making "good" art. Your hands know things your mind doesn't. We work with the clay intuitively.

What if difficult emotions come up? The container is designed to be safe and paced. You control your own process. We establish "too much" signals and you can always pause, step back, or work at your own depth.

Is this therapy? No. This is an exploratory workshop. If deeper material surfaces that needs therapeutic support, we can discuss resources.

What kind of clay should I get? Air-dry clay or polymer clay both work well. You'll need approximately 500g (1lb). Available at most craft stores or online.

Will I have access to the recording? Yes. The recording will be available for 2 weeks after the workshop.

What if I can't make it? Contact me about future workshops or private sessions, or get a recording.

What You'll Experience

This workshop creates a safe, embodied container to explore your shadow, but through sensation, movement, and clay.

Part 1: Somatic Inquiry

• Ground in your body and establish safety

• Explore the back body through gentle embryological and nervous system frameworks

• Discover what lives in the parts of yourself you cannot witness

• Move from your back body's intelligence

Part 2: Sculpting the Unseen

• Work with clay to give form to what you've discovered

• Let your hands reveal what your mind doesn't know

• Create a tangible representation of an unseen part of yourself

Part 3: Dialogue & Integration

• Learn to speak WITH your shadow, understanding its needs and protective strategies

• Discover what this part carries, what it protects, what it's been trying to tell you

• Practice in small groups with gentle witnessing

• Receive follow-up integration practices to continue the relationship with your sculpture

This workshop weaves together

Somatic work - working through the body, not just the mind

Jungian shadow work - exploring the unconscious and wholeness

Body-Mind Centering® - understanding embodied anatomy through embryology and the nervous system

Somatic Art Practice® - using creative expression as a bridge between inner and outer worlds

Compassionate dialogue - learning to speak with (not at) the parts of ourselves we've rejected

What the participants say

"Today, this truly felt—more than ever—like a ‘space where everything is allowed,’ and that was incredible: to be myself, to do or not do, to listen inwardly, to allow myself to pause and slow down. It was deeply supportive.

Also, some of the things you said—like how even when you’re in your head, you’re still in your body, still feeling—helped dissolve that split between mind and body.

And the dialogue between different parts of myself—the wild one and the controlling one—it felt good to acknowledge both, to honor their wisdom, and to feel gratitude.”

- Tatiana (Commercial editor)

"I'm so grateful for meeting you and our small group. The sessions were a breath of fresh air for me.

Since then, I see things differently, including myself. The rushing has gone, and my energy has increased. I wouldn't say life became easier, but my internal programming - how I look at everything - has changed. There's more neutrality and beauty now.

What changed after the sessions: my gaze became different. My language became different. Not just words, but gestures, breathing, silence.

The most valuable thing - your guidance, your attention, the material itself, and how you presented it.”

- Larisa (Massage specialist, teacher, somatic practitioner)