Our shadow selves are those dark and mysterious places within us that we have refused to shine the “light” on, for one reason or another.
The human shadow contains every thought, feeling, desire, and personality trait that we have rejected or suppressed.
Consider this test an initiation into the shadow work path if you haven’t entered it already. No matter what result you get, it’s always crucial to incorporate some level of shadow work into your life and spiritual awakening journey.
What is Shadow Work?
Shadow work is the practice of finding, befriending, and transmuting the wounded, suppressed, and buried parts of yourself (i.e., your shadows) so that you can regain access to your inner Light.
Our Dark Side & Carl Jung Shadow Self Quotes
Where does this idea of having a dark side come from in modern times? The concept of the shadow originated in the work of Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung.
Here are a few of the most famous Carl Jung shadow self quotes to contemplate:
Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is.
(Psychology and Religion)
The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognising the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. This act is the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge.
(Aion)
People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own souls. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.
(Psychology and Alchemy)
The shadow is a tight passage, a narrow door, whose painful constriction no one is spared who goes down to the deep well. But one must learn to know oneself in order to know who one is.
(The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious)
Shadow Self Test
So, how dominant is your shadow self and what effect does it have on your life?
Find out by taking our free Shadow Self Test.
What result did you get in this shadow self test?
Share your results!
Want to take another test? Try our Shadow Archetype Test.
Need more shadow work guidance? See our Shadow Work Journal, Mindful Shadow Work book, or Shadow & Light Membership for more ongoing support with working to embrace and transmute your Shadow Self.
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Large. I completely agree. I haven’t been able to dive into Shadow Work like I should because I have low self-esteem and because of this amazing website, I know I shouldn’t dive too deep until I’ve practiced a lot of self-love. Now I know how to put in the necessary steps to be a better me. Thank you for this, Lonerwolf!
Large Shadow Self was my result. I agree. I used to think I knew myself and my world but I realised I had been running away from my truths for so long. They now are massive dark shadows within myself, all because I tried to blot them out to be likeable and fit in… lovely quiz thank you
Small Shadow Self…. I have done ALOT of inner work…. ALOT – I am proud of the person I have become. Yes, my life as a child was disturbing, dark and violent but it made me who I am today. And today I’m a Healer and Councillor who can really truly understand what others are going through.
Small. I can’t say I’m surprised. Nonetheless, I came to grips with a certain shadow recently that badly needed attention. I will not go into detail, but I will recommend that those who can, with earnest certainty, say they have small shadows consider how even what’s left of those impact their lives. I will leave any recommended methods to nobler souls, I think.
I received a result of Small Shadow.
I can’t explain that.
If I told you about my childhood and my adult life you’d probably be shocked.
I haven’t read the Shadow Work Journal, yet.
It’s next on my list.
I wonder if I’ve been working on that most of my adult life. . .
Small Shadow. That didn’t come easy. I went through 10 years of dark night of the soul. I lost my health, freedom to leave an abusive marriage and I was completely alone. I only had my cat those years. I lost my spiritual connection and attempted suicide several times. I only prayed for death. Things got so ugly in my marriage I hated him and had ugly thoughts. I’d never hated or wanted to harm anyone in my life and it scared me. You can call it my 1st glimpse at my Shadow. I was afraid of doing something terrible and just said without thinking “God I don’t want to end in prison because of this man.” A few days later I got a check from my disability they’d been holding! I couldn’t believe it. I called and verified several times. It was my first check. Yet, how odd that it arrived when it did. I didn’t think twice and ran to get my divorce papers done. I forgot the severe chronic pain I was in at that moment 🤣! After 3 years I finally was free of that relationship. However, my health continued to deteriorate. Out of the blue… Read more »
I finally done shadow work and it transformed me into a spiritual being
How do I find out the results of the quizs
I’m just so scared of what’s inside of me and I need help to get rid of the darkness that lives within me
‘Large Shadow’ I’ve been thru some messed up experiences during my teen /adult years. Had a great child hood, but I was just always depressed and feeling worthless. I became a woman at 9 and I’ve felt like this since, always thinking of bad things, like go instance death. Idk why. And I have an obsession with how I look. If I don’t look a certain way I will not leave my house. I have what they call Body-Morphic Disorder. It’s a mental illness which actually cause me to go anorexic. I was 160 lbs and went to 90. Since my body structure is the way it is, I physically couldn’t loose more weight. My dad was going to send me somewhere to get me some help, he was scared for me because I stopped eating. I only ate enough to allow me to keep going on. I dropped out of school from the depression and anxiety. I sabotaged myself so much growing up, thinking I had to be this or look like that because of how society expects. Thinking so negative all the time. I have my daughter now, she is 11 and she’s just like me which in… Read more »