Why Journaling Alone Failed My Shadow Work (And What Finally Worked)
Writing Helped — Until It Didn’t
I used to think shadow work meant writing in a journal every day, peeling back layers through words.
And for a while, it worked. I had insights. Patterns became clearer. But eventually, I hit a wall.
No matter how much I wrote, I didn’t feel any different.
The same triggers kept showing up. The same stories kept repeating.
I realized: Insight isn’t the same as transformation.
The Limits of Journaling
Journaling is a powerful tool. It helps you notice your inner world, name your emotions, and track your growth.
But if you're only writing about the wound — and not working with it — it can become another loop.
What I was missing was embodied integration — not just thinking about my shadow, but moving it through and out.
What Finally Helped: Combining Tarot and Energy Work
Everything shifted when I began using tarot and energy healing as part of my shadow work.
🃏 Tarot helped me bypass mental chatter and access deeper truths.
🌿 Energy work helped me feel and release what was stuck — without needing to analyze it to death.
These tools helped me move from:
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Overthinking → to intuition
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Awareness → to emotional release
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Loops → to real forward movement
What I Use Now (And Offer to You)
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Remote IET sessions
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Affirmation cards and intuitive prompts
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And when I need it: journaling with a purpose
This isn’t about throwing out your journal — it’s about expanding your toolkit.
Need Help Getting Unstuck?
💬 Book a tarot reading
📓 Get the Shadow Work Workbook
🎧 Try Rebirth Resonance + journaling kit
📺 Explore more tools on YouTube
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How a Tarot Reading Can Help You Make Decisions
Can Tarot Really Help Me Make a Decision?
Yes — but not by telling you what to do.
A tarot reading won’t say “Take the job” or “Leave the relationship.” Instead, it shows you:
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What’s influencing you
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What fears or desires are present
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What energy surrounds each option
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What you’re not seeing clearly
The goal isn’t control — it’s clarity.
Why Is It So Hard to Decide?
Because decisions are rarely just logical.
They’re emotional. Energetic. Tied to identity and fear. Sometimes you're not choosing between Option A and B — you're choosing between comfort and growth, fear and freedom.
Tarot helps you name the real decision behind the surface one.
What Kinds of Questions Can I Ask?
Instead of asking:
Should I do this or not?
Try:
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What is the energy surrounding this opportunity?
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What lesson is present in this decision?
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What will I learn if I choose this path?
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What am I avoiding in making this choice?
These open questions give the cards space to speak honestly.
What Will the Cards Show?
The cards reflect what’s already happening inside you — your resistance, your longing, your truth. A good reading won’t push you. It will help you recognize the path you already feel but haven’t fully claimed.
Sometimes, you’ll hear what you already knew. That’s confirmation. And that’s powerful.
Want Help Seeing Clearly?
✨ I offer intuitive, honest tarot readings designed to help you cut through confusion, reconnect to your intuition, and make decisions with confidence.
📘 Want to start decoding the cards yourself?
Explore the Tarot Cheat Sheet and Reversals Guide
📺 Watch sample readings and decision spreads here:
👉 Ripecolor Tarot Channel
📌 Share or revisit this blog:
👉 Ripecolor on Pinterest
Looking for Honest Tarot Guidance? Here’s What to Do
Wondering what really happens in a tarot reading? Learn what to expect, how it works, and how an honest session can bring clarity and grounded insight.
Why Shadow Work Feels Hard (and How Tarot Makes It Easier)
Shadow work is hard because it’s real. Learn why it brings up so many emotions — and how tarot offers a safe, symbolic way to work through what arises.
Jeffrey Goldstein
Author