Shadow work is a real thing, not a phrase I made up for a song. The idea is that the parts of yourself you bury do not actually go anywhere. They wait. And the only way past them is straight through.
So this one is not about fixing anything. It is about stopping the running.
The second verse is the whole point. I met the darker side of me, and instead of fighting it I sat it down. It was not a villain. It was just hurting, and it had been carrying that on its own for a long time.
That is the turn. You do not beat it, you take it back in. Light and dark, both mine.
It is the most direct thing I have written. No metaphor to hide behind. Just the work.
Full lyrics
I can hear all the noise inside
No more places left to hide
All the parts that I pushed away
Now I think they're here to stay
I see everything I am
Light and dark, that's who I am
I won't fight it anymore
And I've now opened up the door
No more running from the pain
No more numbing in the rain
Every dark that remain
Turn it into light again
I'm gonna do
Shadow work, do shadow work, shadow work
Gotta face myself
Shadow work, shadow work
Gotta face myself
Shadow work, shadow work, shadow work
All day, shadow work, shadow work
Gonna heal myself in this game of love
Yeah, I met my darker side
He was hurting deep inside
Tried to take me for a ride
Almost took away my light
But I sat him down like "wait"
You don't gotta carry hate
We can turn this into faith
We can transmute, elevate
No more running from the pain
No more numbing in the rain
Every dark that remain
Turn it into light again
I'm gonna do
Shadow work, do shadow work, shadow work
Gotta face myself
Shadow work, shadow work
Gotta face myself
Shadow work, shadow work, shadow work
All day, shadow work, shadow work
Gonna heal myself in this game of love