The Shadow - Can Your Dark Side Make You a Great Musician or Artist?

Can your dark side make you a great musician or artist? The "shadow" is the part of your psyche that you hide, repress, or deny. But far from being the "bad" part of yourself, it's actually the greatest source of creative inspiration you have as an artist. And the life force energy that results from reintegrating your shadow may be the most life-giving gift you can give your audiences.

In this video, you will learn about the shadow, how it can help your art, an example from a real-life Soulforce Arts workshop I taught, and a powerful exercise you can use to reintegrate your shadow.

00:00 Integrating your shadow can make you a better artist

01:20 What is the shadow?

02:30 The benefits of healing your emotional issues by reintegrating your dark side

03:30 The gold in the dragon's lair - reconnection with the mystery of life

04:28 The benefits of shadow work for artists

07:45 Example of a student in a recent Soulforce Arts class - "Is my music too dark?"

10:30 The healing power of the blues

11:10 False cheerfulness is life-denying; to deny your pain is to deny life

15:00 The wholeness that comes from integrating your darkness might be the greatest gift you can give your audiences

15:30 Shadow work exercise

Be among the first to know about my upcoming book "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Artists in Creating a More Beautiful World" by signing up for my mailing list at JosephArnold.com.

Joseph Arnold Violinist, Alexander Technique Teacher, Director of the Soulforce Arts Institute