🃏 Shadow Work with Tarot: 5 Cards to Explore Your Dark Side

Shadow work isn’t exactly candlelit baths and fluffy affirmations — it’s about digging into the messy parts of yourself that you’d rather avoid. Think of it as magical therapy with extra candles and prettier notebooks. And what better tool to guide you through the shadows than your tarot deck?

Here are 5 tarot cards that crack open the door to your subconscious and some journaling prompts to help you actually face what you find there.

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🌙 1. The Moon

The Moon rules illusions, hidden truths, and that sneaky subconscious mind of yours. When it appears, it’s time to ask what you’re refusing to see.

Shadow Work Prompt: What illusions am I clinging to, and what fears keep me from seeing the truth clearly?

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💀 2. Death

Don’t panic — Death isn’t about doom, it’s about endings that make way for transformation. In shadow work, this card demands that you face what you’re resisting letting go of.

Shadow Work Prompt: What needs to end in my life, and why am I afraid to release it?

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😈 3. The Devil

The Devil shines a light on addictions, unhealthy attachments, and toxic cycles. This is the card that whispers: “You know this isn’t good for you, right?”

Shadow Work Prompt: What chains am I holding onto out of fear, and how can I begin to break them?

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⚡ 4. The Tower

The Tower is chaos embodied. When it shows up in shadow work, it asks: how do you handle sudden change, collapse, and loss of control?

Shadow Work Prompt: How have I reacted to past upheavals, and what do they reveal about my resilience or fear of change?

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🗡️ 5. Seven of Swords

This sneaky card is all about deception — from others, sure, but especially from yourself. It dares you to be brutally honest.

Shadow Work Prompt: Where am I lying to myself, and what would change if I told myself the truth?

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🔮 How to Work with These Cards

• Pull one card at a time and sit with it — no rushing.
• Journal your answers, no matter how messy they feel.
• Pair the session with a candle (black for banishing, white for clarity).
• Finish by grounding yourself — a little salt in warm water or even a mindful cup of tea will do the trick.

And if you’re brand new to tarot, don’t stress — I’ve written a guide to help you get started. Check out How to Start Reading Tarot (Even If You’ve Never Touched a Deck) for tips and a free cheatsheet to build your confidence.

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🌙 Conclusion

Tarot is more than fortune telling — it’s a mirror. By working with cards like The Moon, Death, The Devil, The Tower, and Seven of Swords, you give yourself permission to face the shadows you usually avoid. It’s not always pretty, but it’s always powerful.

And when you’re done, remember to breathe, release, and maybe reward yourself with something soothing (shadow work + snacks = balanced witch).