Wild Mind Shadow Training – June 2026, Bulgaria

The Shadow is the hidden side of our psyches, with both its “positive” and “negative” aspects. The Shadow helps ensure our survival by keeping the lid on elements of our psyche – both negative and positive – that feel dangerous or unacceptable to our ego. But it can also impede our blossoming by keeping that lid on too tight or too long. Many of the psychological resources we need in order to co-create more fulfilling relationships are impounded in the dungeon of our psyche.

The Shadow is not what we know about ourselves and don’t like (and perhaps keep hidden) but, rather, what is true about us but know absolutely nothing about … and would vehemently deny if “accused.”

Wild Mind Shadow Work is the intentional process of consciously reclaiming and creatively embodying the essential qualities and powers of those parts of our psyche that we previously kept hidden – even from ourselves.

During this training, we’ll learn and practice shadow work techniques for supporting others in developing their full human potential through cultivating their innate wholeness. The following areas will be explored:

• The Shadow: learning strategies for spotting, unmasking, and assimilating the dark shapes of Shadow
• Projections and transferences: recognizing and withdrawing projections while reclaiming disowned qualities and parts of ourselves.
• Loyal soldiers: working with the subpersonalities that have been keeping us “safe” since early childhood by keeping us small
• Wounding and vulnerability: exploring the patterns that keep us stuck in the Old Story, considering the myths through which we have been living, and inviting a different myth or world view to emerge.
• Overpowering emotional charges triggered by other people and by encounters in the natural world

Working in dyads, triads, and full group, we will practice guiding by working with Shadow elements that emerge between us in the training group, in our dreams, in our lives more generally, and while wandering on the land and interacting with the Others. We’ll hone our skills by serving as guides for each other, and through discussion, feedback, and suggestions.

This training is designed primarily for participants in the Animas Valley Institute Wild Mind Training Program, but is also open (by application) to professional human development guides or advanced students working in fields such as psychotherapy, rites of passage, education, coaching, ecotherapy, counseling, and outdoor or wilderness education.  We strongly recommend participation in Fishing for Shadow or similar personal shadow work experience prior to this training.