The Tarot Diagnosis

Roots of the Shadow: A pre-release chapter read through of Dark Shadow, Golden Shadow

The Tarot Diagnosis

Show Notes

This week on⁠ The Tarot Diagnosis⁠, in honor of my upcoming book Dark Shadow, Golden Shadow, which releases on December 8, 2025, I’m reading a portion of chapter 2 (Roots of the Shadow) right here on the podcast.

In Roots of the Shadow, I dive into the foundations of shadow work through a deeply therapeutic and psychologically grounded lens. I explore how Carl Jung’s original concept of the shadow intersects with Internal Family Systems (IFS), Freud’s ideas of the id, ego, and superego, and even Brené Brown’s research on shame. Throughout this chapter, I explore academic theory, personal reflection, and practical exercises, because shadow work is just as much about theory as it is about application.

You’ll also get to experience one of the tarot spreads from the book, the Psychoanalytic Shadow Spread, designed to help you explore your inner world using tarot as a reflective tool. I walk you through each position in the spread and provide an example interpretation using cards like The High Priestess, Ace of Cups, Nine of Swords, and more.

We also take a deep dive into the Pages of the tarot and how each one can represent developmental moments where your shadow may have started to form. Whether it's being told you're “too emotional,” “too much,” or “not enough,” these early messages get internalized and shadow work gives us the chance to revisit and reclaim those parts of ourselves.

🎧 Listen in, grab your tarot deck and journal, and join me in beginning (or deepening) your own shadow journey.

✨ And don’t forget: Dark Shadow, Golden Shadow is available for pre-order now wherever books are sold. Pre-ordering not only supports my work, it enters you into a giveaway to win a free shadow reading with me. (Just send me proof of purchase and you’ll be entered to win!)

Deck Used: Tarot Vintage

🌙 Stay Connected With Me 💌 Follow me on Instagram:⁠ @thetarotdiagnosis⁠ 🧠 Sign up for my newsletter at⁠ thetarotdiagnosis.com⁠ 👥 Join ⁠The Symposium⁠ — my tarot & psychology membership community

📚 Pre-order my book Dark Shadow, Golden Shadow for more therapeutic tarot practices!

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Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Contact: [email protected] Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

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