Shannon Knight joins the Spotlight this week to discuss her book of nonfiction, Dark Shadow, Golden Shadow
Author Name: Shannon Knight
Book Title: Dark Shadow, Golden Shadow
Book Genre: Personal Development, Tarot
Release Date: Dec. 8, 2025
Publisher: Wesier
Welcome, Shannon! Please tell us a bit about your book.
Dark Shadow, Golden Shadow is an invitation to explore the psychology behind the concept of the shadow. It’s rooted in clinical theory and practice with a dash of magick and tarot.
What was the spark? What drew you to write a book about tarot? What inspired you to tell your story in this way?
In having a podcast situated at the intersection of tarot and mental health, I started seeing a lot of folks interested in the concept of the shadow and shadow work, however, there didn’t seem to be any resources to help guide folks through this work in a safe, accessible, and meaningful way. And I wanted to solve that problem.
What was your research process like for Dark Shadow, Golden Shadow?
I dug out all of my books on the shadow and went way back to the early work of Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, and Karen Horney. I also explored more recent psychological theories and therapeutic modalities that relate to the shadow like Internal Family Systems (IFS) in order to synthesize and modernize this concept in a way that allowed folks to step into and out of shadow work while still feeling safe.
I read a lot and scoured through literature reviews and studies on psychodrama, magick, and the collective unconscious in order to provide readers with an accessible on-ramp into the world of the shadow.
From your perspective, what’s the hardest thing about writing and researching? And what do you love most about it?
I feel like there is always something else to include. It’s hard to feel “done.” Even now, there is so much more I want to share and expand on, but that’s just not feasible. So, that’s definitely difficult. Also, self-doubt and imposter syndrome are real!
As for what I love most? I love being able to nerd out about my two favorite worlds: Tarot and Psychology. Getting to escape into the world of the shadow through tarot specifically was also an incredible personal exercise and significantly strengthened my relationship to the cards.
Where can readers find you?
Instagram.com/TheTarotDiagnosis
https://substack.com/@thetarotdiagnosis
https://www.youtube.com/@thetarotdiagnosis
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tarot-diagnosis/id1553805657
https://open.spotify.com/show/1f7bZv9qB01tQSakJmHnn2?si=e79a694177bb4dd1
Thank you, Shannon! Dark Shadow, Golden Shadow is out NOW.
Dark Shadow, Golden Shadow
Embark on a journey of self-discovery and healing with the help of tarot and other magickal tools. Gently explore the depths of the psyche–both the challenging (the dark) and the positive (the golden)–through practices designed to empower and transform.
Author Shannon Knight’s approach to shadow work is deeply rooted in secular, therapeutic, and psychological principles, but she recognizes the valuable role that magick, archetypes, and symbolism play in this process. Dark Shadow, Golden Shadow is unique to other books on the subject, incorporating the use of tarot as a prominent tool that serves as a method of self-reflection, offering a portal to our subconscious and helping us access parts of ourselves previously unavailable to us. The imagery and archetypes help facilitate a dialogue with our shadow, making it easier to converse with the repressed and hidden parts of ourselves.
Knight reveals that to create harmony and reduce tension between the logical and mystical aspects of ourselves, we need to be curious about multiple ways of being. We learn by experimenting with how these impact us–for better or for worse–and then we figure out what to do with this information.
Through exercises, various techniques, and insights, Dark Shadow, Golden Shadow allows you to navigate the path toward greater self-acceptance. It’s the ultimate process of “looking in the mirror.”
Author Bio:
Shannon Knight (she/her) is a psychotherapist licensed in both Arizona and Florida, where she specializes in working with individuals and couples. Shannon received her BA in applied clinical psychology from the Florida Institute of Technology and her MS in mental health counseling from Johns Hopkins University. In her therapy practice, Shannon takes a psychodynamic approach with a person-centered focus on building strong client relationships and fostering a growth mindset that supports clients in becoming their best selves. Shannon enjoys the sacred nature of healing work while maintaining a sense of humor about the absurdities of human life. She is the host of The Tarot Diagnosis, a weekly podcast that highlights the intersection of mental health with the practice of tarot and self-inquiry to help listeners better understand themselves and those around them.