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Befriending Shadows: A Poetical Journey into the Dark Forest of the Internet, Toxic Spirituality, and the Shadow Self
If shadows could speak, this is what they would say.
Befriending Shadows is a poetical journey through the process of shedding an old identity and easing into a new one; with topics around our relationships with the internet, spirituality, creativity, friendship, and accepting ourselves for who we truly are.
Walk through the dark woods of the four The Crisis of disorientation, Into the Dark Woods of anger and shame, Befriending Shadows of acceptance, and Together Out of the Woods of healing and hope.
Explore the Ither, a force of the internet that is floating around every one of us now, and understand the dark side of spirituality.
Through her poetry collection entwined with themes of nature, healing, and the relationship with self, Ashley shares the dark side of spirituality, the internet ecosystem and the process of listening to the shadow self. By the end of the collection, she makes peace with her past and sheds an old identity to open up for something new.
This poetry collection is for anyone who’s felt disoriented in our modern day society, sensitive to the chaos of the world around us, and wishing there were better ways to exist. Befriending Shadows gives you a voice for these feelings while giving you power in your sensitivity, to go on with your gentleness with acceptance for the world around us.
Befriending Shadows is a poetical journey through the process of shedding an old identity and easing into a new one; with topics around our relationships with the internet, spirituality, creativity, friendship, and accepting ourselves for who we truly are.
Walk through the dark woods of the four The Crisis of disorientation, Into the Dark Woods of anger and shame, Befriending Shadows of acceptance, and Together Out of the Woods of healing and hope.
Explore the Ither, a force of the internet that is floating around every one of us now, and understand the dark side of spirituality.
Through her poetry collection entwined with themes of nature, healing, and the relationship with self, Ashley shares the dark side of spirituality, the internet ecosystem and the process of listening to the shadow self. By the end of the collection, she makes peace with her past and sheds an old identity to open up for something new.
This poetry collection is for anyone who’s felt disoriented in our modern day society, sensitive to the chaos of the world around us, and wishing there were better ways to exist. Befriending Shadows gives you a voice for these feelings while giving you power in your sensitivity, to go on with your gentleness with acceptance for the world around us.
184 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 13, 2024
About the author
Ashley Lynn
9 books15 followersAshley Lynn is a poet, writer, artist, and musician. She calls a camper her home and migrates with the seasons. Her work is inspired by her journey as an artist, nature, adventure, the spirit, and living alternatively. When she isn’t creating or writing, she is a window washer and an organic farm hand. She relishes in living life simply and wildly with her partner and two dogs. Former works are A Year Against the Rain, Morning Motivations, and Find Me in the Forest.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 11, 2025
A poet posted about giving away copies of her collection online, and I reached out knowing it might fall outside the norm of what I often read. After some delays with the USPS, her collection finally arrived, and I found myself entering a world of indie poetry that I knew little of. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to dip my toes in the water and step outside my comfort zone with Befriending Shadows.
Befriending Shadows invites authentic conversation right from its opening pages. In her introduction, Ashley writes:
“Each poem is like another shadow I encountered during the quest of reclaiming myself.”
And from this point forward, it becomes apparent this collection’s purpose is acknowledging shared experiences and unstated perspectives. Each page feels like a diary entry that explores the modern world through an adult lens—an opportunity we seldom get but often need.
Themes surrounding the internet sit in the spotlight throughout the collection. It makes sense, as poetry welcomes explorations of the human experience, and the internet is certainly a part of daily life now; yet, at first, it feels taboo to touch on the subject in such a direct manner.
I’d read of persimmons, blades of grass, and morning dew, but never did I read poems that acknowledged the ways internet and social media impact even the smallest moments.
In “Content Online,” Ashley considers the ways we pass on opportunities to connect with reality as we disappear into online worlds and expose ourselves to the endless flood of content at our fingertips. “I Am Here” says aloud what many consumers of online media feel but never say: that sensations of jealousy linger as we watch wealthy people prosper from internet fame, even when we know those internet celebrities are simply maintaining a facade. “Discernment” dives deeper and reminds us that nothing we see on the internet is real. People go to great lengths to pretend they live their lives in intentional ways, but behind closed doors, they often contradict the things they spout to their followers.
This poetry collection serves as a reminder that there are different worlds we walk in.
Allowing the internet to consume you and define you as a person can disrupt your wellbeing and prevent you from living the life you are meant to—because how a person chooses to portray themselves on social media can be curated and carefully tailored to fit, and reality does not offer the same liberties.
Ashley openly discusses her prior involvement with eco-conscious internet personas and spiritual internet personas, and she allows herself to be vulnerable enough to share the challenges this caused, and the damaging effects of trying to fit in a box where she “lived against [her] natural state of being.”
While Befriending Shadows is available for all to read, it’s clear that the collection serves as a means of healing and growing for the author. As Ashley writes in her epilogue, “Writing and editing this collection was a personal journey I took to shed my old self.”
Befriending Shadows invites authentic conversation right from its opening pages. In her introduction, Ashley writes:
“Each poem is like another shadow I encountered during the quest of reclaiming myself.”
And from this point forward, it becomes apparent this collection’s purpose is acknowledging shared experiences and unstated perspectives. Each page feels like a diary entry that explores the modern world through an adult lens—an opportunity we seldom get but often need.
Themes surrounding the internet sit in the spotlight throughout the collection. It makes sense, as poetry welcomes explorations of the human experience, and the internet is certainly a part of daily life now; yet, at first, it feels taboo to touch on the subject in such a direct manner.
I’d read of persimmons, blades of grass, and morning dew, but never did I read poems that acknowledged the ways internet and social media impact even the smallest moments.
In “Content Online,” Ashley considers the ways we pass on opportunities to connect with reality as we disappear into online worlds and expose ourselves to the endless flood of content at our fingertips. “I Am Here” says aloud what many consumers of online media feel but never say: that sensations of jealousy linger as we watch wealthy people prosper from internet fame, even when we know those internet celebrities are simply maintaining a facade. “Discernment” dives deeper and reminds us that nothing we see on the internet is real. People go to great lengths to pretend they live their lives in intentional ways, but behind closed doors, they often contradict the things they spout to their followers.
This poetry collection serves as a reminder that there are different worlds we walk in.
Allowing the internet to consume you and define you as a person can disrupt your wellbeing and prevent you from living the life you are meant to—because how a person chooses to portray themselves on social media can be curated and carefully tailored to fit, and reality does not offer the same liberties.
Ashley openly discusses her prior involvement with eco-conscious internet personas and spiritual internet personas, and she allows herself to be vulnerable enough to share the challenges this caused, and the damaging effects of trying to fit in a box where she “lived against [her] natural state of being.”
While Befriending Shadows is available for all to read, it’s clear that the collection serves as a means of healing and growing for the author. As Ashley writes in her epilogue, “Writing and editing this collection was a personal journey I took to shed my old self.”
October 15, 2024
Beautiful, inspiring, raw, impactful. Just a few words to describe the amazing experience that was reading this book of poetry ☺️❤️
December 26, 2024
Wow- Ashley’s writing beautifully reflects back pieces that live within all of us. Vulnerability is captured, held, and welcomed. I enjoyed the layout, look and feel of the book which all adds to the sacredness of reading her work. Highly recommend.
October 23, 2024
Filled with everything from heartache and frustration to hope and wonder, Befriending Shadows offers a fantastic peek into a world where we are encouraged to unplug and escape the complications of this modern life. It felt like a refreshing walk through the forest that I will continue to revisit when I need that reminder of life's simple pleasures.
May 27, 2025
Befriending Shadows is such a beautiful, impactful, and raw collection of poetry.
I felt like I was in another world while reading this. Ashley's writing, truly pulls you into her world, and helps you see things through her eyes ❤️
I felt like I was in another world while reading this. Ashley's writing, truly pulls you into her world, and helps you see things through her eyes ❤️
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews