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We know the shadow by many names: alter ego, lower self, the dark twin, repressed self, id. Carl Jung once said that the shadow "is the person you would rather not be." But even if you choose to hide your
...(more) dark side, it will still cast a shadow, according to author Debbie Ford. Rather than reject the seemingly undesirable parts of ourselves, Ford offers advice on how to confront our shadows. Only by owning every aspect of yourself can you achieve harmony and "let your own light shine," she explains. "The purpose of doing shadow work, is to become whole. To end our suffering. To stop hiding ourselves from ourselves. Once we do this we can stop hiding ourselves from the rest of the world." As threatening as shadow work may seem, it is often very effective in creating transformation. Ford's step-by-step guidebook is modeled on a highly successful course she developed about embracing the shadow. Ultimately, she helps readers illuminate the gifts and strengths that lie within the shadows. Although this works sound vague, clouded in dark metaphors, Ford manages to make it clear and specific. She has the writing gifts of a successful seminar leader--inspirational, trustworthy, and able to convey murky material with grace and ease. --Gail Hudson(less)
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Bringing ourselves into balance requires that we see, own and embrace the gifts that our unique personalities have to offer us. I know it sounds lame, but that's just how it goes. It would be better to say that to know oneself is to know one's selves, for man truly is a legion. Deborah Ford's gem of a book makes this point clearly: we have many sub-personalities that can be even given particular names and faces. Better yet (and worse for the one clinging to a unified conception of one-self) our personas have competing commitments (as said in Kegan & Lahey's excellent book) that make the life of their poor host sometimes very difficult indeed.
Debbie Ford is blessed with a concise way of writing. Her points go to the heart of the matter from the start and stay there for the duration of the book easily. In the end of each of the ten chapters are excercises that make reading the book a somewhat more challenging experience than your usual personal development prose. Dark Side of the Light Chasers' main point, IMHO, is embracing one's totality in an honest, down to earth way. The “dark sides” that many of the “light chasers” tend to avoid are probably their strongest assets. It's just that the volume is turned a bit too up.
I did about half of the exercises suggested in the book in my journal but will do them again in a separate notebook. I suggest buying one since this is the type of a book that works the best when really engaging its reader. For getting acquainted (and accpting) our legion of a psyche I don't know many other books that give better roadmaps than this one.