A couple of weeks ago at my Center we viewed the new spiritual film, The Shadow Effect, by Debbie Ford. If you have never had any exposure to Debbie’s book or to the concept of Shadow Effect, I would take time to get to see this film or at least get her book, The Dark Side of the Shadow Chasers. It lays down a very good foundation of a psychological formula that has been around since Carl Jung but Debbie Ford brings it into reach both in understanding and in its practical nature for healing. (We are showing the film again at my Center this coming Friday evening, October 23rd. Check it out: www.cslnj.org) While you are on the site, check out the announcement about the workshop that is also being taught on Saturday, October 24th called: Loving the Shadow by a friend of mine who is a Debbie Ford coach.
Pros and Cons of Shadow work.
Cons: It can be very intimidating and very scary to look inside yourself to see what you see. Once in there, truths are revealed that you have systematically albeit unconsciously buried so you could deal with them. If you have been in any kind of depression, I would only work with this material with the support of a coach or practitioner, someone who has done the work and truly understands. Left alone, it can be difficult to work with and don’t plain scary as I said earlier.
Pros: If you would like to live your life being fully alive, fully expressed, healthy, and happy, then this is the work to do. Once you move past the shock of what you’ve buried and how you have projected it onto others, then all of the aforementioned becomes your beautiful daily experience. Me – I love my shadow. I love the good and the not so good. I love the nurturing, loving, tender parts of me, but I also love my witch and my bitch. Why, you might ask? Because in learning to love the all of me, and not judging the parts, I have made room for a more satisfying life experience. I’m not afraid of what I don’t see any more. I’m always willing to look inside and to be amused by what’s there.
Now I really know that YOU are not my issue. My son, my friend, my neighbor or the guy behind the counter are not the problem. Now I know that my challenges live within me, within reach, where I can do something about it. That which is inside of me is available to me and I can love it ALIVE and HEALTHY.
So yes, I love my shadow and I hope you do too.
This hits a homerun for me in a big way.
ReplyDeleteOnly I called it dealing with my dragons.
Integrating the darker aspects of me and accepting them as part of what makes me, me.
Love it without judgement exactly!
When I was able to start loving me, my heart expanded in such a huge way which does reflect out to others. I get huge "heart surges" of love in my heart center that is so overwhelming it brings tears of joy to my eyes.
I do love ALL of ME..Shadow and all.
Love in ONEness
Thanks so much for posting this Rev. Frankie! I did see "The Shadow Effect" when it was shown at the Center in Sept. And then Debbie Ford's BOOK just synchronistically showed up in my life! Since then, I have been working on uncovering my shadow, the parts of myself that I've covered up, buried, or given away to others. I am slowly learning to see that every trait contains its opposite and to love ALL of myself, no matter what. It's not the easiest work to do, but it's oh so rewarding in the end!
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