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Lauren Selman: Changing the Man in the Mirror

"I'm Gonna Make A Change, For Once In My Life," these are the opening lyrics to one of Michael Jackson's most critically acclaimed songs, "Man in the Mirror" released in 1988, but they are also the words that filled Royce Hall at UCLA last week during the closing performance at "A Global Call to Conscious Evolution: Our Moment of Choice." The audience, of over 1,500 people, stood up and clapped as Siedah Garrett, co-writer of Man In the Mirror, sang her heart out.

via www.huffingtonpost.com

Excerpt 3 from "The Shadow Effect"

Debbie Ford, co-author of The Shadow Effect with Marianne Williamson and Deepak Chopra, further describes, in the final segment from the book's introduction, how we we can use this book to help us integrate the wisdom of our shadow sides.

Introduction - Part 3

Each of us comes with years of experience and a sincere hope that we can illuminate the shadow once and for all. For if we do not counter the force of the shadow and integrate its wisdom, it has the potential to continue to wreak havoc on our lives and our world. When we fail to admit to our vulnerabilities and recognize our bad behaviors, we will inevitably sabotage ourselves when we are on the verge of some personal or professional breakthrough. Then the shadow wins. When we act out of disproportionate anger in speaking to our children, the shadow wins. When we deceive our loved ones, the shadow wins. When we refuse to accept our true nature, the shadow wins. If we do not bring the light of our highest self to the darkness of our human impulses, the shadow wins. Until we accept all of who we are, the shadow effect will have the power to impede our happiness. If left unacknowledged, the shadow will stop us from being whole, prevent us from achieving our best-laid plans, and leave us living half a life. It is our hope in writing this book that we will bring the shadow into the light. There has never been a better time to create a new lexicon, to illuminate the shadow, and to finally understand what’s been so difficult to see and hard to explain. 

Shadow work, as described in this book, is more than a psycho­logical process or an intellectual banter. It is a prescriptive solution to problems unsolved. It is a life-altering journey that goes beyond any psychological theory because it deems the dark side as a human issue, a spiritual issue that all of us must resolve in this lifetime if we are to live a fully self-expressed life. We will finally understand why we are no better and no worse than anyone else regardless of our color, our background, our sexual orientation, our genetic makeup, or our past. There is no one in the world who doesn’t have a shadow, and when taken seriously and understood, the shadow can birth a new reality that will alter the way we feel about ourselves, the way we parent our children, the way we treat our partners, the way we interact with our community members, and the way we engage with other nations. 

I believe that the shadow is one of the greatest gifts available to us. Carl Jung called it a “sparring partner”; it is the opponent within us that exposes our flaws and sharpens our skills. It is the teacher, the trainer, and the guide that supports us in uncovering our true magnificence. The shadow is not a problem to be solved or an enemy to be conquered but a fertile field to be cultivated. When we dig our hands into its rich soil, we will discover the potent seeds of the people we most desire to be. It is our sincere hope that you take this journey, for we know what’s waiting inside. 

 

Copyright © 2010 by Deepak Chopra and Rita Chopra Family Trust, Debbie Ford, and Marianne Williamson. Reprinted by permission of HarperOne.

More Information on "The Shadow Effect"

Marianne Williamson on BetterListen!

Excerpt 2 from "The Shadow Effect"

What is The Shadow Effect about?  In this excerpt from the Introduction, co-author Debbie Ford tells us what she, Marianne Williamson and Deepak Chopra teach us in this important new book.

Introduction - Part 2

This book reveals a new truth—shared from three life-changing perspectives—that the opposite of what we fear we will experience is what actually occurs. Instead of shame, we feel compassion. Instead of embarrassment, we gain courage. Instead of limitation, we experi­ence freedom. If left unopened, the shadow is a Pandora’s box filled with secrets that we fear will destroy everything we love and care about. But if we open the box, we discover that what’s inside has the power to radically and positively alter our lives. Then we will step out of the illusion that our darkness will overtake us and instead we will see the world in a new light. The compassion we discover for our­selves will ignite our confidence and courage as we open our hearts to those around us. The power we unearth will help us tackle the fear that has been holding us back and will urge us to move power­fully toward our highest potential. Far from frightening, embracing the shadow allows us to be whole, to be real, to take back our power, to unleash our passion, and to realize our dreams. 

This book was born out of a desire to illuminate the many life-altering gifts of the shadow. In the following pages, each of us will approach the subject from our own unique perspective as teachers. Our intention is to provide a comprehensive, multi-lens understand­ing of how the shadow was born within us, how it functions in our lives, and most important, what we can do to discover the gifts of our true nature. We promise that after reading this book you will never think of your shadow self in the same way again. 

Excerpt 1 from "The Shadow Effect"

We are pleased to share with you the introduction from The Shadow Effect: Illuminating the Hidden Power of Your True Self -- the fantastic new book by New York Times best-selling authors and internationally acclaimed teachers Debbie Ford, Deepak Chopra and Marianne Williamson.  These three luminaries, each with a signature approach, bring to light the parts of ourselves we deny but that still direct our life. For it is only when we embrace our shadow that we discover the gifts of our authentic nature.  

Introduction - Part 1

The conflict between who we are and who we want to be is at the core of the human struggle. Duality, in fact, lies at the very centr of the human experience. Life and death, good and evil, hope and res­ignation coexist in every person and exert their force in every facet of our lives. If we know courage, it is because we have also experienced fear; if we can recognize honesty, it is because we have encountered deceit. And yet most of us deny or ignore our dualistic nature. 

If we are living under the assumption that we are only one way or another, inside a limited spectrum of human qualities, then we would have to question why more of us aren’t wholly satisfied with our lives right now. Why do we have access to so much wisdom yet fail to have the strength and courage to act upon our good intentions by making powerful choices? And most important, why do we continue to act out in ways that go against our value system and all that we stand for? We will assert that it is because of our unexamined life, our darker self, our shadow self where our unclaimed power lies hidden. It is here, in this least likely place, that we will find the key to unlock our strength, our happiness, and our ability to live out our dreams.