Our "shadow" is the collection of negative or undesirable traits we keep hidden—the things we don't like about ourselves or are afraid to admit: egotist, non-"PC" proclivities, forbidden sexual desires. But it also includes our positive, untapped potential—qualities we may admire in others but disavow in ourselves. Befriending the shadow makes fear an ally and enables us to live more authentically. It also automatically improves our interpersonal relationships, because we are freed from the need to project our own negativity onto others, and we become more acutely aware when theirs is projected onto us. David Richo looks for where the shadow manifests in personal life, family interaction, religion, relationship, and the world around is. He shows how to use the gentle practice of mindfulness to work with our shadow side, and he provides numerous exercises for going deeper. He is remarkably skillful at making the shadow concept not only easy to understand, but supremely practical for enhancing the quality of our lives.
Shadow Dance
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"Our scared and arrogant ego has an enormous capacity not to know itself," says Esalen Institute psychotherapist David Richo. The shadow self, the dark side of the personality, is hidden in the psyche. Others often see it, but we do not. As Jung says, "The shadow is the negative side of the personality, the sum of all those unpleasant qualities we like to hide, together with the insufficiently developed functions and the contents of the personal unconscious....[The shadow] also displays a number of good qualities such as normal instincts, appropriate reactions, realistic insights, creative impulses, etc." Richo has written an enormously useful book in which he introduces the reader to the conscious persona and the subconscious shadow. Unlike other practitioners, he includes conscious but negatively perceived traits in his definition of the dark side, plus undiscovered or unused positive traits. By helping the reader to befriend the shadow self instead of projecting it onto others in dysfunctional or destructive ways, the author performs a profound service, freeing emotional and creative resources through which we can manifest brighter, healthier lives. --P. Randall Cohan
Review
"Deep and spiritually challenging."—Spirituality & Health
"David Richo has written a big book, much more than a book on the shadow and its context. Shadow Dance is a poem, a paean to the psychological life, written with a great sense of culture and depth. My world has been enlarged by reading it."—Jeremiah Abrams, author of The Shadow in America and coeditor of Meeting the Shadow
"As useful a self-help book as one is likely to find."—Huston Smith
"David Richo has written a big book, much more than a book on the shadow and its context. Shadow Dance is a poem, a paean to the psychological life, written with a great sense of culture and depth. My world has been enlarged by reading it."—Jeremiah Abrams, author of The Shadow in America and coeditor of Meeting the Shadow
"As useful a self-help book as one is likely to find."—Huston Smith
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Most helpful customer reviews
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This is an excellent book for self-exploration and self-development. It provides a thorough explanation of the concept of the shadow in Jungian theory and introduces us to various practical exercises to explore our own shadow. Though I'm not really a Jungian, this was a very interesting book that gave me lots to think about. If you'd like a more simplistic but nevertheless absolutely excellent explanation of the psyche, try reading "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" by Toru Sato. It is an amazing book that explains almost everything you wondered about in a concise and down to earth way! Five stars may not be enough for this one.
By ucsf01
Format:Paperback
This book is typical of David Richo's work: pretty good. His writing is very very scholarly and intellectual. I often wish he'd step out of his head more often and more frequently share how what he's saying directly can effect me as a person. (For application of work presented here the reader might also want to read Susan Campbell's "Getting Real", as that would give you the skills to own your anger in the moment, for example). As a therapist, I often find that some clients know a lot about whats going wrong, but they need skill building to go along with the insight. He starts applying the shadow material, and the book really gets going, only at about page 150. I felt there was too much background material on how the shadow works, which leaves me afraid to offer this book to a client; Its boring in the beginning. All in all, its a really great expository work on Jungian theory and the Shadow, and he does a great job applying Shadow concepts to real life. I love how he frames projections, and I think this is one of the better works on understanding how projection works in our lives. From a theoretical perspective I learned a lot about the shadow and applications to other cultures and sometimes my own life. After reading this book I felt intellectually overwhelmed, tired, and smarter. Fundamentally a great scholarly work, even though not really a true self-help book.
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
While I admire the author's sincerity, I found the writing to be bogged down with righteousness and preachiness. His writing relies more on quotes than speaking from the heart. I thought the exercises were useful and wished there were more of them. I had hoped for a much deeper and more personal exploration into my own Shadow.
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4.7 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Journey Within!
This book was very easy to understand and very clear. . Very helpful in helping understand what we are scared to admit or what we have denied, or just what we don't like about... Read more
Published on May 8 2001 by "intentaccess"
5.0 out of 5 stars
A LOVING LOOK AT OUR DARKNESS AND OUR LIGHT
I found this book really useful in noticing how i keep my light hidden even more than my dark side. i was immensely touched by how the author shows so many ways to liberate the... Read more
Published on May 3 2001
5.0 out of 5 stars
Befriending your Shadow
"To be human is to be born into the world with something to achieve, namely, the fullness of one's human nature, and it is through the virtues that one does so... Read more
Published on Jan 27 2001 by Darren
5.0 out of 5 stars
Teachings on how to make peace with ourselves, and the world
David Richo formerly practiced as a Catholic priest, and in this book he displays the true, original meaning of the word "catholic. Read more
Published on Dec 29 2000 by Ruth Henriquez Lyon
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a MUST- READ personal guidebook ...
Shadow Dance shines light on our darkest edges and gives us a way to accept and love ourselves and others to the nth degree. Read more
Published on Nov 6 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
a synthesis of myriad ways to wholeness
This is without a doubt the best synthesis of major pathways to wholeness which I have yet to read. Dr. Read more
Published on Aug 15 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
Powerful material, easily understood, well done !!!!
I've read a lot of self help books over the years, however, David Richo has a way of cutting to the chase and making it possible to "do the work" and take the material... Read more
Published on July 1 1999 by Steffani M. Adams
5.0 out of 5 stars
An act of compassion and love in the form of a book.
David Richo has written what I believe is the most comprehensive book I've ever read on the subject of the human shadow, both personal and collective. Read more
Published on July 1 1999
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