“The Shadow Effect” by Deepak Chopra, Debbie Ford, Marianne Williamson

Posted: June 1st, 2010 | Filed under: Book Reviews | |

The Universe’s timing is always impeccable. I received this book for review and thought, “Oh, what a good idea, uncovering one’s shadow to discover the light.” What I received as a result of reading this book is a mental re-centering, and a return to a feeling of calm strength that left me after a tumultuous few weeks.

I cracked the book open to indulge what I thought would be a few casual musings from spiritual greats Deepak Chopra, Debbie Ford, and Marianne Williamson, and what I discovered was a treasure trove of strategies and stories that changed my day, my weekend, and if I continue the practice, my life.

To begin, I highly recommend taking “The Shadow Effect Test” first, before you dive into the rest of the book. I discovered this by accident (though in the case of this book I hardly believe it was an “accident”), skimming this book cover to cover to get an overview of the styles and theories of each of the three authors. Then I came to the last section, “The Shadow Effect Test”. By taking this test before reading the book, I was able to immediately take the idea of “embracing the shadow” from theory to practical identification and application into my own life.

In taking the quiz, I’d realized that the recent misfortunes in my life – two car accidents, my bedroom flooding, driver’s license suspended by a fluke incident, to name a few – were not necessarily just happenstance “bad luck”, but an expression of a shadow side appearing in light of this year’s fast-track business, mental, spiritual, and emotional growth.

Seeing the immediate practical application, I was hooked.
The rest of the book continued to deliver much in the way of practical application.

Deepak Chopra opens the book with theory and history of The Shadow Effect, with a physician’s instinct. He clearly defines examples of when shadow increases (p. 35), then offers a 4 step process through which to release the shadow’s power and reclaim it to use for good.

These 4 steps include:
1. Stop projecting
2. Detach and let go
3. Give up self-judgement
4. Rebuild your emotional body

One of the most impactful points of the book for me is found in Step #1: Stop Projecting.
Deepak gives specific examples and categories of projection, and the weakness or fear they are hiding underneath. Having gone through a recent breakup, I saw how both myself and my ex were projecting onto each other. Distinguishing these projections and seeing them for what they truly are – illusions – gave me the immediate freedom from the anxiety and frustration I was feeling.

This exercise alone makes The Shadow Effect a 5-star book in my opinion.

In Part II by Debbie Ford, she drives home the idea of projection, and how both negative and positive projections are merely tools to help us grow. Her style is much warmer and embracing than Deepak’s style (who is admittedly speaking in a physician’s tone). Debbie’s fantastic tales from her own personal life as well as the people she has worked with have a much more gentle but no less powerful transformational effect. Her storytelling is like a warm ocean washing clean the mind’s slate, removing barriers of separation and allowing for the ease of wholeness.

One beautiful point Debbie brings up is the idea of light shadow projection – the good we admire and are in awe of in others is the good we have the potential to cultivate.

Amen! From admiration to owning.

Part III by Marianne WIlliamson focuses on love. True, empowering love, not the illusion of love or shadow, but the radical honesty that can seem painful at the time, but is actually love.

The quote I especially enjoyed: “God’s love is not a gooey love. It’s not even always ‘nice’, in a kind of pink, fuzzy way. It involves radical truth telling, the kind of truth that the heart knows even when the mind resists it. It has less to do with style and more to do with substance.”

In sum, “The Shadow Effect” is a phenomenal book for anyone seeking to harness more of their untapped power, to release the shadow that hides in the corners of our mind and embrace it as gift. A fairly quick read with a practical, effective punch.

Check out the trailer for the movie here: