Romancing the Shadow: A Guide to Soul Work for a Vital, Authentic Life - Softcover

Zweig, Connie; Wolf, Steven

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0345417402 ISBN 13: 9780345417404

Publisher: Wellspring/Ballantine, 1999

Synopsis

Beneath the social mask we wear every day, we have a hidden shadow side: an impulsive, wounded, sad, or isolated part that we generally try to ignore, but which can erupt in hurtful ways. As therapists Connie Zweig and Steve Wolf show in this landmark book, the shadow can actually be a source of emotional richness and vitality, and acknowledging it can be a pathway to healing and an authentic life. "Romancing the shadow"--meeting your dark side, beginning to understand its unconscious messages, and learning to use its powerful energies in productive ways--is the challenging and exciting soul work that Zweig and Wolf offer in this practical, rewarding guide.

Drawing on the timeless teachings of Carl Jung and compelling stories from their clinical practices, Zweig and Wolf reveal how the shadow guides your choices in love, sex, marriage, friendship, work, and family life. With their innovative method, you can uncover the unique patterns and purpose of your shadow and learn to defuse negative emotions; reclaim forbidden or lost feelings; achieve greater self-acceptance; heal betrayal; reimagine and re-create relationships; cultivate compassion for others; renew creative expressions; and find purpose in your suffering.

The shadow knows why good people sometimes do bad things. Romancing the shadow and learning to read the messages it encodes in daily life can deepen your consciousness, imagination, and soul.

About this title

Review:

According to authors Connie Zweig and Steve Wolf, each of us has shadows that hold forbidden feelings such as shame, jealousy, greed, lust, and rage. Left to their own devices these shadows will become destructive saboteurs--causing us to betray our loved ones as well as ourselves. It is not within our power to choose whether or not to have these shadows; however, Zweig and Wolf believe that it is within our power to take responsibility for our shadows and put them to productive use. Chapter by chapter Zweig and Wolf reveal the shadow side of love, parenthood, siblings, friendships, midlife, and work. Rather than deny or destroy these shadows, the authors show readers how to confront and "romance" them in order to access the energy, vitality, and creativity that usually lie dormant within our dark sides.

From the Publisher:

"True freedom lies in getting in touch with the Self, which is both divine and diabolical, sacred and profane. This book enables you to peel away the layers of your soul and get in touch with the purity of Being that lies within you."
--Deepak Chopra, M.D.

"At last, a compelling, evocative book that brilliantly elucidates the difficult concept of the shadow in straightforward language. Shadow-work is our greatest challenge to becoming a global village."
--Marion Woodman, Jungian analyst and author of Dancing in the Flames: The Dark Goddess in the Transformation of Consciousness

"The secret is out: All of us, no exceptions, have qualities we won't let anyone see, including ourselves--our shadow. If we face up to our dark side, our life can be energized. If not, there is the devil to pay. This is one of life's most uregent projects."
--Larry Dossey, M.D., author of Healing Words

About this edition

• Publisher: Wellspring/Ballantine
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0345417402
• ISBN 13: 9780345417404
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 348