oprah Had A Lightbulb Moment When She Connected With Debbie Ford′s Shadow Work. Now, Debbie Deepens Our Shadow Work And Shows How Our Shadow Side Holds The Key To Our Happiness. Each Of Us Has A Shadow That Whispers Stories Of Our Own Self-defeating Fears To Us-for Example: That We Aren′t Enough, That We Are Unworthy Of Being Loved, That We Will Be Deserted By Those Whom We Care About. Debbie Guides Us To Hear Those Stories And Find The Positive Message Within Each Of Them. She Shows How Understanding Our Own Shadow Side Can Lead Us To Lives Of Tremendous Fulfillment And Peace. Full Of Case Studies And Exercises, This Book Complements Her First Book On Shadow Work, Which Has Sold Almost Half A Million Copies.

Writing in the voice of the wounded healer, Ford tells her own story of embracing the wisdom and direction she found in facing family and addiction problems. She skillfully offers examples from participants in her workshops at the Chopra center who have leveraged the lessons of a painful past into a purposeful life. She invites readers to "own their whole story" by asking: What is the secret [about you] that your story conceals? What wisdom can you contribute to the world that you couldn't if the events in your life hadn't happened?"

At times, Ford's approach seems derivative of 12-step programs and ersatz Buddhism. And she mixes metaphors of shadows and light with those of a recipe and ingredients. Readers also know that self-reflection, acceptance of life's mixed blessings, and making lemonade from lemons are not new ideas. Yet Ford's passion and persuasiveness make a fresh case for daring to be yourself, learning from experience, and discovering the divine spark that is beyond our understanding. --Barbara Mackoff