The Shadow Effect

I attended a premier showing of The Shadow Effect, a new movie based on Debbie Ford's theory of the Shadow within. Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, James Van Praagh and others are highlighted in cameo spots. I would not recommend this move to anyone in a vulnerable state. Those started on a path of self-exploration may find that it has food for thought, though the concepts are as old as time. I found it over dramatized and concerning.

The Shadow Effect is based on the belief that everyone has a dark negative side. Psychiatrist Karl Jung popularized this in the 1930's. "Unfortunately there can be no doubt that man is, on the whole, less good than he imagines himself or wants to be. Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser it is. If an inferiority is conscious, one always has a chance to correct it. Furthermore, it is constantly in contact with other interests, so that it is continually subjected to modifications. But if it is repressed and isolated from consciousness, it never gets corrected."

The movie begins with dramatic stories, such as, husbands who repress anger at their boss and then take it out in violence at home. Definitely, an opening that captures our attention and creates a fear mind set. Ford then tells her story and multiple others admit the hidden darkness within. Growing up with blame or not feeling good enough.

The renowned experts, mentioned above, are brought in to talk about the concepts of shadow. Dr. David Simon, a breakthrough neurologist in the field of holistic health, speaks to the effects of negative thoughts or emotions on your brain. Each celebrity has a featured portion, similar to the Secret.

I watched the stories and listened to the information: be aware of the shadow, embrace it, forgive, release and reframe. Would you be who you are today if you hadn't had to experience the bad? For those who believe in past lives or karma - the concepts were not addressed. Neither was the impact of physiology on you mental state.

It appeared from the movie, that if you wished to be transformed and to really find the light, you needed to attend the Forgiveness Workshops. One reviewer on Math.com suggested that the entire movie was an infomercial. Interesting, that we are now buying the commercials as feature films only to be lead by the nose to the next purchase.

I did not feel transformed. I learned long ago that there is a silver lining in every cloud. I was disappointed that the movie did not go very deep. It only stirred the pot. I am worried about those who leave feeling worse about themselves. The Shadow Effect has the potential to open wounds and hidden fears.

Honestly, go watch the Wizard of Oz. The message that the power was always yours, once your ready to understand and embrace, it is offered in lighter, more imaginative way.

Sources:
Psychology and Religion (1938). In CW 11: Psychology and Religion: West and East. P.131
http://theshadoweffect.com/
http://store.math.com/DVD-130-B002ACJ3EU-The_Shadow_Effect_a_movie.html