The Dark Side of the Light Chasers

Customer Reviews

• Good Work  Nov 4, 2000 (417 of 426 found this helpful)

  There is a story in Native American history of an Indian chief who one night talking to his tribe tells them there are two dogs inside his mind. One a white dog who is good and courageous, the other a black dog who is vengeful and spiteful.He tells the tribe the dogs are fighting to the death. A brave, not able to wait for the end of the story asks "Which one of them will win." The chief responds "The one I feed."

  This book tells us how to feed the white dog. I loved the book. I would also highly recommend the book An Encounter With A Prophet.

• Use your power to stop being a victim  Apr 20, 2001 (189 of 191 found this helpful)

  Our psychologists and many popular self-help movements have seem absolutely determined to make us permanent victims of our past. We are the way we are because of mom, dad, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, did so and so or did not do so and so, causing us to be the way we are today. This philosophy of blaming others for our own shortcomings has created a whole society of victims. And all of these victims have been going around "confronting" everyone they know for making them the way they are.

  Thank God for a refreshing breath of common sense! We are the way we are because we get something out of being the way we are. If we want to change we need to first accept responsibility for being the way we are and then determine what we get out of being that way. This is Debbie Ford's message. Using Ford's techniques along with those suggested by Lewis in his book An Encounter With A Prophet, you will be able to stop being a victim of your past and your present. I strongly recommend both books for those wishing to attain some real lasting peace of mind.

• Welcoming our "Bad" Side  Nov 6, 2000 (137 of 142 found this helpful)

  Here's an unpleasant thought, for those of us who try so hard to be nice, spiritual, kind -- we have a dark side, too. Holding on to (hiding) our dark side is what keeps us from moving forward and making significant changes in our lives. Can't: get rid of the excess weight, stop ruining good relationships, getting into bad ones? You just might want to take a look at this book, find that dark side and use it to set you free.

  One way to spot the dark side, according to Debbie Ford, in her excellent book, is to pay attention to our over-reactions. If you find yourself getting all worked up when someone accuses you of being something you just KNOW you're not, Ford tells us that that reaction means you're right on top of some important information.

  You could go into psychotherapy to try and work it out. Or you could just get this book, and start embracing the darker side. You won't fall apart -- read it, do the exercises. This is a book you can read and follow alone, but it's also an excellent book to work on, or discuss, with a good friend or two.

  Don't pass this one by, unless you're perfect!

• A life altering experience, to read this book!  Aug 7, 1999 (67 of 69 found this helpful)

  Although I have heard, from probably a dozen differnet sources, "we are all mirrors of each other" and "what we dislike in another is what we have to work on in ourselves", this book was a giant AHA! and I knew that I had finally "gotten it"! Debbie Ford doesn't have to rely on psychology "jargon" - her clear and simple, unvarnished examples and directions are perfect tools to get you where you want to be in your life. If you take her words to heart, I guarantee your view of yourself will change, and you'll never look at your fellow humans in quite the same way, either. Empowerment!

• MY FAVORITE BOOK!  Dec 28, 2000 (99 of 105 found this helpful)

  I've read a lot of self-help books and this is by far the best I've ever read. It's not a book for everyone. Many people are not ready to look at themselves with total honesty. But, as the author explains, "What you can't be with, won't let you be." The things you deny about yourself will keep popping-up in your life, until you finally understand and accept them. As the author say so well "Because when we judge ourselves we automatically judge others. And what we do to others, we also do to ourselves. The world is a mirror of our internal selves. When we can accept ourselves, we automatically accept and forgive others."

  The fascinating thing is, usually people that we dislike, are actually mirroring a quality that we are denying about ourselves. We have nearly every positive and negative quality there is, but through painful experiences, we come to deny certain parts of ourselves. We are unaware of how greatly this affects our life, and our interaction with other people.

  We are also unaware of how wonderful life can be when we free ourselves. As she says "What you don't own, owns you." and "What you resist, persists." I can't do this book justice in this short review, but if you are ready to look at yourself with total honesty, and really change your life for the better, buy this book!