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Knowing Your Shadow: Becoming Intimate with All That You Are
Robert Augustus Masters, PhD, is an integral psychotherapist, relationship expert, and spiritual teacher whose work blends the psychological and physical with the spiritual, emphasizing embodiment, emotional literacy, and the development of relational maturity.
Audio CD
First published April 1, 2012
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About the author
Robert Augustus Masters
25 books87 followersRobert Augustus Masters was born in Victoria, British Columbia in 1947. From an early age he was an avid artist, but in high school switched to the sciences, with which he stayed until he found himself at the age of 21 in a PhD program in biochemistry. Little more than a year later, only a few hours after a dream of dying, he left his doctoral studies, and began an odyssey of intense travel, initially outer, then inner.
As he did so, his passion for the arts reemerged, especially through writing. He began meditating, doing yoga, and exploring cutting-edge therapies and trainings. By 1978 he was working as a therapist and bodyworker. From the beginning his work was integral and creatively structured, combining the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Structure was not (and still is not) preset, but was (and still is) allowed to emerge in fitting accordance with individual and group needs.
In 1981 he won his first literary prize — an all-expenses paid trip for two to Hawaii — for his story of a particularly perilous Indonesian adventure he’d had 8 years earlier. This spurred him to immerse himself more fully in his writing. He also deepened his psychospiritual work, which spread worldwide in the late 1980s.
In early 1994 his life abruptly and dramatically changed, following an extremely harrowing near-death experience, which is described in his book Darkness Shining Wild. Since 1986 he had been leading an experimental psychospiritual community (also described in Darkness Shining Wild), which had gradually gone strongly awry. He had become more and more of a guru, abusing his power, not seeing that what he was leading had become a cult. His near-death experience brought this to a halt, breaking him down so deeply that he could not resurrect his former way of being. A half year later, still shaken to the core and overcome with remorse, he disbanded the community, soon thereafter beginning a very different journey, that of fully facing and working through what had driven him so far off track.
A year later he resumed his work, but in a much more compassionate, radically inclusive manner, centered to a significant degree by the practice of becoming intimate with all that we are — high and low, dark and light, dying and undying. He became a student again, completing a PhD program in psychology at Saybrook Graduate School in 1999; his dissertation received the highest award (dissertation with distinction). In 1998 he co-edited the Fall issue of ReVision: A Journal of Consciousness and Transformation (the theme of the issue being “Intimate Relationships and Spirituality”).
Evolving in fitting parallel with his relationally-rooted psychospiritual work has been his writing. He is the author not only of fourteen books, but also of numerous essays. In 2000 his essay “Wrathful Compassion” won the Editor’s Award for the best article of the year in the Journal of Transpersonal Psychology. His essays have appeared in a number of publications, most recently Spanda Journal. His books have received critical acclaim; Christiane Northrup, Jean Houston, Ken Wilber, Harville Hendrix, and Jack Kornfield are among those who have strongly endorsed his writing. In 2008 his book Transformation Through Intimacy was a Nautilus Book Awards finalist (Silver Winner). His latest book is To Be a Man: A Guide to True Masculine Power.
As he did so, his passion for the arts reemerged, especially through writing. He began meditating, doing yoga, and exploring cutting-edge therapies and trainings. By 1978 he was working as a therapist and bodyworker. From the beginning his work was integral and creatively structured, combining the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Structure was not (and still is not) preset, but was (and still is) allowed to emerge in fitting accordance with individual and group needs.
In 1981 he won his first literary prize — an all-expenses paid trip for two to Hawaii — for his story of a particularly perilous Indonesian adventure he’d had 8 years earlier. This spurred him to immerse himself more fully in his writing. He also deepened his psychospiritual work, which spread worldwide in the late 1980s.
In early 1994 his life abruptly and dramatically changed, following an extremely harrowing near-death experience, which is described in his book Darkness Shining Wild. Since 1986 he had been leading an experimental psychospiritual community (also described in Darkness Shining Wild), which had gradually gone strongly awry. He had become more and more of a guru, abusing his power, not seeing that what he was leading had become a cult. His near-death experience brought this to a halt, breaking him down so deeply that he could not resurrect his former way of being. A half year later, still shaken to the core and overcome with remorse, he disbanded the community, soon thereafter beginning a very different journey, that of fully facing and working through what had driven him so far off track.
A year later he resumed his work, but in a much more compassionate, radically inclusive manner, centered to a significant degree by the practice of becoming intimate with all that we are — high and low, dark and light, dying and undying. He became a student again, completing a PhD program in psychology at Saybrook Graduate School in 1999; his dissertation received the highest award (dissertation with distinction). In 1998 he co-edited the Fall issue of ReVision: A Journal of Consciousness and Transformation (the theme of the issue being “Intimate Relationships and Spirituality”).
Evolving in fitting parallel with his relationally-rooted psychospiritual work has been his writing. He is the author not only of fourteen books, but also of numerous essays. In 2000 his essay “Wrathful Compassion” won the Editor’s Award for the best article of the year in the Journal of Transpersonal Psychology. His essays have appeared in a number of publications, most recently Spanda Journal. His books have received critical acclaim; Christiane Northrup, Jean Houston, Ken Wilber, Harville Hendrix, and Jack Kornfield are among those who have strongly endorsed his writing. In 2008 his book Transformation Through Intimacy was a Nautilus Book Awards finalist (Silver Winner). His latest book is To Be a Man: A Guide to True Masculine Power.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 12, 2014
A chapter/track listing is not available on the edition I purchased from Audible. I found the information below on Amazon, and thought it was useful.
Contents Audio download (6 hours, 19 minutes)
6 CE credits
Date Published April 01, 2013
Our moods and relationships often seem to have a life of their own. Knowing Your Shadow by Robert Augustus Masters, PhD, offers exceptional support for taking charge of your life at a deep level, providing expert guidance and instruction to discover and make wise use of what lies hidden or otherwise neglected within us.
Chapter 1: Becoming Intimate with Your Shadow
Introduction 1:22
What Is Your Shadow? 6:30
Guided Practice: Turning Toward Your Shadow 3:54
What's Necessary for Effective Shadow Work? 5:02
Guided Practice: Facing What You Fear 12:57
Signs That Your Shadow Is in Charge 7:16
Guided Practice: Deepening Your Capacity for Self Reflection 10:17
Dissociation, Fusion, and Intimacy 4:47
Guided Practice: Approaching Your Shadow 10:55
Chapter 2: Becoming Intimate with Your Reactivity and Pain
Introduction 1:22
Reactivity: Its Signs and How to Work with It 12:21
Guided Practice: Becoming Intimate with Your Reactivity 12:51
Ending Your Suffering By Entering Your Pain 7:42
Guided Practice: Entering Your Pain 11:57
Guided Practice: The Presence of Your Past 7:37
Bringing Your Body Out of the Shadows 5:27
Guided Practice: Releasing Your Solar Plexus 14:44
Chapter 3: Relating Wisely to Your Inner Critic, Shame, and Guilt
Introduction 1:22
Meeting and Investigating Your Inner Critic 2:59
Guided Practice: Investigating Your Inner Critic 7:39
Guided Practice: Freeing Yourself From Your Inner Critic 11:35
Shame 3:40
Guided Practice: Investigating Your Shame 8:16
Healthy and Unhealthy Shame 6:07
Guided Practice: Becoming Intimate With Your Shame 12:54
Guilt 3:15
Guided Practice: Becoming Intimate With Your Guilt 10:50
�Chapter 4: Becoming Intimate with Your Darker Emotions
Introduction 1:21
There Are No Negative Emotions 6:00
The Key Factors Of Emotional Intimacy 9:46
Fear 4:42
Guided Practice: Becoming Intimate With Your Fear 12:28
Anger 8:48
Guided Practice: Approaches To Expression Of Anger 17:40
Chapter 5: Bringing Sex Out of the Shadows
Introduction 1:21
The Hidden Factors That May Be Running Your Sexuality 4:25
Eroticizing Your Wounds and Unmet Needs 5:09
The Myth Of Consenting Adults 8:14
Investigating Your Sexuality 7:51
Guided Practice: Becoming More Intimate With Your Sexuality 9:27
Guided Practice: The Value Of Stripping Sexual Fantasy of Its Eroticism 5:39
Guided Practice: The Non-Sexual Factors of Sexual Fantasy 7:52
Outgrowing Pornography 6:59
Chapter 6: Spirituality's Shadow
Introduction 1:21
What Is Spiritual Bypassing? 4:52
The Signs of Spiritual Bypassing, Pt. 1 12:08
The Signs of Spiritual Bypassing, Pt. 2 13:11
What Is Healthy Spirituality? 3:05
Spirituality and Madness 5:54
Contents Audio download (6 hours, 19 minutes)
6 CE credits
Date Published April 01, 2013
Our moods and relationships often seem to have a life of their own. Knowing Your Shadow by Robert Augustus Masters, PhD, offers exceptional support for taking charge of your life at a deep level, providing expert guidance and instruction to discover and make wise use of what lies hidden or otherwise neglected within us.
Chapter 1: Becoming Intimate with Your Shadow
Introduction 1:22
What Is Your Shadow? 6:30
Guided Practice: Turning Toward Your Shadow 3:54
What's Necessary for Effective Shadow Work? 5:02
Guided Practice: Facing What You Fear 12:57
Signs That Your Shadow Is in Charge 7:16
Guided Practice: Deepening Your Capacity for Self Reflection 10:17
Dissociation, Fusion, and Intimacy 4:47
Guided Practice: Approaching Your Shadow 10:55
Chapter 2: Becoming Intimate with Your Reactivity and Pain
Introduction 1:22
Reactivity: Its Signs and How to Work with It 12:21
Guided Practice: Becoming Intimate with Your Reactivity 12:51
Ending Your Suffering By Entering Your Pain 7:42
Guided Practice: Entering Your Pain 11:57
Guided Practice: The Presence of Your Past 7:37
Bringing Your Body Out of the Shadows 5:27
Guided Practice: Releasing Your Solar Plexus 14:44
Chapter 3: Relating Wisely to Your Inner Critic, Shame, and Guilt
Introduction 1:22
Meeting and Investigating Your Inner Critic 2:59
Guided Practice: Investigating Your Inner Critic 7:39
Guided Practice: Freeing Yourself From Your Inner Critic 11:35
Shame 3:40
Guided Practice: Investigating Your Shame 8:16
Healthy and Unhealthy Shame 6:07
Guided Practice: Becoming Intimate With Your Shame 12:54
Guilt 3:15
Guided Practice: Becoming Intimate With Your Guilt 10:50
�Chapter 4: Becoming Intimate with Your Darker Emotions
Introduction 1:21
There Are No Negative Emotions 6:00
The Key Factors Of Emotional Intimacy 9:46
Fear 4:42
Guided Practice: Becoming Intimate With Your Fear 12:28
Anger 8:48
Guided Practice: Approaches To Expression Of Anger 17:40
Chapter 5: Bringing Sex Out of the Shadows
Introduction 1:21
The Hidden Factors That May Be Running Your Sexuality 4:25
Eroticizing Your Wounds and Unmet Needs 5:09
The Myth Of Consenting Adults 8:14
Investigating Your Sexuality 7:51
Guided Practice: Becoming More Intimate With Your Sexuality 9:27
Guided Practice: The Value Of Stripping Sexual Fantasy of Its Eroticism 5:39
Guided Practice: The Non-Sexual Factors of Sexual Fantasy 7:52
Outgrowing Pornography 6:59
Chapter 6: Spirituality's Shadow
Introduction 1:21
What Is Spiritual Bypassing? 4:52
The Signs of Spiritual Bypassing, Pt. 1 12:08
The Signs of Spiritual Bypassing, Pt. 2 13:11
What Is Healthy Spirituality? 3:05
Spirituality and Madness 5:54
December 30, 2015
Interesting but bit heavy to listen on the go, due to the hours of guided meditations.
The spirituality chapter was claustrophobic, makes it sound like everything you can do is ultimately flawed because you are in a way escaping you shadow.
The spirituality chapter was claustrophobic, makes it sound like everything you can do is ultimately flawed because you are in a way escaping you shadow.
May 25, 2017
For anyone who has been searching for guided meditations to start your own shadow work, this audiobook is amazing!
May 29, 2019
Amazing book. Really helps you understand what's below the surface of your consciousness.
January 16, 2024
Interesting discussion of getting to know and release your “inner emotions from your shadow/self“ with guided meditations and exercise.
One could also metaphorically speaking, describe this as releasing or managing to control your toxic ‘emotional demons” which hinder your ability and capacity to live a normal and sane life...?
To Our Continued Success!
Seemy
Waseem.tv/Blog
👆🏼 P.S -
If you found this review helpful - I’d like to invite you to discover more on our blog. Where the community share some of our most important insights to level up each others knowledge 💡- from experience in studying books like this, training programs, podcasts and much more - visit the blog link above to find out more.
P.P.S 😅 - You probably noticed from my profile that I’ve reviewed a LOT of books over the years now - if you love seeking knowledge like me I’d love to connect with you further as a like minded person (send me a friend invite! 😀) - Also if you are curious - here is my preferred and recommended resource for seeking timeless wisdom - Check it out via the website invite link below 👇🏼 (You’ll be able to claim some awesome books for free 📚)
https://Waseem.tv/GoodReadsBookInvite
One could also metaphorically speaking, describe this as releasing or managing to control your toxic ‘emotional demons” which hinder your ability and capacity to live a normal and sane life...?
To Our Continued Success!
Seemy
Waseem.tv/Blog
👆🏼 P.S -
If you found this review helpful - I’d like to invite you to discover more on our blog. Where the community share some of our most important insights to level up each others knowledge 💡- from experience in studying books like this, training programs, podcasts and much more - visit the blog link above to find out more.
P.P.S 😅 - You probably noticed from my profile that I’ve reviewed a LOT of books over the years now - if you love seeking knowledge like me I’d love to connect with you further as a like minded person (send me a friend invite! 😀) - Also if you are curious - here is my preferred and recommended resource for seeking timeless wisdom - Check it out via the website invite link below 👇🏼 (You’ll be able to claim some awesome books for free 📚)
https://Waseem.tv/GoodReadsBookInvite
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews