A Little Book on the Human Shadow: A Poetic Journey into the Dark Side of the Human Personality, Shadow Work, and the Importance of Confronting Our Hidden Self

This is a great little book that delves in an oddly poetic way about how humans relate with each other. Perfect for couples facing the usual difficulties doing that. The only drawback, and I'm not even taking one star off for that, is that this poet author insists upon including his inscrutable poetry that only makes his book more difficult to fathom. I've read the book about a half dozen times over the years, and each time I read it, its various meanings become more obvious. MUCH more obvious when I skip the obtuse poetry.It's about projections, only Bly usually doesn't call them that. His poetic prose makes plenty sense, and without the poetry, it could be a lot quicker read. But it's deep and to fully understand it, takes awhile. This last time I read it, I absorbed one paragraph at a time, and that was my most enjoyable reading of it ever, having finally learned to ignore the poems.We humans are devious in our inter-relating, and this book superbly explains how we do it, with a lot about why. It may be a little short of what we can do about it, but that becomes more and more obvious the deeper we get into it. With each new reading, I skip different chapters, too. And that seems to help.

I've read a few books on the subject of the Human Shadow, and found this one to be possibly the most useful in understanding this necessarily murky topic.I've also read a number of Robert Bly's other books, Iron John, and a few books of his poetry and translations and I feel this "Little Book" may now be my favorite.The very subject is "shadowy" by nature. And what knowledge there is of it, is not widely spread, despite the fact that it effects each and every one of us, causing great upset in our personal relationships, and our family, social, and, political lives. A more widespread understanding of this dynamic would be very helpful in addressing the problems we are now facing, and may, in fact, be necessary.This book is valuable resource in reaching that understanding.I hope this doesn't make the book sound dry or academic. It most definitely is not! Bly uses poetry and stories to illustrate and illuminate a "difficult" subject in a down to earth and intriguing way..A Little Book on the Human Shadow

"People who are passive toward their projected material contribute to the danger of nuclear war, because every bit of energy that we don't actively engage with language or art is floating somewhere in the air above the United States, and Reagan can use it. He has a big energy sweeper that pulls it in." Page 43

I've probably given this book to more people than I can remember. It is wonderful little book for anyone hounded by an addiction, or simply by the notion that he or she is not quite right. The person or role they play in the world is not quite authentic. Bly tells us that some of our most magical self as a child gets banished by parents' and society's requirements--into a bag, he says, which we drag along behind us. There is of course is a lot of soot and dirt that has made its way through the cloth as it has been dragged along for a lifetime--but combing through what we've got in there one finds rough jewels and gold coins. The shadow, both Jung and Bly agree, is what we cannot face about ourselves. Shadow explains an immediate dislike for another person: They are the mirror image of our shadow a part of ourselves we banished. But both men also agree that the only possibility of true change in one's life lies in the shadow. In the shadow is the gold,and fire,the parts ourselves we've forgotten which can make us whole.

It's like a primer for newcomers to the notion of as Bly says "retrieving" one's personal shadow. It even gives examples of the five steps to doing so. Other explanations such as Marie-Louise von Franz title Projection and Re-collection in Jungian Psychology discussion using the same five steps.Even if this Little Book only gives bits & bobs taken from live readings the overall offering is very useful. Partly because this subject and the process is a long, drawn out affair. Something to live near -- kind of like a good labyrinth nearby (not a maze). You can walk near and further and near again to view the topic from other angles over time. (Yes, it's called circumambulation).Even though R. Bly tends to be most helpful to men this book has wrapped us all in reminders of being human.During this new epoch of 'forced introversion' it's even more helpful if any of us can emerge with new energy and clarity from owning the personal shadow?An alternate review is a 2 star by 'Applewood' Jan 19 19 that teaches me a lot. Never heard of a 'golden shadow' but it makes sense. I'll have to look for Robert Johnson, whoever that is.

The book discusses our human shadow and how we hide it differently in different situations, among different people. It discusses how we were taught to act a certain way while in the company of others or a particular group of people. A lot of the poetry had nothing to do with the section at hand, it appeared as if it was just thrown into the section to stretch the book. The first chapter, or rather Part I, of the book starts off well, but then it seems to be a lot of rambling until the final chapter. The final chapter had some really good information and insight into the shadow and will make you ponder the shadow, and the reasons why you chose not to honor the shadow. Basically, you're shadow is the inner-self; and if the inner-self is the real you, what are you going to do with all of those words, talents and expressions that you kept hidden in the shadow? There are some points in the book that will make you ponder upon your own life and human shadow. I gave it 3 stars because of the rambling and the unnecessary use of poetry in some places simply takes away from the point being addressed.

Love Robert Bly. This book is one of his early works. Very thought provoking.

I didn‘t like it a bit.I don‘t like how there are random bot riming poems with a even more random explenation to them.

It's a poetic approach to the human unconscious. Not always straight strides, but some deliberate sideways steps. Kind of appropriate if you consider: (a) the unconscious is, to a large extent, beyond verbalization and (b) poetry can sometimes go where ordinary language cannot.

It is a necessary read in order to get an understanding about the shadow self we are all encouraged or often forced to suppress during our infancy.In my case since childhood I was brow beaten into suppressing my natural spontaneity because it displeased others around me. It is only now that I am beginning to acknowledge the damage and harm you cause your self practically and in your personal relationships, when you stop developing your authentic self with its yin and yang

Buy this and read it, then read it again. One of those....thank you R. Bly, RIP.

A lovely book about our shadow self by a wonderful author