Shadows of the Sacred: Seeing Through Spiritual Illusions

This is a book worth tasting, a little morsel at a time, and chewing upon thoughtfully. Frances Vaughan shares of her own wisdom and, through profound quotes, from observations of others across space and time. The soul that is attached to anything, however much good there may be in it, will not arrive at the liberty of divine union. For whether it be a strong wire rope or a slender and delicate thread that holds the bird, it matters not, if it really holds it fast; for, until the cord be broken, the bird cannot fly. - St. John of the Cross Though her book is more than a dozen years in print, it is timely in the context of the needs of humanity to waken to our connection with the All if we hope to survive the planetary crises facing us today. Vaughan notes, "The seeds of grassroots spirituality seem to be springing up everywhere through the cracks in the old order." (p. 3) An essential aspect of reconnecting with the needs of our planet is the clearing of many issues within us that are driving us to destroy the environment, to suicide as a species through global heating, and to kill most, if not all other life on the planet at the same time. The accumulated personal and collective angers, fears and hurts within us are, to a large extent, outside our conscious awareness. These dark aspects of ourselves have been called the shadow in Jungian terms. Whether we think of the shadow as the unacceptable "other" in the psyche or the voice of the soul that has been repressed, it makes itself known to us whenever we turn attention to the inner world in search of spiritual renewal. Authentic spirituality cannot ignore the shadow. Authentic spirituality implies awareness of who we are as whole human beings-including body, emotions, mind, soul and Spirit - existing in a web of interdependent relationships with the earth and the cosmos. Authentic spirituality contributes to a sense of freedom and inner peace, and to love, service and responsibility in the world. I believe authentic spirituality is a powerful force for healing and social change. (p. 5) Another aspect of the Path is to connect with inner guidance. This guidance appears to connect us with the collective consciousness of humanity, of all aspects of the planet, and to higher, unseen sources of wisdom. The wisest, like fools, are said to follow their own counsel. It seems that the further one goes along the way to spiritual maturity, the more one learns to trust inner guidance, and the more trustworthy the guidance becomes. (p. 25) Vaughan (referencing Wierzbicka) notes that our language distances us from connecting with our soul. In English soul has become impoverished and discredited in the rational scientific climate of Western culture. In psychology mind, which connotes rational, intellectual knowledge, devoid of emotional or moral overtones, has displaced soul in designating the invisible component of the person. Something is lost

I have read three other books by Frances Vaughan, but I might have missed this extremely interesting study if it hadn't been for Ken Wilber's laudatory forward. For more than three decades Dr. Vaughan has been at the forefront of efforts to integrate psychology and spiritual growth. Not only is she a practicing psychologist, but also she has been trained in several contemplative traditions: Christian, Sufi, Zen and at least one Hindu school. I would like to quote from Ken Wilber's forward, "In the West, where psychology (and psychiatry) have completely replaced religion as the dominant sciences of the soul, it is the school of transpersonal psychology that carries most clearly the banner of genuine contemplative spirituality." Frances Vaughan's view - and I am sure that she is correct - is that most of psychology and academia, particularly in the United States, has ignored, or become insensible to most people's need for a rich and healthy spiritual life. Many believe that the ever-increasing rates of substance abuse and extreme behaviors are a reflection of that unquenched spiritual thirst. As she says, "We live in two worlds: the outer world of ego and the inner world of soul. Many people suffer from being out of touch with the inner world of soul. Others suffer because they have tried to explore the world of soul without having come to terms with the world of ego. Freedom depends on acknowledging both worlds, harmonizing them and bringing them into balance." The book breaks new ground, providing us with accounts of spiritual awakenings that she has seen in her practice, placed in the context of the many spiritual traditions that she has studied. Dr. Vaughan dispels the myth that spirituality is something that can only be experienced by a select few who have the time and the means to withdraw from the world. Many authors tell us only about the pleasures and promises of the spiritual journey, without also warning us about some of the pitfalls. This book does both, and is an outstanding book for anyone interested in consciousness, spirituality and the future health of humanity. Highly recommended.

Riding on the coat tails of the Inward Arc, this book takes shadow work to another level. Ms. Vaughan is by far the best in the field of transpersonal psychology. This is a must have book for ALL transpersonal psychologist and transpersonal psychology classes.

At least once a month a psychotherapy client or a student in a clinical psychology graduate program asks me what to read for a psychologically sophisticated approach to spirituality. Without hesitation I always tell them about Frances Vaughan's "Shadows of the Sacred," a work of such wisdom, warmth, and practicality that, after they read it, they'll probably want to see her for therapy. Vaughan's knowledge of both depth psychology and spiritual traditions is breathtaking. There's no wholly-headed New Age thinking here. This work belongs right next to Scott Peck's "The Road Less Travelled." It will be meaningful to men and women in all walks of life who are searching for the greater life they sense is possible.

I think that religion is an attempt to explain why the world is the way it is in an oversimplified fashion, inherent with limitations. For a critical thinker, this oversimplified version is simply not satisfactory, so we search for universal truths to satisfy our need for greater understanding, but unfortunately there are many pitfalls possible on that search, and this book does a great job of pointing many of them out............a must read for anyone on such a path.....for me it was a great book to read after book I Conversations with God...by Walsch.......