Embracing Our Selves: The Voice Dialogue Manual Paperback – Illustrated, January 16, 1998

Excellent book. The book does not directly explain at first what it is trying to entail, but as the reader digresses through the various voice dialogues with the interviewer or facilitator, the development of the larger picture is perceived. And I must say, this particular model has stuck with me for quite some time in many other books and teachings I have read, as well as personally experienced in my life. This book really does convey a rather substantial paradgm of human psychology.The ideas conveyed in this book is that of each individual consists of multiple energies or self personalities, each conveying a different part of ourselves. With such voice dialogues, the awareness level of our consciousness increases, our aware ego or observer ego has the ability to gain awareness and perceive silent separateness from our divided energies. We become able to bring or higher selves to obtain an observer's view of our various selves, both the energies we use to control and depend on, as well as those we repress and disown. Anotherwards, it opens us up in awareness to ourselves. We become aware of our hidden observer where we can objectively view all of our different energy patterns or personalities which we use and depend on and those we reject and disown.What is conveyed is how we are to cease repressing our disowned selves, by honoring and listening to such demonic parts of ourselves, while at the same time, continuing to let our positive energies that we currently use to guide us to continually do so. Throughout the book conversations are conveyed which portray the most common various personalities most of us have.At the end of the book, the last chapter has a wonderful illustration on Greek mythology and the parallel of a disowned personality, as in the case of Apollo disowning Dionysus and the story of King Pentheus and his denial and disowning of the new god, Dionysus and the disastrous outcome from repressing and disowning this new god.

This volume has been highly influential and foundational to Shadow Work and other models of self-exploration in a group or individual setting.Though it calls itself a "manual", it's not a set of specific instructions (how could it be?). Instead, it's a great explanation of the composition of the human psyche. We are composed of a number of aspects (our "selves") that have various wants, desires, roles, duties, etc. These "parts" or "selves" develop during childhood and early life and help keep us safe and sane, but eventually, we forget about them, but they continue to live on in our lives. When we are unconscious of this, we often get results we don't want, and wonder why. This volume not only explains that in easy-to-understand terms, but describes a technique for helping others sort out their "selves" and become conscious of them. When we become aware of these forces in our psyche, we can choose when to use these part/selves/energies/archetypes and when any particular one is not working for our overall well being.You won't come away a therapist by reading this, but you'll understand yourself and others a whole lot better!I highly recommend this to people who have studied Shadow Work, "carpet work", psychodrama, or similar systems of understanding. It will deepen and clarify your understanding and ability to help others and understand your selves.

I was referred to this book by Trisha Caetano , in her "Inner Child Therapy" workshops. I really loved this book. This is an excellent book in understanding how we develop sub-personalities, by suppressing and disowning parts of our consciousness using very simple examples.Example: the child learns that the mother is very happy when the baby smiles, while another child realises that success in academics will please the parents and protecting their vulnerable selves,first one develops his pleasing characteristics , while the other develops his ambitious side.This way over a period of time personality becomes a complex system of sub personalities. The "self" is the earliest and core aspect of our personality to develop and watch over us.Hal and Sidra Stone explain in simple terms how to transform the disowned and suppressed parts, which they call `sub personalities' into a balanced, flowing energy system known as consciousness using their own method called "Voice Dialog"(VD).They also explain how these suppressed parts express themselves through dreams and other means. However the VD can be better done by a VD facilitator.Any one with therapeutic or healing back ground would find this extremely beneficial, and for normal person this is definitely an excellent guidance in creating awareness of how suppressed parts , over period of time takes the driver seat of of consciousness, drives us through the life , not being aware of this , we keep looking for causes of our miseries elsewhere.

this book could be used as a primer for discovering the myriad facits or ourselves, the unconscious and the shadow as well as those we are aware of. the authors don't apply any judgment to what they uncover. they merely bring it to the client's awareness. it's as though there are different people living inside of all of us who don't always agree with each other and who seldom work together. the question of why I always respond to something in the same way or why the same things seem to happen in my life over and over again in different guises are answered here.the book moves from the immediately practical to the deeply spiritual. it gave me the desire to train in this modality.

Great book. Came on time and with no damage. Thanks!