They Both Told Me the Same Story - At Separate Times
By Liz Sterling

In the world of self-help and spiritual thinking, sisters Arielle and Debbie Ford are making big names for themselves. Debbie, 45, was hooked on drugs from age 13 to 28. Now she's a best-selling author and an Oprah Winfrey Show veteran who regularly speaks to packed seminars. Arielle, 48, is a self-proclaimed witch, mystic and publicist who is largely responsible for introducing Dr. Deepak Chopra, M.D. to this country and Chicken Soup authors, Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield.

I interviewed Arielle Ford at noon. Debbie Ford at 2pm. They didn't know what questions I would ask. We discussed their individual stories and looked at how two sisters from the same home both became so successful. What's intriguing is the reason it happened and how each sister traveled a different road.

About four years ago, Arielle launched Debbie's book, "The Dark Side of The Light Chasers". It offered insights into the darkest parts of ourselves; the shadow. Debbie told me, "Dr. Carl Jung coined the term and refers to unconscious feelings, thoughts and beliefs that drive our personality, robbing us of love and happiness. The shadow," she continued, "sounds like this; 'I'm not good enough;' 'I'm unlovable' 'There's something wrong with me' 'I'll never get what I want'. "So we exercise, make more money, have babies, anything to compensate for the unloved parts of ourselves. There is no reward at the end of this road; no one finds fulfillment in this continuous cycle. It's about embracing the worst in yourself and reclaiming your power, creativity, brilliance and dreams."

This is the essence of her newest book, "The Secret of the Shadow". "Imagine you live in a clear capsule and you can touch all the sides. The capsule is familiar. It is comfortable. The eventual influence on how we interact with the world is how we notice the story. Any perceived event," she continues, "that was upsetting or traumatic will use us. Only when we see the events as a gift for liberation and recognize that events are not who we are, will we be set free from living in the capsule. Living inside, we tap into ten percent of our magnificence. Outside we are able to bring our precious gifts into the world. We need to learn how to love all of who we are and embrace the enormity of who we can become. The shadow beliefs that have been perpetuating our self-sabotaging behaviors have kept us in a personal drama Unlimited possibilities for your life will unfold once you step out of the 'you' you thought yourself to be!"

And that's what the sisters did. They brought their gifts to the world. For Arielle it was easy, she followed the light. Arielle knew, in this lifetime, she and Debbie would make it big. Why? She recalls an agreement they made as sisters in a previous life. Arielle was right up front when she told me, "Debbie and I were wealthy, lazy and bored in our last life. We made a pact. We agreed we would do big things together. I began earlier than Debbie. She was resistant at first but she remembered and here we are."

Whether you travel the road of the mystic or follow the secret of the shadow, the Ford sisters have forged the way

© 2002 Balance Magazine