Light is the New Black: A Guide to Answering Your Soul's Callings and Working Your Light

by Rebecca Campbell

Light Is The New Black is a guidebook for a new breed of women who are here to be bright lights in the world. These women are modern day lightworkers, who agreed at soul level to be here at this time in history, to bring us into the Age of Light (lead by spirit and the divine feminine).
 
At the Peace Conference in Canada in 2009, when the Dalai Lama said ‘The world will be saved by the western woman’, it was a call to action for women throughout the West. Light Is The New Black is a response to that call. It guides these women to come back home to who they are at soul level, and embrace their uniqueness so they can light up the world in a way that only they can. Gone are the days of following someone else’s well-trodden path. In order to succeed in this new age, everything must be an authentic expression of who we truly are. A down-to-earth, relatable mix of one girl’s journey, channeled messages from The Universe, practical tools, and metaphysical marketing for this new social age, this book will reconnect you to the core of your being, so that you can use it to change the world.

Genres: Spirituality, Self Help, Nonfiction, Personal Development, New Age, Audiobook, Inspirational

295 pages, Paperback

First published July 6, 2015

About the author

Rebecca Campbell is a Hay House author, grounded intuitive, spiritual mentor, six sensory teacher and co-creator of The Spirited Project and one of Hay House's freshest voices. Rebecca has been studying metaphysics since her first awakening when she was a teenager. She went on to enjoy a successful career in advertising as a creative director before she was 30.

Drawing on this unique experience, Rebecca now guides Lightworkers to courageously answer the unique callings of their soul so they can light up the world in a way that only they can.

Jet setter meets gypsy spirit, in her twenties Rebecca blogged her way around the world as The Skype Nomad. She also spent a year of her life bringing colour to grey spaces with The Let's Colour Project.

Originally from the sunny shores of Sydney, Rebecca now lives in London but you can find her down under most summers getting her salt water and sunshine fix.

Reviews

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lightworker's handbook. All the stuff you ever wanted to know about why you feel different, why you don't fit in, why you feel like such a weirdo and so many other questions are answered in this book.

If you've ever felt like you just have no idea wtf you are doing on this planet, but know you are here to do something, this book is for you. If you just feel like you are wandering around with no purpose but you really want to find it, this book is for you. If you feel like you've been living in the shadows and not speaking up for far too long this book is for you.

Make sure you have some tissues nearby and get ready to raise some vibrations!!

AWESOME BOOK! xx

[Cara♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very inspiring and empowering. For those who are already awakened, but weary to share their light (like me), this book acts as a confirmation that we're going the right way.

[Jessika Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you always feel like you're searching life for why you're here and it weighs on you every day, wondering 'what is my purpose?', this book is for you.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Rebecca doesn't use the term 'God' hardly at all, instead keeping it open to people from all walks of life calling the higher power in our lives 'source', 'universe' and 'grace', encouraging you to use the word that feels most comfortable to you.

It's written in a easy to read format with diary like entries, affirmations, quotes from influential people and mantras. You can choose to read it all through at once or read a 'chapter' per day.

Rebecca shares her spotify and free download to her 12 minute guided meditation, helping even the beginner like me make it a daily part of your life.

She encourages you to 'find what lights you up', 'be the light' and 'live in the light'. Without giving any spoilers, she explains in depth how to do these things and gives her own personal experience in doing it. She shares her struggles at rock bottom and her triumphs.

"WARNING: your dreams may not play out as you think they will. There's a considerable chance they will work out better than you could possibly imagine."

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think it's safe to say that Rebecca Campbell and I believe some different things. Which is ok, obviously (#respect). It is inspiring that she is being vulnerable, living her truth and that she wrote this book. It's clear she wants to lift other people up, which we need more of in this world and I did find inspiration and wisdom in 'Light is the New Black'. In fact let's go positive first...

I was obsessed with the idea of this book and with chapter titles like Inauthenticity no longer stands a chance, Show up and shine, You're ready, and Be OK with where you are, I was pumped up and ready to love it. The quote on the back says "Follow what lights you up and you'll light up the world" and I am in love with that concept. I also loved...

⭐ When Rebecca talked about not knowing. Because there is this thing about following your dreams and your passions (people make it sound so easy), but what if you don't know what your dreams are?

To be honest, the whole Soul Purpose thing stressed me out. It felt like a big decision to make, the type that hangs over you until you do it. But I was petrified that I might miss my life, or get it wrong.

She says that you have to be OK with having no idea what is going to happen and then do things anyway. It's not about having a detailed plan, or knowing where things will lead, and it's not about a specific job or career. It's simple - our soul is always calling. You can light up the world when doing the simplest of things from cooking dinner to updating your social media. The image of Rebecca waiting for the Universe to call and tell her her purpose was fun and relatable. "I wanted to know the final destination before I took the first step."

⭐ The idea that you are your heroes. "You are drawn to the people you admire because you recognise something in them that is also in you". It seems so blatantly obvious to me now but I had never even considered that I could learn so much about my deepest desires by pondering the people I admire most and the qualities they embody. It's been a crazy cool and fun thing to do. Another good exercise in this book were the questions on page 131-2 such as: what could you talk about all night long without knowing where the time went? and if your 8 yr old self were giving you advice what would they say?

⭐ There was a really sweet story (Being of Service chapter, page 220) about how Rebecca's teacher lit up her world.

Being of service doesn't have to be a humongous mission where you need to singlehandedly save the world, cure cancer, or run off to a Buddhist monastery. Making a difference in just one person's life can have immeasurable ripples.

All about how this teacher wore what she wanted, embraced her own open-heartedness and eccentricity and listened to and encouraged her students. She served the world by being herself and "had she spent her years striving to be like someone else, the world would be a much less compassionate, creative and bright place." So simple and heartwarming. The world needs you. Not your dream. Referring to someone else, Rebecca said "Her dream didn't come true. Something even better did. She became herself instead."

⭐ The concept of listening to your soul.

Answering the calling of your soul isn't a one-time act; it's a perpetual conversation. It's not actually about doing one big thing, or finding one single answer to the great big question: 'What is my purpose?' It's doing hundreds of thousands of little things in that direction, one after the other.

Being intentional, kind and passionate in your day to day life. Choosing the decisions and ways that light you up. One step at a time. That's a beautiful concept.


Now for the negative. What I didn't like about this book. I said at the beginning of this review that Rebecca and I believe different things. I'm trying to be positive and supportive but I'm allowed my opinion and wow, I rolled my eyes and groaned A LOT while reading this book. I consider myself to be quite a thoughtful, weird and open person but there are some things I just can't get along with at the moment...

⭐ There's quite a lot in this book about having multiple lives. Apparently Rebecca was a scholar in ancient greece, a witch in the middle ages and more in her past lives. When she realised/ remembered this she started sobbing. You lost me there, sorry. She talks about the afterlife and your sprit angels. About how life is a journey back to oneness. "You're all of the lifetimes that came before. You're male and female, gay and straight, black and white, confident and shy" and apparently I choose my parents before being born. o_O what.

⭐ The idea that energy has genders. Just no. 'Masculine energy' is main at the moment apparently and we need less of that. Yes we need more love and trust but WHY is that 'feminine' ??? We really really REALLY don't need to divide the genders more by attributing random stuff to one or the others. I think the ideas in this book could have been explained just as well without the use of the words masculine and feminine. All this does is alienate men from reading this book (even though she kept lamely adding 'and men' after going on about how women can do this, or that), perpetuate gender stereotypes and cause more anger and misunderstanding.

⭐ The hierarchies. Some people are 'highly conscious' apparently. Some people have experienced 'more than this'. Some are 'a few steps behind you'. Happy is a better emotion than sad. Oh and btw don't forget how awesome and in touch with your soul you are for reading this book. NOPE. People are more than they appear at first glance or even 5000th glance. It's so easy to define ourselves and others in our mind but I don't think this is helpful to our mission of lighting up the world. We are multi-faceted, complicated and always changing messes and we are all just trying our best with what we've got. And where and what is this one straight line in which I can be ahead or behind someone on? We are all on our own journey.

⭐ I have done a lot of overthinking and worrying in my time and recently I've been trying to take life less seriously. Stuff will happen and it will touch you and change you. Things will get DEEP and life is crazy. But we don't have to plan for it. This book takes life quite seriously and that's just something I don't need at the moment.

⭐ This maybe not so great reaction to grief...

The grief would hit out of nowhere: at my desk, on the subway, in the grocery store aisle, while walking down the street. My family and friends urged me to come back home to Australia, but deep down I had this inner knowing that this was something I need to face alone. I needed to venture into the darkest caverns and try to find my own way out.

This doesn't seem healthy to me. I am all for time alone (super introvert here, hi) and being your own best friend but when dealing with something like grief you need a support network as well as alone time. Being strong is accepting that you need help. We are social beings and often our holes are too deep to climb out of alone, and often we don't realise how deep we are when we're down.

⭐ The parts where Rebecca prayed for really bad things to happen to her (yep). And then (it gets better) for bad things to happen to the reader and other people. She literally says that she felt she couldn't be a healer of other people if she hadn't healed herself from anything first. So rather than working through those feelings of unworthiness and imposter syndrome she just prayed for a disaster and that she would reach rock bottom, then she prayed for that to happen to everyone so we can grow and become deeper beings. Whatever that means.

I'm glad I read this book but I'm equally glad it's over. It wasn't the enlightening, amazing reading experience I was hoping for. Just a slightly inspiring, mostly frustrating one.

[Amber · Rating 1 out of 5]

Repetitive waste of time.

[Anke · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has some beautiful and inspiring ideas, unfortunately it has a lot more nonsense.
The book was very repetitive and I felt that it build more on the work of other authors and exsisting ideas and theories than on her own original ideas.
Her personal stories felt very self congratulatory and overal the book felt very superficial to me.

[Crystal McNaughty · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not even finish this book. The back makes it sound interesting but it is full of fluff that made no sense to me whatsoever. I'm a bit cynical but open to some extents and I do like the mindfulness bits at the back but overall this book is for a select group of individuals that have very unique beliefs and this group definitely does NOT include me.

[Monica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this book up off the shelf at the store and bought it without reading reviews, thinking that it would be part memoir, part inspirational/empowerment. It ended up being a painfully repetitive read that I only slogged through so it would count towards my book challenge.

So I'll start off by saying that this book reads like an Instagram feed without the pictures. There are some pages that have a personal story from Rebecca Campbell's life, and most pages are short entries that always have the same vague message of "find your light" or "be the light" or "share your light". She doesn't really define what this "light" is, beyond "find what lights you up", "follow your light" and sometimes in brackets specifies for you to chase what you love. There are also lots of other terms that she never defines such as Source (I guess it's just another word that she uses to describe The Universe or God), and "Council of Light". Her language at times reads religious, such as periodically referring to her belief in past lives and reincarnation but then also suggesting we invoke the Archangel Michael to help with our pagan cord-cutting ritual (??), most of the time it's just spiritual word salad.

There are also some messages in this book that are very problematic and really serve to inform the reader that the author is writing a self-help book from the perspective of an incredibly privileged life. Her "rock bottom" is breaking up with her boyfriend and realizing that her high-paying, world-travelling job doing what she always wanted to do was still unsatisfying. Ok, sure. Fine. I won't invalidate that, but then she goes on to claim that our souls CHOOSE our parents/life before we're born and that all the good things and even the suffering we experience is something we choose before birth to allow us to "find our light" and "achieve our most authentic selves". And that, truly, is offensive in its privilegedness. I have a hard time believing she would hold that spiritual belief if her childhood was filled with abuse and trauma, or if her daily experiences were filled with systemic racism and violence, or if her "rock bottom" included life-threatening or chronic illness, addiction, homelessness, poverty, etc. Imagine telling an Indigenous residential school survivor that their soul chose to experience that trauma for a "higher purpose".

Even some of the "lessons" she's learned throughout the years are incredibly shallow, like the one chapter where she talks about choosing to work with a quadriplegic because she found him inspiring, only to become exhausted by stress of having to work in his office and helping out with his care every now and then between his hourly nurse visits. I was hoping for something profound to come out of that but instead, she just ended the chapter there and never actually spoke about what she learned. There was just no point.

And that, I think, kind of sums up the whole book. There's no point. Even the more practical advice on self-care and tapping into your intuition or spiritual self is all things I've read before from authors who have more concrete lessons to impart, or who at least don't try to pretend that they've had a rough go of it first. Everything else, from her life story snippets to her attempts at empowerment poetry, are shallow, vague, repetitive, poorly-written (she even ends a chapter with "LOL"...), poorly-edited and clearly feeling like a cash-grab directed at middle-class-and-up comfortable women who've never known hardship beyond being passed up for a promotion.

So yeah, you'll be missing absolutely nothing by skipping this book. I wish I did.


ETA: Just want to point out that it's 2021 and it's still not cool to refer to yourself as a "Gypsy spirit", even if you REALLY like to travel.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came into being as the author collated what she'd called Rebecca's Thoughts and shared through social media. In book form, it's organised into a very engaging narrative of how the author became aware of her interest in the divine, in a more spiritual perspective of life and how she for many years ignored it, until she could no longer.

She documents answering the call within her to give over more of her life to doing what felt like her calling from the heart, the soul, which required overcoming the intellect, the ego, a culture and a certain kind of education (the traditional kind).

All through this she was studying and learning and filling herself up with trying to understand more about that spiritual side of her which cried out for nourishment, up until she committed to answering that call and adapting her life to get into alignment with it.

It's a wonderful read and many women who've followed the traditional education and career approach that our culture promotes will relate to it and perhaps be inspired to be more open and true to that calling as well.

Loved it and look forward to reading her next book.

[Heather K Veitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book to be savoured slowly ... I found myself reading a section or two and then taking some time to fully process and integrate some of the wisdom herein. My copy is now covered in sticky notes. A treasure. :)

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 200 pages were great; the last 100 were just filled with repetitive messages and waffle. I would've found this more effective if I was able to finish reading whilst in the same mind space as when I started; however life got in the way and if I'd put it down I probably wouldn't have picked it up again. 3.5/5

[Bronwyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this book was a little all over the place. I liked the message it sent and agree with Rebecca to a certain extent. I just feel like the book should have been condensed dramatically as I felt like at times I was reading the same thing over and over again.
I felt it got a little repetitive and was a little 'cult-like' especially at the start... (god that seemed harsh but I didn't know any other way to put it).
All in all it was a decent book to read if you're just getting into this spiritual thing.

[Aneleinne Godoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simplemente no quería que acabara este libro. Rebecca me ha encantado con su manera de llegar a las personas, se puede sentir el amor y su luz que le impregnó a cada página.
Este libro está orientado para aquellas personas que buscan una guía y crean en la magia, la luz, el amor y la energía del universo.
Directamente Rebecca pasa a ser una mis escritoras favoritas.

[Cate Pelley · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.

I tried and tried to like this book. The cover art drew me in and stands as the only thing I like about this one. The repetitive, short and erratic writings are unbearable. I consider myself a very spiritual person but her tone is way too woo-woo for me. It was genuinely a slow, painful read.

[Andrea Everhart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very little substance. I tend to follow my intuition but I feel like this woman might be an egomaniac who cut most people out of her life? Strange read for sure.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's some good stuff in here, but it was a little too woo woo for my tastes.

[Beth Bunchman · Rating 5 out of 5]

love love love this book. this book should be required reading for all

[Heidi Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I am a sucker for a pretty cover. The description of this book focuses on light working—which is normally too high on the floof factor, even for me. But guess what, I love her description of light working. And the suggestions are practical and grounded in everyday life.

As I was reading early on, I was disappointed by the way the book was divided into short sections, but as I continued I grew to love the format and found it really versatile for digesting the information. It would also really make it easy doing a read along or book group with others. All of the prompts give it a workbook feel that is casual and great food for thought.

The personal stories that the author shares are less memoir, more sharing life with a friend in a café. I have to admit, I am reading it again already. That’s a good sign for me.

[Aran · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was loaned to me on a really bad day at work by a very has-her-shit-together mover and shaker. So though it looked a little touchy feely, a little self helpy, (though who am I to look askance at such things), I took it, said thank you, and promised to read it.

But yo. This book is OUT THERE. It's not like "visualize yourself where you want to be." It's like "reincarnation is real my shaman told me and I can channel soul energy and YOU CAN TO DO IT DO IT."

Which is maybe your jam. And I'm little woo-woo for sure but this is like too much for me. I kept reading, just for fun, and then it was no longer so fun.

And some of the pages were center aligned which is just unforgivable.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is exactly the sort of book I have been waiting to read. The author uses her authentic voice to discuss the importance of being open to spiritual guidance and the corresponding implications it has in various areas of life. I am happy to have stumbled upon this book and highly recommend it.

[Helen Ginbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another solid 3.5 🌟 it would have been four but I found some of it a little repetitive, perhaps as I read the last part in one sitting rather than picking up & putting down as I did with the first half. Enjoyed the journey & prompts to follow what the soul tugs at :) oh & a good reminder to write more just because I enjoy it so darn much 👍

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't entirely sure what this book would be about but I loved the cover and something about it just appealed to me. I was curious about what this book would tell me.
It has a little bit of a memoir vibe to it as Rebecca Campbell tells the story of her spiritual journey and then she also offers advice on how others can find their true calling and open up spiritually. I think this is always something that has interested me but never something I've particularly thought about.
Rebecca Campbell also provides tips on different types of meditations and she also has links to her website where you can find more content relating to certain topics.
The back of this book makes it seem like it's advertised as being predominantly for females but there were only a couple of chapters (very short chapters of about a page) that were about female empowerment and even then I think that males would be able to read them anyway.
I think that Light is the New Black had a lot of interesting tips and advice in it and it will probably be something that I'll go back to every now and again. If you think this book is something that might appeal to you then I would suggest giving this book a read. Campbell is currently working on another book at the moment and I definitely think I'll pick it up when it comes out later on this year.

[Sarah McCue · Rating 3 out of 5]

If this is your first time dipping your pinky toe into the pool of spiritual books and you are just starting to awaken, then this book could be a good place to start. I think it could be great for beginners who aren't familiar with this kind of message, however, I was looking for something a little deeper and more inspiring and I felt as if after awhile the author was just repeating herself (plus she used the word 'niggling' about a million times - maybe it's more of a UK term but this American found it slightly distracting...). There are exercises and whatnot that could prove beneficial if you haven't already done them with another author and the book is divided into very short and easy to read sections. I think this is especially helpful because it makes it easy to get through since you can pick the book up and read for only a few minutes a day and still feel like you are putting in work.

Beautiful book cover and catchy title that is right on trend.

Either way, good on you, Rebecca, for putting yourself out there and helping others find their light :) I can never criticize that.

[Alevy · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the light-workers, those who are spiritually awakening & being called to serve. This isn’t one of those sit down & read through books but one you pick up for guidance, light and inspiration. Every time I picked it up it felt like a lesson I needed to learn or advice I need to hear in that moment.

In all honesty this book took me a while to get into at first probably because I was expecting to read it quickly & it took me ages to finish. To do the teachings and practices justice I felt like you need to take the time to reflect.

My copy is full of dogeared pages (🙈 I know) but sections that I know I’ll turn back to when needed as a reminder.

✨

[sophie ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really resonated with this book & it motivated me to believe in all the things i’ve been doubting for the longest time! This book really made me feel so loved and accepted. I definitely feel like I was called to read this book.

Highly recommend this book to those who feel like they are struggling to find their purpose in life or those who feel like they are struggling to achieve their dreams in life.

I’d also really recommend reading this savouring and book slowly at even a couple pages a day to really take in the words & to do the journal prompts. I’ll be for sure be keeping this book nearby to go back in and revisit certain pages for reminders & inspiration later on.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An anthem for our generation. It's not so much about what I LEARNED from the book, but that I know others feel the same as I do and it is comforting to hear the words being told from such a strong, yet nurturing voice like Rebecca's. I feel like we are on the exact same wavelength!

[Sian Lile-Pastore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just what I needed.

[Dearwassily · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read this all before elsewhere.

[Kay Woolford · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

I couldn't finish the book. Call my cynical, I disagreed with quite a lot. I appreciate it's the author's story and it's supposed to be empowering. But I couldn't get into it and the bits I did read were quite similar.

But the cover art is pretty, so I'll keep it and maybe try again at a later date.

[Ivonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rebecca Campbell sabe hablarle a las personas. Puede que el título del libro suene a autoayuda de comienzos de la década del 2000 pero s contenido es una guía para quienes buscamos un camino "espiritual" en estos momentos. Desde una perspectiva aterrizada, llena de elementos biográficos, la autora logra la empatíacon el lector en esa búsqueda de propósito profesional, personal y familiar. Light is the new black es el libro que le da permiso (sin necesitarlo) a las personas para seguir su llamado a dejar una marc en el mundo, personalmente lo encontré inspirador porque siempre he dejado de hacer cosas estúpidamente, esperando una autorización externa que no necesito. Y bueno, tuve que leer este libro para descubrirlo.
Este libro es para quienes quieren aprender y atreverse a salir del closet espiritual. Si es un escéptico, es mejor que vaya y siga leyendo otros libros, éste no le aportará nada.