Louise Hay: The Closest Thing To A Living Saint
The Australian media considered Louise Hay as “the closest thing to a living saint.” Hay had been one of the founders and positioned herself at the forefront of the self-help movement. In 1976, way before the discussion of the connection between the body and mind, Hay already published her first book titled “Heal Your Body.” Later in 1988, the best-selling book was expanded and revised, which paved the way for Louise’s concepts to be introduced to numerous people in 33 various countries. The book was also translated into 25 languages to cater to the demands of people for the said book.
Louise Hay’s message
Louise’s teaching, in line with positive philosophy and healing techniques, helped millions of people to change their lives for the better. She enlightened people to be more particular with their spirits, minds, and bodies. But how did Louise Hay become who she was? You see she had a difficult childhood. As a baby, Hay lived in foster homes because her own mother could not afford to look after her. Eventually, she was able to return to her mother. However, this was not going to be the end of baby Hay’s troubles. At one point she was raped by a neighbour and she retells of the agony of having to testify against the man. Even though the perpetrator was jailed, Hay lived in constant fear of his release.
As if that was not enough trauma for Hay, at home her step father was an abusive man who was violent to both her and her mother. As Louise entered teenage years, her violent step father decided it was time to sexually abuse her. Even though she eventually left home, she was pretty much a damaged child. Louise retells of how her lack of confidence, led her to sleep with any man. Consequently, she fell pregnant at the tender age of 15 and had to give away her daughter for adoption.
Fast forward a few years at the age of 28, Louise married Andrew Hay, English man. Sadly this only lasted 14 years and again Louise found herself in yet another traumatic situation.
In her quest for answers, Louise joined the Church of Religious Science and in 1970 she began her ministerial program training at the Church of Religious Science. Her popularity grew as a speaker and later on made herself a counselor for clients. After numerous years of counseling, she gathered a detailed reference guide of the mental causes related to physical ailments. And then, she offered a counter solution by providing positive thought patterns. These pieces of information were the bases of her book “Heal Your Body.” The book is also called as the blue book.
Her philosophies came in handy and she used them on herself to get rid of her cancer. Instead of taking the path of drugs and surgery, Louise employed alternatives. She undertook an intensive program of psychotherapy, nutritional cleaning, visualization, and affirmations. According to Hay, it was when she let go of her negative thinking that she let go of the cancer. Louise believed she had created the disease by holding onto her traumatic past and keeping grudges. When she forgave those who wronged her, her mind was operating at an optimum level and the cancer just could not thrive.
Louise Hay described the thoughts we think as the seeds. Through our words, through affirmations we can gradually change our negative thought patterns and thus plant new seeds of positivity. In 1984 she published a new book called “You Can Heal Your Life,” which explained how our personal ideas and beliefs concerning ourselves are the root cause of our physical maladies and emotional problems. And by continually utilizing specific tools, we can change our minds and live a life for the better.
“You Can Heal Your Life” also became a bestseller and maintained its status for 13 successive weeks. After 20 years, when Louise appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, the book reentered the bestseller list of the New York Times for the 2nd time.
Later on, Louise started her own publishing company called the Hay House, Inc. It began as a small business venture in the comforts of her living room that became a successful corporation. Some of the most notable authors under the Hay House, Inc. include huge self-help names like Doreen Virtue, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Joan Borysenko, and Dr. Wayne Dyer.
Born on the 8th of October 1926 in Los Angeles, Louise Hay died at the age of 90 on the morning of the 30th of August 2017.
From reading the above, I am sure we can all agree that truly Louise Hay had a traumatic childhood. She walked a thorny road but rest assured the legacy that Hay left behind is not one of sorrow or pity. It is a story of hope, a story of love, a story of healing. At a time when AIDS patients were social outcasts, Louise Hay embraced them.
So what lessons can we learn from Louise Hay
We can forgive
Louise had so much wrong done against her, but she decided to forgive her tresspassers. She put herself in their shoes and was able to feel compassion.
We can be free
When we forgive we set ourselves free. Instead of spending hours and hours going over what others should have done or shouldn’t have done, we let go of all those wrongs. Suddenly our mind is free. The burden is gone and lifted.
We can rewrite our life story
Although she had a pittance of a childhood, once she realised her own power, Louise decided to rewrite her own story. Today we remember her as a woman with a healing voice. We remember her as a triumph of the human spirit. If you have not come across, The Optimist Creed by Christian D Larson then you should check it out. Just as Hay emphasised that we can rewrite our life story, so too did Christian D Larson. Both authors believed that we have all the power within us to completely change our lives.
We can heal
It is true that negative thinking causes illness. We do not need a doctor to tell us this. We can see in our own lives that when we are burdened by negative thoughts we are not well. When you are worried, the whole chemistry in the body is messed up. We cannot exercise worried, we cannot function depressed and we cannot maximise our potential if we are fearful. Therefore by becoming more positive oriented we can heal ourselves of unnecessary headaches, anxieties and other ailments.
Louise believed in the power of the spoken word and she brought affirmations to the forefront. Here are some of her affirmations but as a woman of many words I have to dedicate another post just for Louise Hay affirmations.
“Life supports me in every possible way.”
Louise Hay
“I let go of all fear and doubt, and life becomes simple and easy for me.”
Louise Hay
“I am grateful for every experience I have ever had as it has shaped me into the person I am today, and that is exactly who I am supposed to be right this very moment.”
Louise Hay
“I awaken today, appreciating everything in sight and I give thanks. “
Here is Louise Hay Video to finish things off, may you experience healing and peace.
