“I am grateful for my healthy body. I love life.” Louise Hay
My early 20s were wild days of bad eating, excessive drinking, hormone taking and confused thinking. I was in a lackluster marriage, living a stressful life, unsure of how to really take care of myself. At this time I found a lump in my breast and was told by my doctor to immediately stop taking birth control pills and prepare myself for a biopsy. Within days I went through the nightmare of going to sleep in the hospital not knowing if I would wake up with one breast or two (this was 1972 and they didn’t give you a lot of options.) Luckily the lump was benign but this scary event was followed by the uncertainty of whether I was pregnant or not because stopping the pill “cold turkey” sent my body’s cycles into a crazy spiral. After the panic and insecurity of what was happening to me I began a journey to learn how to safeguard my health and to stay out of hospitals.
And here I am 45 years later, three home births under my belt and menopause behind me and I have successfully avoided hospitals and doctors’ offices. I do not get routine exams, mammograms or flu shots. And although I have experienced brief illnesses and used some over-the-counter meds, by and large I have allowed these ailments to come and go by trusting the wisdom and healing power of my body.
There were times when I worried and doubted myself but I read and studied, researched and experimented with ways to get healthy and stay well. Borrowing on the insights of dozens and dozens of people, I finally have found a lifestyle that works for me. I eat a whole-foods, plant-based diet, exercise moderately, breathe deeply, meditate occasionally, laugh often, practice kindness and so far, so good. I am 65 years young, active, fit and vibrant. I take no medications and visit no doctors. I take responsibility for my health and am always learning new ways to improve my chances of a long and healthy life.
One of my favorite authors is Louise L. Hay. Her quintessential book, You Can Heal Your Life, published in 1982, has been one of my “medical” text and new age guides for more than 30 years. In this amazing little book Louise lovingly and gently outlines why mental thoughts and patterns are responsible for most of the diseases in our bodies. She does not blame the victim and is definitely on our side as she brilliantly shines a light on why our unhealthy choices and negative thinking are at the root of many of our problems, and helps steer us into higher thoughts and actions. She is an inspiration to millions and created a hugely successful publishing company (Hay House) that offers dozens of beneficial books and tapes. YouTube also has many of her enlightening lectures and guided meditations.
In You Can Heal Your Life, Hay shares some of her personal story of abuse, neglect and illness and tells how she used affirmations, right actions and thoughts to turn her physical, emotional and spiritual selves around to radiate abundant life and health. Louise loves to say that we are each 100% responsible for all our experiences and we must be willing to learn to love ourselves, because when we genuinely love ourselves we can line up every thing in our lives to work for our abundance and wellbeing. It’s hard to be ill. Harder yet to criticize, condemn and belittle yourself. Louise Hay in her little rainbow book has given us tools to help us on our way to healing and transformation.
Just when I was looking for different answers to my personal health questions, Louise and her book were there for me. And decades later I still refer to her little book of aphorisms and continue to be inspired by her nuggets of wisdom.
Louise Hay died on August 30, 2017. She was 90 years young and passed peacefully in her sleep. A perfect last act in a life filled with grace and generosity. Thank you, Louise, for your insights and for sharing your wisdom and light.
