1. What was the purpose of this book (eg, to teach, to entertain). I think that the purpose of Louise Hay’s book You Can Heal Your Life is to help the reader learn about possible metaphysical causes to illness. To help the reader consider the limiting believes that were absorbed in childhood and how to release them. Louise also offers the reader several tools to change the readers thinking, inner child work, mirror work, positive affirmations and visualisations. 2. If this book was intended to teach the reader something, did it succeed? Was something learned from reading this book, if so what? If not, why did the book failed as a teaching tool? Louise’s primary message is that we are not a helpless victim to our own thoughts, she proposes “It’s only a thought and a thought can be changed”. I think Louise is successful inspiring people to look at their own negative thinking patterns and demonstrating ways in which the reader can unpick them and lovingly release them without assigning blame or guilt. “You have the power to heal your life, and you need to know that. We think so often that we are helpless, but we’re not. We always have the power of our minds…Claim and consciously use your power.” Louise Hay 3. Was there a specific passage that had left an impression, good or bad? Share the passage and its effect. Louise supports the notion that we choose our parents: “I Believe That We Choose Our Parents. Each one of us decides to incarnate upon this planet at a particular point in time and space. We have chosen to come here to learn a particular lesson that will advance us upon our spiritual, evolutionary pathway. We choose our sex, our color, our country, and then we look around for the particular set of parents who will mirror the pattern we are bringing in to work on in this lifetime. Then, when we grow up, we usually point our fingers accusingly at our parents and whimper, "You did it to me." But really, we chose them because they were perfect for what we wanted to work on overcoming.” Louise Hay If have witnessed that this idea can be really challenging to people. It’s a belief that I can subscribe to, but I know that people who have challenging childhoods can feel that this shifts the responsibility for negative childhood experiences onto the child. I don’t agree with that. I think that if we have a consciousness that incarnates again and again that it might have a wider perspective of positive and negative experiences. With our limited way of experiencing the world we seek our “pleasurable” and “positive” experiences and attempt to avoid “painful” or “negative” experiences. However, I know that I am more than the sum off all the experiences that I have had. It resonates with me that we might choose from a huge smorgasbord of experiences. I know that sometimes my greatest opportunities for development have come from more challenging experiences which prompted me to grow. 4. Was the purpose of the book to bring to light an issue? If so, did it make the group more aware and knowledgeable about the particular issue? How did earlier opinions about the issue change after reading this book? The very first time I read You Can Heal Your Life, I was quite resistant to some of the ideas the book proposes. I thought that some of the suggestions for metaphysical causes were too simplistic. However, the book was often floating around my consciousness. When I had a break-through seizure in 2012 (I was diagnosed with epilepsy at 17, gained seizure control in my mid-twenties and 2 years later was slowly weaned off anti-convulsants and was seizure free for over a decade). Louise suggests that the potential metaphysical causes of epilepsy are: A sense of persecution. Rejection of life. A feeling of great struggle. Self-violence. Louise Hay When I look back at what was going on in my life when my breakthrough seizure occurred, I was really struggling at work. I wasn’t getting the support that I needed and the place where I worked couldn’t operate as we were so short staffed. I worked very long hours and struggled to take time off. When the seizures re-occurred, I was forced to stop. I eventually resigned from a management position and reduced my hours. 5. If the book addressed an issue, did the author cover both sides of the topic fairly and thoroughly or did the book appear to be biased, solely written to promote the author's own agenda? I think that the book illustrates Louise’s beliefs. I personally subscribe a lot to what Louise Hay advocates; however, I think that we need to look at our bodies holistically. While Louise doesn’t say suggest that people completely reject Western medicine and is a proponent of complimentary therapy and nutrition, I think that sometimes we are just ill without automatically subscribing to a metaphysical cause. I think we’re recurring patterns are showing up in our lives that we can really benefit from considering what You Can Heal Your Life suggests as a possible foundation for “dis-ease”. I think that there is a real mind, body and spirit connection and that the tools that Louise suggests can really be beneficial. 6. After reading the book, has the group's interest been piqued about the subject matter? If so, would the group consider reading more on the topic in the future? The group were really intrigued by the book. Some of the ladies were familiar with some of the concepts and lots of us tried some of the techniques written in the book. When I really connected with Louise Hay’s philosophy in 2016, I was inspired to go an undertake the You Can Heal Your Life Teacher Training and it really was a transformative experience. Mirror work has improved the way that I relate to my body. 7. The way a non-fiction book is written can impact a reader's enjoyment and understanding of it. Was the book written in a way that was easily accessible? Did the language make the group lose interest in something that would have otherwise been an exciting subject? Were unfamiliar terms and concepts explained? Were there plenty of visuals to reinforce the subject matter and were they helpful? The book did not contain a lot of visuals, but the tools that Louise recommends are really explained well. The book also contains a handy table of possible metaphysical causes for illness. 8. Did the author provide any pertinent web links for readers to use? If so, would the group consider visiting them? Louise Hay, is sadly no longer with us, but her website is still maintained. https://www.louisehay.com/ Louise’s legacy also consists of Hay House Publishing which is still the premiere New Thought publishing company. https://www.hayhouse.co.uk/ 9. Did the author provide a suggested reading list for further information on the topic? If so, would the group consider reading any of the suggestions? You Can Heal Your Life also has an extensive reading list and a comprehensive list of organisations to support with a myriad of health issues from addiction to grief. AuthorJenny Luddington.
2 Comments
Nina
8/7/2019 12:12:23 am
I haven't read this book, but I got it for my Mum. It sounds so good I may have to borrow it off her.
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Jenny Luddington
8/7/2019 04:31:18 pm
Hi Nina,
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AuthorJenny Luddington, Journal Coach & Mentor Archives
December 2020
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