Where I review Louise Hay's book

I had promised earlier to talk more about my favorite New Age Healing book of the minute, "Heal Your Body, Heal Your Life", and I have to start off by saying, I had no idea how popular this book is! I have mentioned it to just a few people in passing, and a some of the people that I mentioned it to got really excited when I told them the title or author. This book truly has been a godsend to many, so I feel that it is fitting to write about it here in the hope that more people can be helped by its contents.

Louise Hay was touted by Oprah Winfrey as the founder of the New Age Movement, and I would have to agree with her regarding that title. I've been pursuing natural altenatives to medicine for the last 8 or so years, and Louise Hay's name and book titles have constantly come to me during that time, whether it was a reference in other books, online, or by word of mouth. I wish I had listened before, but maybe I was not yet ready to hear her message.

The basic premise of "Heal Your Body, Heal Your Life" is that all diseases and infections in the body can be linked to negative emotional states and traumas that a person has experiences. Once these negative states are resolved, the body is able to heal itself as it needs to. Hay discusses the need to totally love oneself in the book, and many of the exercises in the book are directed toward this goal. Toward the end of the book, Hay has a list of hundreds of different ailments, along with each prescribed affirmation that the sufferer should say to counteract the negative emotional state that might be causing the illness.

I first read through the book a bit, and tried some of the exercises half-heartedly to see if I got any immediate effect. These exercises can be a bit taxing and draining, if you've never done them, and I did not want to risk making myself worse, even temporarily. The process of clearing out old crap can be tough, as we all know. I noticed that I felt a bit better after reading theough some of the sections and exercises.

Over the past few months, as I mentioned, I've been experiencing some crazy mood swings. I'm honestly not myself right now - screaming at the people around me (even my parents' friends, lol) at the drop of a hat, this is so unlike me. I generally don't scream unless thoroughly provoked, and I usually have a lot of patience with people.

I decided to write down several of the affirmations from Louise's book that applied to me currently (and was shocked that there were a lot of them, lol!). I figured I would try reading them to myself at night a few times before bed, and see if they made a difference.

I got a really good night's sleep, and the affirmations continue to help me a few days later! I say one or two of them to myself as a calming factor any time I find my mood dropping. I havem't been able to catch myself before my temper flares, but that is my next goal. In short, they worked for me!

I also really recommend the aesthetics of the book - the drawings inside are so beautiful and warmly colored, that you can't help but be drawn if you dare to open a copy of the book. I plan to pick up a copy for myself and for a family friend that was recently diagnosed with cancer. Hay mentions cancer as a disease that is the result of pent-up resentment. I had already mentioned the affirmations to this family friend, and she is currently expecting a list of the ones that apply to her condition from me, but I would rather just give her a copy of the book. That way she can read through the stories in her own time, and hopefully get the full effect.

In case it wasn't clear from the review, I loved this book! I've already recommended it to a couple of friends that I know would benefit from it. I'm planning on getting my own copy before this one gets back to the library!

Comments, suggestions, alternative viewpoints of the book? Please forward them on to me!
Amy