Remembering Louise Hay

Browsing through the plethora of titles at a bookstore in Sydney Airport, I was drawn to a little blue book called Heal your Body by Louise Hay. Between its pages, lay a bewildering concept that physical illness had underlying mental causes which could be overcome through metaphysical ways.

Back then the idea was refreshingly new and simultaneously exciting. The year was 1995 and such cutting edge ideas about alternative approaches to health and well being were fairly new to the vast majority of readers in India. It was only inevitable that the stopover at Singapore airport en-route to Delhi, led me to search for her most astounding work, You can heal your Life.

The rainbow coloured heart on the pristine white cover of that book left an indelible impression on mine. I fell in love with Louise’s philosophy as I devoured her biography and marvelled at her remarkable journey. That chance encounter with her books set off a unique mentorship with someone I knew only through her writings.

But I was delighted to learn from her, particularly because she shared her ideologies about healing and wellness with such passion. Everything Louise wrote, I read with great vigour. I practiced her wisdom and consulted the little blue book often.

She defined the very idea of 'remission from cancer' by recovering from the dreaded disease through the use of alternative methods only. This brought greater credibility to her path breaking ideas because she was a living testimony. Even though I never met her in person, it seemed to me that ‘possibilities’ was Louise’s middle name.

No obstacle could stop her from doing what she was born to do. Her spirit was hungry to give, to contribute, to love and to guide millions of people to embrace the miraculous discoveries that she was unravelling. Her bold ideas about one’s personal role and responsibility in healing themselves, lead to the popularity of several other new age vibrational healing methods, while her workshops and books won the heart of many across the globe, transforming their despondency into hope.

I too treasured her books, reading and referring to them often, as my interest in metaphysics grew and my clinical practice evolved. I wonder if Louise ever imagined the magnitude of influence her work was to have on the planet. Probably not; for greatness such as hers is more likely to be born of purpose than of grandiose design.

I guess it was divine inspiration, arising from good karmic deeds, and a deep desire to make a difference to the lives of others that drove Louise to excel in whatever sphere of activity she engaged her attention. Be it working with the Aids afflicted or setting up a world class publishing business, Louise excelled at everything she did, by bringing her heartfelt warmth, integrity, creativity and love to all her endeavours.

The Hay House World Summit became a countdown event that my friends and I looked forward to every year with great excitement. We would spend hours listening to talks by famous authors, absorbing new ideas, sharing, discussing, applying and tweaking concepts from the Summit.

Through this remarkable initiative, Louise brought the finest minds in the alternative healing business straight into our homes. Her passing away has left an exemplary pair of shoes that are truly hard to fit. But she leaves a legacy rich in love, and a powerful philosophy of self healing. As she moves to another dimension in the universe, I pray that she may continue to shine her light, as brightly, wherever she goes. Goodbye Louise. There is little doubt that you have been one of the finest Angels of love and healing to ever visit earth.