Caroline Myss (pronounced ''mace''; born 1952) is an American author of 10 books and many audio recordings about mysticism and wellness. She is most well known for publishing ''
Anatomy of the Spirit'' (1996). She also co-published
The Creation of Health with Dr C Norman Shealy MD - ex Harvard professor of neurology. Her most recent book, ''Archetypes: Who Are You?'' was published in 2013. Myss describes herself as a
medical intuitive
A medical intuitive is an alternative medicine practitioner who claims to be able to use their intuitive abilities to find the cause of a physical or emotional condition through the use of insight rather than modern medicine. Other terms for such ...
and a
mystic.
[Sacred Contracts]
Caroline Myss on ''The Oprah Winfrey Show
''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', often referred to as ''The Oprah Show'' or simply ''Oprah'', is an American daytime broadcast syndication, syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in Chicag ...
'', 2002.
She was on ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' several times including her 2002 appearance.
[ In 2001 she hosted a TV series titled ''The Journey With Caroline Myss'' on the ]Oxygen (TV network)
Oxygen (branded on air as Oxygen True Crime) is an American television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming unit of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast, through its Cable Entertainment Group subsidiary. The channel primari ...
, co-owned by Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954), or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', br ...
, exploring the spiritual and psychological roadblocks of life in an intimate workshop setting. The TV Specials "Three Levels of Power & How to Use Them" and "Why People Don't Heal & How They Can," based on her work.
Her work has been criticized by some as being unsubstantiated and pseudoscientific.
Biography
Caroline Myss was born on December 2, 1952,[Myss, Caroline (1953– )]
''Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine'' by Jane Spear. in Chicago and grew up with her parents and two brothers, one elder and one younger, in the Melrose Park, Illinois
Melrose Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a suburb of Chicago. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 24,796. Melrose Park had long been home to a large Italian-American population.
The suburb was the home of ...
neighborhood near Chicago.[ She was raised a Catholic in a large ]Polish American
Polish Americans ( pl, Polonia amerykańska) are Americans who either have total or partial Polish ancestry, or are citizens of the Republic of Poland. There are an estimated 9.15 million self-identified Polish Americans, representing about 2.83 ...
family, and attended the Mother Guerin High School, River Grove, Illinois
River Grove is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,612 at the 2020 census.
Geography
River Grove is located at (41.925830, -87.840135).
According to the 2010 census, River Grove has a total area of , all lan ...
, run by the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are an apostolic congregation of Catholic women founded by Saint Theodora Guerin (known colloquially as Saint Mother Theodore) at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, in 1840. Mother Theodo ...
. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) is a private Roman Catholic liberal arts college in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. Originally a college exclusively for women, it is now coeducational. It is the oldest Catholic college in Indiana a ...
in Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
in 1974, and started her career in journalism in Chicago.
During the course of her career, she interviewed Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross (July 8, 1926 – August 24, 2004) was a Swiss-American psychiatrist, a pioneer in near-death studies, and author of the internationally best-selling book, '' On Death and Dying'' (1969), where she first discussed her the ...
, the author of the famous book ''On Death and Dying
On, on, or ON may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* On (band), a solo project of Ken Andrews
* ''On'' (EP), a 1993 EP by Aphex Twin
* ''On'' (Echobelly album), 1995
* ''On'' (Gary Glitter album), 2001
* ''On'' (Imperial Teen album), 200 ...
'', which inspired her to pursue a master's degree in theology from Mundelein College
Mundelein College was the last private, independent, Roman Catholic women's college in Illinois. Located on the edge of the Rogers Park and Edgewater neighborhoods on the far north side of Chicago, Illinois, Mundelein College was founded and adm ...
, Chicago, which she completed in 1979.[ In 2008, she wrote the foreword to Kübler-Ross's revised version of "On Life After Death".
She started giving ]medical intuitive
A medical intuitive is an alternative medicine practitioner who claims to be able to use their intuitive abilities to find the cause of a physical or emotional condition through the use of insight rather than modern medicine. Other terms for such ...
readings in 1982 and co-founded a small New Age
New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs which rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars conside ...
publishing company
Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...
, Stillpoint Publishing in Walpole, New Hampshire
Walpole is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,633 at the 2020 census.
The town's central village, where 573 people resided at the 2020 census, is defined as the Walpole census-designated place (CDP) and ...
, where she also worked as an editor in 1983. Next she began consulting with holistic doctors,[ which in 1984, led to her extensive collaboration with C. Norman Shealy, physician and founder of the American Holistic Medical Association, with whom she later co-authored ''AIDS: Passageway to Transformation'', in 1987, followed by ''The Creation of Health: The Emotional, Psychological, and Spiritual Responses that Promote Health and Healing'', in 1988. Deriving from her practice as a ]medical intuitive
A medical intuitive is an alternative medicine practitioner who claims to be able to use their intuitive abilities to find the cause of a physical or emotional condition through the use of insight rather than modern medicine. Other terms for such ...
, she started writing books, in the field of energy medicine
Energy medicine is a branch of alternative medicine based on a pseudo-scientific belief that healers can channel "healing energy" into a patient and effect positive results. Practitioners use a number of names including various synonyms for ...
, and healing
With physical trauma or disease suffered by an organism, healing involves the repairing of damaged tissue(s), organs and the biological system as a whole and resumption of (normal) functioning. Medicine includes the process by which the cells i ...
, five of which became New York Times Best Sellers
''The New York Times'' Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. John Bear, ''The #1 New York Times Best Seller: intriguing facts about the 484 books that have been #1 New York Times ...
. Myss wrote '' Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing'' (1996), which was followed by ''Why People Don't Heal and How They Can'' (1998), which explored the reasons people do not heal through her concept of "woundology." Her next book, ''Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential'' (2002) dealt with the issue of finding "Life Purpose," while describing Sacred Contracts as "a set of assignments that our soul had formed around before incarnation". She has since appeared on ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' numerous times.
By 2000, she discontinued doing private medical intuitive
A medical intuitive is an alternative medicine practitioner who claims to be able to use their intuitive abilities to find the cause of a physical or emotional condition through the use of insight rather than modern medicine. Other terms for such ...
readings, and began teaching how to do them through her workshops, seminars, radio shows and guided tours. She tours internationally as a speaker on spirituality
The meaning of ''spirituality'' has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape o ...
and mysticism, and lives in Oak Park, Illinois
Oak Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, adjacent to Chicago. It is the 29th-most populous municipality in Illinois with a population of 54,583 as of the 2020 U.S. Census estimate. Oak Park was first settled in 1835 and later incorporated in ...
, near Chicago.[Caroline Myss' Journey]
''www.consciouschoice.com'', September 2003. In 2003, she founded the Caroline Myss Educational Institute (CMED) in Chicago, Illinois, with business partner David Smith, offering weekend workshops on her books and teachings.
Her 2007 book, "Entering the Castle" draws upon the writings of Saint Teresa of Ávila
In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Ortho ...
, a 16th-century Carmelite
, image =
, caption = Coat of arms of the Carmelites
, abbreviation = OCarm
, formation = Late 12th century
, founder = Early hermits of Mount Carmel
, founding_location = Mount Car ...
nun, who wrote her most important work, ''The Interior Castle
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in En ...
'' (1577), towards the end of her life. Her next book, ''Defy Gravity, Healing Beyond the Bounds of Reason'' (2009) took the ideas further with mystical laws, the seven shadows and also seven graces inherent in all of us.
Myss started hosting a weekly Call-in
In broadcasting, a phone-in or call-in is a programme format in which viewers or listeners are invited to air their live comments by telephone, usually in respect of a specific topic selected for discussion on the day of the broadcast. On radio ( ...
Talk radio show
Talk radio is a radio format
A radio format or programming format (not to be confused with broadcast programming) describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at ...
, "Sacred Contracts" around 2005, at Hay House Radio, an Internet radio
Online radio (also web radio, net radio, streaming radio, e-radio, IP radio, Internet radio) is a digital audio service transmitted via the Internet. Broadcasting on the Internet is usually referred to as webcasting since it is not transmitted ...
site, run by Hay House
Hay House is a publisher founded in 1984 by author Louise Hay, who is known for her books on New Thought. Hay House has its headquarters in Carlsbad, California, and is (as of 2018) run by Reid Tracy. Hay House descr ...
publishing, where she gave online intuitive readings to callers. Then in 2009, the show was renamed "Defy Gravity" after her book by the same name was released in October 2009.
In June 2012, Myss appeared on a ''Super Soul Sunday
''Super Soul Sunday'' is a self-help talk show hosted by Oprah Winfrey, which airs on the Oprah Winfrey Network. ''Super Soul Sunday'' premiered on October 16, 2011.
Format
''Super Soul Sunday'' is designed to help viewers awaken to their best sel ...
'' episode with Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954), or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', br ...
, on OWN Network.
Criticism
In Michael Shermer
Michael Brant Shermer (born September 8, 1954) is an American science writer, historian of science, executive director of The Skeptics Society, and founding publisher of ''Skeptic'' magazine, a publication focused on investigating pseudoscientific ...
's book ''The Skeptic: Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience'', Phil Molé says "Caroline Myss offers no tangible evidence to support any of her claims. Her hypothetical energy system cannot be detected, her intuitive diagnostic abilities are unproven, and her holistic philosophy is riddled with inconsistencies and unsubstantiated judgments."
Joe Nickell
Joe Nickell (born December 1, 1944) is an American skeptic and investigator of the paranormal.
Nickell is senior research fellow for the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and writes regularly for their journal, ''Skeptical Inquirer''. He is als ...
, a paranormal investigator, says, "Myss provides no proof of her alleged abilities. She intuits, of course, her intuitive power, offers only hearsay testimonials and anecdotal evidence as support." He has also described Myss as having "many of the traits associated with a fantasy prone personality."
Books and recordings
Her first three books have consecutively been on The New York Times Best Seller list
''The New York Times'' Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. John Bear, ''The #1 New York Times Best Seller: intriguing facts about the 484 books that have been #1 New York Times ...
: Anatomy of the Spirit (1998), Why People Don't Heal and How They Can (1998), Sacred Contracts (2002)
* ''AIDS: Passageway to Transformation'', with C. Norman Sheally, Stillpoint Publishing, Walpole, NH. 1987. . .
* ''The Creation of Health: The Emotional, Psychological, and Spiritual Responses that Promote Health and Healing'', with C. Norman Sheally, Three Rivers Press, 1988. .
* ''Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing'' 1996;
* ''Why People Don't Heal and How They Can'', Three Rivers Press, 1997 (paperback);
* ''The Creation of Health: The Emotional, Psychological, and Spiritual Responses That Promote Health and Healing'', Three Rivers Press, 1998 (Audio CD);
* ''Spiritual Power Spiritual Practice'', Three Rivers Press, 1998 (audio cassette);
* ''Spiritual Madness'', Sounds True Audio, 2001 (audio CD);
* ''Invisible Acts of Power: Personal Choices That Create Miracles'', Free Press, 2002. .
* ''Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential'' (paperback); Three Rivers Press; 2003.
* ''Archetype Cards'', an 80 Card Deck with Instruction Booklet; copyright 2003;
* ''Three Levels of Power and How to Use Them'', Sounds True Inc., 2004 (audio CD);
* ''Invisible Acts of Power: Personal Choices that Create Miracles'', Sounds True, 2004 (Audio CD);
* ''Spiritual Power, Spiritual Practice'', Sounds True
In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid.
In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...
, 2004. .
* ''Entering the Castle: An Inner Path to God and your Soul'', 2007, (hard cover);
* ''The Sacred Contract of America: Fulfilling the Vision of Our Mystic Founders'', 2007, Sounds True. (Audio CD), .
* ''Defy Gravity: Healing Beyond The Bounds Of Reason'', Hay House
Hay House is a publisher founded in 1984 by author Louise Hay, who is known for her books on New Thought. Hay House has its headquarters in Carlsbad, California, and is (as of 2018) run by Reid Tracy. Hay House descr ...
, 2009, .
* ''Archetypes: Who Are You?'', Hay House
Hay House is a publisher founded in 1984 by author Louise Hay, who is known for her books on New Thought. Hay House has its headquarters in Carlsbad, California, and is (as of 2018) run by Reid Tracy. Hay House descr ...
, 2013, .
Bibliography
Foreword
''True Coming of Age: A Dynamic Process That Leads to Emotional Well-Being, Spiritual Growth, and Meaningful Relationships'', by John T. Chirban. McGraw-Hill Professional, 2004. .
Made in Image of God – Caroline Myss
''The Fabric of the Future: Women Visionaries of Today Illuminate the Path to Tomorrow'', by Mary Jane Ryan, Patrice (INT) Wynne, Ken Wilber, Published by Conari, 2000. . ''Page 120-124''.
Online articles of Caroline Myss
at ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''
Foreword to ''Entering the Castle''
by Ken Wilber
Kenneth Earl Wilber II (born January 31, 1949) is an American philosopher and writer on transpersonal psychology and his own integral theory, a philosophy which suggests the synthesis of all human knowledge and experience.
Life and career
Wilber ...
A Gift of Light, A Gift For The Soul... by Caroline Myss
Caroline Myss articles
at ''The Oprah Winfrey Show
''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', often referred to as ''The Oprah Show'' or simply ''Oprah'', is an American daytime broadcast syndication, syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in Chicag ...
''
Caroline Myss articles
at ''The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
''
References
Sources
Myss.com – Biography of Myss
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Myss, Caroline
1952 births
Living people
Writers from Chicago
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College alumni
American self-help writers
American spiritual teachers
American spiritual writers
New Age writers
New Thought writers
American health and wellness writers
American women non-fiction writers
Women mystics
People from Melrose Park, Illinois
American talk radio hosts
American women radio presenters
Place of birth missing (living people)
American people of Polish descent
Nautilus Book Award winners
20th-century American non-fiction writers
21st-century American non-fiction writers
20th-century American women writers
21st-century American women writers