Louise Lynn Hay (October 8, 1926 – August 30, 2017) was an American motivational author and the founder of

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 ...

. She authored several

New Thought The New Thought movement (also Higher Thought) is a spiritual movement that coalesced in the United States in the early 19th century. New Thought was seen by its adherents as succeeding "ancient thought", accumulated wisdom and philosophy from ...

self-help Self-help or self-improvement is a self-guided improvement''APA Dictionary of Physicology'', 1st ed., Gary R. VandenBos, ed., Washington: American Psychological Association, 2007.—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a subst ...

books, including the 1984 book '' You Can Heal Your Life''.

Early life and career

Born Helen Vera Lunney in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

to parents Henry John Lunney (1901–1998) and Veronica Chwala (1894–1985), Hay recounted her life story in an interview with Mark Oppenheimer of ''

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 ...

'' in May 2008. In it, Hay stated that she was born in Los Angeles to a poor mother who remarried Louise's violent stepfather, Ernest Carl Wanzenreid (1903–1992), who physically abused her and her mother. When she was about 5, she was raped by a neighbor. At 15, she dropped out of University High School in Los Angeles without a diploma, became pregnant and, on her 16th birthday, gave up her newborn baby girl for adoption. She then moved to Chicago, where she worked in low-paying jobs. In 1950, she moved on again, to New York. At this point she changed her first name, and began a career as a fashion model. She achieved success, working for

Bill Blass William Ralph Blass (June 22, 1922 – June 12, 2002) was an American fashion designer. He was the recipient of many fashion awards, including seven Coty Awards and the Fashion Institute of Technology's Lifetime Achievement Award (1999). Early ...

Oleg Cassini Oleg Cassini (11 April 1913 – 17 March 2006) was a fashion designer born to an aristocratic Russian family with maternal Italian ancestry. He came to the United States as a young man after starting as a designer in Rome, and quickly got ...

, and

Pauline Trigère Pauline Trigère (November 4, 1908 – February 13, 2002) was a Franco-American couturière. Her award-winning styles reached their height of popularity in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. Recognized early in her career as an i ...

. In 1954, she married the English businessman Andrew Hay (1928–2001); after 14 years of marriage, she felt devastated when he left her for another woman, Sharman Douglas (1928–1996). Hay said that about this time she found the First Church of Religious Science on 48th Street, which taught her the transformative power of thought. Hay revealed that here she studied the

works of authors such as

Florence Scovel Shinn Florence Scovel Shinn (September 24, 1871 in Camden, New Jersey – October 17, 1940) was an American artist and book illustrator who became a New Thought spiritual teacher and metaphysical writer in her middle years.Gatlin, Linda; Edwards, Rita"P ...

who believed that positive thinking could change people's material circumstances, and the

Religious Science The Religious Science movement, or Science of Mind, was established in 1927 by Ernest Holmes (1887–1960) and is a spiritual, philosophical and metaphysical religious movement within the New Thought movement. In general, the term "Scie ...

founder

Ernest Holmes Ernest Shurtleff Holmes (January 21, 1887 – April 7, 1960) was an American New Thought writer, teacher, and leader. He was the founder of a spiritual movement known as Religious Science, part of the greater New Thought movement, whose spir ...

who taught that positive thinking could heal the body. By Hay's account, in the early 1970s she became a Religious Science practitioner. In this role she led people in spoken affirmations, which she believed would cure their illnesses, and became popular as a workshop leader. She also recalled how she had studied

Transcendental Meditation Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a form of silent mantra meditation advocated by the Transcendental Meditation movement. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi created the technique in India in the mid-1950s. Advocates of TM claim that the technique promotes a ...

with the

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (born Mahesh Prasad Varma, 12 January 1918

at the

Maharishi International University Maharishi International University (MIU), formerly Maharishi University of Management, is a private university in Fairfield, Iowa. It was founded in 1973 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and features a "consciousness-based education" system that include ...

Fairfield, Iowa Fairfield is a city in, and the county seat of, Jefferson County, Iowa. It has a population of 9,416 people, according to the 2020 census. The median family income is $46,138, with 10% of families below the poverty line. The city is typical o ...

. Hay described how in 1977 or 1978 she was diagnosed with "incurable"

vaginal cancer Vaginal cancer is an extraordinarily rare form of cancer that develops in the tissue of the vagina. Primary vaginal cancer originates from the vaginal tissue – most frequently squamous cell carcinoma, but primary vaginal adenocarcinoma, sarcoma ...

, and how she came to the conclusion that by holding on to her resentment for her childhood abuse and rape she had contributed to its onset. She reported how she had refused conventional medical treatment, and began a regime of forgiveness, coupled with therapy, nutrition,

reflexology Reflexology, also known as zone therapy, is an alternative medical practice involving the application of pressure to specific points on the feet, ears, and hands. This is done using thumb, finger, and hand massage techniques without the use of ...

, and occasional colonic

enema An enema, also known as a clyster, is an injection of fluid into the lower bowel by way of the rectum.Cullingworth, ''A Manual of Nursing, Medical and Surgical'':155 The word enema can also refer to the liquid injected, as well as to a device ...

s. She claimed in the interview that she rid herself of the cancer by this method, but, while swearing to its truth, admitted that she had outlived every doctor who could confirm this story.Mark Oppenheimer (May 4, 2008)
"The Queen of the New Age"
''

The New York Times Magazine ''The New York Times Magazine'' is an American Sunday magazine Supplement (publishing), supplement included with the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times''. It features articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted man ...

''. Retrieved May 2008. In 1976, Hay wrote and self-published her first book, ''Heal Your Body'', which began as a small pamphlet containing a list of different bodily ailments and their "probable" metaphysical causes. This pamphlet was later enlarged and extended into her book ''You Can Heal Your Life'', published in 1984. In February 2008, it was fourth on the New York Times paperback advice bestsellers list. Around the same time she began leading support groups for people living with

HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...

, which she called ''"Hay Rides"''. These grew from a few people in her living room to hundreds of men in a large hall in

West Hollywood, California West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 35,757. It is considered one of the most ...

. Her work with AIDS patients drew fame and she was invited to appear 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 ...

'' and ''

The Phil Donahue Show ''The Phil Donahue Show'', also known as ''Donahue'', is an American television talk show hosted by Phil Donahue that ran for 26 years on national television. Its run was preceded by three years of local broadcast on WLWD in Dayton, Ohio, and i ...

'' in the same week, in March 1988. Following this, '' You Can Heal Your Life'' immediately landed on the New York Times bestseller list. More than 50 million copies sold around the world in over 30 languages and it also has been made into a movie. ''You Can Heal Your Life'' is also included in the book ''50 Self-Help Classics'' for being significant in its field. It is often described as a part of the

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 ...

movement. Hay wrote, on page 225 of her book (December 2008 printing), that it has "... sold more than thirty five million copies". It was announced in 2011 that ''You Can Heal your Life'' had reached 40 million sales. Hay died in her sleep on the morning of August 30, 2017, at age 90.

Publishing

In 1984, Hay established the

publishing firm. In 1988 Reid Tracy joined the company as an accountant and would eventually become its CEO. The business flourished and attracted various writers. Hay House is the primary publisher of books and audio books by over 130 authors, including

Deepak Chopra Deepak Chopra (; ; born October 22, 1946) is an Indian-American author and alternative medicine advocate. A prominent figure in the New Age movement, his books and videos have made him one of the best-known and wealthiest figures in alternati ...

, as well as many books by

Wayne Dyer Wayne Walter Dyer (May 10, 1940 – August 29, 2015) was an American self-help author and a motivational speaker. Dyer completed a Ed.D. in guidance and counseling at Wayne State University in 1970. Early in his career, he worked as a high sch ...

also publishes the teachings of "Abraham" as channeled through

Esther Hicks Esther Hicks (née Weaver, born March 5, 1948) is an American inspirational speaker, channeler, and author. She has co-written nine books with her late husband Jerry Hicks, presented numerous workshops on the law of attraction with Abraham ...

. In addition to running her publishing company, Hay ran a charitable organization called the Hay Foundation, which she founded in 1985. Its mission is to build futures and support organizations that enhance the quality of life for people, animals, and our environment. In 2008, a movie about Louise Hay's life was released, titled ''You Can Heal Your Life''. In Hay's own words on the film's official Web site: "This movie is the story of my life, my teachings, and how I've applied the principles of my teachings to my own life." The movie also features notable speakers and authors in the field of

personal development Personal development or self improvement consists of activities that develop a person's capabilities and potential, build human capital, facilitate employability, and enhance quality of life and the realization of dreams and aspirations. Persona ...

including

Gregg Braden Gregg Braden (born June 28, 1954) is an American New Age author, who is known for his appearances in '' Ancient Aliens'' and his show '' Missing Links'', and other publications linking science and spirituality. He became noted for his claim that t ...

Gay Hendricks Gay Hendricks (born January 20, 1945, in Leesburg, Florida) is a psychologist, writer, and teacher in the field of personal growth, relationships, and body intelligence. He is best known for his work in relationship enhancement and in the develop ...

, Esther and Jerry Hicks, and Doreen Virtue; it was directed by Emmy Award-winning director

Michael A. Goorjian Michael Andranik Goorjian (born February 4, 1971) is an American actor, filmmaker, and writer. Goorjian won an Emmy Award for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Mini ...

. In the same year Louise Hay won a Minerva Award at

The Women's Conference The Women's Conference (formerly the California Governor & First Lady's Conference on Women) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan US organization and annual forum for women. The event first began in 1986 as a California government initiative for working pro ...

. In September 2011, Hay and Cheryl Richardson released their book ''You Can Create An Exceptional Life''.

Ideas and teachings

Hay's two best-known books, ''Heal Your Body: The Mental Causes for Physical Illness and the Metaphysical Way to Overcome Them'' and You Can Heal Your Life, directly associate physical problems such as cancer with specific negative emotional patterns and assert that healing the emotional components will also heal the physical conditions. Hay wrote in ''You Can Heal Your Life'' that thoughts—not just sexual behavior—could help cause AIDS:

Venereal dis-ease, is almost always sexual guilt. It comes from a feeling, often subconscious, that it is not right to express ourselves sexually. A carrier with a venereal dis-ease can have many partners, but only those whose mental and physical immune systems are weak will be susceptible to it.

Works

* '' You Can Heal Your Life''. Hay House Inc., 1984. * ''Heal Your Body: The Mental Causes for Physical Illness and the Metaphysical Way to Overcome Them''. Hay House Inc., 1984. * ''The AIDS Book: Creating a Positive Approach''. Hay House Inc., 1988 * ''A Garden of Thoughts: My Affirmation Journal''. Hay House Inc., 1989 * ''Love Yourself, Heal Your Life Workbook''. Hay House Inc., 1990 * ''The Power Is Within You''. Hay House Inc., 1991 * ''Heart Thoughts''. Hay House Inc., 1992 * ''Loving Thoughts For Increasing Prosperity''. Hay House Inc., 1993 * ''Gratitude: A Way Of Life''. Hay House Inc., 1996 * ''Life! Reflections On Your Journey''. Hay House Inc., 1996 * '' Living Perfect Love: Empowering Rituals For Women''. Humantics MultiMedia Publishers, 1996 * ''Heal Your Body A–Z: The Mental Causes for Physical Illness and the Way to Overcome Them''. Hay House Inc. 1998 * ''101 Ways To Health And Healing''. Hay House Inc., 1998 * * * (with David Kessler) * * ''I Think, I Am!: Teaching Kids the Power of Affirmations'' * ''Mirror Work''

References

External links