Looking at the legions of fans mourning the loss of Michael Jackson, one might think celebrity worship is a modern phenomenon.
But from the gods on Olympus in ancient Greece to the bobby-soxers swooning over Elvis Presley to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie today, adulation of the stars is an age-old pursuit.
Jackson's sudden death last Thursday at age 50, just weeks before he was to launch a major concert tour, riveted the world. And hours earlier, the news that Farrah Fawcett, the 1970s sex symbol, had died of anal cancer captivated Americans who remembered her first for her role in TV's "Charlie's Angels" and later as a courageous woman sharing the intimate details of her battle with the disease. Earlier last week we had Ed McMahon, the sidekick to Johnny Carson, pass away.
The public's fascination with celebrities may seem new because we are such a media-immersed society, but it's really not.
When the composers Frederic Chopin and Franz Liszt performed in the 19th century, women threw their underwear at them. And 80 years after the death of silent-film star Rudolph Valentino, fans continue to visit his grave.
Celebrities tap into the public's primal fantasies and basic emotions, lifting people from their everyday lives and making them believe anything is possible.
In the case of Jackson, with what appeared to be numerous plastic surgeries and skin bleaching, the weirdness resonates with our own internal suppressed hidden wishes -- for immortality, gratification of sexual impulses and our wish for ageless beauty.
Humans at the core are social beings, and research has shown that the less connected people feel, the more they turn to celebrities.
While worshipping the rich and famous is harmless in itself, it could be perceived as symptomatic of a rootless culture in which many people feel a sense of isolation.
What we know of them (celebrities) through People magazine and other media sources fills a gaping and painful void in our lives. The dwindling influence of religion adds to that sense of yearning in people, making the stars' exploits and eccentricities, their loves and losses, more than a form of entertainment.
Religion is faltering, and in the process people are grappling with infantile wishes, with magical thinking.
For the most part, star status conveys a sense of immortality and invincibility -- and we are shocked when they die.
With loved ones, long-standing rituals help people cope. But with celebrities, fans can be at a loss. We don't know quite how to mourn the loss of stars because we don't expect them to die.
Is it appropriate to grieve a star's passing?
When Alabama football coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant, died in 1983 it was like we saw our cultural history disappear. You feel that someone you loved is gone, and it takes time to close the wound. Some of us haven’t gotten over it yet.
When a celebrity passes, the loss is personal -- not because we knew the celebrity but because they were with us as we grew up and as we had our own special moments.
If you're overcome with emotion, it might be satisfying to write down or talk through your feelings, either with a friend or into a tape recorder. Think of it as the loss of a family member and go with it. Although physically gone, deceased celebrities leave their art -- those are the memories.
But in a disposable culture such as today's, the mourning often doesn't last long.
Coach Bryant’s legacy hasn’t been as easy to replace as other celebrities, especially not in our neck of the woods which is the Tide Nation. No one has been able to replace him in our collective consciousness. Nick Saban could be the new replacement. Only time will tell.
When we fall into celebrity worship, we sometimes see that person in a glowing light. Their good qualities dominate the foreground of our perception and their negative qualities. They just don’t seem to have any. We knew Coach Bryant had a negative side. He liked to drink. No reporter dared to talk about his drinking or prescription drug problem while he was alive.
This temporary state of grace is commonly known as putting someone on a pedestal. Often times we put spiritual leaders and our gurus on pedestals. We have all done this to someone at one time or another, and as long as we remember that no one is actually “perfect,” the pedestal phase of a relationship can be enjoyed for what it is-a phase. It’s when we actually believe our own projection that troubles arise.
Everyone has problems, flaws, and blind spots, just as we do. When we entertain the illusion that someone is perfect, we don’t allow them room to be human, so when they make an error in judgment or act in contradiction to our idea of perfection, we become disillusioned.
We may get angry or distance ourselves in response. In the end, they are not to blame for the fact that we idealized them. Granted, they may have enjoyed seeing themselves as perfect through our eyes, but we are the ones who chose to believe an illusion. If you go through this process enough times, you learn that no one is perfect.
We are all a combination of divine and human qualities and we all struggle. When we treat the people we love with this awareness, we actually allow for a much greater intimacy than when we held them aloft on an airy throne. The moment you see through your idealized projection is the moment you begin to see your loved one as he or she truly is.
We cannot truly connect with a person when we idealize them. In life, there are no pedestals-we are all walking on the same ground together. When we realize this, we can own our own divinity and our humanity. This is the key to balance and wholeness within ourselves and our relationships.
John W. Cargile, Msc.D, D.D. is a licensed pastoral psychology counselor. He is a member of the National Education Association and Alabama Education Association. He is the author of a new novel, The Cry of the Cuckoos. www.thecryofthecuckoos.com You can contact him at jwcargile@charter,net. All conversations are confidential.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
The Cry of The Cuckoos: an imperfect masterpiece
Henry Drummond, a well-known KKK member with mob ties and founder of the right wing supremacist organization called the Society of Southron Patriots, is murdered. What follows is a study of the effects of his legacy on those closest to him.
The society he founded is in turmoil; fully committed to a terrorist plot to kill Washington dignitaries at the Super Bowl and delegates at the United Nations, the separatist organization comes under the scrutiny of both the local authorities and the FBI. Panic sets in and more killing follows.
Drummond’s oldest son, Donald, finds out his mother isn’t who he thought she was and begins a descent into a dangerous depression. The whole family faces upheavals and strange revelations at every turn. Lives change and Donald continues to unravel.
Eventually the story takes on a feel somewhat similar to books like Arthur Hailey’s Airport, Hotel or Wheels. This is a good thing!
And The Cry of The Cuckoos could have been a masterpiece... Following a theme of deceit and redemption, the story is solid. You want to know what’s going on. Cargile can construct sentences with the best of them. Both the dialogue and the scene progression are crisp. He also knows how to move a story along.
But I don’t understand his usage of tense and some of the words he chooses. Not only does he flip back and forth between past and present tenses—sometimes within the same paragraph—he also uses words and tense in unusual and improper ways. One example is his insistence in referring to the noun poison as poisoning. It’s an odd enough choice that it pulls one right out of the story and makes you ask why he uses the word that way.
This is an accomplished writer and editor in the field of journalism. I can only guess that he’s a victim of the risk many self-publishers take: that is, he edited his own work.
I like the story, but the strange grammatical choices diminish my enjoyment. I give this book a 3 out of 5 instead of the 4.5 it could have been.
Copyright © 2009 Clayton Clifford Bye
The society he founded is in turmoil; fully committed to a terrorist plot to kill Washington dignitaries at the Super Bowl and delegates at the United Nations, the separatist organization comes under the scrutiny of both the local authorities and the FBI. Panic sets in and more killing follows.
Drummond’s oldest son, Donald, finds out his mother isn’t who he thought she was and begins a descent into a dangerous depression. The whole family faces upheavals and strange revelations at every turn. Lives change and Donald continues to unravel.
Eventually the story takes on a feel somewhat similar to books like Arthur Hailey’s Airport, Hotel or Wheels. This is a good thing!
And The Cry of The Cuckoos could have been a masterpiece... Following a theme of deceit and redemption, the story is solid. You want to know what’s going on. Cargile can construct sentences with the best of them. Both the dialogue and the scene progression are crisp. He also knows how to move a story along.
But I don’t understand his usage of tense and some of the words he chooses. Not only does he flip back and forth between past and present tenses—sometimes within the same paragraph—he also uses words and tense in unusual and improper ways. One example is his insistence in referring to the noun poison as poisoning. It’s an odd enough choice that it pulls one right out of the story and makes you ask why he uses the word that way.
This is an accomplished writer and editor in the field of journalism. I can only guess that he’s a victim of the risk many self-publishers take: that is, he edited his own work.
I like the story, but the strange grammatical choices diminish my enjoyment. I give this book a 3 out of 5 instead of the 4.5 it could have been.
Copyright © 2009 Clayton Clifford Bye
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Periods of high stress can make us feel cuckoo or crazy
Most of us feel a little cuckoo or crazy from time to time.
Those of you who have read my new mystery novel, The Cry of the Cuckoos, found out how periods of high stress can alter one’s identity.
The main character, Donald Drummond, finds out he has a biological mother he knew nothing about for 61 years. Upon receiving this knowledge he goes into deep despair. Anxiety disorders among other health issues begin to plague him.
Periods of high stress can make us feel like we’re losing it, as can being surrounded by people whose values are very different from our own.
Drummond’s father dies and the story reveals the father-son relationship was different from one another. They were estranged for many years. Drummond’s life unravels.
Losing a significant relationship and moving into a new life situation are other events that can cause us to feel off kilter. Circumstances like these recur in our lives, and they naturally affect our mental stability.
The symptoms of our state of mind can range from having no recollection of putting our car keys where we eventually find them, to wondering if we’re seeing things clearly when everyone around us seems to be in denial of what’s going on right in front of their eyes.
For most of us, the key to survival at times like these is to step back, take a deep breath, and regain our composure. Then we can decide what course of action to take.
Sometimes a time-out does the trick. We take a day off from whatever is making us feel crazy and, like magic, we feel in our right mind again.
Talking to an objective friend can also help. We begin to see what it is about the situation that destabilizes us, and we can make changes from there. At other times, if the situation is particularly sticky, we may need to seek professional help.
Meeting with someone who understands the way the human mind reacts to stress, loss, and difficulty can make us feel less alone and more supported. A therapist or a spiritual counselor can give us techniques that help bring us back to a sane state of mind so that we can affect useful changes.
They can also mirror our basic goodness, helping us to see that we are actually okay.
The main purpose of the wake-up call that feeling crazy provides is to let us know that something in our lives is out of balance.
Confirm for yourself that you are capable of creating a sane and peaceful reality for yourself. Try to remember that most people have felt, at one time or another that they are losing it. You deserve a life that helps you thrive. Try and take some steps today to help you achieve more balance and a little less crazy.
When we become overwhelmed and things are not going as planned, it is natural to hold tighter to our goals and try to force things to go our way.
In the process, we tie ourselves in knots, tensing our shoulders, jaws, and muscles throughout our bodies.
Our mind tells us that this is how to get a firmer grip on a situation that feels out of control, but as we create knots in our bodies we are blocking the flow of our energy, exhausting ourselves by exerting more effort yet accomplishing less.
At these times, though it may seem counterintuitive, our higher selves know it’s better to let go.
This may not be quite as easy as it sounds.
After the relief of our first decision to release, if we allow questions about how to get everything done to start again, the knots will be back before we know it.
So we need to be aware that this is a process to breathe through. First, we need to let go of our idea of what the perfect outcome should be, and allow that the intelligence that drives the universe knows better than we do how everything fits together for the highest good.
Then we might have to release our imagined consequences and realize that, in most cases, the worst that could happen really isn’t that bad. We may need to remember how to relax, first by taking deep breaths, then by meditating, and then perhaps seeking help from a loved one, massage therapist, or energy healer to clear the underlying knots.
We can ease our mental stress by prioritizing what we truly want to accomplish, and then delegating the rest to someone who has more enthusiasm for those things. When we relax and let life’s energy flow through our minds, bodies, spirits, and lives, we will find that we can accomplish more with less effort and feel good doing it.
We don’t have to tie ourselves in knots. Instead, we can let the ribbons of our energy unfurl to gracefully direct us through life’s abundant flow.
John W. Cargile, Msc.D, D.D. is a licensed pastoral psychology counselor. He is a member of the National Education Association and Alabama Education Association. He is the author of a new novel, The Cry of the Cuckoos. www.thecryofthecuckoos.com You can contact him at jwcargile@charter,net. All conversations are confidential.
Those of you who have read my new mystery novel, The Cry of the Cuckoos, found out how periods of high stress can alter one’s identity.
The main character, Donald Drummond, finds out he has a biological mother he knew nothing about for 61 years. Upon receiving this knowledge he goes into deep despair. Anxiety disorders among other health issues begin to plague him.
Periods of high stress can make us feel like we’re losing it, as can being surrounded by people whose values are very different from our own.
Drummond’s father dies and the story reveals the father-son relationship was different from one another. They were estranged for many years. Drummond’s life unravels.
Losing a significant relationship and moving into a new life situation are other events that can cause us to feel off kilter. Circumstances like these recur in our lives, and they naturally affect our mental stability.
The symptoms of our state of mind can range from having no recollection of putting our car keys where we eventually find them, to wondering if we’re seeing things clearly when everyone around us seems to be in denial of what’s going on right in front of their eyes.
For most of us, the key to survival at times like these is to step back, take a deep breath, and regain our composure. Then we can decide what course of action to take.
Sometimes a time-out does the trick. We take a day off from whatever is making us feel crazy and, like magic, we feel in our right mind again.
Talking to an objective friend can also help. We begin to see what it is about the situation that destabilizes us, and we can make changes from there. At other times, if the situation is particularly sticky, we may need to seek professional help.
Meeting with someone who understands the way the human mind reacts to stress, loss, and difficulty can make us feel less alone and more supported. A therapist or a spiritual counselor can give us techniques that help bring us back to a sane state of mind so that we can affect useful changes.
They can also mirror our basic goodness, helping us to see that we are actually okay.
The main purpose of the wake-up call that feeling crazy provides is to let us know that something in our lives is out of balance.
Confirm for yourself that you are capable of creating a sane and peaceful reality for yourself. Try to remember that most people have felt, at one time or another that they are losing it. You deserve a life that helps you thrive. Try and take some steps today to help you achieve more balance and a little less crazy.
When we become overwhelmed and things are not going as planned, it is natural to hold tighter to our goals and try to force things to go our way.
In the process, we tie ourselves in knots, tensing our shoulders, jaws, and muscles throughout our bodies.
Our mind tells us that this is how to get a firmer grip on a situation that feels out of control, but as we create knots in our bodies we are blocking the flow of our energy, exhausting ourselves by exerting more effort yet accomplishing less.
At these times, though it may seem counterintuitive, our higher selves know it’s better to let go.
This may not be quite as easy as it sounds.
After the relief of our first decision to release, if we allow questions about how to get everything done to start again, the knots will be back before we know it.
So we need to be aware that this is a process to breathe through. First, we need to let go of our idea of what the perfect outcome should be, and allow that the intelligence that drives the universe knows better than we do how everything fits together for the highest good.
Then we might have to release our imagined consequences and realize that, in most cases, the worst that could happen really isn’t that bad. We may need to remember how to relax, first by taking deep breaths, then by meditating, and then perhaps seeking help from a loved one, massage therapist, or energy healer to clear the underlying knots.
We can ease our mental stress by prioritizing what we truly want to accomplish, and then delegating the rest to someone who has more enthusiasm for those things. When we relax and let life’s energy flow through our minds, bodies, spirits, and lives, we will find that we can accomplish more with less effort and feel good doing it.
We don’t have to tie ourselves in knots. Instead, we can let the ribbons of our energy unfurl to gracefully direct us through life’s abundant flow.
John W. Cargile, Msc.D, D.D. is a licensed pastoral psychology counselor. He is a member of the National Education Association and Alabama Education Association. He is the author of a new novel, The Cry of the Cuckoos. www.thecryofthecuckoos.com You can contact him at jwcargile@charter,net. All conversations are confidential.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Keeping boredom at arm’s length through the creative process
I guess there are times when we all suffer from boredom.
I am in a post-partum publishing state of mind. After going through a book publishing process, which takes many, many months, and seeing your book actually in the print stage and on the market, I often ask “What next?”
Oh, I’ve got some ideas, and other novels to work on. I feel like a pregnant woman who has waited nine months for delivery and when the baby is born with all the excitement it entails, the woman, in most cases, suffers post-partum depression.
We experience highs and lows, but we must be able to keep ourselves from getting too high or diving too deep into depression.
I was on cloud nine this past week as I got a lead from a friend, a friend of a friend of one of Hollywood’s top movie producers – Steven Tisch, Academy Award winner for the Forrest Gump movie. He also happens to be co-owner of the New York Giants. The friend said she would get my book into Tisch’s hands and see what develops. Friends tell me the book would make a great movie. I found out Tisch married a woman from Tuscaloosa – Jamie Alexander. They have since divorced. Tisch still has friends in Tuscaloosa.
A radio interview last week placed me on another high when the show producer – Lee Davis – of WYDE Radio 101.1FM ranked my book, The Cry of the Cuckoos, somewhere between Tom Clancy and John Grisham. It was a great compliment.
Then there was a low. I went to a book signing in Birmingham. The weather was awful. I knew on the drive up that anyone getting out in this type of gully-buster weather probably needed a special award like a Courageous Cuckoo Fan button. The bookstore signing was a bust as only a few drenched customers came through the door. They were looking for certain items or picking up books they had ordered. I went home in a stupor, went to bed. Post-partum depression.
The human mind thrives on novelty. What was once a source of pleasure can become tedious after a time. Though our lives are full, boredom lurks around every corner because we innately long for new experiences.
Yet boredom by its very nature is passive. In this idle state of mind, we may feel frustrated at our inability to channel our mental energy into productive or engaging tasks. We may even attempt to lose ourselves in purposeless or self-destructive pursuits.
While this can be a sign of depression, it can also be an invitation issued from your mind, asking you to challenge yourself.
Boredom can become the motivation that drives you to learn, explore the exotic, experiment, and harness the boundless creative energy within.
In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, boredom is perceived as a pathway to self-awareness. Boredom itself is not detrimental to the soul-it is the manner in which we respond to it that determines whether it becomes a positive or a negative influence in our lives.
When you respond by actively filling the emptiness you feel lurking in yourself, you cultivate creativity and innovation. If, when in the grip of boredom, you have difficulty acknowledging the merits of any activities you might otherwise enjoy, generate your own inspiration.
Before you find yourself beset by boredom, create a list of tasks you can consult when it feels like there is simply nothing to do. Referring to a list of topics you want to learn more about, projects you’ve yet to begin, or even pending chores can spark your creative energy and reawaken your zest for life.
When we are troubled by boredom, it is not that there is nothing to do but rather that we are not stimulated by the options before us. A bored mind can be the canvas upon which innovation is painted and the womb in which novelty is nourished. When you identify boredom as a signal that you need to test your boundaries, it can be the force that presses you to strive for opportunities you thought were beyond your reach and to indulge your desire for adventure.
We all experience periods where we feel separated from the loving ebb and flow of the universe. These times of feeling disconnected from the source may occur for many reasons, but self-sabotage is the most common cause for us choosing to cut ourselves off from the flow of the universe.
Reconnecting with the universe grounds you and is as easy as making a concerted effort to become interested in the activities you love or responding to what nurtures or stimulates you..
When you disconnect from the universe, your sense of purpose, creativity, and ability to be innovative are not as easy to access. You may also experience a deep and empty sense of longing or feel devoid of ideas or unworthy of love. It’s important, however, to recognize that being disconnected from the universe is never a permanent state, and it can be reversed any time you decide that you are ready to reconnect. When you are connected to the universe, all aspects of your being will feel alive as the flow of the universe pours through your being and into your life.
John W. Cargile, Msc.D, D.D. is a licensed pastoral psychology counselor. He is a member of the National Education Association and Alabama Education Association. He is the author of a new novel, The Cry of the Cuckoos. www.thecryofthecuckoos.com You can contact him at jwcargile@charter,net. All conversations are confidential.
I am in a post-partum publishing state of mind. After going through a book publishing process, which takes many, many months, and seeing your book actually in the print stage and on the market, I often ask “What next?”
Oh, I’ve got some ideas, and other novels to work on. I feel like a pregnant woman who has waited nine months for delivery and when the baby is born with all the excitement it entails, the woman, in most cases, suffers post-partum depression.
We experience highs and lows, but we must be able to keep ourselves from getting too high or diving too deep into depression.
I was on cloud nine this past week as I got a lead from a friend, a friend of a friend of one of Hollywood’s top movie producers – Steven Tisch, Academy Award winner for the Forrest Gump movie. He also happens to be co-owner of the New York Giants. The friend said she would get my book into Tisch’s hands and see what develops. Friends tell me the book would make a great movie. I found out Tisch married a woman from Tuscaloosa – Jamie Alexander. They have since divorced. Tisch still has friends in Tuscaloosa.
A radio interview last week placed me on another high when the show producer – Lee Davis – of WYDE Radio 101.1FM ranked my book, The Cry of the Cuckoos, somewhere between Tom Clancy and John Grisham. It was a great compliment.
Then there was a low. I went to a book signing in Birmingham. The weather was awful. I knew on the drive up that anyone getting out in this type of gully-buster weather probably needed a special award like a Courageous Cuckoo Fan button. The bookstore signing was a bust as only a few drenched customers came through the door. They were looking for certain items or picking up books they had ordered. I went home in a stupor, went to bed. Post-partum depression.
The human mind thrives on novelty. What was once a source of pleasure can become tedious after a time. Though our lives are full, boredom lurks around every corner because we innately long for new experiences.
Yet boredom by its very nature is passive. In this idle state of mind, we may feel frustrated at our inability to channel our mental energy into productive or engaging tasks. We may even attempt to lose ourselves in purposeless or self-destructive pursuits.
While this can be a sign of depression, it can also be an invitation issued from your mind, asking you to challenge yourself.
Boredom can become the motivation that drives you to learn, explore the exotic, experiment, and harness the boundless creative energy within.
In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, boredom is perceived as a pathway to self-awareness. Boredom itself is not detrimental to the soul-it is the manner in which we respond to it that determines whether it becomes a positive or a negative influence in our lives.
When you respond by actively filling the emptiness you feel lurking in yourself, you cultivate creativity and innovation. If, when in the grip of boredom, you have difficulty acknowledging the merits of any activities you might otherwise enjoy, generate your own inspiration.
Before you find yourself beset by boredom, create a list of tasks you can consult when it feels like there is simply nothing to do. Referring to a list of topics you want to learn more about, projects you’ve yet to begin, or even pending chores can spark your creative energy and reawaken your zest for life.
When we are troubled by boredom, it is not that there is nothing to do but rather that we are not stimulated by the options before us. A bored mind can be the canvas upon which innovation is painted and the womb in which novelty is nourished. When you identify boredom as a signal that you need to test your boundaries, it can be the force that presses you to strive for opportunities you thought were beyond your reach and to indulge your desire for adventure.
We all experience periods where we feel separated from the loving ebb and flow of the universe. These times of feeling disconnected from the source may occur for many reasons, but self-sabotage is the most common cause for us choosing to cut ourselves off from the flow of the universe.
Reconnecting with the universe grounds you and is as easy as making a concerted effort to become interested in the activities you love or responding to what nurtures or stimulates you..
When you disconnect from the universe, your sense of purpose, creativity, and ability to be innovative are not as easy to access. You may also experience a deep and empty sense of longing or feel devoid of ideas or unworthy of love. It’s important, however, to recognize that being disconnected from the universe is never a permanent state, and it can be reversed any time you decide that you are ready to reconnect. When you are connected to the universe, all aspects of your being will feel alive as the flow of the universe pours through your being and into your life.
John W. Cargile, Msc.D, D.D. is a licensed pastoral psychology counselor. He is a member of the National Education Association and Alabama Education Association. He is the author of a new novel, The Cry of the Cuckoos. www.thecryofthecuckoos.com You can contact him at jwcargile@charter,net. All conversations are confidential.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Radio interview with Lee Davis
I had a great 10-minute interview with Lee Davis, host of The Lee Davis Show on WYDE Radio 101.1 FM Friday, June 12. We talked about how much research was done in the writing of The Cry of the Cuckoos. I told him that much research was done and pointed out specific examples. He compared my writing somewhere between Tom Clancy and John Grisham. What a compliment!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
A review from John Lee (Mentone, Alabama)
A splendid combination of what most readers, like myself, desire in a good novel--mystery, mayhem, madness, and one of the most dysfunctional families you've ever seen. It would provide a team of therapists with full time work.
Though the last third ambles along almost to the point of losing a reader, the characters are so real and the story so well told it keeps your curiosity churning and the pages turning to see what happens to the Drummond Family all the way from Tuscaloosa, Alabama to Texas. I highly recommend this book--a damn good read. John Lee (Mentone, Alabama)
Though the last third ambles along almost to the point of losing a reader, the characters are so real and the story so well told it keeps your curiosity churning and the pages turning to see what happens to the Drummond Family all the way from Tuscaloosa, Alabama to Texas. I highly recommend this book--a damn good read. John Lee (Mentone, Alabama)
Monday, June 8, 2009
Reader comment about The Cry of the Cuckoos
this book is wonderfull it keeps you on your toes once you start reading it you cant put it down!!! hope book two comes out soon!!!!!!!!!!! Jenna Taylor and T.R. Pate.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Excuses are not in Dr. Wayne Dyer’s vocabulary
I joined a new internet site, BookBuzzr.com last weekend to market my book, The Cry of the Cuckoos, and I was surprised to see Dr. Wayne Dyer on the same site marketing his many self-help books. I’ve seen him on television and read some of the excerpts from his books. We are both in the same phases with our books that millions of other authors find themselves. The game is called PR and marketing.
Dr. Dyer has been called the “father of motivation,” by his fans.
The column I write titled, “Integral Life,” shares many of the same ideologies.
While he is on a very fast track and widely known nationally and internationally he certainly deserves the spotlight. His new book, “Excuses Begone!” was released in May of this year.
To think he grew up in an orphanage and foster homes blows my mind, but he was able to overcome obstacles we only read about. He has found some secrets to life which deserve more attention.
He's the author of over 30 books, has created many audio programs and videos, and has appeared on thousands of television and radio shows.
His books Manifest Your Destiny, Wisdom of the Ages, There's a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem, and the New York Times bestsellers 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace, The Power of Intention, Inspiration, Change Your Thoughts—Change Your Life, and now Excuses Begone! have all been featured as National Public Television specials.
Dyer holds a Doctorate in Educational Counseling from Wayne State University and was an associate professor at St. John's University in New York.
When he's not traveling the globe delivering his uplifting message, Wayne is writing from his home in Maui. I think I could write from Maui, but I prefer Mount Olive Road.
I couldn’t help but read some of the excerpts in his book which is made available to anyone choosing to download some of the points he makes in his new book. Here are a few.
1. Excuses Begone! is encouraging you to challenge patterns and feel inspired by a newfound awareness of the life hidden beneath your excuses. Invite yourself to move out of established thought patterns, and realize that there is nothing standing in your way of living at your highest levels.
2. You have an unquestionable ability to eliminate excuses—they’ll get up and go when they’re revealed as the false beliefs that they are. There’s simply no question about this!
3. You elevate your life by taking responsibility for who you are and what you’re choosing to become. You can transcend the ordinary, mundane, and average with thoughts of greater joy and meaning; you can decide to elevate your life, rather than have it stagnate or deteriorate with excuses. Go beyond where you presently are.
4. You can bring your desires to consciousness by disconnecting the power from your subconscious so that it can’t continue to run your life. Your subconscious (habitual) mind is accessible, so unearth the excuses buried deep within you. Become conscious!
“It’s a rare day when I don’t hear some variation of this excuse, including: “I didn’t go to college because it was too expensive,” he writes. “I haven’t been able to travel because I never had the funds,” and “I couldn’t go into the business I wanted because I had to stay where I was and earn money to pay the bills.”
“I call this belief lame and a cop-out, yet there seems to be almost universal agreement for its existence. You originated in a world of abundance, which you unquestionably have the ability to access.
“Whenever you discourage yourself with thoughts that your financial situation is preventing anything from appearing, that’s an excuse. If you instead decide to bring abundance awareness into your consciousness, you’ll shift your thoughts from I can’t afford it to ‘Whatever I need in the form of assistance to guide me in the direction of my life is not only available, but is on its way.’
“You’ll then consciously watch for the necessary funding to show up, but you’ll also be reminding yourself to believe that you have the ability to use abundance to elevate your life.
“Encourage yourself by realizing that you have the capacity to create a space within you that’s filled with peace and joy, an inner island of contentment that has nothing to do with money.”
The self-help age, while nothing new, is something to give a lot of attention to these days. Tried and true beliefs about ourselves and our limitations are excuses, as Dyer points out.
If we practice gratitude for the essentials of life we are giving ourselves a joy free of charge.
Dyer writes: “Oscar Wilde made this wry observation in 1891: “There is only one class in the community that thinks more about money than the rich, and that is the poor. The poor can think of nothing else.”
“I’d add that such thinking includes lamenting the fact that they’ll never have money. I advise tossing out this meme, and instead rewiring thoughts to connect with what’s intended to manifest, regardless of your current financial status.
“Whatever you feel is your dharma, and no matter how hard that calling seems to be pulling you, if you maintain the belief that you can’t manage to pull it off, I can assure you that you’re right. To paraphrase Henry Ford, whether you believe you can afford to do a thing or not, you’re right.”
Thanks, Dr. Dyer for helping us remember.
John W. Cargile, Msc.D, D.D. is a licensed pastoral psychology counselor. He is a member of the National Education Association and Alabama Education Association. He is the author of a new novel, The Cry of the Cuckoos. www.thecryofthecuckoos.com You can contact him at jwcargile@charter,net. All conversations are confidential.
Dr. Dyer has been called the “father of motivation,” by his fans.
The column I write titled, “Integral Life,” shares many of the same ideologies.
While he is on a very fast track and widely known nationally and internationally he certainly deserves the spotlight. His new book, “Excuses Begone!” was released in May of this year.
To think he grew up in an orphanage and foster homes blows my mind, but he was able to overcome obstacles we only read about. He has found some secrets to life which deserve more attention.
He's the author of over 30 books, has created many audio programs and videos, and has appeared on thousands of television and radio shows.
His books Manifest Your Destiny, Wisdom of the Ages, There's a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem, and the New York Times bestsellers 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace, The Power of Intention, Inspiration, Change Your Thoughts—Change Your Life, and now Excuses Begone! have all been featured as National Public Television specials.
Dyer holds a Doctorate in Educational Counseling from Wayne State University and was an associate professor at St. John's University in New York.
When he's not traveling the globe delivering his uplifting message, Wayne is writing from his home in Maui. I think I could write from Maui, but I prefer Mount Olive Road.
I couldn’t help but read some of the excerpts in his book which is made available to anyone choosing to download some of the points he makes in his new book. Here are a few.
1. Excuses Begone! is encouraging you to challenge patterns and feel inspired by a newfound awareness of the life hidden beneath your excuses. Invite yourself to move out of established thought patterns, and realize that there is nothing standing in your way of living at your highest levels.
2. You have an unquestionable ability to eliminate excuses—they’ll get up and go when they’re revealed as the false beliefs that they are. There’s simply no question about this!
3. You elevate your life by taking responsibility for who you are and what you’re choosing to become. You can transcend the ordinary, mundane, and average with thoughts of greater joy and meaning; you can decide to elevate your life, rather than have it stagnate or deteriorate with excuses. Go beyond where you presently are.
4. You can bring your desires to consciousness by disconnecting the power from your subconscious so that it can’t continue to run your life. Your subconscious (habitual) mind is accessible, so unearth the excuses buried deep within you. Become conscious!
“It’s a rare day when I don’t hear some variation of this excuse, including: “I didn’t go to college because it was too expensive,” he writes. “I haven’t been able to travel because I never had the funds,” and “I couldn’t go into the business I wanted because I had to stay where I was and earn money to pay the bills.”
“I call this belief lame and a cop-out, yet there seems to be almost universal agreement for its existence. You originated in a world of abundance, which you unquestionably have the ability to access.
“Whenever you discourage yourself with thoughts that your financial situation is preventing anything from appearing, that’s an excuse. If you instead decide to bring abundance awareness into your consciousness, you’ll shift your thoughts from I can’t afford it to ‘Whatever I need in the form of assistance to guide me in the direction of my life is not only available, but is on its way.’
“You’ll then consciously watch for the necessary funding to show up, but you’ll also be reminding yourself to believe that you have the ability to use abundance to elevate your life.
“Encourage yourself by realizing that you have the capacity to create a space within you that’s filled with peace and joy, an inner island of contentment that has nothing to do with money.”
The self-help age, while nothing new, is something to give a lot of attention to these days. Tried and true beliefs about ourselves and our limitations are excuses, as Dyer points out.
If we practice gratitude for the essentials of life we are giving ourselves a joy free of charge.
Dyer writes: “Oscar Wilde made this wry observation in 1891: “There is only one class in the community that thinks more about money than the rich, and that is the poor. The poor can think of nothing else.”
“I’d add that such thinking includes lamenting the fact that they’ll never have money. I advise tossing out this meme, and instead rewiring thoughts to connect with what’s intended to manifest, regardless of your current financial status.
“Whatever you feel is your dharma, and no matter how hard that calling seems to be pulling you, if you maintain the belief that you can’t manage to pull it off, I can assure you that you’re right. To paraphrase Henry Ford, whether you believe you can afford to do a thing or not, you’re right.”
Thanks, Dr. Dyer for helping us remember.
John W. Cargile, Msc.D, D.D. is a licensed pastoral psychology counselor. He is a member of the National Education Association and Alabama Education Association. He is the author of a new novel, The Cry of the Cuckoos. www.thecryofthecuckoos.com You can contact him at jwcargile@charter,net. All conversations are confidential.
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