I have enormous respect for Dr. Wayne Dyer. He's a man who has spent most of his life teaching his philosophy to a better way of living. If everyone would adopt Dr. Dyer's teachings, the world would be a much better place. That was his mission.
I read two of his books in my early twenties, but it was not until later on in life that I understood his bigger ideas. What I skipped over as spiritual lingo early on would come back to be the most important part of his teachings. Here are four lessons that I've learned from Dr. Dyer that come to mind:
1. Always keep an open mind
What in your life do you know for certain? When you think about it and where the information you know comes from there's little we know to be 100 per cent certain. Dr. Dyer taught me to not get attached to information. To always have an open mind for the possibility of a different perspective. Progress is impossible without it.
I used to have trouble dealing with people whose beliefs were different from my own. I didn't know how to respond without a sense of confrontation. Now, I just let it go and believe what I believe to be true in my heart. I keep an open mind all the time. I receive emails all the time from people who are angry about the nutrition information I write about. People who are just sitting there waiting to be offended.
I now understand that these people have a deep attachment to their beliefs. There is no point in confrontation. It's not good for them and it's not good for me.
2. Resentment only hurts you in the end
Dr. Dyer once said that the snake bite won't kill you, it's the venom after the bite that will kill you. It's what we hold on to that becomes destructive to our thoughts and our health.
I once had an employee leave my business only to open right next door to me. At first I was furious and after a while it was eating away at me. I kept thinking of the day I would run into him. What I would say, how I would deal with it. This resentment started eating away at me. I had to stop and reflect. I had to accept that it was over and move on to doing what I do.
Many people will hold a grudge forever, never letting go. One grudge builds on top of another until the body responds back with illness.
3. Loving without attachment
Dr. Dyer liked to say that the ego likes to own things, kind of like how Donald Trump likes to put his name on everything. His love has rules. But Donald isn't the only one with ego. We get into a relationship with a person we love. Over the years, that person changes and sometimes people want their partners to stay the same. Or, worse, they want their partner to be someone they're not. It's love for them as long as they play by their rules. The thing is, no one has the right to have ownership over someone else.
I never understood what loving without attachment was until I had my daughter. Anyone with children can tell you that even if they break all the rules (and they will), you still love them. Some parents make the mistake of living through their children's eyes. Trying to make them what they themselves wanted to become. Loving them means allowing them to be who they are and want to be. It's also to trust that if you show them enough love, they will have the knowledge to make the right decisions.
4. We become what we think about
Dr. Dyer believed that people can attract anything they want in life as long as they are thinking about it. Of course, action needs to happen, but your thoughts are the starting point. If you are thinking about how you can make more money, you will start to see more opportunities than you ever have. I see this all the time. It's not because the opportunities were never there. It's because you have now opened your mind to seeing the opportunities.
Whatever the dream may be, it's possible. Dr. Dyer inspired that in a lot of people.
Though it saddens me to hear of Dr. Dyer's passing, his teachings will live on for many generations to come. His ideas will continue to make the world a better place.
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