You Can Heal Your Life (Gift Edition) is all about using your thoughts to fix the problems in your life. What kind of problems? Well, the book specifically looks into healing some pretty major life areas: relationships, work, success, prosperity, and your body. But wait a minute, did I say the book is using thoughts to heal your body? What's up with that? Is that even possible? Well, after reading this book, I think in many cases, yes, it is possible.

While I think it is the way to go to treat things such as an acute appendicitis with surgery, fractures with a cast, and pneumonia with antibiotics, there are many conditions where conventional medicine blatently falls short. Of course I'm talking about health problems such as migraines, backaches, or stomach ulcers- you know, those kinds of nagging disorders where we all know that stress/mental processes DO play a role. But while few would argue that psychological factors can cause an ulcer, what about more serious conditions such as, say, arthritis?

Well it may not be too far fetched. Consider this. One study of 1,198 subjects found that only 56% of men with SEVERE knee arthritis had any pain (Lawrence 1966). Another study X-rayed 84 seventy-nine year-olds and 76 eighty-five year-olds and found that only 43% of them with SEVERE knee arthritis had any pain complaints (Bagge 1991). There are plenty more examples in the scientific literature, but obviously there two alone show us that there is NO clear-cut association between severe knee arthritis and pain.

ON THE OTHER HAND, when one looks at the relationship between psychological variables and knee arthritis, one does see a clear association. For instance, one study looked at 65 patients (ages 55 to 87) with hip and/or knee arthritis. X-rays, pain, depression levels, anxiety levels, coping styles, and functional impairment were all assessed. The findings? Researchers discovered that the severity of one's arthritis showed little relationship to pain, BUT, psychological variables were strong predictors of who had pain and how impaired they were (Summers 1988).

Along the same lines, Salaffi examined 61 women (ages 51-79) with knee arthritis. Here again, results showed that how disabled someone was, was more related to psychological variables than how bad their knee looked on an X-ray film. Interestingly, both anxiety and depression WERE important predictors of pain (Salaffi 1991). Any one conducting a literature review on Medline will find more such examples IF you're looking for them. While I used knee arthritis as an example, there are MANY more studies on other health problems with similar findings.

All of this should be causing us to raise an eyebrow. The literature is telling us that it is far from being clear cut that things like bad knee arthritis ALWAYS mean pain. And the research is also giving us clues that the mind and our thought processes definitely play a role. So the question now becomes, if bad thought patterns can play a role in health problems such as arthritis, why not in other diseases such as cancer, as the book suggests?

You be the judge. I found that the main value in this book was getting me to look at how our thinking does influence the functioning of our bodies- as well as our life in general. Note that I'm NOT saying that you can think yourself well all the time either.

Remember that while Louise Hay did change her thought patterns and was cured of cancer, she has also written that she used other alternative treatments as well, such as foot reflexology and colon therapy (Chapter 16). Therefore, my advice is to look at ALL the options when dealing with a health problem, one MAJOR one being changing your mental patterns (which is the what the book does a nice job of addressing). And for this reason, I can recommend this book to anyone who needs physical healing or otherwise. Other alternative healing books of interest include The Divided Mind: The Epidemic of Mindbody Disorders and The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution. Thank you Louise Hay!

This book had a calming effect on me. I learned of Louise Hay and her writings on an Oprah show that was following up on The Secret by Rhonda Bryne. I ordered the book and began to read it immediately. It has helped me gain perspective and I've learned techniques for dealing with stress and racing thoughts. I've put positive thinking to work and have seen results - which - despite believing in the ideology - still surprised me.

I bought this book because my mom had cancer. I read it too because I was going to share it with her. Eventhough I don't have any illness, it really changed my life and gave me a new way to deal with situations and people. I would recommend it for everyone to read.

Very pleased with this transaction. The book was exactly as described and came much sooner that expected.

I borrowed this book from the library in hopes that I would like it enough to buy the very pretty gift edition. (The colorful, pretty gift edition appealed to my ADD and I knew if I liked it, it would be something I would refer to often.)

I picked up the book from the library and perused it while I waited for the bus so I could go back to work. One of the first things I read is "I believe that we choose our parents...We choose our sex, our color, our country and we look around for a particular set of parents who will mirror the patterns we are bringing in to work on in this lifetime." So some of us choose to incarnate ourself with physically, sexually, verbally abusive parents? Some of us choose parents that have Munchausen's by proxy syndrome? Prince Charles chose to be born a prince? The child born to impoverished parents who can't even provide it with food chose that? We choose our color? Some really dangerous trains of thoughts come about if we start to believe that. Like perhaps there is a Master Race and we need only resolve our baggage & be confident enough to choose parents who are part of it. I, being a very odd fusion of races and ethnicities must have been contemplating one day while between parents and floating about the cosmic soup -- Gee this homogenized world I've been a part of is a real bore -- I need to Jazz it up a bit. Or people like Paris Hilton can feel even more superior to others because their soul was finally confident enough to be born to the Hilton Dynasty and all those other people born in poverty have weak souls so we needn't worry about them.

As other's have said -- if we have crappy mates in our life -- we chose them. Yes, we choose our job, yes we choose our bad attitudes whether we realize it or not. But choosing our parents, race and sex? Yes, it is her belief, but what justification does she have for this belief, & above all, what justification does she have for printing this towards the beginning of a book and laying an even heavier trip on someone whose heart and soul is already feeling heavy -- now they can lay one more layer of guilt on themselves -- she believes they are the root of their childhood abuse or poverty.

Towards the end came the long list in the book where she explained the mental/emotional roots of all ailments. -- Even Athletes Foot. While I do believe that our outlook on life can affect our health, as negative emotions cause different bodily chemicals to be released vs positive emotions. And our mental state can cause us to behave in ways that cause illness -- binge eating, substance abuse, irresponsible sexual behavior etc. But to attribute every ailment to an emotional/mental cause is irresponsible. Herpes cannot be cured by changing your outlook on life!!! And it was caused by having sex with someone that had herpes!!! Gum disease is caused by being wishy washy about life? -- How about gum disease is caused by not taking care of your teeth & gums properly -- i.e. not flossing. I've never heard a dentist recommend to any patient w/gum disease that they should be more decisive in their life if they want to cure their gums from being inflamed & bleeding. She even assesses that fungus has a root emotional cause-- stagnating beliefs (hmmmm -- I know people that should be crawling with fungus if that's the case).

In the middle of the book, I thought there were SOME decent things she had to say -- but the good things she said could be found in other self help books w/o the crappy messages at the beginning and end. If you believe in the law of attraction, there are plenty of books that are strictly about the law of attraction. If you want to learn about projecting yourself, watch the Dog Whisperer. If you want to learn more about self esteem, I recommend, if you have a decent library system in your area, you borrow books from the library before investing in something you may find disappointing and a waste of money. Keep in mind something being popular does not necessarily make it good. (Crappy music that sells millions because of it's cool videos & promos is still crappy music.)

I have read a lot through the spirituality and new age genres, but this book helped me to my core. For me, it was the first step on the right path. Highly recommended.

Louise helps me daily move forward and improve my life. This book helps me to forgive and move on-
loved it

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in helping himsef/herself improve their thoungts and positive energy.

This book was recommended by a friend who permanently keeps it on her bedside table. I am reading it now and without even finishing it, I have already purchased 4 others to give to family and friends. I like the author's straight forward approach of taking charge of your life. GREAT book!

I bought this book yesterday and I finished reading it in one sitting. I could not put it down. I'll read the book again slowly and start to do the exercises today.

Although this book was first published over 20 years ago, the message is still so relevant today, especially after the phenomenon of "The Secret".

I recommend to read this book together with "The Sedona Method: Your Key to Lasting Happiness, Success, Peace and Emotional Well-Being".

I love everything I have read from Louise Hay. She gives us all so much hope.

I absoulutely love this book. If you apply its principles in your life you will definately see a change. I have very little to say about it because it is such a personal experience for me. If you find yourself reading this review, buy the book you are meant to read it.

Great tips on how to change the negative head talk that can plague one's life.

Great Book, and very quick service. I had this book the next day after I ordered it.

This book really helped me start living my life again after my husband decided to walk out on me and my children. At first I felt like I couldn't go on. Then I saw the author of this book on Oprah and decided to give it a try. I feel so much better about myself and my new life now. This book can be helpful to just about anyone!

I love this book! I also have the DVD extended version of this book. The book is very easy to read with beautifully done art work to make the whole experience just wonderful and inspiring. I love that Louise put in a section with suggestions on medical conditions and which affirmations to use to help heal your own body. It has worked wonders for me. I really recommend it! :-)

Every time some one near you complains of an ailment, listen to them talk about the problem. Then ask, "How's everything else?" and listen to that answer. Then go home, pull out the book, go to the list section and see if the ailment and the cause of the ailment is what Louise said it is. If it is a chronic ailment, ask yourself, "Does Louise do a good job describing that other person?"

I don't want to tell you your results, but mine have been so enlightening. Using this information, I've been able to heal myself of maladies. I haven't been brave enough to do anything but observe this in others, but if you were brave enough to do so, you might find you're quite a metaphysician.

Amazingly useful information.

I think Louise does an excellent job in this book. I bought three copies, one for myself, one for my mom and one to have on hand to loan out to various friends (and it's loaned out right now in fact). I love how the book is divided, toward the end you can go right to the reasons Louise cites for various maladies and healing affirmations for those. The only reason why I didn't give this beautiful book 5 stars was due to some words on page 165 which I personally disagree with (having to do with some recreational drug use being "just fine"). I did not think such statements were necessary in a book like this. And there were a few small typos on a few pages. Otherwise, the overall message of the book is to work at the thought level, let go of hurts and pains, forgive, and improve one's life.

This is a life changing book. I recommend it to anyone who needs some positive influence or needs to learn how to be more positive.

I have read at least 20 "personal growth" books in my life, but this book, which I read when I was a cancer patient 20 years ago, was the single most transformational book I've ever read. I was given a 20 percent chance of survival in 1987 and I can say with confidence, the wisdom I gained from this treasure of a book, contributed significantly to my recovery. But more importantly, it taught me not to just to survive, but to truly thrive... I am forever grateful to Louise Hay, and all these years later I still use it as a reference book.

Erin Gill Reilly

Full of Wisdom and Healing opportunities. I highly recommend this book. Louise Hay is full of Spiritual Love and Wisdom.

This is a great book.I read it every spare moment I had.I already believed in the [the law of attraction] and this book made me understand it more.If you are wanting to know about [the law of attraction]this is the perfect book.

Dee

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the authors message that if you choose the right thoughts you will choose that life you want. By using Affirmations you will affirm that. This is the Law of Attraction and her presentation is wonderful....Another book on this subject which is worth reading in a workbook format is Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook also inspiring to read.Recently released is their new CD in the seriesMy Secret Meditation,which supports the listener to change their thinking to change their life...a fabulous tool to use daily.

It was a beautiful copy. A gift to myself. I gave my daughter a copy too the the gift copy.

This book will change your life. Even if you think there's not much to heal in Your life, there is always something you can work on to make you feel better and make the most of this life.
Recommended reading!

if i could give this book a million stars, i would. it has helped me enormously in getting over depression, low self-esteem, and assorted other problems. changing the way you think really does change your life! positive thinking really does bring you a positive life! i would recommend this book to anyone looking to really improve their life and outlook on life.

Becoming acquainted with this book at this time in my life has become a true lifesaver for me. It has truly taught me to reflect on the way I think and how it has affected my health and general well-being. For the first time in many years, I've found that changing my way of thinking has brought me peace of mind, as well as release from a lot of the pain I have experienced. I now believe so much of my deteriorating health is attributed to the way I was thinking. Louise Hays has truly opened my eyes, and I am so very grateful.

I have the book, I have it on audio too. I enjoy listening to Louise L. Hay's voice, especially when she's helping guide my thoughts into imagining positive, wonderful possibilities. This will help you analyze yourself and change/shift your thinking for the better.

THis book is wonderful...makes you want to be THE best in life. I would recommend this book to anyone who is having a difficult time, very up-lifting to look at the other side of your problems, to be more positive in life!

I am so glad to finally find something that resonates with me and what I have always believed in my being but did not have the words to convey. Thank you Louise for bringing this to the world.

Although I looked at this book from a skeptic perspective because of all the ideas of our thoughts creating our reality, etc, I could not help but be inspired by Louise. She seems to just basically live a simple life and find happiness within herself, and always emphasizes that we can also be like this, and everyone deserves to be loved for the person that they are. I am definitely going to try some of her tips.
Some of the ideas about diseases being caused by negative thinking were a little hard to swallow. For instance, cancer and other ailments are supposed to be caused by all these pent up feelings and unforgiveness that we have bottled up...it is just a little hard for me to understand how a newborn could be born with a disease or a small child could get a disease. It's possible that there is more to it though than what is discussed in the book. I definitely think you should give some of her ideas a try, because just hearing Louise or reading her words and seeing what a difference she has made in people's lives is enough to show that she must be doing something right.

I obviously have a different view of Western Medicine than the major rebuttal against Ms. Hay's book. Several years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer and given less than six months to live. When I walked out the door of my Dr. office, I never looked back, nor did I ever return for further treatment. As I write these words several years after the fact (and in good health) my decision was to walk away from Western Medicine, and the hegemony it asserts over our lives.

Afterword, I embarked on another journey by accepting responsibility for my own healing. I travelled to remote corners of the world and worked with indigenous healers, sages, and holy men and women; I began to explore the mystery of spiritual healing that Ms. Hay advocates on behalf of.

At the point I walked away from the Western 'box' so common in our contemporary moment, I also walked away from my fear based belief system. Death will eventually come for all of us. None of us will escape it. It is also nothing to fear as we are eternal beings.

The main rebuttal against this book is mired not only in the fear of death, but also of the fear of a fully embodied life. It fears responsibility for the underlying causes of disease. It fears change, and it fears transformational outcomes. Its primary belief is that health is the sole domain of medical science, and that our life choices do not contribute to our condition.

Now, here is a secret the medical establishment wants kept under wraps, but with indigenous healers, and spiritual healers (or spiritual knowledge that leads to healing) is that healing is an inside job. Once a healing is introduced, the subject has to also change the life style choices that led to the health dysfunction; if the subject returns to the old habits, the condition will return too. Spiritual healing does not offer a magic bullet, it provides another chance to change. The change is up to the person undergoing the problem. If the courage to change is weakened, so to will the healing be reversed or rendered illegitimate.

The aim of spiritual healing is to transform the underlying causes. And the only savior you will find in this process is oneself. This is the prime focus of Hay's work.

In the final analysis, only you can decide which direction to go. No one can do it for you. The only one you can save is yourself!

I just finished YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE by Louise Hay and would recommend that you
get the print version, if just to see the beautiful work of artist
Joan Perrin Falquet . . . it will increase you enjoyment of this
bestselling self-help book that was written many years before
THE SECRET became such a success.

One other recommendation: Skim the book first . . . then read
the chapter, toward the end, where Hay tells her life story . . . it
will put things in perspective and show you that she really
puts into practice what she writes about ; e.g., in this passage:

* We need to choose to release the past and forgive everyone, ourselves
included. We may not know how to forgive, and we may not want to forgive,
but the very fact that we say we are willing to forgive begins the healing
process. It is imperative for our own healing that "we" release the past
and forgive everyone.

I found myself reading and agreeing with just about everything
the author wrote . . . but perhaps my favorite part was her list
of ailments and the emotional causes for each, along with an
affirmation to help overcome the illness . . . she recommends
you follow this four-step approach whenever you have a physical
problem:

* 1. Look up the mental cause. See if this could be true for you. If not,
sit quietly and ask yourself, "What could be the thoughts in me that
created this?"

2. Repeat to yourself, "I am willing to release the pattern in my
consciousness that has created this condition."

3. Repeat the new thought pattern to yourself several times.

4. Assume that you are already in the process of healing.

Whenever you think of the condition, repeat the steps.

So, for instance, when it comes to multiple sclerosis:

* The probable cause is "mental hardness, hard-heartedness,
iron will, and inflexibility." The healing "thought pattern" would
involve saying this aloud: "By choosing loving, joyous thoughts,
I create a loving joyous world. I am safe and fee."

The concept may seem far-fetched to some, yet if you are
ready to accept what Louise Hay has to offer, it may well
work for you. Do give it a try.

I got this audio book very fast and it was in excellent condition. Thanks a lot.

Take Care
Have Fun
B.L.Morgan

This book just jumped out at me. It is so healing and refreshing. If you are on the path for Mind, Body & Soul, this book is a winner!!!