My last blog was dedicated to Ram Dass and the important role he played in my emotional/spiritual development.  His book How can I help? came into my life at the age of 31.   My first exposure to Wayne Dyer’s work also came in a book form, Your erroneous Zones, which I read in 1976.  That is a really long time ago.  I was 20 years old and I am not sure how the book came to my attention.  All I remember is that the book shook my world view as it first introduced me to the concept of mind over matter.  From what I remember, the basic premise of the book is that you can take charge of your thoughts, feelings and body.  It was the first time I was introduced to that concept.  The idea that I can choose how I want to perceive and respond to situations, including my bodily aches and pains was revolutionary at the time.

Before I continue with the story, let me give you a little background.  Freddie, Leor and I had been back in the States after a two year stint in the military in Germany.  Well, actually, Leor was born in Germany and we moved back when he was three months old.  I was a stay at home mom and Freddie went to work for my father in the diamond business.  It was a very difficult time for me since we moved into a neighborhood where I didn’t know anyone.  Most of my high school friends were away at college and I was at a very different stage of development, married and a mom.  I did have my family nearby, and over time, I slowly began to make some friends.  When the book came into my life, it was a like a breath of fresh air.  It stimulated my mind and soul, a much needed nourishment given most of my day involved nursing, changing diapers, shopping, cooking and cleaning.

One of the most challenging situations I had to contend with involved the periodic Bursitis attacks I would get.  I developed Bursitis in my left shoulder at the age of 16 (at the time I was thought to be the youngest person to be suffering from this disorder).  For those of you who don’t know much about Bursitis, it is an excruciatingly painful inflammation of the fluid-filled sac (bursa) that lies between a tendon and skin, or between a tendon and bone.  Its cause is unclear.  Since I had a chronic case, I would get approximately four attacks a year, each lasting up to two weeks.  When it flared up, the pain was constant and debilitating; I could not move my left arm at all.  It was particularly difficult for me to manage these attacks after Leor was born since they diminished my mobility so dramatically.  Needless to say, I was an unhappy camper whenever it attacked me – that is how it felt, like I was being attacked.

As I delved into Your erroneous Zones, it began to sink into my mind that I am allowing this thing to attack me.  I really got that I have more control over my body and my mind than I realized.  I started to think of ways I could apply the teachings in the book to my life and I decided to practice mind over matter exercises like getting rid of a headache or a cold.  I experienced success immediately.  I practiced  whenever I could and one day the challenge of my life showed up, my bursitis attack.  At first I didn’t think of applying my new found mental power to it since I had become so accustomed to living with this pain.  But i remember waking up one morning and asking myself why I am not trying to beat this like I had the other physical aches and pains.  I laid there and began to imagine the pain going away.  I focused on it with an absolute intention that the pain will disappear.  I can’t really explain what happened or how, but the pain disappeared.  It did not return.  I beat this attack.  I had two other inflammations over the next six months, both of which I was able to disappear as soon as I put my mind on them.  I have not suffered from Bursitis ever since.

Dr Dyer has written dozens of books since Your Erroneous Zones, and continues to be a force of healing to millions of people around the world.  Along with Ram Dass, I want to acknowledge and express my gratitude to Dr Dyer for his devotion and service to humanity.

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