Friends and followers around the globe were saddened to learn that Dr. Wayne W. Dyer completed his work for this lifetime on Earth on August 30, 2015. The outpouring of love and gratitude will continue for a long time to come as people revisit his work and think deeply about the lessons he said he had come to teach. 

One of Wayne’s favorite images of our life as humans came from a poem by Rumi:  "The day you were born, a ladder was set up to help you escape the world." 

As we travel through life, trying to understand our purpose and our true nature, Wayne urged us to think of ourselves not as human beings having a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings having a human experience. We climb the ladder leading back to Source by recognizing our own divinity and aligning ourselves with the divine love that created us. 

Here are five examples of Wayne’s message, which resonate closely with my own work as a spiritual teacher and energy healer:

1.    Be self-reliant.  From his earliest years as a foster child, Wayne knew that he was the one in charge of his destiny, with the power within to discover his purpose and to shape his life, guided by his internal compass. I remember my own difficult early years and my decision to take my well-being into my own hands, go to AA, and get in front of my addictions. We each have the power within to find our path and become whole.

                                                                                                                                                               

2.    Study the sacred.  Seeking knowledge and finding those teachers who have the experience to help us acquire wisdom about ourselves and our world is part of  our life purpose. Wayne liked to say he was “open to everything and attached to nothing.” In order to become a teacher and understand what I could do to develop my gifts and learn how to use them in service to others, I first became a student, too, traveling the world to learn from gifted healers in many different traditions.

3.    Meditate.  As soon as he discovered this powerful tool for inner peace and self-understanding, Wayne wanted to share it with as many people as possible. I remember feeling the same way! I still do. Meditation is one of the main practices I teach—the basis for getting in touch with the center of our being and the universal energy we all share. It is in this space that we can heal.

4.    Embrace nature.  Wayne’s home on the island of Maui in Hawaii reflected his love for the natural world. Surrounded by the beauty of sea, sky, and mountains, he felt he could do his best writing, even though living there made his professional travels more difficult. He preferred swimming every day with the sea turtles than living close to a convenient mainland airport. The natural world and its animal residents have always been an anchor of my life, too. My pets and wild creatures near my home keep me grounded, help me feel loved unconditionally, and bless me with humor and tolerance. Watching the night sky, walking barefoot on the sand or grass, hugging a tree, or listening to the sounds of the wind are all experiences that fill me with healing energy. We belong to the natural world and suffer when we get too far removed from it. 

5.    Find the service that you are called to perform.  The theme of Wayne’s later years was the question he felt Spirit calls us to ask ourselves, “How may I serve?” In the search for our divine nature and the purpose we are here to fulfill, there is great joy. Wayne loved his calling as a spiritual teacher, as do I. It is love and service that bring us along our path and lift us to the top of Rumi’s ladder. 

Each of us is called to help our fellow beings as we navigate this human experience. When I ask my students, “How can I help you?” I know that spiritual teachers like Wayne and energy healers who have passed on are smiling.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                   To watch Wayne Dyer's memorial tribute from I Can Do It, Orlando  - click here.