The Luminous Legacy of Wayne Dyer
Reflections on five of his quintessential quotes
There’s something altogether enchanting about pocket-sized collections of quotes by great philosophers, wordsmiths, and spiritual pioneers. Is it the ability to gather up timeless wisdom that spans decades, centuries, or millennia into neat, bite-sized companions for the modern world? Or is it the breadth of wisdom showcased in few words that draw us to read quotes, quote about quotes, or write our own?
Whatever the allure, quotes taken with critical self-reflection have the power to influence our lives on a fundamental level. And one of my favorite people from whom to read quotes is none other than the legendary Wayne Dyer.
Who was Wayne Dyer? Dr. Wayne W. Dyer (May 10, 1940 — August 29, 2015) was a beacon of strength, courage, and spiritual beauty. He was also an internationally renowned author and speaker in the fields of self-development and spiritual growth. Over the four decades of his career, he wrote more than 40 books, 21 of which became New York Times bestsellers, and sold well over 100 million books during his life.
Dr. Dyer was affectionately called “the father of motivation” by his fans, and for good reason. Throughout his work, a constant theme of persistence, resilience, and love in the face of struggles shines through. This grit towards life was developed during a childhood spent in orphanages and foster homes where he not only overcame his limitations but set a new precedent for what it means to be human.
Undoubtedly, Wayne Dyer was an extraordinary person, just like you. And his wisdom continues to sparkle with the large-hearted love of life that gives his work its timeless exuberance.
Here are five Wayne Dyer quotes paired with a short reflection:
1. “Life gives exams, and unless you learn from your mistakes, you are doomed to repeat them.”
Have you ever had that uncanny feeling of being in exactly the same situation and repeating exactly the same mistakes, often several times over?
This could be working for toxic bosses or in a toxic environment, socializing with people who put you down, or not listening to your inner guide by going against what your soul is telling you.
I had this experience when I stopped listening to my own guides, repeatedly. I pushed and shoved and insisted on doing things in a very rigid way. 22 years ago, when I felt a tremor telling me to turn right instead of left, I knew that something bad was going to happen when I turned left, but I did it anyway because I had to know what it was and I had to be in control. Not heeding that warning resulted in a life-altering car accident. And although I wouldn’t change things now, it was still was a mistake, and it took many decades of repeating the same mistake (not listening to source) to learn the lesson and let it go. Now when my soul or guides speak, I wholeheartedly listen. And I forgive myself for those inevitable mistakes.
Is there something in your life playing on repeat?
2. “The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of the state of your mind.”
This is an interesting one, because we all too often look outside of ourselves to fix anything and everything that we don’t like about our current situation. Do some people have more advantages in life? Absolutely. But drawing on the wisdom of Wayne Dyer, who was in and out of the foster care system for 18 years, we have more control than we realize.
When we want to achieve something in life, the most important key is our state of mind. Unless we act with the right state of mind, it’s hard to achieve the desired result. The right state of mind can open doors and improve our lives in ways that we never dreamed of.
What we think, say, and feed our minds matters. And to improve the state of your mind, look no further than to what you consciously ingest on a daily basis.
3. “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”
In life, what we look at is not nearly as important as how we look at it. Our perception of the world is what creates our life experience. Behind every person is a rich personal history that is filled with the stories of our experience, both good and bad.
This concept can be compared in a small way to the Universal Law of Relativity. That is, when we compare something with something else, it may seem better or worse. But the thing itself doesn’t change; only our perception of it does.
Our thoughts remain real and true until challenged. If you take a moment to look a little deeper at your thoughts and their origin or justification for existing, you may find that your perception has been somewhat skewed and is therefore not true at all.
Ever get cut off by someone in traffic? We all have. It is so easy to assume that the other person is just a jerk, but it’s our perception that shapes how we view the situation. Maybe they were distracted, had a bad day, just got terrible news, or maybe they just drive that way. That is out of our control. But it’s that perception that alters whether we let it go or stew with indignation.
4. “The measure of your life will not be in what you accumulate, but in what you give away.”
What do you share with others in your life? Your time, wisdom, kindness, understanding, or money?
Time is at the forefront of this list because ultimately, it’s the one thing that we cannot get more of, no matter how hard we try. That fleeting moment that is “now” will never be experienced again by the same person in the same way. The ephemeral measure of time is that it’s immeasurable.
This quote says to me that the ultimate law of life is to see our fellow beings as sisters and brothers, and to share the gifts that we possess with others.
Imagine if Rumi had never written “The Essential Rumi,” or if Maria W. Stewart, America’s First Black Woman Political Writer, had decided to keep her revolutionary ideas to herself? Thank goodness that they didn’t. Whatever your talents are, find a way to give back, and your life and the lives of others will be better for it.
5. “Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life.”
The world tends to define abundance in monetary terms, except that there is truly so much more. Yes, we need money to live and take care of ourselves, but it’s not the end-all-be-all when it comes to abundance.
What about abundant joy, love, health, peace, radiance, friendships, animal companions, or whatever you want to add to the list? Or even taking it back to “doing what you love,” which can be our profession, hobbies, or just loving our daily routine of life. I find abundance in ripening fruits and vegetables in the sun, in the warm comfort of a hot shower, in writing and creating, in giving a hurt animal a loving and warm home.
Anything that gets you in that state of flow is the key to getting more of what we want in life.
Final Thoughts:
The mark of an authentic person and a true pioneer is the ability to inspire us long after the have left this earthly plane. Wayne Dyer’s legacy of positive thinking, awareness, and mindfulness is something that will exist eternally.
Life is very fragile, and always elusive. As soon as we think that we “understand,” there is another mystery. I don’t understand anything… and that is, I think, the key to understanding everything.
With love and gratitude, Aurora
