A Solution to a Pointless Life

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monroe, NJ, July 12, 2023

Albert Amao Soria

                                               

"A Solution to a Pointless Life: Spiritual Self-help for Personal Development" is an inspirational book by the renowned author Albert Amao Soria. It aims to motivate readers to uncover their passions and inner strengths and to use these to achieve their goals in life. The book acknowledges that traditional religions have disempowered and displaced human Inner-Power; as a result, many seek alternative avenues for their spiritual outlet instead of conventional religious institutions, usually seen as oppressive and inflexible in their creeds. It tackles this issue by drawing on religious, existential, sociological, philosophical, and popular wisdom - all tested by personal experiences.

This book is unique because it addresses the social problem of "existential anxiety" outside of religious contexts, providing readers with a better understanding of their role in the evolution of human consciousness. It empowers readers to tap into their inner power and offers psychological and metaphysical tools to "improve their lives." The author emphasizes that humans should take control of their own power and become active co-creators of their personal and social environments, leading to the betterment of humankind.

"A Solution to a Pointless Life" is a valuable resource for those experiencing existential emptiness during times of ideological and spiritual crisis. The author highlights essential aspects of human personality for self-exploration, self-evaluation, and self-discovery, taking readers on a journey to find the meaning of human existence. Ultimately, the book asserts that the destiny of humans is to become homo-spiritual beings.

A Solution to a Pointless Life is now available in Ebook, softcover, and hardcover versions at amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and other online booksellers. 

 

 

 

 

In Defense of Self-Help and Self-Initiative

 

Book Reviews 2020 - Theosophical Society in America

                   Awaken the Power Within: In Defense of Self-Help
Albert Amao Soria
New York: TarcherPerigee, 2018. 287 pp., paper, $16.00.

Finally someone arises to call out the hucksters and frauds who promise to make you rich, make you wise, make you whole, and make you over. Albert Amao, PhD, is just that man. He is a sociologist, author, and national lecturer for the Theosophical Society in America. His recent book casts a shadow over false saviors while examining some of the most effective elements of self-help practice from traditional esoteric thought.

Hucksters in self-improvement are nothing new, Amao complains, but they continue to pop out of nowhere with promises to take away our pain, worries, and confusion, announcing themselves as New Age messiahs. Typically they disguise themselves as authors, workshop leaders, teachers, or life coaches who offer self-help to misguided souls.

Amao’s book suggests how many teachers and healers in the so-called self-improvement arena will simply dumb down ancient insights and attempt to repackage them in a diluted form for mass marketing.

 Amao debunks many of these attempts, outlining what has worked and not worked in the history of self-help. He distinguishes modern self-help culture from earlier mystical and occult movements and shows how we got to the current interest in the power of positive thinking.

Real growth, understanding, and transformation, Amao argues, come only from deep within you. The Indian sage J. Krishnamurti famously said that truth is a pathless land that everyone must negotiate personally. That is the hero’s journey of self-discovery.

Amao’s earlier work, Healing without Medicine, published by Quest Books in 2014, offered a similar message. Real healing comes from within you. Spiritual unfolding is uncomfortable, like peeling away layers of skin, but only you can do it. The answers are all inside you. The truth is there too. And you will find your true inner self along the way.

As Amao sees it, you won’t typically hear any of that from the snake-oil sales agents who offer to make your transformation easy, bring you instantly to self-realization, and grant you enlightenment in a few easy lessons.

Yet this popular self-help culture has become a pervasive social system worldwide and a staggering $12 billion industry in the United States alone. There are more than 300,000 self-help books available on Amazon.

The hidden harm Amao sees in this market is the blind faith people often place in seminars, books, and tapes. Self-help gurus tell them that redemption comes by empowering themselves with a new life script, as provided in the books, CDs, DVDs, and workshops they sell. Discouraged customers blame themselves when the material doesn’t deliver promised benefits. Thus the effects can be detrimental, and the self-help program can do much more harm than good.

Amao believes that a pattern of powerlessness plagues many people. From early childhood, they have been disempowered and indoctrinated with false ideas about their true nature by parents, mass media, and conventional wisdom. Over time, these acquired ideas of disempowerment become part of a personal belief system, and they subconsciously create a wrong self-image. Moreover, Amao says, some religious organizations create a sense of guilt in people.

Amao counters that quantum physics and metaphysics demonstrate how humans are creators of their own reality and destiny. As William James wrote, “Man alone, of all the creatures on Earth, can change his own pattern. Man alone is architect of his own destiny.”

People are responsible for creating their own reality with their thoughts and beliefs, Amao argues, and they are the only ones who can take back their power and correct whatever isn’t working for them. With that in mind, Amao’s book offers a deeper perspective on the culture of self-help and self-improvement. It empowers individuals to rely on their own inner voices for authentic self-empowerment and self-reliance.

In Defense of Self-Help is well worth exploring for anyone serious about self-empowerment and would be a welcome addition to professional libraries as well.

Von Braschler 

Von Braschler is a Life Member of the Theosophical Society and author of several books on consciousness, including two forthcoming works on conscious thought forms.

The Apocalypse of the Aquarian Age

                                                      Book Press Release

                 Author Tells Readers Why the “End-of-Days” Should Not Be Feared

                                                 

Dr. Albert Amao Soria releases new book The Apocalypse of the Aquarian Age (An Essay on the Cycles of Time, Religion and Consciousness)

EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Apocalyptic assumptions have long been a stronghold in pop culture. These sensationalistic theories were fueled with the arrival of the year 2012 and the Mayan calendar. It’s a trend that author Albert Amao has noticed and taken issue with.

He writes that the purpose of his book is “To counteract the wild sensationalistic and reckless speculation regarding the advent of an apocalyptic catastrophe where only the chosen ones, members of a certain religious denomination, will be saved.

First of all, he states, the word “apocalypse” should be understood in his original Greek sense, meaning revelation, disclosure of new knowledge, or reality. He believes that there is a huge conspiracy propounded by false religious “prophets” and some New Age writers who have misinterpreted the signs of the arrival of the Golden Age for the end-of-days.” Mr. Amao, who has spent his career studying metaphysics and Hermetic philosophy, has detailed his position in his new book, The Apocalypse of the Aquarian Age (An Essay on the Cycles of Time, Religion, and Consciousness). He debunks the philosophies of his adversaries, breaks down the faulty conclusions of their hypothesis in his new book, and shows readers why a worry-free heart is the most logical conclusion.
“Modern psychology, neuroscience, and epigenetics have demonstrated beyond any shadow of a doubt that man can bring about harmful outcomes with his intentions and expectations. This mental energy is magnified to its utmost degree by the tremendous power of mass thinking that can lead to the creation of self-fulfilling prophecies. The idea is to neutralize the effects of this negative thinking with the truth that there is no such thing as the end-of-days. If there is any, as Jesus Christ already admonished, nobody knows it, neither the date nor the hour. Thus, there is nothing to worry about.”

In The Apocalypse of the Aquarian Age, Mr. Amao illustrates that the world is at the threshold of a transitional period from the Age of Pisces to Aquarius. He also shows readers what to expect from such a transition and what new concepts of God and religion will result.

“This book,” says the author, “attempts to answer these questions based on well-researched sources complemented and endorsed by cosmology, archeology, psychology, religion, Near East studies, and mythology, among other scientific disciplines.”

This book is available at Amazon.com, AuthorHouse.com, and bookstores nationwide.

 

 

REGAIN THE POWER WITHIN YOU

           Interview with Albert Amao Soria

By: Von Braschler                     “Man alone, of all the creatures on Earth, can change his                     own pattern. Man alone is architect of his destiny....”                     – William James                 Post-modern industrialized societies suffer not only from common anxiety but also from herd mentality; the mass communication has standardized how people should live, including their expectations and their outlook of life. This is part of the self-deception problem of modern societies characterized by consumerism and the economy of waste. The book Awaken the Power Within is a bold, new book that shows how most teachers and healers in the so-called self-help arena simply dumb-down ancient insights and then attempt to repackage them in some easier, weaker form for mass marketing. Albert Amao Soria, PhD debunks many of them and for good reason. Real self help comes from within. Real growth, understanding, and transformation come only from within you. That's what self help means. You are finding your way. You are on your own path of discovery. You are growing. This self-help literature promise to make you rich, make you wise, make you whole, and make you over. This is nothing new, but every time one crops up to take away our pain, our worries, our insecurity, or confusion, they announce themselves as some sort of new messiah. Generally, they disguise themselves as authors, workshop leaders, teachers, or life coaches who offer self help to the ignorant fools who come to them for help. The new age is full of them. Self-improvement seminars and classes are filled with them. They offer the secret teachings of the ages. They offer to guide you in the area of self help. Krishnamurti, an Indian sage who once led thousands worldwide disbanded his organization and sent all of his followers home. He told them that they needed to be their own teacher and their own student and that they needed to find their way on their own. Truth, he told them, is a pathless land. That is the hero's journey of self discovery. The hero goes on a path of uncertainty, a self-directed journey. Along the way, all great heroes on the path find themselves. The journey is more fruitful and rewarding than the destination. Mr. Amao's new book examines some of the deepest and most effective elements of self-help practice in the succession of traditional esoteric thought. He outlines a historical picture of what has worked and what has not. It's important, after all, to understand modern self-help culture from its earlier mystical and occult movements and how we got to the current interest in the power of positive thought. But here's the ugly truth that many of today's phony teachers with their magic pills and magic formulas won't tell you on their way to selling you a bill of goods or a certificate after several lessons: All real growth requires effort and struggle. It doesn't come easy. It can't. You have to feel it personally. You need to grow outside of the comfort boundaries that hold you neatly in place. The fake teachers do not tell you how the act of spiritual unfolding is uncomfortable. It's like peeling the layers of skin around you, like the layers of an onion. You are working your way through layers of dense material form that shrouds you and conceals your inner being. Ever peel an onion? Not easy is it? And there are tears along the way. That's what it's like peeling down to you spiritual core. Only you can do that. The answers are all inside you. The truth is there, too. And you will find yourself along the way. Here find the difference between real self help and the snake-oil salesmen who offer to make our transformation easy, to bring us instantly to self-realization, and grant us enlightenment in a few easy lessons. Real healing happens from within. You can receive valuable assistance, but you must be willing to do what is necessary to heal on your own to a great degree. And you can.  I asked Dr. Albert Amao a few pointed questions about the self-help programs today and the major focus of his new book. His frank answers follow: (Q) Dr. Amao, how would you assess the scope and problems of the self-help market in modern society? (A) The sell-help culture in the modern developed countries around the world has become a pervasive social system. Taken as an example North America alone, this issue has become a staggering $12 billion industry. There are more than 300,000 books available on Amazon in the category of “self-help.” Given this astounding amount of literature, how can one possibly decide where to look for an authentic self-help book? We are becoming a quick-fix society. Nowhere is this more apparent than in regards to individuals who flock to programs that seek shortcuts in the hope of achieving rapid results. As we frequently see, many proponents of self-help, including advocates of positive thinking, mind/faith healing, and other fictitious techniques aimed at helping others actually focus on fattening their bank accounts as their primary purpose. Self-help is used by some as a business enterprise. No wonder there are many bestselling books in the self-help industry that promise many wonders in a short period of time. This includes Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now, Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret, and many others. The purpose of my book Awaken the Power Within is to analyze the accuracy of self-help and positive-thinking claims and to explore what works, what doesn’t, and why. (Q) What harm or hidden downside do you see in the popular self-help market today? (A) Most of the time, people assume as true the recommendations given in most of these books, audio-books, and seminars. Then, when the material they buy does not deliver the benefits promised, they blame themselves and think that there is something wrong with them. Thus, their effects can be detrimental. Consequently, the self-help programs that are supposedly harmless can do more harm than good and may also reflect the social problems now plaguing our modern society. This problem has been addressed by many authors, such as investigative journalist Steve Salerno, who wrote a book titled SHAM: How the Self-Help Movement Made America Helpless. As the title of the book suggests, inauthentic self-help culture can result in clients victimizing themselves. Motivational speakers organize seminars and workshops, where they sell their books, audio-books, CDs, and more, charging seminar fees that range often from $500 to several thousand dollars in the case of Tony Robbins. The same can be said regarding some Christian ministers motivational speakers who use their popularity and their church platforms to indirectly promote their books and audiotapes. Furthermore, Salerno pointed out that market surveys revealed "the most likely customer for a book on any given topic was someone who had bought a similar book within the preceding eighteen months." Since a person did not find what he/she was looking for, he/she kept searching for another book, audio book, or CD. Or sometimes they enroll in future seminars and workshops in an endless search for self-help. HOW THIS HAPPEN IN OUR MODERN SOCIETIES Those self-help gurus who have access to mass communication such as TV and radio have tremendous power to influence naïve and uninformed people. The self-help industry is infested by life coaches but not by authentic self-help providers.  Thus, self-help gurus promote self-victimization. In other words, they advocate the idea that people have problems in adulthood, because they had been victimized in early childhood. The theory is that their inner child has been traumatized by past events. That becomes a negative "tape" that replay over and over in their subconscious minds. They then tell people that redemption comes through empowering themselves with new "life scripts," which are their books, CDs, DVDs, seminars or workshops.   SO, WHAT IS THE REAL ISSUE The real issue is these “gurus” are selling themselves as healers and projecting their own shortcomings on their clients. The gimmicks used to sell self-help material and workshops may provide people with temporary relief, but this does not last much. They offer only a momentary boost of inspiration that fades away after a few weeks, turning buyers into repeat customers. IN A FEW WORDS WHAT IS THE MAIN GOAL OF YOUR NEW BOOK? The main goal of this book is to raise awareness about the modern “snake oil” peddlers who take advantage of gullible people. Again, they sell the idea of victimization. Once the client accepts the idea that he or she was victimized in his early life, the next step for the self-help agent is to propose the idea of empowerment with their techniques. Someone accurately posited the inquiry: Why is it called "self-help" if one has to pay for it? In this environment, as sociologist and cultural critic I feel is my duty to have the courage to clear the air and put things into realistic perspective. Millions of people are wasting time, money, and energy buying ineffective and detrimental systems. (Q) Then what sort of real self-help do you advocate as authentic and effective today? (A) We can’t throw the baby out with the bath water. It is imperative that we rescue authentic self-help from the business mindset. Contrary to critics who blithely dismiss self-help methods, or New Age gurus who sell them as miracles, the book Awaken the Power Within explores the conditions under which self-help is authentic and effective. There is a pattern of powerlessness among common people. From early childhood we have been disempowered and indoctrinated with false ideas and beliefs about our true nature. Currently, quantum physics and metaphysics are fully demonstrating that humans are the creators of their own reality and destiny. The problem is that we took for granted the false beliefs of self-worthlessness and lack of confidence from our parents, grandparents, mass media, and so-called “conventional wisdom.” And with time, these inherited beliefs of disempowerment became part of our personal belief systems and we subconsciously create a wrong self-image of ourselves.  This set of ideas and beliefs is generally oriented to make us feel powerless and victims of circumstances. It seems that there is a huge conspiracy to inflict a sense of powerlessness on humans.  Moreover, some religious organizations create a sense of guilt on humans because Adam and Eve commit their original sin.   The mass media is basically oriented to manipulate and domesticate ordinary people, creating superficial and unnecessary needs. Most people’s behaviors are based upon the actions, decisions, and opinions of others. Under this scenario come false New Age “gurus,” some Protestant religious leaders, and sensationalistic and fake self-help authors to take advantage of naïve people to financially profit from them. They offer a panacea or “snake oil” to solve all humans’ problems under the name of self-help. They demand that people uncritically believe in them, their products, and services. My book clarifies the concept of “self-help” as a mental self-discipline that some people abuse for the sake of entrepreneurship. It surveys the main assumptions of inauthentic self-help culture that keeps humans enslaved in a herd mentality and demonstrates how real power dwells in the individual and only in him or her. (Q) What are the major objectives or aims of your new book? (A) The primary purposes of the book Awaken the Power Within are as follows:  · To raise awareness about modern “snake oil” peddlers who take advantage of gullible people for financially benefit. · To elucidate manipulation with false ideas through TV, radio, and newspapers · To analyze the pseudo self-help movement in America and discuss what makes it a “cotton candy dream.” · To empower people to rely on themselves and their inner strength for guidance.  · To review the history of the New Thought movement and its offshoots. · To make sense of positive thinking · To explain how intentions and the power of assumption play active roles in shaping the future · To explain the nature of reality, consciousness, and awareness.  (Q) What was your basic goal in writing the book? (A) This is the message of my book in one paragraph: To raise awareness about the gimmicks of inauthentic self-help entrepreneurs and empower people in their search for true sources of help. Humans have the inner capacity to confront any difficult circumstances in life. There is no need for external intervention. People are responsible for creating their own reality with their thoughts and beliefs; and they are the only ones who can take back their power and correct whatever is not working for them. The book offers a deeper perspective on the culture of self-help and self-improvement and empowers us to rely on our inner voice as a source of motivation for authentic self-empowerment and self-reliance. It's time that you begin your own hero's journey of self-discovery by awakening the power within. About the Author: Albert Amao Soria is a sociologist, social theorist, cultural critic, an independent researcher, author, a life-long student of metaphysics and philosophy; He has over 30 years’ experience in comparative religion, psychology, and mysticism with emphasis on Western spiritual traditions. He considers himself as Ageless Wisdom student. Mr. Amao is the author of several books including, Awaken the Power Within, Healing without Medicine, and The Dawning of the Golden Age of Aquarius. Mr. Amao is a national speaker of the Theosophical Society; he lectures nationwide (USA) on metaphysics, Hermetic Qabalah, and New Thought philosophy. He is the founder of the “Center for Spiritual Self-Awakening” Dr. Amao can be contacted by email at Stgermain777@gmail.com. For further information, visit http://www.albertamao.com. Von Braschler is the author of several books including Seven Secrets of Time Travel, Moving in the Light, and Confessions of a Reluctant Ghost Hunter. He writes in the areas of consciousness development, esoteric healing, yoga, and time travel. He has led workshops throughout the UK and the US and is active in the international Theosophical Society of Adyar. He was a runner-up finalist for a COVR book award. Podcasts from his show “Healing with Your Pet: Our Psychic Spiritual Connection” and his many broadcast interviews are available online.

Does Life Have a Purpose?

                                        “According to your faith [beliefs] let it be done to you”

                                                                      (Matthew 9:29)

What is the point of life? This is the question that humans have to deal with at some point in their lives, particularly, when they find themselves experiencing a deep personal crisis.

Some philosophers and traditional scientists, based on the development of materialistic knowledge and technology, have advanced the notion that life is pointless, that there is no meaning of life at all, that life developed based on chance and necessity, and it will continue that way. This was precisely the position of King Solomon, Arthur Schopenhauer, and Fredric Nietzsche, among other thinkers.   As can be seen, this is a fatalistic viewpoint.

The beauty of life resides precisely in probability and apparent randomness because it gives humans the opportunity to exert their creative power to make their lives meaningful. Currently, metaphysics and quantum physics have verified the old paradigm that humans have the power to create their own reality and social circumstances. We are already here on planet Earth; we cannot withdraw from it claiming that there is no meaning in life.

It has been said: “Knowledge is Power, and ignorance is bliss.” Unfortunately, most ordinary people live in a state of sublime ignorance, preoccupied with satisfying the demands of their physical and sensorial needs, such as eating, working, sleeping, and recreation activities that gratify the physical senses. What about spiritual needs? The Master of Nazareth already indicated that man does not live by bread alone ….” The word “bread” in this expression stands for not only for physical food but for intellectual and spiritual food as well.

Then, the appropriate question is: Is it better to live in blissful ignorance or to make our lives meaningful by gaining wisdom through personal experiences?   

Modern science has already proved that we live in an immaterial universe.  Quantum mechanics emphasizes that atoms are made of spinning immaterial energy vortices, which are pure light that appears and disappears. This has led scientists and philosophers to confirm the metaphysical principle that the whole universe is the expression of a universal consciousness. Humans are a small fragment of this consciousness and have the power to determine their social circumstances.[1] 

Quantum mechanics declares that reality is fluid in nature. When something is not observed by consciousness, it exists in a formless state of probabilities. When consciousness becomes aware of it, the multiple probabilities of outcome are narrowed into a single one and the outcome takes that particular form. Consciousness, through awareness and intention, selects the latent probabilities for action and gives them a specific manifestation.

In this process, awareness is extremely important because it gives the ability to handle the course of events before they take place. The more awareness one has, the more one is able to consciously direct upcoming future events. Most people are disoriented in their daily lives because of a lack of knowledge about how the process of conscious co-creation works. Knowledge and definitive purpose protect against randomness and chance. Then, it is extremely important to become aware of our goal in life to be able to have control over the evolvement of events in our personal experiences.

Free will can be employed only based on awareness; free will is the capacity to deliberately select a “choice,” and this can be done only if consciousness is aware of the options in a specific moment. Thus, if there is no awareness, there is no free will to independently select a specific action. Incidentally, NASA physicist and consciousness researcher, Tom Campbell, held the notion that consciousness derives from the capacity of choice and free will. He defines consciousness as “awareness that makes choices.”[2]

Some religions and philosophies have tackled the dilemma of the meaning of life from different angles. For instance, in Buddhism, the first noble truth blatantly declares that life is suffering. The Jews believe that human misery is due to the fact that Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s commandment. Christians acknowledge that suffering is the way to redemption and the ticket to salvation - a better life (heaven); other religions advocate resignation and humility, and so on.

The truth of the matter is, that the question as to whether there is meaning in life is futile (or pointless) because there is no such thing as “meaning of life” per se. The role of humans is to make their lives meaningful. The confusion arises because people live under the assumption that a Supreme Being or somebody else will provide them with meaning for their lives, which is a fallacy. The most appropriate question is: Do the suffering and pain that humans endure in life have any meaning? The other unspoken fallacy is that life should be free of any struggle and distress. We should consider that suffering and pain are basic elements of spiritual growth and self-development. Many spiritual teachers have said: “suffering is the path to wisdom,” and this statement is absolutely true.

  The Master of Nazareth stated: “The Kingdom of heaven is within you.” Man creates his own reality; however, to access this creative power, man needs to become aware of it. Otherwise, he will create his reality unconsciously based on the opinion of the mass media and social/cultural circumstances. My book Awaken the Power Within: In Defense of Self-Help fully demonstrates that “All the power that ever was or will be” is at your hands. This truth was always known by spiritual masters and mystics of all religions. For instance, the early father of the Catholic Church, “Clement of Alexandria, stated that he who knows himself knows God.”[3] This is a self-explanatory statement.

In the spirit of truth-seeking, I am proposing a plausible and coherent theory that could provide an answer to the old and honored predicament of finding the purpose of human existence. The goal for humankind, at the collective level, is to work for the progress and welfare of the human race and the evolution of collective consciousness.

I believe that this physical reality offers us the opportunity to develop our creative power and inner potentialities; otherwise, humans become pawns at the mercy of blind forces beyond their control. The fundamental idea developed in in my book, Awakening the Power Within is that life is an accumulation of experiences to gain wisdom; in turn, this will be geared toward the expansion of consciousness.  That is the purpose of human existence.

    

                                                            Albert Amao Soria, Ph.D.

                                                                        Visit: www.amazon.com/author/amao

                                                                                                         www.albertamao.com

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[1] Albert Amao, Awaken the Power Within (New York: Tarcher/Penguin, 2016).

[2] Tom Campbell, YouTube: “Intuition, Conscious Computers, and Individuality”.

[3] C. G. Jung, Aion,  (New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1978), p. 22. Emphasis added.

04.10.20

The Decisive Keys to Success©

                                                                       “Heaven helps those who help themselves.”

                                                                                              (Anonymous)

                                              

                    

                            The Decisive Keys to Success

 

Knowledge should always be helpful for the betterment of human welfare. Having valuable knowledge and not using it is a blasphemy to life. Along these lines, the fundamental basis to success in all areas of life is the psychological means of Self-Help and self-motivation.  

Man’s thoughts are the beginning of personal creation, social circumstances, and body condition. It is up to every human being to dwell on a positive and uplifting set of ideas rather than a negative and detrimental one. Here come the concepts of “self-initiative” and “self-help” as means of motivation; these, in turn, promote favorable conditions leading people to achieve whatever they want from life. Thus, it is imperative to stress the notion of help yourself first to tap the human potential. Additionally, the concept of self-help plays an important role in cases of self-healing. It is important to remember the saying, “Action opens the door.” You yourself are the healer.

The concept of self-help is anchored in the principles of self-initiative and self-motivation; these are the initial steps required for creating favorable opportunities. As Ralph Waldo Emerson emphasized, “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” Indeed, this is a true statement verified by the writer of this paper. The famous adage makes perfect sentence: “God helps those who help themselves.” This statement is self-evident; without self-initiative and self-motivation, nothing can be accomplished. An individual is left at the mercy of forces beyond his will. Their destiny becomes primarily dictated by the predominant thoughts of others and by the conventional wisdom of their environment.

In his masterpiece Think and Grow Rich, the famous American self-help author Napoleon Hill, after interviewing the most successful men of his time, found out that the key for their success was determination, a driven goal, and action toward achieving their aims. Hill encapsulated the formula for success in the following words, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.”

Moreover, a well-known esoteric author, Manly P. Hall, whose achievements as a prolific writer about esoteric, mythology, and metaphysics, was widely recognized. By the end of his life, he summarizes his wisdom with the words: “I would drop all the magical trappings and emphasize self-help.”[i] He acknowledged the primordial importance of self-help and self-initiative.
             The idea of positive thinking is also fundamental in maintaining perfect health. In past centuries, medical doctors, philosophers, and scientists made a sharp distinction between the mind and the body; they regarded these as separate entities without any interrelationship. However, the truth is the reverse; modern scientific discoveries provide factual evidence demonstrating the close interrelationship between the mind and body. For instance, positive and negative emotional states are now recognized as having a tremendous influence on the physical body.

  There are cases of faith healers, quacks, and charlatans who, although they used fake procedures, accomplished their purposes via the power of suggestion or placebo effect. In these cases, credit should be given to ill people because they regained their wellness. Charlatans can create expectations in naïve people, who are predisposed to believe in anything. This is evidenced on evangelical camp or New Age group healings, where the religious leader, preacher, practitioner, etc., whose primary purpose is to raise the congregants’ receptivity to suggestions. In turn, these suggestions activate the imaginations of the subconscious mind of the followers to obtain the healing or the “miracle” expected.^[ii]  
Along these lines, my book Awaken the Power Within: In Defense of Self-Help can be considered a self-help book. It guides and empowers the reader on their journey as well as helps them achieve whatever they want in life. The concept of self-help is a significant component of self-healing as well.

Furthermore, this book provides solids facts that can change one’s conception of life and man’s role in life’s arena. Putting the principles recommended into practice is essential to transforming oneself and life to what one desires. All one needs to do is put these goals into creative visualizations, affirmations, and positive action leading to their achievement.

If a person is not getting what they want in life, the first thing they may need to do is an honest introspection to determine what is holding them back. Perhaps one needs to resolve past traumas or conflicts that may be in the way of getting what the person wants. Or one may be fostering self-defeating ideas and feelings of unworthiness that sabotage the accomplishment of their goals.

There is a tremendous power that lies dormant within each person that can be awakened by the practices of self-help, concentration, and meditation. One needs to stop waiting for somebody else to appear and make one’s dreams come true. It is not the guru, teacher, healer, or anyone else who can give someone that power. “All the power is in you right now.” The only one who can free a person from whatever situation they find themselves in is their Higher Self. Each individual is the solution to all their problems and their only savior. It may be true that someone else can provide some guidance, but the individual has to do the job and take the necessary action to tread the proper path.

In this journey, the faculty of discrimination, which is the capacity to distinguish between the real and the false, question everything about its actual value, and discern between the imaginary world where glamorous mirages appear as accurate, is extremely important.  It is this discriminatory power that helps a person distinguish between the fake healer and the real one. People should always remain skeptical but open-minded about testing new avenues of knowledge. This allows them to avoid the cults, myths, and mania that often entrap those seeking spiritual and metaphysical knowledge.

             Lastly, one should read the book Awaken the Power Within: In Defense of Self-Help in its entirety to understand the psychological principles it explains, while remembering the book is an information source, and all the real power resides in the individual. People need to be kind and patient with themselves. Patience is a valuable virtue, which will be of great use as one makes one’s way to success. The goal is to free oneself from self-imposed limitations and treat oneself with genuine love. A person has to love themselves first and feel rich in spirit to attract love and wealth.

            Here are simple recommendations to start self-improvement help and healing from within:

Most people have neglected the creative power of their minds.

1)     We have to take responsibility for our actions and thoughts. The important thing is not what happens to us but how we react to it.

2)     Healthy life habits should be incorporated into an active mental and physical life. We should remember the saying: “keep the wheels turning; otherwise, they will get rusty.” Healthy eating based on natural herbs and mainly vegetarian food is essential.

3)     “Man does live from bread alone.” Indeed, we also feed our mind and spirit with thoughts, beliefs, and emotions that he indirectly or directly accepts and incorporates from the social environment and mass media.

4)     One cannot stress enough the importance of the right food, physical exercise, deep and rhythmic breathing, and exposure to solar light.  

5)     Spiritual exercises such as reflection, meditation, and positive contemplation, as well as a stress-free environment, are components of good spiritual well-being.  

                  Thus, the decisive key for success in all life areas is self-help, self-motivation, and a positive attitude.

                                              Albert Amao Soria, PH.D.              

 

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[i].  Manly P. Hall:  http://www.truthcontrol.com/manly-p-hall.

[ii]. For further information refer to my book, Healing Without Medicine: From Pioneers to Modern Practice. (Quest Books, 2014.) 

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