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custom_key_1115180 | and this child did not appear in her life thereafter. The only child officially known is the girl she adopted at a young age | ||||||||
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custom_key_1115179 | Henry John Lunney | ||||||||
custom_key_1115178 | Veronica Chwala | ||||||||
custom_key_1115177 | Andrew Hay (1954–1968) | ||||||||
custom_key_1115176 | 1926-10-08 | ||||||||
custom_key_1115175 | 2017-08-30 | ||||||||
Louise Lynn Hay (1926–2017) was an American author, educator, and publisher known for her work in metaphysical teachings and personal development. She is particularly recognized for her teachings centered on positive thinking, mental healing, and self-love.
Hay was born on October 8, 1926, in Los Angeles, California. Her childhood and adolescence were marked by poverty, domestic violence, and abuse. After her parents divorced, she was raised by various families. At the age of five, she suffered sexual abuse; during her adolescence, she was abused for five years by her stepfather. She became a mother at sixteen, gave her baby up for adoption, and her education was interrupted.
In the 1950s, she moved to New York and began working as a model. In the mid-1950s, she married a prominent businessman, but the marriage ended after fourteen years. During this period, she developed an interest in various spiritual teachings. She joined the Religious Science Church in Manhattan, where she encountered the idea that changing one’s thought patterns could transform one’s life. She was influenced by the writings of metaphysical authors such as Frances Scovel Shinn and Ernest Holmes.
In the early 1970s, she became a Religious Science practitioner and began conducting workshops. In 1977, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Rejecting conventional medical treatment, she applied her own methods based on nutrition, reflexology, and forgiveness, and reported her recovery. This experience became the foundation for her work emphasizing the impact of mental processes on physical health. During the same period, she published a brochure titled Heal Your Body.
In 1984, her book You Can Heal Your Life sold over fifty million copies worldwide and became one of the seminal works of the positive thinking movement. The book argued that changing mental patterns could lead to both spiritual and physical healing.
In 1985, she initiated group meetings known as “Hay Rides” to support people living with HIV and AIDS. These efforts contributed to breaking down the intense social stigma surrounding the disease at the time.
In 1987, Hay founded the publishing house Hay House. This publisher gained global influence by releasing works by authors such as Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, and Doreen Virtue in the fields of personal development and mind-body-spirit.
Hay’s teachings are grounded in taking responsibility for one’s own life, forgiving the past, and practicing self-love. She is known for the motto “Life loves you.” Her core principles include:
Co-authored with David Kessler, her book You Can Heal Your Heart (2014) offered positive thinking-based guidance for individuals experiencing loss and separation.
Louise Hay died on August 30, 2017, at the age of ninety, in her home in San Diego. Reid Tracy, CEO of Hay House, stated that her passion for serving others had transformed the lives of many. Hay’s teachings made a significant contribution to the widespread adoption of self-love and positive thinking approaches in the field of personal development.
Note: Some works have been published multiple times in Turkish or under different titles (e.g., The Secrets of a Happy Life with Positive Thinking appeared in two different editions).
7th Sense Psychics. “Louise Hay, Founder of the New Thought Metaphysical Self-Help Movement, Dead at 90.” August 31, 2017. https://www.7thsensepsychics.com/stories/louise-hay-founder-of-the-new-thought-metaphysical-self-help-movement-dead-at-90/
Aspire Magazine. "Louise Hay Profile." Aspire Magazine, September 2014. https://issuu.com/aspiremag/docs/aspire_augsep_092414/23
Good News Network. “Louise Hay Built Healing Empire, Healed Herself.” August 31, 2017. https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/louise-hay-built-healing-empire-healed-1926-2017/
Hay House U. “Louise Hay.” Accessed August 21, 2025. https://www.hayhouseu.com/experts/louise-hay
Kidega. “Louise L. Hay.” Accessed August 21, 2025. https://kidega.com/yazar/louise-l-hay-136155
Kitapyurdu. "Louise L. Hay Kitapları." Accessed August 21, 2025. https://www.kitapyurdu.com/index.php?route=product/manufacturer_products&manufacturer_id=8934&sort=publish_date&order=ASC&page=1
Leland, John. “The Queen of the New Age.” New York Times Magazine, May 4, 2008. Web Archive version. https://web.archive.org/web/20181102031851/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/magazine/04Hay-t.html
Rowe, Peter. “Louise Hay, Who Built an Empire on Self-Help, Dies at 90.” San Diego Union-Tribune, September 3, 2017. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/obituaries/sd-me-louise-hay-obit-20170903-story.html
YouTube. "Louise Hay – Documentary." Uploaded by Hay House, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SszIUroeuI0
YouTube. "Louise Hay – Interview." Uploaded by Hay House, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-APW-j32Rs
custom_key_1115180 | and this child did not appear in her life thereafter. The only child officially known is the girl she adopted at a young age | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
custom_key_1115179 | Henry John Lunney | ||||||||
custom_key_1115178 | Veronica Chwala | ||||||||
custom_key_1115177 | Andrew Hay (1954–1968) | ||||||||
custom_key_1115176 | 1926-10-08 | ||||||||
custom_key_1115175 | 2017-08-30 | ||||||||
Early Life
Beginning of Her Career
Spiritual Teachings and Publishing
Philosophy of Life
Death and Legacy
Books by Louise Hay
Works Translated into Turkish
English Works
