Caroline Myss: Exploring Education, Spirituality, and Medical Intuition
Caroline Myss is a prominent figure in the fields of human consciousness, spirituality, mysticism, health, energy medicine, and medical intuition. A five-time New York Times bestselling author and internationally renowned speaker, Myss has dedicated her career to exploring the connections between the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual aspects of human existence. This article delves into her educational background, significant contributions, and lasting impact on the landscape of holistic health and personal development.
Early Life and Education
Caroline Myss was born on December 2, 1952, in Chicago and raised in Melrose Park, Illinois. Her upbringing was rooted in the Catholic faith, and she attended Mother Guerin High School in River Grove, Illinois, which was run by the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.
Myss earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Indiana in 1974. Initially, she embarked on a career in journalism in Chicago.
Higher Education and Early Career
A pivotal moment in Myss's career occurred when she interviewed Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, the author of "On Death and Dying." This encounter inspired her to pursue a Master's degree in theology from Mundelein College, Chicago, which she completed in 1979.
Following her Master’s degree, Caroline co-founded Stillpoint Publishing and headed the editorial department, producing an average of ten books a year in the field of human consciousness and holistic health. Simultaneously Caroline refined her skills as a medical intuitive, with the assistance of C.
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Myss also claims to hold a Ph.D in "intuition and energy medicine", but the degree was granted by Greenwich University, a now-defunct correspondence school that was never accredited to deliver higher education awards by any recognized government accreditation authority.
Development of Energy Anatomy
In 1982, Caroline Myss began offering medical intuitive readings. In 1983 she co-founded Stillpoint Publishing, a small New Age publishing company in Walpole, New Hampshire, where she also worked as an editor. In 1984, she began consulting with holistic doctors, which led to a collaboration with C. Norman Shealy, a physician and founder of the American Holistic Medical Association. Together, they co-authored "AIDS: Passageway to Transformation" in 1987, followed by "The Creation of Health: The Emotional, Psychological, and Spiritual Responses that Promote Health and Healing" in 1988.
Caroline developed the field of Energy Anatomy, a science that correlates specific emotional/psychological/physical/spiritual stress patterns with diseases.
Rise to Prominence: Books and Media Appearances
Deriving from her practice as a medical intuitive, she started writing books, in the field of energy medicine, and healing, all of which became New York Times Best Sellers. In 1996, Caroline released "Anatomy of the Spirit," a New York Times bestseller that has been published in 28 languages and has sold over 1.5 million copies.
Myss's "Anatomy of the Spirit" (1996) overlapped seven Christian sacraments with seven Hindu chakras and the Kabbalah's Tree of Life to create a map of the human "energy anatomy". Through the investigation of the underlying reasons why people sabotage their healing processes, Caroline identified a syndrome she calls “woundology,” characterized by a person’s reliance on the power of illness for manipulation of his or her world, as opposed to attaining an independent, empowered state of health. As with her other seminal research, this syndrome is now a recognized psychological condition.
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Her subsequent books further solidified her reputation as a leading voice in holistic health and spirituality. "Why People Don't Heal and How They Can" (1998) explored the reasons people do not heal through her concept of "woundology." Caroline then pursued her interest in the language of symbols, myths, and archetypes, conducting research that enabled her to profile an individual’s “Sacred Contract,” a complex of 12 archetypal patterns that reflect in mythic language the agreements the soul made prior to birth. Based on this work, Caroline released "Sacred Contracts," which became her third New York Times bestseller. It is published in 18 languages and posts sales of well over 1.6 million copies. "Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential" (2002) dealt with the issue of finding "Life Purpose," while describing Sacred Contracts as "a set of assignments that our soul had formed around before incarnation". Caroline followed with two more New York Times bestsellers, "INVISIBLE ACTS OF POWER" in 2004 and "ENTERING THE CASTLE" in 2007.
Myss started hosting a weekly Call-in Talk radio show, "Sacred Contracts" around 2005, at Hay House Radio, an Internet radio site, run by Hay House publishing, where she gave online intuitive readings to callers. She has since appeared on the The Oprah Winfrey Show numerous times.
Caroline’s interest in mysticism and the nature of mystical consciousness only deepened following the writing of "ENTERING THE CASTLE". She pursued her interest in the nature of grace, the consciousness of the soul and the mystical phenomenon of healing that transcends reason in DEFY GRAVITY, released in October 2009.
CMED (Caroline Myss Education)
In 2003, Caroline Myss established her own educational institute, CMED (Caroline Myss Education), which offers a diverse array of programs devoted to personal development and draws students from all over the world.
By 2000, she discontinued doing private medical intuitive readings, and instead started teaching it, through her workshops, seminars, radio shows and guided tours. She tours internationally as a speaker on spirituality and mysticism, and lives in Oak Park, Illinois, near Chicago.
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Criticism and Skepticism
Caroline Myss's work has not been without its critics. Skeptics have questioned the scientific basis of her claims and the lack of tangible evidence to support her intuitive abilities. In Michael Shermer's book "The Skeptic: Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience," Phil Molé states that "Caroline Myss offers no tangible evidence to support any of her claims." Similarly, Joe Nickell, a skeptic and paranormal investigator, asserts that "Myss provides no proof of her alleged abilities."
Published Works
Caroline Myss is the author and co-author of several books, including:
- AIDS: Passageway to Transformation, with C. Norman Sheally, Stillpoint Publishing, Walpole, NH. 1987. ISBN 978-0-913299-47-0.
- The Creation of Health: The Emotional, Psychological, and Spiritual Responses that Promote Health and Healing, with C. Norman Sheally, Three Rivers Press, 1988.
- Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing, Three Rivers Press, 1996.
- Why People Don't Heal and How They Can, Three Rivers Press, 1998.
- Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential, Three Rivers Press, 2002.
- Invisible Acts of Power: Personal Choices That Create Miracles, Free Press, 2002.
- Spiritual Power, Spiritual Practice, Sounds True, 2004.
- The Sacred Contract of America: Fulfilling the Vision of Our Mystic Founders, 2007, Sounds True.
- Defy Gravity: Healing Beyond the Bounds of Reason, Free Press, 2009.
- Entering the Castle: My Secret Journey to the Center of the Soul, Free Press, 2007.
She also wrote Foreword True Coming of Age: A Dynamic Process That Leads to Emotional Well-Being, Spiritual Growth, and Meaningful Relationships, by John T. Chirban. McGraw-Hill Professional, 2004. Made in Image of God - Caroline Myss The Fabric of the Future: Women Visionaries of Today Illuminate the Path to Tomorrow, by Mary Jane Ryan, Patrice (INT) Wynne, Ken Wilber, Published by Conari, 2000. ISBN 1-57324-197-0. A Gift of Light, A Gift For The Soul…
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