A decade or so ago someone created an online virus and named it after me. The “Vitale” virus circulated the Internet, causing chaos and complaints. I was upset about it until a friend said, “You know you’re famous when they name a virus after you.”
Years ago I attended an event as the keynote speaker. I went to pick up my name tag but someone had already taken it, claiming to be me. Throughout the weekend I kept hearing “Joe Vitale did this” and “Joe Vitale did that,” when in reality it wasn’t me at all. I couldn’t even get my meals at the event because I wasn’t wearing my name tag.
Often people send out emails saying I endorse them or their product. Sometimes it’s true. Too often, though, it isn’t. Someone wrote me recently complaining about a course they said I promoted. Turns out it wasn’t my promotion or my course.
And a year or so ago there were some imposters on Twitter claiming to be me. As far as I know, we got Twitter to delete all of their accounts.
Just the other day I noticed someone selling some of my e-books on Amazon. They are doing it illegally. I didn’t even know my e-books were on Amazon until I accidentally saw a link to one while researching a completely different book.
It’s a strange experience to read about things I haven’t done, written, or promoted.
My advice to you is to proceed with caution. If something looks unfamiliar or unlikely to you, check it out. The best way to keep up with the real Joe Vitale is right here on this blog or by signing up for my email list over at http://www.JoeVitale.com
Of course, there’s also all of this:
I’m flattered by all the attention but not all of it is actually mine.
Just a heads up.
Ao Akua,
PS — I’m excited. My new music CD is nearly complete. Get details right here.
I personally knew, worked with and loved Jerry Hicks, of Abraham fame. When I learned he passed away on November 18th, I felt the sadness of losing a friend, but the joy of knowing he transitioned into what Abraham and Esther Hicks call The Vortex.
When I lived in Houston decades ago, Jerry and Esther were coming out with their books and audio cassettes. Their first book was typewritten and self-published. I helped them promote it, and later wrote full-page ads for them.
After that, I helped them get their website up by introducing them to my webmaster at the time, and later promoted their site for them. I sent out news releases and contacted the media.
I was an evangelist for Abraham. Jerry sometimes called and asked for advice about publishing or marketing. I loved our chats. And almost two decades ago I wrote the introduction to the first edition of their book, Sara and the Foreverness of Friends of a Feather.
Years ago, when I updated and published a long lost book by Genevieve Behrend, called Attaining Your Desires, Jerry wrote me a long letter praising it. He also went through the first edition, found typos, and listed them for me to correct (which I did). He never charged me, and was happy to help.
Like Esther, Jerry was always upbeat, joyful, and a delight to talk to. I always looked forward to our calls and meetings.
I have rarely met anyone so committed to his mission of getting out the word of Abraham. Jerry didn’t struggle or worry, but simply offered Abraham’s words to those ready to hear them. He never seemed to tire. He never got bored. He never wanted to stop. He was just as enthusiastic over the most recent Abraham seminars as he was over the very first ones.
I drifted away from Jerry and Esther when I realized Abraham’s feel good formula was missing a step. That’s when I began writing about “getting clear” as an essential ingredient to attracting what you wanted. I wrote about this in my book, The Attractor Factor, and spoke about it in my audio program, The Missing Secret. It’s the core of my Miracles Coaching program.
I never stopped loving Jerry and Esther, of course. I’ve always called them two of the most loving people I’ve ever met, a true joy to be around. They are beacons of light.
Jerry was always the picture of fitness and health. Every time I saw him, he radiated wellness. He looked like he could do circus gymnastics at the drop of a hat. As far as I could tell, he would live forever.
I was wrong.
Sometimes fans of the Law of Attraction think they can escape reality. I’ve been teaching for years that you can’t argue with reality. That’s why surrender is such an important step in awakening, and why I wrote about it in my book, The Awakening Course. The Law of Attraction is only one law. As a healer I know once announced, “At some point you’re just gonna die.”
Of course, a handful of teachers think death is just a belief. I even questioned death in my book, Life’s Missing Instruction Manual. Maybe we attract it because we believe and expect it. Maybe it’s further proof of the Law of Attraction. I don’t really know.
Some people criticized Jerry and Esther for accepting chemotherapy to fight his cancer. Some critics took that as a sign the Law of Attraction doesn’t really work when push comes to shove.
I find that odd. I remember some of the early dialogues with Abraham, where Esther said when you use the Law of Attraction, you will be guided to use whatever means might help. When you have a headache and you intend to attract relief, you might attract or create a natural healing method, or you might attract aspirin.
After all, when you consciously intend to attract something, where do you think it is going to come from?
Jerry wasn’t Abraham. Jerry was human. Like each of us, he had life challenges. A song I wrote on my forthcoming singer-songwriter album says, “Everybody’s goin’ through somethin’.” The point is for us to do our best to awaken. Our unconscious programs are running the show. We may or may not clear them all this time around. That’s why it behooves us to reflect on what is behind what we are attracting. Books such as Louise Hay’s Heal Your Body and Daniel Condron’s Permanent Healing can be useful. They can shed light on the unconscious reasons for physical ailments.
Don’t use Jerry’s illness or death as an excuse to become a victim.
Abraham taught you’d always have challenges. As soon as you resolved one issue, you’d attract another. Welcome to the human experience. This doesn’t mean the Law of Attraction doesn’t work. It means it does work. You always get what you unconsciously believe and expect. (Re-read that.) Jerry once told Esther he’d probably depart before her, which proves he had a belief in dying, and maybe a belief in a particular way of passing on.
I wasn’t with Jerry when he grew ill, so I can’t say what he was thinking. I don’t know why he attracted cancer, or why he chose the modern medicine path to remove it. But if he accepted conventional medicine as a treatment, than he must have felt he attracted it as a possible solution. He was probably reaching for the thought that felt best to him at the time.
The fact that he got ill and passed on doesn’t mean anything more than he got ill and passed on. Everything else is simply our projecting our beliefs onto his situation.
If you have thoughts, fears, doubts, beliefs and expectations surfacing — triggered by Jerry’s illness and passing — that’s what you want to clear. What you are experiencing is your unconscious coming to the surface. You are discovering what you really believe.
Jerry’s situation is revealing your unconscious belief system. He’s a mirror. Whatever you say about Jerry reflects your own beliefs. That’s all. And that’s wonderful. He left you a great gift. Here’s your chance to break free.
Death isn’t a bad thing. It’s not failure. Jerry and Esther, via Abraham, taught that death is simply walking from one room into another.
“Make fun of death. We are as dead as it gets, and we are fully aware of this joyous experience. We are with you every time you allow it. We are in every singing bird and in every joyful child. We are part of every delicious pulsing in your environment. We are not dead, and neither will you ever be. You will just get up one day, and get out of the movie.” – Abraham (Esther Hicks)
Jerry exited stage right.
I loved him.
I’ll miss him.
As Abraham would say, “You are loved. All is well.”
Ao Akua,
PS — Some info about Jerry’s passing: http://goodvibeblog.com/jerry-hicks-says-goodbye/
As I write this, my mother is dying. She is in pain, looks horrible, and cries out a lot. It shakes me to the core to see her this way. She’s beyond recovery with any of the healers or healing I know.
My father, 86 and going strong, is her basic caretaker. He has refused most offers of help. When I return home to see them both, I struggle with what I see.
I’ve been reflecting on the insights here for you and me. This is a time of letting go and processing. There are at least three urgent life lessons that I feel compelled to share with you. Maybe you know them; maybe you don’t. But I feel obligated to describe them, hoping they will help all of us.
Here they are:
Health.
If you don’t take care of your health, your enjoyment of life, and most likely your length of time here, will suffer. This isn’t to be taken lightly. I’m not just talking about how you feel today, but how what you do today will influence how you feel a few years to decades from now. You are sculpting your future self from today’s thoughts, decisions and actions.
My mother hasn’t taken care of herself. For the last 13 years she has suffered from depression and procrastination. Over time, that created the deteriorating body I see today. Yet my father has exercised every day for the last fifty years. He’s 86 and basically in good health. Seeing him handle my mother is an inspiration.
Your health should be your top priority.
Wealth.
Unless you do something today about your finances, years to decades from now you may find yourself relying on others. That may not be a good thing. The health care system we currently have in the USA isn’t very healthy, or reliable. You don’t want to burden family or friends, and you don’t want to count on them. The only way out is to be financially free. That way you can hire the best care, even a personal doctor or nurse. You can take care of yourself and be comfortable.
My parents are “OK” financially. Their bills are paid. They have some insurance. But they can’t afford what I think my mother needs right now. I can, of course, and I am doing whatever my father will allow. But I don’t think you want to end up in a position where you are dependent on others.
Your wealth should be a top priority.
Happiness.
Throughout life, the goal seems to be happiness. A better word might be contentment. Yes, we want life experiences and “stuff,” but that’s because we think they will bring us happiness. The real goal is to be happy now.
My mother is not happy. My father is, or at least appears to be. And I confess that during this time with my mother I have had difficulty finding my center; that place of peace in the center of the cyclone. Yet happiness, or contentment, is the secret passageway to making all of life enjoyable, or at least acceptable.
Contentment should be your central priority.
Those life lessons are important. But how do you make them a reality?
Here are a few answers that have helped me:
Health.
Today the average life span is about 78 years. Thanks to better nutrition and better medicine, we are living longer. But you can’t stop there. Read Dr. Marc Gitterle’s book on anti-aging, called Growing Young. I realize there are numerous books on health and wellness. I know Dr. Gitterle. He’s helped me. His book is a breakthrough. Get his e-book direct from his website or get the printed version at Amazon. (I don’t make a dime when you buy it.)
Wealth.
According to the Associated Press on November 17th, “People who are 90 or older have nearly tripled in number since 1980, to 1.9 million…The trend is posing unique health challenges and adding to rising government costs for the strained Medicare and Social Security programs.” Save yourself. Read Attract Money Now. It’s free. I wrote it to help you out of the money mess. Quit giving your power to others; quit being a victim; quit complaining. Find your path to freedom. Get it direct from this link: http://www.attractmoneynow.com (Remember, it’s free.)
Happiness.
This moment is the miracle. Even with all the challenges, even with all the sadness, even with all the suffering, this moment is still a miracle. Finding peace within the circumstances of the moment is your test. There are many ways to help yourself return to this moment. When I was getting on a plane to see my mother a few months ago, and I knew she was in ER and didn’t know what I was going to face, I had to slow down my breathing, quiet my mind, and return to the serenity of the moment. My being at peace when I got to see my mom also helped her relax.
When I review this post, I see that I’m describing what others have said is our search and our right: the pursuit of health, wealth, and happiness. It’s not new. It’s centuries old.
The real question is, are you actively pursuing these?
The key word is actively.
It’s one thing to nod your head and agree with me. It’s quite another to stand up and do something.
I’m asking you to do something.
As I was writing this post for you, I learned a friend of mine from college died.
Then I learned the mother of another friend passed away.
What’s the best way to deal with these life challenges?
Nature reminds us of the way:
A cat we’ve had for over ten years suddenly stopped eating, looked ill, and left. He was feral. We had never been able to touch him, let alone catch him. But I marvel at how in tune with nature he was. He didn’t complain or second guess or doubt. He accepted his moment and moved on.
But the story gets even better.
Our dog, Wolfie, has never slept indoors at night. Not in ten years. Not during heavy rains or deep freezes. Never. But once our feral kitty left us, Wolfie moved in. Somehow Wolfie knew her friend no longer needed her outside for protection or company.
It’s inspiring to see nature work in such perfection. I want to be so in tune with my Divine connection to know what to do in each moment. For now, it’s writing this message to you.
What is it for you?
Finally, I’ve sometimes asked my readers to join me in holding an intention. Whether to stop a hurricane, clean up an oil spill, or put out wildfires, every time I’ve made such a request there was a measurable difference in the world.
This time I’m asking you to help my mother.
Please hold the intention that she is at peace in her body and mind. Send her love. Pray, clean, meditate, or whatever else you feel guided to do. Ask for her most benevolent outcome.
Thank you.
I love you.
Ao Akua,
PS — I wrote a song called “Three Months” that you’ll be able to hear on my forthcoming music CD, Strut! It’s based on a true story, where a friend was given three months to live. The song asks you to reflect on the question, “What would you do if you had three months to live?” It might be worth meditating on today, especially since tomorrow is Thanksgiving holiday in the USA: What would you do if you were given a short time on earth? What are you grateful for? Who are you grateful for? Who would you call? Thank? Hug? Kiss? What would you do? The moment to do something is right now. BTW, Happy Thanksgiving.
My focus these days is doing my best to explain what I believe is the forbidden formula for manifesting what you want. In short, it looks like this:
1. Be here now. The greatest spiritual teachers pointed to this moment as being “it.” Ain’t nowhere else to go. The past is gone. The future isn’t here. All you really have is now.
That’s true.
BUT.
2. Future birth. What you do in this moment creates your next moments. In other words, you can sit and “be here now” and feel great. But unless you take action out of this moment, you may become a happy beggar. All your stuff will be taken. You may not care, as you’ll be happy in the moment, but you will be of little service to humankind.
What we need is what I once called a “mystic in the marketplace.” That’s where you realize the magic, mystery and miracle of this moment, and you work in the world doing what you love to make a difference for the rest of us.
It takes both, a type of enlightened action.
Not taking action is probably the number one thing Law of Attraction practitioners do wrong. They tend to believe sitting and visualizing is enough. While sometimes things can fall into your lap, more often than not you need to move your lap to a place to better receive what you want. That means get up and move. Do something.
Again, I’m advocating being in the moment and being in movement.
I’m calling this the forbidden formula because either people don’t know it, don’t do it, or don’t share it. In order to be happy now while being productive in the world, you need to do and be both: enlightened and productive.
My completely recreating myself as a musician is an example of what I mean. Last year I wasn’t a musician. This year I’ll have three music CDs out.
I could have sat back and rested on my book royalties and done little more but sit in the moment and enjoy the sun and stars. But something within inspired me to pursue music.
I’ve learned to say “YES!” to the nudges; they lead to miracles. As a result of happily pursuing my new direction, I’m creating a new genre of music to help and heal the world.
There’s nothing wrong with pursuing enlightenment through sitting or walking meditation. But it seems a bit self-centered. Once you’ve tasted the miracle of the moment, get up and create from it.
Take the bliss to the street.
As a spiritual teacher once told me, “It’s easy to meditate in the mountains. Try doing it in business!”
Of course, you’re free to do whatever you like.
I’m just sayin’.
Ao Akua,
PS — Breaking News: Nightingale-Conant just released The Ultimate Law of Attraction Library. This is hands-down the definitive guide to finally understanding and using the Law of Attraction (LOA). There’s nothing else like it anywhere. It’s THE complete course in LOA. It’s an unprecedented 12-CD, 20-session historic collection. It takes you from novice to expert, and covers everything from spirituality to attracting money, to getting clear and much, much more. Go see http://www.nightingale.com/Auth_About~Author~Joe_Vitale.aspx
A friend recently cried out, “I’m tired of the drama of poverty!”
He smiled as he said it, but I knew the statement revealed his pain. He was truly tired of the struggle of wanting more but receiving less. He was tired of bills and debt while doing what he loves and going for his dreams. He was hurting. I wanted to help and felt inspired to ask him a question that stopped him in his tracks.
“Why don’t you join me in the drama of prosperity?” I asked.
His mouth dropped. The question derailed his thinking but opened his mind.
“The drama of prosperity?” he asked. “Tell me about that.”
“Well, we both know the drama of poverty,” I began. “Been there. Done that. But the drama of prosperity exists, too. We prosperous ones have characters, and color, and challenges, too. They’re just usually easier to handle because prosperity softens the experience.”
My friend smiled as he was taking in my new concept. It was new to me, too. I had just thought of it. I figured it was fine for me to continue. So I did.
“Look, until we awaken, we are subject to what the ego wants,” I explained. “The ego likes struggle. It knows it can get it from keeping you in poverty, so that’s what it does. But you can out smart the ego by giving it the drama it seeks, just on a whole new playing field – one with abundance around you.”
This made sense to my friend. He was ready to leave poverty and thought struggling with prosperity would be preferred. I had to agree. So I kept talking.
“When I was struggling in Dallas and in my early years in Houston, looking for two dollars to get something to eat was the struggle. It was no fun at all,” I explained. “But prosperity has its own cast of characters and dramas. It’s also life theater.”
I told him of the seven IRS audits I had been through years ago because a firm I hired misled their clients. That never happened when I was in poverty. It’s drama. Still, I prefer it over the drama of not having two dollars.
And here’s the deeper secret:
While I sometimes grumbled about the IRS audits, in reality they were no big deal. I hired other people to give the IRS what they wanted. Prosperity allows you to delegate. While the audits were in fact “struggle,” they were preferred over the struggle of finding enough money to eat lunch.
Let me be clear: I’m not encouraging you to struggle at all. But as long as you’re going to do it, you might as well upgrade it.
I’ve often explained that you can “trick” yourself out of your own limitations with psychological maneuvers.
In my book, Attract Money Now, I suggest you support a cause bigger than you. Not only is it a way to help others, but it’s a way to allow more wealth to stream through your life. Most of us won’t allow ourselves to have too much good, but we will allow others in need to have it, which often stretches us to allow a little more good into our own lives.
Here’s another example:
In 1969, The Rolling Stones told us —
You can’t always get what you want
You can’t always get what you want
You can’t always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You get what you need
Great music but what’s it doing to your thinking?
I’ve talked about this very thing in my books, such as The Attractor Factor. That’s music that reprograms your mind. Notice how the key command, “You can’t always get what you want,” is repeated. That’s pure hypnosis. It creates a “trance of limitation” that runs your life. You end up thinking you really can’t get what you want.
Well, if you can’t always get what you want but can always get what you need, then need more.
You are simply working within your current mental paradigm to trick it into helping you be happier and wealthier.
Again, the whole point of life is to awaken. But until you do, you are subject to the whims and programming of the ego. The monkey’s still in charge. Well, you can use the ego to go in a better direction.
You can leave the drama of poverty and enter the drama of prosperity.
The ego still gets drama but you now get prosperity.
Sounds better to me.
Ao Akua,
PS – Remember, our life mission is to awaken, not make deals with the ego. The “Drama of Prosperity” is just a way to lessen emotional pain and make life more comfortable. It’s a way that occurred to me to help you leave an unpleasant struggle and enter a more enjoyable one. But it’s still struggle. Be sure to read or listen to my book, The Awakening Course. It can help you leave the struggle entirely. After all, don’t you want to break free?
Note: The Rolling Stones song example above is exactly why I am creating my own music filled with positive messages. I love music but unless you are aware, it can program you for lack and limitation. Get notified when my music is available by clicking right here. Feel free to tell the Rolling Stones, too.