So, Wayne Dyer is back with a new book and a new PBS show called Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling.

I’m not sure why, but I thought his previous program, on intention, was better. Maybe it’s because the former program wound up being really instrumental in my progress this past year (as I’ve mentioned before).

Anyways, I did want to blog a few quotes from the show. I may have more to say after I’ve read the book (Borders has it for 30% off list).

First, there’s this from Mr. Self-Actualization, Abraham Maslow:

What is necesary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.

That resonated with me. According to Dyer, this is all about changing your concept of who you are, and seeing the divine in yourself. The rationale is that if you saw yourself as divine, you would spend far less time beating yourself up for being flawed, and you’d be more likely to be able to use your energy in more productive ways.

I liked it because I see it as the core reason I’ve been doing well this past year. I’m losing weight, but it’s not about who I’ll be able to date when I’m thin, or what kind of better job I might get, or even that I’ll be able to go rowing or skiing again.

For me, this relates to something Dyer said in a recent interview when asked about why he’s into goals (emphasis mine):

Goal setting is fine if you want to be the warrior archetype. These people are setting goals constantly and trying to get someplace else. They say, “If you don’t know where you are going, then you won’t know when you get there.”

But when you get to a higher level of consciousness, when you get into a spiritual approach to life, you are not trying to get someplace else, because you never can get it done. You never are going to get there.

Instead, what you want to do is get to a place where you are at peace. You are connected to God, you are enjoying every single day you have, and the growth of you and your store will take care of themselves.

That is so what I’m about. Not so much the “higher level of consciousness” (heck, I can’t even string a week of daily meditation sessions). But instead the concept of being at peace.

Wow…it may not be bliss, but it beats the heck out of the constant conflict I had been living with…most of it centered around what I (over) ate.

The following quote is the primary framework for the book and the show. It’s by Patanjali, who is apparently considered the father of yoga.

When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all of your thoughts break their bonds. Your mind transcends limitations. Your consciousness expands in every direction. And you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents come alive and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.

Dyer goes into each point and expands on it, often with very interesting stories of people who’ve exemplify inspiration, or the way he considers it…as “in spirit.”

It’s just started on PBS, so you may want to see if it’s airing near you (it’s listed under “D” on the A-Z listing for “Dr. Wayne Dyer…”).