Brandon Bays
Brandon Bays | |
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| Born | August 21, 1953 New York City, US |
| Occupation | Author, professional speaker |
| Genre | Self-help, motivational |
| Website | |
| www | |
| Part of a series of articles on |
| New Thought |
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Brandon Bays (born August 21, 1953) is an American author and motivational speaker. She has authored New Thought self-help books, and is best known for her 1999 book, The Journey, which became a bestseller in England and Australia.[1]
Her work falls within the broader scope of mind-body healing and has been practiced in various countries.
Biography
[edit]She was born in Trenton, New Jersey to an American father and a Austrian mother[2], who grew up in Vienna, Austria.[3]At age 35, she first visited India, a country she later referred to as her “spiritual home.”[4] She has studied the teachings of Indian spiritual masters, including Ramana Maharshi and his student HWL Poonja, who gave her the spiritual name “Janaki,” meaning “born of the self.”[5]
She worked for Tony Robbins for 10 years, presenting the Living Health program as a Master Trainer.[6]
She is the author of the book The Journey, first published in 1999 and later reissued in 2012.[7] The book has been translated into multiple languages and forms the basis for her therapeutic approach.[8]
Bays says that her healing method originated from a personal health experience in which she was diagnosed with a large abdominal tumor.[9] She recovered without surgery or conventional medical treatment over a six-week period.[10] She attributes her recovery to a process involving emotional release, accessing subconscious memories, forgiveness, and a form of spiritual connection she describes as "Source" or "infinite intelligence."[11]
Following this experience, Bays developed The Journey Method, a process-based approach that combines emotional introspection and guided self-inquiry.[12]
The Journey also incorporates elements of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and includes specific approaches to address phobias and emotional traumas.[1]
Brandon was deeply influenced by a spiritual teacher she fondly calls 'Papaji' ( H. W. L. Poonja ) whom she met in Lucknow, India in the early 90s. Papaji was a teacher of self inquiry in the tradition of the sage, Ramana Maharshi.[13]
Work and influence
[edit]Since the publication of The Journey, Bays has conducted seminars and workshops across five continents.[14] Her work is particularly noted in the fields of personal development, alternative healing, and spiritual inquiry. [15]
Her work gained prominence following her personal account of overcoming a large uterine tumor in the early 1990s, which she claims to have resolved without conventional medical treatment, instead using introspective techniques focused on uncovering and resolving unresolved childhood trauma.[16]
Bays contends that unprocessed emotional experiences are stored at the cellular level and that these can obstruct physiological functions, potentially resulting in illness.[17] The Journey process is designed to guide individuals through the release of these suppressed emotions by accessing and confronting the core memories associated with personal pain or trauma. [18]Her approach draws from principles in mind-body medicine and cellular biology, suggesting that emotional suppression has measurable biochemical consequences that may influence physical health.[16] Bays has collaborated with or appeared alongside various figures in the personal growth and consciousness movement, including Tony Robbins, Lynne McTaggart, Wayne Dyer, Bruce Lipton, and Deva Premal & Miten.[5]
Reception
[edit]Since the publication of her book The Journey (1999), which outlines her recovery and the healing methodology she developed, Bays has cultivated a global following.[14] Her techniques have reportedly been employed by individuals suffering from various health conditions, including cancer, and by people seeking personal development or emotional healing.[9] The method has also found institutional support in some contexts, notably in South Africa, where it has been incorporated into educational programs with government backing.[2]
Despite her popularity among self-help and alternative healing communities, Bays and her methods remain controversial within the medical establishment. [19]Critics argue that approaches like The Journey may provide false hope to patients and lack empirical validation through clinical trials.[14] However, some medical professionals supportive of integrative health such as Irish GP Dr. Paddy Rudden and Australian GP Dr. Mark Naim have publicly endorsed her work as a potentially effective complement to conventional medicine.[15]
Bibliography
[edit]- The Journey: A Road Map to the soul. Simon and Schuster. 2001. ISBN 978-0743443920. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
- The Journey for Kids: Liberating your child's shining potential. Harpercollins UK. 2003. ISBN 978-0007155262. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
- Freedom Is: Liberating Your Boundless Potential. New World Library. 2007. ISBN 978-1577316008. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
- Consciousness: The New Currency. Journey Productions, Limited. 2009. ISBN 978-0956337900. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
- The Journey: A Practical Guide to Healing Your Life and Setting Yourself Free. Atria Books. 2012. ISBN 978-1451665611.
- Living The Journey: Using The Journey Method to Heal Your Life and Set Yourself Free. Atria Books. 2012. ISBN 978-1451665628.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Non-fiction reviews: The Journey". Publishers Weekly. September 24, 2001.
- ^ a b NP, Ullekh (March 1, 2012). "Brandon Bays' self-healing technique allows people to clear their vasanas & sanskaras". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
- ^ Stoicescu, Corina (May 2, 2014). "Brandon Bays, The Journey: "Always listen to your heart!". theessenceofit.com. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
- ^ "Brandon Bays to visit India next month". The Times of India. November 27, 2012. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
- ^ a b "Brandon Bays: 21st Century Healer". Coralesque. March 16, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
- ^ The Journey: A Road Map to the soul. Simon and Schuster. 2001. ISBN 978-0743443920.
- ^ Official website
- ^ College, Vitality Living (May 10, 2019). "The science behind The Journey (Brandon Bays) I Vitality Living College | Vitality Living College". Retrieved May 23, 2025.
- ^ a b "Brandon Bays on God and spirituality". The Times of India. January 29, 2012. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
- ^ "Tumour cured 'through meditation'". Wales Online. March 31, 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
- ^ "Inward journey". News24. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
- ^ Shoval, Ofri. "Free the Cell". Haaretz.
- ^ NP, Ullekh (March 1, 2012). "Brandon Bays' self-healing technique allows people to clear their vasanas & sanskaras". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
- ^ a b c Shipley, Diane (February 20, 2008). "Don't bite the hand that feeds the inner you". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
- ^ a b "Can past trauma result in illness later?". The Irish Times. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
- ^ a b Ray, Shreya (February 6, 2012). "The healing ‘Source’". mint. Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
- ^ Reporter, Excellence (March 1, 2016). "Brandon Bays: The Meaning of Life and the Gift of Grace". Excellence Reporter. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
- ^ "Bays book offers guide to emotional freedom". The Irish Times. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
- ^ Waal, Mandy De (July 19, 2010). "Thank God for science!". Daily Maverick. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
