Marianne Williamson is an American author, spiritual leader, and political candidate. She has written 13 books, including four New York Times number one bestsellers in the “Advice, How To, and Miscellaneous” category. She is the founder of Project Angel Food, a volunteer food delivery program that serves home-bound people with AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses. She is also the co-founder of the Peace Alliance, a nonprofit grassroots education and advocacy organization supporting peace-building projects.
In 2014, Williamson ran as an independent to represent California’s 33rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. In 2019, she announced her campaign for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 United States presidential election, but later dropped out in January 2020.
Williamson is known for her teachings based on “A Course in Miracles,” a self-study program of spiritual psychotherapy. Her work has been influential in the self-help and New Age movements.
- “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”
- “Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.”
- “Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn.”
- “We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what’s wrong in your life, or you can focus on what’s right.”
- “It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.”
- “The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world.”
- “Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love.”
- “As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”
- “In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it.”
- “The spiritual path – is simply the journey of living our lives. Everyone is on a spiritual path; most people just don’t know it.”
- “We are not held back by the love we didn’t receive in the past, but by the love we’re not extending in the present.”
- “Maturity includes the recognition that no one is going to see anything in us that we don’t see in ourselves. Stop waiting for a producer. Produce yourself.”
- “When a woman rises up in glory, her energy is magnetic and her sense of possibility contagious.”
- “The only work that will ultimately bring any good to any of us is the work of contributing to the healing of the world.”
- “Success means we go to sleep at night knowing that our talents and abilities were used in a way that served others.”
- “We receive His peace when we ask Him for it. We keep His peace by extending it to others. Those are the keys and there are no others.”
- “It’s easy to look at people and make quick judgments about them, their present and their past, but you’d be amazed at the pain and tears a single smile hides.”
- “The top of one mountain is always the bottom of another, so when you reach the top, keep climbing.”
- “The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.”
- “A miracle is a shift in perception from fear to love.”
- “The only thing missing in any situation is that which you are not giving.”
- “You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.”
- “We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?”
- “Ego says, ‘Once everything falls into place, I’ll feel peace.’ Spirit says, ‘Find your peace, and then everything will fall into place.'”
- “The key to abundance is meeting limited circumstances with unlimited thoughts.”
- “Just like a sunbeam can’t separate itself from the sun, and a wave can’t separate itself from the ocean, we can’t separate ourselves from one another. We are all part of a vast sea of love, one indivisible divine mind.”
- “The ways of spirit are not the ways of sacrifice, but rather a way of opening yourself fully to the infinite glories of the universe. The glories are there. They merely await your acceptance.”
- “God is definitely out of the closet.”
- “In our natural state, we are glorious beings. In the world of illusion, we are lost and imprisoned, slaves to our appetites and our will to false power.”
- “Our past is a story existing only in our minds. Look, analyze, understand, and forgive. Then, as quickly as possible, chuck it.”
- “Spiritual growth involves giving up the stories of your past so the universe can write a new one.”
- “The first step in forgiveness is the willingness to forgive.”
- “You must learn a new way to think before you can master a new way to be.”
- “To whatever extent your mind is aligned with love, you will receive divine compensation for any lack in your material existence. From spiritual substance will come material manifestation. This is not just a theory; it is a fact. It is a law by which the universe operates. I call it the Law of Divine Compensation.”
- “The practice of love offers no place of safety. We risk loss, hurt, pain. We risk being acted upon by forces outside our control.”
- “Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learned here.”
- “Nothing binds you except your thoughts; nothing limits you except your fear; and nothing controls you except your beliefs.”
- “We may have bad weather in Ireland, but the sun shines in the hearts of the people and that keeps us all warm.”
- “The only thing missing in any situation is that which you are not giving.”
- “The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and the acceptance of love.”
- “When we think we have things already figured out, we’re not teachable. Genuine insight can’t dawn on a mind that’s not open to receive it.”
- “Each of us has a unique part to play in the healing of the world.”
- “The highest prize we can receive for creative work is the joy of being creative. Creative effort spent for any other reason than the joy of being in that light filled place, love, god, whatever we want to call it, is lacking in integrity. . .”
- “We are not held back by the love we didn’t receive in the past, but by the love we’re not extending in the present.”
- “The only way to get what you really want, is to know what you really want. And the only way to know what you really want, is to know yourself. And the only way to know yourself, is to be yourself. And the only way to be yourself is to listen to your heart.”
- “The ways of spirit are not the ways of sacrifice, but rather a way of opening yourself fully to the infinite glories of the universe. The glories are there. They merely await your acceptance.”
- “The spiritual path – is simply the journey of living our lives. Everyone is on a spiritual path; most people just don’t know it.”
- “We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what’s wrong in your life, or you can focus on what’s right.”
- “The only work that will ultimately bring any good to any of us is the work of contributing to the healing of the world.”
- “Our past is a story existing only in our minds. Look, analyze, understand, and forgive. Then, as quickly as possible, chuck it.”
- “You must learn a new way to think before you can master a new way to be.”
- “The first step in forgiveness is the willingness to forgive.”
- “Spiritual 53. “Spiritual growth involves giving up the stories of your past so the universe can write a new one.”
- “The practice of love offers no place of safety. We risk loss, hurt, pain. We risk being acted upon by forces outside our control.”
- “Nothing binds you except your thoughts; nothing limits you except your fear; and nothing controls you except your beliefs.”
- “We may have bad weather in Ireland, but the sun shines in the hearts of the people and that keeps us all warm.”
- “When we think we have things already figured out, we’re not teachable. Genuine insight can’t dawn on a mind that’s not open to receive it.”
- “Each of us has a unique part to play in the healing of the world.”
- “The highest prize we can receive for creative work is the joy of being creative. Creative effort spent for any other reason than the joy of being in that light filled place, love, god, whatever we want to call it, is lacking in integrity.”
- “The only way to get what you really want, is to know what you really want. And the only way to know what you really want, is to know yourself. And the only way to know yourself, is to be yourself. And the only way to be yourself is to listen to your heart.”
- “The ways of spirit are not the ways of sacrifice, but rather a way of opening yourself fully to the infinite glories of the universe. The glories are there. They merely await your acceptance.”
- “The spiritual path – is simply the journey of living our lives. Everyone is on a spiritual path; most people just don’t know it.”
- “We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what’s wrong in your life, or you can focus on what’s right.”
- “The only work that will ultimately bring any good to any of us is the work of contributing to the healing of the world.”
- “Our past is a story existing only in our minds. Look, analyze, understand, and forgive. Then, as quickly as possible, chuck it.”
- “You must learn a new way to think before you can master a new way to be.”
- “The first step in forgiveness is the willingness to forgive.”
- “Spiritual growth involves giving up the stories of your past so the universe can write a new one.”
- “The practice of love offers no place of safety. We risk loss, hurt, pain. We risk being acted upon by forces outside our control.”
- “Nothing binds you except your thoughts; nothing limits you except your fear; and nothing controls you except your beliefs.”
- “We may have bad weather in Ireland, but the sun shines in the hearts of the people and that keeps us all warm.”
- “When we think we have things already figured out, we’re not teachable. Genuine insight can’t dawn on a mind that’s not open to receive it.”
- “Each of us has a unique part to play in the healing of the world.”
- “The highest prize we can receive for creative work is the joy of being creative. Creative effort spent for any other reason than the joy of being in that light filled place, love, god, whatever we want to call it, is lacking in integrity.”
- “The only way to get what you really want, is to know what you really want. And the only way to know what you really want, is to know yourself. And the only way to know yourself, is to be yourself. And the only way to be yourself is to listen to your heart.”
- “The ways of spirit are not the ways of sacrifice, but rather a way of opening yourself fully to the infinite glories of the universe. The glories are there. They merely await your acceptance.”
- “The spiritual path – is simply the journey of living our lives. Everyone is on a spiritual path; most people just don’t know it.”
- “We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what’s wrong in your life, or you can focus on what’s right.”
- “The only work that will ultimately bring any good to any of us is the work of contributing to the healing of the world.”
- “Our past is a story existing only in our minds. Look, analyze, understand, and forgive. Then, as quickly as possible, chuck it.”
- “You must learn a new way to think before you can master a new way to be.”
- “The first step in forgiveness is the willingness to forgive.”
- “Spiritual growth involves giving up the stories of your past so the universe can write a new one.”
- “The practice of love offers no place of safety. We risk loss, hurt, pain. We risk being acted upon by forces outside our control.”
- “Nothing binds you except your thoughts; nothing limits you except your fear; and nothing controls you except your beliefs.”
- “We may have bad weather in Ireland, but the sun shines in the hearts of the people and that keeps us all warm.”
- “When we think we have things already figured out, we’re not teachable. Genuine insight can’t dawn on a mind that’s not open to receive it.”
- “Each of us has a unique part to play in the healing of the world.”
- “The highest prize we can receive for creative work is the joy of being creative. Creative effort spent for any other reason than the joy of being in that light filled place, love, god, whatever we want to call it, is lacking in integrity.”
- “The only way to get what you really want, is to know what you really want. And the only way to know what you really want, is to know yourself. And the only way to know yourself, is to be yourself. And the only way to be yourself is to listen to your heart.”
- “The ways of spirit are not the ways of sacrifice, but rather a way of opening yourself fully to the infinite glories of the universe. The glories are there. They merely await your acceptance.”
- “The spiritual path – is simply the journey of living our lives. Everyone is on a spiritual path; most people just don’t know it.”
- “We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what’s wrong in your life, or you can focus on what’s right.”
- “The only work that will ultimately bring any good to any of us is the work of contributing to the healing of the world.”
- “Our past is a story existing only in our minds. Look, analyze, understand, and forgive. Then, as quickly as possible, chuck it.”
- “You must learn a new way to think before you can master a new way to be.”
- “The first step in forgiveness is the willingness to forgive.”
- “Spiritual growth involves giving up the stories of your past so the universe can write a new one.”
- “The practice of love offers no place of safety. We risk loss, hurt, pain. We risk being acted upon by forces outside our control.”