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Mary M. Morrissey

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Mary Morrissey
Born1949 (age 75–76)
Beaverton, Oregon, United States
Website
www.marymorrissey.com

Mary Manin Morrissey (born May 25, 1949) is an American New Thought leader, author and public speaker.[1]

Morrissey founded the organization Living Enrichment Center, and was co-founder and president of the Association for Global New Thought. Known for her international nonviolence activism, she was instrumental in the creation of Season for Nonviolence in 1997 along with Arun Gandhi. She is the author of bestselling books Building Your Field of Dreams (1996) and No Less Than Greatness (2001).[2][3][4]

Early life

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Morrissey (née Manin) was born in Beaverton, Oregon in 1949. At age 16 she fell in love with a college student and became pregnant, and the couple quickly married (due to the shame of teen pregnancy at the time, Morrissey was expelled from high school).[5] Shortly after giving birth, she became seriously ill with a kidney infection, but later recovered, recounting a visit by a New Thought minister.[6] She began studying the field of New Thought, which was then relatively novel.[7] She earned a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology and a Doctorate in Humane Letters.[8]

Career

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Humanitarian work

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Morrissey became a teacher, and in 1975 an ordained minister. She began lecturing on the subjects of New Thought,[9] spiritual growth,[10] and non-violence, becoming a noted activist for the New Thought movement and helping to found spiritual centers across the United States.[11]

An active feminist in the American Second-wave feminism of the 1970s, Morrissey joined hands with Barbara Marx Hubbard and Jean Houston to found The Society for the Universal Human.[12] She was later invited to become a member of the Transformational Leadership Council, founded by Jack Canfield.[13]

Morrissey worked with the Dalai Lama on issues relating to the global nonviolence movement.[14] She co-founded the Association for Global New Thought in 1995 and was its first president. During her humanitarian work, she met Nelson Mandela in South Africa, and later incorporated his teachings of nonviolent resistance into her work.[15]

As an activist for international nonviolence, she helped Arun Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi's grandson) create Season for Nonviolence, whose curriculums have been taught in schools and universities over the years. As part of her work there, she was invited to address the United Nations, first on curbing violence, and later on the need for an international nonviolence agenda.[16]

Living Enrichment Center

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Morrissey founded along with her then-husband the Living Enrichment Center, a New Thought church based in Oregon.[17]

In 2004 the couple were part of a financial scandal, which ended in a settlement with the federal government and repayments of over $10 million.[18][19] Later on, Morrissey and her husband divorced, and she apologized for leading supporters to such "financial road".[20][21][22]

Writings

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Building Your Field of Dreams (1996). Morrissey's book chronicles her struggles as a teenage mother and lays out her self-actualization process.[23] The book became popular among the self-development and New Thought community.[24][25][26][27][28]

No Less Than Greatness (2001). In her book No Less Than Greatness: Finding Perfect Love in Imperfect Relationships, Morrissey focused on relationship building. Relationships were often at the core of Morrissey's teachings and articles, speaking of the tension between masculinity and femininity, often from a spiritual perspective.[29][30] The book was taught internationally and was recommended by authors such as Gary Zukav, Marianne Williamson, and Neale Donald Walsch.

New Thought: A Practical Spirituality: Published by Penguin Group in 2002, the book aimed to present the New Thought movement in a more cohesive nature. Morrissey incorporated into her teachings sources from the Bible and the Talmud, as well as from A Course In Miracles,[31] the Tao Te Ching,[32] and others. The book offers brief essays from over 40 New Thought leaders. It became a resource for academic research and was recognized by Jones & Bartlett Learning[33][34] and Oxford University Press as a source to deepen one's understanding of the New Thought movement.[35]

Others: Furthermore, Morrissey was a contributing author in Katherine Martin's 2010 book Women of Spirit, in Helene Lerner's 2012 book In Her Power, and Christy Whitman's 2018 book Quantum Success. Over the years, Morrissey's work has been referenced by many self-help, empowerment, and spirituality publications,[36][37][38][39] Christian teachings books,[40][41][42][43] and Simon & Schuster's Chicken Soup for the Soul series (which opened chapters with her teachings).[44] Morrissey is credited for inspiring the writing of several books and in several languages;[45][46][47] according to Alan Cohen, her versatile writing made her "one of the most respected ministers in the New Thought movement".[48]

Media

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Morrissey's work appearances on television include PBS Building Dreams specials, which was adapted from her book Building Your Field of Dreams,[49][50] Her television program aired on NBC-affiliated stations, and later on streaming service Gaia.[51] Along with Bob Proctor, she released the audio program The Eleven Forgotten Laws.

Morrissey was an early proponent of spiritual cinema,[52][53] and over the years appeared in several documentaries in the field, including Eckhart Tolle's Living Luminaries (2007),[54] Beyond the Secret (2009) alongside Les Brown,[55] Discover the Gift (2010) alongside Dalai Lama,[56] The Inner Weigh (2010),[57] and Sacred Journey of the Heart (2014); in 2016 she gave a TEDx talk,The Hidden Code For Transforming Dreams Into Reality.[58]

References

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  1. ^ Michelson, Joan (June 15, 2024). "Summertime Career Advice From 5 Female Values-Focused Leaders". Forbes. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  2. ^ Carter, Andrew (February 18, 2020). "Aces of Trades: Amy Walston helps people through life coaching". marionstar.com. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  3. ^ "Spiritual Center Offers New Program." Chicago Tribune, 11 Aug 2011, Page 7
  4. ^ "NO LESS THAN GREATNESS: Finding Perfect Love in Imperfect Relationships by Mary Manin Morrissey". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  5. ^ "Interviews with Influential Women: Mary Morrissey". Amy Beilharz. February 3, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  6. ^ Mitchell, Rev Mary (December 1, 2014). The Practitioner Handbook for Spiritual Mind Healing. Red Wheel/Weiser. ISBN 978-0-917849-34-3. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  7. ^ "Religion: Minister Explains How 'New Thought' Changed Her Life." Citizens' Voice, Mar 29, 2000, Page 23
  8. ^ "Member public profile". Transformational Leadership Council. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  9. ^ Awakened Dreams, The Desert Sun, Apr 23, 1999, Page 15
  10. ^ "ALTERNATIVE: Rev. Mary Manin Morrissey Talks About Spiritual Growth", Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep 2001, Page 133
  11. ^ "Where Love Is Left and Lives Are Changed: Spokane Spiritual Center", The Spokesman-Review, Dec 19, 1998, Page 73
  12. ^ Hubbard, Barbara Marx (2010). Conscious Evolution: Awakening the Power of Our Social Potential. New World Library. p. 238. ISBN 978-1-57731-281-9
  13. ^ Patterson, Michelle (2014). Women Change the World: Noteworthy Women on Cultivating Your Potential and Achieving Success. BenBella Books. p. 101. ISBN 978-1-939529-17-6
  14. ^ Morrissey, Mary (January 12, 2017). "What the Dalai Lama Taught Me About Relationships". SUCCESS. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  15. ^ Morrissey, Mary (October 26, 2016). "What My Conversation with Nelson Mandela Taught Me About Finding Purpose Amidst Suffering". HuffPost. Retrieved June 13, 2024
  16. ^ Belmessieri, Debbie; Morrissey, Mary (foreword) (2011). Tapping into God: Experiencing the Spiritual Spectrum. BalboaPress. p. 310. ISBN 978-1-4525-3525-8
  17. ^ Perkins-Reed, Marcia (April 3, 1996). Thriving in Transition: Effective Living in Times of Change. Simon and Schuster. p. 127. ISBN 978-0-684-81189-5
  18. ^ "the Prophet margin". Willamette Week. May 19, 2004. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  19. ^ "Mary Morrissey and the Possibility of an Intelligent Universe". A World that Works. February 11, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  20. ^ "Bouncing Back from Massive Setbacks with Mary Morrissey". Natalie Jill - YouTube Channel. March 6, 2024. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  21. ^ "Former Church Leaders Agree To Federal Settlement", Albany Democrat-Herald, Apr 7, 2005, Page 7
  22. ^ "Beaverton Church Folds", The World (Coos Bay), Aug 6, 2004, Page 5
  23. ^ "Religion Book Review: Building Your Field of Dreams". Publishers Weekly. July 1996. Retrieved June 13, 2025
  24. ^ "An Adventure in Spirit", The Kansas City Star, May 2, 1998, Page 63
  25. ^ "The Spirit of Joy," LA Weekly, 17 Apr 1997, Page 60
  26. ^ Jones, Dennis Merritt (2008). "The Art of Being: 101 Ways to Practice Purpose in Your Life", p. 226, Penguin. ISBN 978-1-4406-3575-5
  27. ^ M.S, Tess Keehn (November 19, 2015). Alchemical Inheritance: Embracing What Is, Manifesting What Becomes (page 130). Balboa Press. ISBN 978-1-5043-4347-3
  28. ^ "10 libros que conseguirán que tu vida sea como tú siempre quisiste". (in Spanish). El Confidencial. July 9, 2016. Retrieved 14 June, 2025.
  29. ^ The Real Reason Some People Just Can't Find Love". YourTango. February 16, 2017. Retrieved 14 June, 2025
  30. ^ Walsch, Neale Donald (2002). Friendship with God: An Uncommon Dialogue. p. 173. Penguin. ISBN 978-1-101-65945-8
  31. ^ Morrissey, Mary (October 24, 2014). "What Would You Love?". HuffPost. Retrieved 14 June, 2025
  32. ^ Krause, Wanda (2013). Spiritual Activism: Keys for Personal and Political Success. Red Wheel/Weiser. ISBN 978-1-61852-068-5
  33. ^ Mercer, Jean (July 30, 2014). Alternative Psychotherapies: Evaluating Unconventional Mental Health Treatments. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 17, 210. ISBN 978-1-4422-3492-5
  34. ^ Young, Caroline; Koopsen, Cyndie (August 15, 2010). Spirituality, Health, and Healing: An Integrative Approach. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. pp. 25, 33. ISBN 978-0-7637-7942-9
  35. ^ Singleton, Mark; Goldberg, Ellen, eds. (2013). Gurus of Modern Yoga. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 67, 77
  36. ^ Murray, Josey (July 20, 2021)."This Beyoncé Quote Is Exactly What You Need To Move On". Women's Health. Retrieved June 13, 2025
  37. ^ Robinson, Lynn A. (January 1, 2009). Compass of the Soul: 52 Ways Intuition Can Guide You to the Life of Your Dreams. Andrews McMeel Publishing/Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7407-8678-5
  38. ^ Norville, Deborah (2009). The Power of Respect: Benefit from the Most Forgotten Element of Success. Thomas Nelson (publisher). p. 59. ISBN 978-1-4185-8629-4
  39. ^ Fishel, Ruth (2010). Change Almost Anything in 21 Days: Recharge Your Life with the Power of Over 500 Affirmations. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7573-9989-3
  40. ^ Gugliotti, Nick (2006). I Had Other Plans, Lord: How God Turns Pain Into Power. David C. Cook. p. 33. ISBN 978-0-7814-4304-3
  41. ^ Allenbaugh, Kay (2012). Chocolate for a Woman's Soul: 77 Stories to Feed Your Spirit and Warm Your Heart. Simon and Schuster. p. 172. ISBN 978-1-4767-1452-3
  42. ^ Toms, Michael; Toms, Justine (March 23, 1999). True Work: Doing What You Love and Loving What You Do. Harmony/Penguin Random House. ISBN 978-0-609-60566-0
  43. ^ Robinson, Lynn A. (December 3, 2012). Divine Intuition: Your Inner Guide to Purpose, Peace, and Prosperity. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-118-23852-3
  44. ^ Canfield, Jack; Hansen, Mark Victor (2012). Chicken Soup for the Soul Children with Special Needs: Stories of Love and Understanding for Those Who Care for Children with Disabilities. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4532-7582-5
  45. ^ LEVINE, MARGIE (2006). SUPERAR EL CANCER: Un programa para afrontar un diagnóstico de cáncer (in Spanish). Editorial AMAT. p. 156. ISBN 978-84-9735-253-6
  46. ^ Svoboda, Martin. "Цитаты известных личностей". Ru.citaty.net (in Russian). Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  47. ^ Books inspired by Morrissey include The Art of Being: 101 Ways to Practice Purpose in Your Life (2008) (Morrissey is among a few figures thanked by author Dennis Merritt Jones for having "encouraged" him to write the book), The Inspired Life (2011) (author Susyn Reeve credits Morrissey for giving her "the encouragement and the tools" that eventually led to the writing of the book, Small Pleasures: Finding Grace in a Chaotic World (2008) by Justine Justine Toms, The Twelve Conditions of a Miracle (2008) by Todd Michael, Healing From Depression(2009) by Douglas Bloch, Positive Energy (2004) by Judith Orloff, and To Hell and Back (2015) by Steven B. Heird, who mentions Morrissey as one of his four "mentors" in his spiritual journey)
  48. ^ Cohen, Alan (1999). Handle With Prayer. Hay House, Inc. p. 115. ISBN 978-1-4019-2991-6
  49. ^ Morrissey, Mary Manin (August 18, 2003). "Mary Manin Morrissey". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  50. ^ The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware), 6 Aug 2000, Page 136
  51. ^ "Living in Balance - Season 1 - Episode113: No Less Than Greatness (Mary Manin Morrissey). Retrieved 14 June, 2025
  52. ^ Simon, Stephen; Hendricks, Gay (2005). Spiritual Cinema: A Guide to Movies that Inspire, Heal and Empower Your Life. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4019-3286-2 https://books.google.com/books?id=5xtnDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22mary+manin+Morrissey%22&pg=PT64 as well as ISBN 978-1-4019-3286-2
  53. ^ ""The Moses Code : Featured". March 6, 2008 (Archived from the original). Retrieved 14 June, 2025
  54. ^ "Living Luminaries Movie Official Page". Retrieved 14 June, 2025
  55. ^ Beyond the Secret (2009) - IMDb, retrieved 14 June, 2025
  56. ^ "Mary Manin Morrissey - Discover The Gift". Retrieved 14 June, 2025
  57. ^ Demaine, Lisa (August 6, 2015), The Inner Weigh (Documentary), IMDb
  58. ^ Dec 21, 20216. Hidden Code For Transforming Dreams Into Reality | Mary Morrissey TEDxWilmingtonWomen (YouTube). retrieved 14 June, 2025
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