Welcome to The Manifestation Q&A Series.
I am Jennifer Pastiloff and this series is designed to introduce the world to someone I find incredible. Someone who is manifesting their dreams on a daily basis.
This next guest is an exciting one, not only because she is the daughter of my beloved teacher and mentor Wayne Dyer, but because she happens to be one of the most beautiful, authentic and inspirational women I have come across. Oh, and she is funny. Really funny.
Serena Dyer is the second of Wayne Dyer’s daughters that has been featured on the Manifestation Q&A Series. The first was my friend Skye Dyer, the incredible singer, whom many of you have heard during Wayne’s specials. Wayne Dyer himself has also been featured here. I am working my way, slowly but surely, through the Dyer clan. One “S” name at a time.
And just to be clear on this whole manifesting business I am so fond of: it works.
Wayne Dyer is THE reason I call my company “Manifestation Yoga.”When I started to achieve success as a yoga teacher very early on in my career people would ask how it was that I made such profound changes in my life so quickly. How so many amazing things kept showing up for me, from being on Good Morning America and traveling around the world with sold out retreats/workshops or becoming a writer for Positively Positive. As Wayne says: it is not our job to ask “how” or “when” but to say YES!
That is just what I did.
I do not think all of this happened because of Wayne Dyer but I do know that he was the most powerful teacher I could have ever prayed for. (And, to be clear, I did pray for a teacher.)
He showed up in my life exactly when I needed him to, as the teacher will do when the student is ready.
To see how incredible his daughters are is truly a testament that he walked the talk. That he lived the life he spoke of.
Serena is currently busy writing a book, traveling the world, cooking her butt off, running an anti-child trafficking site and laughing at herself. The last one just might be my favorite.
Not only is she stunning, but she doesn’t take herself too seriously. (One of my favorite qualities in a person.) She was lucky enough to grow with spiritual parents who taught her and her siblings that: “they are unique little creations of God, perfect exactly as they are, no matter what, and no one can take that from them. My parents raised us on this principle and I am so grateful they did.”
Her answers are profound and funny, hilarious and humble. I cannot wait to read her book and sit down to the meal she has made for me. (Serena, did you read that last bit? I’ll bring the vino.)
I almost want to put her in my pocket and keep her for myself, but, I won’t be so selfish. World: here is the amazing Serena Dyer….
Jennifer Pastiloff: What are you most proud to have manifested in your life?
Serena Dyer: Travel. I regularly daydream about places I would like to go and experiences in foreign lands that I would like to have and even though I don’t usually know how I am going to pay for the trip or how I am going to get there, it always works out. I am constantly baffled how everything falls into place so easily. I have been to 30 countries so far and I don’t plan to stop traveling anytime soon!
Jennifer Pastiloff: Not -For -Sale.org. Can you share with us a bit how this was born and how you became so passionate about this subject of child trafficking?
Serena Dyer: I was an undergrad at the University of Miami studying religion and human rights. I came across a statistic that said “there are more people enslaved today than there were at the height of the Atlantic slave trade.” I considered myself to be a well-informd and conscientious young woman and I couldn’t figure out how there could be more people in slavery today if it wasn’t in the news everyday. I kept wondering, “if this is true, why don’t more people know about it. Why am I not learning about this in school?”
So I began a long journey to discover as much as I could about modern day slavery and what I found is that although it has a new name, human trafficking is essentially the same thing as slavery and not only is it an enormous problem in our world today, but it is increasingly on the rise.
I have always had a desire to serve others in the ways that I knew how and so I decided to start a non-profit organization that uses advocacy and education to spread awareness about this horrific practice. My organization, www.not-for-sale.org is in the beginning stages but I am proud of our web-presence and some of the ideas we have begun to generate.
Jennifer Pastiloff: What is your favorite part about traveling?
Serena Dyer: My favorite part about traveling is that I not only get to learn something about humanity and the world, I also get to learn something new about myself. I love new things and change and traveling, for me, is better than opening a present on Christmas morning. Waking up in a foreign place and having the whole day to just immerse yourself in a new culture is really exhilerating and energizing for me.
Jennifer Pastiloff: Tell us a bit about your love of cooking.
Serena Dyer: I love to cook because I love to eat! I like taking a whole countertop filled with ingredients and turning them into a delicious meal for everyone to share. I cook about 4 or 5 nights a week for my boyfriend!
Jennifer Pastiloff: What is the greatest lesson you have learned from running your anti-child trafficking site?
Serena Dyer: Since I am in the beginning stages of the site I am still learning a lot but basically that things take time and you have to be patient with the process and with others if you want to see really good results.
Jennifer Pastiloff: From your father, Wayne Dyer?
Serena Dyer: The greatest gift I have learned from my dad is that I was born with a little piece of God inside of me and that little piece of God connects me with everyone and everything. It is God that is looking out from behind my eyes, from all of our eyes, and knowing that I feel perfect, I feel safe and I feel incredibly loved.
Also, that if there is anything I want to manifest into my life I just have to align my thoughts and energy with it in order to become it, because you attract who you are, not what you want.
Jennifer Pastiloff: From the process of writing a book?
Serena Dyer: To be patient with myself, to accept myself as I am and not be so hard on myself.
Jennifer Pastiloff: From having 7 siblings?
Serena Dyer: You are never as cool as you think. (note from Jen: This girl is hilarious!)
Jennifer Pastiloff: From traveling?
Serena Dyer: Have an open mind to everyone and everything you meet. Just because something isn’t familiar to you, or makes sense to you, does not make it wrong or bad.
Also, don’t go to foreign countries expecting to get scrambled eggs and bacon the way we can get it in America… in fact, just don’t order scrambled eggs at all cause you will never get what you expect. Or iced coffee for that matter.
Jennifer Pastiloff: From cooking?
Serena Dyer: Sometimes when things don’t turn out they way they looked online, you didn’t fail.. they just used photoshop.
Jennifer Pastiloff: Gratitude is the greatest force In my life. Most of my classes are set to this theme. If you could say thank you right now, who would it be to?
Serena Dyer: My parents. Every week I see a story of another kid that committed suicide because of bullying. Every week I am reminded that kids weren’t taught that they are unique little creations of God, perfect exactly as they are, no matter what, and no one can take that from them. My parents raised us on this principle and I am so grateful they did.
Jennifer Pastiloff: When was the last time you laughed at yourself?
Serena Dyer: I crack myself up all day long and usually I laugh out loud and people look at me funny. About an hour ago I just saw paparazzi jump out to photograph this actress and there was a split second that I thought they were photographing me and afterwards when I realized that I actually thought that I laughed really hard- and almost tweeted it but then realized other people might not find it as funny as I did!
Jennifer Pastiloff: Who/what inspires you most?
Serena Dyer: Children inspire me the most. They are present, they are in awe of everything they see, they seek adventure and they are always learning and expanding. Children just want to love and be loved and when you are loved by a child, you really come alive. I have 8 nieces and nephews and I spend a ton of time with them and I always feel so present and aware when I am with them.
Jennifer Pastiloff: Who has been your greatest teacher?
Serena Dyer: I am not sure yet, at the end of my life I may have an answer but right now there are about 12 people vying for first place.
Jennifer Pastiloff: What is your favorite part about traveling with your dad?
Serena Dyer: Watching him do what he loves to do and seeing the reactions of people whose lives he has touched.
Jennifer Pastiloff: Some words Serena lives by?
Serena Dyer: Arrange whatever pieces come your way- Virginia Woolf
Jennifer Pastiloff: Can you share with us about the book you are writing?
Serena Dyer: I am writing a book about being raised with spiritual parents, from the perspective of the child (me). People always ask my brothers and sisters and I what it was like to be raised by Wayne Dyer and so I am telling them- and let me tell you, it was weird. Haha only kidding!
Jennifer Pastiloff: Who would be your dream person to do a Foreword for your book?
Serena Dyer: My dad is doing it, I never even thought about someone else!!
Jennifer Pastiloff: How can we get involved in helping to stop child trafficking?
Serena Dyer: You can go on www.not-for-sale.org and sign up for an e-alert that will let you know when a new bill or law is being passed that might need your support.
Also, the Somaly-mam foundation is incredible and the work they are doing all over the world would literally blow your mind. Somaly-mam builds shelters for girls in foreign places to escape to if they are being forced into prostitution or sexual slavery. Somaly-mam is a survivor and every penny donated goes toward helping the girls she rescues, some who are as young as 4.
Jennifer Pastiloff: What is one message you would pass on right now to someone looking to manifest their best selves?
Serena Dyer: Offer to the world what it is you want to attract. If you want love then offer love to everyone you meet. In other words, become what it is that you feel is missing in your life.
Jennifer Pastiloff: What brings you the most joy? Your joy list….
Serena Dyer: My family
My boyfriend Matt
My best friend Lauren
My nieces and nephews (which are family but they deserve their own category cause they are so f’ing cute)
My friends
Traveling
Cooking
Reading
Talking
Great dinner with friends and great wine
Feeling successful and knowing i am doing great work
The little voice inside of me that says thank you to all of my food and God bless you to people I walk by that look like they need an extra blessing
Jennifer Pastiloff: I do an exercise in my class called “I am-ness.” Finish the sentence I am _______________.
Serena Dyer: I am divine love, I am. (I say this at night before bed).
Jennifer Pastiloff: Where can we find more of Serena Dyer?
Serena Dyer: serenadyer.com
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1. Be Kind.
2. Have a sense of humor especially when it comes to yourself
3. Write poems, even if only in your head
4. Sing out loud, even if badly
5. Dance
6. If you don’t have anything nice to say… you know the deal
7. Find things to be in awe of
8. Be grateful for what you have right now .
9. Watch Modern Family, read Wayne Dyer, and end every complaint with “ But I’m so blessed.”
10. Duh, do yoga
11. Don’t worry. Everyone on Facebook seems like they have happier and funner lives. They don’t.
12. Tell someone you love that you love them. Right now.
13.. Take more pictures.
14. Forgive yourself for not being perfect. no such thing.
15. Thank the Universe in Advance
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Jennifer Pastiloff is the founder of The Manifest-Station. Her work has been featured on The Rumpus, The Nervous Breakdown, Jezebel, Salon, and more. Jen leads her signature Manifestation Retreats & Workshops all over the world. The next retreat is to Ojai, Calif over Labor Day. Check out jenniferpastiloff.com for all retreat listings and workshops to attend one in a city near you. Next up: Seattle, London, Atlanta, South Dakota, NYC, Dallas, Tucson & The Berkshires (guest speaker Canyon Ranch.) She tweets/instagrams at @jenpastiloff.
Awesome interview!
Love your connections Jen! What a beautiful soul living life with joy and humor!
There’s really no small way to say this … you’ll have your own TV show if you want it, Jennifer. wow. It’s your egoless authentic electricity that comes through everything i read by you. Very groovy, Jen. What an inspiration is your guest, Serena~! Thank you~!
Wanted to say that was a nice interview with Dwyane Dyer’s daughter!! 🙂
She sounds amazing. I’m inspired to put together a fantasy family ala fantasy football. She is my fantasy little sister.
Thanks for such a happy interview 🙂
Serena and Jen, this was beautiful and hysterical. I love the paparazzi story, you can still pretend they were there for you.
I absolutely needed this today. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Rach
Reblogged this on Manifestation Station and commented:
In case you missed, Wayne Dyer’s daughter Serena Dyer. This is an incredible interview folks. She is amazing!! I am honored to call her friend.
Amazing interview. Is it true Serena is now writing a book about finding your true spiritual calling . Will she examine her husband Matt Pisoni’s intention for manifesting 25 million dollars. Now guilty of fraud facing 20 years. Dharma? Is she sick now?
https://lakishajj.wordpress.com/2017/07/30/just-in-wayne-dyers-son-in-law-faces-20-years-for-fraud/