Statement by Frances Amello, Formerly a Student of Aesthetic Realism 1974-1982
While there are so many lies being told about Aesthetic Realism on the Michael Bluejay website, the one I especially want to counter is the lie that Aesthetic Realism separates and estranges families. My daughter Rosemary and my son-in-law Wayne have been so kind and generous with their time and knowledge of Aesthetic Realism. We are presently in our senior years and requiring many medical services. They constantly make themselves available for doctor visits and keep in touch with us daily. We are so grateful for their concern and love. They both studied in classes with Eli Siegel and we love to hear them talk about what they learned from him and the riches they are now continuing to receive in classes taught by Class Chairman Ellen Reiss.
Three years ago my husband, Dominick, became ill and our family doctor told us to go directly to the emergency room at North Shore Hospital on Long Island. Rosemary and Wayne learned that we had gone to the hospital and came directly from New Jersey to be with us. When we found out that my husband had a tumor blocking his colon and would require emergency surgery, we were petrified. Rosemary spent the whole night with her father in anticipation of his early morning surgery and remained with us for the next three weeks. Wayne, who is also the pastor of a busy church in New Jersey, came often to the hospital to visit and be of use to us. We don't know what we would have done without them. Their good will has continued in a daily way since that time. We feel truly blessed by their continued encouragement of our lives and our health because of what they have learned from Aesthetic Realism.
What should a mother say when her children, through their study of Aesthetic Realism, become kinder and more generous? The natural response is gratitude and great respect. To say that Aesthetic Realism encourages anything less than good will among family members is crazy!
One of the lies I hate is that Eli Siegel wanted to be worshipped and demanded this from his students. I say, "It's ridiculous!" I started having Aesthetic Realism consultations in 1974 and studied for eight years. There was no way that I was led to feel by my consultants that Mr. Siegel expected or demanded adoration and praise, nor did they ask it of me. Mr. Siegel was an honest man and an educator who understood people and wanted them to have good, happy lives.
I was a person who had a little world in Queens with my husband, children, family and a few friends. If I hadn't loved music as much as I did, I would have felt like a zero! In my consultations, I learned that my deepest desire and purpose was to like the world. "Test it, test it, never stop testing Aesthetic Realism," Mr. Siegel said. That was what was encouraged in me in consultations.
One result was getting the confidence and respect for knowledge and for my mind that made it possible for me to go back to school and get my high school equivalency diploma at age 58. Now, at age 81, there's a joy in my life every day because of what I learned from Aesthetic Realism.
The persons attacking Aesthetic Realism and lying about it have taken a vicious path and it is sickening to witness. It is especially cruel when every day people are yearning for the knowledge Aesthetic Realism has to offer. We human beings are not accustomed to giving people their full due and it's sad. Eli Siegel deserved the respect his students had for him and his thought and that's the truth!
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