A self-help guru whose advice helped millions has passed on to his "next adventure." That's the way Dr. Wayne Dyer looked at death, merely as a transition to something new.

His long time publisher, Hay House, announced the news on Facebook, saying in part, "Wayne has left his body, passing away through the night…  Our hearts are broken, but we smile to think of how much our scurvy elephant will enjoy the other side."

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He had been a leading figure for nearly 40 years in the New Thought movement - a century-old spiritual school of thought that believes God is everywhere, individuals have the divine spirit within themselves, and one's thinking has the power to change one's world or heal disease.

Dyer earned his doctorate in educational counseling from Wayne State University before serving as a professor at St. John's University in New York.

Dyer broke onto the scene in 1976 with his book, Your Erroneous Zones, which sat atop bestseller lists for 64 weeks and sold 35 million copies since it was first published. It summed up his ideas as a professor teaching counseling education.

Dyer spent much of his life until he was 10, growing up in an orphanage after his alcoholic father left him, his mother, and two brothers. Two years before writing his breakthrough book, Dyer found out his father had died and went to visit his grave. He recounted feeling outraged and angry until a sudden calm came over him.

"From this moment on I send you love," Dyer said, "And I forgive you for everything that you have done."

The gravesite encounter launched his writing career and changed his life. It happened on August 30, 1974 - exactly 41 years to the date before he passed away.

His epiphany led him to stop drinking, got into shape, and begin work on "Your Erroneous Zones". He wrote the book in just 14 days and pushed it onto the bestseller lists driving cross country and selling copies from the trunk of his car.

During his life, he authored 42 self-help and motivational books, including five specifically for children. Twenty-one of them made the New York Times bestseller list.

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Dyer's teachings were largely shaped by Swami Muktananda, founder of the Siddha Yoga spiritual path. He also listed Saint Francis, one of the most venerated figures in Christianity, and the Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism, in shaping his teachings.

Year in and year out for decades, Dyer's motivational talks produced for PBS were some of the most dependable and successful fundraisers for U.S. public television stations.

He struck up personal friendships with Oprah Winfrey and Ellen Degeneres, even officiating at her wedding with Portia de Rossi. Winfrey tweeted: "RIP Wayne. You brought the Light."

Dyer pointed out there's nothing to take with you on your next adventure, except what's inside already.

"The last suit you wear, " Dyer once said, "You don't need any pockets."

(WATCH the video below from USA Today)  Photos: (top) Wayne Dyer, FB; (bottom) by Officer Phil, CC

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