Roy Masters (commentator)

Roy Masters

Masters orating at Selma, Oregon in May 2014
Birth name Reuben Obermeister
Born (1928-04-02) 2 April 1928
London, United Kingdom
Show Advice Line with Roy Masters
Station(s) Broadcast on 190 radio stations[1]
Time slot 9–12 midnight PT Monday-Friday
Country United States
Website http://www.fhu.com

Roy Masters (born 2 April 1928) is host of Advice Line, a talk radio show he started in 1961 and still hosts today. He is a prolific author and creator of a mindfulness meditation exercise used in the U.S. military. Masters is founder of the Oregon-based non-profit organization, the Foundation of Human Understanding. In his early twenties, he travelled across America lecturing as an expert diamond cutter.

Early life in Britain

Roy Masters was born Reuben Obermeister in London in 1928 to a Jewish family of diamond cutters. Like his father, Boris, Masters used the common anglicisation of his original surname, Obermeister.

In 1943, when Masters was just 15, his father died. His family could only afford education for his older brother, so Masters did not attend college.[2] He was sent to Brighton, England to apprenticeship in diamond cutting at his uncle's company, Monnickendam Ltd.[3]

Career

Diamond cutting

Following his apprenticeship in diamond cutting, Masters travelled to many places to pursue his trade, including Amsterdam; Brussels; Belgium; South Africa, where he spent two years in 1947; and later, America.[3][4] All of this followed Masters’ military service during World War II, serving in the Royal Sussex Regiment of the British Army.[5] During his time in Brighton, Masters saw a vaudeville stage hypnosis presentation where the hypnotist easily induced volunteer subjects to do strange and outlandish things. Masters distinctly remembered pondering the question: "Why can't hypnotism be used to make people act sensibly, rather than foolishly?"[6]

In 1949, Masters emigrated to the United States where he made a name for himself travelling throughout the country lecturing on diamond cutting, under the auspices of the Diamond Council of America.[5] He was often invited to participate in radio and TV interviews on the subject, and he hosted a daily radio show called, "Story of Your Diamond".[5][2] Within a short time, Masters had visited 40 of America's then 48 states.[4] He met and married his wife, Ann, in Birmingham, Alabama, and they eventually moved to Houston, Texas where they started a family.

Mindfulness meditation

In the 1950s, excitement around Bridey Murphy's supposed past life regression drove friends to consult with Masters about hypnosis. Masters understood hypnosis to be a "duplication of life's errors" and immediately realized no good can ever come from hypnotherapy.[2] Masters sold his diamond cutting business and founded the Institute of Hypnosis where, unbeknownst to his clients, he "unhypnotized" them instead of hypnotizing them.[2] In Houston, Masters saw as many as thirty people a day for consultation.[2] About leaving the diamond cutting profession, Masters said, “I had my own business, but I left that lucrative work because I had a calling for this kind of work. I’m more interested in what I’m doing now than anything else.”[7]

In the early 1960s, Masters was charged with practicing medicine without a license, which was to be a test case to determine the legality of non-medical practice of hypnosis.[2] His 30-day jail term received notoriety because of his counseling of fellow inmates.[2] Masters immediately returned to work and continued on for two years, during which time he produced the mindfulness meditation record, How Your Mind Can Keep You Well.

Masters' meditation exercise has long been used by professional counselors.[8] On why it is effective, he said, “it enables you to become objective, a little bit separate and disentangled from all your troublesome thoughts, emotions, heartaches, fears and traumatic memories – and that, all by itself, is extremely helpful, and actually healing.”[8]

In 1961, Masters bought a house trailer and relocated his family to Los Angeles where he founded the Foundation of Human Understanding.[7] That same year, Masters started a talk radio show about overcoming stress "spiritually, psychologically [and] emotionally".[7][1] Masters continues to host the program, called Advice Line, which has been on the air continuously since its start.[8] Advice Line is syndicated across the United States and is available to stream online.

Never one to mince words, Roy Masters is a man who says what he feels no matter what the cost. Perhaps that’s why his program remains, in his opinion, unsponsorable. As a youngster growing up in England, his almost painful honesty, his perception, and his relentless questioning of the adult world’s sham standards cast a chilling silence to many a family gathering. Outspoken and guileless, he was called tactless by his elders and it was hoped he would outgrow this annoying trait. He never did.
— William Wolff, Healers, Gurus, and Spiritual Guides, Sherbourne Press

Masters' meditation exercises have been transposed across mediums and are now used to treat stress in the U.S. military.[8]

Media appearances

Masters has appeared on CNN's Crossfire, Larry King Live, The Sally Jessy Raphael Show, The Sean Hannity Show, and The Drudge Report.[9]

Publications

References

  1. 1 2 "Introduction to Roy Masters". Foundation of Human Understanding. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 William Wolf, Healers, Gurus and Spiritual Guides (pdf), © 1969, 1975, 2005, published by the Foundation of Human Understanding (Originally published by Sherbourne Press, 1969)
  3. 1 2 "British Diamond Cutter Shows Skills of His Trade". Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Untitled". Action. Savannah, Georgia. Junior Chamber of Commerce. 1950's. Retrieved 19 May 2014. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. 1 2 3 "Diamond Cutting art comes to Birmingham". The Birmingham News. 7 September 1952. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  6. ↑ Amazon.com. "Roy Masters Biography". Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 Metlova, Maria (1 September 1963). "Between You & Me". Valley News. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Kupelian, David (19 July 2014). "Military praises 'fantastic' new stress therapy". WND. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  9. ↑ "Call Roy Masters on "Advice Line"". Retrieved 2012-10-26. Millions have seen or heard Roy Masters on such popular shows as Sean Hannity's WABC Show, CNN's "Larry King Live," "Sally Jesse Raphael," "Crossfire," and "The Drudge Report."
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