The Secret
by Rhonda Byrne
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Book Reviews of The Secret
Book Review: Pantheism in drag
Summary: 1 Stars
This book is skilfully marketed to convince people that some new truth is about to be revealed here. But nothing of the sort takes place. It is simply a flashy repackaging of some very old ideas: new age thought, eastern religions, the human potential movement, positive thinking, pantheism, cosmic consciousness, and so on.
The message is simple: you and I are God, are energy, are the universe, are perfection, are spirit, etc. As such, "you can have, be, or do anything you want". That's it. Want a brand new car? Visualise it and receive it. Think and feel that you already have it.
Want a perfect partner? A new home? Perfect health? A new job? A million dollars? It's all yours. Just claim it. Receive it. No more negative thoughts. Just think happy, positive thoughts and anything you desire is yours. It is the creative visualisation message made popular in the New Age Movement: you create your own reality. You script your own destiny.
Of course this mind over matter thought has been around for ages. Indeed, Byrne assembles 24 "great avatars and amazing teachers" here whom she quotes and rephrases. Some have already passed on, however, which is curious, since we are promised in this book both perfect health and "eternal youth". So why have they carked it?
Indeed, many such questions arise. We are told we should always be grateful; we should always say `thank you'. But to who? It seems to ourselves, since we in fact are God, the universe, energy, the all. We are the ones who make our own reality. Everything that exists is the product of our thoughts, our feelings.
And given that "you deserve to be happy," then just claim all those goodies you have always longed for. Got bills to pay? No probs! Got cancer? No worries. It will all disappear if we simply want it to.
But wait, there's more. It is not just personal greed that is being pandered to here. It is not just my own dreams that can come true. The big issues of life are also a piece of cake. Want to end global hunger? Easy. Just think happy food thoughts. Want to end all war? Couldn't be simpler. Just feel and think peaceful thoughts. And you thought some problems were just too intractable. Foolish you.
Indeed, you can have a lot of fun when you are the centre of the universe. You can have a blast being God. You can really groove on being perfection. Isn't it great that it is all about you? Consider this closing thought of the book:
"The earth turns on its orbit for You. The oceans ebb and flow for You. The birds sing for You. The sun rises and sets for You. The stars come out for You. Every beautiful thing you see, every wonderful thing you experience, is all there for You. Take a look around. None of it can exist, without You. No matter who you thought you were, now you know the Truth of Who You Really Are. You are the master of the universe. You are the heir of the kingdom. You are the perfection of life. And now you know The Secret."
And her very last line? A paraphrase of Stars Wars, no less: "May the joy be with you!" Gee, almost makes me feel like soaring through the air, forming some new galaxies, and creating other worlds.
If it all seems a bit familiar, that is because it is. It is just old-fashioned Eastern thought, repackaged and resold to a gullible new generation. It is plain old monism and pantheism with a facelift. It is just more New Age thought in drag. It is simply positive thinking in a new dress.
Oh, and one final thought: I tried to do what the book suggests: use the Law of Attraction to get whatever you want. Unfortunately it did not work for me. I told the gal at the counter I wanted to get the book for free, and was using the Attraction principle to create my own reality.
She did get a chuckle out of that, but still demanded cold hard cash, insisting that moolah, not some Attraction mumbo-jumbo, was the only way I was going to get the book. Thus I am $30 poorer, and still not able to script my wishes into reality. Oh well, guess I just gotta try harder.
Book Review: A Good Step in The Direction of A Positive Mental Attitutde
Summary: 5 Stars
Summary:
I'm just going to tell you The Secret and you can decide if you need to buy the book. The Secret is that like attracts like. If you embrace a positive mental attitude, a good life will follow."The law of attraction is a law of nature. It is impersonal and it does not see good things or bad things. It is receiving your thoughts and reflecting back to you those thoughts as your life experience. The law of attraction simply gives you whatever it is you are thinking about." The Secret relies on such pop-new-age-feel-good icons as Jack Canfield of The Chicken Soup Series and John Gray author of the Venus and Mars books, to basically reiterate the law of attraction and provide antedotal evidence for 198 pages. The book and DVD claim that successful and rich men like John Rockefeller, Ford and Einstein have possessed The Secret.
Opinion:
I think a positive mental attitude is important and if you need help in achieving this, you will learn something from The Secret. Even though the book and DVD make the same point over and over again, if you need help maintaining "The Secret" in your mind, then you should buy the book because I believe that eventually the message will sink in. But the book is a bit thin. Yes it's a 198 pages, but it's a 198 small-sized pages with a lot of bullet points. It's not dense text. And as an aside, the book is pretty. It's printed on shiny paper made to look like ancient parchment. It would make a nice gift. I seems like the publisher decided a good binding would make up for the lack of hard text.
On a more cynical note:
Rhonda Byrne is the creator of What's Cooking and The World's Greatest TV Commercials. She came across an old 1910 book "The Secret of Getting Rich" and decided to make it into a DVD. She sold 600,000 copies by word of mouth before the thing was even on Oprah. There really isn't anything more to The Secret than the power of positive thinking, but it's big because Byrne hints an intrigue and conspiracy along the lines of the Da Vinci code. In the beginning of the DVD she shows powerful men meeting around a table sharing the sercet with eachother, taking blood oaths and promising not to tell the plebians-the great unwashed masses. It really plays into insecurities.
There is nothing new in The Secret. It's the same message repackaged so that a great marketer can get rich-and she is. I'm sort of disappointed in Oprah. She usually supports authors that are a little more worthy. (sigh.)
My Experience with the Secret:
I was introduced to The Secret DVD over a year ago. I watched about half of it because as I said, it kept making the same point over and over again. The DVD was narrated by an Australian woman and I got the impression that it was being distributed by one of the new age religions that have a stong hold down under. Both the book and DVD seemed a bit cult-ish. And the woman who had given the DVD to my friend is involved in cults. The production seemed a bit cheesey, but I still found the message good. (A quick check of the internet proves my suspicions. Yes, Rhonda Byrne is an Australian. She used to work for nine network news. Production on The Secret began in 1994)
But in both the DVD and the book they are trying to really stretch things out to achieve a DVD and book. The same person who introduced me to the DVD bought the book and gave it to me for an afternoon. I was able to read most of it in two hours. Recently this book has been on Oprah and I suppose everyone is going to be on the Secret bandwagon for a while. It's the feel good, it's all about me, psycho fad that baby boomers latch on to. I think Anthony Robbins preaches this same sort of thing. They say that Australians are the most positive people on the planet. Maybe they all know The Secret.
Caveat:
It seems to me that like a lot of movements The Secret can be used to delude yourself and harass friends in need. I can imagine talking to some friend about a problem and getting "you're not using the secret" in response. If you buy into the Secret, use it positively.
Book Review: Very, very good... but... (Anyway this book could be all u need)
Summary: 4 Stars
--- First of all, sorry about my english, I'm ecuadorian ;) But I promise you that you'll find some interesting thoughts in my review ---
This book is great, in fact I've been using 'the power' of the Law of Attraction for a long time and IT WORKS 100% of the time... I mean it... but...
The problem with ALL THESE AUTHORS is only one, they encourage people to question their beliefs, they encourage everyone to believe what they want to believe, what makes us feel good... but the BIG problem that seems nobody has noticed is that they teach that we must almost IGNORE everything else that isn't agree with what they are teaching. Then, where is the freedom to choose our own beliefs? It 'looks like' they try to take everything else out of the scene and only let us with THEIR beliefs? doesn't it?
And if we are smarter, why not wonder about who came with these teachings first? Because everyone talks about it with great confidence and autority, but why do we have to do it their way? Ok, Napoleon Hill talked about that, Carnegie talked about that... so what??? If you track the law of gravity you could go back to Newton... and??? The law of gravity and the law of attraction exist since the begining of time, but who gave the autority to all of these authors (that I like and respect a lot) to teach what they teach, the way they teach it... ask yourself, why are they the only ones that have the reason (even when we know now that the law of gravity isn't exact as Newton said it was) can't they be wrong? Who taught the rules of the law of attraction to the first of us, so he/she can claim he/she knows THE truth? The Universe??? (please... don't believe everything you hear) Can anyone really believe (when he/she isn't hypnotized by these so delicious beliefs) that the universe thinks, or everything works by human thoughts? C'mon... what about the planets, comets, galaxys that crashes every day, who was the stupid that made that happen, who is the responsable about the constant extreme heat in Mercury...? when look at any star in the sky it's the image of something that happened millions of years in the past, we only see the light that that star produced, and that light has travelled millions of years to reach the planet earth, so, who was the human that 'create' that star millions of years ago??? The universe did it??? By itself??? Do you really think that... if so, why do you believe in it? Because someone else teaches that... why is he/she correct?
The way that absolutely everyone is teaching does not leave opportunity for anyone to say anything different, and the universe (^_^) can't say anything to correct the 'teachers'. Why? Because the teachers are right??? NOOO, it's just beacuse the universe can't think or speak... this sounds very funny to me :)
That's enough... as I said I do believe in the L.O.A. I only encourage you to think... just THINK. I love all these authors, I buy their books and everthing... I have spent a small fortune in these knowledge.
I believe and apply the teachings of the law of attraction, and (to me) everyting you need to know and some things you just don't need as well (that's the reason 'cause I give it only 4* stars), ARE in this book. It's interesting to read other books, but in my opinion this book could easily be all you need.
1) Know what you want.
2) Truly believe that you'll have it, be clear and very specific about it, and start to FEEL with all your senses that you already have it.
* Don't let anything (thoughts, beliefs or memories) or anybody (people, doctors, teachers, economists, negative news at the tv or in newspapers, etc.) make you doubt about you'll recieve exactly what you want.
3) Recieve it and be thankful.
To me that's all you need, that's how I get everything I want, the way I want it, by the time I want it... 100% of the time.
I hope my comment can be useful to you. And yes, I recommend you to buy this book.
Book Review: Great Motivational Movie
Summary: 4 Stars
I was reading the negative reviews and I can't believe how literal some people took the movie/book. Maybe it was supposed to be taken literally, but that doesn't mean it's not a good premise.
Of course there are genetic diseases and other factors in the universe that you can't stop. However, our society could use a good dose of "take responsibility for your life." What I took away from this video is that if you focus enough of your energy on what you want, it will happen. That's usually because you're focused on it. It's like when you want a certain car and every where you look you see that car. You may have never noticed it before, but now that you are focused on it, you see it every where.
If you are focused on a certain goal you will start to see opportunities that come along, just like the car. You are also more likely to jump on them because you feel that it's what you asked for so it's not as fearful.
There's definitely an energy that connects us all. Most people call it Karma. You get out what you put in. If you allow yourself to be open to opportunities then they will come.
I am sure I will watch this video over and over again because it is a great motivator. The point behind something that is motivating is that you then want to do the steps necessary to make your goals happen. It's sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Normally we consider those to be bad, but positive thinking is a good example of that concept.
Don't get my wrong, I am not an optimist by any natural means. I am a realist on my best days and a pessimist on the worst. But if you really want to succeed in life you need to believe you will. If you don't then you most likely won't even bother taking the steps necessary to succeed in the first place and you definitely won't stick with it during the harder times.
Of course I wouldn't expect to be cured of cancer, no matter if 1,000 people claimed to be cured this way. However, I do expect that if I tell myself I am fit and in shape and healthy that when I am looking at a piece of cake I will remember all those things I believe about myself and be less likely to eat the cake. It's a bit fake it 'til you make it and rewriting the script playing in your head about who you are. If you tell yourself you are fat then you will do things that fat people do. The only difference between someone who is fat (unless there is a medical condition) and someone who is in great shape is that the people in great shape do the things it takes to be in great shape and those who are over weight do the things it takes to be over weight. So by doing things that fat people do because you tell yourself you are fat, your thoughts are creating who you are. At the most basic level. And yes in order to make any great change in your life you must first align your thoughts.
As I watched this movie it actually reminded me of a friend I haven't seen in 4 years. She was a very spiritual person. As a non-denominational Christian she prayed to God. Whenever she prayed she believe God would take care of her issue. I would joke with her that her prayers were always answered. She had a direct line to God. If I wanted something badly enough I would ask her to pray for me. She had some amazing things happen to her because she prayed for them. And the few times she prayed for me, it worked.
While I have had my own experiences with putting something out there and knowing with faith that it will be taken care of, I will admit that not every time has that happened. I am also a huge control freak and find it very difficult to fully release control. That's usually when it doesn't work. But when I feel it in my gut and heart it happens. My friend had a deep, seemingly unwaivering faith that her prayers would be answered and they were.
A person's mind really is the only obstacle they need to over come. Once your mind is on your side any other obstacle will be crossed.
Book Review: Great, good, not so good, and harmful
Summary: 4 Stars
I see positive and negative aspects to this book. I buy into the energy concept that causes us to reflect the feelings of those around us unless we become aware of what we are doing. I also think that we repeat patterns in relationships because we communicate with an energy of what we believe about ourselves, resulting in others fulfilling our self-beliefs. Listening to the book caused me to take a fresh look at some of the negative self-messages I carry, and I found that helpful.
I don't believe that abundance is about money necessarily. As others have mentioned, that leads to narcissism as a focus and can create negative energy. Perhaps you can create material wealth by focusing on it; many have--but is that the valuable use of this power? I believe that abundance is about having everything you need to fulfill your destiny--your purpose on earth. I think that is the underpinning of the spiritual concept. For some, that purpose may involve wealth, especially if an aspect of their destiny is to give. For others like Mother Theresa, that purpose involves a vow of poverty. If a person is consumed by debt and other financial challenges that are detracting from his or her destiny, then rethinking negative thoughts toward finances is critical. I found the comments useful for that reason. (BTW, Jesus was a millionaire? Huh?)
I also agree with reviewers who said that the fat comment was inappropriate. I suffer from chronic pain throughout my body as a result of a car accident, and I had a friend reject me after taking THE COURSE IN MIRACLES. It was devastating. My low energy apparently did not bring her joy. I isolated myself for some time, assuming that I was harming others by exposing them to my pain. I finally realized that some life is better than no life, and picked myself up off the couch.
I do not believe that negative thinking caused my car accident or the resulting pain. (Some guy whose windshield was not defrosted pulled out from a gas station into traffic, realized a car was coming, stuck his monster-of-a-car into reverse and slammed into my little Chevette.)
What I realize is that I can rot in despair or believe that, at least for now, this frustrating situation is developing an understanding, wisdom, and compassion in me that is part of my destiny, which is my abundance in the midst of suffering. I function much better when I can achieve an attitude of appreciation for a greater good rather than bitterness and despair.
Although I disagree with the guilt-inducing concept of negativity causing disaster and disease, the book reminded me to keep a positive focus, despite my circumstances. (BTW, how many of the people used as examples experienced periods of adversity? Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King were both assassinated. The reality is that death comes for all humans, no matter how much they believe in abundance and manifestation. That means at some point, at least one body part has to fail. Furthermore, should we avoid those with pain and suffering because of their low energy? What if Mother Teresa had decided to stay away from the poor and infirmed because they brought down her energy level? She gave from her abundance, and she was replenished with the power of a waterfall. Everyone who has given to those in need understands the beauty of this concept.)
Overall, I enjoyed this book on audio--liked the various voices and sound effects. The message is generally valuable and touching. I hope that people keep a balanced perspective as they read or listen. My field is special education, and I especially hope that is true for parents of a child with a disability. You did not cause that to happen. When Jesus was asked who had sinned to cause a person's disability, he replied that it was for the glory of God. Your child has a purpose in this life.