The Secret [Hardcover]

 

 

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The Secret is just the latest in a long line of Law of Attraction books that have been published through the years. I've read most of them, this one is a huge seller and made the author a millionaire because of the way it has been marketed. And it's a cynical marketing ploy too, and ruthless in its determination to be unopposed by any dissenting voices.
When I first heard about the LOA (Law of Attraction) I truly believed I had found the answer to everything and totally believed in its validity, only to look around many years later and see that nothing had actually changed. I didn't manifest the things I believed I would and don't know anyone else who has done so either. One friend who was singing the praises of The Secret when he first read it two years ago, has now given it away, completely disillusioned and feeling worse than he did before he read it and started following its 'advice'.

When all the affirmations, visualising, asking, believing, etc, doesn't work, or only in very limited or small ways, then the person who had grasped onto what seemed like the answer to their prayers, ends up feeling betrayed and without the false hope they had been given by this money-making spinner for the people selling it to gullible and vulnerable people, who, by their purchasing of the book, the CD, the DVD, the follow up books about what to do when it doesn't work or things go wrong(!) are putting money into the bank accounts of the people responsible for this 'spiritual marketing' as it is known in the trade.
When I see people unhappy because they believed in 'The Secret' only to find out much further down the line that it never delivered, that they never got richer, didn't look younger, didn't get the love interest they wanted, then it makes me want to warn others not to be sucked into it through them giving even more money to already extremely wealthy people. And make no mistake, when it doesn't work out how you believed it would, then they will tell you that you have done something wrong, or you must have blocks somewhere in your subconscious that need removing, (you can then buy more books to 'help' with this) or you need chakra clearing, (more books, and CDs too to buy!) or it must be that you need to love yourself more, because you can't love yourself properly or it would work for you.
Then you get told that you need to stop wanting anything and be 'spiritual' instead and believe that you have it all already, because once you get to that stage then you will be so content that you will realise that you have all you want already and won't need any more, because if you continue to want things, or conditions, then you just continue attracting more things or conditions to want, therefore you mustn't actually want anything! And so it goes on. I could say more and believe me I have long experience of dealing with these kind of people so I know what I'm talking about, but knowing how they operate, this would just get removed, as they are very protective of their money spinner and try to stop anyone from questioning it.

Just believe in yourself and try to think positive thoughts, (worrying unduly about anything doesn't actually change whatever it is you're worrying about) building up self-confidence and loving yourself truly and looking for anything at all you have to be grateful for, no matter how small, is the best advice I can give you, and I'm not charging anyone anything for saying that, or spinning it out into a whole book and marketing it in such a way that people will be sucked into buying it and making me very rich as a result of appearing to answer a need in people who are struggling.

I work in personal development and this book is a rehash of about thirty others. Save your money.
Self help is like self abuse....you have to do it yourself. You can wish for things as long as you like but unless you take action, nothing happens.
If you want to know what the secret is...I will tell you...
the secret is, people want to get on in life. If you tell them you can help them...they will bite your hand off. If you can dress up a lot of ideas and tips and techniques and pitch it in a style and manner that is different then people will buy it, in droves. This book is nothing more than a placebo. File it under snake-oil.
By the way, some very respected people are in this book and are quoted. Please do not think they believe it....it's a form of marketing for their own books and websites.
Cosmic ordering? Pah!
Heres an example. Sit and wish for a copy of 'the secret'. You could do that from now until doomsday and you wont get one. Order it from Amazon and youll get it next day. Thats the difference, you have to do something to get something. Thinking about it wont make it happen.

I am in complete agreement with the idea that our thoughts need to be carefully marshaled and focused on what we want. My comments focus on how Ms. Byrne has expressed that point in this book.

Everyone I know swears by the DVD version of The Secret. I decided to read the book first and then look at the DVD.

In grading this book, I am comparing The Secret to the many books that encourage you to create your own reality through mental focus including books written by those quoted in The Secret.

First, what is the secret? As stated in a quotation by Bob Proctor:

"The Secret is the law of attraction!

Everything that is coming into your life you are attracting . . . by virtue of the images you are holding in your mind."

Second, what causes the law of attraction to work? According to Ms. Byrne on page 11:

"You are the most powerful transmission tower in the Universe. Your transmission creates your life and it creates the world . . . . And you are transmitting that frequency with your thoughts."

Third, what's the evidence that this secret is true? Each of 24 authors tells anecdotes of people who overcame hurdles after envisioning a more positive result. A few claims are made that quantum physics supports this conclusion, and Ms. Byrne confides that she understands a great deal about this subject.

Fourth, why is this a secret? Because Ms. Byrne had never heard of the law of attraction prior to a year or so ago.

Let me make a few observations about the development of this idea in the book:

First, science has shown us that we ignore almost all of the sensory input we receive. Our minds focus on a small percentage of what's considered relevant through something called the reticular activating system. Change what you focus on, and you notice things for the first time that have been there all the time. That's one reason why envisioning what you want works: You notice helpful resources around you that you've been ignoring. That observation, however, has never been tied to any evidence (to my knowledge) that we physically create anything with our minds beyond our own bodies, except by manipulating the physical world in various ways.

Second, religion points to a different phenomenon. Christians, for example, read in the Bible that God has filled those who have been saved by repenting their sins and believing in Jesus with the Holy Spirit which permits good works (including miraculous works) to be done by the desire of the believer. The source isn't the believer's mind, but rather God's spiritual resources which are greater than the physical world. Anyone who read these Biblical texts would say that an individual is far from a powerful source of creating reality: An individual can do nothing to change reality without God, but can do anything good with God's help to change reality.

Third, in Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill reported the results of many years of intensive interviews with the most successful people on Earth of his day. Many of them believed that their thoughts physically changed the exterior world by opening the door to possibilities that otherwise wouldn't have existed. But Mr. Hill presented the idea as expressed opinions, rather than as a proven fact. He also pointed to many other things that these people had done that helped them succeed. Mr. Hill reported that it takes more just focusing on what you want: There are other steps involved such as working with a mastermind group.

Fourth, our own bodies are very strongly affected by our thoughts. Scientific research keeps showing new dimensions of that fact. Think certain thoughts and your immune system is stronger. Think other thoughts and your immune system is weaker. In addition, placebos do heal people who think they are getting real medicine when they are not. Why? Because people are really healing themselves. You can extend that influence by behaving well or badly towards others, causing a mental reaction in them, which in turn creates a change in their body chemistries.

By comparing those earlier works, my sense is that what The Secret really represents is one woman's quick attempt to make sense of this kind of information. In doing so, she seems to have oversimplified and misstated what is known about the role of thought in creating life experiences. I doubt if the intent was deliberate or not well intentioned. But after all, she is a film maker, not a student of thought.

By ignoring the full range and roots of the evidence, Ms. Byrne runs the risk of discouraging some people who feel like they are real losers because they cannot evince a perfectly positive reality. If it were as simple as The Secret suggests, we would have billions of people living trouble-free lives. To my knowledge, even the most successful practitioners of The Secret aren't as wealthy as those the most successful people who don't. That would make an interesting study, and a far more valuable book than this one.

Here's an example of a misleading example. Ms. Byrne argues that food doesn't make you fat; it's what you think about food that makes you fat. The punch line of her story is that "I now maintain my perfect weight of 116 pounds and I can eat whatever I want." Every person I have met who is an authority cited in this book is noticeably overweight. Why don't any of them want a perfect weight and be able eat anything they want?

My point for you: Avoid this book.

I encourage you, however, to think positively and learn about how your thoughts can improve your life!

If you want to learn about how to improve your life through your thoughts, consider reading more reliably based and carefully presented sources. If you prefer a secular book, try Think and Grow Rich or The Success Principles. If you would like a book that half-way between a religious and secular focus, try Your Best Life Now. If you want to draw totally on the Christian or Jewish religious roots, read the Bible.

I'll look at the DVD now and let you know what I think of that.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Sensational - A book to be treasured
I have always been a spiritual person, but before reading this book I had let the mundane day-to-day life bog me down. Read more

Published 20 hours ago by Sophia Maria

4.0 out of 5 stars The Secret Audiobook
I purchased the Secret Audiobook after a few friends and colleagues recommended it to me. I had seen the Secret film years ago, but didn't think I would have time to sit and read... Read more

Published 2 days ago by E. Harris

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing and positive - life changing
My life had taken a downturn and I needed guidance. My friend bought me this book for Christmas - she had read the German version and thought it would benefit me. Read more

Published 3 days ago by Ms. J. Irving

5.0 out of 5 stars The Secret
The secret is an Amazing book, a friend bought it for me as a christmas gift, I couldn't put the book down and read it in four days, I then bought The Power, this is the following... Read more

Published 4 days ago by Debbie

5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING
Okay so I'm 15 years old and I first watched the movie with my mum when I was 11 I always lived by it but not properly cause I never truly understood it, so mum went out and... Read more

Published 6 days ago by ook

1.0 out of 5 stars I wish I could give it less than 1 star
Modern society's equivalent of the Medicine Show and the quack's bottle of elixir " that will cure all ills". Read more

Published 6 days ago by Margaret

4.0 out of 5 stars Mystery of Life
Did not know what to expect wanted something informative and useful. All was revealed in one book, nothing that was not common sense really,just did not realize all you have to... Read more

Published 10 days ago by Loo

5.0 out of 5 stars One Of the best inspiring books I have read
A good book for remembering to be positive and for life changing scenarios to try and remember. I would reccomend it for anyone who has forgotten how to be positive.

Published 11 days ago by Kr!na

2.0 out of 5 stars pretty boring
pretty boring, i actually gave it away in the end as it was not to my liking. i would not recommend it unless you truly believe in all of this.

Published 12 days ago by L. Carter

1.0 out of 5 stars More of the same....
I felt that the author had seized upon ideas from other authors and simply tried to pad them out with repetition and over-explaining. I lost patience really quickly. Read more

Published 20 days ago by LouLou

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