Anyone read "The Secret?"

[Tink]

I'm reading The Secret and am finding it interesting and uplifting. I know several who have read it before me, and I'd already seen the DVD, so I'm getting a few different perspectives on it.

It seems some are taking this book out of context and are falling over the edge with outlandish expectations, so it's an interesting read. I do know several who claim to have been helped by the books encouragment of thinking positive.

So anyone else checked it out yet?

[Janet]

I haven't yet Tink, but after all I saw a show about it on Oprah, I wanted to get it. I just haven't had time to read in months. It's still on my list though.

[judy]

I never heard of it, so I googled it and can watch it online for $4.95. It's amovie too?
Where have I been - seems to be a big deal. Google it - there's all kinds of groups
involved now.

Well, anyway, enjoy the book, and please let me inow if I should watch it.

[DianaB]

I've known that there was a book called "The Secret" but I don't know what it's about. You'll have to enlighten us.

[AngieDoogles]

I haven't heard of it Tink. I hope you enjoy it and please tell us what you think.

[Tink]

The Secret, in a nutshell, pertains to people being able to accomplish some of the greatest things in history by having used the law of attraction. It's said to be a law of quantum physics, like the law of gravity or any other, so it is in effect whether you know about it or believe in it or not.

What the law of attraction is based on, is that life, matter and the universe is all made up of energy. As energy, it is in constant motion and flux. Depending on your frame of mind, you attract either positive or negative energy into your life which, if you learn to focus your thoughts correctly, you can also guide your life events and ultimately, your accomplishments and outcome.

Einstein, Michael Angelo, Thomas Edison, and many others are said to have shared this knowledge and kept it to themselves in their own group of chosen people in order to keep the edge for themselves. Modern day people who practice it have chosen to share it with anyone who is interested.

Jack Canfield, author of the Chicken Soup books, and Oprah Winfrey, are among the most well known practitioners of the Law Of Attraction (LOA) and swear by it's results. What I have personally seen in my own life and friends who are studying it, is a more positive attitude and a deeper gratitude for what we have been given.

As I mentioned, some have taken it to all sorts of extremes, believing it's some sort of new age religion or magic panacea to all of lifes problems. It's very interesting and an easy read, which is worth the price and effort even if all it does is helps people into a more positive frame of mind.

I'd be interested to know what any of you think of it if you decide to explore it. I interpret the "Universe" it talks about to BE God, so it would be good to have other christians opinions on it.

[Janet]

On Oprah, when the author and others were discussing it, they said it is not easy. That it takes a while to train your thoughts and attitude to be positive. Most of us are use to being able to think those (at times) bad thoughts and have those bad attitudes. You have to try and remove those negative ideas and thoughts from your mind. Not something most people can do overnight or in a month or most often way longer. It's a total lifestyle change, just like dieting or anything else. Most people will find this very challenging, but well worth it in the end.

[judy]

This is a very Buddhist philosophy. You are responsible, according to Buddhism, to everything that happens to you because of what you're putting out. Like Janet said, it's difficult to change to the point of putting out constant positive energy, but this is the goal of Buddhist enlightenment. I love what the Buddhists include in their philosophy - action. You begin with the desire, then take action to ensure that everything you're doing is positive so that your energy is positive, then pray for it. Of course, prayer to change your actions is also very important.

Some Buddhists believe in God, and some believe in a "cosmic consciousness." I left the Buddhist practice I belonged to, because I do believe in God and, at that time, they didn't. I love the practice though and still try to live my life according to the principles.

I feel that, no matter what religion you follow, you can adapt this way of living to your own beliefs. This is another reason I left the Buddhist practice.. They thought theirs was the only right way. I feel that there are simply many, many names for the Lord.

[Tink]

My impression of The Secret is that it's got the potential to rip off a lot of desperate, ignorant people who want it to be their magic source of easy money.
I do like the idea of thinking positive and being responsible for your own happiness, and such, but when they tell people that it's like having a Genie granting your wishes, they've gone too far.

I've been checking out a few sites related to The Secret, and it's appalling how niave and greedy people can be! Some will announce that they've won the lottery (in advance of the drawing) thinking if they "believe they will recieve" and some have quit jobs expecting their faith in the Law of attraction to support them with no effort on their part! I find that really disturbing. A few have fixated to attracting a specific mate for themselves and seem to be stalking these people hounding them with their confidence that if they want them, surely they will have them! It's all too creepy for me.

I found the mood elevating part beneficial, but on the downside, see many people who are becoming deeply disturbed because they can't manifest all their wishes by using the prescribed thought processes and end up thinking there's something wrong with them that it's not working.

It's worth reading if you're curious and know up front that some of it is just isn't what it's painted to look like. However, I've read that there are camps for kids to learn the LOA and all sorts of high priced seminars and such that lure people in and are being labled as rip offs. So I wouldn't suggest it for anyone who is highly gullible or desperate for an easy fix.

[judy]

That's too bad Tink. Don't you think it always comes down to living right, doing the right things, having faith, treating others the way you want to be treated, and working hard for whatever it is you want? It's just not that hard to figure out.

I think we're all born knowing, in our gut, when we're doing right and when we're doing wrong, and because of this, we can have faith. I'm not saying it's always easy, and sometimes things just don't come our way. I believe that we're just not supposed to have them at that time.

[Tink]

Well said Judy. I fully agree.

[judy]

So let's write a book....What do you think - about 1 -2 pages should cover it, and that's with the frontplate page.

[Tink]

Great :interesting: plan! We could entitle it "The Death of Common Sense" by 2 chicks who've been there seen it... :sidesplit:

[judy]

Should we do a tour or an infomercial at 3:30 AM?

[Tink]

I think a tour sounds like fun!
We'd have to bring lap tops though so we could check in on 4WT or we'd never last a week.

[judy]

You're right! We'd have to find a 12 step program.

[AngieDoogles]

You're right! We'd have to find a 12 step program.


Haha!! You two are hilarious. :yelrotflmao:

[Marilyn]

I heard a discussion on the radio yesterday about "The Secret". A psychologist was saying that some people who read this book are blaming themselves for bad things that happened to them even though there is nothing that they could have done to prevent the action. Example, rape victims are blaming themselves for being raped because they must have had negative thoughts that caused this to happen to them. Also that proponents of LOA say that the holocaust was the Jews fault because of their negativity.

I have not read the book, just heard this very brief commentary, but the jist of it was that if we embrace this philosophy, and bad things happen to us, it is our fault.

I'm sorry, but no matter how positive you are, bad things do happen to good people.

[Tink]

Right on Marilyn! It's things like that that I really found upsetting about the whole thing. That just sets us all up for depression and instability.

[judy]

...and for not taking responsibility for how we deal with life's ups and downs,
which is the real key to happiness.

[Marilyn]

You are so right, Judy. Look at Job in the Bible. He had more reason than any of us to be negative, but he never was. If we maintain our faith through good times and bad we can stay strong and handle anything that we need to. It's not always easy, but we can pull through and be stronger from the experience.

I just hope and pray that we will not be tested to the extreme.

[judy]

:thumbup: