DLers Thoughts on THE SECRET (2006)

some of us had it long before then, OP.

The whole trifecta Louise Hay, Abraham (Jerry & Ester Hicks), and The Secret (through The Secret I found out about Louise Hay and Abraham) helped me with my depression and getting off medication for good.

It's not for everybody, that's for sure., but it sure helped me.

Thanks, R2.

Crock of new age shit without any basis in behavioral science research

What does behavioral science have to do with karma and the Law of Attraction?

Not everything can be explained by science.

If karma and the law of attraction were real, people like Trump and his family and his ilk wouldn't be living in the lap of luxury.

It sounds like something from Oprah's book club.

Oprah did endorse it.

Basically it says you bring negativity into your life by being negative.

It’s a cheap, simplistic, materialistic summary of one of many components of Buddhism. If it’s helpful, fine. But like Marianne Williamson’s “Course in Miracles” shill, it drives me crazy to hear people treat it like a religion and “the answer”.

Why does it drive you crazy?

The Secret is it is all bullshit for people who don't have sense.

But hey, if that's what some people need to believe to get through life I suppose there is little harm in it. It's no different than clinging to some religion.

This SNL/Oprah skit perfectly describes my thoughts

While I practice what is called the Law of Attraction in my daily life I was put off on how it was represented in The Secret. The focus, IIRC, was about the accumulation of wealth. The movie seemed like an infomercial.

The Secret, and I guess you could include The Course of Miracles too, both are an easy gateway into the study of practices that have been in use for many years. And it isn't a religion or "new age" though you could (and some have) base a religion around these practices and there certainly isn't anything new (as in "new age") about "The Secret".

It drives me crazy for the same reason as any religion - there is no definitive “answer” and no book, Bible, person, or theory that provides “the solution” to life’s problems, questions and complexity.

One of the guys that was part of it ended up in prison for two years for negligent homicide. I guess he “attracted” that into his life.😏

Odd how The Secret emphasizes thoughts so much, which are incapable of attracting anything. Attraction happens at the etheric/magnetic level.

r17. Thoughts and emotions are a way to get you clarity what you are attracting on the etheric / magnetic level.

The Secret is based on the idea that you get more of what you focus on. You pay attention to Donald Trump 24/7? Guess what, you get more of Donald Trump. You complain all day that the Kardashians are still a thing? Guess what, they will always be around you as long you complain about them. You complain all day how poor you are? Guess what, you will have plenty of days to complain some more about being poor. You whine about not having found the right one yet? Well, with that attitude (stating the current state over and over again) you will not find him or her. You are outraged that the world is unfair and unjust and point to all the proof you see around you? Guess what, you will have many more opportunities to point out how unfair and unjust the world is becoming in the future.

I practice LOA daily. There are times I feel really shitty or someone fucks with me, and I don’t get the results I expect. The most important thing I learned is not to get upset or talk about the fuckery I’m seeing at the moment... but to contrast it by talking inside of a solution and reach and speak of a positive thought instead.

If you do this regularly you’ll be startled at the results. Michael Losier’s books and audio recordings are much better and less cheesy than “The Secret”.

R18 so if poor or marginalized people just stopped complaining about being poor they would no longer be poor? Or they just wouldn’t care that they were poor. So are there any structural aspects to economic and social inequalities and discrimination or do Folks just bring it onto themselves through stinkin’ thinkin’?

R20, this is “compare and despair” thinking that honestly doesn’t help anyone. Focusing on disparity only brings more disparity 1. the guy living in the mud hut was perfectly happy... until someone told him he should be unhappy. 2. I’ve seen and experienced for myself that intentional, positive thinking transforms lives. 3. People that are intentionally positive live longer and with less stress, nothing to do with monetary wealth.

4. There is a major upheaval currently unfolding within our lifetimes- specifically about the relationship between money, happiness and creating a sustainable civilization beyond the pursuit of wealth.

Yeah, a lot of people try to hide behind other people and circumstances to validate their prejudiced opinion, or opinions. If you believe it's not for you, then it's not for you. No need to drag others into it.

Recognizing disparity and inequality is a first step toward social change. Maybe just maybe there is some part of what you ascribe to that is valid when it comes to comparing sweaters. It’s not valid or useful when it comes to questioning and working toward changing social inequity. Happy thoughts might help you live longer by lowering your stress level but there are studies that show that stresses of poverty and racism are cumulative and increase morbidity and mortality.

[quote]Thoughts and emotions are a way to get you clarity what you are attracting on the etheric / magnetic level.

Thoughts and surface emotions have nothing to do with the core belief matrix that forms the etheric body. Changing unconscious core beliefs is what brings genuine change, because what manifests in the etheric is what assembles the other bodies. You can think happy thoughts all day about unfortunate circumstances, yet continue to attract more misfortune.

Also, as other commentors have pointed out, you are COcreating with others and are not an entirely free agent. Social/economic issues have as much to do with the formation of core beliefs as personal thoughts or feelings.

One last point- my father is one of the most "negative" people you'll ever encounter, yet experiences robust health and attracts mostly favorable circumstances. I suspect that he does not do this by suppressing or judging his "negative" feelings or thoughts (although we wish he would, sometimes), but by not feeling the least bit conflicted about he treats others and by never questioning his own grandiosity. It's easier to attract what you feel entitled to.

I'm sure that all of the people living in poverty and misery around the world are just a bunch of Negative Nancys. This load of shit is nothing more than superstition, and this kind of thinking brought us Trump and will ultimately be the end of us.

The link I provided is to the Wikipedia entry on magical thinking, but stupid Wikipedia won't display the description.

[quote] Thoughts and surface emotions have nothing to do with the core belief matrix that forms the etheric body.

What the hell do you think changes core beliefs? A fairy in the sky? Continuous and deliberate thought and focus will change and replace past belief systems. Based on New Age beliefs the power is in the now. You can start to establish a new belief now by starting to deliberately think differently (I believed in the past this to be true, but now I want to believe something else is true and I deliberately look for the new thing to be true by looking around me and look for proof that it's indeed true, and I will gladly embrace that new truth instead of beating myself up for thinking something else for so long). Of course established beliefs don't disappear or get replaced within seconds. It takes deliberate work for weeks (even though you can notice results within days) to establish a new belief system.

[quote] Also, as other commentors have pointed out, you are COcreating with others and are not an entirely free agent. Social/economic issues have as much to do with the formation of core beliefs as personal thoughts or feelings.

You decide with who you are co-creating with. You decide how to react to the surrounding conditions. Half Glass Full vs. Half Glass Empty. Both are true and both are real. You decide which suits you, and your current belief system, best.

[quote] One last point- my father is one of the most "negative" people you'll ever encounter, yet experiences robust health and attracts mostly favorable circumstances.

Your father is your father. You are you. You are not your father and your father is not you. You are two different people and - call it a hunch - neither of you can reach the other one's mind and you are not around each other 24/7. You use your perception of somebody else as proof for your established belief. That's ok, but change can't come for you when you use others as an excuse to not change.

My apologies. Neither of you can READ the other one's mind.

[quote]One last point- my father is one of the most "negative" people you'll ever encounter, yet experiences robust health and attracts mostly favorable circumstances. I suspect that he does not do this by suppressing or judging his "negative" feelings or thoughts (although we wish he would, sometimes), but by not feeling the least bit conflicted about he treats others and by never questioning his own grandiosity. It's easier to attract what you feel entitled to.

My father was such a mean old man but life never seemed to punish him for it. I think it was because he never felt he did anything wrong. He used to project it onto everyone else. I think we attract punishment when we feel guilty.

Reading Secret-obsessed DLers’ serious conversations about the etheric is more evidence of the gullible magical thinking some people are prone to falling victim.

The "Law of Attraction" was also something Florence Scovill Shinn often wrote about as well. (predating many of the others) Of course it's fair and good to argue one must strive to keep positive, but it's a bit too simplistic for many applications. A close younger friend began working with a psychologist after a recent move, and the therapist was all over this shit. When my friend told me she had to create a "vision board" on which to meditate, I told her to see a psychiatrist instead. She was not keen on the approach either. If only it were so easy to create our dream lives this way!

[quote] My father was such a mean old man but life never seemed to punish him for it. I think it was because he never felt he did anything wrong. He used to project it onto everyone else. I think we attract punishment when we feel guilty.

Seemed is the magic word here. It's like with people who insist Karma doesn't exist because Trump should have been punished by now with those people having a front row seat. It's the typical "I believe it when I see it!" premise that trips people up. Religion has faith. It's no different with New Age. You have to have faith that it works for you. God = cosmic energy = higher source. The initial faith is supposed to energize and motivate you to go into a new direction until you allow yourself to see / notice proof around you that you are indeed going in the right direction. By noticing more and more proof that you are walking in the right direction faith turns into believing and later on believing turns into knowing and with that you established a (new) belief.

[quote] Of course it's fair and good to argue one must strive to keep positive, but it's a bit too simplistic for many applications.

Why must life be complicated?

[quote] When my friend told me she had to create a "vision board" on which to meditate, I told her to see a psychiatrist instead. She was not keen on the approach either. If only it were so easy to create our dream lives this way!

Look, psychiatrist can work, too. A vision board is about clarity and focus towards what you want instead of focusing on the reasons why you don't have it yet or not deserving of what you want. A lot of hesitation of using vision boards comes from spending time on something that is the complete opposite of what one believes (I don't have what I want and it's very likely I will never get what I want, because ...). People already have a "vision board" in their head and it usually features things like this.

R27, what readings do you recommend?

A "vision board" might help you if you have realistic goals, r33.

[quote] A "vision board" might help you if you have realistic goals,

[quote] —If you think it's going to make you rich, you're nuts.

But it can help you to think less poorly of yourself.

"The Secret" is a total rip-off of a book published in 1962 called "The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity" by Catherine Ponder.

Affirmations, vision boards...it's all there.

Louise Hay ripped off Ponder's third book: "The Dynamic Laws of Healing (1966)".

Didn’t Louise Hay think AIDS victims wanted the disease?

[quote] Didn’t Louise Hay think AIDS victims wanted the disease?

Her argument was that, back then (and even now), some gays grew up with the belief that being gay, and having gay sex, is bad and when you do something bad you (must) get punished. Remember the old hurtful saying that "all gays should get AIDS and die?" that was a terrible mantra for a lot of gay people that occupied people's minds and thoughts.

Not what that bullshit book or the ridiculous "philosophy" on which it is based is about, r36.

This is great counterbalance reading to “The Secret”. Barbara brings up a lot of good points of how people can be blindly optimistic and blames the Recession on this kind of mentality

The principles of THE SECRET are centuries older than any US recession.

R41 exactly. Is the Secret an American thing? It seems to fit perfectly with the whole “anyone can be rich if you want it” myth of the American Dream, Europeans - and Asians - tend to be more realistic and accepting of fate and suffering as part of life.

It’s a whole magical thinking thing that’s gotten new traction with the emergence of the “life coach and the aspirational/inspirational quotes on Instagram by speedo-clad personal trainer phenomenon.

R33 I'm sorry to be frank, but bleeding vision boards aren't going to help my young friend with the sorts of problems she has. I find the whole exercise something to be considered akin to quackery when it's been advised by a psychologist. This friend requires medications, and has been on them for years. I think things such as this are more the domain of "life coaches" and New-Age gurus. They're not going to help with the majority of psychiatric problems, mood disorders, anxiety, ADHD, or improving their inter-personal relationships. These are no better than Ouija boards in my estimation.

R45 exactly. Again no behavioral science basis for this. It’s spiritual new age shit for the aspirational middle class

Cheers R46... I suggested she ask the GP prescribing her meds since her move if this was the sort of therapy he had in mind when he stressed she continue with counseling. Her initial reaction was additional frustration too. She's a busy career woman with new boyfriend living situation, two young children from a previous marriage, new city, new job, etc. Wishing on things coming into her life wasn't her goal. Completely unprofessional. Time wasting craft-project homework too!

It is, essentially, a pyramid scheme.

All of the pundits that support it (Wayne Dyer and the whole lot of them) get MONEY from talks, books, consultations, etc. They then tell those at these talks to find others and bring them.........its a different spin of a pyramid scheme.

You mean like back when they thought pregnant women walking past cows made their milk go sour and they burned women at the stake for being "witches," r42?

No wonder DLers are so bitter and unhappy.

Not believing in magical thinking doesn’t make you bitter and unhappy - it makes you a pragmatic realist who can face reality and deal with it head on. I found some of the most bitter people are those who were fed nonsense that they could “make it” if they just kept believing - only to end up broke and in debt without a viable career.

R51, You are just unhappy to see other happy and finding the good in life instead of the bad.

You hate to see others hopeful and still content.

You are bitter and unhappy.

R37 What about "The Power of Positive Thinking" from the 1950s?

Um...it’s called Buddhism. For simple minded lazy people - and without any of that “life is suffering” complexity that would require actual thought.

Everyone that I know that followed “The Secret” when it came out 13 years ago is still miserable and poor to this day.

I'm a bit shocked so many here are defending "The Secret" and similar magic making. R57 This has nothing in common with Buddhism, which actually suggests keeping expectations low, or not having ANY. Buddhism also doesn't stress or glorify material things, as all these prosperity practises do. It's immature and shallow to believe pretty, shiny, flasy things can bring true happiness or contentment.

No, have you read The Secret?

It's about putting out love and gratitude to the universe.

[quote]What the hell do you think changes core beliefs? A fairy in the sky? Continuous and deliberate thought and focus will change and replace past belief systems.

Thought is conscious, core beliefs are not, but keep acting defensive because you read some superficial bullshit and don't know how magnetism actually works.

Btw, if you read something besides Oprah recommendations, you'd already know the answer to your question. The Secret isn't the end of the road.

R59 - exactly. I respect thoughtful, meaningful studies of philosophy. The Secret is like watching an episode of Oprah and thinking you found the answer to life. It’s not - it’s a little tidbit of an idea that people are exaggerating into the basis of the way to live a life. I think the perfect example is it’s exclusion of the concept of sickness and death and grief. Basically just block out anything negative.