"The Secret"

[Samadhi]

Discussion split from the "Happy" thread on the new self-help book/DVD phenomenon "The Secret"-

SLM


"The Secret"? Come on now, you gotta give us more! :D The only "The Secret" i know of was on Oprah one night, i watched a bit while channel surfing.

 

[preacha]

"The Secret"? Come on now, you gotta give us more! :D The only "The Secret" i know of was on Oprah one night, i watched a bit while channel surfing.

my girlfriend's parents cried watching the secret
we have the dvd

edit: i neglected to mention that the dvd is for weak people only, and i've never seen it make any change in anyone's life

 

[Samadhi]

^^ If i remember correctly, it was created by an Australian woman? There was a panel of people, motivational speakers, that collaborated, but from what i could gather, it was her idea?

 

[drEaMtiMe*@#]

^^ If i remember correctly, it was created by an Australian woman? There was a panel of people, motivational speakers, that collaborated, but from what i could gather, it was her idea?

yeah i'm pretty sure you're right, it was a woman's idea, except the person who actually directed it is a guy and i know him.

not really a huge fan of the way it turned out though. apparently the producers cut a rather large chunk at the end which was talking to the woman who had the idea for this, which i definitely felt like was the wrong thing to do as i think there needed to be some more expansion in general. also i would have liked it if it had turned out a little less like a dumbed down - for the masses - motivational speech

 

[lady grey]

"the secret" (it's a secret, I can't tell you)

impromptu sick days
and even more impromptu activities to fill them

are you talking about the book "the secret" that was on oprah by any chance???

my best friend is getting really into it!! and is actually seeing massive changes, id be interested to know what other peoples takes are on it?

It's also meant to be the fastest selling book in the world at the moment.

im skeptical

 

[Samadhi]

^^ Yeah, i'm also skeptical about it, i'm open-minded, but there are so many self-help fads out there, and the part on Oprah that i watched, showed the self-help gurus talking to an auditorium of people, and it reminded me of late-night TV shows where evangelists rant to a glass church full of the faithful, for a pretty-penny, no doubt.

If you're friend is noticing differences though, something must be happening, yeah?

I don't know about all of this... i've been noticing positive changes in my life over the past 3 months or so, and it's just been a matter of believing in myself and my ability to be the best i can. Is that what the secret is about?

 

[doofqueen]

I havnt read the book or watched the dvd but would really like to. It reminds me of "The celestine prophecy(sp?)" I've been going on about the law of attraction for years. It's not a new concept. It's just being brought to the "mainstream" world which is a good thing.

 

[lady grey]

^^ yep thats it! i havent read it but from what my friend says its basically about the power of positive thinking and how truely believing in something can make it happen.

The law of attraction is the book she's reading at the moment. I think the basic principle of it is for example --->>
Instead of hoping something bad doesnt happen, hope that something good will happen.

Because negetive thinking is more likely to bring that about, i can definatly see how and why it would work.

My friend is convinced that there has been a lot of positive things coming her way as a direct result of this book. So for that reason, i will read it but im always just a tad skeptical on these self help books, i guess for the same reasons as you actually samadhi

 

[eggman]

The law of attraction via positive thinking has been around for years, think Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer and Brian Tracy. These 'Gurus' have been pushing that note for bloody years but its usually surrounded via various other supporting theory. It seems as though the authors/creators (sic) of The Secret have just extrapolated that theory out of context and rebadged it.

I personally feel there is a certain element of truth behind positive thinking and attaining achievement via having a positive attitude. You behave in a more positive way, you build stronger relationships with other and you meet new people. You become more goal orientated and you motivate yourself to achieve and build yourself.

However, just asking the etheral for something, thinking about it and then achieving it by thinking positive is just bullshit.

Affirmation without dedication is the embodiement of delusion!

by that i mean, sure think positive and build a positive attitude but be prepared to put in the hardwork that needs to come along with it.

 

[Samadhi]

However, just asking the etheral for something, thinking about it and then achieving it by thinking positive is just bullshit.

Affirmation without dedication is the embodiement of delusion!

Couldn't agree more. It's interesting, because i've been doing this anyway... thinking positively, but i've also put plans of action in place. For instance, i just got a promotion to a job that i was gagging to get. I thought positively, but i also applied for the role, putting a lot of work into the application and the interview. I really doubt that i would have gotten the job purely by sending out happy thoughts to the universe.

So does "the secret" actually teach the principle that positive thought, and positive thought only will cause great things to happen to you? If so, that's a crock of shit. However, if they teach that positive thought will automatically lead to positive action, then it's a good thing... certainly not new, but at least it's being filtered to "mainstream" society.

 

[Strawberry_lovemuffin]

So does "the secret" actually teach the principle that positive thought, and positive thought only will cause great things to happen to you?

Yep basically. You ask the universe for something, believe you're going to get it (and ideally, think as if you already have it), and through the theory of attraction it will eventually - no, inevitably - come to you.

In some places it mentions taking 'minor steps' or a 'little token gesture of action' (my paraphrasing) towards your goal but in the main, it's about sending out vibes and having the thing land on your plate. You don't even need to have the foggiest idea of how what you want will come to you - that's up to the Universe. (see how it can be seductive )

They cite examples such as the person who was flat broke, but then started thinking "like a rich person", sticking fake "Cheques" for thousands of dollars on the refrigerator, cutting out pictures of huge mansions to stick on a 'wish board' and visualising cheques arriving in the mail instead of bills. And OMG - he got rich -! But only, you read later, through some pretty clever investments he made while this was all going on.

Hmmm. 8(

On some level I do believe this philosophy is useful and has some legs, I do think to an extent our beliefs in ourself and our life can manifest physically....but it's definitely nothing new, and relying just on positive thought alone is pretty ridiculous IMO.

ps. I've been visualising winning Powerball for goddamn weeks now!!! When's it coming, universe?

 

[SmC]

Yep basically. You ask the universe for something, believe you're going to get it (and ideally, think as if you already have it), and it will eventually come to you.

lol That's ridiculous and for lack of a better word, dangerous advice. Just thinking about something wont get you anywhere. Doing it is what counts.

 

[Strawberry_lovemuffin]

Yes I've been visualising my goddamn hands full of money for ages now

On the other hand, it aint all flawed, if you're projecting your energies - not JUST thoughts but actions - towards something in that concentrated a fashion then of *course* you'll eventually make progress. And possibly the very fact of concentrating your thoughts on it inspires the action you otherwise weren't taking.

That's probably how people are getting results from this. It's no magic though.

 

[lady grey]

^^ (edit for eggman888 hehe)i just assumed it was a given that hard work along with a positive attitude was the result of why "the secret" would work. I don't see how simply positive thinking will bring something about i thought the idea is that you are meant to write down goals or something then work towards achieving them whilest applying the "secret".

For example my friend works in sales. Since reading this book she has changed her sales tactic and has been applying this "positive outlook" to her work. In 2 months she has managed to make more in comissions than she had made in the previous year (in total).

as samadhi & slm pointed out though for a lot of people "the secret" seems to be common knowledge i guess it can't hurt to consciously apply it though

 

[Strawberry_lovemuffin]

No, if you read the book it most definitely advocates you can get whatever you want just by changing your THINKING. The author reckons she healed her eyesight just by visualising that her eyes had perfect sight, and a couple of days later didn't need glasses anymore.

That's the reason it's so popular... lol... do you think fat lazy Americans really want to DO anything towards their goals?

According to the book your friend could simply have sat there and visualised big sales numbers on a bit of paper, and with no change whatsoever in her behaviour the extra sales would come in. That's where I think it's a crock, personally. But if it has helped your friend change her thinking, which in turn has changed her behaviour/sales approach, that's a very positive outcome.

 

[SmC]

If only life were that simple..

 

[Samadhi]

And possibly the very fact of concentrating your thoughts on it inspires the action you otherwise weren't taking.

That's probably how people are getting results from this. It's no magic though.

That's what i was getting at in my previous post... and what i've been doing for a while now. As long as there is action in there somewhere, then it's good advice, i just can't abide by the philosophy that mere thought will make all of my dreams come true... i'd think my life away.

I'd like to ask them to answer this: By their rationale, that it only takes positive thought (with no action) to better my life, i could essentially sit in an empty room, think happy thoughts and voila! i have money in my pocket, and an enriched life... i know that's a bit extreme, but that's kinda what they're saying, no? To me, that's dangerous, as aside from thought, no one is actually accountable for bettering their life, they're leaving it up to the universe.

 

[lady grey]

^^ lol!(edit for slm)im going to have to read this book i think see what all the fuss is about

i agree samadhi, it's kind of dangerous to put all of your belief in the fact that you are not responsible for bettering your life. That it is upto the "universe". I've seen religion do that to people but thats a whole other topic all together8(

edit : your right doof, it does seem to be common sense.

 

[doofqueen]

You attract what you give out. I'm a firm believer in this. Always have been It's really just common sense really and used to be thought of as airy fairy hippy shit but now that "scientists" can prove these attraction laws it's all of a sudden a brillent way of thinking and is "backed up"

*rolls eyes*

 

[Samadhi]

I am too, trancegirlie, so i can see what all the fuss is about... I just find it hard to believe (but will continue to be open-minded about it) that, for instance, an overweight person can become thin just by thinking... and not excercising, eating healthy foods, or antyhing else that would require effort on their part... if i'm reading this correctly:

No, if you read the book it most definitely advocates you can get whatever you want just by changing your THINKING.

Then, that's essentially what they're saying. I know that power of thought is far stronger than most people think, and mind over matter is a definite phenomenon (for lack of a better word). I heard about a man that cured himself of a brain tumour by visualising it as an asteroid and him as a spaceship, shooting it with a laser... don't know if that's true...

I don't know, i just find it hard to believe and it's an easy cop-out if it doesn't work..." the universe just wasn't on my side - boohoohoo".