At the time I could not put my abhorrence to the phenomenon into words. It ate at me and I thought about it for weeks. This post is my response to that question.
The Secret.
The Secret is based on the 'law of attraction,' which is a belief in the ability to bring anything you want into your life, just by focusing on that thing every day.
The book, written by Rhonda Byrne was a bestseller in 2006, popularized by Oprah's Book Club, and then made into a movie by the same name.
My abhorrence came first- from the fact that it was so popular, due to its promotion through Oprah's Book Club. To me, the people who read books recommended by Oprah were never the type of people that I would choose to associate with. These are the day-time t.v. watchers. The same type of assholes who watch Fox News.
Second, to the source of its fame, was it's obvious idiocy. I get that calling it a secret and then revealing how simple it actually is, was the whole premise for the tongue-in-cheek title. I get it.
I find it dumb and deductive.
The first chapter that I read in the book talked about a man who wanted a million dollars, and then after taping a dollar to his ceiling, and focusing on his wish every day, he eventually got it.
It is exactly the type of thing that the people who watch Oprah, eat right up. The 'rags to riches' tale, told from a 'get rich quick' perspective, made with little to no real effort. This kind of writing plays on the sad state of the 'American Dream' and all of its impossibilities. Selling a book on the promise of offering hope to the masses is so evil, in a way, don't you think?
That being said, obviously, if you focus on a goal, day-in, and day-out, and then regularly ponder the ways in which you can reach 'said' goal...then YES, you are bound to make some headway toward the goal. There is no secret about the natural progression of things when you set out to accomplish something and then slowly work toward achieving it.
Believing you might have a chance to do so in the first place is so difficult for most people that being given permission to do so, feels like fucking magick...and that, actually, is really, very sad.
Where most of the sad-sack followers of The Secret get hung up, and this whole system fails them, is within the scope of reality in which they live. If, for example, you want to be an Olympic gold medalist, and you are already 75 years old and have never trained in any sport a day in your life...then likely, this is not going to happen, no matter how hard you might "focus" on it. Sorry. Not going to happen. You need to strike some kind of balance, between your own idealism, and reality.
In addition to this, you have to understand yourself to know what you truly want. Once you have that, you will come to find that you can work very hard in a thorough and practical manner in order to actualize your ideas. Working within the structure of what is true for you, is key. Finding out what that means is necessary and a guiding force to gaining the capacity for creative organization to flow.
It's not that I do not believe in the power of manifestations. In my life, I have seen the universal law of attraction at work. I hoped the other day to see a rainbow, and a few hours after saying so out loud, one appeared in the sky. I tested my theory and asked for a swan to appear in the bay outside my window, and sure enough, after a few days, a swan was floating happily around outside my house for a few hours.
What does it take for manifestations to work? Being present, happy, not too attached to the outcome, and asking for things that are not impossible, are all components.
The reason is this; when you are truly happy- you are awake. You are paying attention. You are present. Things happen regardless of your desires all the time- but when you are present... they seem to be a purposeful gift from God, or what may be called THE UNIVERSE, or, whatever it is you believe to be the higher power in your world.
Not being present, but still in a state of wanting, hoping, praying will not bring you the same result.
Otherwise, you can hope and pray, to whatever God that you think will listen, and still get squat in return. That's because you are God. You are the Universe. Your prayers are being answered by the everything or nothingness that exists inside you.
Not being present, but still in a state of wanting, hoping, praying will not bring you the same result.
Otherwise, you can hope and pray, to whatever God that you think will listen, and still get squat in return. That's because you are God. You are the Universe. Your prayers are being answered by the everything or nothingness that exists inside you.
When was the last time that you were present? Do you know what it means to be present? Do you live in the future or in the past?
Living in the now is the key to enlightenment. Yet most people don't know what it is to let go of their constant state of forethought or reminiscence. With this general state of being there is no room for manifestations- which only happen in the present.
Recently I was given the opportunity to make many of my dreams come true. It started with a move to Salem Mass...and at first I was put off by how easy things were compared to how hard they were normally. I manifested this reality...and I didn't know why I kept getting what I asked for.
The answer is so simple that it is difficult to understand. When you know what you want and you take the steps to get there, everything else follows naturally. Live in the now. Be here now...the rest will follow.
Living in the now is the key to enlightenment. Yet most people don't know what it is to let go of their constant state of forethought or reminiscence. With this general state of being there is no room for manifestations- which only happen in the present.
Recently I was given the opportunity to make many of my dreams come true. It started with a move to Salem Mass...and at first I was put off by how easy things were compared to how hard they were normally. I manifested this reality...and I didn't know why I kept getting what I asked for.
The answer is so simple that it is difficult to understand. When you know what you want and you take the steps to get there, everything else follows naturally. Live in the now. Be here now...the rest will follow.
