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Hermes

The Secret

Teresa · Kate Spade

what is it?

pollyjean23 · Marc Jacobs

http://www.thesecret.tv/home.html
It's a book/movie.

I haven't seen it; but I think my boss showed it to some people at work or something (I work in a different physical location). It seems like visualizations to me, but I'm sure there is more to it.

lizardbreath · Nine West

I read it and I liked the book a lot. It made a lot of sense to me. I think until you learn how to keep those negative thoughts out, the Secret doesn't work...
I don't believe in 100% of what the book says, but I do believe that by positive thinking, good things will happen. Maybe I am naive? But it makes sense that if you think negatively, you will see more of the bad instead of the good.
I am going to reread it because if anything, it teaches me to try and see the good in my life.

atlgirl · Gucci

D wrote:

I read atlgirl's post in the religion thread, and it appears that she too has read or seen The Secret (am I right, atlgirl?) I am striving to think only of the things I want to attract to me, like good health, money , love, peace, etc., but it's difficult to keep negative thoughts out.

Has anyone else seen/read The Secret, and what are your thoughts about it?

Actually, I have neither seen nor read it. I kind of felt like it would be a waste of time...I don't really think it's anything new (well, at least not new to me). I am a fan of Dr. Wayne Dyer and he's been speaking about this kind of stuff for 25 years or so...and he's not the only one. Someone figured out a new way to make some money from it, AFAIK. More power to 'em - and they are getting the message out to more people, which can't be anything but good.

I have a very difficult time with my own self-negativity, and that's what I work the hardest on - that, and my relationships with others, as I mentioned in the religion poll thread. And by others, I mean everyone I come into contact with - the checker at the grocery store, the guy at the auto shop, the people I pass on the exercise path, etc. I try to make every interaction a positive one. For some people, it might be the only positive interaction they have all day (sadly). I don't allow drama queens or manipulators in my life (the only ones left in my life are my family, whom I can't escape - both SIL's and my mother, to some degree, are like this), but I try to lead by example when I can with them all...it just seems like it doesn't ever work...they are too caught up in their own agendas. And I suspect that neither of my SILs view themselves in any kind of negative light, and would be shocked to find out how others truly feel about them...fortunately our interactions are limited (all of my family and in-laws live on the other side of the country).

So I have been practicing putting positive things out into the universe for years. I'm nowhere near perfect at it, but I've noticed that my life has changed greatly for the better since I began regularly focusing on the positive and not the negative. I have closer / better friends now than I ever did before, I am more open to change instead of dreading / fearing it, and I went from a corporate job I hated to being able to run my own business, to name just a few positives.

As far as negative self-thoughts...they're harder. I've been through some personal counseling and will probably go again when things slow down a bit for me. I'm really hard on myself and I haven't made as much progress on that. I do find that I'm much more comfortable focusing on others instead of myself, and I have a strong sense of empathy, so I'm happy to lend an ear or shoulder to my girl- or guy- friends. DH is constantly amazed at what people tell me - friends, strangers, etc - I like to think it's because I'm not judgemental and I can empathize with what they're saying. I don't sugarcoat things, but most people don't seem to be offended by my directness (hopefully because if I'm saying something not positive, it's truly to try and help them see things differently, and to ultimately be beneficial to them). I enjoy getting to know people and I think I'm happiest when my energy is focused on others.

I don't necessarily define success as money...though it certainly makes life easier in many ways. I definitely would love to have more disposable income, so that DH And I could do more - travel, more changes to the house, more charitable things, etc. And maybe just a wee bit more shopping budget. *wink* But I also define success as being able to make a difference to others and being at peace with myself and my life. I have a great circle of friends, in several states, and I cherish them and feel cherished by them all. I have a loving and supportive husband and I try to be just as good a wife back to him. I am in a pretty good place, relationship-wise with my family. I try to put good things into others' lives...so I think I'm doing allright at "being able to make a difference". My business revenues grow each year, so the ability to live my own life differently (income-wise) is coming along, slowly...it's the being at peace with myself that's dragging. I am happier with myself now (at nearly 40) than I ever have been before. But that's still nothing to write home about, for a girl who's struggled with major depression since she was 12. So I'm always working on it.

I hope I don't sound like some goober for writing this. I don't really talk about it much because I'm better at being the listening ear than spouting off about my beliefs. But I can't think of anything I feel more strongly about than this, so there it is...since you (sorta kinda) asked, D. :)

ETA : hey D, you might check out Wayne Dyer on a Google search...I have one of his CD's (Manifest Your Destiny) and that really helped me clarify my own views on this stuff. I completely agree with him.

-- Edited by atlgirl at 18:10, 2007-05-24

greendiamond · Marc Jacobs

I have seen the dvd, but I have not read the book. I also watched the special Oprah had on her show about it, with some panelists. (That's what got me to want to watch it, actually).

I thought the format and presentation of the information to be cheesy and was a gross overstatement of the principles behind the secret.

However, I feel that the basic message about using positive thinking to attract the things one wants in live, into one's life, is a good message.

In general, I think we could all use a little extra positive self-speak, as well as keeping a positive outlook on life.

-gd

AllieGurl · Marc Jacobs

I have not read the book , and to be honest have no intreset in reading it.

I do however believe that negativity breads negativity and when you put those thoughts out in the world or think them about your life you seem to attract the negative things because you are always anticipating something bad.

On the flip side, if you try to stay positive and see the good in situations you tend to be happier and surronded more by people who feel/think the same way, therefore have more positive expierences in your life.

Of course its easier said than done, but I do try to always see the world as "glass half full" because I frankly dont want to live consumed by negative thoughts.

sephorablue · Marc Jacobs

I cannot speak from personal experience of having read or watched it, but I am highly suspicious of ways it may lead people to think. One of my friends was recently dating a woman who is a HUGE devotee of it, and she had a lump in her breast but refused to have it biopsied because she believed that by talking about it with her doctor, she would be "inviting negativity and sickness" into her body. Granted, this woman may just be an example of natural selection and her inherent stupidity has nothing to do with The Secret, but still.

Suasoria · Chanel

I've seen the film a couple of times - both versions - there are two. The original includes interviews with Esther Hicks, or rather, with a spirit she channels called Abraham. The words and ideas of Abraham/Hicks were part of the genesis of the film. I've been casually interested in Hicks' work for some time.

Unfortunately when Esther saw the final version and realized that it had moved far, far away from her spiritual work, she asked to be removed. The producer had to shoot new interviews and that's how some of the lesser-known people came to be included. If people can get hold of the version with Esther Hicks, I think they'd appreciate it far more. These comments apply to the version that's in wider circulation.

On paper there's nothing wrong with remaining focused on what you want in life instead of what you don't want and changing the way you perceive things to achieve a more proactive, less victimized mentality. If you've never really considered your personal power, or how you can gain control of your own life, or what your purpose is, or what kind of job or relationship you want, then this is a good first step.

I think part of why this has caught on in such a huge way is that it takes very little effort to make Americans want more more more (and bigger, bigger bigger) - and to make them justify their consumption as a spiritual belief system.

To be fair, of course good health and a girlfriend/boyfriend is thrown in. And we should want world peace and a clean planet and blah blah blah...after I get the job, house, car, jewelry, vacations, and so on. So my real complaint is that this film encourages people to be self-absorbed and materialistic, isolated and disconnected from other souls. Why be troubled by other people's problems, after all? Why worry about genocide or war or national debt, if it's not happening to me? Why have compassion? They caused their own problems, I don't have any responsibility for them.

This kind of thinking is appealing to a middle- or working-class person living in a time of economic insecurity. It's a bit like dancing while Rome is burning.

I've actually had a business meeting with one of the "experts" in the film, and had email dealings with a few others. Some of these people are shameless hucksters doing anything for a buck. Some are genuinely in it for good. I've read that some were also a bit perturbed at the way the film portrayed them.

Here's an older article that you might want to read -
Decoding 'The Secret'
Oprah lives by it. Millions are reading it. The latest self-help sensation claims we can change our lives by thinking. But this 'new thought' may just be new marketing.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17314883/site/newsweek/page/0/