Saturday, January 19, 2008

The Secret (Hardcover) by Rhonda Byrne Review !!!


I have been interested in the power of the mind for many years now, and I was very excited to see this video. It was just awful, and for the life of me I can't understand what others are seeing in it. It rang like an infomercial to me. You've seen the ones, get wealthy with little effort, eat what you want and never gain weight. I think the power of the mind can help us deal with the strife in our lives, and to me that is the real secret. Anyone who is going through hard times can focus their mind on their many blessings and start to feel grateful. It isn't that your life around you changes as much as your perception does. Let me give an example: A close friend's mother was dying of a incurable disease. My friend was heartbroken and extremely angry that this was happening to her. Over time, she started to look at the blessings that were a result of the situation. Some of the blessings included the fact that she still had time to spend getting to know her mother better, a wake up call that her own time on earth is precious, the nourishment of the soul that occurs when you care for another person. Did her thoughts manifest a perfect reality where the illness didn't occur? No. Did her thoughts imbue this experience with meaning? Yes. This is how our thoughts can turn a situation around for us. I am so offended at the "get rich" aspect of the video. That we all just have to focus on having a new car, money and mansions and it will happen. Some of my greatest lessons in gratitude have come from realizing I have enough now. I believe we should use our positive thoughts to find meaning in the existence we already have and to enrich our spiritual lives. Doubtless, positive thoughts and believing you are worthy of love and abundance will open you up to receive more of the same, but it is not some kind of magic spell and it is not a secret. Which leads me to another complaint. Whatever happened to taking action? They show a little boy wishing for a bike. How about earning money and saving for it? Then there were the adults who said they wouldn't look at their bills or the guy who said he just thought about getting checks in the mail! You have to work for your goals. Positive thinking can help you envision succeeding and make you open to new opportunities, but it won't magically pay your bills. By far the most offensive part of the message is the suggestion that people who have pain in their lives are somehow attracting it with their thoughts. Darfur rape victims did not ask for it. Children who are molested did not ask for it. Starving Africans did not ask for it. To suggest that their "incorrect thinking" is the cause of this is sickening. Positive thoughts may help you endure pain, and help you find meaning in it, but it will not end random violence, illness and war. Shame on anyone who tells a sick person that they are manifesting it themselves, that they don't want to get well badly enough. For much better texts on the power of thought check out the Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz or Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. Or go to a 12 step program which has many of the same ideas. I've only scratched the surface of my complaints. I didn't touch on the poor acting, the twisting of historical facts, the contradictions of some of the speakers. I dearly wish I could take back my money, and I hope my words will stop someone else from supporting this muck. If you must watch it, borrow it from your library or watch it online at a cheaper cost. But I honestly can't recommend it to anyone.



Price:
$13.17


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is filled with instances of The Secret principles. Read a short essay that draws parallels between the message of The Secret and the 19th century English novel here