Your views on "The Secret" and its ideas

[really]

I've got a few questions for you; all related to the topic. What are your philosophies and thoughts on "The Secret"? "The Secret" is not the only book (also a DVD) published concerning the personal nirvana - to be brief, and "The Law Of Attraction", but it is well made and should be famous by now. What are your views on the Law of Attraction? - Have you tried applying it and have you had success? I haven't read all of "The Secret", but I do find it interesting. For those of you don't know what neither of these are, do a web search, read some books about the mind and psych, if you want. "The Law of Attraction" basically is a law that you attract into your life what you believe and think about. For some examples: If I think that I will have a good day, and continue believing it, then I will. If I find myself in an awful situation, and I am in a bad mood, I might find far too many reasons to feel bad. This is a good example - consider a time when something really shite happens to you, and then you start thinking "oh and this...and that...it SUCKS...THIS IS HELL!", you can start to feel that everything is just going downhill. That's The Law Of Attraction working. I've had days where everything is just perfect, I just laugh at everyone (well, not AT them ) and everything seems just right. I felt so awesome - just like my green smiley post-icon! I've also had days where I'm feeling the opposite, but with enough thought, I can get out of it without negative effect, and faster. Sometimes you just have to experience something to know that it is possible. So? Has anyone read it or seen it? Or EXPERIENCED IT?

[Sarin]

I have never really read any of this or seen the movie, but my theory is with most probly alot of people on this thread is if you think negative thoughts that is what you will receive. I look at everything in the day, as if this certain thing happened for a reason and there shall alter my path in life. So really i never get upset or angry at anything which i dont really think i have in i dont know really. Everything happens for a reason, you must accept it and continue your life with positive vibrations and thoughts

[Never]

I have seen the film, and IMO like so many other films of this type, it seems they are willing to go to great lengths to get you to believe. If in fact it is true that we live in a thought form universe (which is possible), it would still not be a "holodeck" the way the movie describes. There are billions of people here all thinking different things....if the universe is energy and there is so much in opposition, it makes it impossible to "create your own reality" to the degree this movie claims; you would still be subject to the same things you are now; and no matter how positive some people tried to be, they would still be broke, miserable and alone if the forces in the world came together that way. I think the film is pretty backwards...money, cars, houses...all bullshit that means nothing. Oddly, other philosophies that have been practiced for thousands of years state that such things only lead to suffering...not happiness. I think those that came up with this "secret" are just taking some advanced physics and a whole lot of assumptions and playing people like they always do. Buy my book, go to my seminar, etc etc. I found it funny to see some of the same people from "What the @#$% do we know?" in this film. Not that all of it is lies; there is some truth in the film, but it is twisted beyond belief to fit your wildest dreams. Well, they are not my wildest dreams to be sure. You can see the first twenty minutes of it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b1GKGWJbE8 I saw the entire thing on Youtube, but I guess it got taken down for copyright infringement.

[LucidFlanders]

My view of it is nothing really...all in the mind. People love to jump to conclusions and because they think they made something happen by thinking it, like many things people overthink stuff. It's all subconscious IMO.

[IZ]

I just made a topic like this on Religion forum. Saw that DVD some long time ago but its been stuck in the back of my mind ever since.

[Man of Shred]

The secret never was a secret. Personally i think it's just another New Age scam. I mean their running seminars on this simple idea!!!

[magicdood]

I believe it is very real. But then again, I'm this new age guy that no one likes, haha. I've had experience with it, along with many others, and it has been studied by new, up and coming sciences so there is at least a little proof. :p

[really]

I believe it can work, I just haven't thought much of it for a while. "The Secret" takes the concept a little far though - in a newspaper article about it, the words "psychobabble" and "dangerous" can be read. Then again, the critics always bore me. It says that everything works from expectations. But what about when you expect something and it doesn't happen, remember? "Expect the unexpected" I also disagree with the part where it says something like: Your life is the result of all you thoughts, or everything around you has formed from your thinking. I don't believe it, because some of the things around me that are surprising or a new experience, I have never thought about. Never, that is a good point, in your first paragraph. But what if everyone thought differently of "The Secret" and its concept, to the point where any external effect on your life, is neutralized? Positive thoughts are stronger than negative thoughts, anyway. (yay)

[Adrenaline Junkie]

You wanna know what i think of it? Its a load of old bollocks.

[Cyclic13]

Anything will seem true to an individual if one believes in it long enough... HOWEVER...How things seem and how they are, are always two different things entirely. The person who blindly believes in anything tertiary as real, basically chooses to buy into a self-imposed cage, a prison, and in the end...a lie. When that bubble bursts under it's own weight they will be in for a big surprise...all those meaningless material goods they chose to distract themselves with were just that...distractions. Created of them, of them, by them, in order to escape realization of self...escape of truth. And, here's where I fundamentally disagree with this precept the secret is selling. The entire message just starts to scratch the surface of the beginnings of solipsism- the view or theory that the self is all that can be known to exist. Then, they take a sharp right, and turn it into a mainstream, overhyped, consumeristic, and wholly absurd idea that anyone would naturally choose to use this law of attraction for self-gain, material possessions, and power...rather than taking that realization a step further and focusing attentions inward where they belong. They assume the rational choice to focus attentions outward!?!? Pfft...what a crock of shit. Without knowing yourself and just blindly wanting objects outside of you is dangerous. Anyone that would truly understand one's self would realize there is no point to obtaining these material possessions as there is no distinction between them and you, and as such, the effort to obtain what you already possess is meaningless. FOCUS on yourselves...not the meaningless material dream...

[Never]

^My thoughts exactly.

[sourcejedi]

Hi magicdood. We all love you, really. Love the, uh, misguided New Ager, hate the New Agism :-). Any linky or reference to these studies/sciences/proof we can read? I saw someone else write a heory of attraction - for dreams, where it actually makes sense. I should have asked whether they knew people used "The law of attraction" to mean the same thing but in waking life. Placebo effect, self confidence - go for it. Hypnotic techniques to get as much as possible out of it - cool. Thought power - wishful thinking. Of course metaphysics is beyond normal proof, so the better objection against this is not the substance but actually the presentation: the intentions and integrity of those propagating it. Balance of what I've seen so far is they're making money and claiming the support of influential historical figures - who are conveniently too dead to give their own explanation. I don't like this materialistic interpretation of solipsism either.

[really]

The entire message just starts to scratch the surface of the beginnings of solipsism- the view or theory that the self is all that can be known to exist. Then, they take a sharp right, and turn it into a mainstream, overhyped, consumeristic, and wholly absurd idea that anyone would naturally choose to use this law of attraction for self-gain, material possessions, and power...rather than taking that realization a step further and focusing attentions inward where they belong. They assume the rational choice to focus attentions outward!?!? Pfft...what a crock of shit. ^My thoughts exactly. Yeah that's pretty right. I skipped the wealth and possessions sections, I just didn't care. I've already got what I need.