Friday, April 27, 2007

Bashing 'The SECRET'

Maintaining my blog has been a difficult task. I write about my cards on Aeclectic Tarot and Meet-up but when it comes to my blog I run out of commentary. So I decided I would think about what I admire about other people's blogs. The ones I find interesting like Corrine Kenner's blog. What I like about Corrine's blog though it has a theme of tarot current events it also has unexpected commentary that I find useful. I noticed she will write how she feels about things that come up with humor and candor.

In light of topics for blog commentary I have heard much discussion on the new best selling book The Secret. Having just returned from the Reader's Studio in New York where I noticed The Secret coming up in conversation through out the weekend. When you go to events like tarot conferences you will hear discussion on issues of metaphysics and spirituality. Tarot is part of the trapping of the New Age movement, which I feel represents the movement toward embracing our spiritual selves, acknowledgment of our Oneness with the Universe and each other. Though I find there is a "dark side" to all the LOVE and LIGHT to the point where it gets impractical and unrealistic.

To me The Secret has that over the edge hollow vibe. I saw What the Bleep when it first came out and now there is a sequel The Secret. I enjoyed the connections What the Bleep made in regard to physics and metaphysics even though it had such shallow examples of the idea. I guess I have always had trouble with anyone channeling "named entities from other planets" who can make my life instantly better just because of some awareness or wisdom they can impart. And then there is the white middle class "creating their reality" folks I have trouble with that reality as well. I get into heated debates with these people all the time on this subject. Due to the fact that most people who adhere to this mentality are people who can afford to create their reality. I don't like it when I hear them equate worldly success with their own spiritual evolution. As if by virtue of their own spiritual success they have created their wealth and good fortune. In other words if you life sucks and you are suffering it is simply your own fault. Born poor? it's was you choice. Sorry but I don't think it is that simple. In my opinion some folks are just standing in the path of other people folks "creating their reality "and then they end up having a life that sucks.

Though I feel we all have free will and can make our own choices sometimes the randomness of the cards life hands us can be pretty big and overwhelming at times. I find The Secret to be the over simplification of the old idea that Words are Magic. As if words and thoughts can make things manifest the old "God said let there be light and there was Light mindset". If thoughts and words were as The Secret would have us believe then Iraq would be at peace and Global Warming would be well on its way to being resolved. Words and thoughts can get the ball rolling but actions carried out in toil and sweat are what make the real changes. It is the opposable thumb that made us not our index finger or spontanious generation.

The thing that triggered this blog entry was a review I read in the May issue of The Progressive by Barbara Ehrenriech. In her review she writes: "...check out the credentials of the "teachers" enlisted in The Secret. Most are well-known motivational speakers who claim to instruct such business heavy weights as financial advisers, developers, and a "master marketeer." One of The Secrets' teachers Denis Waitley, includes on his website testimonials from Merrill Lynch, WorldCom, 3M, Dell, and IBM, among others.... When the leaders of a major economy lapse into mysticism and come to believe they can accomplish things through their mental vibrations, without lifting a finger, then it is time to start thinking about going into subsistence farming on a remote compound in Idaho."

Perhaps this kind of thinking is why Louisiana is still in the state it is in?

This also makes me think about what Michael Moore said about big corporations wanting us to believe if we all work really hard we can all get rich. This mind set created the American Dream work ethic of the 20th century. The truth is the system is set up in a way that All of us can never get rich no matter how hard we work. Today in our modern two income house holds where everyone is spread too thin most of us work many more hours than our parents did. Yet our parents and grandparent who worked 40 hours a week and lived on one income factory jobs were able to pay off homes while their children were still children. Is The Secret just the same old guilt in a new guise backed by the same old karma chameleons who need to control the masses to keep their power?

I don't know I'm just asking...

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Julie! I appreciate all the work you have been doing maintaining this blog. I dare say that I do check it every month. I also read your posts at Aeclectic. I am currently reading the book you wrote and along with the Intro literature you provided at the Reader's Studio, I am falling even deeper into your deck. It is amazing. My only reason for not participating is time of corse.

I do want to say just a couple of things about The Secret. I have only seen the video and I am not familiar with many of the faces there. I am, however, familiar with the concept and my first thought when viewing it was that the title was not appropriate because it is no secret at all.

Without becoming long winded, I must say that my whole entire life I have been using this technique and I believe it has made me rich. Many things I have today are a result of seeing them in my mind and believing I deserved them and they would one day be mine. A good example is my house. I pictured a brick house and I wanted a view of the Hudson River. This would seem out of reach for me at the time because it was in the middle of the Real Estate boom and I wanted a house in one of the most expensive counties in the country! But I pictured it and I believed it and it came to me. Now I did do things like save money and try to improve my credit ratings, but a lot was just plain magic. I shared with you how friends of the family offered me my house basically saying "what can you afford"! It is literally worth triple what I paid for it and it is brick and it overlooks the Hudson River. Everything I asked for. There are many other things I could list.

I recommend other books.
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill - 1st published in 1937 It is basically "the Secret"

I also recommend Living in Joy by Sanaja Roman - Another amazing book to which I credit getting my home.

My Mom always said, "You can accomplish anything you set your mind to." and "If you believe it, you can do it"

I would also say that although some things do require work, work does not have to be unpleasant.

As far as the most unfortunate in this world go, that is where I am at a loss. What did they do to deserve their lot in life???? At least we have a chance. Some are not even born with that. What about them?

Perhaps they are what make me appreciate so much what I have.

Blessings,
Amy

vi said...

julie dear
it's me......
( i'll call you this week dear)

ok try reading roberts, 'the nature of personal reality'

mental aerobics


ok ttyl

love from me, the cats, the duckies, the chickens, the goat, the sheepies and the roosters

kerrdelune said...

Julie, I could not agree more with you about "The Secret". It rings hollow to me too, a mishmash (and poorly stated) of beliefs held by human kind for many centuries. There is nothing new in the book whatsoever.

Anonymous said...

Julie, I also very much appreciate your work and your writings, thank you for your work! I also very much appreciate your thoughtful questioning about this mass media product, "The Secret".

I do have to say that based on my own metaphysical beliefs, "The Secret" itself falls short of what it could have done. It teases and tempts, which is fine for an invitation to come and learn more. Where it failed was in providing a road map to the party.

I can also say that some of the concepts it describes works for me as well, but the movie only gives you a small part of theory and process. These concepts have been around for ages, it's no "secret" any more than eating nothing but red meat and lack of excersize will lead you to heart disease. But how many people heed or even believe that "secret" either?

"The Secret" suceeded in getting people talking and asking questions about how important our thoughts and emotions are in connection to our actions, which is great. Where it failed was in neglecting to communicate that more education on the process is necessary for it to be of any positive use.

There are so many great resources available on these theories, from 7000 year old Vedic literature, to traditional and gnostic Judeo/Christian Scripture, to modern day quantum physics.

I hope you give the entire concept of Law of Attraction, Law of Vibration, etc. a thoughtful review, despite the lackings of the incomplete art of "The Secret".

I don't "know" either...but I'm just answering :)

Alex moner said...

I get into heated debates with these people all the time on this subject.Opt-in Boxes

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