Tuesday, March 06, 2007
WHAT IS THE "SECRET"
I am a big fan of Oprah and a couple of weeks ago I was watching her show where she was talking about the book "The Secret" written by Rhonda Byrne. The main idea in the book is that people need to visualize what they want in order to get it.It also goes on to say that the energy that you put into this world whether it is good or bad is what will come back to you. Does this mean that you create the circumstance of your life with the choices you make every day? I kept thinking about these things.First I agreed with the author of the book and was sure that this is how things happen. I had a talk with "J" and asked him what he thought about the book. He believes that sometimes we do not have control over our lives and the circumstance we are in. How do you explain an innocent child being killed or a person who is just born poor and has no way out even if he keep telling himself he wants to be rich. How about the person who has been exposed to Aids without her even knowing about it. Did that person ask to get Aids, did the child ask to be abused?
The author goes on to say that the only reason you do not have money is because you are blocking the money from coming to you with your negative thoughts. I think that you have to work towards earning that money and that being positive may make you a better person and will give you the will to work hard, but just thinking about money is not going to make it.
The book goes on to say that based on the principles of the laws of attraction "The universe is governed by the principle that like attracts like." Positive thoughts attract positive events. But somehow I have seen that opposites attract.
Does this mean that you can just wish for all the good things in life and you will get it. Does it mean that if you keep telling yourself you will be well and not get sick you are going to be healthy. I don't know. I was totally confused after talking to "J". I cannot explain all the bad things that happen to people for no fault of theirs. Do you think the people who lost their lives in the war wanted it to happen that way.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
93 comments:
even though I like the basic idea of the book, I think the writer went too far trying to stress his point....if good thinking was all we needed to do, we wud have discovered it years ago and all of us wud be living a typical mundane life....just thinking positive....Nah, I dont agree totally.
:)
Great post starry! I too wondered about questions of this kind.
One may not find exact answers for these questions like why someone can be fortunate or other as unfortunate.
What I feel important in anyone's life is "learning a way to be strong in whatever situation it might be". No one in this world is given previllage to be happy all his/her life. Again happiness is very much subjective. I believe everyone has burden what matters is how one gonna take that to end. Just my thoughts and I see LIFE this way take and act upon as it comes!
Starry; I did watch that show too. Will come back and leave a comment ok.
Hello!
This work is very good, thank you
Good work for you
You know what's funny, Oprah has been promoting this same type of thing for a while now. It's nothing new really. I happened to watch the DVD for The Secret, and it reminded me of The Book of Secrets by Deepak Chopra. And Oprah used to endorse him heavily as well.
To me it's not so much what the secret is, it's where are the practical steps?
Anybody got an answer for me?
Neihal..I think so too.I was first very enthusiastic about this idea and then the more i think of it, somethings don't make sense.
Contented..thank you , sometimes I look at life that way also. we have to accept life as it comes, try to make it better if we can and go on our way.
Priya..thank you.take your time.
David..thank you
Randelle. so true , I think this secret has been promoted for a long time and by many people.so why all this hoopla now over this book.
Kathy..yes It is easy to just say that we are to give out positive vibes but how do we do it. I think by first believing in yourself and your abilities, and then being happy with yourself and who you are.I think having a positive attitude will make you better and you will be able to achieve some goals , I don't think you can get everything and I don't think it can prevent stuff happening to you.It may help you handle it better.
The author's point is very similar if it is not stolen from the Buddhist principle that the universe is governed by the law of cause and effect. Every action you do even if it's minute will have an effect even if you don't see it.
Also there is the notion of what you give out is what comes to you. Thus if you give positivity then you will receive positivity and conversely with negativity. i strongly believe in these notions but I do agree that there are things out there that you can not control. A child does not ask to be killed or harmed.
I have a strong belieft that everything happens for a reason. The death of a child although it is sad, there is a reason behind it. We can't see it right away or even down the road.
I think we should be mindful that there are things you can't control but for the most part you must take the reins in gear your life into a certain path as much as you can because you can't just sit there and wait for it to come.
I don't know much about Buddhism, I'm still learning but I think he might of taken his theme from Buddhism and ran with it. I don't know what the book is about but I don't think this principle is anything new. But I don't want to be negative.
Just my thoughts
i wonder about those questions too.
i wonder about those questions too.
I tend to follow Kathy's thoughts. Every piece of advice I ever read expects me to make a leap into a state of beingthat I just cant seem to make.
Maybe I'm dense because I don't get it, but somehow I think this is just recycled material.
Starry:
I feel it's kind of go with want you wanna do and achieve it.
Sometimes our inner talents/ dreams or hope is only seen when someone opens up and make it come true.
Do you agree? I haven't read the book.
The one thing that works in life is effort. You put in effort and there is a very good chance there'll be rewards. At times the rewards may not come up to your expectation but they are rewards nonetheless. Simply wishing things to happen seldom reaps harvest, of course some of us get lucky sometimes, but those of us are far and few.
I used like Oprah,not anymore!
My 2 cents.Work hard,be honest and whatever happens , happens!! I don't think if I visualize now, I won't automatically become that,unless I work towards that goal!:)
Lisa..Thank you. I do believe that everything happens for a reason. I just dont get it that the author says that you have to visualize good things and it will come to you.I am all for having positive energy because that what you will emit.
Kai..me too.so many questions very few answers.
George..welcome to my blog and please do stop by again.I think I am in that same state , don't seem to get it, so much stuff out there.I think you should just go with the flow and work hard and do what is right.
Priya..I agree. being in the right place at the right time having the right talents will set you apart.The rest of us just have to work hard in getting there.
Id it is..I believe that to be true.Hard work will pay off in some way.and what you sow that will you reap .
Asha..that is true.I don't think just visualizing anything will get it for you.maybe visualizing and working towards obtaining it makes more sense.
Oh Miss Starry I think someone has found away to mis-lead us and make alot of money.....and I mean alot of money.
See this review---
I thought it was pretty powerful:
http://www.biblicalspirituality.org/secret.html
I do believe that one should be positive and that positivity usually (not always) breeds positivity.
And I think bitterness breeds more bitterness.
I am actually disappointed with Oprah for spotlighting this book.
There are so many other great self-help books out there--my favorite being the Bible!!!
Many blessings!!!
I think I would go with J on this. There are somethings that we dont have control at all. So I taking life as it comes and working through the hurdles with positive attitude is how things get better. Happiness is subjective. So as long as there is no big problems things are fine :)
I think that book is strecthing the 'good' thinking a bit too far. If it was that easy we wud all be living a rosy happy life with no probs at all.
I dun agree with the author. It takes alot more than just good thinking to achieve things in life. And sometimes it's just PURE LUCK that plays a huge role.
My belief is whatever u do/say/think, what's gonna happen will happen.
Keshi.
Starry
I don't believe if you visualize something it wiil happen.
It would be great if it did though!
I especially don't think you can visualize making money...that to me is absurd!
I do belive being in thinking positive thoughts...
Postive thinking always make me feel good!
I think this book is just a way for the author to get rich though.
Many people are buying it, and thinking it holds the secret to their happiness!
I do not think they wiil find it in this book...
the secret to happiness lies within our true selves...noone else can make us happy but ourselves...that is what I think anyway!
Thank you Lalitha for sharing this....I'll look out for this book. I do agreed though that positive thoughts just attract positive vibes.
Likewise with friends, if you go with bad companies chances is that we would somehow be influenced too. That's why we always wanted to know who our children's friends are to give advice accordingly.
Have a nice day pal.
A thoughful post on the thought everyone is puzzled with.
I have heard a parable. A man said to a friend, " You talk about God as if you knew him personally, down to the colour of his eyes. Why do you need to create something to believe in? Can't you live without that?"
His friend replied:
"Do you have any idea how the universe was created? Can you explain the miracle of life?"
The man said:
"Everything around is the result of chance. Things just happen."
The friend replied:
"Exactly. Well, "Things just happen" is merely another name for God".
The word God can be replaced by whatever we want. It is again a chance.
I somehow, I could relate your post to today priablog's post - http://priablog.blogspot.com/2007/03/choicefate.html and I'm left no option but to give the same comment -
Is life a choice or a chance? Will or Destiny?
All these, I believe are devices to help the absolutely helpless human child to feel more secure and comfortable. These devices create different routes for different people, different techniques for different minds, different appeals for different attitudes. They are just devices to be used, transcended, and thrown. Use the right one for the right occassion. As Kavi always says, life just goes on....
Nah I dont agree with any of those theories.. its one thing to blame it on karma or sometimes bad things happen to good ppl but i refuse to believe that they envisioned it... or something..thinking positive is a different advise and thinking that what happens because of how u thought is another
heard abt it. but one thing is very obvious abt human nature. most of the time a negative vibe is much stronger than a positive one (except in case of a some yogi of course). guess that explains why bad things do happen!!
i guess its a matter of belief!!
Hi Starry,
I often heard people talk about how visualizing all goodness for you can purify your each and every cell in your body, improving health and mind. I dont know if it is scientifically proven though.
Ultimately one has to put in hard work, but also optimism and confidence also plays a part there, so perhaps one can actually gain these by such an exercise.
P.S : BTW, Starry you`ve got any idea about what happened to Maya Cassis..??
With Best Regards,
Srijith.
hi starry,,
most of these books are hogwash..there's so much stress in lives nowadays that people like to reading things like htis, positive thi9nking, sure it helps, but its been the same for ages and ages, only the theres a market for them like never before and so those hwo are able to are cashing in.
every couple of years a new self help guru pops up, they've ahd some basic background in this kind of thing, but they are only humnas like we are, so whatever they say isnt infallible, im sure well experience some truths as we go along in life, for me, my personal expereince takes precedence over everyhtign else that anyone can say. its upto me to utilise my wisdoma nd intellect to help me
and not just rely on another person no matter how great they appear to be.
i think this is just about where we all are.
Blessed.Oprah is promoting this book and has had a panel to talk about the secret.There are a lot of good books that talk about the power of positive thinking.
KK..so true.I think we have to take things as they come and make the best of it.
Keshi.have to agree with you.The author of this book is from your side of the country.Down under.have you heard of her.
Margie..Thats what i think too.Happiness lies within ourselves and its up to us to think positive.This lady is really making a lot of money with the book and DVD's and promotional tours.endorsed by Oprah.
Shionge..positive thoughts will attract positive vibes but I don't think just telling yourself that you will be rich or healthy will make you without you putting any effort .I do agree that your choice of friends is important.I think you made that effort to find friends with similar traits.you did not just wish them to come to you.
Shiva..thank you.Now i get it.they are just devices to be used if needed and then thrown out,thats another way of looking at it.I liked the story also.it got me thinking.
Oprah keeps promoting obscure books and turning them into bestsellers...must be getting a huge commission! Positives attract or opposites, it depends on how you look at life !
Oprah keeps promoting obscure books and turning them into bestsellers...must be getting a huge commission! Positives attract or opposites, it depends on how you look at life !
The book seems pretty interesting.
Will read it.
life is way too complicated and embedded with too many things to make a "hard-nd fast" statement like that... i do agree with the author to some extent, but there are always things we dont know, understand...
good thought provoking post starry!
Hi, Starry!
I didn't see the Oprah Show on "The Secret" but I did see the article in the "Newsweek" which reviewed and critiqued the book. Although I like the basic premise of the book which tells us life is based on the "Law of Attraction", I do not think it is as simple as the author makes it out to be. I believe that what you put out does come back to you, but the author also implies that you can manipulate other people's minds and I don't agree with that.
Just to sum up how I feel: To a large extent many of us are living our lives by default, which is unfortunate because we do have the power to create deliberately with the aid of a loving God. That's just my take on it.
Great post, there is a lot of food for thought here.
If a person has positive thoughts or negative thoughts is not going to make wealth, sincerity and hard words make wealth. I am think positive always, with rare negative thoughts some time, then why do I suffer from differently able!
Good thoughts pave the way to our goals...Actions are needed to lay the road...
The book is useful in the sense that it teaches what has been written over and over again, and what was in almost all the religious books and books on philosophy.
It makes us aware of the power of human mind and positive thinking. Nothing new. We all know that.
The secret being passed down the generations and now being revealed to all of us is just a marketing gimmick.
But nicely presented and the DVD is interesting. I have posted a review of the book at http://www.pegasusbookclub.com/2007/02/24/the-secret.html
Aditi..thanks.I really don't know.
Deepsat.I agree we should send out more positive vibes so that we are not surrounded by negative vibes.
Srijith..I think hard work, confidence and optimism is what will get the results you want.Good thought there.
Srijith..I don't know what happened to Maya cassis.
Abhishek..read the book and see if you agree or disagree.
Mystic..I think in the end as you said.its up to each one of us to do what we think is right and yes experience does teach us many things along the way.
Cyberkitty..I am with you on this.I have seen likes attract likes and opposites attract also.
Eclipsed thoughts..thank you.Life cannot be lived with hard and fast rules.I personally don't think it goes that way.
I kind of agree with the author...I think it has more to do with the attitude that you face things in life with rather than wishing only for good things.If you keep wishing good things, then even when bad things happen you learn to see through it, dream for a better tomorrow and make little attempts get over the worst. That doesn't mean one can sit on the couch all day and just wish happy thoughts..it just means approach every day of your life with a smile. I feel like a big hypocrite writing this because I am avery cynical and pessismistic person myself but I think this is what the author meant. Sorry for the long comment.
Lotus..thank you for your input.I don't think the manipulating part is right also.I do believe that we should think positive thoughts because it makes you feel better and when you feel good about yourself you can be a better person.
Jeevan..You are so right.I also try to always think positive and look at the brighter side of life but still have problems.there is no explanation there.
Ganesh.."Good thoughts pave the way to our goals...Actions are needed to lay the road..." very well said.
Alexis..you are right.This power of positive thinking has been passed down for ages.I have to read up on your review.thank you.
it all varies from person to person based on how he approached..for some crisis is a drive to excel..for others it might be making failure easier..
How a person gets motivated varies from one person to the other..it is all a question of which one is best for whom!!
Yes, I too admire the Oprah show and had a slight glance to this one too! I think its the inducement of positive energy which many times and now a days mostly we find is lacking among young or even old!
One can achieve anything if they take it to there heart and mind and are determined!
One may feel the book is talking too far but then...how far? till it can lit the light in your dark mind and heart ...its something for us to think and act upon I feel!
Take care dear
Cheers
Life does not always lead us where we want. Its all luck, faith, karma, whatever you want to call it.
**Rhonda Byrne
nope. Cos I dun read much.
Keshi.
try reading some vedanta - u'll get very logical, convincing answers for ur questions. but then ultimately, these are not questions that can be answered by merely satisfying the 'intellect'....we need to contemplate on them in the silence of our minds and only then will clear answers appear...
hey hi, how u been, sorry was away from blogosphere for sometime as i had exam on march 7th, now its over...
:)
btw nice post...
ok update, read it will comment later, must say ur blog too popular or what 64 comments in a day!!!!! too much
i dnt knw!!!im confused now as always!!but i believe wat paulo says.."when you want sopmething..the whole universe will conspire with you to help you achieve it"...
gr88 post..
I think one has to work at things too, merely wishing for something may not cut it.
Matthew..True.it does differ from person to person.I also think it depends on each one and how they look at life and what they put into it.
Dawn..I think its up to the person reading the book or hearing the message, how they interpret it.
dharmabum.."we need to contemplate on them in the silence of our minds and only then will clear answers appear... so true.
Brute..thank you.I am glad your exams are over.
The Bhandari's..thanks for stopping by.
Pritika..thanks.
Sanjay..true.You have to give in order to receive.
"The author goes on to say that the only reason you do not have money is because you are blocking the money from coming to you with your negative thoughts." - where does this guy live ? must be some island.
I believe you have the power over your own mind and can improve on yourself, but I don`t believe one has the power to change anothers life unless they want to be changed.
We can have an optimistic view on things and look on the bright side, or we can always look at the down side of things. That choice is ours to make. Sure our smiles and kindness can help others or our attitude can bring them down, but only if they give us this power over their feelings.
Hard work can accomplish much, but get us rich? If that were true, wouldn`t we have lots more millionaires around today?
I like watching Oprah and do consider her intelligent.
Overall, I agree with the idea of universal law. We do make many of the circumstances in our lives, but there are some things that seem just random and we have no control over.
hey lali, sorry for delayed posts... i love Opera's shows and in fact one of the reasons why the show runs is her humour... i love her sense of humour and she is a person who relates to real life events.. interesting...
Bvn..thats what I like to know.I am sure the poor people are not blocking the money coming their way.
my life..missed you.where have you been.I like watching OpRAH also.
Dotm..yes I do think some are circumstances and some happen with hard work, but I think mainly it is hard work and a positive attitude.
Anali..true.I believe in the universal law also.somethings in life we cannot change and have to work with or around it.
You should take the book for what it's worth. When someone writes a book, he doesn't claim that it's the ultimate truth. Any one can challenge what's written in there. However, I think hope is a very important thing in life. If books like this can instil hope, it's made itself worthy. I don't think there's any such thing as "false" hope. Hope is a very positive feeling and keeps the human mind driven.
Shilpa.thank you.you are right if anything can instill hope in a person then it is not a bad thing.I know sometimes in life thats all we have and I think it is that hope which keeps us going.
nice post...does the thoery if you want something bad enough, you can find a way to get it.
I too am a big fan of Oprah. she is such an inspiration. I do believe that people can create self-fulfilling prophecies. If they say they will never do something or "can't" chances are they won't. The human mind and subconscious can be very effective (positively and negatively). There are some things that are beyond our control though, and don't come from within such as environmental factors (abuse, broken family, illness...etc).
rockdweller. welcome to my blog and hope you will stop by again.I think if you want something bad enough you will work hard and will try and move mountains to get it.
robeena.thank you for stopping by my blog and I do hope you come by again.I hear you.yes I think it gives us hope and gives us inspiration.
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