The Secret is Partial

As a Life Coach, Philosopher, and Integral devotee, this movie totally pissed me off.

Now don't get me wrong, there were parts of it I liked. I am a huge fan of positive reframing, and I use it all the time with myself and my clients to stay positive, to “focus on what you want, not what you don't want.” There's no way that you'll get what you want if you focus all your energy and attention on what you don't want. I totally agree with that. But this movie went way beyond the proper domain of positive reframing (or “the law of attraction”) and quickly trailed off into superstitious, anti-intellectual, pseudoscientific, capitalist bullshit.

The purpose of “abundance thinking” is not to accurately represent the world but to inspire and frame our attitudes, to determine what things mean for us. This movie falls into the common new-age/postmodern trap of taking this partial truth too far, overemphasizing framing and subjective experience to the point of denying the existence of an objective reality.

Specifically this movie denies the very real competitive capitalist socio-economic environment; it denies the very real limits of oil, gas, coal, and other natural resources; it denies and de-emphasizes the importance of political change and activism. Sure Oprah made it out of the ghetto and became a billionaire–but she is the exception that proves the rule! Only by changing things at the socio-economic and political levels can we change the probabilities of having more “Oprahs.” It was not merely her positive thinking that did it–pure statistical luck also played a hugely significant role.

For instance, it might be true that “anyone” can become “rich” in the United States, but certainly not everyone…unless you reframe “rich” as feeling abundant. My sister has facilitated several work camps to help poor kids in Tijuana. The orphans in Tijuana feel rich compared to the kids who live on the nearby hill, a hill that is nothing more than an old garbage dump covered by a thin layer of dirt. Certainly everyone reading this could feel grateful in an instant just by thinking about how much they have compared to those kids in Tijuana.

But if instead “rich” means something objective, like “making $100k/year” or “having $1m in liquid assets,” then there are real, objective limits to how many people can have this kind of abundance. And anyone who claims that “everyone” could be abundant in this way is just plain wrong.

Similarly to how conservatives frame the economic debate by referring to “Tax Relief” (which implies that taxes are an affliction that needs relieving, versus taxes are membership dues to an exclusive club, or taxes pay for important stuff we couldn't do by ourselves), referring to “the “law” of attraction” gives the important subjective guideline a false air of objective truth. I don't believe this framing was intentionally deceptive, but it certainly is misleading.

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I guess there's no way to edti….I hit the button by accident.

 anyway….Hi Duff.

Sorry the Secret didn't resonate with you the way it does some. I'm sure you've found material you have a better attraction to.  Your post seems to say that the Secret just wasn't your cup of tea.

Have a great day
Muse

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I might agree to a certain point that wealth is not what its all about, but when you take into account that most of our fears have to do with money, if we have enough of it for the bills, if we'll have enough to have kids, or if we'll have enough to retire. Whatever it is, a large portion of the world has decided that money makes it go 'round. Working within that paramiter, then money is the key to happiness, for a lot of people atleast. Its hard to work on personal growth and bliss when your electricity is about to be cut off, and your house is going to be forclosed on. How many homeless people have you seen doing yoga or discussing enlightenment withother homeless people? I can't say as I've seen that. So yeah, maybe there was an emphasis on money, but can you blame anyone for that? I can't.

I personally think that for whatever reason, it didnt touch you the way its touched some other people, myself included, and thats alright, but I think your conclusions are a bit harsh, as well as negative towards an idea that maybe you didnt vibrate with. Please keep in mind that before you critcize an ideal you don't agree with, you might be the one looking at it in a partial manner. Just a thought.

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It's a question of to what extent. Certainly money is important–I totally agree with that. But how much money? And how do you amass your wealth?

My criticism is not directed towards the homeless or even the middle class. It was more directed towards people like Joe Vitale, who uses manipulative, hypnotic marketing techniques to amass huge amounts of wealth and then makes the claim in The Secret than “anyone” can become rich like himself, denying the real limits of the economy and the market.

Sure “anyone” can become wealthy, but not everyone–at least not in a capitalist economy that has a tendency to move towards increasing gaps between rich and poor! Wealth is a good thing–but wealth in the hands of the few is a terrible, destructive, dangerous thing.

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See, the point you're missing is that the amount doesnt matter. In the movie, he talks about wanting 100,000 but that was just a goal. A place he could set in his mind and visualise. When people have enough of what they need, they don't want to have more money then they can use, thats why there is always going to be more then enough for everyone.  People like Bill Gates cant really even give their money away fast enough, whether or not they have more then they need. He would literally have to spend every waking moment giving rolls of hundreds away to every person he passed on the street for years on end and he'd still have more then he'd be able to give away. And not everyone wants money, so even if the people who do were given a million dollars, there would still be more then enough. Thats how much money is in the world, how much wealth.

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Weetzie has a great point here. Perhaps it all comes down to a massive re-distribution of wealth. The ultra-rich will be inclined to pass on their wealth to those who truly need it. The universe will take care of the details.

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Andrew Cohen, in March-May WIE, page 45:

Andrew speaks about  ” … our refusal to transcend our almost pathological engagement with our narcissistic inclinations.” it is a dialogue with Ken Wilber and they are speaking to 'Spiritual Seekers” …

Sometimes I think the wise sages were right in saying that to teach anything is going to point someone in the wrong direction…

… it seems to me that some of these books (“get anything you want, now” “Spontaneous fullfilment of whatever…” , movies, etc… play on all that and … well they don't help us one bit to take us from the world of ego, materialism, consumerism, etc… to being to see things as they really are… they only put up another veil. 

Although I did read my friends copy of: Deepak Chopra's “Spontaneouos Fulfillment of Desire… ” and the sage he quotes mostely in it was a new one for me… and I really rate the book as first class.

I hate the title… so misleading… looks like a marketing phrase / ploy… I would not have given it that title at all… it is a serious book.

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Andrew speaks about  ” … our refusal to transcend our almost pathological engagement with our narcissistic inclinations.” >>

I don’t think the Law of Attraction is everything, but it’s probably the best place to start. We do perceive reality through our individual thoughts, emotions and desires and to acknowledge this is not narcissism. Narcissism is when you get carried away and expect everyone else in the world to devote themselves to your desires. Most teachers of the Law of Attraction, such as Abraham, point out that you cannot manipulate others’ realities. When they say all you have to do is “feel good,” it may sound simplistic, but when you really can do it, you feel benevolent towards others, not selfish (in the negative sense). I’m afraid that sometimes spiritual teachers who warn us against narcissism, while themselves presiding over hierarchical organizations, are really displeased that people aren’t working to fulfill their (the gurus’) desires. With the Law of Attraction, the Universe is your guru.

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It's all about the good that wealth can do isn't it? I was at a talk by Marc Benioff, yesterday… he coauthored Compassionate Capitalism, a best-practices guide for corporate philanthropy. The model sounds good to me… we can be sure better models will be sprouting up… oh… & he mentioned that Google is adoping his 111 model… interesting… 

“The company that makes ‘doing good’ a core piece of its management philosophy empowers its employees, engages its customers, and strengthens its community,” said Robert K. Goodwin, president and CEO, Points of Light Foundation. “In ten years, I expect that integrated philanthropy will be the norm rather than the exception.”

Compassionate Capitalism proposes that business and community needs are actually closely aligned, and encourages companies to make serving the community a central focus. The notion of philanthropy as separate from a corporation’s regular operations is finished. The new model says that philanthropy must be woven into every thread of corporate existence so that it becomes a part of the cultural fabric of the corporation itself.

“Every year, corporate philanthropic foundations pour $30 billion into their endeavors in the U.S. alone,” said Benioff. “Many of these efforts occur in isolation with little or no relationship to the communities in which they operate, the people they employ, or their corporate missions. Compassionate Capitalism calls for a new model – one that closely aligns business and community goals and focuses on serving the communities in which a business operates.”

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Awesome…

makes me feel much better

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I really must agree Alex. Because of the great power money has been given, it then in turn wields a great power of its own. The power to do terrible things, or wonderous things. The power to make us feel bad, or really good.

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Even though my heart says to just stay with “makes me feel better,” my head is tempted to move and think.

Duff said: “…a capitalist economy that has a tendency to move towards increasing gaps between rich and poor! Wealth is a good thing-but wealth in the hands of the few is a terrible, destructive, dangerous thing.” It sure is! Wealth in the hands of the few and a comparative poverty in the hands of the many, is a hard reality in the 3-D physicality of our bodies! It happens every single day! In 3-D.

But I wonder if the reality of our bodies is the only reality? Valid, yes. But, perhaps not the only one. My soul says physicality is not the only reality, while my mind cannot see anything BUT! (And perhaps the nature of the mind is to relate or interface only with physicality?)

And perhaps movies like WTB point to the possibility that 3-D is not the only reality? Perhaps its popularity is in harmony with what many, many people already sense in their very own soul?

Weetzie said: “Because of the great power money has been given…” Who gave money that power? If we say “We didn't” (whether true or not), our inherent power slips out of our hands and is gone into others hands. A truly terrible, destructive and dangerous thing. If we say “We didgave money its great power,” (whether true or not), then our INherent power stays contained within us, it does not go to other people or other things.

Perhaps if we can own this “great power” within, we will be able to authentically feel our own natural emPOWERment?

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I agree to an extent, as I feel that while what we say has power of its own, but if it were the strongest force, that would mean we would not be able to say anything. Its like the idea of the buffer of time for your thoughts in The Secret. I personally believe that if there is some sort of oversoul or a guiding force in the stream of energy that moves through us and everything, it must understand that we as humans need the freedom to be able to talk and think and not be overwhelmed too greatly by the consequences of either of those things. On a grand scale that is.. like the elephant popping up next to the guy when he thinks about it, lol.

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Ouch! That would hurt!

Thanks Weetzie. That's a compassionate way to look at it.

Re: The Secret is Partial - rest is taking back money power

Hello wholeogram man, you are an inspiration to all and especially to those who struggle with depression or physical incapicity of some sort. Yes we give money the power to control our lives. There is a great awakening waiting to happen, once people starts looking into this question. I am serious about changing the money paradigm.

Here are my thoughts posted in radical shift pod in changing paradigm

Enjoy dreaming new dreams.

Re: The Secret is Partial

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The previous statement refers to Wholeogram Man, of July 14-06
Pleased to be here among you all, fellow Gaia'ns.

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Our relationship to money is the same as our relationship to faith. What we really seek is stability, safety and security, a sense of peace and serenity with ourselves, with others and with the rest of nature. We are seemingly forever looking for balance or homeostasis. Ultimately, the criteria we use to determine what is enough faith is the same we use to determine what is enough money - our overall sense of fear. It is fear that makes us search for anything and everything to alleviate it. I believe this accounts for the wide diversity in lifestyles. For some, faith is enough. For others, money is enough. More truthfully, we are all a mixture of solutions to ridding ourselves of fear to reach that state of balance. I for one have always had far less a relationship with money than I have with the need for ever-additional experience, knowledge, understanding and self-expression. Those are the things that alleviate my fears - not money, not traditional religious faith or miscellaneous psychological tricks that seem to only offer the temporary relief of a candy treat. Those things are where I personally find balance. It is different for each of us but, having said that in no way implies ALL paths to balance are equally valid. Some paths are outright irrational and illogical and are a disservice to those traveling them.

“Wealth”, just as “balance”, is defined as variously as there are individual forms of life on the planet. As well it should be.

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Find this most interesting.
Being a devils advocate may i enquire as the the nature of “faith” as a comodity, it's strength and impact in keeping with their cudos and artistry relative to faith as a phenomenal instrument to be weilded.

i may be misguided but feel those successfull in this sphere of activity have, to some degree abandoned their competitive ego centric drive

Perhaps our inter personal interfacing ,metaphysicly, at a non physical level, requires our using the facility of the collective consciousness, which, as a gate keeper, might not permit that which would not further the scenario we are driving our selves to.

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Perhaps those who are successful at manifesting that which they desire in life haven't so much abandoned their competitive egocentric drive but they simply have mastered balancing that competitive egocentric drive with their inner spiritual self.

When I first started becoming aware of this way of being I felt that ego was unnecessary and even not desired at all.  But I've learned through my growth that the ego is essential to us human beings and that the problem with ego is when we allow it to dictate all that we think/do/say and are.  I suppose I think of the ego self as what sets us apart from the rest of the collective consciousness so in order to integrate ourselves into that collective consciousness and still retain our uniqueness we must allow our ego self to exist and perhaps even to thrive.  But if we are to allow our ego selves to exist or thrive we also must balance that with the more spiritual inner self.

As for being competitive I also used to think that competition was a bad thing that only separated us but if we compete in a healthy way that comes not only from our ego but also from our inner spiritual self I don't see where there is any harm in doing so.

Blessings,
Cheryl

Re: The Secret is Partial

I have been on the  search for  answers for ages, happily it has just ended. I have read Ask and it is given, the power of intentions and I have watched the Secret like 10 tems. But Finally I have found what I am looking for, I had the opportunity to Read Feel it Real, The Magical Power of Emotions, by Denise coates. and now I am truly complete.

 Its the best book I have read in a long time. This Book really gives you the tools to understanding the laws of the universe and mamifesting your desires. It is the Key I have been missing! Check it out on the Authors website http://www.denisecoates.com/  you can pre-order it there!

Thanks,

Macha

Re: The Secret is PraCtIcAl... ;-)

Also coming from an 'integral' & ‘practical' place (ken wilber, andrew cohen etc..) … and from a meditation practice of going beyond the mind  to 'see things as they are' (& not avoid bad feelings or crave good feelings etc….–but .. simply allowing equanimity )

– I felt  the first part of the film seemed very 'materialistic' & too worldly for the spiritual minded.. lol… and based too much in playing with 'mind'' when the real source of awakening  is ‘beyond the mind'. 

as the film progressed, the second half resonated deeply. It allowed for a practical application for what it means for us to be ‘the source' itself. Consciousness itself…manifested as the human mind-body organism.

There IS a reason for the make-up of our mind-body organism.  Humans are meant to be active beings and there is a purpose (function) for the mind -  and this film allows us to use the mind for what it was intended. Most people go through life not knowing their own power or how to tap into it.

The secret reminded me that the mind is not something merely to be ignored or transcended, (a sometimes side-effect from meditaiton practice, goals of awakening etc..)but to be used for what it was intended.   We tap into an infinite source with our thoughts.  - universal intelligence.  We become what we think about. 

Re: material goals in the film:

 the following statement within the film (from Joe Vitale) …. offered perspective.  

'when everybody starts to live from their hearts, and go for what they want, they don't all go for the same things. we don't all want a bmw etc.. ”

———————————————

As  I let the messages of ‘The Secret'  into my framework of consciousness evolution ,  I realized that understanding the laws of attraction and participating in life out of this awareness — is empowering, limits a victim mentality and allows us to live at our potential & believe in our power to do so. [whatever that means for each person]. 

It speaks primarily of understanding our nature as the very essence of the energy vibrations of the universe itself and how to manifest what is in alignment with our purpose.  Ultimately we affect the entire universe with out thoughts and vibrations (since we are the universe). 

Powerful to experience life out of this awareness that we are co-creators of the universe no? & to then be given a practical way to do so.  

—————————

'It's Up to You

‘When you awaken and suddenly recognize your own place in the evolutionary process, you realize something BIG: that it's all up to you. Consciousness is not going to evolve by itself. If the evolutionary potential inherent in consciousness is going to be activated, you have to be responsible for it. Why? Because it is only through the human vehicle that the creative principle, the God impulse that initiated this whole process, has the capacity to know itself''

~Andrew Cohen

Source article.

Re: The Secret is PraCtIcAl... ;-)

I just saw the Secret this morning so I am still digesting a lot of the movie however, I think I will offer my two cents. From an Integral perspective the over ridding flaw to the movie's theory seems to be that it collapses everything into a 1st person perspective excluding all others. That said as a first person tool in and of itself the application of the Law of Attraction is not a bad practice and together with other practices can be reinterpreted with Wilber's Post metaphysics and become a useful part of an ILP. My complaint about the movie revolves around the fact that the movie showed many scenes referring to the emerald tablet of Hermes and to Hermeticism in general yet its relation to the idea of the Secret was never explained. I study occultism in general and have been studying Hermeticism specifically for some time now looking at individuals such as Bruno and later transcendentalist that he helped inspire to build an Integral System of Occultism that is not stuck in the New Age reductionism that seems to be so prevalent in the field of Occultism now at days. The Secret unfortunately perpetuated that, yet I would not dismiss it wholly because of it.

Namaste

Re: The Secret is PraCtIcAl... ;-)

What if we are in training pants and are unable to even imagine what the universe can give to us?  The main point of The Secret is that we all want what makes us happy!  The universe is prepared to give us more than we even can imagine that we want.  Money is just a form of energy and it is happiness that we need to focus on.  I found the secret to be a final essay on what I have been trying to figure out for about the last 5 years.  I loved it!!!!!

Jay

Re: The Secret is PraCtIcAl... ;-)

So did I Jay.  :)

I loved The Secret, and I am very excited that it was filmed and is being made available to those that are attracted to it.

Just fantastic what is available to us in these days isn't it? 

:)

Di

Re: The Secret is Partial

There are so many different viewpoints, opinions and ideas out there ……. and i've come to realise that it is as it should be.
 

EarthEnergy said

Andrew speaks about  ” … our refusal to transcend our almost pathological engagement with our narcissistic inclinations.” it is a dialogue with Ken Wilber and they are speaking to 'Spiritual Seekers” …

have a look at this site: another perspective
http://www.aboutadidam.org/cgi-bin/displayemailedpagelist.cgi

love apple

Re: The Secret is Partial

Duff has some really valid objections.

I for one can’t help but imagine a little girl in Beirut looking up at the sky and trying to wish or will the bombs away. Some call that magical thinking. It’s easy to espouse a belief in The Secret in a safe, wealthy capitalist fortress of a country, but what about the rest of the world? And can I effect peace in the middle east by visualizing it, or does this only work for individual aspirations? How about we try THAT as a collective 30-day experiment??!!!

It’s such a lovely idea, that life can be Christmas all the time and you can have everything you ever wanted, but I’ve already spent half my life trying to learn how not to attach to an outcome! And there really are cases, sometimes, where what you want isn’t the best thing for everyone involved. Maybe someone else needs that exact same house more than you do.

You could probably dismiss me as a defeatist…I’ve never exactly been a roaring success, at least in not any outward, visible sense of the word…but having just seen “The Secret” this weekend I wanted to see what was being said here about it.

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Incidentally, the bombs have gone away haven't they…?

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I watched the Secret when it first came out last spring. I “tested” the Universe that same afternoon. I didn't feel like sitting in traffic, so I “saw” that all the traffic lights were green on my home. Guess what? If they weren't already green as I approached, they changed within  2 to 3 seconds. It doesn't take a million dollars to make me happy…..and I don't want a BMW.

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I believe the movie did what it was intended to do, and that is to motivate people that change is possible. No one movie, speaker, or teacher is going to resonate with everyone but I feel like that is why we have so many movies and teachers.

Wealth means different things to different people. How that wealth manifest in your life is going to also be different.

I do believe that if one person is capable of achieving something, then it is possible by anyone, but not everyone wants to achieve the same goals and status in life.

I personally enjoyed the movie.


-A

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I personally love the movie and what the heck is wrong with capitalism anyway? It's the strongest most intelligent economic system in the world. Socialism and Communism don't work, can't work and have never worked long term. Just look around at countries with socialist economies – their governments are bankrupt and their standard of living is in the toilet. Capitalism thrives and produces the incredible wealth it does, because its engine is the fundamental human desire to achieve more and greater things, to strive, to set goals, to make a difference in the world. Free enterprise rocks!

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Ah, the invisible hand of Adam Smith. The pursuit of individual interests will precipitate the collective good.  No, exploitation never happens.  There are no sweatshops, no multinational corporations plundering precious natural resources.  Sorry, but I can see what that hand is doing under the table. 

Lenin was right about one thing: he said that state use of the military to defend capitalist interests abroad was an inevitable consequence of monopoly capitalism. I for one am having a hard time finding the “collective good ” in decimated infrastructures and dead civilians. Yeah, hip hip hooray for free enterprise.

But I fear we've gone way off the subject. 

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It works and it is the truth. It's not about the money; it's about being happy spiritually and financially. If you criticize the movie then the movie proves its point, your negativity towards it will create like energy and it will not work. It's as simple as that. There is absolutely nothing wrong with criticizing it, but it is what it is and you're not going to change this law by disagreeing with it. The spiritual leaders of the past and present have stated this and will continue to state this.

We create our reality! Spiritual leaders have been saying this and science is proving it.

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I might add the people who the movie does not talk about but are being talked about in this post; the rich leaders of companies and what have you, that are full of greed and on a huge power trip are truly not happy.  They are just good at making money and are greedy and will continue to live the life of greed (unless they don't). And they will die with nothing but a full wallet. You can be rich or poor and be negative.

There is a difference between making money and being in control (co-creator) of your reality. We are talking about two different things; don't be confused with money making power trips and positive thinking.

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The secret is whole, it is the understanding that may be partial.

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This is a really deep and interesting blog. It all goes back to Physics and the realm of Quantuum Mechanics. If YOU (as in anyone) think the Secret is “partial” then it is. You create the reality of either abundance or lack and limitation. Anything ideas that encourage ” well you gotta be “realistic” means you are choosing to partake in the current societal conciousness that may have limitation embedded in the mind set. One thing they have found as a common thread in people who have a. acheived extraordinary things or b. been supposedly “lucky” is that they all BELIEVED IN THE INFINITE POTENTIALITY OF THINGS. The idea that ANY IS POSSIBLE. With that said, rewiring the mind to open up and see new possibilities is the step. Then the rest follows…it is a sure thing….suspend disbelief and try it…there is no HALF believing in abundance…

Majestic

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You got it!

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Majestic, you are so right on here.  There can be no middle ground. Obviously, a film like this is best served to the initiate in spiritual thinking, of course it's trained toward helping these same people get a basic understanding of spiritual manifesting.  And yes, it is true that many groups proport the religion of manifesting. But the end result for all of us is a deeper inner understanding of the peace, bliss and happiness which is the logical end result of any form of concentration.  In the quantum realm we begin to bring about changes in our lives that may bring more abundance, but abundance is no good without appreciation and this must be the end result of the journey. If we are soul energy evolving then this is a cool way for us beginners to integrate the teaching. But in the end we must see it as already being done, and the exact result that we expect is the half-assed result we will get.

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What I like about the Secret is the 'in your face' method as appose to the slow and heavy study of religion.

It essentially sums up the great spiritual and religious writings and saying of the past 5000 years or more, in about 1 hour and ½.

But that will not stop me from studying and practicing religion. Reading is my hobby. 


G

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Dear Ones,

I have been immersing myself in tapes by Eckert Tolle (and I probably spelled that wrong, sorry but I'm too lazy too look it up at the moment) and then watched “The Secret” and have been struggling with integrating the two.  But today I decided to just have fun with “The Secret” and see what happened.  WOW!  On the way home from the airport to pick up my son I told him that I was going to have a Pink Hummer, one of those smaller more new ones.  He laughed at me and said, “What, are you planning on winning the lottery?”  I laughed right  back at  him and said I didn't know but still, I was going to have a Pink Hummer.  Just then, on the other side of the highway, a big VERY pink truck with a VERY pink trailer passed us.  We both just cracked up laughing.  He asked me how weird was that and I said not weird at all, it was the law of attraction.  He said I was losing it so I told him to go ahead and give it a shot.  He said “I want a 2006 black Duramax with chromed out wheels”.  I said, “Okay, it's yours.  Believe it.”  We were pulling in to the little town that we live outside of and he said “Well, we know for sure there won't be a 2006 black Durmax with chromed out wheels in Wendall Idaho.”  I agreed to the probably not but also pointed out that that fact wouldn't  mean anything and we pulled up to the stoplight that was supposed to be turning green for me (actually after wishing it green it went from red to green but back to red before we got there - maybe I have to be more specific about my intentions?) and there sat a black 2006 Duramax.  His jaw dropped.  It even had chromed out wheels!  I just laughed and laughed and if nothing else ever came of it I'll still smile when I think about it.  Except now I think I really am going to get a Pink Hummer!  And maybe money with which to give and give and give until it's all gone and I have to start all over again.  And those are just the dumb things I want - think about the things that really matter that I'm going to get and this whole new world is going to be out there for all us because I intend to throw it all back to the world! 

Namaste,  Ayla

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Excellent Ayla, Oh how the world will change once the Secret hits everyone and it will happen because its not a secret anymore.


G

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Ayla, this is a game I play nearly every day with my 11 yr old son. I used to ask to see a Jaguar everyday just for the fun of it, and they always showed up for me. (If you listen to any Abraham cd's, there is a part where an audience member talks about *Jaguars stalking him*). You are right, that the little day to day things can help you remember to train your thoughts - traffic lights and parking spaces are a great place to start.

:-)
E

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Agree with you there Gavin.

What I and other friends like about The Secret is that it is not religious and yet does not contradict the teachings of most religions (except for the few extreme fundamentalists)

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Duff,

Before I start to understand your criticism of the concepts in The Secret, I must confess that I am biased in favour of it's teachings about 95%+. That would allow me about 5% room to play the Devil's Advocate even though I may sound like I am defending the film (probably because I am)

Abundance thinking vs. Real World limits?
The abundance thinking is something I subscribe to 100%. If you say “abundance thinking” is inaccurate because it ignores “real life” limitations such as natural resources, then that is the very scarcity or lack mentality that is creating false limitations.

As economist Paul Zane Pilzer wrote in his book, Unlimited Wealth, “As we approach the final years of the 20th Century, we are coming to an astonishing - and heartening - realization. The Club of Rome scientists and the other environmental pessimists of the 1970s were wrong. The world's supply of physical resources is not decreasing. On the contrary, our effective supply of resources is increasing.”

This increase has been due in a large part to technology, which not only affects the supply (discovery of previously unknown oil reserves) but the demand (how useful it is to society).

Take oil for example. Consider that based on conventional economic wisdom, we were supposed to have serious fuel shortages looming ahead back in the 70's. The replacement of the carburettor with a more cost-effective fuel injection system, practically doubling the average fuel efficiency of cars in less than a decade. The effective result increased gasoline supplies by over a third (since your car needs less fuel to get to the same place).

The struggle for prosperity is not a zero-sum game as regarded by outdated traditional economists and conventional historians.

Whichever edge of the sword you wish to focus on becomes your experience.

“Rich” is definitely not something objective USD$100,000 / year income. Whilst that may be considered “rich” for someone, Bill Gates or Donald Trump may regard that as being somewhat broke! Whilst surviving on USD$30,000 / year may seem broke for someone, you could live like a king in certain countries.

The subject of a specific amount of money was only covered in one of the chapters of The Secret. The dollar amounts mentioned are definitely taylored for a Western audience, and they do go on to say that “…not everyone wants the same thing… not everybody wants a BMW”. Like you say, the orphans in Tijuana feel rich compared to the kids who lived on a nearby hill.

Grushenka in a later post mentions that she couldn't help thinking of “a little girl in Beirut looking up and wishing or willing the bombs away”. I think people who truly desired a more peaceful life and didn't focus only on what they didn't want have most likely left war-torn areas and moved to live somewhere else. (Yes, I'm hypothesising that based on the Law of Attraction as explained in The Secret, that people are where they're at because of their predominant thoughts and feelings - which includes fear of bombs).

Incidentally, the bombs have gone away haven't they?

Re: The Secret is Partial

I really appreciate it when there is a voice of skepticism popping up here, especially when it's sourced from intelligence and benevolence – the wacky naysayers are just fun reading and don't really enter into, well, anything.
I'm probably a little less reactionary about The Secret, but there is something about it that jangles my warning signals. I'm not sure that we can't all have it all, at least not if having it all includes not being stupid at the same time, which would be very nice. I don't need a million bucks or a gas hog flash car or a house big enough for a small city on prime ocean view real estate that really should belong to all of us…and I have definitely experienced that flow where I know I'm just fine and so everything comes to me and the universe is on my side like some kind of cosmic vending machine shooting out goodies and never asking for a single quarter from me.
But one of my warning beeps comes from the awareness that a gigantic amount of goodness in my life has come from experiences that I either didn't think to ask for or actually thought I didn't want at all. I'm not sure that my choosing everything I attract would be the be all and end all, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't learn as much as I do when I have to step up and do something I never even considered before.
Anyway, thanks Duff. Nice input.

Re: The Secret is Partial

I'm coming in here late to this discussion but I wanted to put my two cents in as a Reiki Master and energetic intuitive.

A lot of Law of Attraction teachings rub me the wrong way too. For a number of reasons:

1. There is way too much focus on personal money and riches.
Personally, I don't need more than what I have. I have a two bedroom apartment for myself. With two bathrooms! One more than I need! That feels like a castle. The idea that I would need to manifest a mansion for myself is just absurd. It's honestly not that important to me.

It is especially not that important to me when I know that other people in the world are going to sleep in a hut this evening.

I would rather put my vast powers of manifestation onto helping others than to help myself get a mansion.

2. The Law of Attraction denies the existence of conflicting intentions from others.
We don't live in a vaccuum. I can put positive energy into thought of having that specific man over there, but if he is intending something else, guess what? I am not going to get what I want.

We are all co-creating. No-one is creating in a vaccuum.

3. The Law of Attraction denies outside energies.
I am a Reiki Master and an energetic intuitive. Guess what? Sometimes if something doesn't work out for you, that's because other people maybe had negative intentions or negative energies interfering with yours.

You absolutely DO NOT manifest every bad thing that happens to you. I and many energy healers I know and trust work very hard at psychic protection for this very reason.

And no, do not tell me the bad energies of others exist only because I believe in them. They exist independently whether I believe in them or not.

4. The Law of Attraction denies Grace.
There have been oodles of times in my life where I have been in a bad mood, in a negative space, and even downright depressed. Yet, somehow, the hand of God came in and lifted me up without my asking for it or intending it to be so.

So it is absolutely not true that if you think negatively you will only get crap in your life. Goodness gracious, I am living proof that this is false.

5. The Law of Attraction is misnamed.
Yes, we can create things with our intention. Intention is very powerful. But we are not “magnets” so much as co-creators. I would prefer the Law to be called the Theory of Intention or Theory of Co-Creation and not be so simplistically black of white on everything.

I believe that there is a lot of good stuff taught under the name of Law of Attraction, but as a meme it is incomplete and also based in a very American materialistic mindset. It's as if we were all children trying to claim our new toys.

We need to grow up and beyond this notion that material wealth is the ultimate goal. I am not suggesting that being poor is better - but there is a middle ground.

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Amen! Thanks for putting my thoughts into words… I haven't really got into this Secret stuff and haven't known why until now.

Namaste,

Nicole

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Ozma,

Whilst I am not trying to contradict the validity of your observations, I will try to explain it from what I've learned so far as you always understand something better when you try to explain it to others.

With regards to money and riches, obviously, they couldn't make the film specific to every single person and their individual needs and desires. Money is a major issue in society though, because it affects you whether you like it or not. So the subject of money is bound to crop up in any discussion of people's desires.

They did stress however, that not everyone desires the same thing. They did say that not everyone wants a BMW etc. No one ever implied that you needed to get a mansion! It's just a more dramatic example of The Law of Attraction in action since few people own a mansion. If they tried to explain how someone used The Law of Attraction to get an average home, that wouldn't be an outstanding example.

As for your 2nd point, I don't think The Law of Attraction was intended to manipulate or attract a specific person like a love potion, but rather, the feelings and experiences in your life. Therefore, if you continue to put your energy into having that “specific type” of man over there rather than that specific individual over there, you would eventually come across someone who completes that experience / feelings you are visualising and feeling.

Point #3, bad energies of others do indeed exist but the point of the Law of Attraction is that you are not likely to invite those into your experience as easily as you attract those that have compatible energies (I'm not sure if I'm using “energy” in exactly the same context as you but I think I'm close). I'm sure you agree that like-minded people tend to associate together whether they are positively or negatively inclined.

A mild example in my own experience if I may: I have friends who smoke cigarettes. They are well aware that I am not a smoker without even having specifically asked me. That does not mean that I've never seen or smelt their smoke but they certainly avoid doing it in my car or house or directly in front of my face. Yet they don't hesitate to smoke with other smokers or share cigarettes with them. One such friend finds it hard to give up smoking and allows the environment of other smokers encourage him to light up another one, yet these people don't have the same effect on me.

Ok, I am still studying this Law of Attraction or “The Secret” so I haven't got a clear explanation for your other observations. And I'm also trying to explore your point of view as well.

When I get the opportunity, I intend to ask similar questions to those who fully practice and live “The Secret”.

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“Point #3, bad energies of others do indeed exist but the point of the Law of Attraction is that you are not likely to invite those into your experience as easily as you attract those that have compatible energies (I'm not sure if I'm using “energy” in exactly the same context as you but I think I'm close). I'm sure you agree that like-minded people tend to associate together whether they are positively or negatively inclined.”

Certainly, you will pick and choose those friends that most resonate with you. However, anyone who is truly psychic and intuitive knows that unfortunately, there is true evil that exists. It not only exists in the hearts and minds of men, but also in spirit form.

Lightworkers are targets of the dark. So you can actually “attract” negativity to you simply by being a light to the world.

That is why Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

Therefore, it is not true that you bring to you negative energy by being negative. People of the light have to be very vigilant because the dark will try to take you out if it can.

I don't mean to sound doom and gloom here, but that's just the reality of it. It is why we energy healers practice psychic protection.

Now, the stronger your energy is, the harder it is for someone to attack you. But that still doesn't mean you are invincible.

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Good points. The darkness hates the light and is always trying to bring it down.

Be well,

Nicole

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Very well said Stephanie. Thanks for sharing this. You brought up some very important points. We are all co-creating & no one is creating in a vacuum. & yes., not all the negative energy & thoughts originate from us. & yes yes yes, the Universe is gracious & benevolent. We might not always receive what we want but we alway receive what we need. We need a certain level of awareness to recognise, respect and appreciate this divine perfection that is inherent in the Universe.

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I was chatting with my friend about this all last night. She is a big fan of the Secret but also doesn't buy into every aspect of it. She sent me a link to this article:

When You Attract Negative People, Be Thankful
http://ezinearticles.com/?When-You-Attract-Negative-People,-Be-Thankful&id=3184

A brief summary: The author, an abundance coach, has a run-in with a “negative” woman in a bathroom who is complaining about her life. This article is the height of irony.

The coach unknowingly expresses in the article her severe irritation that this woman was complaining around her, and finally, out of impatience (from my read), tell the poor woman (a total stranger):

“I've listened to your story and would like to share with you – you are attracting exactly what you don't want because that is exactly what you want. Everything that has occurred has been what you have asked for. If you want to change what you are attracting, start by seeing and making new choices. This and only this will change what occurs in your life.”

And then the coach complains in her article that the woman didn't “hear” her message.

Now really, what average person is going to respond positively to a mini-lecture like that?

The rest of the article is an analysis of how the coach attracted such a negative person to her in the first place, and she decides, finally, that it must be all the “negative” e-zines she reads.

I'm not kidding!

I have to say I was just shocked and appalled by this “coach's” attitude. If a stranger was talking to me about pain in her life, I wouldn't just out of the blue lecture her on the Law of Attraction (basically BLAMING her for her misfortune) without really listening to her “story.”

All that woman needed was someone to hear her and validate her. Not come at her with some arrogance as that coach did.

Furthermore, the idea that the coach attracted this “negative” woman to her because of reading e-zines is ridiculous. The NEGATIVE WOMAN in this scenario is NOT the woman who was complaining in the bathroom! It is the coach herself!

She's the one who judged the other woman and made that woman's communication into an ordeal when it did not need to be. Personally, I don't get all riled up about other people talking negatively - it does not affect me negatively - why should it?

But this is a prime example of how the Law of Attraction can be abused. People want to use it to abdicate their responsibility for how they treat other human beings, and I just don't buy that. They also think that somehow by insulating themselves from all so-called negative influences in the world, then they will only experience positive all the time….there's something really Stepford Wife-ish about that, if you ask me.

Oh PS, sorry if I am “negative” here but that article just irritated me. But then again, I own my negative emotions…often they are telling me that something's not quite right in Dodge. :-)

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Stephanie -

I just realized from your post what it is that puts me off most about The Secret. The whole idea of “manifesting” as a focus seems backwards to me, and the instant gratification aspect leaves out the most important part of the process for me. I come from an entirely different perspective, but I hadn't really given this much thought - just watched the movie and thought it seemed off somehow and put it in the category of things I don't think about much.

There's nothing at all wrong with having things go well and having a good life, who doesn't want that? How I have come to understand building that is that the intentions, actions and beliefs about my actions which I put into motion today plant the seeds for the experiences that will come to me later, sometimes much later, because seeds take time to grow. And that effort to be consistently kind, to be honest, to be genuinely helpful changes who I am as I struggle with it. And it does take some struggle, because like that woman in your article, it's all too easy for me to believe I'm more enlightened than I am and to mask my own impatience and self-indulgence in glib words, or to allow the idea of who I think I am to blind me to the reality. What matters, though, isn't that I get everything I want, what matters is how consistently and deeply I can plant those truly good seeds in my own life, and by doing that, how much of that good stuff can get spread to the world around me.

I really appreciate your posts, Stephanie!

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Rapunzel,

oh you have let down your fine hair!

you speak  my truths as you speak your own, you are keeping in check image of self vs reality of self in relation to the world, thank you for really getting that and articulating it so well…you have shared the gift with just those words! thank you!

Mary

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First. let me begin by saying that comparing the Law of Attraction and “re-framing” is like comparing apples and oranges. They are NOT the same thing. And no natter “how hard” you try to MAKE them the same thing, it's an exercise in futility.

Re-framing is merely changing your “perception” of something. The Law of Attraction is the mechanism whereby the 'perception” is brought to manifestation as a reality in the physical world.

Granted, the Secret did NOT go into the depths possible in explaining the Law of Attraction that it could have, but there PROBABLY isn't enough celluloid on the planet to contain all of it.

But then again, it can be explained in words “SO SIMPLE” that only a few are needed:

“We BECOME that which we think about”.

The law “itself” isn't that complicated. The complication arises when a man has to figure out how to apply is successfully. If there is a way to make THAT part complicated, human beings will discover it every time.

Now, if you TRULY understood re-framing, you'd understand that as you begin “re-framing” your perceptions of the world around you, you would no longer “perceive” the world's systems and so forth as was your “original” perception.

The “economy” would not be a factor, the educational level of a man would not be a factor,
the geographical location would not be a factor, and all of the other “excuses” man has invented over the years would NO LONGER BE A FACTOR.

But this ONLY applies if the man truly believes ( his core beliefs ) that the things he's re-framing FOR are possible for HIM to achieve.

And thought the man MAY NOT want to hear it, the Law of Attraction has ALREADY manifested his “core beliefs” as evidenced by the outward condition of his life at that moment. He is ”what he believes he is ”.

We have evolved into a society where it's more expedient to place the blame on everything, and everyone else for OUR condition, thereby eliminating the need to take “personal responsibility” for our actions and beliefs.

As for wealth, well, that's something perceived differently by everyone. We as westerners have been conditioned to belive wealth is based on amassing large amounts of money, but you have to remember one thing. The REST of the world doesn't hold to OUR perceptions as we do. In many cultures, owning a couple of goats is considered “wealthy” .

A few years ago, I read a report some college students published, and they managed to do the calculations of how much materials it would take to build EVERY living person on the planet a home the size and quality of the Taj Mahal, and furnish it like Buckingham Palace,
and by THIER calculations, it would have only required 1/10th of 1% of the natural resources of the United States alone.

The ONLY scarcity of material things in THIS world lies between men's ears, and is NOT based on what's readily available to all.

The media tells us there is NOT enough, and suddenly, there is not enough ( The same amount of the resource STILL exists.). It's ONLY in the minds of men that there is a lack of whatever the resource is.

But the people say; “This expert has decreed that it is so!”, yet the “expert” is wrong. He has formulated HIS opinion on faulty evidence and conjecture without bothering to verify the facts for himself (as is human nature). 

THEY say it, WE believe it, and it becomes SO, but so ONLY in perception, not in fact.

“Objective reality”?  I SUPPOSE that would depend on HOW you've re-framed your PERCEPTION of what real to you?

While money may not be the most important thing if this world, it's ”reasonably” close to OXYGEN in our western society.

Man has the “potential” within himself to live any lifestyle he desires, and as soon as he stops making excuses for his laziness, he'll take action and achieve the lifestyle. But he WILL have to “attract” the things necessary to him to do it.

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I know that I am late on this post but I think Duff you need to take it easy. The Law of attraction has been around for a long time. The same practice has been used in Think and Grow Rich, The Science of Getting Rich and many more books way before the secret.

Now it is easy for us to criticize but why not compliment do you feel any better by getting pissed off why not look at all the good it has done there are plenty of people who has embraced this book and now they are digging deeper for answers.

Instead of them paying a Life Coach the internet and the world is now becoming the life coach of the people reading the secret.

I appreciate that you have voiced your opinion but lets Count our Blessing if more people believe the Secret then more people are in a postive state of mind.

Would you tell one of the people that you are coaching about their Life when they look toward you to show them how not to let something as little as a book bother you.


To the world be thankful for this book and movie.

Change your thinking and Change the world.

All is well

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Dear Divine…your words are indeed divine.  Good on ya…positive indeed!

The Secret and any of a million other schools of thought are all the same, they are like life and life is what you make it.  What does it matter what anyone 'believes' as long as they live a contented blissful life full of positive possibilities?

Blessings,
Cheryl

The Secret is More a Hype in the West than the East

I saw the movie Secret much before it even got its acclaim. Did it affect me enough to go and tell people “This is Fabulous, you got to see it!!!”
No, it did not.
My contribution to this Pod is here:-
” Just as the Power of Attraction or the Law of attraction is at play all along in our destiny making or breaking, there are two more Powers or laws simultaneously and interconnected–working as well. Law of Repulsion–which is the Natural opposite of the Attraction aspect– and the secong is “Natural or Cosmic Flow” This one–the latter– is at play at almost every moment even when we are not 'Consciously thinking”
Even while we sleep, Dream, Fantasize, Hallucinate or 'Pray an Outside God” there is a Cosmic or Natural Flow going on, which we are either partially or completely oblivious of. Once a person gets a feel of this and is in ABSOLUTE Sync with this, then the 'Personal Will of any individual or a group of Individuals” becomes completely encompassed by the Cosmic Will.
Just as Scientists are not able to discern completely what “Global Warming is?” many people can't see this “Cosmic Flow” without their Spirits being in alignment with the Spirit of the universe or the cosmos.
I have talked with Nanotechnologists, Genetic Engineering specialists who have told me quite frankly ” All the clones made by the scientific community thus far–namey Dolly's , Polly's and molly's– were all FAILURES in the sense that each of them came out with some “Birth defects” Why were they not able to 'Exactly replicate a human or an animal being?”
Because “The Scientific community has yet to recognize the existence of something called Spirit” So, for them to replicate that, they would first have to get what is a Spirit.
Same way–all these “Hypers about What the Bleep and Secret” must realize, the Spirit is “Completely impervious to Results or Outcomes”
Every Positive or Negative is based on our attachment to RESULTS. If we are not attached to outcomes, then there is no need for Worry, nor for Attraction or repulsion.
There certainly is a higher dimension of reality called 'The unified Realm of consciousness–where we feel Oneness with all that is”
How do we get there? not by Attraction or repulsion. Love can take you there.
Nobody talks about LOVE like before…maybe in the late sixties and before. The more we are going away from Love, the more deluded we shall get.
This was the highest quality in someone like Jesus Christ, who was an epitome of Love and he lived by example, neither was he Attracted to anything or by anything nor repulsed.
I am not even born a Catholic nor do I believe in the Bible and such, but I feel Jesus's main message is far more than all this Secret Hype—“Love each other equally and just Love unconditionally”
Much love n Light
Jagan Ramamoorthy
http://fiddlemaestro.com
(Some Great music in there)

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Denying the existence of an objective reality is not really a fair criticism. It's like accusing a Hindu Brahmin of denying the objective truth of Christ's salvation. Objective reality isn't a given. It's an assumption.

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Denying the existence of an objective reality is not really a fair criticism. It's like accusing a Hindu Brahmin of denying the objective truth of Christ's salvation. Objective reality isn't a given. It's an assumption.

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I agree Sam.  Reality is relative, yet there are constants within it because this is what we agree to experience together (conciously or otherwise).  What comes up for me is the concept of reality as a shared dream.  Exactly as it is in a dream, the universe is in constant flux; expanding, contracting, flowing, breathing, spinning, sinking, flying…  all according to where our thoughts go.  In dreams it's much more instantaneous.

For me, the ultimate take away message from The Secret is this:  Whatever it is that we focus our attention on, expands, increases, and becomes more prominent in our own particular experience of reality, or life. 

So, my humble advice is to LIVE, LOVE, Be in Peace, and send that out to everyone you meet.

Namste~
Beren

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Wonderfully awesome Beren!

Simple and easy.  Why we humans today have to complicate things so I don't understand.

Live in the now.  Love fully and unconditionally.  Be the change.

What else is there?

Blessings,
Cheryl

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Interesting response that you had to this Duff. I am also a life coach and have many of my clients using the tools from the secret to create a life that they love living.

I guess you just have to decide how much we really are creating our reality. I for one believe what quantum physics claims, that the outside is not really out there, but it is what we are creating from in here. As a result, we can create anything that we pay attention to.

I have found for myself  that get what I believe and focus on. When I change my limiting beliefs, I create a completely different experience for myself regardless of what is going on 'out there'.  I see this happening with those close to me and those I work with. Repeatedly, and consistently.

Whether the tools in this movie/book worked for you or not, I hope you create a reality that feels good to you!

Namaste,
Machete Girl

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The Objective reality is always an Empirical Evidence sought by the Ego consciousness of any Spirit, “Outside the realms of Self” Where as Einstein has said “Reality is itself an Illusion… just because it recurs often, we assume it to be Real”
Jagan

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I thought that Stuart Davis summed it up quite nicely…The Secret: The Spirituality of Narcissism

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Generally, I think The Secret is a good film, because it does foster postive thinking and gratitude.  But, I'm not sure if I totally agree with the main premise – that if you think positively, you'll manifest all the wonderful things you don't have right here and right now.  In that way, the film falls apart for me because wanting what you don't have simply creates attachments and postpones one's happiness to some future date. 

If you let go of attachments and simply have gratitude for each and every moment, then nothing is ever missing and one's happiness is never postponed.   Reality is already the best thing that could ever be manifested.  Everything is perfect for what it is right here and right now.  You find the perfect parking space because the parking space you find is already perfect.  That's the true secret - for me, at least. 

In some ways, The Secret tiptoes towards this notion when it talks about gratitude and positive thinking  but it's heavy focus on getting all that bling bling obscures that vital point.  Having gratitude and thinking postivie thoughts will get you a lot closer to happiness than manifesting the big house on a vision board.

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Dear Geo,

As always perception is everything and I must say what I got from the film The Secret in regard to gratitude is that they went out of their way to stress that gratitude was a HUGE factor in manifesting the things we want in our lives (along with the knowledge that we deserve it).  I didn't see at all any inference to looking to tomorrow for the things you want.  In fact my perception was that they continually focused on living in the moment and living as if it was already yours no differently than the words of Jesus Christ to pray as if it is already yours.

My perception as well of the film did not include any focus on bling or wealth or any of that but from what I saw looked separately at the different aspects of 'abundance' which in my mind includes relationships, health, wealth and emotional well-being.

As the Secret shares with us…what we see all around us is what we subconsciously expect to see.  If we are expecting there to be lack…we will see lack.  If we are expecting to see being taken advantage of there will be situations where people try to take advantage of us.  Do you see what I'm saying?  Like attracts like.

I have no doubt that if you showed the film to ten different people you are going to get ten uniquely different perspectives of what the film was about or focused on or suggested based on each persons unique perspective and expectations.  As I read what other people saw and understood from the film I continue to be amazed at our uniqueness and how we each create our own reality based on our perceptions and expectations in life, which if you think about it is exactly what the Secret is trying to share with us.  No one is right and no one is wrong but each of us is going to proceed as we choose based on what we have perceived and most especially what we feel is possible.

Blessings,
Cheryl

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Do you see what I'm saying?  Like attracts like.

Yes, I do understand the Law of Attraction.  I've read several of the Abraham/Hicks books as well as many others. 

Being more specific, the film spends a lot of time on stories about people manifesting material wealth - the guy wanting the car, the kid and the bike, the mansion on the vision board,  Jack Canfield's hundred thousand dollar bills, and so on.   Material wealth is fine, but the film goes astray when it suggests that manifesting these material things will make you happy.  

Again, it's not to say I didn't enjoy the film and find a lot of it very valuable, but this aspect of it bothered me a lot.  Any good Buddhist will tell you that attachment to material things is a path to suffering.  By promoting these sorts of attachments, the film promotes a path to suffering.

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Geo,

I concur. Well put…

peace

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Not just Buddhists, I would hope. Jesus Christ warned repeatedly against the effects material wealth would have on our thoughts. This concern is repeated thoughout the New Testament, the holy book of Christianity.  (You would not guess it from visiting a Christian country, I admit, but it really is true.)

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Dear Geo,

When I asked you if you could see what I was saying and commented that like attracts like I was referring to the possibility that since you appear to have a clear idea/belief within yourself that having material wealth means one is attached to their material possessions which can be problematic perhaps you were only seeing in the film those things that went against your own beliefs.

Again I am continuing to be amazed that so many people have observed so many different things in the film as the main focus of the film.  Because I am aware that we each create our own unique reality however I suppose I shouldn't be amazed at all.  I believe there is an old parable that speaks to how everyone has a different perspective that has something to do with different animals observing an elephant and giving their perception of what an elephant was based on their point of view.  The opinions I have seen offered of this film is no different than the parable.  Our own unique perspective based on who we are and how we think is going to dictate what we see in and what we get out of the film. 

Where you saw that the film was suggesting that manifesting material things will make us happy I saw the suggestion that we are all equally as deserving of abundance OF ALL KINDS and that if we choose to consciously focus on those things that we feel will enhance our lives and therefore increase our bliss then we can have them.  The point that I saw the film was making about material things is not that having those will make us happy but that when we make the decision to be happy FIRST and to live with gratitude for what we already have (the many blessings we all have in our lives that sometimes we take for granted like friendship, love, etc.) we will then attract abundance to us.  When I say abundance it is not just cars and homes and things but it covers the entire spectrum of everything that we beings need, want and deserve to have in our lives.

However all that said…your perspective is yours and mine is mine and we can still have the courtesy to respect the others opinion which I do and I know you respect mine as well.  I'm not saying you shouldn't feel the way that you do at all…just sharing what my perception was.  You will proceed with your life as you see fit and I will do the same.  There is no right and no wrong way to go about any of it and how each of us beings decide to proceed in life is something that we will see the benefits or consequences of for certain.

Blessings,
Cheryl

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The point that I saw the film was making about material things is not that having those will make us happy but that when we make the decision to be happy FIRST and to live with gratitude for what we already have (the many blessings we all have in our lives that sometimes we take for granted like friendship, love, etc.) we will then attract abundance to us.  When I say abundance it is not just cars and homes and things but it covers the entire spectrum of everything that we beings need, want and deserve to have in our lives.

I absolutely agree with that, but it seems to me (as an individual and as a filmmaker) that this subtlety gets lost in the presentation of the film. 

Again, I have absolutely no quarrel with the Law of Attraction, but I do take issue with how this film chooses to present some of the concepts associated with the law.   Hopefully, the film will guide people towards other materials (such as Abraham/Hicks) that explain the Law of Attraction more fully.

Re: The Secret is Partial

I understand perfectly what you are saying Geo and will agree on the premise that perhaps the filmmakers didn't make a film for those people who are open to the Law of Attraction but made a film targeting those who are clueless as to the power of our own thoughts/feelings/intentions and wanted to 'sell' these folks on the idea of it by approaching it from a bit more of a materialistic perspective.  Perhaps they felt it would be a topic that might catch people's attention and allow people to consider a new way of being without getting too far into the spiritual aspect of it since I don't know how many people I've tried to introduce to the film who want absolutely nothing to do with anything that speaks to the spiritual side of things.  Even though the idea is NOT to be attached to the outcome of our intentions I have a feeling perhaps one might have to begin there to get someone on board who is always attached to the outcome of their wishes and teach them to have the wish, ask for what they want, believe they deserve what they want and then to let it go.  I'm just grasping at straws here trying to view things from a different perspective.

Still I think because I was already learning about LOA and was pretty much on board before I ever saw