A Secret to “The Secret”

Rhonda Byrne packaged “The Secret” and told the one person who could guarantee it would be spread as quickly as possible- Oprah Winfrey. My mom sent me the DVD, SNL spoofed it, and a CBS Sunday Morning piece summed it up as “Snake Oil for the 21st Century.” Critics call it anything from a get-rich-quick scheme to the same old positive thinking message repackaged. I am not quite so skeptical. Besides, the book isn’t saying anything new in the same way “He’s just not that into you” didn’t really say anything new. But people ate that book for breakfast, lunch and dinner, too.

I think it is revolutionary, even if revolutionarily simple. The spiritual among us will hear the obvious Biblical parallels (As a man thinketh, so is he). The more material-minded will hear what they want to hear (I can get this necklace or this BMW). The idea, in my opinion, is not that it is magic (like a genie), but because you think and reflect on what you want, your outlook is brighter, your interactions are brighter, and your life inevitably moves toward what it is you want and believe. The thinking/feeling-to-reality phenomenon is then understood more as a doable, everyday process that eventually effects all aspects of your life.

I see the obvious temptation of blaming and guilting people with “The Secret.” A friend recently told me a story about a Secret devotee who told a companion her negative thoughts caused her car accident. It’s not that simple. I think it would be more like if you drive your car thinking it’s just a matter of time before something bad happens to it or to you in it, then don’t be surprised if it does.

It’s true, I can’t sight any of Rhonda’s credentials. However, the DVD is replete with very scholarly and accomplished contributors, including “Chicken Soup for the Soul” author Jack Canfield and Lisa Nichols, CEO of Motivating the Masses. Many argue this is just for her own financial gain, but you can watch it online for only $4.95. And, why shouldn’t she profit? One way to understand the secret is understanding that there is enough to go around for everyone.

A lot of people are likening it to prosperity preachers. But, just like with prosperity preachers, there’s snake oil and then there’s truth. Everyone knows there will be disappointments in life. The shift is that it’s no longer satisfactory to accept that as how we are supposed to live- in disappointment, lack or need. It is time to be steadfast and vigilant about believing that we are entitled to good and abundance. Whether you call it the Universe or God, neither withholds good things from us in the same way our earthly parents do all they can to give us what we need and want. I believe that “The Secret” will give the spiritual an exciting way to experience their faith and give the more material-focused a method (through positive thinking, and thus, more positive living) to start experiencing what 95% of the population already experiences as faith.

The Secret will be revealed in the approach: if you approach it believing it is gimmickry, you are likely to walk away feeling bamboozled. If you approach it with an open mind and heart, you just might experience something that can change your life. Your choice.