Have you heard about the recently published book, “The Secret,” written by Rhonda Byrne?
I’ve had patients and friends ask me what I thought about the publication. I have not seen the volume, but from the reviews I’ve read, it appears to be standard New Age ideas packaged under a new cover.
Book reviewer Janet Boyer summarizes the book’s theme with these words:
So what’s the secret? The law of attraction, which, as you probably know, is not new to anyone familiar with New Age/consciousness ideology. “The Secret” culls wise, practical insights from noted authors, teachers, and life-coaches that show readers how thoughts create reality. That is, what you think literally becomes your life. Every person, every disease, every relationship, every social situation–all are the result of the law of attraction. You cannot behold or experience *anything* that is not the result of your “vibration” magnetizing to a corresponding manifestation.
I agree, that from a relative point of view, there is merit to the proposal that we create the bed we lie in. Positive people generally have much better experiences then people with perpetually negative attitudes. But the belief that we can have anything we want if we think it hard enough, or get mentally “vibrating” in the right way, has its limits and eventual downfalls.
The selfish desires can get carried away.
What if vast monetary wealth, unbounded fame, and unbridled success are not in our best interest?
Does unlimited material acquisition get us to where we really want to be spiritually in the long run?
I look at the life and example of Jesus Christ who mapped the path to heaven. He never practiced a “What do I want?” strategy. His plea was always, “What does God want?”
What we want and what God wants can be vastly different at times. And what we want is not always in our best interest.
My son occasionally wants to play with his friends instead of doing his homework. And if I let him, the homework doesn’t get done.
Jesus’ statement “Seek and ye shall find,” has often been twisted to mean, “Seek whatever material riches you want, and you shall receive them.” Jesus did not advocate a life of selfish material pursuit, but of avid spiritual gain. He wanted his followers to seek Truth and Love, not dollars and position. He shunned the material ideals in his own ministry.
I also have great difficulty in accepting the “law of attraction” according to Byrne when it comes to explaining tragedy.
Did a crack baby “attract” its suffering? Did all residents of New Orleans “attract” hurricane Katrina to devastate their region? Did the obedient soldier sent to serve in Iraq and later slain in the line of duty “attract” his unfortunate death?
I believe there is a more compassionate way to reconcile the misfortunes of the world.
Christian Science explains that people are not gods to themselves creating their own universe and prospering or suffering accordingly. But each of us are children of God with a spiritual life that cannot be touched, hurt or harmed by anything evil that happens in the world.
When bad does happen, the demand is to not condemn and get down on oneself, but to go higher than the challenge of the moment to the spiritual good that is always present no matter how dire the material condition appears. The more we identify with our spiritual wholeness and God’s ever-sustaining Love, the sooner we can overcome adversity and leave it behind.
Every occasion of evil that happens to us is not our fault.
I suppose “The Secret” will sell millions of copies and make the author boatloads of money, but I’m not sure it’s spreading the right message in terms of living a life that brings genuine spiritual joy and balance.
The laws of the universe do work together to bless us bountifully with unlimited good and love, but they are not designed to fulfill selfish material desires. They are designed to keep us in harmony with the one infinite Love that sustains us eternally and in perpetual peace and life.
The book’s premise, “What you think becomes your life,” goes only so far. Our ultimate life is not anything we create here on earth. Our ultimate life is found in Spirit, God, the infinite Mind that exists forever. We do not create Mind, nor do we determine Mind’s plan. That’s God’s job. As we align with Mind and let Mind’s will be done through us, our life on earth becomes more heavenly. But we are not the creators of that heavenly existence. God is the creator, and we are the manifestation.
The outward manifestation of spiritual peace and life on earth may or may not include lots of money and things in our experience, but it doesn’t really matter to the seeker, because the goal of the spiritual seeker is not riches and status. The destination is spiritual understanding, eternal peace and life. And that’s a divine birthright that is manifested through each of us as children of God. Not by virtue of anything we do, but by virtue of what God has already done on our behalf.
Thank you Evan for going into depth with your responce to the general thought of positive thinging…or the “human” law of attraction. Scientific thinking based on knowing God has a dimension we (humanity) has only begun to tap, understand and practice, don’t you think?
To friend above,
Aw, definitely. there is so much more to learn about divine law. God’s law of attraction is not a law that can be used for selfish purposes, but a divine law that we must live in harmony with. God outlines the outcome, not personal desire, and the outcome is always good–in our best interest, even if we don’t initially agree at times.
Thanks Evan — from what little I had read about “The Secret”, your comments seem right on. Somehow, when Oprah backs something, the world goes crazy to get it! Now if she would just read Science & Health!! best, peggy
Evan,
Thank you so much for your thoughts about this recent book and it’s contents. Over the years I have read a lot of new age books and have appreciated all
that I have learned. But, more recently I have felt the
strong need and desire to only read pure Christian Science literature as it always takes me that extra step further – completely beyond any human desire or outcome, to God’s complete perfect plan for me. And as you said, “…the outcome is always good–in our best interest, even if we don’t initially agree at times.”
Thanks Evan for sharing your insights. I had been told by many friends about this book. After watching a follow up Oprah show about the reactions and outcome from their first showing, I had turned to my friend and said “wonder how responsive these people would be to the Bible and Science and Health after seeing what a shift in thought can do.” I have to admit, it was fun to see the amazement that several of the interviewees had at the power of listening to a quiet still voice and responding to it. Thanks for sharing!
Dear Evan…
thank you for continuing this dialogue….it is certainly one that has been going on for centuries….so grateful for the wisdom found in many sacred writings…the Bible and Science and Health happen to top my list…that aver with experiential authority…GOD IS THE ONLY CAUSE AND CREATOR…I do not create problems, or success…my thinking is the reflection (deep pondering) of God…and only God…my job is to “look deep into realism instead of accepting only the outward…” (Eddy) it is this deeper looking to find the God-based root of all things that reveals a version/perspective that blesses and heals….I am so grateful for this community of thinkers that will keep this divine dialogue sounding like a praise celebration rather than a debate…God is All…Amen~! Thank you for this reminder
Evan – You didn’t read the book and you didn’t see the movie. And you have all kinds of ideas about why The Secret is just “standard New Age” in revamped packaging. Well…I for one am looking at this a little differently. This is not C.S., not even close! It is however a glimpse at the possibilities of the world becoming more in tune with how thought influences life. I think it’s great that millions of people after viewing Oprah’s 2 segments on The Secret have overwhelmingly responded. Some individuals need intermediary steps before they could totally embrace something vastly higher. Although I personally adhere to the spiritual premise on which you base your commentary, I just don’t understand why we need to feel the necessity to criticize a new birth of a concept, to many,(even though Janet Boyer thinks its been kicked around for a while), that is in a developmental unfoldment. You may not have known, but The Secret also focused on love, gratitude, worthiness, physical healing and the fact that we should not bemoan unhappy, present circumstances as it will not bring change. I applaud the efforts of those involved with this project and am not as sure as you are that they are so entirely mercenary. Is it really going to hurt if we become a little more conscious of where our thoughts are taking us on a daily basis?………I THINK not!
Hi Catherine,
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I agree with you that Truth is learned in steps and by degrees. Every discussion that moves people to a life of more love is going to bless mankind and have a worthy role to play. That’s why I put a link to Byrne’s book on my post. Everyone has a right to decide what’s going to be helpful for them. Your points are well taken.
Hi Evan,
What a wonderful site you have here! I appreciate your concerns about “The Secret” which mirror many of the others I have heard from Christian Scientists, both within and without the organization.
At first I was also wary of the message myself, but intrigued by the professional presentation of the film. A friend had recommended it to me as a complement to Napoleon Hill’s classic, Think and Grow Rich! which I had picked up last summer out of interest in learning more about his research into the lives of famous figures in history (Edison, Ford, etc.)
We are a homeschooling family and familiarizing ourselves with those who have made their mark on our society is part and parcel of our studies. I was amazed to read that Hill was a student of metaphysics and devoted a section of his book to this subject — one that was near and dear to his heart as a result of a remarkable demonstration he had experienced with his own son (born with no ears.)
When I discovered that “The Secret” was available in an online version for a mere pittance (which can then be applied as a discount for purchase of the DVD) — I decided to satisfy my curiosity, and I am so glad I did! It was worth the five spot to see the new Vividas technology in action alone!
Yes, there are elements of this thought that are not directly in line with CS, but there is so much more there that meets the eye! Bottom line, it is full of JOY and HOPE, and reminded me that I, myself, had lost some of the Spirit in the Letter over the past decade since coming into Science.
After watching the movie, I surfed over to Healing Unlimited(.com) and searched for the words, “Law of Attraction” which produced the following from a letter Mrs. Eddy wrote to Adam Dickey:
“The Divine and perfect law of adjustment, working through the universal and ever-present law of attraction is bringing you that which belongs to you.”
You might be interested to hear that Ellen DeGeneres’ feature show on the film sparked a lively discussion on “The Secret” forum — there was even one member who had attended CS Camp with her in their youths. If one good thing comes out of all this, it’s the awareness that this universal knowledge and understanding of Love’s power is not a foreign concept.
Christ Jesus and Mary Baker Eddy have each successfully demonstrated its practicality to the world, and now the rest of the world will open its eyes and see their gift to mankind. The fields are white — time for us all to get busy!
Ever yours in Truth & Love,
Penne
To Penne,
Yes, I wholly embrace the truth that God’s law of attraction brings only good into our experience, never evil.
Dear Evan, A day or so after reading this blog about New Age ideas, I met with several friends for afternoon tea, and the subject of conversation came around to positive thinking. I found that I wanted to go along with a lot of what they were talking about – how our thinking affects our experience. But since I had recently read your blog, I had my mental reservations about their discussion, and I realized that nobody in the group ever mentioned God as the source of these good-producing thoughts. Could we say that if God is not acknowledged as the source of the “good thinking—good experience” standard, then there is a flaw of some sort there? And maybe the flaw is one of not admitting that there is NO negative thought because God, divine Mind, does not create anything unlike Himself? Wish I understood better the difference between New Age ideas and Christian Science.
Thanks so very much for your very valuable blogs — blogs of blessing!
Gloria
Hi Gloria,
Yes, one of the dangers of the positive thinking genre is the tendency to become a god unto oneself. Positive thinking is definitely better and more spiritual than negative thinking. No question. But positive thinking needs to be based on spiritual reality, and not used as a tool for selfish desire to keep the positive thinker in harmony with God.
I believe one of the main tenets of New Age thinking is that we are as gods. It teaches a universal consciousness that all is at-one with, but still, somehow, I pick up, each of us are like gods too, according to the philosophy. And that basis of reasoning inevitably leads to a life centered on self, and seeking out what “I want,” rather than what God wants.
Others may have more to share on this…