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October 2009 
Stepford Spirituality and "The Secret"
Earon
Fellow Zaadsters, I request a "reality check" about the film and book called "The Secret." I initially was troubled by the movie's "infomercial," motivational structure and reliance on powerful circular reasoning and testimonials, but was assured by others that it (The law of attraction) was a generally positive idea (How could they say otherwise - without attracting negative energy?)
To be sure, positive thinking and enthusiasm generally do help us. Thinking negatively makes it more difficult for us to suceed. Duh! The problem I have is with the flip side argument which blames victims and people who are not succeeding - for their own challenges and disabilities. We roll our eyes when televangelists blamed the people of New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina. But if "The Secret" is literally true, then any volcanoe, storm or war could be stopped by the power of our thoughts. Same with global warming. Whew! We don't have to give anything up at all, and we can use all the energy we want and still reduce carbon emissions! Yipeeeee! If you don't think that is a dangerous meme for our culture to carry at this time, remember "The Inconvenient Truth."
Another of the ripple effects of "The Secret" which I noticed was that many of my colleagues and friends no longer expressed dissatisfaction with anything. They had never been big complainers, to begin with, but now everything was wonderful and everyone was praying for the success of President Bush. For months, everyone would always say that their practices and businesses were doing "great" even if they were doing terribly. It seemed that any negative reference was to be avoided like the plague. Everything was always fine, or even wonderful.
I generally associate with a great bunch of people, but this had a sort of "Stepford" feel to it, which has dissipated only a little over the months after the memes of the "Secret" rapidly spread through my community of spiritual friends. So, what do you think about the long term effects of "The Secret?" Please let me know.
I was surprised at how quickly it spread through our culture, but there were probably many contributing factors, such as skillful marketing, coat tails of books like "The Da Vinci Code," dissatisfaction with organized religion, fashionability of Australian accents, apparent desensitization to obnoxious infomercial styles, fear generated by politics, war and 9/11, peer pressure to keep up with the "prosperity" being experienced in America, politically correct reluctance to criticize anything with a "spiritual" label on it, and, certainly not the least, the support of Oprah (Wow!).
In American cultural history, I believe that "The Law of Attraction" was the basically the same "Power of Positive Thinking" which sold many millions of books for Norman Vincent Peale in the 1940's through the 1950's. Peale was very widely published and one of the first ministers on television. He was a mentor of Rev. Billy Graham and televangelist Robert Schuller and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Reagan.
"The Secret" also has a similar feel to the famed "Dale Carnegie" courses, with over 40 millions copies of "How to Win Friends and Influence People" sold since 1937. Carnegie's classes and books were a dominant factor in fashioning, creating, intensifying and exporting America's marketing and salesmanship techniques and corporate values throughout America and the world. He is known as the father of the self-help movement and Carnegie's books continue to sell well even today in the US and all over the world. Towards the beginning of the "cold war," The former Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev was so impressed with "How to Win Friends and Influence People" that he had it translated and distributed throughout the Kremlin and the KGB in the late 1950's to help them be more effective in their work.
None of this is a "secret" of course. "The Power of Positive Thinking" was severely criticized during its day and it eventually lost much of its glamour appeal. But motivational speakers like Dale Carnegie and preachers like Norman Vincent Peale have always known how to use concepts like "The Secret's" positive thinking to gain popularity and make lots of money. People like to hear that they can become rich. As for whether there is any "spiritual" content, strikingly absent from all of these motivational techniques is concern for other people or the larger society. The Golden Rule may be referenced, but the bottom line is wealth-building and influence-building for the individual.
In some ways, it may yield results. Some people will find enough encouragement to go forward with greater self-confidence and succeed. For them, "The Secret" may have been a boost. However, this is not the case for those who don't succeed - at which time the implication is that there was something wrong with them - because they didn't succeed. And, for those who are not well grounded to begin with, "The Secret" may encourage them towards the pursuit of unfocused projects, hoping that the power of their intentions will make up for the lack of planning.
Circular reasoning cuts both ways. And, despite the laws of magical thinking, not everyone can be a millionaire - nor does everyone really want to be. Shipping 50,000 copies of the "Secret" will not stop the tragedies in Darfur or New Orleans. Nor will "The Secret" stop global warming. And if you tremble out of fear that my negativity is really what will limit our ability to stop global warming, it is time for your own "reality check." It is one thing to spend twenth plus dollars on lotto tickets or "The Secret" in the hopes of becoming wealthy. It is another thing to forsake rational planning and action to protect our spectacularly beautiful planet and its amazing inhabitants.
Access: Public
Excellent musing. I really think this is a valid set of questions and reflections. It has become clear in retrospect that the origin and inspiration of The Secret was the work of Jerry & Esther Hicks and the collaborative set of non-physical beings known as “Abraham.” The portions of the film that included them was edited out, thereby contributing very ironically to the suppression of the “secret” that the filmmakers consciously separate themselves from but substantially reproduce (wittingly or unwittingly). In other words, The Secret is actually a dumbing down of the true nature of the Law of Attraction, meant for viral marketing and yet missing the most vital piece of information possible - that humans and indeed planet earth as a whole, in all its diversity, are Source Energy. You might take a look at a video called The Secret Behind the Secret, available in small part at YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFp-iPSPplE and also on DVD.
Personally, I believe humans can handle the full extent of the Law of Attraction, the reality of non-physical beings, the notions of Well-Being and Source Energy - all elaborately explained in Hicks/Abraham's The Law of Attraction - and do not need the pseudo-spiritual version propagated in The Secret. Your phrase “circular reasoning” is quite on the mark, as is your reference to Stepford-like phenomena. The Hicks' book is quite a fascinating read, and truly remarkable are the podcasts (which are also free: hayhouse.com > itunes), where it is abundantly clear that Esther Hicks channels a highly intelligent, caring and indeed super humorous Guide. You really have to hear it to believe it - it will send shivers down your backbone, as The Who used to say. :>
Many thanks for the thoughtful comments and great insights, namkha. I understand that the Law of Attraction is, indeed, deeply spiritual, metaphysical knowing from the entity “Abraham”. It is being marketed by some very bright people in a different way in order to produce profits - not honor prophets. I think that it is good that people seek to fulfill their aspirations, so my main point is not that “The Secret” is bad, but that there needs to be a balance between economic needs and spiritual needs - between the desires of individuals and the needs of the larger society and global ecosystems.
Thank you, a very key distinction that helps focus on social justice, ecological balance and the good of the whole rather than the self-centered, narrow focus on personal desire as the be all and end all of seeking.
There was a great comment made by Abraham in one of the podcasts (allow me to quote at length and use up some more bits and bytes :>): “Please do not ask us or anyone, because it cannot be done, to carve out a little place on this planet or anywhere in the universe, where only the things that you think should exist will exist before you can feel good. That's not what allowing is. Allowing is understanding that the place is big enough for all of us, and choosing a vibration that allows the Well-Being that you choose, you see. Every person on your planet could be watching that television and every person on your planet could be so disconnected that every person on your planet could be temporarily not allowing the Well-Being to flow, and you would still as a world continue to thrive. The largest body of consciousness on your planet does not watch the television. Bless that dog. Bless that cat. Bless that squirrel. In other words… So, there is a huge balance of Well-Being, in other words, you as human species are insignificant vibrational factors in this realm of Well-Being.”
“But the vibration that you hold means everything about your individual life that you live. Now let's work to bring that back into perspective. People talk about a large number of people, 5000 people, making their transition all at once,and how unsettling that is.. But that happens on your planet on a regular basis. Put it into perspective. People say, “but there are people wishing ill-will who have the means to negatively affect us.” And we say, “and there's something new in that!?” In other words, do you know how many nations today are at war and have been all year long and the year before? And then people say “Well, yes, but they were not waging their war against us personally” and we say “Still they are not.” And you say “well, it sure looked like it”, in other words that was a very specific attack on our nation, and we say “Don't make it personal, don't make it something that you are about.” What we would do if we were standing in your physical shoes is to step back and say there are people all over my planet, even some in my very own town or neighborhood, who have got themselves disconnected from Well-Being enough that they are pushing back in violent ways. It has always been so, and always will be so, and our world does not have to come to a halt in order to make them stop. Many more tragic things will happen because of your automobiles today, and there is no legislation about putting them in the garage. And yet, an equal and fair legislation would be about that. Let's garage all cars and save our people. And you say “that is illogical and ridiculous” and we say “well, doesn't it make you feel better, that is, when you put it into perspective?” {“The Letting In Mode,” 6/13/2007}
Namaste, Earon and Namkha,
Thank you for a thoughtful discussion of this wildfire phenomenon. When I first saw the film of “The Secret” - the only time - I couldn't watch beyond the first three or four minutes. I have worked with film and documentary for a lifetime, and that one was marketing, marketing, marketing. Nothing emotionally authentic about it. Nothing human. Sickening. (Okay, ask me what I really think.) Yes, it is so unfortunate that spiritual principles are seen as fair content for personal wealth-building - and so dumbed-down in the process. Just the title “The Secret” is so bogus. I agree with Earon that the ideas in the book and film seem to be none other than “The Power of Positive Thinking” - leading to a blame-the-victim stance towards those less fortunate, catering to selfishness and an I-got-mine mentality. Yes - what about the social good? Where does altruism show up? Since when is “good” embodied in a car or a bank account? Isn't it about the use of these “vehicles”? Are we drag racing, or delivering meals-on-wheels? Investing long after our personal needs are met, or supporting organizations that are making the world a better place for everyone?
I also do think there is a deeper meaning in the law of attraction - Namkha, thanks for your quotes from Abraham. (Okay, they are no fans of TV, and my work is trying to do something about that - TV is just the tool and needs some positive, constructive content.) This law can be expressed with wisdom, or can be read in a shallow enough way to think it is all about cars and toys. I am a pretty simple person when it comes to spirituality, but I think it is all summed up, for me at least, in gratitude, forgiveness, and service. And there are some awesome ways to serve, that bring us greater rewards than any possession I can imagine.
So, friends, how do we get a “greater good” version of “The Secret” out there? (And do you suppose we can all get rich doing that??!! ;-]>)
Gratitude, forgiveness and service is a wonderful approach to life. Thank you.
Thanks, namkha and Martha for your passionate views, your courage to express them, and your kindness. I realize that we are treading in a sensitive area for many people, in being critical of “The Secret.” Yet, spirituality is not about being afraid of disagreement, but about having the courage to express one's real feelings in an appropriate setting of inquiry and partnership-seeking.
I recall a mindboggling statement from Gandhi about his preferring that someone be violent rather than being peaceful out of cowardice. In fact, true partnership and trust require honesty plus the ability to open one's heart to understanding and connection with those we used to think of as enemies. Through expressing one's real concerns, and being willing to hear others' concerns, trust and healing are facilitated, rather than prevented.
“Gratitude, forgiveness and service” also appeal to me as an approach to life. And I might point out that spiritual principles have always been appropriated and “altered” by people in order to gain wealth and/or power. Consider the teachings of Jesus. That is not to say, however, that great ideas have never emerged in the process!
“So, what do you think about the long term effects of “The Secret?” Please let me know.”
honestly? seems like a rather dangerous cult to me, much like any other religion that instills fear in the hearts of the followers, to prevent them from questioning the authority of those in charge. I'm certain that there's something hidden, a deeper message, that touches people deep down inside, much like any other religion. Is that tiny core nugget of truth worth all the control issue baggage? Not for me it ain't.
….deleted my long rant about Abraham. Why would they choose this particular name? think about what Abraham did. He divided the people rather than drawing them closer to each other. He did some other things, too, things that are still being used by those in power to control the people. He was not a prophet.
I'd written this big, huge response to your wonderful post, and it was eaten!
Oh, well.
Suffice it to say I agree with you. I haven't seen 'The Secret,' don't plan to, and am plainly happy anyway … and still dirt poor.
Oh, well–again.
Shawn
I hate when that happens (ah, the great lost compositions of the word-eating web)! Hey I'm poor too but living feeling pretty abundant nonetheless. Money is just energy too, but tell that to a hungry man woman or child - it doesn't fly would be my guess. Maybe maybe not… hmm… Cheers!
Hi,
I agree with all you said,
so much so I wrote a book about it called
“The Secret Source”
In which I give a full history of prosperity consciousness, mesmerism, and HERMETICISM going all the way back to the emerald tablet and before and how the information therein was meant to focus the intention upon GOD and GOD alone, to align the will with spirit, not getting sports cars.
I give lots of references and history that hopefully many who were taken in with the prosperity consciousness will learn and grow from.
Keep up the good work!!
Heart
Maja