“The Secret”
Posted in Topics on December 13th, 2010 by admin – Be the first to commentIn “The Secret,” there are many startling examples of the Law of Attraction. One of the most impacting is the man who was in an airplane crash. Because of a spinal cord injury, his prognosis was that he would be a quadriplegic with no hope of recovery. Using “The Secret,” the man visualized and believed that he would walk again. And on Christmas Day, the day he’d chosen in his mind, he walked through the hospital doors. However, one must not believe that he just jumped up out of bed and strolled outside. In fact, he endured months of treatment and rigorous, painful therapy before that Christmas Day arrived. But in the end, it was still a miracle by anyone’s standards.
Also shown are a woman who believed she was cured of cancer without conventional treatment, and a woman who is blessed with an expensive gold necklace that she spied in a shop window.
Many critics of “The Secret” have stated that the movement is ridiculously materialistic and encourages those who want something for nothing. A number of medical professionals also express concern that “The Secret” could lead to a “blame-the-victim” mentality and could cause grave danger to those who are mentally ill or suffer from serious illnesses.
John Norcross, a psychologist and professor at Pennsylvania’s University of Scranton, conducts research on self-help books and believes that many can be helpful if they are targeted at a specific problem and backed by science. He believes that “The Secret” is a “triumph of marketing and magic.”
Norcross states that the mantra used in the “The Secret”—”Ask, Believe, Receive,” could easily be transformed into a blame-the-victim mentality.
“Cancer victims. Sexual assault victims. Holocaust victims. They’re responsible?” Norcross questioned. “The book is riddled with these destructive falsehoods.”
Stacy Kaiser, a psychotherapist and lifestyle coach, said that several patients have read “The Secret” and became worried that it was their fault they were abused or list their jobs. Others seem to think that by using “The Secret” everything in their lives will change overnight.
“People start to think that they don’t have to use their free will, that they don’t have to have power anymore, that they don’t have to make choices,” said Kaiser. “They don’t realize they have to do the work. And that’s the conversation I keep having to have with people.”
Rhonda Byrne, a television and film producer from Australia, is the woman behind “The Secret.” She sticks to her claim that the “Law of Attraction” is the governing force of our universe. read more »