Robbobrob Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 All the secret is really is "visualize a better life, then when you know exactly what you want, go out and get it." It is what every successful person on the planet has ever done, whether their plan was a conscious one or not. Most people go through life without a plan. And they get swept back and forth by the world. With a plan, it feels like the whole world lines up for you and helps, because you are paying attention to it (through your plan). (it is like that phenomenon where when you buy a new car, suddenly everyone is driving that car too, because you are suddenly paying attention to that type of car). Luck is just paying attention and being ready when an opportunity comes your way. knowing you want it (visualizing it) is the first step. It's not supernatural, it's part of who we are or can be. Successful people are not smarter, prettier, better than regular people. They just know how to pay attention, and act when they see something that matches their plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amelia Posted May 18, 2007 Author Share Posted May 18, 2007 All the secret is really is "visualize a better life, then when you know exactly what you want, go out and get it." It is what every successful person on the planet has ever done, whether their plan was a conscious one or not. I totally agree! I've done a lot of work with executive coaches and it is definitely true that successful people simply look for opportunities and act on them. One thing that many people are shit scared of is failure. The people who have achieved great success in the world have taken the action, despite the failure risk. These guys often endured much failure in their quest to achieve their desired outcome (success), however they saw failure as mere stepping stones to success - which I think is a great perspective. It's amazing to think of all the people who give up, even though success might have just been around the corner. I mean we only need to think of Edison and the light bulb. It took so many attempts and failures, but he got there eventually. Definitely, if we want to do something we just have to get out there and make it happen. We need to focus and act. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadouKen24 Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 For this board, I think I have a rather unique perspective on the subject. I study the occult. Most of the New Age and personal empowerment-type books that come out these days lack self-knowledge of their own history. The truth is that a lot of their ideas--especially in the New Age--come straight out of 19th and early 20th century occultism and mysticism. The idea of the New Age, the Age of Aquarius, is straight out of astrology, and bears a distinct similarity to Crowley's Aeon of Horus. Much of the self-empowerment bits sometimes seem lifted almost verbatim from the writings of Dion Fortune, the 20th century occultist from the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The so-called Secret--the Law of Attraction--isn't a secret at all. In fact, it's lifted straight out of Isaac Bonewits' Real Magic, written in 1971. That book was based on occult writings and ideas which had been around long before Bonewits. I haven't read the entire book, but flipping through it, I didn't see anything new or secret at all. It was just the same old thing that people have been saying in the New Age repackaged in a format more attractive to the American masses. The way it was repackaged, though, I have a few problems with. First, it didn't seem to put much emphasis on mental preparation and training, in comparison. It will thus only bring out what one can do with natural, untrained ability. Not everyone is good at this kind of thing straight off the bat. Tossing people in and hoping that they'll swim isn't really a good way of going about this sort of thing. It's too easy to get caught up in mental loops that work at cross purposes to one's goals. Second, it seems to carry the message that with a good attitude and a little work, anything is possible. That's simply not true. There will always be things I won't be able to do just because they aren't within my natural abilities. I will never master quantum mechanics; I can't even master regular physics. (My academic achilles heel. I do splendidly in every other subject I've taken.) Emotional baggage, mental blocks, simple lack of ability, and lack of opportunities are all things that will stand in the way. To say that these can all be overcome with positive thinking and work is to say that it's your own fault if you aren't as successful as your next-door neighbor, despite your best efforts. This is a very toxic mindset, one that's endemic to America's cult of personal success. If you buy into this message, then financial failure is a sign of personal weakness. It's not, and it hurts people to tell them so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jun Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 The Chaser's War on Everything covered this - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Demona- Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 The real "secret" is that The Secret is actually a marketing program for a money-making machine in which customers invest $2k a pop and get very little back. http://www.theofficialsecretseminar.com/ "There's a sucker born every minute." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 The whole "law of attraction", with the three steps (ask, believe, receive) is like a cut-n-paste from our Word of Life church dogma in the 90's. The only difference was that instead of asking the Universe, you asked God. It's positive thinking and New Age all over again. Amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhia Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 Isn't it great though that we can actually talk about different ways of thinking now? When we were stuck in Christianity, we just had to be closed minded about everything! It IS great! It's really nice to be able to speak my mind and not have others get as pissed off, and vice versa - I still can't do it where I am now in person very much, but I love the freedom to be able to do it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CelloChick Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 If you do a little web digging on the Law of Attraction, you'll come across the idea that illness is our body's way of telling us we're not listening. Listen to the messages from our bodies. Healing comes from the mind. Think you're well, and you'll be well. One website claimed it, "Always works." Let's see if that always works. My friend John can't see. He can think about his attitude toward eye sight. In his inner mind John can claim he has sight. He can dream about it all he wants. But, John will never see because John does not have eyes. Plastic. No eyes. My neighbor Ben has Down's Syndrome. Can he think his way out of this? No. I have a rare, progressive, neuromuscular disease. There is no cure. If I imagine that my body moves, will it move? No. If I wish hard enough will this change? No. I've been told, "You must have been a horrible person in a past life to deserve so much bad karma." "Ask the lord to heal you and you'll be healed. You must not be asking right." "Don't even say you're ill. The Universe will give you what you speak." I've been told a load of horse shit! The Secret cheapens my struggle for survival. If I could think myself well, don't you think I'd have done that ten years ago? I didn't attract illness into my life. John didn't attract blindness. Ben did not attract Down's Syndrome. It's comforting to believe if you think only good thoughts, only good things will happen. But, that's not real. Life is complex. Life can be cruel. And there are things we have no control over. Pretending that's not true doesn't help you enjoy life. It just forces you to lie to yourself. How can you enjoy living a lie? The real secret to enjoying life is learning to float like a cork in life's rough seas. And then reaching over and lifting someone else. Learn to do those things and you'll enjoy life no matter what happens. I know I enjoy my life. CelloChick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 The real secret to enjoying life is learning to float like a cork in life's rough seas. And then reaching over and lifting someone else. Learn to do those things and you'll enjoy life no matter what happens. I know I enjoy my life. I think that is beautiful CelloChick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garnet Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 I've been told, "You must have been a horrible person in a past life to deserve so much bad karma.""Ask the lord to heal you and you'll be healed. You must not be asking right." "Don't even say you're ill. The Universe will give you what you speak." Shit like this just pushes me over the edge towards violence. I just want to smack the stuffings out of stupid people that say garbage like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 The real secret to enjoying life is learning to float like a cork in life's rough seas. And then reaching over and lifting someone else. Learn to do those things and you'll enjoy life no matter what happens. I know I enjoy my life. I think that is beautiful CelloChick. Very Taoist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CelloChick Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 I've been told, "You must have been a horrible person in a past life to deserve so much bad karma.""Ask the lord to heal you and you'll be healed. You must not be asking right." "Don't even say you're ill. The Universe will give you what you speak." Shit like this just pushes me over the edge towards violence. I just want to smack the stuffings out of stupid people that say garbage like this. Oh yeah. I've wanted to beat the snot out of a few people. The real shocker is they think they're helping! Proving once again, there is no problem so large that a jerk can't make it worse. CelloChick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garnet Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 I've been told, "You must have been a horrible person in a past life to deserve so much bad karma.""Ask the lord to heal you and you'll be healed. You must not be asking right." "Don't even say you're ill. The Universe will give you what you speak." Shit like this just pushes me over the edge towards violence. I just want to smack the stuffings out of stupid people that say garbage like this. Oh yeah. I've wanted to beat the snot out of a few people. The real shocker is they think they're helping! Proving once again, there is no problem so large that a jerk can't make it worse. CelloChick There are times when I think the application of the biblical rod is appropriate. "What did you say?" THWAP. "Try that again?" THWAP. "No, you stupid motherfucker, wrong again!" THWAP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CelloChick Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 That is so true! "God never gives you more than you can handle." Wrong answer! WHACK! CRACK! SMACK! Thanks for the laugh. CelloChick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 One has to remember a lot of the 'New Thought' Movement is a first cousin to the Christian Scientist Movement... it's now in an unholy tryst with corrupted Vedic thought (note I say 'corrupted') and Mahayana Buddhist... pretty ugly mix in most dialects I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolyn the Red Posted May 27, 2007 Share Posted May 27, 2007 The secret is nothing new, there's a pile of philosophies from the last century or two which advocate some sort of spiritual self-help, and conveniently relieve the rest of us of responsibility for helping out those who have had misfortunes. If all you need to do to succeed is want/pray/work, then there's no obligation to help or have sympathy. I got a giggle reading these quotes in a review of the book: "the discoveries of quantum physics … are in total harmony with the teachings of The Secret." "I never studied science or physics at school, and yet when I read complex books on quantum physics I understood them perfectly because I wanted to understand them." I don't believe anyone who claims to understand quantum mechanics, and that it supports their philosophy. It's hard, and physicists find it mind-boggling, at least those I speak with. People who use it to support their philosophical claims usually can't even work the math (I can sort of do that, but I certainly don't understand QM) I'm with this nobel prize winning physicist: I think it is safe to say that no one understands Quantum Mechanics. (Richard Feynman) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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