The Secret (Extended Edition) Reviews

• FINALLY - The Truth Be Told

  
  By A3SR7NIG9KBMYE on 2006-11-08
  All my life I have secretly known what THE SECRET exposes to the world in this fabulous DVD.
  
  A girlfriend gave it to me and said "You've got to watch this!" I put it off for a few days and then when I did put it in the DVD player, I was mesmerized by the message.
  
  Two of my pre-teen granddaughters were visiting from out of town. One of them crawled into bed with me while I was watching THE SECRET (second viewing). She said I kept nodding my head and saying, "uh huh, yep". When she brought my comments to my attention, I told her, "This is the TRUTH, Brooke". Finally, someone has put it out here for the world to become aware of.
  
  Bob Proctor's message in the 'Special Section' really moved me. It was very personal to me as is Esther's comment, "You ARE that which you call God". I wonder how many people realize GOD is being us (life)? We have never been separated from God and when one realizes this fact, everything in the SECRET makes more sense.
  
  This is not a psychological brain-washing, self-motivating, wishful, mind manipulating, positive-thinking exploration. The Christian religion teaches God is 'out there' somewhere and that we have to earn God's favor. Yet Jesus teaches the Father is within and we can do all things and MORE. This DVD expresses that fact. The principle of attraction is that we draw unto us what we hold in our consciousness, be it positive or negative. And people wonder why a rain cloud follows them?
  
  The SECRET shows people how to get rid of that 'rain cloud' and to start drawing infinite positive things to them.
  
  Major participants of this DVD were featured on Larry King Live on November 2. The enthusiam in each and every one of the people who practice these principles taught in THE SECRET was so real it bubbled over into the living room from the smiles on their faces, the excitement in their voices and the twinkle in their eyes.
  
  The SECRET should be in every household. Toward the end of the DVD, it's mentioned how much better it would have been to have known the PRINCIPLE (Law of Attraction) from infancy. NOW is the time to put it in the hands of all young parents that they may teach their children what LIFE is all about!
  
  A BIG THANK YOU to the producers for not only an excellent message but for an excellent (very professional) video production!
  
  Gail Gupton, author, The 31-Day Diet of Spiritual Enlightenment and Seekers of Truth
  
  

• Spiritual Materialism

  
  By A18IZ3RTL9SD4V on 2006-12-01
  This movie is reminiscent of the book, "Who Moved My Cheese". It takes spiritual laws that are powerful and provoking, and twists them for profit and materialism in a way that can do more harm than good. (While greatly enriching the bank account of the producers!)
  
  The movie has some wonderful points, such as gratitude being an energy that helps us create more of what we love. Also, we attract what we think about. The movie also had some wonderful examples of the power of positive thinking in healing physical ailments.
  
  Where this movie goes wrong, painfully wrong, is leading people to believe that by focusing on the "stuff" that they want will make them happy. In fact, obsessing over the "stuff" you want can make you unhappy, because in essence, you are focusing on your lack instead of staying joyful in the present moment.
  
  While it is true our lives might be more comfortable when our desires are met, ultimately, only love and compassion can heal you.
  
  When you focus on your true purpose, which entails delivering your unique gift to the world, rather than focusing on your desires and ego gratification you can experience the joy of fulfilling your destiny. This does not mean suppressing your feelings of doubt and self worth by only focusing on "happy thoughts" and "what you want", but rather healing the wounds of separation through nurturing love and compassion for yourself and others. It is a subtle distinction, but a profound one.
  
  Also, the very premise that the Law of Attraction is a coveted secret is fabricated. You will find this concept in all spiritual texts. It is a beautiful concept, one that helps us remind ourselves to stay positive and to trust that things will work out for us. What the great spiritual teachers also teach us is to be kind to our fellow humans and to the earth. This movie speaks nothing of charity, of service, of being present, and of purpose. This was all about having what we think we want. Be careful what you wish for! This movie can lead you in the wrong direction.
  
  For books on nurturing self love and compassion for others, I recommend anything by Cheri Huber and Ticht Naht Hahn. :)
  
  

• It's not that big of a secret...

  
  By A595T15OO91DC on 2007-02-25
  "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he." - Proverbs
  
  "As you sow, so shall ye reap." - Jesus
  
  "You have not because you ask not." - Jesus
  
  "That which I fear most has come upon me." - Job
  
  "A man of the way conforms to the way;
  A man of virtue conforms to virtue;
  A man of loss conforms to loss." - Tao Te Ching
  
  The Golden Rule.
  
  Karma.
  
  This isn't new. Not at all. It's just an essence extracted from a broader range of "universal" principles, packaged and marketed in a slick production, given a materialistic bent sanitized of overtly religious tones.
  
  Easy to view with moments of inspiration the message is clear quite early.
  
  Wanna be rich, get a bigger house, drive a spiffy car, want that soul mate? Start with being grateful for what you do have. Then think about what it is you want, visualize it, really feel it and the universe will at some point give it to you.
  
  Don't believe it? Well, there's your wish. Your wish is the universe's command.
  
  All of the speakers were philosophers, authors, writers, metaphysicians and other uncommonly titled individuals. Where, I wonder, is the factory worker, the bus driver, the inner city schoolteacher or the saint who handles your trash once a week?
  
  "We become what we behold."
  
  Marshall McLuhan knew it.
  
  "Everything that you do comes back to you."
  
  Wet Willie knew it.
  
  "If I can see it, I can be it."
  
  R. Kelly knew the secret too.
  
  Doesn't seem to be that big of a secret. Maybe that's the secret.
  
  Pick up a Bible, a Qur'an, a book of Buddhist Sutras or a Tao Te Ching. You'll find "the secret" and a whole lot more.
  
  

• power of wishful thinking

  
  By A3A9GJH3MMNZO2 on 2007-06-26
  The main thesis of the film is that the "secret" to anything in life, wealth, health, success, love, romance, happiness is positive thinking, thinking positive thoughts. More specifically, imagining things that you want to have and really, truly believe that you already have them, and feel good about having them now!
  
  For example, if you want to be rich, you should first imagine that you are already rich; second, you should really believe that you are already rich; and third you should feel yourself in a rich life style, feel happy about it. If you keep doing this for awhile, miraculously the doors of wealth will open to you, all the opportunities will line up at your door and you will be well into your way to becoming that rich person you are imagining. Similarly, if you want to loose weight, you should imagine yourself in your ideal weight, really focus on that, only allow yourself "thin thoughts" and avoid "fat thoughts", and you will get thin.
  
  All you have to do is just ask (oh, and believe, and feel) for the thing you want and lo and behold, thou shalt have it! I quote: "Make a command to the Universe. Let the Universe know what you want. The universe responds to your thoughts." Another one: "The Universe will start to rearrange itself to make it happen for you."
  
  As a documentary, the film might be okay. But its thesis is so ridiculous that, it doesn't deserve more than one star.
  
  
  
  

• Mixed bag of the good, the bad, and the stupid. Where is the secret?

  
  By A20EEWWSFMZ1PN on 2007-03-10
  Mixed bag of the good, the bad, and the stupid. Where is the secret? This is just a repackaging of information that has always been readily available. They took Celestine prophecy and mixed it with Zukav type pseudo-science, a tad of Dale Carnegie and sugar coated it with a dash of Campbell (taken out of context).
  
  Aside from the convoluted message the presentation style is a sound bite mixture that can not stay on target or be very consistent. If the could focus on one person and them finish a thought we might have had a chance to see if there was any logic in what they said. Maybe because of time constraints there was no proper background set for the premise.
  
  The lost my interest when one of the presenters said look at your hand it is just energy. Energy has no value it its self it is what you make of it. I could say you are 97% water. Big deal; that gives no magical value to water.
  
  This presentation preys on the gullible that have lost touch with reality. Instead of explaining hoe a light switch works they assume the viewer is too stupid and just say use it. In this way them the presenter skirts around reality and five the viewer a false since of empowerment while making a few bucks on the side.
  
  Now if we focus on what is presented and not how or who, there maybe some credence. But taking Joseph Campbell "Follow Your Bliss" out of context is unforgivable.
  
  
  
  
• The secret just plain sucks
  By A3IZOK5GR51EE2 on 2006-12-29
  While i agree that there's some element to truth in "manifesting" your reality by having a positive attitude and envisioning what you want, the overly simplified way this DVD talks about this subject is both insultiing a superficial. In some ways, this is an incredibly cynical philosophy which essentially blames the individual for not "manifesting" hard enough if they suddenly find their wildest dreams aren't coming true. And what about individuals born into difficult circumstances rather than a life of privilege? This "philosophy" assumes we all start from a common footing, which is just NOT the case. I think the most shameful aspect of this DVD is that the ultimate goal primarily revolves around acheiving material wealth. Personally, i'd like to believe there's more to life than owning an expensive car or making a million bucks. But hey, i guess they were able to "manifest" suckering me into watching their movie and helping make them more rich! Avoid at all costs.
  
  
• Even Now....
  By A1AT0GONN4A9NA on 2007-01-31
  Whether or not you believe in the Law of Attraction, you are always using it. You are using it now in this moment. We are always drawing to us that which we are predominantly thinking. This isn't some "pie-in-the-sky" notion, this is the Truth. Jesus the Master Teacher said, "It is done unto you as you believe..."
  
  In just eight simple words, Jesus summed up life for each and every one of us and this incredible movie gets us to remember that each one of us "creates our reality" with our thoughts, our feelings, and the images that we are allowing ourselves to predominantly focus upon. Of course, we do not actually "create" reality but our interpretations of what comes into our lives can "bless" us or "curse" us.
  
  Does this DVD tell us anything new? I hate to break it to you, but there is "nothing new under the sun". But maybe...just maybe....we need to apply that which we thought we "knew". I've been at this metaphysical/spiritual stuff for almost twenty years now and I am constantly amazed at the new insights I continuously receive from those things I once thought I "knew".
  
  There will be the "naysayers" who say that this DVD is a rip off, but you gotta ask yourself, how many of these people have put this stuff into practice? Yeah, sure, it's easy to change your thoughts --- but keeping them changed, that's the tricky part. We have all been hypnotized to a certain degree about how things are in the world, but the bottom line is that our defintion of reality is not so much a definition of how it really is as much as it is a definition of how we are.
  
  I've watched this movie over sixty times, I've given workshops based on it, I recommend it to anyone who has the ears to hear, the eyes to see, and the spirit willing enough. In and of itself, this movie will not change your life, only you can do that, but this movie will definitely give you those "glimpses" of Truth that when persistently and consistently and willingly applied can and will change your life for the better.
  
  As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "All of life is an experiment." Be willing to redirect your focus, be willing to let go of old beliefs and form new ones, be willing to be more than you ever thought you could and life will reward you with the greatest reward you could ever hope to receive; a well-lived life.
  
  Peace and Blessings to you all.
  john 'the Light" coach
  
  
  
  
• This secret is just Basic...
  By A397ND4UT6BTXR on 2007-02-08
  After having just watched this movie/documentary, I want to share my opinion. I acknowledge that what is said is true, but what dissapoints me is the utter materialistic and superficial angle it promotes.
  
  After having studied Anthroposophy, Theosophy, Gnosis, comparative Mythology, Philosophy and Religion I feel that this secret is just the first step in Self-Knowledge, the very basics. It's too bad that the producers did not include more esoteric information.
  
  I don't think that this is "THE secret", kept from the public because it is common sense, anyone who is mature knows "this secret". There are far more greater secrets that we should be aware of, like the mysteries of Kaballah, and Alchemy for instance.
  
  For me, this movie didn't show me anything new, and I am not facincated by the hype, don't be either. There's so MUCH MORE than the Law of Attraction, Success and Well-Being, although they are extremely vital and important.
  
  I want to let whoever reads this that one can find more substance and deeper wisdom in such authors as: Madamme Blavatsky, Rudolf Steiner, Manly P. Hall, Edouard Schure, Gurdjieff, Ouspensky, and my favorite, Samael Aun Weor.
  
  -I also want to also let you know that there is another DVD that just came out by Thelema Press (their first) that truly and profoundly reaveals for the first time a real secret. The most important, unknown and major factor in human life, the mysteries of Man and Woman...the Mysteries of Sex. One can find it here on amazon entitled "SEX: THE SECRET GATE TO EDEN".
  
  
  
• Entertaining but lacking in substance.
  By A3SVYWA9O1KUQV on 2007-02-07
  As a long time student of the teachings espoused in "The Secret" I have a slightly different perspective. In my opinion, these ideas are not a secret at all and the fact that the makers of The Secret choose to make it sound so mysterious has more to do with marketing than anything else.
  
  On the other hand, I think the movie has good entertainment value and some very inspiring stories. Overall I found it to be a positive experience, hence my rating of 4 stars. For those who are completely new to metaphysics, this is probably a perfect introduction. For one like myself, the hype obscures the value of the teaching presented.
  
  Please note, this "Extended" version does NOT include the interviews with Esther Hicks.
  
  
• New age/pseudo-christian for the greedy!
  By A16KYSYQ16ZCP7 on 2007-02-05
  Look at the cast of this fine film and youll see that for the most part theyre all self help speakers, get quick rich gurus or pseudoscientists. All theyve done is grouped all their material together made a DVD and labeled it "The SECRET" and theyre laughing all the way to the bank. Theyre the modern equivalent of snake oil salesmen. I get the sense that most of the people on here who post positive reviews do so only because they cant face the harsh reality that theyve been duped by a "mysterious" looking dvd cover. This film focuses on acquisition and is great for someone who is materialistic and who believes belongings bring happiness. This film has been made to be vague so as to be able to appeal to "new agers" as well as christians. Well if you spent 30 dollars on this film then i guess you arent starving, heres an idea how about instead of selling this movie they give it away for free or broadcast it on cable so that instead of spending 30 dollars to learn about this "SECRET" that apparently will benefit all of humanity, we can all take those extra 30 dollars and give them to a charity.. to i dont know maybe help some poor child starving somewhere whos busy visualizing some food and water in a positive manner of course. If you want a better life you have to start by helping your fellow human beings!
  
  
• Good but could have been better
  By APCRI7BS0BQZI on 2007-04-09
  I am absolutely stunned by the level of pure white hot hatred here for this film and accompanying book. This forum has attracted a number of fanatics who appear to have it made it their full time jobs to attack it in every thread. One has even ventured out into the blogosphere to gather allies for her jihad against this film.
  
  So let me present my views of The Secret, both pro and con.
  
  Most of my friends would describe me as a practical person in that I'm only interested in what works--regardless of whether or not it can be proven to work in a laboratory. Both business and life can be challenging so anything that can help me to live a fuller life is of interest to me.
  
  I will start off with the negatives about the film:
  
  1. The dramatic opening is about the cheesiest 3 minutes of acting ever put on film. (I always FF past it in order to avoid gagging.) I avoided seeing it for two months because of the trailer which is basically this opening sequence. Blame the film's low budget for this.
  
  2. "Dr." Joe Vitale saying, "Do you want an extra $25K in unexpected income this month? Well then, just ask for it." Sure Joe, and I'm preparing for the Rapture too. This is the low point in the film, IMHO, and the scene which draws the most attack from critics.
  
  3. The unbearably long scene with the Feng Shui woman giving love advice to the show biz guy. (snore) However, there is some truth in what she says about getting what you focus on--even when done subconsciously.
  
  4. Almost all the claims beginning with "it's been scientifically proven...." should have been edited out or reworded. If something has been scientifically proven a quick search of google.scholar should pull up the paper describing the experiment.
  
  5. Not enough emphasis on the final step: action. While there are several references to the need to take action in addition to visualizing, they aren't strong enough. This has led some people to assume that things will just happen by magic if they meditate on their sofas. They won't. Watch it again.
  
  Now the positives in The Secret:
  
  As mentioned above, I take a basically agnostic attitude towards life by being interested in what works. What works for me may not work for you although the things listed below work for enough people that I'm convinced that there is something to them.
  
  1. Expressing gratitude
  This is one of the best pieces of advice in the film. Being grateful for the good things you have, no matter how small, does make you happier. As silly as it seems, get yourself a gratitude rock to remind yourself to be grateful daily.
  
  2. You do have choice in what you dwell on
  You have a choice in what you let your mind dwell on. You can dwell on the negative or on the positive. Which will make you happier? I know the answer to that one. The EGS (Emotional Guidance System) is a brilliant technique for helping you focus on the positive.
  
  3. Visualization
  Visualize your goals with vivid images as if you already have them. Whenever I have used visualization it's worked for me. I have gone through periods when I stopped using it and my performance deteriorated. Who uses visualization? Well mostly people who take their lives seriously and are doing extremely well. Like pro athletes and top business people.
  
  Here's my advice: if you are curious about trying these techniques, try them in private. You don't need to tell anybody about it especially the Negative Nellies in your life. I initially threw out the baby with the bathwater because the trailer turned me off badly. This delayed my watching The Secret by two months.
  
  The Negative Nellies are like crabs caught in a crab pot. Whenever one crab tries to escape through the big opening in the top of the cage the others will grab its legs and pull it back in. That's why the crab pots don't need a lid.
  
  And remember to take action!
  
  Finally, avoid the "Ain't It Awful Club" members as much as possible. These people only want to keep you down with them. They don't want to see anyone improve their lives. To argue with them is a complete waste of time.
  
  :o)
  
  
• "The Secret" is antithetical to Christian Teaching.
  By A1SJ09LDSYAPJO on 2007-02-05
  If you aren't a Christian, this won't be an issue, but if you are, please read on.
  
  I am writing this because I believe that this DVD directly contradicts the teachings of the Christian Bible. I am very concerned that many Christians may be misguided into believing that this film is beneficial to their lives, thereby moving further away from the teachings of Christ.
  
  In order to illustrate the contradictions, I am taking quotes from the film and adding my comments as well as scripture (NIV Bible). I can understand why this film is so appealing, but I am begging Christians to review the information within the film, and - as we are told by the Bible to do with all things - compare it to scripture.
  
  The basic premise of this film is that you can alter the events of your life by focusing on what you want in a positive manner. It sounds benign and beneficial. That is absolutely untrue. This is not benign. It teaches New-Age Spirituality and can easily lead people astray. God has severe warnings for people who do this. There is a difference between thinking positively and believing your thoughts completely control your world. You control how you perceive your world, not what happens in it. God controls what happens in your world.
  
  Isaiah 5
  20 Woe to those who call evil good
  and good evil,
  who put darkness for light
  and light for darkness,
  who put bitter for sweet
  and sweet for bitter.
  21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
  and clever in their own sight.
  
  
  Quotes from "The Secret"*
  
  "Everything that is coming into your life you are attracting into your life based upon what you are thinking, the images in your mind."
  
  "It (the power) will sustain your very existence if you let it."
  
  One speaker, James Arthur Ray, describes God with the same words he uses for energy. God is energy and nothing more according to this philosopher
  
  "You are extensions of source energy..... You are godforce, you are that which you call God."
  
  "You have god potential and power."
  
  "The power within you is greater than the power that is in the world."
  This is a direct reference to 1 John 4:4 that is referring to the Holy Spirit, not to us and our own abilities. It is ironic that 1John 4 speaks to false teaching.
  
  1 John 4
  1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
  4You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
  
  
  "You are a magnificent creator. You are here by your powerful and deliberate wanting to be here...." (decide what you want and ) "...focus on that, for it is by focusing on what you want that you will get it."
  
  Psalm 49
  13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
  and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
  14 Like sheep they are destined for the grave,
  and death will feed on them.
  The upright will rule over them in the morning;
  their forms will decay in the grave,
  far from their princely mansions.
  15 But God will redeem my life [f] from the grave;
  he will surely take me to himself.
  
  "My primary aim was to feel and experience joy." ..."if it ain't fun don't do it."
  
  "See yourself with the good that you desire, every religious book tells us that."
  
  Eccl 2
  10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
  I refused my heart no pleasure.
  My heart took delight in all my work,
  and this was the reward for all my labor.
  
  11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
  and what I had toiled to achieve,
  everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
  nothing was gained under the sun.
  
  "You are the masterpiece of your own life, you are the Michelangelo of your own life."
  
  "There is no blackboard in the sky on which God has written your purpose, your mission in life.... Your purpose is what you say it is, and no one will stand in judgment of it, now or ever." Neale Donald Walsch, Author, "Conversations with God"
  
  Eph 2
  10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
  
  Mat 7
  21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
  
  God DOES have a plan for us, and it IS our job to determine that and then to follow it through.
  
  This film literally describes the universe as a cosmic catalog, existing to do our bidding. If you believe God exists, then believing the film's premise means you believe that God, the very Being that spoke the world into existence, lives to do our bidding.
  
  I do not believe that. I believe that I exist to do God's bidding and to be loved by Him. I am to seek His will for my life and to act accordingly. I am to ask God to put my desires into alignment with His desires, and then God will give me the desires of my heart.
  
  Romans 8
  28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
  
  2 Corinth 11:1-4
  1I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness; but you are already doing that. 2I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. 3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
  
  
  
  *Regarding the Speakers:
  Many of the speakers in this film are perceived as spiritual leaders. The "Chicken Soup" author has books sold in many Christian bookstores, yet speaks of the universe as being directed not by God, but rather individual thought. The "Rev. Beckwith" leads a church (Agape out of Los Angeles) that, when asked if it is Christian, answers "No, and Yes." You cannot be both, and to deny Christ is a sin. His teachings are by his own admission New Age. Walsch, author of "Conversations with God" says that there is no judgment for your choices, but the Bible says otherwise. There will be a day of judgment. If not, there was no need for Christ to live or die.
  
  
  
• Why this DVD has grabbed people's attention - so much BUZZ about it!
  By A1ER5AYS3FQ9O3 on 2007-02-09
  The "buzz" on this book has been phenomenal! That is noteworthy in and of itself. What is it about THIS that has grabbed people's attention now - and why? Are we particularly downhearted and in need of inspiration? And, if so, what makes this book and DVD stand out from the tons of self-help and inspirational books out there.
  Here's my take. While the book and DVD don't necessarily say anything that hasn't been said before it does:
  1. Condense much of what people instinctively know and sense into understandable language. It reverberates with them because it simply makes sense and readers sense truth here.
  
  2. There is solid info and research and personal examples to reveal that how we think affects not only the messages, verbal and nonverbal, we send to others but our actions. We have far more power over our life scripts than we think!
  
  3. It goes beyond simple "positive thinking" to show, with personal examples from many people, how a change in attitude is just the beginning. Actions must follow. Couples whose marriages had grown stagnant, others who'd lost hope...all were able to make remarkable changes in relatively short periods of time. They turned their lives around...and so can those who take heart from this book. It simply takes commitment and follow through.
  Don't read this with the assumption that you will find wealth, happiness and romance.Don't read it with a specific goal in mind -except that of being open to change. Keep your hopes and dreams in mind as you read this and you're likely to find personal and individualized inspiration.
  What I took away from this: If you open your mind to the possibility of great change and revise your attitude, you may find yourself amazed by how little changes can add up to a whole new life. Think positively, act positively and have the courage to take some risks.
  Besides, EVERYONE is reading this so if you want to be in the loop, I suggest you do, too.
  
  
  
• Why?
  By A3ABVEJNXKDW4B on 2007-01-19
  Before I had ever seen The Secret I desired to have a copy on my computer and it manifested itself through BitTorrent.
  
  I have to wonder why the creators of this drivel charge about $30 dollars for it instead of just giving it away for free. Afterall, they could just will wealth into their lives in some other way. Face it, this is an informercial containing several self-help gurus who have used it as a platform to sell their other products and services.
  
  The secret is to create your own self help video and plaster it with quotes of people whose lives where changed forever, then profit. That's about all I learned. I'm calling my video "The double-super secret" (tm).
  
  
• Follow the money
  By A3IYY6QZ5R8CF on 2007-01-31
  This 'movie' is nothing more than an infomercial marketed to look like the Da Vinci Code. Please, before sending these people one more cent, do just a little research. Spending 10 minutes googling the cast list shows you that every person in the movie is selling a book or speaking engagements or life coach services (list from IMDB):
  
  John Assaraf - "life" coach
  Michael Beckwith - new age author
  Lee Bower - "get rich quick" author
  Jack Canfield - "life" coach
  John Demartini - "get rich quick" author
  Marie Diamond - feng shui "master", life coach
  Mike Dooley - new age author
  Bob Doyle - "get rich quick" author
  Hale Dwoskin - speaker, author
  Morris and Cathy Goodman - motivational speaker
  John Gray - relationship author
  John Hagelin - author, seller of "high fidelity" audio equipment
  Bill Harris - psuedo-scientist
  Esther Hicks - spirit channeler, motivational speaker, author
  Loral Langemeier - "get rich quick" author
  Lisa Nichols - motivational speaker
  Bob Proctor - motivational speaker, "get rich quick" author
  James Arthur Ray - "get rich quick" author
  David Schirmer - "get rich quick" author
  Marci Shimoff - motivational speaker, author
  Joe Vitale - self-proclaimed marketing expert
  Denis Waitley - "productivity consultant", author
  Neale Donald Walsch - new age author, speaker
  Fred Alan Wolf - physicist, TV personality, has disavowed connection to The Secret
  
  Unless you're trying to learn how to become a charlatan, there's nothing in this movie of value.
  
  
• This has got to be the worst secret ever
  By A1D2FXEWRIV1YV on 2007-01-02
  I bought this DVD after seeing it talked about on a talk show. I should have saved my money as it was one of the worst pieces of claptrap I have ever seen. This is the secret; if you see it, it will come. If we are negative, negative things will come our way, including such things as auto accidents or thefts. If we are positive, we will get everything our heart desires. Money will rain down from the sky and we will find perfect love.
  
  The only people who are seeing money rain from the sky are the producers of this dvd. Save yours and don't buy this.
  
  
• This DVD really works!!!!
  By A1BKLBRUP01MIH on 2007-02-06
  This DVD really works!!!!
  I imagined myself wasting 30 dollars and an
  hour and a half of my life on a video filled
  with fake-science and new-age flakes -- and poof!
  That is what happened - it was magic.
  This is not how the world works, deep down you
  know this - you can't, and SHOULD NOT, get everything
  your heart wants.
  Negative thought is a part of the human mind,
  the more you try to mot think of something the more you
  give it power.
  
  This video makes HUGE claims - with very little to back
  it up.
  
  
• There's More To The Story
  By A11QZXWU17VOFN on 2007-02-10
  The Secret is one of the best produced and edited DVDs of its kind that I have ever seen. And the line-up of teachers and presenters is top-notch. There is only one reason I give this DVD four stars instead of five. The Secret is about the Law of Attraction, and how we can use that Law to "attract" into our lives anything we want. But it spends 95% of the time talking only about being focused on what you want (rather than what you don't want), and generating positive feelings about that. It only spends 5% of the time making it clear that what we really attract into our lives is the people, circumstances, and opportunities that lead us to what we want. In other words, when we utilize the principles mentioned in The Secret, doors open. But we have to recognize those doors for what they are and go through them. And that involves action. Many people who watch The Secret walk away with the impression that visualization and positive feelings is all it takes. It isn't. You still have to do something. As long as you keep that in mind, The Secret contains information that can be life altering. Enjoy!
  
  Steven Lane Taylor, Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat: A Guide For Living Life In The Divine Flow
  
  
• So Close Yet So Far Away from the Objective Truth
  By ACU9ME6JHYDR7 on 2006-12-11
  The self-help and actualization movement (SHAM) in America today offers two polar opposites of empowerment and victimization. The former argues that anyone can accomplish anything with enough force of will while the latter claims that everyone ultimately has no control and that someone or something else warrants blame for any misfortune one experiences. Admirers of Ayn Rand would likely much prefer to spend time with empowerment types than victimization types due to the former's optimistic sense of life. Nevertheless, the empowerment movement has so enamored itself with New Age "primacy of consciousness" metaphysics as to drive away even the most open minded Ayn Rand fans living by her realist philosophy, Objectivism. Given the amazing feats that people can accomplish with reason as their guide, this makes the empowerment movement especially tragic.
  
  If anyone wants to grasp in one concentrated place the best and worst aspects of the empowerment movement, The Secret offers such an experience. In a single 92 minute rapidly paced video documentary filled with impressive visual effects, a moving score and a parade of impressively credentialed and influential speakers and authors widely respected within the empowerment movement, the viewer gets a feast of all that the movement has to offer. Sadly, that feast comes laced with a poison of profound, misleading, mystical errors and evasions that can literally lead multitudes of gullible viewers off the cliff of reason into the abyss of self-delusion.
  
  The Web site for The Secret tantalizes viewers with trailers reminiscent of The Da Vinci Code claiming that "the secret" has remained the private information of select elites throughout history. With this information, the teasers claim, these elites have risen to power, earned fortunes, and kept the masses at bay in the toil of fields and factories. The creators of the movie assert that they have become the first in history to make "the secret" available to common people across the globe.
  
  The video opens with a woman in dire straits attempting to get her life on track. She learns of "the secret" after researching the successes of great men and women throughout history. After more staged theatrics, the movie finally gets down to business.
  
  What exactly constitutes "the secret"? Talking head after talking head explains it as the "Law of Attraction." The entire video argues that the universe responds to thoughts and manifests whatever a person habitually thinks. With dazzling special effects, the film shows various actors "reenacting" different situations, "broadcasting their thoughts" into the world and then experiencing externally the content of their internal, repeated, focused thoughts.
  
  So, the argument goes, if you focus on the rotten nature of your job, your marriage, your social life and so forth, you will continue to manifest those awful experiences. Conversely, if you change your habitual thoughts to how great you want those parts of your life to become, then eventually the universe will respond like the genie from Aladdin's lamp: "Your wish is my command." Under this alleged natural law, anyone who couples enough emotion and sincere belief with repeated affirmations and habitual thoughts will eventually coax the universe into delivering the goods to his doorstep.
  
  To abuse further the key term "natural law," Dr. John Hagelin, former candidate for the Natural Law Party and champion of Transcendental Meditation, figures prominently in this documentary. As do his many fellow gurus, he excitedly talks about how wonderfully well the "Law of Attraction" works for all who sincerely apply it. Testimonial after testimonial gush forth from true believers. They claim that because they wished, affirmed, felt and visualized with enough "power of intention," they encountered abundance in all areas of life.
  
  Naïve persons unfamiliar with the basic axioms of Objectivism -- existence, identity, consciousness -- and seeking a better life while avoiding the victimization route will find much appealing here. Unlike the morally arrested, subjectivist dupes of The Secret, however, Objectivists grasp that to act with genuine purpose requires knowing exactly what one wants, why one validly wants it, and then employing reason to achieve it. In that regard, then, "visualizing" exactly how one wants to experience the future can guide a person into experiencing that future provided he acts rationally and productively toward that purpose. If The Secret admitted to this limit then Objectivists would have little quibble with it.
  
  However, this movie goes well beyond those objective limits. It asserts, in effect, that one does not need reason at all but can simply focus on "visualizing" and "experiencing" the future using "affirmations" in order to "attract" what they want from a universe that becomes as obedient to human will as Aladdin's genie: "Your wish is my command." Objectivists know better: A is A, and existence possesses primacy over consciousness.
  
  Can an Objectivist employ a variant of the Law of Attraction that maintains sane metaphysics? Yes!
  
  In the Objectivist metaphysics, the root of volition consists of the choice to focus. A person can focus his mind to bring reality into cognitive clarity, defocus it to turn his cognition into a fog, or even focus it away from reality to a fabricated world of evasions. In addition, the "crow epistemology" captures the finite nature of human consciousness. A person can only hold so many units of focus in his conscious attention at any one moment before his mind turns into a fog of "too many units."
  
  Because a rational person needs to act with a clear sense of purpose, he needs to choose a life affirming purpose consciously and then maintain that purpose at the center of his focus so he can act productively toward it. His purpose gives his subconscious "standing orders" to begin working on the challenge of achieving it. Through reason, he can evaluate all concretes he encounters as beneficial, irrelevant or detrimental to his purpose. Because he keeps his productive purpose "in front of himself" cognitively, resources he might not otherwise notice begin to grab his attention. They existed already, but he never noticed them until he focused on his purpose and his need for those resources. His consciously chosen purpose thus "attracts" his focus toward the resources he needs to achieve that purpose. This sequence of explanations preserves the sane "primacy of existence" of Objectivist metaphysics and offers a fully grounded version of the "Law of Attraction." It stands in stark contrast against the insane "primacy of consciousness" subjectivist metaphysics of the "your wish is my command" crowd in The Secret.
  
  Learning to focus on a manageable number of productive purposes and to achieve them through rational action offers the real formula for earned success in any endeavor. But the people behind The Secret want to keep that fact a secret. Otherwise, they would have to pack their bags, return to the primitive swamps of their Witch Doctor ancestors, and wallow in the mud in which they would have to live without the assistance of the authentic producers -- those who proudly apply reason to accomplish life affirming, consciously chosen, productive purposes.
  
  
• This is GREAT but if you have this one don't buy the "extended" version
  By A1PW2KXLRVK80P on 2007-02-17
  The Secret is something everyone should own. I own it and watch it over and over. However, I was duped into wasting my money on the new so called extended edition which is not extended by any means. It is the same length as this one. The difference is that a business dispute between the producers of this original and Jeremy and Esther Hicks led to a request to remove their discussions from this documentary and others replaced it.
  
  This is an excellent documentary and I recommend either one as it reminds us that if we really believe in something passionately and pursue our dreams in the face of all obstacles or passion and convictions can lead to success in any realm of our lives. I personally have watched this so many times I have lost count and it is really life changing!
  
  
• There is something you know, but you may not know you know it.
  By A2ZZHMT58ZMVCZ on 2007-02-22
  As you go through life, the secret of life is hiding in plain sight, until one day the Law of Attraction tumbles into your awareness, as it did into my life about two years ago.
  
  In my case I followed the Huna Philosophy, and one of the seven rules is energy flows where attention goes. In the Bible, and teachings of Buddha the principle is also contained. Mark 11.24 Whatsoever ye desire, believe that ye have it, and it is yours. So, I watched this movie featuring the eminent teachers of the LOA, not expecting to add much to my store of knowledge. Much to my surprise, I did learn a lot from this movie, and on that basis I highly recommend it.
  
  Before watching this movie I knew that my thoughts created my reality. The missing link for me was the importance of feelings. When you feel good, good things tend to come to you, and when you feel bad, you attract bad things. So, it is important to have better ways of looking at situations, and then you will attract better situations. The other concept that impressed me was importance of gratitude. Gratitude rocks.
  
  If you wish to buy a good book on the subject, I recommend The law of Attraction by Michael Losier, and, Ask and it is Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks. My favorite quote from the movie: 'What you think and feel, and what you manifest is always a match. Every single time. No exception' Esther Hicks. My other favorite quote: 'Your wish is my command.' The Universe.
  
  My own insight from watching this movie came from the Gratitude segment, and also ties in with the Huna: To be grateful is to appreciate, to appreciate is to love, and to love is to be happy with.
  
  I hope you find this review helpful, and if you do please click yes.
  
  
• Another Sham more Pseudoscience
  By A33REUX5JNOV3C on 2006-12-18
  Some interesting points but most of it I already knew. I switched it off after 25 mins. A lot of it was hocus pocus like the guy that wanted to reduce his bills, he actually penned out the bills amount and replaced it with the amount he wanted and he said the cheques just kept coming in. What a laugh! Pleeeeeese!
  
  It would be interesting to compare 'attraction' to conscious efforts guided by our wants for self improvement would be. Either way I definately believe in visualing but most of this is common knowledge. I thought everyone naturally visualized a result and initiated efforts to achieve the goal. The opportunities always existed it's just that now our consciouness just became aware of them. They were not created they always existed!
  
  Magnets attract metal but I see nothing proven that links a 'magnetic attraction' in the metaphysicaly sense to thoughts or affirmations. I also disagreed about some things he mentioned like attracting things that are negative because even negative things can have a positive result(or thinking makes it so!!!), so it is a bit contradictory in that respect.
  
  I guess if I wanted to create my own theory and make a movie out of it I could say that thinking positive and doing positive can only yield positive,,,,,but then again isn't that ancient knowledge.
  
  I guess I could also create a theory that all Americans are smart and greedy and are creating new ingeniused way to get the money out of our pockets. How much money have you spent in tha last 5 years on this new age thinking?
  
  Lessons can be learnt everyday and anywhere and I dont need some stupid video to teach me it. Open your mind and trust you instincts.
  
  According to the video you can hit your car by focusing on things related to fears of hitting your car or maybe anything negative like perhaps I dont like my upholstery.
  
  I hit my car friday while I was in a completely good frame of mind, I never feared my car being hit and yet it was hit. It happened for some reason but in my case the 'negative' car accident happened in a situation of 'positive' feelings, clearly a contradiction to this movie.
  
  I am more inclined to belive that simply thinking positive, visualizing and making efforts maybe sufficient to achieve goals. Of course this means blocking out negative thoughts aswell. I dont believe in foolish 'affirmations' that seem to be all the craze these days.
  
  Some of what they said is true but the marketing schematic used in this production was a turn-off mainly because it focused on money. Also they speak much about thoughts emitting a 'frequency' which is just too vague, unproven and unexplained. What frequency? Is it radio frequency, wave frequency or some unknown metaphysical radiation that emits from our frontal cortex. What or who drives this force and what role does God have to play in it. Does destiny play a role or are we really mapping out our own universe.
  
  I think the idiots in this video maybe on to something here. Perhaps they are visualing gullible people spending millions on their well kept 'Secret' and fattening their pockets and it is probably working for them.
  
  Either way it was boring and seemed like some get rich quick commercial the only difference is that this one has been guarded by the Likes of Einstein, Shakespeare and Beethoven. I give this movie a BIG HAHA! This is actually the most comedic, blatent rip off I have encountered in a long while. The name itself illicits some mystery and secrecy then why the heck is it on AMAZON! LOL!!! What will they think of next. !$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
  
  Lucky I didnt spend my money on this and only borrowed it from a friend.
  
  But the true problem here is Exploitation. In my humble opinion it is immoral to ambush people into purchasing something that is fabricated and obvious when the true goal unrealized by the consumer is to accumulate great wealth by the movie makers.
  
  The Theme of film first focuses the consumer on the Title "The Secret". It beckons excitement, sensory stimulation and excitement
  
  **NEW ADVICE*** If you support this film then continue with your life as usual. Perhaps while on the subject conduct some studies on Exploitation, Sensationalism, Ethics, Consumerism, B Movies, Contraversialism, Shock Value and Pseudoscience.
  
  
  
• Legitimate ideas presented in a mystical/pseudo-scientific package
  By A2OF0RXW5JWE4X on 2007-02-13
  The good: The message is a good one and can be inspirational for certain segments of the population.
  
  The bad: It will not easily convince those who require more rational and logical explanations for why "the secret" works (when it does). The overly dramatic presentation made the whole thing seem comical.
  
  The first thing I noticed was the over-the-top opening scene with famous historical figures using this "secret" to attain their successes and the power-hungry ones hoarding this "secret" away from the masses (this is in the clip shown by Amazon). This set a tone for the movie (documentary?) that never allowed me to take it too seriously. It continues on to interviews with "experts" who elaborate on the secret, which was interspersed with silly dramatized scenes of people using this secret to attain their goals.
  
  The message given by these experts is that the universe is governed by the Law of Attraction - that what we think shapes the outcome of our lives. This I don't have a problem with, except I would modify it to: "What we think CAN shape the outcome of our lives." These experts are so eager to deliver their message that they seem to dismiss reality. Just because I don't worry about not getting in an accident won't prevent one from happening (it will however, make the days leading up to the accident more pleasant and more productive). Just because I want to be the greatest golfer in the world won't turn me into the next Tiger Woods. Just because I want to cure cancer won't miraculously make me a scientist capable of doing so. And so on and so forth.
  
  There is a valuable message here however, one that doesn't rely on unrealistic promises. Another way to talk about the Law of Attraction is to use the "self-fulfilling prophesy" idea from psychology. When we think something is going to happen (good or bad), we act in ways that actually help make it happen. It has nothing to do with brainwaves acting like magnets. It is true that our attitude determines the quality of our lives, so having a positive outlook on life would increase the likelihood (not guarantee) that good things will result. To have a more reasonable explanation for this can be found in the positive psychology movement. "Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life" by Martin E. Seligman is a good place to start for people who want a more meaty, academic take on this "phenomenon".
  
  The reason I give it 3 stars despite such a negative review is that to me, "The Secret" is like the "magic" feather in Dumbo. The feather doesn't actually give Dumbo the ability to fly. He always had the gift to do so. What he lacked was the belief that he could and having the feather gave him the confidence to try. If this DVD helps people have the confidence to let out their inner talents/skills to attain their goals and take more risks for the sake of their vision, then by all means, use it.
  
  
• Don't Forget to Engage Your Brain!
  By A2U4RW9TYHPFJL on 2007-02-06
  Generally, and in my opinion, the overall message of the Secret (Extended) presents it's conclusion without the emphasis on doing. For example, the 3 Steps: Ask, Believe, Receive. A component of receiving, I believe, is not just sitting on your backside and waiting, but rather considering what else you can do to reach your goal and taking persistent action.
  
  We do receive, or rather experience, what we focus on the most, and by focusing on a particular goal (material or spiritual) will help generate the momentum of thinking, feeling and most importantly DOING what we are inspired to do as a result.
  
  None of the presenters in the secret received what they wanted without doing something in addition to Asking, Believing, and Receiving.
  
  When they went on Larry King, they got paid and increased their wealth because they did something: wrote and sold a book or 50, created seminars, developed business plans, talked with other people in the "game" to understand how they did it, learned more through education, and etcetera.
  
  While watching the DVD (a few times) it seems to me that it does imply the "doing" but it doesn't emphasise it. For reasons that are unclear the editors/producers chose to de-emphasise actions/doing in favour of a more "magical" cause-effect (ask and it shall be given).
  
  As a practicing psychotherapist and life skills counseller I don't think emphasising anything "magical" really helps people. However emphasising the development of a positive mental framework of thinking and feeling will encourage behaviour that when followed up with persistent actions will help us achieve our goals, now that's something that people can use. Also, you cannot ignore your environment and it seems The Secret doesn't even go there, which is unfortunate.
  
  I generally enjoy the message of the DVD but in my opinion it falls well short of the mark in a few of the areas mentioned. Yet, at the same time, I don't feel pesimistic about the "message", I simply hope that most rational thinking people will not take the entire message "as is" but instead use their own brains to do some critical thinking.
  
  
• Critical Thinking and Logic are for Losers!
  By A9QY5QEXAVMCB on 2007-02-01
  Thanks to this DVD, some formerly difficult questions of history were answered for me. For instance, why did the institution of slavery exist for hundreds of years in the Americas? Well, all those silly slaves just kept thinking "slave" thoughts! If they'd only had a positive attitude and thought about freedom, none of that would have ever happened to them. Too bad that slave child chained to his mother in the hold of a ship covered in his own waste for months didn't have a DVD player!
  
  This DVD helped me suspend my critical thinking, and now I'm on my way to financial independence with Amway!
  
  
• Some of it may be true, but it's not a "Secret" and it's about greed
  By A29V2T6G60D10Q on 2007-02-18
  I am a supporter of good positive mental attitude book, tapes, films, etc., but "The Secret" is not one of them. Those who are fortunate to live in countries with thousands of opportunities around them will be helped by concentrating on what they want, rather than what they don't want, and this is not a secret.
  
  If we believe what "The Secret" tells us, then children in African nations who are kidnapped and turned into child soldiers or sex slaves only have their own negative thoughts to blame. Farmers in Bangladesh whose food and homes are destroyed in floods are creating this themselves. I believe that this sort of thinking is sick and twisted. It allows grotesquely rich individuals to say, 'I am rich thanks to my thinking - you have exactly the same opportunity as me, therefor I should feel no obligation to help those who are less well off'.
  
  I also seems to say that because "the universe will provide", we can all have exactly what we want. This seems shockingly short-sighted given the growing consensus that if we don't slow our consumption of the earth's resourses, there won't be a habitable earth in a few generations time. So anyone who really wants it badly enough can have a $4M mansion. Why is it that these people all seem to want more and bigger and better STUFF?
  
  That's why I say this is about greed.
  
  What annoys me is that some really positive elements have been cobbled together in over-marketed hype, along with dangerous BS (if you're poor it's your own fault).
  
  On a final point, where is the evidence that Plato, Shakespeare, etc. knew the Secret. Ultimately, this is just one Australian TV exec who stumbled on an old positive mental attitude book and dreamed up a clever way to market old information.
  
  
  
  
• Spiritual POISON.
  By A22A5859L3JM47 on 2007-02-13
  Like all pseudo-spiritual garbage, "The Secret" is a mixture of a little good and a ton of bad. It contributes to the ongoing legacy of opportunistic "new-agers" who steal the mystical teachings of various religions and appropriate them to suit the materialistic mentality of the 21st century Westerner. As always, instead of teaching humanity how to *comprehend* the sources of their desires and suffering - through meditation, reflection, or honest introspection - the makers of this video simply teach us a trick with which we can further bind and enslave ourselves to these sources (of desire and suffering).
  
  Meanwhile, they are making quite a pretty penny for sharing such "truths".
  
  I agree that gratitude, thankfulness and compassion are humane and beautiful things. It is clear that thoughts are powerful generators of circumstances and events. But that to be happy we must fulfill our every desire? Damnation! This contradicts the living teachings of every great Master humanity has ever known!
  
  Buddha Shakyamuni: "Desire is the root of all suffering."
  
  Krishnamurti: "You will find this undying, unalterable happiness when you are liberated from the tyrannies of the self, its desires and longings."
  
  The Lord Krishna: "When a man dwells in his mind on the object of sense, attachment to them is produced. From attachment springs desire and from desire comes anger."
  
  Paramahansa Yogananda: "When external objects of sense pleasure are destroyed, the happiness they give is destroyed with them. But the ever new joy of God inherent in the soul is indestructible."
  
  Thomas a Kempis: "Learn to despise outward things and to give thyself to things inward, and thou shalt see the kingdom of God come within thee."
  
  Samael Aun Weor: "Analyze all human defects and you will see that they all have their foundation in desire."
  
  Jesus the Christ: "Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me."
  
  The "Secret" that God *wants* us to fulfill our every materialistic desire clearly contradicts the authentic religious teachings from every continent and every age. It also flies in the face of a million real-life stories about the miserable rich, the drug-addicted celebrity, the unhappy millionaire, etc. etc. etc.
  
  Either we continue to chase our own tails seeking happiness in the same old way or we start to look at this question in a totally new, intimate, and profoundly psychological light.
  
  The prophets have spoken and so have the vipers of materialism. Who do you trust more?
  
  * Edit 02/14/07: As an example of what I consider to be a healthy, integral, and truly spiritual work of recent art, I point all interested readers to the DVD entitled "Sex: The Secret Gate to Eden". Despite its alluring title, this very wholesome and accomplished documentary explores the secret (yes, really secret!) role of Sex within the teachings of every major religion (Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, etc.). Highly recommended!
  
  
• Disgusted
  By A2IX8FM0H9TZ4D on 2007-03-01
  A friend of mine was watching Opera and they were talking about "the Secret" is a book by Rhonda Byrne. She convinced me to read it. It basically teaches people to think positive and good things will happen. My problem with the book is two things. First it tries to teach that thought waves are projected out into the universe and attract similar thoughts (explained by Quantum Physics??) But the second teaching is the one that makes my go hum.... They explain the process it all in a way that, if good things don't happen to you, is because you don't "believe they will".
  
  How destructive this could be... There is a psychological/sociological concept called "blaming the victim" in which we blame the very individual who has been hurt. This is the process used by an abuser ("If you behaved the way I want you to, I wouldn't have to hurt you!"), and it destroys confidence, self-esteem, hope...The medical profession has its own version...There is some belief that we are the cause of our own illnesses. (Most especially, cancer). What a horrible burden to place on someone if they become ill! Likewise, if you wish for something to happen (without a true understanding of what, in life, you can control and cannot) and it doesn't come about (winning the lottery, for example), then the blame falls on you...("Well, you just didn't believe enough!") Can you see what the implications of this nonsense are? They have an answer for everything. They talked about the people who die in war and how it was because they had the "thought" of war that drew them to their death. I can even begin to say how much damage this will cause. These are the basic RADICAL principles of people who do not believe in medicine and there child dies because of a simple cold, they blame the child for not "believing enough".
  
  
  
• An Inspiriational Film If There Ever Was One!
  By A2NQR1RH0J7QAN on 2006-10-28
  After watching this movie and hearing how people had put the "Law of Attraction" to work for themselves, I couldn't wait to start creating a new, better reality for myself. The stories are much more than anecdotal evidence that this positive thinking stuff really works...they're inspirational. They make you want to run out of your house or apartment and start living...really living!
  
  In this original (and out-of-print) version of the film, Esther Hicks appears and channels the group of nonphysical teachers that call themselves "Abraham." Esther's "Abraham" picks up where Edgar Cayce, Jane Roberts, and the rest of the great channels of recorded history had left off. Abraham offers practical processes, and they are truly interested in the "nitty-gritty" of what we humans are living. Their goal: To help us help ourselves. That is, the triumphs and tragedies of what we are living will result in the expansion of this world and the next, but will we allow into our experience the results of what we've lived and the desires that we have given birth to? That is the question. Abraham and the other teachers in this film offer their time-tested answers. It's incredibly thought-provoking, and you will want to watch it over and over again.
  
  
• Your Job is the 'What'. The Job of the Universe is the 'How'. (Highly Recommended!)
  By A3UV7L5ND3EH8T on 2006-12-07
  "There is a lie that's like a virus in the mind of humanity that there's not enough for everyone." - Michael Beckwith from The Secret DVD
  
  To tell you the amount of synchronicity that brought this DVD to me would be staggering. I'll just share a little bit before I get to the actual review (but, sharing how the Law of Attraction *works* via this "testimonial" should give you food for thought, too!)
  
  A few weeks ago, I caught the tail end of a Larry King show featuring Michael Beckwith and J.Z. Knight (they were the only two people on the panel I recognized by sight). I liked how the panel presented the idea of thoughts creating reality (the law of attraction), and was especially moved by a story shared by one of the panelist. (Turns out that the guy's name is John Assaraf--a former street kid who's now a life coach). Here's the story: John is working on his office when his little boy asks "What's in the box?" John had moved several times in a five-year period, and the box in his office held his vision boards. After asking his Dad "What's a vision board?", John shows his son what they are, figuring that showing would be easier for a 5 ½ year old to understand.
  
  You see, a vision board is a poster board or cork board where you paste/pin representations of what you want to attract in your life. Well, John looked at one of his past vision boards and tears welled up in his eyes. There, on one of the boards created years previously, was a picture of a house. But not just ANY house. No, it was THE house that HE WAS NOW LIVING IN. He didn't realize that the house he bought the year before, and renovated, WAS THE EXACT SAME HOUSE (an aerial view) FROM HIS VISION BOARD. He then realized the awesome power of the law of attraction.
  
  As I'm watching this on Larry King, I'm thinking "Holy crap!" Now, the law of attraction isn't new to me, but this was the most mind-blowing story of deliberate creation that I've ever heard. So I excitedly tell my husband (who was sleeping at the time of the airing) and he answers "No way!" We were psyched, and said we'd create our OWN vision board.
  
  In the meantime, I get an email from one of my readers asking me about the law of attraction. Twice in the email he mentions "The Secret". In fact, in the second email, he says "Well, you've seen The Secret, so what do you think?" And I'm thinking "Why does this guy keep acting like I know what this Secret thing is?!"
  
  So I do a search for The Secret on Amazon. I end up getting a copy of the DVD, and the same night (last night) my husband and I begin to watch. At the very beginning, the music and images brought me to tears--I don't know why. In Pentecostal/Charismatic circles, they'd call it "the anointing". I was so moved--and so psyched--about this movie (even though I really didn't know what it was about, who was on it, or what to expect.) I just knew that what I was seeing was going to enhance my already blessed life.
  
  Well, it just so happen that several of the people that were on the Larry King show were in this movie! Unbeknownst to me, they were plugging this movie earlier in the show. (J.Z. was plugging her Ramtha program, I presume.) And guess who was on there? John Assaraf, sharing his vision board story! Woohoo!
  
  There were other bizarre synchronicities, including four different things that were said on the DVD that my husband and I *just* said/concluded within the last 24 hours. (For example, I'm reading an excellent book by cardiologist Mimi Gaurneri called The Heart Speaks, and had the epiphany that stress created by my worrying about my high cholesterol was a worse contributor to my numbers than trying to micromanage everything that came into my mouth. In the DVD, John Proctor--who is HILARIOUS, by the way--observed, "Disease cannot live in a body that is in a healthy emotional state"--something I JUST said to my husband, in effect, mere minutes before the movie!) There were several times I paused the DVD and said "Oh my God" as we were hearing EXACTLY what came out of our mouth in an earlier conversation.
  
  The Secret features around 30 authors, teachers, life coaches, and inspirational speakers sharing their experiences and insights on the law of attraction. (E.g. Neale Donald Walsch, Michael Beckwith, Dr. Denis Witley, John DeMartini, Dr. Fred Alan Wolf, Dr. John Gray, Hale Dwoskin, Marie Diamond, et.al.) Basically, the law of attraction is "like attracts like". This is why expecting a crappy day and complaining about stuff yields more of the same--as well as people who will reinforce the same vibration. It's also the same principle as "laugh, and the whole world laughs with you".
  
  The stories and insights the contributors share are utterly exciting, inspiring, and even surprising. One man, Morris Goodman, was in an airplane crash, becoming completely paralyzed. He was on a ventilator--suffering broken vertebrae, a destroyed swallowing reflex and diaphragm--and told by the doctors he'd basically be a vegetable, only able to blink his eyes. However, he pictured being a "normal" person again and resolved to walk out of their on Christmas day. Guess what? HE DID. (And he shares his story on The Secret).
  
  Another incredible story was that of Jack Canfield, creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. He describes the amazing synchronicity that led to him making almost 100,000--just as he intended.
  
  What makes The Secret DVD different from other law of attraction products is that it explains that a rich INNER life is what gives context to outward success and "stuff". I especially loved the wisdom shared by Lisa Nichols on this topic, as well as how she became her own "sHero". I also applaud the emphasis on the importance of ACTION--following inspiration that the Universe provides in answer to your desires. Sitting on your butt--having a wishbone instead of a backbone (my words) is NOT advocated on this DVD!
  
  No word is out of place on this DVD. The music and graphics are outstanding (and, in my opinion, this DVD accomplishes what What the Bleep TRIED to), as is the grounded wisdom shared by all the wonderful contributors. These people come across as compassionate, kind, sensible, joyful and grounded individuals who want the SAME for you...for us all. There are no fake accents on this DVD--no New Age gobbledygook or channeled entities or mystical theatrics. Most especially--and importantly--there isn't a HINT of superiority or chilly narcissism that one often finds in law of attraction books.
  
  The law of attraction WORKS. I've drawn things into my life with ease because I expect it. For example, I've always had wonderful "luck" with men, and now enjoy a beautiful, fulfilled marriage to my soul mate (9 years strong). I attracted my wonderful husband because one of the things I KNEW from the time I was young was that I was a queen and that I deserved to be treated like one. I'd never marry or attract an abusive, philandering idiot because I never EXPECTED to. It simply was not in my consciousness.
  
  Now, I've struggled in other areas, especially health (I watched my first husband--a "name it and claim it" preacher, of all things!--suffer and die from leukemia). This formed my belief that the law of attraction couldn't/doesn't work on health and healing. However, through time and experience, I've concluded that I don't know what my husband's contract was--and it's certainly not for me to judge or assume. BUT, I can choose, right now, to apply the law to my own healing from high cholesterol and iron deficiency anemia. And, as a result, I've lost 35 pounds in the last few months and feel definite improvements!
  
  Also, my husband and I chose to focus on some things we'd like to attract, including $. Less than 24 hours after watching the movie and making this decision, I received $75--unexpectedly--from someone overseas. More is on the way. I've also used the law of attraction (at the time, I didn't know what the law was, but I knew certain things for sure) to attract a computer--my very first. My husband would ask "How can you expect a computer to come out of nowhere?!" Well, it came from one of HIS co-workers...and my husband, after watching me do my magic several times over the years (LOL) is now convinced there's something to it!
  
  Here's just a few snippets of some of the inspiring wisdom you'll find in The Secret DVD:
  
  "Inner happiness is the fuel of success."
  
  "If it ain't fun, don't do it!" (This is so true!)
  
  "Thoughts of greed, fear, stinginess, and lack creates the same."
  
  "Energy goes where attention flows."
  
  "Happier thoughts lead to a happier biochemistry."
  
  "Incurable means curable from within."
  
  "What you resist, persists."
  
  "Fortunately, there's a delay between thoughts and manifestations."
  
  What you'll find in The Secret DVD are laugh out loud moments, poignant stories, encouraging cheerleading, and immediately useful information that will enhance your well being. By using your feelings as a gauge, you'll be able to discern your preferences in life, as well as how you are deliberately creating through your thought patterns, attitudes, and beliefs. What can it hurt to get this DVD and try your own experiments? You can start small and apply it to any area of your life. The engaging, wise teachers on this DVD will show you how--and your life may never be the same again!
  
  Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)
  
  

• The Secret Soundtrack
• Quantum Creations: Create Wealth in All Areas of Your Life...
• BLISS: Tribute to The Secret Movie
• Beyond The Secret: The Definitive Unauthorized Guide to The Secret
• The Secret Diary: A Personal Workbook for Achieving Health, Wealth and Happiness