The Secret

Totally agree smallest - and when something like that is linked to "faith" or religion, it places the added burden on someone - their "faith" is not great enough, or they have "sinned" and are being punished.

It is totally THEIR fault that they are poor, or their dad has cancer, or they can't get a job.

It's horrible - and I speak as a practising Christian with a very strong faith. I don't pretend to understand why bad things happen, but I do believe that everything in existence was created by a benevolent entity.

One thing I would say, though . . .

Don't confuse God with Santa Claus.

There are 1813 matches for The Secret on the site I use. But thanks anyway.

A friend of mine gave me this as a present years ago.

U was actually quite offended and secretly threw it in the the bin.

And what kind of Universe is it that it will respond to someone wishing for a £10 note but let someone else die of starvation or a horrible disease?

Well, exactly. It's actually quite horrible. I went to evangelical churches for a while and its common there for members of the congregation to stand up and announce the mini miracle that God had performed for them. Of course the people who never got their prayers answered never/ rarely stand up and say that. But it means that people for whom life is not going so well, despite all their wishes and prayers can feel abandoned, unloved, that they are doing something wrong. This 'universe' business is exactly the same.

Sometimes shit works out the way you want. Sometimes it doesn't. Life is like that.

Is The Secret the author of the book? Because several have asked and nobody is actually confirming the title and author.

Rhonda Byrne, took me a second to look it up...

I did the "ask the universe" thing once - but lost my nerve.
I asked for a lodger because I'd had no luck getting one the previous 6m and money was tight. I got one on 10th Jan (who ended up becoming DH!)
I thought about some clients who I hadn't seen for months - 3 of them re-booked in January. Not necessarily a universe thing, of course - lots of people re-evaluate in January and look after themselves a bit better.
But I was thinking "ok then! Let's go for that Audi TT" - and lo and behold, I got one of those cards through with the local paper and advertising shit that had an Audi TT as its top prize! But that's where I lost my nerve and went "nah, not going to happen" so didn't follow it up.

I know some people swear by it but there can be downsides too - and that's why I'd never wish for a windfall because often it comes at too high a cost. :(

I’m a big believer in the secret. Positive thinking plus believing that you are worthy is so much better than being doubtful and lacking confidence.
Visualising your goals on a regular basis helps - but you have to make sure you’re also taking consistent action to get there. It’s not a magic wand to get your wishes, it’s a positive mindset to help you achieve.
Plus being truly grateful for what you have actually means you want less in the long run. It helps eliminate greed.

The cancer thing makes no sense to me at all. I know some people who, despite being upbeat, positive people, not under huge amounts of stress, slim, active, having children to live for, etc have died. They 'fought' like tigers. Nothing in their lives suggested they 'attracted' such terrible disease to themselves.

It's a bit silly, but it certainly doesn't hurt to think positive and think about what you want out of life.

Obviously, I think it's a load of bollocks. But when I was about 10, I had ten premium bonds that never won. I was complaining, and my DM said as a joke, "let's incantate over them and see if we win."

My dad was totally sceptical, and rolled his eyes, so DM laid out the premium bonds on the table, and got me to chant with her, "Ernie, Ernie, please let one of these come up..." and we read out the numbers. A few days later, I got the cheque for £50!

Obviously, it was a coincidence, but DM hid the premium bonds, as she was worried I'd start believing in witchcraft, and we never did it again! However, I think I might do this again at the end of August (I've still got those bonds!), and I'll let you know if I get the million this time!

Is The Secret the author of the book? Because several have asked and nobody is actually confirming the title and author.

This reminds me of all that younique law of attraction stuff - round here there are lots of women who I suspect are really quite lonely and possibly struggling a lot competing to look like they have the most perfect lives in the world on social media, and it's all because of a bit of over priced make-up. Unsurprisingly, the women I know who genuinely seem content with their lot don't do a huge amount of social media and definitely don't do younique (except as charity after been guilt tripped into buying something from a friend they know is secretly having a hard time). God i hate younique.

She told us that she knew she was going to win before they called out her name.
But did she say that before they called out her name?

If not then the chances are that she has thought that a number of times, but then forgotten about it, or she's bigged up a minor "maybe I'll win" thought.

but some people truly believe it works, intelligent people!!
Intelligent people can be remarkedly lacking in common sense. You only need to stop at the PM to see that.

If you are saying that all you have to do to be successful/have something is ask the universe, then you are by implication say people who aren't successful/don't have is their fault.
It's a bit like when people say about someone who had cancer "they're such a determined person/strong fighter/positive thinker that we knew they'd win." You are by implication saying that anyone who dies from cancer didn't think they would get better so they "lost".

I took the dog for a walk to his usual field and half way round there was a large, pure white butterfly just sitting on the grass. I walk my dog in that field several times a day, most days and have never seen a butterfly there,, ever. I stopped and looked closely and it didn’t fly away. After a while I walked on and when I circled back round it was gone. I really felt it was some sort of sign and thought to myself, perhaps it means that I will sell that large item today. When I got home there was a message from someone wanting to buy it. I have never seen a butterfly in that field since

Wow, and not in a good way.

My mother, who died ten years ago won a new car on a TV game show type programme. You just send in your address and phone number for the draw.

She told us that she knew she was going to win before they called out her name.

She probably never heard of the law of attraction, and would be considered uneducated, although she was intelligent.

The way she explained it made me do a double take. Mysterious.

Positive thinking and the art of gratitude work for me every time.Never read it myself.

" It effectively blames people’s cancer on their unhappiness to name a few , which is disgusting"
Although there is an element of truth to this...its known that stress /anxiety can trigger some cancers.

I think there is a measurable effect to do with positive and negative thinking in some specific scenarios, like competitive sport.

But just wishing for something from "the universe" and it appearing seems unlikely, and also the wishing itself just seems off and silly to me. My woo sister was telling me about it a while ago and I just thought it sounded like a spoilt child "I want this, I want that" :o

I think I have a deep Calvinist streak that makes me think you should work for or deserve things somehow and not just wish them into your lap. And what kind of Universe is it that it will respond to someone wishing for a £10 note but let someone else die of starvation or a horrible disease? Hmmm?

@NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite

Have you got a link? I’d be interested in that.

@tvtvtv

I think a lot of people’s experiences are like that - they are focusing on the image not the finer details so do get what they ‘want’ but at a cost which they are ignoring. Particularly lately in this era of cheap credit.

Goals, thinking things through carefully with intent, research - these are the ways to get somewhere but as a pp said wrapping it up in mysticism appeals more to some people and makes it seem fun and easier - it gives them a sense of control to ironically.

It effectively blames people’s cancer on their unhappiness to name a few , which is disgusting

Thank fuck I didn't read it! Someone I barely know tried really hard to push this on me when DM was dying.

I like the idea of it, but I wonder how many of the posters on here have started out on an already privileged path, such as be intellectually bright, have a job with career opportunities, a supportive partner, etc.

No one remotely 'intellectually bright' would believe in this farrago of nonsense and confirmation bias.

I read the magic - it was a pile of 💩

I keep wishing for world peace, an end to hunger and equality throughout but it's just not working. Any tips OP?

Murder victims clearly didn’t want it not to happen enough. People driven to suicide clearly didn’t send their wants clearly
No-one has said that here. People being nasty, abusive, bullying, insensitive, evil - isn't the responsibility of any book. If we blame books for people's actions then we start down the road of absolving people from responsibility for their bad behaviour and we start down the road of book burning again. And as we've seen recently book burning is back in fashion and it's never a progressive or compassionate position.