The Secret

By Rhonda Byrne
184 pages

Evidently The Secret, Rhonda Byrne’s motivational offering of 2006 was only a secret to me! Somehow this NY Times Bestseller with 1.5 million DVD sales escaped my radar. It very innocently fell into my lap just recently and I had the benefit of reading it without all the hype and criticism that has surrounded it.
On first examination of any self described “life transforming” book I take a deep breath filled with skepticism. Too many have gone down that path too often. From Eckhart Tolle to Dr Phil, we are led to believe that the answer is as simple as it is complex. To her credit Ms Byrne leans on the side of simplicity by giving just 3 simple commands to “mastering your universe”…ask, believe and receive. The other 183 pages are talking heads that put their own personal spin on the “law of attraction” that rules our collective universe.
Surprisingly it was the “law of attraction” a component related to quantum physics (a class I missed in college) that held the most interest for me. This law simply stated “like attracts like” is a practical theory that has been applied by many scientist and philosophers throughout time. Taken in its most secular and scientific context, I found myself intrigued by the possibilities it offers in the world around us. Referenced in quotes by Karl Jung “What you resist, persists” and Henry Ford “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, either way you are right” somehow validated the rather obnoxious pontifications of the 24 contributors quoted in the book.
Having now shared in “the secret” I will admit that it has shaped my thinking in a more positive light…..at least until the next new “secret” comes along.

Still, I can only give this cosmic guide a Rock, Chalk. (hopefully that’s enough to keep my karma good)