JOHN GREWAL ---awesome book and dvd movieOctober 26, 2008 John Grewal(Toronto, ON CAN) It changed my life and changed Oprahas too ... if it can do that then this book and the dvd movie is for everyone. I want everyone to get this book/dvd and study it to the fullest. You will love every minute of it and it will make you a better, stronger, more positive person. But at the end of the day it is only up to you to make changes with your life right ... Do the right thing and start using the laws of attraction/the secret daily and you will feel so good about yourself that anything will seem possible.
Luv
John
A Re-Packaged Secret.September 22, 2008 a reader 12 out of 12 found this review helpful
A movie first and then turned into a book, "The Secret" is about getting what you want by knowing what you want and keeping it at the forefront of your thoughts. It gets this concept across really well and is a quite entertaining book. The downside is that there is really nothing new here that hasn't already been published many times before, many decades ago (I'm thinking of books like It Works).
Thinking is great, but life also requires us to "do" a little too in order to make things happen- recommend The Sixty-Second Motivator for more info on that.
There is no secret...September 8, 2008 Daren Wride(Kelowna, BC) The basic thesis of this book, and several spin-offs, is that your thoughts send out vibes that attract events of similar vibration. For instance, if you think prosperity thoughts you will be prosperous, thin thoughts, you'll be thin, etc. Of course, bad thoughts bring bad things into your life, and if something bad has happens to you, your thoughts are the reason. This is very appealing to a prosperous healthy individual, because they get to take full credit for their success. Interestingly, The Secret never mentions death. Perhaps because no matter how positive your thoughts, it still gets you.
This book is full of logical inconsistencies and wishful thinking. As a wise woman once said, "The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work." Who said it? Oprah. Did she realize that with those words she undercuts this book she has so faithfully endorsed?
Didn't Finish ItJune 3, 2008 Catherine Young(Canada) 2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I read this book after many recommendations. The premise of the book is that we can use the power of attraction, through positive thought, to get what we want from life (e.g. a life partner, job, wealth).
This book is a strong example of the current Western Individualism, focusing on our needs and desires. For those with more duty-based morals or a focus on our contribution to society, this book will likely be distasteful.
I did not finish the book as I did not appreciate the self-centered and materialistic values promoted in it.
Dig past the hype and find some wisdomMay 9, 2008 Cheryl Tardif(Edmonton, Canada) 2 out of 3 found this review helpful
There is a secret about The Secret...and that is this: Everything between the front and back cover is NOT a secret.
For people nervous about reading it because you think it's some hyped-up mind control thing, rest easy. You're half right. The book WAS hyped up. Good marketing on their part. As an author, I know it's important to find a hook or edge. Media, including the internet, gave The Secret all of its hype. The title alone was genius!
But when it comes down to it, the book is based on fact and experiences. I always heard "to be the best you've got to learn from the best". Like any profession, you learn from those who have done it or are doing it...not from Joe Schmoe off the street. You wouldn't go to an accountant to become a hairstylist. Right?
The Secret is a recounting of stories or words of wisdom from professionals in various fields who believe that if you want something badly enough--and WORK towards getting it--you can achieve it. We often tell our children this. That's why we send them to college or university. Athletes are told this. That's why they win. Political leaders, singers, artists, writers, anyone who has a dream of being or having more has to focus on what they want to get it. And I'm not talking just material things.
I bought The Secret for my teenage daughter. I wanted her to start thinking more positive thoughts, because we all know how difficult it is to be positive when you're a teen. My mother has the book as well and when we were visiting I flipped through some pages and read bits here and there.
There is nothing new in The Secret. For people who practice any form of positive thinking (whether reading self-help books, meditating or going to seminars), you are already following some of the advice within. Reading parts of it, I found myself feeling better, mainly because it was reinforcing what I already knew. That is the purpose of The Secret. You can open it to any page and get a boost of positive energy, motivation or inspiration. The book is written in a non-religious yet respectful tone, allowing for various cultures' differences.
I can tell you this from personal experience: I have attended many seminars in Canada and the US in the past 20 years. I have heard much of what's in The Secret said a dozen times in a dozen ways, all by very successful people. The key is that success comes in many forms. Not everyone needs or wants huge financial success. And that's okay. Not everyone wants to be president of a huge corporation, and that's fine too. You define your success, then go after it.
I have naturally followed so many principles found in The Secret, especially in the past 4 years. I believe I'm proof that these principles work. I've been saying "I'm a magnet" for 5 years! I've been focused on success, on getting published, on movie deals with my books and so much more. And these things have come. The laws of attraction--belief is key. When you believe and can envision something, you are more than halfway there.
My best piece of advice: forget the hype, forget any pre-conceived ideas that The Secret is some demonic, anti-religious, mind controlling entity. It's a BOOK. Pure and simple. It's a book with compiled quotes from successful, influential people who think very positive thoughts. And for those who want to have that kind of success, read The Secret--just flip it open to any page and read. At the very least, you'll have something positive to think about that day. And can't we all use a bit more of that?
~ Cheryl Kaye Tardif is a freelance journalist and bestselling author of Whale Song, The River and Divine Intervention.
