Customer Reviews

The Secret - Extended Edition

5 star:		(1,198)
4 star:		(258)
3 star:		(157)
2 star:		(117)
1 star:		(256)

 

 

With all the hype about The Secret, I was eager to find out what everyone was talking about. I bought both the DVD and the CD set and watched with great anticipation.

Perhaps because I have studied and utilized for over 2 decades some of the most powerful mindset tools, processes and technologies for creating what you want, my expectations may have been skewed compared to those who have never heard of or applied such concepts as the law of attraction.

That is not to say the DVD/CD does not have value. I am sure there are people whose lives have been changed by it. I think they did an outstanding marketing job. An outstanding "packaging" job in creating The Secret. The attraction principles do work, and they provided a great introduction to those who have not been exposed to them before.

For me personally, my first disappointment was the fact that what was dramatically (and cleverly) built up as "a secret" - which to me something you know that I don't - was hardly a secret. These principles have been around for centuries, have been mainstream for decades, with thousands of books, seminars, etc. covering the same principles. I don't appreciate books, tapes, etc. that overpromise and under deliver. So, to me, hardly a secret.

My second disappointment was the lack of depth around the subject matter. If you want more in-dpeth and leading edge info about how our thoughts create our reality, invest in the DVD "What the Bleep?" It offers fascinating leading edge quantum physics principles, along with great animation explaining in simple layman terms, why and how we create our realities. In fact, some of the scientists on The Secret *first* appeared in "What the Bleep?" I almost felt when I was watching The Secret, that they copied "What the Bleep?" in many respects, although at a more superficial level.

My third disappointment/concern is how some Secret followers will interpret the messagge in the movie. Again my perspective may be slightly skewed because I trained in and work with NLP (Neurolinguistic Programmming) which works drectly with the subconscious mind for helping people create accelerated breakthroughs in their lives. The suggestions, recommmended processes, etc. in The Secret work primarily with the conscious mind. Yet it is our subconscious mind that drives 80% of our behaviors and outcomes in life.

Yes, if you practice their recommendations for months and months, the suggestions may eventually sink into our subconscious. However there are simpler, quicker ways to create what you want. The other piece of that, because the subconscious mind does drive our results, there are many blocks -- such as "secondary gains" for staying stuck, values conflicts, limited beliefs, etc. - below our conscious awareness that stops us from having what we want. Because the movie does not address the difference between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind, and treats the whole topic superficially as why some people manifest and some don't, it creates the illusion that as long as you practice their suggestions, you will change your life. There is so much more than what is presented as to what are the differences that make the difference to creating what you want.

While I am glad that so many people are becoming more aware of these principles, I am concerned about the fallout as well. I am hearing people do potentially harmful things like go into deeper debt, making dramatic life changes with blind faith, because the DVD tells them they can have what they want if they just believe, etc.

I would suggest if you buy the DVD to take a few things that most resonated with you, and apply them to your life, as long as you don't sacrifice or overhaul other areas of your life without looking at the big picture. Sort out the glitz from the message. Also check what is not true for you and let go of it.

I would recommend the movie "what the bleep?" It goes hand in hand with The Secret, although more in depth and was the original movie that brought these concepts mainstream.

Third, I recommend that you check out book on NLP (as well as hypnosis which is a sister discipline). Out of all the mindset tools and technologies I have used in over 20 years, I have found they are by far the most powerful. One of the best "beginner" books is: "NLP: The New Technology of Achievement".

Good luck and may your journey be an abundant one!

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.

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.

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.

"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.

The Secret is well produced and delivers a powerful message by many excellent teachers. The movie is providing the opportunity for large numbers of people to learn about the law of attraction and how to use these principles to attract the life they want.

In my opinion, there is one missing element. Law of attraction strategies will not work unless we overcome any inner resistance to our life dreams. This resistance, when it is present, is frequently operating at an unconscious level. I would like to have heard more discussion about strategies for overcoming inner resistance.

All in all this is an excellent movie and well worth watching many times.

Raymond Gerson, author of Create the Life You Want.

While the information is good, I don't understand why everyone is acting like this is groundbreaking. These teachings have been taught in tons of best selling works such as "As a Man Thinketh", "The Great Within", "Message from a Master",
The Magic In Your Mind", "The Magic of Believing" "Think and Grow Rich", "The Power of Your Subconscious Mind" not to mention anything by Neville, Emmet Fox, Ernest Holmes, Earl Nightingale, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Stuart Wilde, Louise Hayes and many others. I find their marketing of their product deceptive calling it "The Secret" and saying it's been hidden for ages until now. Baloney! The title should have been called,"Same Information, New Packaging."

In my opinion, there is no better film than this if one is looking for a better understanding of the laws of the universe. If you want to improve your financial situation, your relationships, your career, or whatever you're currently living, than this is the movie for you!

The film features a litany of modern-day teachers, including Jack Canfield (author of the "Chicken Soup For The Soul" series), John Gray (author of the "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" series), and Morris "The Miracle Man" Goodman. Each not only offers a unique perspective of how thoughts create reality, but they also offer anecdotal evidence of how this philosophy plays out in all of our lives.

And it's the examples that are the real hook here. The stories offered of life-changing events that have not-so-coincidentally followed a change in the thoughts, emotions, and overall vibration of the teacher in question. If you're not familiar with the Law of Attraction, then this could be a real eye-opener for you. If you are familiar with it, it's a great gift for those in your life who are looking for a clear path to getting what they want.

And the choreography and production values are top-notch. It has the look of a high-budge thriller, with much more of a payoff than most of Hollywood's blockbusters. You will not be disappointed. And if you are, re-visit it in a couple of years and then see how you feel about it. Certainly, we are not all on the same path or on the same place on our paths, and as such, this material may not speak to you at this time.

So wherever you are in your life, just sit back, shut off the lights, put your feet up, and prepared to be blown away by, "The Secret."

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.

I really dont understand what movie some people watched. This is an excellent dvd, with an excellent message. I believe some people have a problem with a positve message. If you watch the movie, and dont like it, fine, but at least watch it before you review it. It is pretty obvious some people did not watch it before they gave it a bad review. This is not about materialism or greed, it is about being happy, which we all know, most people aren't, and there is always going to be people who want you to join them in their misery. Live life to the fullest and be happy, whether you buy this dvd or not. BE HAPPY NOW!