Secret Source: The Law of Attraction Is One of Seven Ancient Hermetic Laws: Here Are the Other Six (Paperback)

~ Maja D'aoust (Editor), Adam Parfrey (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Picking up where Rhonda Byrne's The Secret left off, coauthors D'Aoust (lecturer, Philosophical Research Soc.) and Parfrey (Cult Rapture: Revelations of the Apocalyptic Mind) explain how believers and visionaries from a variety of teachings have improved their well-being using mental powers. They guide readers through several Hermetic teachings, shed light on the New Thought spiritual movement, explain how the Christ mythos and Jewish kabbalistic texts borrowed from the Hermetic tradition, and reveal how many of today's get-rich-quick schemes have roots in Hermetic laws. While not for everyone, this book provides an unbiased view of the teachings of secret societies and will interest many patrons. Recommended for all libraries. -- By Deborah Bigelow, Director, Leonia P.L., NJ -- Library Journal, 1/15/2008

The success of Rhonda Byrne's self-help manual The Secret, while undoubtedly noteworthy, is somewhat baffling considering that the subject matter is nothing more then the age old "Law of Attraction". Byrne has taken an idea as old as any alchemical school of thought and turned it into a mantra to make a quick buck and lose weight fast. In Secret Source: The Law of Attraction Is One of Seven Ancient Hermetic Laws: Here Are the Other Six authors Maja D'aoust and Adam Parfrey break down the ancient Hermetic teachings that have led to the recent outbreak of self-help ideas and schools of New Thought that are taking over the gullible masses.

The Law of Attraction seems to be the most popular of the Hermetic laws but it isn't the only one. The belief system behind these laws goes back thousands of years and has been studied, and expanded upon, by some of the greatest philosophical minds of the ages. The authors break down each law in turn, explaining its significance and how it interrelates to the other laws. They also go into great detail about the volumes that inspired so much of the ideas, such as The Emerald Tablet and The Kybalion. The reader is introduced to not only the minds that gave birth to these ideas but those that carried it into the various New Thought movements.

Though the subject matter is at times a little deep and the philosophies can be somewhat esoteric, the authors have done a good job of laying everything out in terms that are understandable without being dumbed-down. They strip the "secret" out of The Secret and show that the Law of Attraction isn't something that should be trifled with for greedy personal gain. For anyone who thinks that they may have found the answer in The Secret, I highly suggest that you make this book your next selection. -- By: Elizabeth Headrick | 01.25.08 | filed under: Stranger Than Fiction: Book Fetish By: Elizabeth Headrick | 01.25.08 | Stranger Than Fiction: Book Fetish

Product Description

The Secret Source reveals the occult doctrines and the modern equivalents that gave birth to "The Law of Attraction" and inspired the media phenomenon known as The Secret.

The Secret Source traces the seven Hermetic Laws back to ancient Greece and Egypt and shows how they filtered down through various religions and into the mainstream consciousness of the modern world. This book provides the actual texts and fascinating stories behind the "Emerald Tablet," the Kabbalistic treatise known as "The Kybalion," and the prosperity consciousness beliefs of the New Thought movement that have given sustenance to health and wealth-oriented seekers of every generation since the late 19th century.

If you recognized the power behind "The Law of Attraction" but felt ambivalent about The Secret's materially-driven, hard-sell approach, you will appreciate this deeper understanding and examination of the Law's true nature and the wisdom required to use it effectively.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Process (November 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934170070
• ISBN-13: 978-1934170076
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #80,718 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unveiling the Secret, February 18, 2008

By	Kiyoshi Nakazawa - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The book The Secret Source might at first appear to be a outright criticism of the book The Secret or perhaps a book hoping to sell it's own brand of self help to confused consumers who mistake one title for the other but as good fortune would have it, it's neither. What The Secret Source offers is a highly detailed history of Prosperity Consciousness, the New Thought movement, Alchemy, Rosicrucianism, even Mesmerism and others and how they all can be traced back to Hermetic origins. It gets better though, the true story and recurring trend of Prosperity Consciousness doesn't exist in a historical bubble, the Secret Source shows the interlinked timeline of how it's Hermetic roots are bound within Christian, Judaic and Islamic history as well. The research in this book is highly detailed with all the major players, important texts, and movements laid out. The level of detail presented in this book is commendable and I'm sure in another life D'Aoust and Parfrey were detectives. One of the books strength is it's academic approach rather than being a self help book. Over 100 footnotes are present to site for anyone who would like to follow up with their own investigation. One criticism I would offer, though a very minor one at that, is that the order of some of the information in the early chapters seems to be not as well organized as it could have been for maximum comprehension. There is a lot of dense material to cover in the beginning of the book and for someone not completely acquainted with the subject there are a lot of names and connections to keep straight. Most chapters read like one major epiphany after the other. The authors make amazing connections and trace almost unbelievable timelines of major religious intrigue. I won't spoil it for the potential reader but I think one of my favorite things about this book is when it finally comes to the question of where do Hermetic Laws come from? Every great detective wants to peel away the layers of the onion but what happens when you get to the very last layer? What is the secret source of the secret source? It doesn't matter if you have never read The Secret to enjoy this book. You don't even have to know anything about hermeticism or the occult . Readers that like real life mysteries, history, religious study or anyone remotely curious about the self help trends they see in the media today can fully appreciate this book.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Honest explaination of widely misunderstood information., June 5, 2008

By	Don Dickerson "A seeker.." (Gulfport, MS USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I appreciate honesty and clarity in books about wisdom, both esoteric and "common knowledge." Both D'Aoust and Parfrey provide that honesty here. I felt comfortable that what I was reading was like good journalism, presenting the facts with no bias, leaving me to digest what this information means to me in my particular search. I consider this one of my tools in my search for growth.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book - Misleading Title, May 4, 2009

By	Sam Liebowitz "Samwyz" (New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The book gives you a agreat history of Hermetic and New Thought, but doesn't really deal with the "other six" laws all that much. Still a very worthwhile read for the history of all we see around us today.