Sun 21 Oct 2007
“The ‘Secret Behind ‘the Secret’?” is the DVD program that features interviews with Jerry & Esther Hicks and Abraham (channeled by Esther). ‘The Secret’ of course is referring to Rhonda Byrne’s self help film entitled ‘The Secret’. ‘So what’s going on here?’ you ask. ‘I thought I already found out what ‘the secret’ is. It’s the ‘law of attraction right?’ Well, according to Esther and Jerry, ‘The Secret’ sold us all short and only gave us part of ‘the secret’. So what is going on here?
I bought ‘The Secret’ for my husband last Christmas (2006) on a whim. I had never heard of ‘The Secret’ and I was doing some Christmas shopping at a local new age bookstore. I was just about to check out, when I realized I still had not bought anything f0r my husband. I asked the owner of the shop if she had any ideas and she handed me ‘The Secret’ DVD and said to me ‘It’s really good’. I thought ‘What the heck, Ken and I are always open to something new’ and threw it in my basket.
The year 2006 had not been an easy year for us. Ken had quit a very stressful job at Christmas time the year before. He then became the full-time stay at home Dad for our 1 year old Son and part-time with our 4 year old daughter. I had been working part-time, but went back to working full-time to support the family. My Son’s first year of life had been a constant struggle with reflux and ear infections. He basically did not gain any weight from the age six months to one year. We just prayed everyday that he would eat ’something’. My husband had been spending the nights and weekends of 2006 trying to start a web based business. My full-time job was becoming increasingly stressful. In August of that year I went to the emergency room because I thought I was having a heart attack, it turned out to be an extreme anxiety attack.
Christmas day rolled around and lucky us, we all came down with a stomach virus. While the kids took their afternoon nap. Ken and I popped ‘The Secret’ into the DVD player and wallowed on the coach. I have to admit the opening was a bit hokey to me. The whole conspiracy of ‘the secret’ being hidden for thousands of years and what not. We stuck with it, and in fact, really enjoyed it. ‘The Secret’ is not perfect, it definitely has some flaws, but it also has a lot of good advice. The film is really very up lifting and my husband and I needed some lifting at that point. The secret being ‘the law of attraction’ was very interesting to me. This is what I took away from ‘The Secret’.
- Focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want.
- Be thankful for what you already have.
- You can have what ever you want.
All of these lessons are good in my mind. Of course, I don’t think if I actually sat here today and wished for a new luxury car that is suddenly going to appear. I think one actually needs to do something, like get a second job, to make such an event happen. When I really started to think about it, I realized I pretty much have obtained everything that I have wanted. Some things have taken longer than others, but eventually I did get it. That realization made me start thinking, what is it that I really want now? That is hard part, deciding what I want out of this grand life. After a lot of thought, I now think I have some pretty good ideas.
I have to say ‘The Secret’ helped turn things around for us in 2007, or at least it helped Ken and I to start looking at things a bit differently. I would guess, if Ken and I had just watched ‘The Secret’ once or twice and never talked about the philosophy of ‘The Secret’ with friends and family, probably nothing would have ever changed for us. But we are the type of people that love to sit around and talk about topics. As I have mentioned in my other blogs, we always have friends and family coming and going at our house. So, pretty much everyone we hang out with watched ‘The Secret’ the week between Christmas and New Years. My friend Barb had already heard about ‘The Secret’ and she told me the whole ‘Law of Attraction’ philosophy was introduced by a disembodied entity known as Abraham whom is channeled by a woman named Esther Hicks. ‘Well, how interesting’, I said. ‘Do tell more!’ I’m a pretty open mind individual and I had even been to a ‘channeler’ before, but I was not entirely convinced that such a thing could actually be possible. Needless to say, I was intrigued. Turns out, my friend Marie was also very familiar with Abraham’s ‘law of attraction’ and proceeded to educate me on the husband and wife team, Jerry and Esther Hicks. Marie had also heard that Esther was a big part of the original ‘The Secret’ film, but that Esther had been edited out due to some conflicts with the original agreement concerning the way the movie would be distribute. We did, by the way, get a hold of a copy of the original ‘The Secret’ that included Esther and we enjoyed watching this version very much too.
I’m not sure what happened between the Hicks and the ‘The Secret’ crew and at this point I really don’t care. I am just thankful to ‘The Secret’ for turning me on to Abraham. I have now read several of the Hicks’ books and have really enjoyed them. Where ‘The Secret’ falls short, Abraham’s teachings have it together. One interesting tidbit, is that a book called ‘Think and Grow Rich’, written by Napoleon Hill in the 1930s, was ‘the book’ that Rhonda refers to in ‘The Secret’ and was also a huge inspiration to Jerry Hicks starting back in the 1960s. Jerry Hicks, at one point in his life, actually made a career out of teaching the principles from the book ‘Think and Grow Rich’.
Back to this whole channeling business. Until recently I have thought, ‘Can Esther’s channeling of Abraham be for real?’ I know that there are tricksters and fakes in the world that are just looking to make a quick buck, but one can pretty much see right through those shams. The Abraham-Hicks message is very consistent. The message never changes, it just grows. The message is given with such love that I think ‘when something is done with such love how could it be fake?’ The Hick’s have been conduits for Abraham’s teaching since 1985. I don’t think anyone could do something like this for so long and have it all just be made up.
‘What is the secret behind ‘The Secret’? In my own words based on what I read in their latest book, the Hicks feel that ‘The Secret’ missed the boat by leaving out the key to the ‘law of attraction, which is ‘Vibrational Alignment’. In order for the ‘law of attraction’ to work one must be vibrationally aligned with what one desires. How does one become vibrationally aligned? Well, here’s my very short answer. One must use their emotions to become aligned with one’s desires and stay connected to one’s source energy. If you want abundance in your life you have to stop feeling poor. You need to be grateful for what you have today, but also have a vision of where you want to be in the future. Easier said than done, I know. The Hicks have published many books that have actual exercises outlining exactly how to get vibrationally aligned with ones desires. I just completed the Hicks’ latest book ‘The Astonishing Power of Emotions’ and it has a great analogy for getting one’s emotions vibrationally aligned. Abraham compares vibrational alignment to a person in a canoe on a river. Abraham asks the reader to consider how hard it is to row against the current and then how easy it is to flow with the current. Being vibrationally aligned is like riding with the current.
I was very excited to watch ‘The Secret Behind ‘The Secret?’. I was curious to find out just what the Hick’s were going to say about ‘The Secret’, which surprisingly was very little. I’m not sure if they mentioned ‘The Secret’ at all. The DVD starts of with Jerry and Esther being interviewed, which did not meet my expectations of the Hick’s. I expected them to very polished and well spoken. They were actually a little goofy. The interview did not seem rehearsed at all. Their conversation kind of bounced all over the place. The interview really made them a bit more endearing to me. They just seem very sweet and it is obvious how much Jerry and Esther Hicks love and respect each other. The second part of the interview was with Abraham being channeled through Esther. Abraham speaks so differently from Esther. Abraham is polished, stays on topic and gives a very consistent message. What have I learned from Abraham?
- We are on this planet to experience Joy.
- We are all eternal beings.
- In order to receive what I want, I must ask for it and stay vibrationally aligned with my emotions.
In my opinion, all good things. How has my life changes since last Christmas? My son is healthy, both my kids are fantastic, my husband’s web business is actually making money, I have cut back my hours at work from full-time (40 to 50 hours a week) to part-time (33 to 40 hours a week). My job is still stressful, but I have learned to deal with it in much more healthy and productive way. I am less fearful, less angry and just plain happier.
November 12th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
I found the secret very interestng. It came into my life last winter too. I also felt that there was something missing. I thenrecently found the Hicks audio books. They answer alot of questions, but I still have more questions.
November 12th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Absolutely, me too. It seems like the more questions that I get answered, the more questions I have. I am sure I will have questions on life and death and everything in between until the day I exit this earth. Thanks for your comment!
March 29th, 2008 at 7:15 am
The supposed “secret” of “The Secret” is that you can manifest what you want in life.
You are not here to get what you “want”, you are here to get what you “need”. You may want to manifest a success, but you may need a failure.
The Universe know what you “need” and for you to think you can override that and get what you “want” instead is just ego.
As for channeling, who are you most likely to pay attention to, Esther herself or what Esther some ascended master that has supposedly spoken through Esther?
You really “need” to “manifest” a viewing of the movie “Marjoe” to understand how people like the Hicks operate.
(This message was “channeled” to me from the spirit of George Jessel, so that settles that!)
March 30th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Hello John,
Again thank you for your comments. I appreciate your recommendation of ‘Marjorie’ and I have in fact added it to my Netflix to watch. So, you think channelling is a complete scam? You could be right. I have thought about it over the years and I just don’t know, I have seen some pretty convincing channeling. Esther and Jerry have being doing this a long time. I wonder how a person can keep up an act like that for so long without a complete breakdown? Is it just pure greed? I know Jerry was an actor at one point, do they just ‘write it off’ as acting? The message that is delivered by ‘Abraham’ seems in essence ‘good’. So, I guess I feel if no one is getting hurt and people actually feel better after receiving the messages then I don’t have a problem with it.
August 13th, 2008 at 1:03 am
In my opinion, the real “job” is to feel better. We can change jobs endlessly, and we’ll face the same things if we don’t alter the way we feel about it “first”.
Action is more powerful than thought, BUT ONLY if you’re aligned, if you are happy, if you seek relief, even when you’re not in total happiness, if you are moving in the right direction (trying to feel a little bit better) then every action like quiting a job or getting a new one, or sit down in a chair will lead to the desired results.
August 25th, 2008 at 3:48 am
If you really want to learn how to do this read Deepak Chopra’s Syncro Destiny, this book has the power to change your life.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Secret? Law of Attraction? all buzz words to get the attention of people looking how to resolve their day to day problems without doing the work. The only secret that is not a secret, but common sense is focus in the present to work hard to get what you want. Waste money to buy the secret? No, you are better off if you donate it to a good cause.
October 20th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
We are more than animals following the law of attraction. We should not make life more difficult than it is by piling on unnecessary expectations, mistaking our desires for being informed. To be informed is to plan for a future that is based on the present. A future built on anything else is an illusion that is based on the past.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Sofia, I too, agree with your comment. However I do believe there are some incredibly powerful cues to follow. Simply put…just live with intent. Guide yourself with intent and never allow the negative to tell you otherwise. Stay focused on your goals and they will be achieved via hard work and staying true to yourself. Blessings will come. I had my life turn around 3 months after watching “The Secret” because I was inspired but then I started reading Catherine Ponder and “wow”…that led me to The Hicks…the rest is history. Some people have the ability to dig deep inside and some just can’t get there. To those than can, it is a blessing and I hope they recognize it.
April 27th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
“The Secret” is a scam. I have no problem with positive thinking, etc. But the true meaning of life is not about “creating” the perfect life and getting everything we want. There are much bigger issues at stake. The bible says plainly that a desire to be rich is a snare and a cause for many hurtful things. The answers to life aren’t to be found in the Secret, they are to be found in one place only. The bible. Abraham Hicks is a demon speaking through a human to mislead and misinform people. The bible speaks plainly against consulting with mediums. And mediums are only relaying information from one source; demons.
July 13th, 2009 at 2:57 am
I watched ‘Abraham: The Secret Behind The Secret,” and although many of the things “Abraham” said were inspirational, it was clear that this woman was acting. First of all, Esther in the opening episode pretends to be a rather clueless simpleton who just happens to be able to stop her thoughts at will. Then the real Esther appears: a highly intelligent actor well versed in the vocabulary and principles of the system she is promoting in a book that we must buy. If what Abraham is saying is true, then such material could easily be distributed free of charge, but no…the book must be purchased. To add dramatic effect to the ‘channeling,’ ‘Abraham’ speaks without the use of contractions; instead of saying ‘can’t,’ Esther says ‘cannot;’ instead of ‘don’t’ instedd of ‘do not,’ etc. But she gets distracted at times and forgets to say ‘cannot’ every time, using a contraction instead. A funny quirk for an allegedly enlightened collective consciousness to have. I found this staged mockumentary an insult to my intelligence, and I would certainly never purchase these charlatains’ books, but I did find the essence of what ‘Abraham’ was saying to be somewhat inspirational. This by no means implies that the production isn’t a lie, a lie for the purpose of making money. Humans certainly are remarkable creatures…
September 30th, 2009 at 4:55 am
To Amy:
From my opinion Bible is so misundertood and so mistranslated so that leads to worst wars in human history. Teachings of Abraham gave me answers to my questions that Bible didnt. Since I study Teaching of Abraham I can even more understand what Bible says. Before I was confused.
Judge ye the tree by its fruit.
To Josh:
I thing the point is not if she uses shorts or not. Point is what she says. Since I use it, I live much more peacefull and better life before. And making money by selling books is not bad for me. If you consider money as a bad thing than you may consider it as bad. If you live like The Secret says, you will attract abundance. So she is making money using the same way as she teach. What a nice example. And those books ar not expensive so everyone can afford them anyway.
Sorry for my bad English.
November 28th, 2009 at 11:41 am
It is sad to say, but with the recent sweat lodge tragedy the secret of “The Secret” has become revealed. There was no “Secret” just another group who saw the opportunity to sell something to a culture desperate to find meaning.
The only spiritual message that one could discern from the example is one that we all knew anyway. If something goes wrong, flee the jurisdiction before the police arrive.
Now we are faced with the realization that the whole global warning movement was a total fraud pepetrated by academics trying to scam research funds and speculators trying to cash in on psuedo-scientific technology.
The only “Secret” that is yet to be found is the “Truth” and and all of which seem to be continually hidden by those who know there is much more profit in the “Lie”.
December 7th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Actually, Abraham and the Hicks are unique in that they DO NOT have a hard sell approach. They talk about their books to those they attract, but like most others do not email your constantly with the latest product just because you visited their website and gave them your address. They provide hours of free videos, which as they say is “the best of Abraham” on Utube. You can make a $12.00 (or less) investment in “Ask And It Is Given” and have all the answers you need.
The real secret behind the Secret is all about Source Energy and the fact that we’re all eternal beings of light and extensions of that Source. This is why they were cut out of the Secret. Ronda Burns knew that whe would have a much much wider audience if she left that controversial little tid bit out. As you can see from the above comments, it freaks out most people.
If the Hicks are such brilliant money chasing charlatans, they would certainly be smart enough to realize the same thing. Instead they chose to honestly expose themselves to your ridicule because they know the damage they would do to their own energy if they tried to perpetrate a lie. They don’t need that in their lives. They very slowly presented their message and attracted like spirits over 25 years.
I love it when I hear people say, “Well I kinda like their message, but….”. I wonder if they really would feel better about the message if they were lied to? For me, knowing the truth made it more interesting, but I’m in the vast minority, which is a fact that Ronda Burns knew and made her fabulously wealthy.
Love to all,
M
December 17th, 2009 at 10:57 am
Melanie,
You are fabulous. Not just because we agree, but because u wee able to eloquently put into words exactly how I feel ! It’s frustrating because as Abraham says this really is all about a feeling, which can transcend words most of the time. The message is a good one, and I’m confused as to how in any way it’s a bad thing. Ok, so not everyone completely changes their life right away with these teachings, but we are breaking a life time of habitual negative thinking, mainly based simply by reacting to our surroundings. At the very least, if we can find a way to “deal” that “feels” better to us, isn’t that a really good start? Don’t u all think that finding our way to a better feeling place is a more
productive platform
from which to conduct change? Especially positive change???
I’m just sayin’…..
December 19th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
melanie, tina….. i totally agree. I think part of the problem is the fact that this process asks us to ‘feel’. Sadly i think that in this era we are not great feelers. we live life trying our best to get away from feelings weather it be thro drink, drugs, sex, whatever. i also think its quite sad that we cant even allow ourselves, even for a moment to contemplate that there is more to life than surface. That we are more than a bag of bones and that we have huge potential. not just the select few, but all of us. all of us. Why is that so scary? Why must there always be a negative? a charlatan waiting around every corner to rob us of our dignity wealth and happyness? i wish those sceptics out there would take one foot out of their comfort zone (even if that zone is a place of underlying suspiciousness) and dare to put it into practice. it really does work. by the way, no offence is intended by my words!
April 12th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
I guess not a lot of people know this but in the beginging of the movie, Rhonda talks about a great book. The book that changed her life, well that book was written by Esther, Jerry and Abraham. So really the whole movie is based on Esther and Abraham’s teachings. In the second movie that was put together they had someone else doing Esthers part in the film and all of those parts were written by Esther and Abraham. Not Rhonda or any of the other teachers in the movie. Rhonda Burns cut out Esther out because of greed and didn’t want to give the credit to Esther. The whole movie came about because of Abraham. There words are words of love and peace, I have never heard anything ugly or mean come out of her mouth. I would rather listen to her then to a bunch of negative people that think we are only on this earth to get what we need. If that was the case our world would never of evolved into what it is now. If you look around it is pretty magnificant.
J