I came into contact with this book when a friend received it and became an instant disciple. I say that because she became almost transfixed with trying to live "the secret" in all aspects of her life. The result was that after one year, she was just as frustrated and unhappy but now was heavily into blaming herself for "creating negativity" and other such nonsense.

I do think that some people in life are going to be happy and that some are going to be unhappy, irrespective of their specific circumstances. The film "Schindler's List" has a great scene in it where some Jews were relocated to a ghetto, and one man is seen comforting his wife saying "It could always be worse"...I think THAT is "The Secret" - to always look for the good in any situation and changing what you can to achieve happiness, while accepting that some things will be beyond your control.

The other downside to this book is the propensity it promotes to blame the victim. Sometimes people get sick, lose jobs, are raped or suffer from circumstances beyond their control. By the premise of this book, people like this are to be avoided and basically blamed for what happens to them. I would never want to be a part of any culture that blames a victim for what is beyond them.

All that said, someone far brighter than I am once wrote "There is no good or bad, only the heart that makes it so"...In other words, you will see the inherent good or bad in any situation, so keep it positive.

A lot of people really did not understand this book. The energy is so subtle that most people are not even in tune to that part of themselves. I do believe that creative and telepathic people have an easier time with this book than others. It's not about 'wishing' for things. You first of all have to be aware of what you really 'want'. Many people think they want to be wealthy, but that is not true. Most people are not even aware of what they really want. They allow society to dictate what's considered fortunate and not....and so they think "sure I want to be wealthy, who doesn't"? But in all probability it is not a true desire of theirs. Many people fear success and having what they really want. Another dimension of wanting is truly believing your own value, and unfortunately we live in a society where low self-esteem is rampant.... and if you don't believe you 'deserve' something, it's not going to come your way no matter how much you may want it. But there are a couple of things that come to mind that back up this book. One of them is scientific discoveries. Often people who 'discover' things will say, that they have pondered this thing for many years and then one day "Eureka!" it just 'comes to them'...just like that 'out of the blue'. That's the energy this book refers to. It's a very light and delicate energy, and it does respond to mans real desires. In regards to believing that everyone wants what society dictates, think of people who want to lose maybe 10 or 20 pounds and have in their power to do so. But for some reason, they hold onto the weight for years and years and years. This is in part because they 'think' they 'want' to lose weight. But it's not true, if they really wanted to they could. But subconsciously they 'fear' the consequences of achieving this goal MORE THAN they actually 'want' to achieve this goal. And that is true for all things you think you desire. It is this fear that blocks their desires. What manifests itself in life is your most prominent feeling. Because this energy is so subtle and specific and downright HONEST it is in fact very difficult to get in tuned with it. But if you can and do so, you will get everything your heart desires. It is very important to be clear and honest about what YOU really want, not what you think you should want! And certainly it cannot be tainted by any negative feelings such as fear, revenge, arrogance etc.

This book took me less than a week to read. The appearance of the book is wonderful. It is a good reminder on how the world works and the law of attractions. You should immediately feel good after reading this book, but the experience can be short-live if you don't take actions every day. The book can be a little repeatitive at times, though.

Built on the premise of "as a man thinks, so is he," this little but mighty book is filled with inspiration on the subjects of health, wealth, following our dreams, and more. It's diminutive size makes it portable and easy to access for "instant" gratification. The author's collection of wisdom, encouragement and guidance from many exceptional people provide a comprehensive coverage of it's subjects. One of my favorite passages is a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (on pg 57): "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step." While I don't quite agree with the theory that (all) disease is caused by negative thought, I do agree that there's a great deal we can do to heal ourselves and to be joyful regardless of our circumstances. I HIGHLY recommend purchasing this book for yourself and for gifts. You will find yourself reading it over and over again. I would also recommend, if you missed reading GE0RGI0U TIN0'S masterpiece--FATES, go and read it. Fates (Amazon exclusive)

Thank you The Secret for introducing me to The Law of Attraction which is definitely working for me and has made me a happy person. I am now reading many other books on the subject and really enjoyed and selected Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook because of its workbook format and exercises....this book is the greatest.

I gave The Secret 5 Stars for introducing The Law of Attraction to the world in such a dramatic way with the book and video. Unlike California Carol I have read many books on the subject and if you do want an in depth explanation and exercises, I agree with Carol.....read Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook. I have used the exercises which reinforce this principle and love the journal in the back of the book to record your feelings etc.

This book, The Secret has been such a great source of positive life affirmations. I love being happy, positive and optimistic and this book shows us how to be magnets with our positive thoughts.

This book is inspirational, but extremely overdone and repetitive. This is a collection of interviews from 30 people who are listed at the back of the book.

Good book but many others out there that are better... but easy reading. This explains the Law of Attraction through interviews however, I recommend Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook because it gives examples, in the narrative and exercises to show you how to ask, believe and receive.

This audio book completes my set of the Secret. I listen to the cd's while I am at work and they keep me motivated no matter what the day may bring. I recomend the dvd, book and audio book to anyone who wants to change their lives.

I recomend this book to virtually anyone looking to be, have and do anything they want. It is the best book to start with. But do yourself a favor and do not end with this book, keep seeking more books and more informaiton on the subject. "The Secret" scratches the surface of a very deep subject... There is so much more. With that said, I have purchases 6 extra copies of The Secret to give as gifts. It's an easy read, and it can change your life.

This is a very good book... especially if you have an "open mind" with which to receive it's message. It is very "insightful." It is DEFINATELY a book that you have to read and experience for yourself. The possibilities are unlimited.

For those who believe in the power of hope, this is a good read. I find myself looking at various pages now and then just for a little boost. If you are not one who believes that your thoughts can influnce your life then do not waist your time reading this book.

i tried the visualization!!! i envisioned my self in a ferrari with Paris Hilton and i tried so hard it almost came to me but the problem was Paris was in jail :(. so i thought mabey i should really ask, believe, and recive, that didnt work either but it did get Paris out of jail loool.and then when i thought it about deeply i found out the secret is not about me and Paris Hilton, its about the human greet and the overwhelming desire of people trying to control their life and accepting any brian farts(or according to the book ideas) that fullfills this desire of control that we are never gonna have.

The main thing is that a group of people devised a well packaged scheme with a well known "secret" to make people believe they will get rich to get rich, themselves. The question is whether one should be a party to this kind of activity, and every buyer is. The claims at their site are utterly outrageous - Plato and Beethoven got where they were after finding the "Secret" - and should be really shut down by an outpouring of qualifiers. They should not be rewarded but rather shamed.

For Mom, who keeps falling for this stuff: From the Website:

"A number of exceptional men and women discovered the Secret, AND WENT ON TO BECOME known as the greatest people who ever lived. Among them: Plato, Leonardo, Galileo, Napoleon, Hugo, Beethoven, Lincoln, Edison, Einstein, and Carnegie, to name but a few."(why stop there? Now we know. "The Secret" inspired Plato's Republic, Beethoven's 5th, Einstein's Relativity, and everything and anything else that ever happened.)

"WITHOUT EXCEPTION" (not even one, like in famine-ridden Africa?), "EVERY HUMAN BEING has the ability to transform any weakness or challenge into strength, power, perfect peace, health and abundance. NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY" (after billions of years)", all the pieces of the Secret come together" (100% verifiable) "in a revelation" (word borrowed from guess where?) "that is life transforming for ALL WHO EXPERIENCE IT" (100% verifiable?)". THIS IS THE SECRET TO LIFE."(I'll take my chances. You should too, because it is by independently seeking with our own eyes that the true secrets are found, not by buying into marketing schemes - to be polite.)

An aside: Beethoven was often arrested for drunken vagrancy and wrote the most profane letters to his patrons. Napoleon was a megalomaniac mass murderer. Many of the richest dynastic families got their spoils by utter deception, pillage and war profiteering. The "Law of Attraction" is a lot weaker than taking the masses while their backs are turned. Slave labor is clothing our backs today.... You can learn about the secret law of attraction all over the internet. They are even selling Wattles book that is widely distributed freely on the internet in audio form at their site.

While this information wasn't especially new, it was a great reminder. I run decluttering and time management workshops for a living for Inspired Honey (inspiredhoney.com) and so I like to have a break once in a while give my mind a tune-up (like my car). While this information is certainly not new. See the book You Can Heal Your Life written decades before or even lots of ideas from proverbs in The Bible), it is still interesting information. If it gets people analysing their thoughts more and being more in control of their choices - I'm all for it!

I saw this book last night and picked it up. I had seen it in stores on the best seller racks, and it had a catchy cover. At first I thought it was some kind of story until I opened it up. After I read the first page I realized it wasn't, but being bored I read on. The first chapter is quite interesting. But as I kept reading the book, I honestly felt like I was reading the same page over and over and over again. This has to be the most redundant book I have ever read. The only thing I have gotten from this book, is to sell the idea that hard work and dedication never got anyone anywhere. Telling people that their bad spending and eating habbits aren't cause for them being broke or overweight. I simply finished the book because it was quite funny. This book takes the idea of staying positive with everything in your life, having hope and a motivation to reach your goals, and makes a total mockery of great scientist and inventors. Everything great that has been done was created by trial and error, not because some mysterious "universal mind" or genie wanted them to have it. If you purchased this book, the only real secret is that you have wasted twenty-five dollars.

The Secret is intriguing and gives anyone with need of money, hope or health, a lot of hope. It is hard to believe, however, that one can get whatever one wants just by thinking about it or asking for it.

This book is a wonderful companion to the movie, "The Secret." I highly recommend seeing the movie and reading the book--if you are interested in learning how to create positive changes in your life and manifest your desires.
Also about relationships i find a book amazing to read to manifest the love that you areI Love You. Now What?: Falling in Love is a Mystery, Keeping It Isn't

I listened to this book at the behest of a friend who promised that my eyes would be opened to the secret of the universe. Having tired of reading psycho-babble thirty years ago during my college days, I tried to respectfully decline, but gave in and bought the audio. "The secret" is this: your vibes are magnetic and you will attract like minded mental magnets, and the riches of the universe will be yours. Never mind that the basic premise defies the immutable laws of physics, i.e. in magnetism, opposites attract; the mindless blather never lets up for the full four and one half hours of the book. This book is living proof that people with nothing to say never tire of saying it.

after all the hot buzz about The Secret I became curious and started reading it. The first few pages made sense to persuade ourselves into positive thinking. But then it just gets repetitive, the author repeats one simple concept over and over again. It becomes dull and obvious on making basic philosophies into an-all-scientific-speech. Couldn't continue reading anymore after 1/3 of the book. Not worth the time.

I have read the book and then listened to the 4-CD set. We share the CD among my friends- I never get tired of listening to it as I drive back and forth to work. Seems I always here something a little differently. The Secret is so inspiring and motivational-I cannot think of a better way to start my day.

Rhonda has captured the true essence of the law of attraction in a simplified format that is easily understood and can be put into action immediately. Great Masters of motivation and spirituality have been brought together to create a one-of-a-kind book that stands out from the rest. If you never understood or believed in the Law of Attraction, you will after hearing from these experts. Their passion is electrifying and overwhelmingly inspiring...it is contagious! As you read, you have the desire to be uplifted in life as the Masters have. Rhonda shares our lives are created from the inside out and we have the ability to create everything by our thoughts, visions, feelings and imagination. This book is a tool everyone can use to master life.

Video much easier to grasp, although it should be watched several times. The book is like slogging thru a pedantic article.

I have been into the Law of Attraction for many years and I give this book 5 stars for introducing this subject matter to the masses. This is not a new ideology and there are currently many books out there. I believe it really explained but did not show you and left many questions unanswered. My favorite book gives a great explanation and has a workbook to show you how and a journal to record those moments. A must read, Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook.

The book is a modern version of the famous Law of Attraction. This may work for some people some times, for reasons that have not been well studied in fields other than psychology, but I have yet to see a single published research to prove that it works most of the times, for most of the people. So it resembles more of a religion/sect than a "law of the universe"...

It surely attracts a lot of attention since it sells hope that many people today desperately need and seek anywhere. Sorry to disappoint you, but the truth is out there and not in this book!

There are numerous techniques to get yourself motivated and if you use this book as one, and only for that, then your money may be well spent. However, don't take it too serious so you don't have to face dissapointment if nothing happens in the end as you've dreamed of, because this will leave you in a much worse state than before reading the book!

I absolutely recommend this book to everyone. I bought all of my friends and family a copy. It reminds us of the power of positive thinking and how you create your life and your future by the energy you put out into the universe. Great positive book!

I do find it interesting that those who find the reviews "helpful" seem to lean toward the negative responses. Those more positive responses about the book have little or no support for a helpful review. A lot of negativity floating around out there. Doesn't anyone find that "interesting"? People have always accused me of wearing rose-colored glasses while riding my rainbow - but then again, good things always come my way while those who would ridicule me continue to spiral down in some sort of dramatic demise. I'd rather wear my rose-colored glasses than hide behind dark sunglasses any day while complaining I can't see. Make your on luck people. Don't wait for it. That's all this book is telling you. That's what life is telling you. Can you "wish away" bad things? No. But you can instill action. Do something, instead of waiting for something to happen to you or FOR you. Is that so wrong? What's that old tried and true saying? Oh yeah...God helps those who help themselves. Do that one. Or you can do the other old tried and true statement...Misery loves company. You choose.

In essence "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne presents a powerful process that is easy for you to put into practice in order to feel better and create a more healthy & enjoyable life.

What I like most about this book is that there are many professional & knowledgeable contributors who provide valuable insight into important aspects of how to manifest prosperity in your life.

There are awesome potent quotes throughout the book, some of which I've listed below to give you an idea of the quality and integrity inherent in "The Secret"...

"Desire connects you with the thing desired and expectation draws it into your life." Bob Proctor

"If it is a new thought to you that gratitude brings your whole mind into closer harmony witht the creative energies of the Universe, consider it well, and you will see that it is true." Wallace Wattles

"Everyone visualizes whether he knows it or not. Visualizing is the great secret of success." Genevieve Behrend

"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions." Albert Einstein

"Most of the leaders in the past missed the great part of The Secret, which is to empower and share with others. Dr. Denis Waitley

"Life can be absolutely phenomenal, and it should be, and it will be, when you start using The Secret." Bob Proctor

"The predominant thought or the mental attitude is the magnet, and the law is that like attracts like, consequently, the mental attitude will invariably attract such conditions as correspond to its nature." Charles Haanel

"The vibrations of mental forces are the finest and consequently the most powerful in existence." Charles Haanel

"The simplest way for me to look at the law of attraction is if I think of myself as a magnet, and I know that a magnet will attract to it." John Assaraf

"I've seen many miracles take place in people's lives. Financial miracles, miracles of physical healing, mental healing, healing of relationships." Michael Bernard Beckwith

I recommend the Secret as a most powerful & potent book to read.

Even better read along with "Nexus" by Deborah Morrison & Arvind Singh, a contemporary, new energy, spiritual novel about the intricacies of vivid & fascinating characters on their life transformational journeys.

Loved this book... great life examples. Teaches you how to view life in an optimistic way and in turn get the things you really want. I highly recommend.

The title sums it all. 'The Secret' is revealed in the first few pages of the book and the rest of the book just elaborates on 'The Secret'.

You become what you think so think positively, act positively, entertain positive emotions and curtail negative ones. If you want to live happily, think about being happy, if you want wealth think about it, if you want good health think about being healthy and the list goes on and on....The placebo effect is given utmost importance.

If a storm or a natural calamity kills masses, it's because of their thinking which happened to be negative in some capacity, totally unknown to them - Give me a break!

Abundance is the way to go. The book advocates 'Giving' but undermines 'Sacrifice'. Because, 'Giving' indicates prosperity and abundance and 'Sacrifice' indicates poverty. A tremendous let down to conventional religious patrons.

The book might be helpful if you are in deep distress but fails to impress any sane rational thinker. The author tries to substantiate her holistic approach through some quantum mechanics etc but doesn't do a good a job. If you become what you think and you think positive about yourself and 10 others think negatively about yourself. What happens then? What if 100 or 1000 think negatively about yourself. Are the effects totally and utterly negated against you? If you don't want to think much and just want some 'feel good' philosophy, then this book is for you and you will probably enjoy it.

The first step to your own personal evolution. The truth about who and what you are and how you can make the most of your present day position.

"The Secret" is fine for anyone who never read anything about this subject, or had a training or anything at all. It is basic. But didn't teach me anything new.

If you are the sort of person who thinks it rains because you are in a bad mood, and not the other way round, this book might be for you.

If you are the sort of person who thinks the sun orbits the earth, this book might be for you.

If you think the earth revolves around you, this book is probably for you.

Thought experiment: I know the secret. You know the secret. We both want to win the race. Who gets it? If said whoever wanted it more, you probably already read this stupid, stupid book for stupid, stupid people.

I relisten to these on a frequent basis and am reminded that in a world full of negatives, it is within my control to choose something better.

One day Sasquatch find book in Ranger outhouse. Book called The Secret. Owl say book is self help book. Book say only you can help you. Book say to visualize what you want to achieve it. Me hungry and cold so me try. Sasquatch close eyes and think of warm fire which is warm from sticks. Me open eyes there no warm fire which is warm from sticks. Sasquatch close eyes and think of fat, slow raccoon that is easy catch. Me open eyes there no fat, slow raccoon.

This make Sasquatch give up. Me eat flesh of book which not taste like raccoon.

The point of this book is what it can do for you. And even though it might seem ridiculous, you will never know until you actually try it. There is no harm in that. Obviously I've applied the ideas in the book and everything I've wanted has just appeared- I know it sounds impossible, but if I really described my personal situation, you would see that the way the secret works is very simple and logical. It just makes sense and it works! I feel bad for people that don't believe in it...they are missing out!

It is amazing to me how a "law of attraction" book can be so polarizing to its readers. Whether it is The Secret, or Think and Grow Rich, or The Science of Getting Rich, et al; readers either love the law of attraction and embrace its principles or loathe it as being pseudo-science new agey nonsense.

A friend of mine introduced me to The Secret and I was quite skeptical. She relayed several stories of how the law of attraction had been working in her own life (since even before her reading The Secret; she has been a student of the metaphysical for some time) and it seemed interesting but not compelling enough for me to look into it. I frankly thought she was just *lucky*.

Then for my birthday she gave me the book and The Secret Gratitude Journal. I read the book over the span of a week and began using the journal a few days later. Encouraged by a few small positive changes (and unusual, um, coincidences) that took place, I borrowed the DVD. The three tools together were very powerful! I have put the principles into practice, and they are indeed working for me. Others have explained their situations eloquently and articulately, so I won't go into detail. But just quickly: my husband took me on an unexpected vacation just weeks after we came back from a planned trip, I sold my car for more than I asked for, I bought my new car and was able to effortlessly negotiate a ridiculously low rate for my auto loan - just to name a few...all in the space of the two months since I read the book and started using the mindset expressed within it.

The Secret is not the be-all and end-all of law of attraction studies; I have been now reading Wallace Wattles and Deepak Chopra among others and finding complementary principles with which to work. No, I do not think the universe revolves around me nor do I think that we attract everything to us. (For example, in the case of mass murders, etc., I think the opposing forces strongly attracted the event and the victims were caught in it. That's my "short" answer for purposes of the review. This isn't a message board so I will not elaborate here.) But I do think that how we think about ourselves and our circumstances does have a major affect on what plays out for us.

If you at all open to new ideas (or, in this case, old ideas in a new package) then you owe it to yourself to at least have a look at The Secret your local library. Take what you can, leave the rest. If you can be grateful for what you have, it makes it that much easier for good things to come your way. Just don't take the book so literally that you sit and waste your life daydreaming. Visualization without action is simply wishful thinking. Read the book, read other books on the same subject, and then DO SOMETHING. If you act from the heart, I think you will be as pleasantly surprised as I have been.

The book The Secret is mindless drivel which I wasted $15 on. You've read it all before. It's all repackaged nonsense. Don't waste your money.

Without doubt, this series does not have ill intent. However, I personally feel that there are things in here that can actually be harmful. It is definitely true that ruminating on negative thoughts is very harmful, and ultimately creates a self fulfilling prophecy. But here's the main problem, as I see it: Everyone has positive and negative parts to themselves, like it or not. While stopping the rumination is very good, forcing yourself to think only positive thoughts does not get rid of the negativity within. Without getting to the root of the negativity, I don't believe that real changes can be made. By ignoring the negative, it is allowed to continue, instead of being dealt with. This type of thought control creates a distortedly positive view of self, and likely leads to an exaggerated sense of self importance. Ignoring problems does not make them go away, facing them does.

The Secret seems to pander to our immaturities, our childishness. One of the first messages it sends is that I can have anything I want. REALLY???? I want to rule the world... I want to fly by flapping my arms... I want to have 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 dollars. Not happening, and we all know it. Those things are not going to make me more happy anyway. Things of value, I believe, have to be worked for, and our thoughts are the beginning of that process.

Which brings me to my next point... the things people are shown wanting to have, are almost always materialistic. I can't remember any depictions of someone getting over a major illness, or finding love or friends, ect. All depictions seemed to be of people gaining status, wealth or something from the store.

The popularity of this series says much about current American culture, and I definitely do not feel reassured.

This book is a masterpiece! The title says it all as it is not only attention getting but once you read it , you have realized all along it really wasn't a secret afterall but something your soul had known since the day you were born We just may not have been listening. Rhonda and the teachers give it an identification, a name. they call it what it is and show us how we have been using it and how to change its flow should we so desire. I learned about this book from watching Oprah one day.. I was guided to the broadcast by a higher source. The subject was not the secret per se but, in a split second mention Oprah refers to this book.. of course I was interested just on the title alone as thats all that was given. I went to the bookstore and voila, here I am writing a review on it. The DVD is also enlighteneing and a great compliment to an energy we all know but aren't aware of it, or are we? As the saying goes, if you really want to hide something from someone, put it right in front of them. Read this work and you will certainly see what I mean.

"The Secret" is still a secret to me because it is the most difficult book to understand! I have participated in a study group for "A Course In Miracles" so I am not new to this way of thinking. In my opinion this book is terrible and must be accompanied by a leader who knows what the hell the book is trying to teach you!

Sincerely,

Laurie Church

This is an excellent book for anyone. Just keep an open mind and be willing to change your life for the better.

Hi, a very closed friend of mine showed me the movie of The Secret, and actually the first time i saw it, it made me feel good about life, although it left me with a few questions and doubts about what they said in the movie, like you attract what you think, i dont think a woman who was raped attracted that situation, or the death of a loved one that you attracted it into your or his/her life, i think its cruel to say that and dangerous, how many people would feel guilty if they think that their thoughts contributed to an awful situation without knowing it?, maybe they didnt explain it well, but the way they put it , it sounds cruel, i do think that if you repeat words that are negative and make you feel bad and you think about them over and over again it may be attracted to your life and also they will make you feel worse about a situation, and maybe if you think positive things instead and search for solutions, things will change for better. Thinking positive is good but also taking action and taking advantage of the opportunities that come to your life. My advice is dont take this book as the whole truth in life, some things may be true, but other things are not well explained like the ones i pointed above. Keep searching and investigating, learning and taking action in your life and stay positive.

The Secret is really no secret. This is nothing more than regurgitated recycled Hinduism/Shamanism/New Age occult thinking. It's full of lies, distortions missrepresentations and obsurdities. It is totally mind blowing how people are falling for it.

For instance the book says:
"It has been scientifically proven that an affirmative thought is hundreds of times more powerful than a negative thought."

Really???? When/where/how were these scientific studies done??

The author is a shrewd liar, a charletan. Take your money and buy yourself an ice cream cone. It will be better spent than on this occultic dribble.

If you want to know more about the Law of Attraction I heartily recommend these CDs:

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind
The Master Key System
Thought Vibration or the Law of Attraction in the Thought World
The Science of Getting Rich
The Science of Mind
Think and Grow Rich: Original Version

I thought this book was going to give me more insight. However, it already told me what I already knew.

We must thank the author for bringing the Law of Attraction to the masses in her book titled The Secret. With all the teachers talking about their experiences and a basic understanding of the principles, I went further and recommend so highly Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook that continues explaining, then takes you to the next level (teaches you) with all its exercises. A must read here because it covers all.

Simply from reading (and applying) "The Secret", "Feel it Real!", and "Ask and It Is Given" I manifested financial wealth. These three books should be in everyone's LOA Library. Bottom line. The Secret works.