The Secret: Is It the Real Deal? - WebMD

According to Fiore, The Secret makes people afraid of their genuine emotions of depression/sadness and anger/upset. "This is just wrong and ... MenuNewsReferenceQuizzesSlideshowsVideosQuestions&AnswersFindaPsychologistABalancedLifeTakeItEasyCAMTreatmentsQuit-SmokingAssessmentAnxiety&PanicDisordersMentalHealthSmokingCessationStressManagementMoreRelatedTopicsHealth&BalanceFeatureStoriesMenuMedicallyReviewedbyBrunildaNazario, MDonMay30,2008FromtheWebMDArchivesImagineifallsuccessfulpeopleknewsomethingthatyoudidn't--somethingthatenabledthemtoamasstremendousamountsofrichesandlivelong,healthy,happy,andpotentiallydisease-freelives.Well,theyjustmight,accordingtoahotnewself-helpbookandadocumentaryDVDaptlytitledTheSecretbyRhondaByrne.TheSecretboastsagrowinglistofdisciplesincludingtalkshowhostOprahWinfrey.Itbasicallytakesthepowerofpositivethinkingtoahigherground.EnvisioningWhatYouWantWillHelpYouAttractItInanutshell,ifyouthinkit,wantit,andfeelit,itcanbeyours--whetherit'sgoodhealth,anewBMW,orevenaspotonAmericanIdol.AccordingtoByrneandmanywhoteachthetenetsofTheSecret,suchluminariesasPlato,LeonardodaVinci,Galileo,Beethoven,Einstein,andmanymoreallknewthis.TheSecretisreallyquantumphysicsinaction,explainsAnneTaylor,theCleveland-basedauthorofSecretsofAttractionandQuantumSuccess."TheSecretisthelawofattractionandthat'saboutenergy,"shetellsWebMD.LikeAttractsLikeAccordingtoquantumphysics,weallprojectmeasurableenergeticfrequenciesorvibrations,sheexplains."Weprojectenergyinouremotions,beliefs,andthoughts,andthatisreallythesourceofwhatandwhoweattractandthebasisofoursenseofwell-being,"shesays."IfIamalwaysdepressed,that'swhatIprojectinmyenergyfield--andIattractpeopleandsituationsthatareevenmoredepressing,"shesays."It'saboutmatchingenergies."TheSecretis"notwishingforsomethingandthinkingaboutitandfocusingonit,it'saboutunderstandingandperhapschangingourpersonalenergy,"shesays.Takeinfertility,forexample."Ifyouareurgentanddesperatetoachievesomethinglikehavingababy,thenthaturgencyanddesperationwillsabotageyourintention,"shesays."Youneedtotrytoreleasetheurgency.Youwillbecomemorefertileandmorelikelytoconceiveifyouarerelaxed,notanxious,andnotobsessing."TheLawofAttractionPlusActionAmyApplebaum,aLosAngeles-basedlifecoachandcertifiedhypnotherapist,putsitthisway:"Thelawofattractionisaboutattractingwhatyouwant.Likeamagnet,youattractwhatyoufocuson,"shetellsWebMD."Ifyoufocusonthenegativeortheproblemsinyourlife,yourlifewillbe'theproblem.'Butifyoufocusonsolutionsandwhatyouwant,yourlifewillbe'thesolution,'"saysApplebaum,authoroftheforthcomingBootcampforYourMind.But,shecautions,"youdon'tgetwhatyouwantjustbysittinginaroomandthinkingaboutwhatyouwant.Thekeytoallofthisisaction:Youractionsmustbeinalignmentwithyourthinking,"shesays."Withoutit,youaresittingonthecouch,dreamingupyourlife,butnothingisgettingcreated."TheSecretCure?SecretteacherJohnAssaraf,CEOofOneCoach,aSanDiego-basedconsultingfirmthathelpsentrepreneursandsmall-businessownersincreasetheirprofits,saysheharnessedthepowerofTheSecrettocurehisulcerativecolitis,adebilitatingconditionmarkedbyinflammationofthecolonanddiarrhea.Atage21,Assarafwastaking20pillsaday,receivingshotsofsteroids,andundergoingtwoenemasperdaytotreatthecondition.Frustratedbythisregimen,hebegantovisualizehisbodyashealthy,recitedailyaffirmations,meditate,andeatablanddietrepletewithvitaminsandminerals.Heevendumpedhispillsintheocean."Inthreeweeks,mysymptomsstartedtogetsignificantlybetter,andbyfiveweeks,Iwasbacktonormal,"recallsAssaraf,whotalksaboutthisinthebookandmovieversionofTheSecret."Forme,thiswasagreatawakeningofthepowerofthemindandmyfirstreallessonthateverythingisenergy--andthatmythoughtscontroltheenergyandvibrationsinmybodyandthatallthecellsinmybodyrespondtothesethoughts,"saystheauthorofTheStreetKid'sGuidetoHavingItAll.AccordingtoAssaraf,ourthoughtsandenvironmentcanreverseandpreventdiseasedespitewhatisinourgenes."Weallhavewithinustheabilitytohealourselves,"hesays."Wehaveanincrediblepharmacyinourbrainthatcanproducemorepotentchemicalsthananydrugknowntoman,"hesays.Bycontrast,"consistentnegativethoughtssendconsistentnegativechemicalsintothebloodstream."Doctors'ViewsNotsofast,saysGilbertRoss,MD.HeistheexecutivedirectorandmedicaldirectoroftheAmericanCouncilonScienceandHealth(ACSH),aNewYorkCity-basedconsumereducation-publichealthorganization.Sure,"studiesshowthatpeoplethatareoptimisticdotendtodobetterthanpeoplewithapessimisticoutlook.ButTheSecretdoesn'tsoundkoshertome,"hesays."Idon'tbelieveit,andthereisabsolutelynoscientificbasisfortheseeffects.""Thosewhotrytoconvincepeoplewhoaresufferingfromvariousdiseases--mostofwhomaredesperate--andwouldlinktoanyofferofhope,nomatterhowfarfetched,aredoingaterribledisservice,"hesays."Onecannothopeasunnydispositionwillreplaceappropriatemedicalevaluationandcare."StephenBarrett,MD,aretiredpsychiatristinAllentown,Pa.,whooperatesQuackwatch.com,awebsitedevotedtoexposingquackeryandhealthfraud,agreeswithRoss."Thereisnoevidencethatthinkingcanmodifydiseaseotherthanoccasionalrelaxationexercises,"hesays."Thoughtshavenothingtodowithphysics.Theyaretalkingaboutaconceptofenergythatcannotbemeasured.""Theenergyinvolvedinphysicscanbemeasuredinanumberofdifferentways,"hestresses."Thereisnothingrealaboutwhattheyaretalkingabout.Theyaretalkingaboutimaginaryenergy.Theideaofasecretremedyisaclassicquackclaim."SecretRxforHealth?AnotherSecretteacher,entrepreneurJamesArthurRay,thepresidentandCEOoftheCarlsbad,Calif.-basedJamesRayInternational,recentlyappearedonOprahtodiscussTheSecret."TheSecretisbaseduponthescientificevidencethatallthingsareenergy.Andlikeenergiesareattractedtoeachotheranddissimilarenergiesrepel,"saysRay,theauthorofseveralbooksincludingTheScienceofSuccess:HowtoAttractProsperityandCreateHarmonicWealthThroughProvenPrinciples.Forinstance,"ifyou'reconstantlythinkingandfeelingbroke,andactinguponthosethoughtsandemotions,you'llnevercreateandexperienceprosperity."Whenitcomestochronicdiseases,"MichaelJ.Foxisagreatexampleofnoticinghissituationisagift,"Raysays.FoxhasParkinson'sdiseaseandhasbeenwidelyquotedassayingthatheisgratefulforhisParkinson'sdiseaseandthathislifeisricherforit.Inaddition,"therearemoundsofresearchofcompleteturnaroundandremissionwithallthese[chronic]diseases,"Raysays."Atminimum,[TheSecret]willgiveanyonepracticingasenseofpeaceandabetterqualityoflife."MauriceA.Ramirez,DO,thefounderofHighAlert,adisasterpreparednessconsultingfirminKissimmee,Fla.,isalsoinonTheSecret.Theformeremergencyroomdoctorcan'tcountthenumberoftimesheorfellowdoctorshavesaid'byallrightsthispersonshouldhavebeendead'whentheygoontosurviveandthrive.Thecommondenominator?"Thosewhobelieveinsomething,whetherGodoraspiritorjustinthefactthattheywillgetbetterdo,infact,getbetter,getsicklessoften,anddobetter,"hesays."Weseethisinhealthcareeveryday."But,hecautions,"it'snotjustenoughtothinkyourselfhealthy,youstillhavetoactonitbyexerciseoreatingahealthydietorinsomecases,bytakingyourmedicine,andbytakinggoodadvice,"hesays,addingthattheflipsideisalsotrue."Actionwithoutbeliefisfutile."ThesecretofTheSecret--applyingthelawofattractiontosuccess--isnotnew,explainsJudyWilliamson,directoroftheNapoleonHillWorldLearningCenteratPurdueUniversityCalumetinHammond,Ind.NapoleonHill,areporter-turnedmotivationalspeaker,firstwroteThinkandGrowRichin1937--andsomesaythisideaevengoesbackfurther.Hillinterviewedmorethan500ofAmerica'smostsuccessfulself-madebusinessmentouncoverthesecretstotheirsuccess.OneofHill'sprinciplesinvolveslearningfromadversityanddefeat."Whenyouhaveasetbackoranykindoftrauma,NapoleonHillsaysthatthereisgoodwithinthebadandyouneedtotakethatmindsetandlookforwhateveritisthatcouldbegoodwithinthebad,"Williamsonsays."Ifwemaintainapositivementalattitude,wecanachieveanythinginlife,"shesays."It'snotgoingtocurecancer,butanattitudeofhopemayallowapersontolookforcuresortreatmentsthattheymaynothavebefore."ItCan'tHurt--orCanIt?"Ittendstoblamethevictim--theonewhodidn'tthinkcorrectly,"pointsoutNeilFiore,PhD,aBerkeley,Calif.-basedpsychologistandauthorofAwakenYourStrongestSelf:BreakFreeofStress,InnerConflict,andSelf-Sabotage."Itcancausepeoplegreaterstressbyworryingifthey'recausingcancerbyhavingthewrongthoughtsandemotions."AccordingtoFiore,TheSecretmakespeopleafraidoftheirgenuineemotionsofdepression/sadnessandanger/upset."Thisisjustwrongandcountertotheresearchonthebenefitsofexpressingdifficult"negative"emotionsandthenegativeeffectsofstoicallyactingasifyou'rebeingpositive."PublishedMarch2,2007.GetTheProteinYouNeedHowBadHabitsAffectYourHealthHowtoBreakYourPhoneHabitYoga:HealthBenefitsandSafetyTipsWhichMassageIsBestforYou?TheHealingPowerofMusicStrikeaPose6healthbenefitsofyoga.StressedOut?10relaxationtechniquestotry.WhatColorsYourWorld?Differenthuesmayaffectyourmood,diet,andmore.WhatAffectsYourPersonality?Learnwhyyouarethewayyouare.Slideshow10HealthMythsDebunkedSlideshowHowBadHabitsAffectYourHealthSlideshow12MythsAboutHangoversSlideshowCleanUptheClutterinYourHomeSlideshowWhatYourHomeSaysAboutYourHealthQuizMythsandFactsAboutYourMoodsArticleWhyCan'tIRememberAnything?QuizWhatMakesUsHappy?10TipstoZapStressHowBadHabitsAffectYourHealth10HealthMythsDebunked9TypesofYogatoTryBustClutterinYourHomeVideo:5NaturalWaystoGetHappyHealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads