by Kaushik Guha

Created on: June 29, 2009

Have you watched "The Secret - A Movie"?

It's a very popular movie that explains the power of thought. We become what we think of - this is the mantra that the movie drives home again and again. The movie is shot in a documentary format and it showcases several people - ordinary people just like you and me who harnessed the power of their thoughts to create the kind of life they wanted. It is about creating abundance in all areas of health, wealth and relationships .

The power of thought is a much discussed subject in the area of personal development. It's the basis or the fundamental premise upon which all other models of personal development are built.

What then, makes The Secret different (in a good way?)

1. It is not a lengthy boring documentary filled with psycho-babble about the human brain.

So far as the techniques go - prayers, affirmations, visualizations and so on, there is nothing ' new' in this movie. Particularly if you have been studying personal development for any length of time, chances are you have run into all of them at one point of time or another.

However, it moves on real life anecdotes of normal people just like you and me. Real life characters that have transformed their lives. And this makes it much simpler to relate to the principles discussed.

You literally would go 'wow, that guy was worse off than I am. If he can turn things around, so can I for sure'.

2. It does a great job of taking a rather abstract idea and commercializing it for a mainstream audience. It does so by very carefully balancing psychology, quantum mechanical principles, and real life examples. This balance is almost as perfect as it gets - at no time would you get bored.

What could have been better?

More emphasis on the importance of taking action.

A story in the movie goes like this: A lady goes to a jewelers and looks in through the glass window everyday at a beautiful necklace. She really wants it. Day and night she is 'thinking' about it, 'visualizing' it over and over again in her mind.

Suddenly one day a handsome man in a tuxedo (whom she doesn't know)walks in through her door , gives her the necklace and proposes marriage to her! Wow, behold the power of thought eh?

You might say that's just a movie. But the message can be easily misinterpreted as :No need to take concrete action towards your goal. Just think about it, and it will happen.

But you know it will not! Mere thoughts and affirmations are just the beginning of the process of manifestation. It's a personal responsibility to take action and make the rubber meet the road. The movie fails to emphasize on this quality enough.

Will it change my life?

No movie on its own has the power to change lives. Sorry, but true. But The Secret is a refreshing course in the fundamentals- we have the power to change our life by changing the thoughts we indulge in.

Conclusion

A worth watch. And if you are new to this philosophy, it's a great starting point for your personal development. Welcome to the world of The Secret!

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