Hindu philosophy advocates the virtue of Mantra.  What is the secret of a Mantra?  When we fully understand the meaning of a word, a sentence or a goal and repeat it several times the words spoken or unspoken will attract its meaning to our life and circumstances.    Here, understanding is the first thing, dedicated repeating the second and believe the third.   In Bible, Jesus told that if you believe in what you pray you will receive it.  If you believe that this hill moved from this place and pray confidently it will be done.  

In the book the Alchemist, Paulo Coelho too reflected the secret.   OG Mondino in his ’The greatest Secret in the world’ told that it is you the secret.   The fact is that the secret of positive thinking and oneness is no secret where it was there for thousands of years and explained and detailed by many.   Still the secret remains a secret to many.   Why?

Suppose elders are talking, say about sex.   If there is a small child of 1 year the elders may not mind the child and continue their talk.  They know that the child can hear but they also know that the child will not understand its meaning.  What if there is a 12 year old child around?   When we search why the Secret remained secret for generations, we will meet the reality that we remained as 1 year old child with ears but no knowledge - heard a lot but didn’t understood anything.

The Secret by ’Rhonda Byrne’ is another attempt to popularize, capitalize and commercialize the secret.   In a sense it will be wrong to credit the book to ’Rhonda Byrne’ where the book was completely depending on explanations from various authors.  Here Rhonda Byrne played the role of an editor or as a reporter but of course adding her bit of understanding (in some places misunderstandings too) in every place.  In any case the author deserves special applaud for selecting the unique topic and presenting it in good style; in fact in great style.

Law of Attraction (i.e. like attracts like) is the central thought and the book is trying to explain how law of attraction works and works best for you.   Thoughts are magnetic, and thoughts have a frequency.  As you think thoughts, they are sent out into the universe, and they magnetically attract all like things that are on the same frequency.  Everything sent out returns to the source – you. And your thoughts become things.

The topic is my favorite and I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.  It however doesn’t mean that I fully endorse the content of the book.  I will explain why in subsequent paragraphs.  However, let me assure you that the makers of the film and the book talks about the real secret.    This is based on my observation on life and nature so far. 

The book has 10 chapters out of which I enjoyed reading the chapter ’The secret revealed’ and ’The secret to you’ very much.  The book worth repeated reading for these 2 chapters.  I am however not happy with the chapters with practical situations.

My reservations:
1. While acknowledging and accepting the power of positive thinking and law of attraction I felt the author doesn’t recognize the reverse force.   There is a mental and physical barrier everyone needs to pass which is not easy nor explained how.  Conversion of thoughts to things will take knowledge, time, material and skill and that too if somebody really show the world that they convert thought to things.  The author also didn’t consider the fate of two people trying simultaneously for a single goal.

2.   The authors insist that we need not to think for others.  The secret will be of no use for others.   This principle is against the secret itself.   One who knows the real secret will be able to influence others.  With positive imaging it is possible that we can create and change other people’s fate and environment if our vision is strong.  The Guru of Positive thinking, Norman Vincent Peal in his book positive imagining explains it clearly how.  In practical and common sense too there is no use of knowing the secret if we cannot change other’s life.  It is possible and the author restricted the secret’s ability here.

3. Knowledge is power; tool and solution.  However the author keeps a closed eye on knowledge.  Mere chanting cannot make ’mantra’.  The author says that she use to say thank you thank you thank you 100 times in a morning. What does that mean?  No.  A thank you is enough if we know the meaning.  Mere wishing of there will be checks in my mail without any base can be a mock wish.

4. The authors are trying to give a false illusion to the readers that anything is possible by simple thoughts.  That too no need of repeating it, simply think then believe and act as if.    A million dollar doesn’t come easily as they project in the book.  Nor the weight loss happens as told in the book.  It .   A year will not be in our hand before 365 days.  If we try to create a year as our own it will remain as our on but it is not what we wants.   We wants an year everybody can feel and enjoy.  

5. The book promotes selfishness to its core.  The existence of the universe is in harmony. On the one hand they talk about love and giving on the other dreaming and getting more.  The balancing act not explains and confusing.  Normal people who wish for more money will keep their bet on million dollars than love.

6. Why people with different frequencies end up with a similar fate, like in the case of tsunami?   The explanation goes like everybody chose to be in the same location.  What about a new born baby?   Secret is wrongly presented here.  Sorry Byrne, you missed the secret train for few years.

7. The book says all the masters who knew the secret has been following meditation.   I can agree on this and I consider meditation as one major source of acquiring power.  It helps to reach our frequencies; fine.  The book however limited this important aspect to a single line mention!!

8. The principle defies Pain and Pleasure principle.

Overall, the book contains good wisdom in its essence as told by different authors.  It stresses on the positive thinking and focus on our inner self.   However, the book will be a failure if we are looking forward to it as a practical guide.   It is a good information book one may read and enjoy.

In fact the secret they told were with me before that too but I was wondering what I do with that or how I will live with it.  The book didn’t help me much, but reassured that the secret was the secret. 

Plot Revealed In The Review:	Somewhat revealed
Purchase Price (INR):	RS1,050/-
Purchased From:	Bus stop