This is the spell that awakens craving.

First, suggesting there is a conspiracy to keep something hidden from you,
something you need to know.

Right away, this is a "frame narrative" that hints at being let in on something.

Being let in on a secret.

Here is the sad comedy of it all.

Anything marketed in the millions of copies is no longer a secret.

As a kid, I loved the "Little Rascal" comedies, and every once in a while, something I hear or read triggers a memory.

For those unfamiliar, these were the adventures of a pack of poor kids during the depression. They were always making the best of what they had, while wishing for a little bit more. In one episode, the kids find a magic lamp - in one scene, one little boy crouches next to the lamp and circles his hand over it, repeating "I wish I had a watermelon!" Ok, very racist scene, but whenever I think of The Secret (or chanting), that's what runs through my head.

There was another "thing" popular when The Secret came out - "Ask and It is Given." It was a woman named Esther Hicks who channels some great master from the land of the lost or some such rubbish. Basically the same message as The Secret, only apparently lent some authenticity since it was coming from an ancient source of wisdom.

There's nothing wrong with positive thinking, but if you're trying to manifest envelopes of money flying into your mailbox, you're going to have a long wait. I wonder if it isn't just a fundamental laziness that some people have - wanting a magic charm to improve their lives with no real effort on their part. And then they get sucked in . . .

Terrific book review, corboy! Me likey!

In reading critical reveiws of the Secret, it becomes painfully obvious to me just how similar spiritual scams are. The Secret reminds me so much of chanting. Both are nothing but a "recipe for a frontal lobotomy. This is not high spiritual truth passed down through the ages, it's narcissistic delusion, bordering on the psychotic... a complete abdication of depth in favor of a supremely superficial analysis of life."

Both are "so insulting of the true nature of suffering, so ignorant of the realities of privilege and oppression, so authoritative in it's endorsement magical thinking and judgment of those who are not doing it right as to set any nascent spiritual development and self-awareness back (for years)." - Spartacus

When I heard about The Secret, that's exactly what *I* thought of as well!

Here's a funny thing - this crazy-ass woman I met last year, no, year before, at my son's friend's mom's annual Christmas party was telling me how The Secret works - you have to state exactly what you want, out loud. And her daughter said that she wanted to marry a rock band lead guitarist. Well, sir, said daughter is now engaged to the lead guitarist of a band that was about to have its first single released to the radio stations or something. I saw her again this last Christmas - I didn't think to ask how le grand amour was going...I should have, but I was really focusing on how to get the hell outta there!!

*ahem*

ANYHOW, it's the idea that the universe operates according to certain rules, which are typically hidden from us. Those who are able to figure out the rules go to the head of the class, pass to the front of the line, etc. etc., all because they have this special knowledge. Oh, it has NOTHING to do with hard work or investment or accomplishment! No! It's all about having a secret charm, a magic spell, a special bestowment, a deal with the devil, etc. etc. You weren't using that soul; sell it on eBay!!

And because people WANT to believe this, they believe it.

corboy, I heard a handy definition:

A hoax => "it's impossible." A scam => "it's obvious." The hoax is that something impossible has occurred; the scam is that there is an absolutely simple, easy, and accessible way that's obvious, but somehow, no one has noticed! Pay $10!

Spartacus, back in the day, I chanted desperately and determinedly for the Taliban to change its collective mind about blowing up the Bamiyan Buddha statues and leave them alone instead.

Guess I had weak faith, right??

ST&P, I'm sure your faith was strong enough, but I suspect that why your chanting was so completely ineffectual was because you didn't get that snuggly "ooh, Daddy, I want to be your disciple" feeling towards the venerable Senseless. Remember that four-legged stool (?) - faith, practice, contributions and mindless devotion to himself.

ST&P, considering the fact that religion is a racket, it wasn't your faith or chanting that failed to miraculously move the Taliban -
your 'prayer' failed because you didn't offer the leaders a large enough $$$ bribe... er, donation.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2014 10:03PM by Spartacus.

"If wishes were horses, beggars would ride."

And everyone would be rich.

Here's the funny part.

If everyone was rich, who would clean the toilets in all
the mansions?

Do the hairdos?

Fix the Rolls when it breaks down?

Yeah, you can chant for anything you want, but you SHOULDN'T want to chant to win the lottery! People have to work hard in life - what would life be like if people could just chant to get stuff without having to work for it??

^ I actually heard leaders explain it like that.

Junior Leader:
As a new SGI member, I was encouraged to chant for anything I want. Now that I've been appointed as a leader, can I still chant for anything I want?

Senior Leader:
No, you shouldn't chant for anything you want - you should only chant for what SENSEI wants!