Recently, a new wave of popularity regarding the “Law of Attraction” has taken the public and press over by storm. The Secret, a documentary of interviews, stories, and dramatizations of the Law of Attraction, is the main culprit behind this phenomenon.


What exactly is the Law of Attraction? It’s a theory that can essentially be summarized in three words: “like attracts like.” The Secret claims that you attract everything you desire into your life. Your life and destiny are merely the manifestation of your thoughts. Like your thoughts, the Law of Attraction is constantly working and creating. We have 60,000 thoughts a day. When we’re feeling good emotionally, we have positive thoughts, which attract positive circumstances and positive people. Likewise, if you focus on something negative, you’re simultaneously creating more of it. The Law of Attraction doesn’t discriminate—it responds to your thoughts, both good and bad. If you’re late for school and you keep thinking, “I don’t want to be late, I don’t want to be late,” chances are, you’ll get stuck in traffic, you’ll get stopped by the disciplinarian for wearing flip-flops, and you’ll consequently call your thoughts into existence.


The Secret‘s website claims, “This is The Secret to everything – the secret to unlimited joy, health, money, relationships, love, youth […] It could change your life forever.” Is this a little mind-boggling? Yes. Is it too good to be true? Perhaps. But don’t be so quick to label this off as pseudoscience New Age trash yet—The Secret and the Law of Attraction have been featured on Oprah, the Larry King Show, and the Ellen Degeneres Show, and it has already gained a multitude of followers in its short time under the spotlight.


(“All we are is the result of all we have thought.” —Buddha.) There is a three step process involved: ask, believe, and receive. You’re supposed to decide what you want, write it down in present tense (believing that you already have it: “I’m so happy that I have...”) and generate the feelings of having it in your possession. Don’t let your faith waver; don’t let yourself become doubtful or disappointed. Supposedly, you’ll eventually attract your object of desire or you’ll find some sort of inspiration on how to obtain it.


(“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”—Einstein.) Does the name Jack Canfield ring a bell? What about Chicken Soup for the Soul? Canfield, the successful author and a believer in the Law of Attraction, shares his story in the documentary. He had a “Secret teacher” who introduced him to the Law of Attraction. Amazingly enough, after a few years of believing and visualizing, he went from making $8,000 a year to making a couple million from the bestseller.


We are already employing the powers of The Secret without realizing it. Placebos, for example, show the immense power of the human mind to affect one’s body and life. Furthermore, while we’re using energy to fight poverty, terrorism, and drugs, we may be inadvertently creating more of it. As Mother Theresa once said, “Do not invite me to an anti-war rally…but call me when the peace rally starts.”


Conclusion? It’s best for you to decide for yourself. Whether you believe The Secret has the potential to be life-changing or whether you think it’s just a bunch of bull, you can’t help but respect the philosophy behind it. After all, who couldn’t use a little bit more of a positive attitude in their life?