“Neither believe nor reject anything because any other persons or description of persons have rejected or believed it. Your own reason is the only oracle given you by heaven.” -Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)

It seems that our society goes through different spiritual phases from time to time. Most recently, the “new” spiritual fad that has taken our country by a storm was brought about by a book titled “The Secret.” It’s written by Rhonda Byrne. While there are many nuggets of truth to be found inside the book, it tends to mislead it’s readers in some areas.

I have been interested in the power of the mind for all of my adult life. I fully believe that our minds our powerful beyond measure, and that we have yet to tap into all that our minds are compable of, and all that we could possibly be. Still, It’s my feeling that action has to follow belief. I could sit in the shade all day wishing, hoping, and even believeing that my house will build it’s self, but unless I put some muscle behind all of that thinking, the only thing the lumber will attract is dust.

I am an advocate of positive thinking. I believe that positive thoughts, feeling that I am worthy of love and abundance, will certainly open me up to recieve more of the same, but there is nothing “magical” about this, and it’s certainly not a secret. I think it should also go without saying that if a person fills their mind with negative thoughts, such as feeling inferior or thoughts of scarcity, it will make it nearly impossible to have anything better than that.

Positive thinking or not, I think it’s a bit over the top to suggest that every bad thing that happens to you is due to your own thinking. Lightning strikes where it will. It has no respect of persons. The same holds true for famines, and other natural disasters. No one asks for these things, and no one brings these things on their self. Molested children certainly do not attract that type of crime on their own person. It just isn’t true.

I also have a problem with the “get rich” theme that makes it’s weave throughout the book. Like all you have to do is think about a new car, a mansion, etc, and it will somehow make it’s way to you. It feeds the feeling that is already dominant in our society that we do not have enough. We need more, bigger, and better. Whatever happened to gratitude, contentment, feeling blessed, and satisfied that you have enough already? Considering the conditions in some third world countries, we are already rich, no matter where we fall on the pay scale. We already have plenty of things. We simply need a shift in our attitude, a heart full of gratitude, and a song in our spirit for today.