The Secret

One of my new favorite stores is Target. It is one of those places where I go in for a $3.49 greeting card and come out with 3 bags and a $107.35 receipt. A few weeks ago I was roaming around aimlessly in Target, going through each and every aisle. I had to make sure that I do not miss any new and exciting product which I may not be aware that I desperately need (I mean how did I ever live with out Vanilla flavored potpourri?!). After I picked up the much needed 4Th pink lip gloss and the very necessary "Mona Lisa Smile" DVD (just in case I would like to watch it for the 5Th time) I found myself in the book aisle. The best seller section had a few books that I had already read, but I came across one which caught my attention, The Secret. The movie made a bit of a buzz when it came out and I have heard a little buzzing here and there about the book as well. Sounded to me like the same old message, "good energy will bring you good things and vise verse with bad energy". I had dismissed both the movie and the book because I figured that we have all heard the story before through other similar movies and books so it is just repetition. Standing in the book aisle in Target I found myself feeling the NEED to add one more item to my cart in order to feel satisfied with my shopping experience. The book was right there in front of me so I said "what the hell" and picked it up. I will read it to see what all the fuss is about.
The book is about "the power of attraction", indicating that one can attract what they desire into their life only by thinking about it. All they need to do is 1. ask for what they want (from the Universe), 2. believe that they will receive it, and 3. act as though they already have it. The book provided us with numerous examples of different individuals who have used this technique and in result became millionaires, published best seller books and found true love. The book also states that one will attract what they do NOT want into their life with their thoughts. For example if you think "I do not want to trip and fall" the universe will hear your thought and grant you a trip and fall. It does not matter if you are asking for it or asking for NOT it, you are thinking about it. "Your wish is my command" is what the Universe is continually telling us. As I was reading, I started becoming more and more conscience of my thoughts. Even though I was not yet convinced I seemed to be trying to discard of the negative thoughts (just in case). So obviously my thoughts automatically travelled towards the plane crashing (I was reading on a plane), the loss of my luggage and having an awful 3 day weekend. It became such a struggle to control my thoughts and to really believe what I was thinking that I felt exhausted.
Now I am not a philosopher, but I have always been a strong believer of "Energy". My theory is that if you have positive energy others will feel it and return it to you and the same goes with negative energy. The reason is simple and far from superstition. "Energy" is just how you present yourself. If you are sincere, happy, optimistic and kind, that is positive energy. If you are an insincere, sad and lazy pessimist, you are dispersing negative energy. That only means that others will feel your vibe and return the exact same thing to you. In addition your feelings, good or bad, will bring you more of the same feelings.
I am not sure if I would go as far as believing that what enters our life is the doing of the Universe, or how with out wanting or knowing we could attract negative events to our lives. All I know is that when I am happy the chain continues and when I am sad it is very hard to break the cycle. I also know that reading The Secret made me very nervous about my uncontrollable thoughts.
I believe that it is not the Universe that is "commanding your wish", it is all inside you, your beliefs, your thoughts and yes, your actions!
I am out of the Vanilla flavored potpourri, I HAVE to go back to Target.