It is no secret that the benefits of the law of attraction have been theorized on and written about by many thinkers of all fields for centuries. Australian-born writer and producer Rhonda Byrne never claimed to be the author of such a concept, she was introduced to it when reading “The Science of Getting Rich” by Wallace Wattles according to Four Minute Books.com. What she can take credit for, however, is an elegant rebranding of the concept by launching it to the eyes of the masses with her 2006 documentary “The Secret”, which explores the benefits of positive thinking and the power of thoughts, emotions, and gratitude. Through a series of interviews with subject matter experts, powerful quotes, and reenactment scenes, the magic of audiovisual storytelling in this film managed to make a compelling argument in favor of the law of attraction. Later the same year, this documentary was repurposed and released in a book format with the same title. The book is loyal to the brand established by the film as several editions have a unique cover with a parchment texture on its background, adding to the mystery and allure already posed by its title.
With over 30 million copies sold and translations into over 50 languages, some may have wondered, “Why not just watch the film?”. The experience of reading “The Secret” is enriched by the expansion of ideas already posed in the film through commentary by Byrne herself, this coupled with the aesthetic of the book, makes for a strong engagement with many readers. The book has since had a variety of spin-offs, from audiobooks to gratitude workbooks, manifestation cards, and much more. A big differentiator between “The Secret” and other self-help books is that there is a portion dedicated to exploring the ideas of manifestation from a scientific perspective, which is intriguing to those who might otherwise see the whole concept as pseudoscience or another cash grab. It is not enough to have compelling testimonials, quantum psychics, and the measurement of thoughts, although not explored by Rhonda herself, make a case for the validity of her ideas.
“My intention is and will always be: joy to billions”, says the author in her website thesecret.tv, which has many products available for those interested in honing the law of attraction. Since 2006 Bryne and her team have released a series of books including “The Power” (2010), “The Magic” (2012), and “The Greatest Secret” (2020). Will you explore “The Secret”?
