Watched "The Secret" this week for the first time (on the advice of a 40-year TMer) and I enjoyed it immensely. I found its message positive and inspirational. I recommend it highly.
Having said that, I predict, on the basis of his appearance in this DVD, that John Hagelin will be given an ultimatum by either MMY or others in the TMO: either repudiate what is in the DVD or step down from his positions in the TMO. Why will it come to this? Because, unlike the "What the bleep" movie which was basically a discussion of physics and its connection to spirituality and the mind- body question, "The Secret" involves the teaching and dissemination of actual mental techniques. And not just your run-of-the-mill, positive-mental-attitude, it's- good-to-have-a-sunny-disposition, garden-variety mental technique. No, the makers of this DVD promise their practitioners that by practising the mental techniques described in "The Secret" they will obtain nothing less than anything in the universe that they ask for. And that's the rub: the instructions unveiled in this film are, bottom line, mental techniques...and not-so-innocuous mental techniques at that. In order to practise them they require controlling one's thoughts and feelings. And they pretty much require practising their techniques for a good part of the day. And this, my friends, is a freight train running head-on into an oncoming locomotive. Why? Because the question will inevitably be asked: why start TM when all one has to do to get anything from the universe is to follow the mental technique instructions in "The Secret"? And if one is already doing TM, why continue with it and bother with all the unstressing and the two 20-minute periods each day when all you have to do is the Secret's 3-step program. Hey, I dare say that "The Secret" is far superior to TM: much more practical and cheaper at $29.95 than the unweildy 7-step $2,500 TM Program!. Indeed, "The Secret" even comes with its own holy tradition...and it includes people we've heard of: Einstein, Henry Ford, Churchill! Why bother moving to Fairfield and spending 6 hours in the Dome each day when in the privacy and comfort of your existing home without moving away from your hometown you can get world peace just by practising "The Secret"? Because, after all, if through "The Secret" anything in the universe is available to you, obtaining world peace for this itty-bitty third rock from the sun shouldn't be such a big deal. No, any way you cut it, bottom line is that the teachings in this DVD conflict with the TMO's and MMY's direction. And if sneaking off to Iowa City to get hugged by a middle-aged Indian woman is enough to get you kicked out of the Dome, then I dare say that hooking up with a multinational marketing program promising nothing less than changing the course of human history can only warrant you at least the same. Hagelin cannot be in one of the top 5 positions in the TMO (next to Maharishi, Bevan and da King) and, next to Maharishi, the #1 PR position of the TMO (is he not the face of the TMO in the Western World?) and be a part of a program that a regular TM trooper can now point to and say: "Well, John Hagelin appeared in this film and they say all you have to do to get everything you want is this and that...so why should I bother with this TM teaching if Hagelin endorses it?". And even though Hagelin's participation is not the parts where actual instructions are given, he does by his presence give credence to the whole kit-and-kaboodle. There's no way of getting around it: he is sold in the DVD as being part-and-parcel of "The Secret". So push has to come to shove. And Hagelin will inevitably be asked to clarify his position. And when he is confronted and told to clarify his position, he will told that it will have to be public so that all the minions know where he stands. But Hagelin will also be presented with, inevitably, an additional admonition: "And, John, in addition to repudiating this film you must agree to never, ever appear in films or any media like this again and you must always toe the TM party- line". The problem is that our Mr. Hagelin loves the limelight a wee bit too much. Sure, he'll think long and hard but I'll bet a dollar to a donut that he will, ultimately, choose to go the way of a Deepak and resign and cut his ties. Hey, just by virtue of sheer boredom. I mean, how many years can you repeat the same claptrap? No, Hagelin will choose more limelight opportunities over rigid guru-imposed, you'll-getting-your-comeuppance restrictions on his free speech and he'll fly the coup.
