Oooh, haven't seen these flashy bits in a while now. I think there is even a depiction of "the universe" in here. He looks like a giant naked guy:
It reaches a climax with the typewriter typing "how to use the secret", but then crashes and burns when they bring Joe back into the fray. He looks a bit uncertain.
A lot of people ask him what their job is in "the creative process" and what the job of the universe is. Yes, I have also often wondered about the universe. I understand my job in the creative process - "solve the client's problem with an award winning ad and do so by noon today", but the universe! It has a job too! Let's find out what it's supposed to be doing.
Oh no, I can't find out, because they've plucked Joe away from us and replaced him with another man telling us to look at Aladdin and his lamp. Let's. Oh, ok, sorry, my bad. That image above that they showed during the flashing sequence was actually Aladdin's genie. We continue. Genie just popped out of the lamp. "The genie always says one thing." The genie obliges by saying "your wish is my command". Wait, this is going to be good. Let me quote James Ray directly here:
"If you trace the story back to its origins, you know, we now think that there's [sic] three wishes...but if you trace the story back to its origins, there's absolutely no limit whatsoever to the wishes. Think about that one." Sorry James, I'm trying, but I'm too racked with laughter to think straight. Let's run after the point of this magical lamp metaphor. Let's see if we can catch it.
"Now, let's take this metaphor and blow it out and apply it to you and your life. Remember Aladdin is the one who always asks for what he wants and then you've got the universe (oh, so the genie is the universe...pick a lane!) at large, which is this grand genie and traditions, you know, have called it so many different things, your holy guardian angel, your higher self, I mean we could put any label on it, and you choose the one that works best for you."
The one that works best for me is "Mr Hyde". Yes, a homage to insane alter egos the world over. Very apt, I think.
"...but every tradition has told us there's something bigger than us." More elaborate hand motions. No, dear James. Every tradition does not tell us that. If a tradition is "the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, esp. by word of mouth or by practice", then I can think of several, right off the top of my head, that do not make any claims about "something bigger than us".
"...and the genie always says one thing! "Your wish is my command"." Esther takes over. "So we'd like to say to you that the creative process is a three-step process." [She looks as uncertain and confused as Joe did, earlier.]
Now we get to learn the steps.1. Ask
"You must ask for what you want", but "you don't need to use words to ask, because the universe is not hearing words from us." "The universe is responding completely to your thoughts." Bob tells us to write down exactly what we want, on a piece of paper and in the present tense, and Joe assures us that this is fun, because the universe is like our own personal catalog.
"...and you flip through it and you're like wow [well?], I'd like to have this experience, and I'd like to have that product and I'd like to have a person like that. It is you placing your order with the universe."
2. Answer
This is "an answer to what you're asking". At step one, Joe said that "it's really that easy", but now it's getting more complicated. Are we supposed to answer on behalf of "the universe"? Is the universe really my own "higher self"/Mr Hyde? Earlier we could control the universe, but since we create our own reality, are we really the universe in its entirety? Is that the secret? I am the universe, therefore I control it? It's not any crazier than anything else they've been saying.
Esther goes on to baffle me by stating, directly following "answer, an answer to what you're asking" with "and that is not your work in your physical form, the universe will do that step for you." Huh? So these are the three steps that I have to follow, except for step two, I don't have to follow it in my physical form (what other form is there?) because the universe will do this step for me. Right. The genie repeats "Your wish is my command". I'm nodding off.
Until Joe says "and the universe will start to rearrange itself to make it happen for you." This is what his face looks like right after he finished that sentence:
Does he look sincere to you? Does this man honestly think the universe rearranges itself to comply with human whims? Surely not, Joe!Jack is back with more nonsensical claptrap. "Most of us have never allowed ourselves to want what we truly want, because we can't see how it's going to manifest." I have never allowed myself. To want. What I truly want. Because I don't see how. It could happen.
DOES NOT COMPUTE!
Hey, luckily we don't need to know. We "don't need to know how the universe will rearrange itself." That's good, because it doesn't happen, so they couldn't possibly provide proof for this statement. Now they don't need to give us any, because "we don't need it". We don't need to know. I'd like to disagree and say that I really really need to know. But the data has been written to the disc and they can't answer me.
3. Receive
"You must bring yourself into alignment with what you're asking for." The child being used as an example of the three steps stares at the cut-out of the bicycle he wants. Let's see if he'll get it. Oh dear, no, he doesn't. He's been staring at the picture for days now. He takes it with him everywhere he goes. His little face shines while he imagines owning the bike. But when he goes to the store, the bike is sold. He suffers from despair, we are told, and crumples the picture up and throws it away. What now? "Bad feeling" is what now. But no worries. Without any explanation as to why, the child has rescued his crumpled picture and is now drawing more pictures of him on the bike. He smiles. That looks like positive thinking to me, surely now he will get that bike? YES! Looks like granddad bought it for him! The music is reminiscent of the half-sad songs that usually accompany the denouement in Disney movies. How sweet.
Bob informs us about the "Creative Process". When you turn fantasy into reality, that paves the way for us to make up bigger fantasies. "And that my friend, is the creative process". I did not know that, Bob.
Alright, we are privy to a slightly more in-depth evaluation of principles of the secret. We have to figure out what will help us generate the feelings of "having it now", like test-driving the car, going into the house, etc. Apparently it might manifest itself overnight, such as the elephant in the living room, or "you might get some inspired idea of some action to take".
AHA! My friends, I am a prophet. Did I not predict that "I'll soon hear about The Secret's ability to control time"? In part two of this lengthy review, I did indeed! Well, here it is:
Bob Doyle: "Action will sometimes be required, but if you're really doing it in line with what the universe is trying to deliver, it's gonna feel joyous, you're gonna feel so alive, time will just stop, you could do it all day."
Back to Joe, who shares with us a secret of a different kind. The universe has a habit. "The universe likes speed." I think this whole crew was on something, actually.
Joe then shares with us what I deem to be very bad advice. He's preaching impulsivity. "Don't delay," he says, "don't doubt". When the impulse is there, "act!". Of course, I am actively doubting every word he says, so I'm immune to this advice. He follows up this stupid instruction with "that's your job". Now I know not to become a metaphysician. It makes you downright loopy.
More of the "you'll attract whatever you need" spiel. I've harnessed the principles of the secret somehow, because my sister just requested that I go play some Wii with her. So I'll listen to the universe and go do that now.
28:44 Looks like I'm getting somewhere.
I'll be back, Bob. Just you wait.
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