The Secret Revealed: Exposing the Truth About The Law Of Attraction

In this presentation, I will consider the book entitled The Secret Revealed: Exposing the Truth About The Law of Attraction. Please read the previous post as this entry is the second in a series based on this book. I will continue sharing my thoughts to some of the critiques by the authors via the lens of my own personal and professional experiences. Note that I made mention in the previous post that although I had seen the film The Secret, I had not yet read the book of the same name when I began writing the outline for this series. Since that time, I have read The Secret, and it will be the focus of a future entry. I would like to base this entry on the word “intention.” Please go to “The Word Is…” on my website for an audio presentation on tips to enhance the power of your “intention.”

Intention is a word that I think is hard to understand. I looked up the word in my Webster’s dictionary and found that it is classified as a noun and defined as “an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result.” This definition appears to be close to that of the verb “intend” which is defined as “to have in mind as something to be done or brought about.” I don’t think intention is a “thing” or an “action.” Wikipedia describes “intentional behavior” as “thoughtful and deliberate goal-directedness.” This defines a behavior similar to setting goals.

So, how would I define the word “intention?” I offer to you that intention is a “state of consciousness.” I have to add I am certainly not an expert on linguistics, but I mean to use this definition as a way to understand the general concept of the word if not the strict definition. Maybe an example would elucidate what I mean.

Have you, or do you know of other people who have, fallen in love when meeting someone for the first time and making statements such as “When I saw her, I knew I would marry her” or “The moment I saw him, I knew he was the love of my life.” What do these statements mean? Well, I don’t think they are referring to “a thing” or “an action” or even "a thought." They are referring to a “knowing” or an experience of something that "just is.” I think this “knowing” is the same as “intention” in that neither concept refers to a thing, an action, or a thought. It is a state of consciousness.

In this book, the authors commented on a couple wanting to buy a house and their stance that there is an absurdity in “thinking” something into existence. They concluded that it took money, looking at many homes, and “taking wise and diligent actions.” They added, “In time, they will own a home that meets their needs: not because they “thought it into existence” but rather because after their thinking came actions in alignment with that desire.” I agree with the authors. There first is a wish/desire and thought about the object of that wish/desire. Then there are actions that are taken towards obtaining that object. But, buying a home can still be done without having “intention” as I defined it. Just as having faith that they will eventually be able to buy this home is an added bonus (if you will) it would be a bonus if there is also an “intention” to have the home of their dreams.

Maybe another example? You are hungry for a round-ish, red fruit labeled an apple. You are not thinking “round-ish, red fruit labeled an apple.” You are more likely to briefly experience the apple (taste? scent?) for which you currently have a wish/desire. It is this experience or state of consciousness that I would label intention. You may take the action needed to obtain it such as getting some money, going to the store, and buying the apple. You then have in your hand the thing that was the object of your wish/desire. And when you take a bite of that apple you have reached your goal.

Intention is not a thing, action, or thought. It is a state of consciousness. I will address intention again later with my entry on the book The Secret. Maybe by then I will have better examples or have feed back from you about what is your interpretation on intention that may change my own. Until then, I hope this entry clarifies my conception of the word.

Thank you. May this book be influential in your life on your own road to success. Please contact me if there is a particular book you would like me to read and review.