Summary
Midwest Book Reviews (3)
4.6 Stars (Average) Amazon Reviews (8)
A prolific writer of published articles, Carol Rutter provides the reader with an especially articulate, thoughtful and thought-provoking discussion of . . . the law of attraction as it relates to relationships and other universal laws and principles in Burying The Secret.
Drawing upon more than 300 books in the fields of mysticism, psychology, Eastern philosophy, and metaphysics, Carol has compiled and written a particularly reader-friendly and occasionally iconoclastic self-help manual based on key influences that impinge upon the development of the human soul. Among these fundamental influences are the learning of lessons, voluntary acts of redemption, sacrifice, and free will.
A seminal work founded upon truly impressive research that spanned a decade, Burying The Secret is very highly recommended for non-specialist general readers with an interest in spirituality, self-improvement, and metaphysics.
Susan Bethany
Midwest Book Review
This Midwest Book Review (MBR) critique appeared in MBR's Reviewer's Bookwatch, February 2008.
Midwest Book Review #2
In "Burying the Secret," Carol Rutter shares her story with us of how the Law of Attraction did not work for her. For years, she adhered to this idea, but things got worse and worse for her. When she started researching psychology, mysticism and Eastern thought, she realized that not all prayers are to be answered for a variety of reasons. She states, "The Secret" fails to acknowledge that unanswered petitions are the norm because fulfillment of the most dramatic or life-changing prayers usually conflict with our karmic standing and/or purpose in life..."
This really makes a lot of sense to me, especially after reading her book. She extensively researches the other areas mentioned above and references them so that you can further review her discussion. In her writings you discover why bad things happen to good people and you see good things happening to bad people. She really makes a lot of sense.
I enjoyed "The Secret" to the point that I read it, watched it, and went to a conference on it. Even though, I am a fan of "The Secret," I had a lot of questions in my mind; that she addresses. These questions and thoughts were lurking in the back of my mind, because I was afraid if I verbalized them, then I would be cancelling the Law of Attraction. After reading, "Burying the Secret," I feel like I have a greater understanding of how things really work.
I highly recommend "Burying the Secret" to people who are familiar or interested in "The Secret" or the Law of Attraction. It will help provide some balanced ideas to people who are on their spiritual quest. It will definitely help you understand why karmic law and/or prayer, does not always allow our prayers to be answered. Reading this book made me feel so much more positive about the path that I am on.
Paige Lovitt
Midwest Book Review
This Midwest Book Review (MBR) critique appeared in MBR Bookwatch, March 2008, in Reader Views, and in Amazon.com.
Midwest Book Review #3
Personally, I’m glad someone has finally taken the time and energy to argue against law-of-attraction thinking. I, too, have known friends and acquaintances who bought into this contemporary con and then found themselves in serious financial trouble. We would all love to just ‘think’ about what we want - to be thin, rich, loved - and have it materialize. However, most of us know there is so much more involved than just the law of attraction to acquire what we desire in life. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with maintaining a positive, optimistic outlook on life. I believe the people who write ‘law-of-attraction’ books realize financial success because we buy their books.
Carol Rutter is an educated woman who has spent many hours reading and studying over 300 books and articles to find answers for her life. In Burying the Secret she tries to share her studies and thoughts with us from psychological to religious/metaphysical perspectives. The book is an organized collection of her research, plus her personal interpretations and current beliefs.
Midwest Book Review
Kaye Trout, Amazon Reviewer
*****
This Midwest Book Review (MBR) critique appeared through the MBR account at Amazon.com
This well-written book is chock full of wise insights about how our everyday lives work from a spiritual point of view. The author starts off with autobiographical info after applying the law of attraction and then seeing life as she knew it fall apart. Next, she analyzes The Secret in numerous ways, with most of them leading to the conclusion that the bestseller is shallow at best and dangerous at worst. Yet even this chapter operates on many levels at once.
I breezed through the first three chapters and found the rest to be an easy read peppered with incredibly deep perceptions. I often found myself putting the book down to think about a particular passage. In turn, this book is part journalism, part psychology and part philosophy, but always spiritually motivated. I know I will have to read it again to fully grasp each and every nuance.
I especially appreciated the lengthy section on childhood injuries and the purpose of talent. I have been impatient about my own fledgling musical career and this section helped me a lot.
Lily H Rhinehart
Amazon Reviewer
*****
While, ostensibly, this book is an indictment of the pop psychology/light metaphysics book, The Secret, this far-ranging work became much more to me.
I benefited from in depth treatments of the psychological aspects of parent-child relations, a general treatment of Jungian psychology, particularly the collective unconscious, a short, but effective synopsis of Caroline Myss’s work on recovering from wounds and intriguing sections later in the book on universal laws as she discerned them.
I also found her biographical sections on her life’s lessons, how difficult it was to learn them and why “The Secret” was not effective for her to ring true and hold inspiration for me.
While I am not ready to embrace her more esoteric ideas, such as the Akashic records, definitive treatments of pre-birth activities, the fact is, I got plenty of inspiration from her words.
I do not believe that one book can an all-purpose spiritual and evolutionary guide, except maybe the Bible. However, one idea can inspire an individual to critically examine beliefs and behavior and make a change. There were many such ideas in this book. I received plenty of helpful inspiration and I can enthusiastically recommend this book.
I also want to say that there is a marvelous exercise in self-understanding in an appendix near the end of the book.
John Temmerman
Amazon Reviewer
*****
The premise of Carol Rutter’s book is that affirmations alone cannot turn your life around. She tried it and failed miserably, ending up poverty stricken, working in a call center as a telephone solicitor with criminals and crazies. She critiques the premise of “The Secret,” by Rhonda Byrne, editor. She says that “Editor Rhonda Byrne and The Secret’s 24 contributors would have us believe that the law of attraction supersedes all other Universal laws, because no other forces governing our lives are mentioned in this book.” “Burying the Secret” looks into all the causes of our problems, and offers a practical guide to moving through life’s difficult straits.
Carol Rutter describes all the factors she has found that may sabotage one’s best intentions to “think positive” and “visualize success.” She names outside forces, such as a history of child abuse or bad parenting, that are beyond our control and may thwart our conscious intentions. If we are stuck in denial or repression, affirmations won’t help. We may simply have things to work out with our subconscious mind before we can program it for success.
Carol Rutter mentions that we all have difficult situations to work out in life and that working things out brings maturity. Simply trying to “think away” a problem through affirmations, or to try to get rich by using the law of attraction, would defeat our purpose, which is to learn from our mistakes. Also, sometimes we must sacrifice for a loved one, and therefore postpone the fulfillment of our own visualizations. She rightly points out that adversity brings us closer to god, so some problems bring their rewards only after we have worked through them using all our resources, not just positive thinking. She points out that trying to solve a complex problem with affirmations is simply “magical thinking,” which is a common sympotom of psychosis and schizophrenia.
This book is sorely needed and will answer many questions for some of the millions who purchased “The Secret” book or DVD, who have been befuddled in their attempts to affirm their way to success, or accumulate riches through the power of attraction. Therefore it should sell well among disillusioned former “Secret” fans. The book is well written and personal, offering examples from the author’s own life and sincere quest to find herself amid the pressures we all face in contemporary society.
Nori Muster
Amazon Reviewer
*****
Rutter exposes many flaws in Byrne’s The Secret using her personal experiences in the context of Western mystical/metaphysical tradition & psychology--a non-fictional critique of a fictional (fantasy) work--e.g. Byrne’s book p. 181 nonsensically says: “100% human potential is the result of proper education”. The Nature vs. Nurture argument is silly--both are important--Rutter incorporates both; Byrne does not (e.g. the Phila. Saving Fund Society’s motto: “Wishing won’t do it, saving will,” Henry Ford’s 1% inspiration/99% perspiration, & The Ugly Duckling). Rutter calls Byrne’s work: p. 31: “snake oil at its finest...an expensively produced infomercial”--noting its contributors’ financial motivation, magical thinking, & sense of entitlement [a deadly duo IMHO]. It reminds me of “space cadets” who join spiritual groups & soon begin to teach others from their limited understanding/naivety. But, Rutter states p. 175: “Seasoned metaphysical readers will recognize this as merely an introduction, so I leave it to the reader to study further.” Thus, she provides basic metaphysical teachings, an extensive bibliography & a useful psychological exercise vs. Byrne’s saying p. 179--”feel good...the greatest part of the secret.”
I esp. liked Rutter’s integration of Jungian principles--synchronicity (see The Tao of Psychology: Synchronicity and Self) & introjection & her explication of p. 65: the Pendulum Principle (see Knowledge management and information technology: Know-IT encyclopedia). But “Burying” is not for everyone; p. 172: “it speaks to us at the time we are ready for it...our present state of receptivity. If it seems almost like it is written in a foreign language then our consciousness is not welcoming at this point.”
If it’s elementary for you (or you’re turned off by the anthropomorphic language), read Wisdom of the Mystic Masters--the Rosicrucian “law of attraction” is much more comprehensive than “The Secret” which is deficient in details & ignores limitations. Certain Buddhist sects (e.g. Nicheren chanting, Mahayana Bodhichitta, & Vajrayana deity/guru yoga) use it as well, but not as a stand-alone technique. For a more erudite Western treatment of such laws, read Kybalion: A Study of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece (one of few books I retain permanently) or study Kabbalistic kavannah (Kabbalah (Meridian)).
I do take issue with Rutter’s “pre-birth contract” (it only applies to advanced individuals), & her bookkeeping view of karma (only a metaphor), see Mansions of the Soul), but she implies she’s a tyro. Please read past the initial critique chapters to the informative, later ones. I’d also add a few things--”The Secret’s” approach can be likened to hypnosis or “whack-a-mole”--effortlessly eliminating a want or problem often causes another to appear. Further, science, not placebos, solves medical problems, & attributing causation to some unstructured instances is how superstitions develop. In a Lord Dunsany story, Jorkens claims he lost a lottery by paying two different psychics to ensure a win--when the lottery accidentally drew two tickets (both Jorkens’ no doubt!), they just drew again. Dunsany wrote just in fun; if you read “The Secret” do it just in fun. The Collected Jorkens, Vol. 1: The Travel Tales of Mr. Joseph Jorkens and Jorkens Remembers
Neal Pollock
Top 500 Amazon Reviewer
****1/2
Within the framework of responding to Rhonda Byrne’s “The Secret,” Rutter weaves autobiography, expose, searching cultural commentary, and an analytical compendium of helpful books on important psychological and spiritual issues. If you liked “The Secret,” read this book. If you didn’t like “The Secret,” read this book. If you care nothing at all about “The Secret,” but are interested in knowing more about American culture and human nature, read this book. The 10-page exercise at the back of the book is worth the price alone.
Janet Riehl
Amazon Reviewer
****
In this expose, Rutter tells her personal story of medical, financial, and personal ruin while she subscribed to the philosophies on which The Secret is based. She reveals the corporation (money-making machine) behind The Secret and its countless spin-offs, and traces the rise of this new age text in American mass culture. Rutter provides the reader with other universal laws that apply in addition to, and sometimes contrary to, The Secret’s law of attraction. This easy-to-read volume is well-organized, highly personal and highly scientific, and includes an extensive bibliography.
Jessica Lux
Amazon Reviewer
****