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The Secret is PartialDuff said Jul 11, 2006, 12:51 PM: |
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As a Life Coach, Philosopher, and Integral devotee, this movie totally pissed me off. Now don't get me wrong, there were parts of it I liked. I am a huge fan of positive reframing, and I use it all the time with myself and my clients to stay positive, to “focus on what you want, not what you don't want.” There's no way that you'll get what you want if you focus all your energy and attention on what you don't want. I totally agree with that. But this movie went way beyond the proper domain of positive reframing (or “the law of attraction”) and quickly trailed off into superstitious, anti-intellectual, pseudoscientific, capitalist bullshit. The purpose of “abundance thinking” is not to accurately represent the world but to inspire and frame our attitudes, to determine what things mean for us. This movie falls into the common new-age/postmodern trap of taking this partial truth too far, overemphasizing framing and subjective experience to the point of denying the existence of an objective reality. Specifically this movie denies the very real competitive capitalist socio-economic environment; it denies the very real limits of oil, gas, coal, and other natural resources; it denies and de-emphasizes the importance of political change and activism. Sure Oprah made it out of the ghetto and became a billionaire–but she is the exception that proves the rule! Only by changing things at the socio-economic and political levels can we change the probabilities of having more “Oprahs.” It was not merely her positive thinking that did it–pure statistical luck also played a hugely significant role. For instance, it might be true that “anyone” can become “rich” in the United States, but certainly not everyone…unless you reframe “rich” as feeling abundant. My sister has facilitated several work camps to help poor kids in Tijuana. The orphans in Tijuana feel rich compared to the kids who live on the nearby hill, a hill that is nothing more than an old garbage dump covered by a thin layer of dirt. Certainly everyone reading this could feel grateful in an instant just by thinking about how much they have compared to those kids in Tijuana. But if instead “rich” means something objective, like “making $100k/year” or “having $1m in liquid assets,” then there are real, objective limits to how many people can have this kind of abundance. And anyone who claims that “everyone” could be abundant in this way is just plain wrong. Similarly to how conservatives frame the economic debate by referring to “Tax Relief” (which implies that taxes are an affliction that needs relieving, versus taxes are membership dues to an exclusive club, or taxes pay for important stuff we couldn't do by ourselves), referring to “the “law” of attraction” gives the important subjective guideline a false air of objective truth. I don't believe this framing was intentionally deceptive, but it certainly is misleading. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialMuse said Jul 11, 2006, 3:26 PM: |
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I guess there's no way to edti….I hit the button by accident. anyway….Hi Duff. Sorry the Secret didn't resonate with you the way it does some. I'm sure you've found material you have a better attraction to. Your post seems to say that the Secret just wasn't your cup of tea. Have a great day |
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Re: The Secret is PartialWeetzie said Jul 11, 2006, 3:29 PM: |
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I might agree to a certain point that wealth is not what its all about, but when you take into account that most of our fears have to do with money, if we have enough of it for the bills, if we'll have enough to have kids, or if we'll have enough to retire. Whatever it is, a large portion of the world has decided that money makes it go 'round. Working within that paramiter, then money is the key to happiness, for a lot of people atleast. Its hard to work on personal growth and bliss when your electricity is about to be cut off, and your house is going to be forclosed on. How many homeless people have you seen doing yoga or discussing enlightenment withother homeless people? I can't say as I've seen that. So yeah, maybe there was an emphasis on money, but can you blame anyone for that? I can't. I personally think that for whatever reason, it didnt touch you the way its touched some other people, myself included, and thats alright, but I think your conclusions are a bit harsh, as well as negative towards an idea that maybe you didnt vibrate with. Please keep in mind that before you critcize an ideal you don't agree with, you might be the one looking at it in a partial manner. Just a thought. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialDuff said Jul 11, 2006, 4:51 PM: |
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It's a question of to what extent. Certainly money is important–I totally agree with that. But how much money? And how do you amass your wealth? My criticism is not directed towards the homeless or even the middle class. It was more directed towards people like Joe Vitale, who uses manipulative, hypnotic marketing techniques to amass huge amounts of wealth and then makes the claim in The Secret than “anyone” can become rich like himself, denying the real limits of the economy and the market. Sure “anyone” can become wealthy, but not everyone–at least not in a capitalist economy that has a tendency to move towards increasing gaps between rich and poor! Wealth is a good thing–but wealth in the hands of the few is a terrible, destructive, dangerous thing. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialWeetzie said Jul 11, 2006, 6:54 PM: |
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See, the point you're missing is that the amount doesnt matter. In the movie, he talks about wanting 100,000 but that was just a goal. A place he could set in his mind and visualise. When people have enough of what they need, they don't want to have more money then they can use, thats why there is always going to be more then enough for everyone. People like Bill Gates cant really even give their money away fast enough, whether or not they have more then they need. He would literally have to spend every waking moment giving rolls of hundreds away to every person he passed on the street for years on end and he'd still have more then he'd be able to give away. And not everyone wants money, so even if the people who do were given a million dollars, there would still be more then enough. Thats how much money is in the world, how much wealth. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialBrian C. said Jul 12, 2006, 5:59 AM: |
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Weetzie has a great point here. Perhaps it all comes down to a massive re-distribution of wealth. The ultra-rich will be inclined to pass on their wealth to those who truly need it. The universe will take care of the details. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialLarryC said Sep 1, 2006, 3:08 PM: |
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Andrew speaks about †… our refusal to transcend our almost pathological engagement with our narcissistic inclinations.†>> I don’t think the Law of Attraction is everything, but it’s probably the best place to start. We do perceive reality through our individual thoughts, emotions and desires and to acknowledge this is not narcissism. Narcissism is when you get carried away and expect everyone else in the world to devote themselves to your desires. Most teachers of the Law of Attraction, such as Abraham, point out that you cannot manipulate others’ realities. When they say all you have to do is “feel good,” it may sound simplistic, but when you really can do it, you feel benevolent towards others, not selfish (in the negative sense). I’m afraid that sometimes spiritual teachers who warn us against narcissism, while themselves presiding over hierarchical organizations, are really displeased that people aren’t working to fulfill their (the gurus’) desires. With the Law of Attraction, the Universe is your guru. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialAlex Chua said Jul 12, 2006, 5:50 PM: |
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It's all about the good that wealth can do isn't it? I was at a talk by Marc Benioff, yesterday… he coauthored Compassionate Capitalism, a best-practices guide for corporate philanthropy. The model sounds good to me… we can be sure better models will be sprouting up… oh… & he mentioned that Google is adoping his 111 model… interesting… “The company that makes ‘doing good’ a core piece of its management philosophy empowers its employees, engages its customers, and strengthens its community,” said Robert K. Goodwin, president and CEO, Points of Light Foundation. “In ten years, I expect that integrated philanthropy will be the norm rather than the exception.” Compassionate Capitalism proposes that business and community needs are actually closely aligned, and encourages companies to make serving the community a central focus. The notion of philanthropy as separate from a corporation’s regular operations is finished. The new model says that philanthropy must be woven into every thread of corporate existence so that it becomes a part of the cultural fabric of the corporation itself. “Every year, corporate philanthropic foundations pour $30 billion into their endeavors in the U.S. alone,” said Benioff. “Many of these efforts occur in isolation with little or no relationship to the communities in which they operate, the people they employ, or their corporate missions. Compassionate Capitalism calls for a new model – one that closely aligns business and community goals and focuses on serving the communities in which a business operates.” |
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Re: The Secret is Partialplease delete everything [no longer around] said Jul 13, 2006, 10:46 AM: |
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Awesome… makes me feel much better |
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Re: The Secret is PartialWeetzie said Jul 13, 2006, 7:20 PM: |
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I really must agree Alex. Because of the great power money has been given, it then in turn wields a great power of its own. The power to do terrible things, or wonderous things. The power to make us feel bad, or really good. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialWholeogram Man said Jul 13, 2006, 10:24 PM: |
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Even though my heart says to just stay with “makes me feel better,” my head is tempted to move and think. Duff said: “…a capitalist economy that has a tendency to move towards increasing gaps between rich and poor! Wealth is a good thing-but wealth in the hands of the few is a terrible, destructive, dangerous thing.” It sure is! Wealth in the hands of the few and a comparative poverty in the hands of the many, is a hard reality in the 3-D physicality of our bodies! It happens every single day! In 3-D. But I wonder if the reality of our bodies is the only reality? Valid, yes. But, perhaps not the only one. My soul says physicality is not the only reality, while my mind cannot see anything BUT! (And perhaps the nature of the mind is to relate or interface only with physicality?) And perhaps movies like WTB point to the possibility that 3-D is not the only reality? Perhaps its popularity is in harmony with what many, many people already sense in their very own soul? Weetzie said: “Because of the great power money has been given…” Who gave money that power? If we say “We didn't” (whether true or not), our inherent power slips out of our hands and is gone into others hands. A truly terrible, destructive and dangerous thing. If we say “We didgave money its great power,” (whether true or not), then our INherent power stays contained within us, it does not go to other people or other things. Perhaps if we can own this “great power” within, we will be able to authentically feel our own natural emPOWERment? |
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Re: The Secret is PartialWeetzie said Jul 14, 2006, 5:46 AM: |
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I agree to an extent, as I feel that while what we say has power of its own, but if it were the strongest force, that would mean we would not be able to say anything. Its like the idea of the buffer of time for your thoughts in The Secret. I personally believe that if there is some sort of oversoul or a guiding force in the stream of energy that moves through us and everything, it must understand that we as humans need the freedom to be able to talk and think and not be overwhelmed too greatly by the consequences of either of those things. On a grand scale that is.. like the elephant popping up next to the guy when he thinks about it, lol. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialWholeogram Man said Jul 14, 2006, 9:37 AM: |
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Ouch! That would hurt! Thanks Weetzie. That's a compassionate way to look at it. |
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Re: The Secret is Partial - rest is taking back money powermita said Aug 10, 2006, 6:10 PM: |
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Hello wholeogram man, you are an inspiration to all and especially to those who struggle with depression or physical incapicity of some sort. Yes we give money the power to control our lives. There is a great awakening waiting to happen, once people starts looking into this question. I am serious about changing the money paradigm. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialLeo said Apr 10, 3:21 AM: |
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Yes. Thank You.
This holds eligance with my sober understanding of the situation. It sounds like the most wonderfull understanding of a very fundamental requirement for us to achieve our own potential. Many Thanks. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialLeo said Apr 10, 3:33 AM: |
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The previous statement refers to Wholeogram Man, of July 14-06 |
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Re: The Secret is PartialNaumadd said May 16, 2007, 8:18 PM: |
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Our relationship to money is the same as our relationship to faith. What we really seek is stability, safety and security, a sense of peace and serenity with ourselves, with others and with the rest of nature. We are seemingly forever looking for balance or homeostasis. Ultimately, the criteria we use to determine what is enough faith is the same we use to determine what is enough money - our overall sense of fear. It is fear that makes us search for anything and everything to alleviate it. I believe this accounts for the wide diversity in lifestyles. For some, faith is enough. For others, money is enough. More truthfully, we are all a mixture of solutions to ridding ourselves of fear to reach that state of balance. I for one have always had far less a relationship with money than I have with the need for ever-additional experience, knowledge, understanding and self-expression. Those are the things that alleviate my fears - not money, not traditional religious faith or miscellaneous psychological tricks that seem to only offer the temporary relief of a candy treat. Those things are where I personally find balance. It is different for each of us but, having said that in no way implies ALL paths to balance are equally valid. Some paths are outright irrational and illogical and are a disservice to those traveling them. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialLeo said Apr 10, 4:00 AM: |
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Find this most interesting. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialCheryl said Apr 11, 12:11 PM: |
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Perhaps those who are successful at manifesting that which they desire in life haven't so much abandoned their competitive egocentric drive but they simply have mastered balancing that competitive egocentric drive with their inner spiritual self. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialMACHA said Jul 21, 2006, 7:04 AM: |
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I have been on the search for answers for ages, happily it has just ended. I have read Ask and it is given, the power of intentions and I have watched the Secret like 10 tems. But Finally I have found what I am looking for, I had the opportunity to Read Feel it Real, The Magical Power of Emotions, by Denise coates. and now I am truly complete. Its the best book I have read in a long time. This Book really gives you the tools to understanding the laws of the universe and mamifesting your desires. It is the Key I have been missing! Check it out on the Authors website http://www.denisecoates.com/ you can pre-order it there! Thanks, Macha |
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Re: The Secret is PraCtIcAl... ;-)unraveling said Jul 23, 2006, 1:06 PM: |
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Also coming from an 'integral' & ‘practical' place (ken wilber, andrew cohen etc..) … and from a meditation practice of going beyond the mind to 'see things as they are' (& not avoid bad feelings or crave good feelings etc….–but .. simply allowing equanimity ) – I felt the first part of the film seemed very 'materialistic' & too worldly for the spiritual minded.. lol… and based too much in playing with 'mind'' when the real source of awakening is ‘beyond the mind'. as the film progressed, the second half resonated deeply. It allowed for a practical application for what it means for us to be ‘the source' itself. Consciousness itself…manifested as the human mind-body organism. There IS a reason for the make-up of our mind-body organism. Humans are meant to be active beings and there is a purpose (function) for the mind - and this film allows us to use the mind for what it was intended. Most people go through life not knowing their own power or how to tap into it. The secret reminded me that the mind is not something merely to be ignored or transcended, (a sometimes side-effect from meditaiton practice, goals of awakening etc..)but to be used for what it was intended. We tap into an infinite source with our thoughts. - universal intelligence. We become what we think about. Re: material goals in the film: the following statement within the film (from Joe Vitale) …. offered perspective. 'when everybody starts to live from their hearts, and go for what they want, they don't all go for the same things. we don't all want a bmw etc.. ” ——————————————— As I let the messages of ‘The Secret' into my framework of consciousness evolution , I realized that understanding the laws of attraction and participating in life out of this awareness — is empowering, limits a victim mentality and allows us to live at our potential & believe in our power to do so. [whatever that means for each person]. It speaks primarily of understanding our nature as the very essence of the energy vibrations of the universe itself and how to manifest what is in alignment with our purpose. Ultimately we affect the entire universe with out thoughts and vibrations (since we are the universe). Powerful to experience life out of this awareness that we are co-creators of the universe no? & to then be given a practical way to do so. ————————— 'It's Up to You ‘When you awaken and suddenly recognize your own place in the evolutionary process, you realize something BIG: that it's all up to you. Consciousness is not going to evolve by itself. If the evolutionary potential inherent in consciousness is going to be activated, you have to be responsible for it. Why? Because it is only through the human vehicle that the creative principle, the God impulse that initiated this whole process, has the capacity to know itself'' ~Andrew Cohen |
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Re: The Secret is PraCtIcAl... ;-)Drake said Jul 23, 2006, 5:55 PM: |
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I just saw the Secret this morning so I am still digesting a lot of the movie however, I think I will offer my two cents. From an Integral perspective the over ridding flaw to the movie's theory seems to be that it collapses everything into a 1st person perspective excluding all others. That said as a first person tool in and of itself the application of the Law of Attraction is not a bad practice and together with other practices can be reinterpreted with Wilber's Post metaphysics and become a useful part of an ILP. My complaint about the movie revolves around the fact that the movie showed many scenes referring to the emerald tablet of Hermes and to Hermeticism in general yet its relation to the idea of the Secret was never explained. I study occultism in general and have been studying Hermeticism specifically for some time now looking at individuals such as Bruno and later transcendentalist that he helped inspire to build an Integral System of Occultism that is not stuck in the New Age reductionism that seems to be so prevalent in the field of Occultism now at days. The Secret unfortunately perpetuated that, yet I would not dismiss it wholly because of it. Namaste |
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Re: The Secret is PraCtIcAl... ;-)Jay said Aug 7, 2006, 6:56 PM: |
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What if we are in training pants and are unable to even imagine what the universe can give to us? The main point of The Secret is that we all want what makes us happy! The universe is prepared to give us more than we even can imagine that we want. Money is just a form of energy and it is happiness that we need to focus on. I found the secret to be a final essay on what I have been trying to figure out for about the last 5 years. I loved it!!!!! |
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Re: The Secret is PartialApple said Aug 11, 2006, 5:10 AM: |
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There are so many different viewpoints, opinions and ideas out there ……. and i've come to realise that it is as it should be. EarthEnergy said Andrew speaks about ” … our refusal to transcend our almost pathological engagement with our narcissistic inclinations.” it is a dialogue with Ken Wilber and they are speaking to 'Spiritual Seekers” … |
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Re: The Secret is PartialRaph said Nov 12, 2006, 9:18 AM: |
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Incidentally, the bombs have gone away haven't they…? |
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Re: The Secret is PartialSora said Aug 15, 2006, 4:41 AM: |
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I watched the Secret when it first came out last spring. I “tested” the Universe that same afternoon. I didn't feel like sitting in traffic, so I “saw” that all the traffic lights were green on my home. Guess what? If they weren't already green as I approached, they changed within 2 to 3 seconds. It doesn't take a million dollars to make me happy…..and I don't want a BMW. |
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Re: The Secret is Partialadontai said Aug 16, 2006, 6:27 AM: |
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I believe the movie did what it was intended to do, and that is to motivate people that change is possible. No one movie, speaker, or teacher is going to resonate with everyone but I feel like that is why we have so many movies and teachers. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialMonica said Aug 16, 2006, 2:43 PM: |
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I personally love the movie and what the heck is wrong with capitalism anyway? It's the strongest most intelligent economic system in the world. Socialism and Communism don't work, can't work and have never worked long term. Just look around at countries with socialist economies – their governments are bankrupt and their standard of living is in the toilet. Capitalism thrives and produces the incredible wealth it does, because its engine is the fundamental human desire to achieve more and greater things, to strive, to set goals, to make a difference in the world. Free enterprise rocks! |
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Re: The Secret is PartialGavin said Aug 22, 2006, 10:36 AM: |
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It works and it is the truth. It's not about the money; it's about being happy spiritually and financially. If you criticize the movie then the movie proves its point, your negativity towards it will create like energy and it will not work. It's as simple as that. There is absolutely nothing wrong with criticizing it, but it is what it is and you're not going to change this law by disagreeing with it. The spiritual leaders of the past and present have stated this and will continue to state this. We create our reality! Spiritual leaders have been saying this and science is proving it. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialGavin said Aug 22, 2006, 10:50 AM: |
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I might add the people who the movie does not talk about but are being talked about in this post; the rich leaders of companies and what have you, that are full of greed and on a huge power trip are truly not happy. They are just good at making money and are greedy and will continue to live the life of greed (unless they don't). And they will die with nothing but a full wallet. You can be rich or poor and be negative. There is a difference between making money and being in control (co-creator) of your reality. We are talking about two different things; don't be confused with money making power trips and positive thinking. |
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Re: The Secret is PartialLightlife [no longer around] said Aug 27, 2006, 6:16 PM: |
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The secret is whole, it is the understanding that may be partial. |
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