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November/December 2006 Living Now
The Secret of Letting Go

Prime Time Productions' DVD release of The Secret comes at a time of great interest in manifestation psychology within the spiritual community. The film is an exploration into the law of attraction, taking the viewer on a journey of discovering how knowledge of this universal constant can work for, as opposed to against you. Numerous interviews with contemporary scholars and philosophers guide one to the conclusion that manifesting one's desires is as simple as using positive thoughts and emotions to derive objects and experiences in the external world, essentially mirroring the quality of consciousness within the observer. However, what goes unmentioned in the film is the issue of questioning the very root of desire itself.

Few would argue against techniques delivering oneself from victim consciousness, especially those that seek to inspire the individual to co-create in the yet un-manifest world. Such practices provide inner strength and autonomy, qualities so many of us lack fundamentally, that all efforts in this arena are a welcome change. This alone has the potential to shift global patterns towards movements of peace and prosperity, given the assumption of course, that the world is inherently a benevolent and beautiful place, and that in the absence of disillusionment we would all naturally gravitate towards manifesting that very benevolent and beautiful world. Choice is an unavoidable feature of being in the world, but one that is most liberating when internalized to its most profound end-the choice to consciously enlighten.

Enlightenment is your birthright, say the world's great spiritual teachers, but even the eventual process of enlightenment does not come without a conscious alignment of oneself with enlightening ways. Consequently, it is here that we make a departure from the purpose of manifestation as it is widely practiced in the material world.

The Buddha, himself no stranger to karma, is cited in The Secret for his wisdom offering: "All that we are is the result of what we have thought." This very statement is succinctly diagrammatic of how thought patterns and emotional tendencies attract experiences that will ultimately cycle back into the karmic equation. In some point along his path however, Buddha realized that the cycle itself was binding, and that true liberation came only with the cessation of desire, or more precisely, cessation of the attachment to desire.

The human organism is replete with persistent impulses and desires hardwired into the biochemical circuitry; so much so that to shun desire seems futile. Yet, some of those impulses can be compensated for, others transmuted in a way which makes them less a matter of life and death. Through time, meditative practices taught by many of the world's esoteric traditions, such as yoga and qigong, have developed as a means of reducing these impulses (or at least reducing their psychospiritual impact) and building one's internal energy to the point where the borders of bodymind begin to blur with that of the spiritual essence that dwells therein. Naturally, these practices were systemized for the great benefit of the seeker, in order that he or she may gradually de-sense-itize oneself to the ebb and flow of an impermanent existence. This foundation of ascetic fitness imbues a natural launching pad towards higher states of spiritual awareness, but inclusive in this transmission from the master was the knowledge that the ultimate goal was not a function of the means but rather the end result which was termed moksha or liberation.

Thus we are faced with an obvious paradox: do we consciously interact with the world with efforts aimed at learning the lessons of manifesting our desires (for better or for worse), and taking each synchronicity and achievement as proof positive of our sublime existence, or should we instead shunt all efforts into simply desiring only to be desire-less? This double-edged sword, known all too well in the Hindu tradition (as poetically described in the Bhagavad-Gita), translates to doing your best without being attached to the outcome of your efforts. In short, play out your karma, live your dharma (destiny), and dedicate all actions to the Divine. When taken from a much broader perspective and placed on an infinite timeline, a perceptual shift occurs and one begins to identify with the source of all creation, no longer a pawn in a predetermined landscape.

In the end, perhaps that is the only choice there ever really is to make? We can choose to live from an ego perspective and play victim to the world, or beautifully manifest all that we desire. But, neither promises a removal from the wheel of cause and effect and, in that sense, they differ little. Alternatively, you can choose to forgo decorating your living dream and wake up to a completely different reality, one that does not require any contrived manifestation on your part, and simply rejoices blissfully in dancing to the rhythm of all that is and all that ever will be. So go ahead, manifest whatever you think you need, because to do so is indeed your birthright. But admit the possibility that maybe what we all really need is to exhaust ourselves of materialism, turn our vision inward, and seek nothing other than freedom from desire. This is The Secret to truly letting go.

-- Brandon LaGreca