Lez Keep It Real

I was introduced to the principle that we create our life and experiences with our own thoughts through a book called “You Can Heal Your Life” by Louise Hay. I admit that when I first read about this simplistic natural law, I was a bit skeptical. But I’ve come to find, through my own experiences and observing others that the law of attraction does exist.

Whether you want to believe it or not doesn’t matter. Because whatever you think about on a consistent basis, you are going to create. Some people are turned off by this principal because they are offended that something could be so easy. Their thoughts are that “you have to work for money,” and believing that all you have to do is think of money and you will manifest it is too much for them to swallow.
The “Secret” has now gripped the nation thanks to shows like Oprah and a wealth of motivational and spiritual thinkers who back it. Although I have read numerous books on this subject before, I decided to buy the “Secret” to see if there was anything in it that I hadn’t already learned or have become aware of. The key to this book is that it not only teaches you the law of attraction; it shows you how to implement it into your every day life.

The “Secret” doesn’t care where you are currently at in your life. It doesn’t care if you are white, black, brown or purple. It also doesn’t care if you are gay, straight, transgendered or bisexual. The power to change your thoughts does not lie within anyone except for you. To some people, knowing that they have that much power is too much to take it. “It can’t be that simple,” they say. And so they go on creating things in their lives that they do not want or situations that are unhealthy for them.

Reverend Vilius Dunzila, Ph.D of the Advocate wrote a somewhat harsh review of the “Secret.” He came at it from a negative point of view, obviously missing the message of the power of positive thoughts.

The Reverend singles in on the experiences of one gay man who, with the simple changing of his inner beliefs, was able to change his outward experiences. His belief was that he was ashamed to be gay. Therefore, he created situations that reflected that. People were mean to him, disrespected him and harassed him on several occasions. Once he realized how what he was thinking affected his daily life, he experimented by changing his daily thoughts. As a result, and because he truly believed that he was a good person no matter what his sexual orientation was, his life became more enjoyable. The people he encountered welcomed him.

Reverend Dunzila finds this hard to believe. Yet, I can attest to this. I have never once thought of myself as a terrible person because I was gay. I always believed that I was loved by God and my family and friends solely for the person I was inside. Because of that belief, I have yet to experience any act of homophobia against me in any way. Everyone that I have encountered and have told that I am a lesbian has been nothing but supportive and encouraging. These are my experiences and they are a direct result of my thoughts.

I, by no means, am saying that acts of homophobia are justified in any way. What I am saying is that when situations occur in our lives, sometimes we need to take a second look at why they might be happening. What could you be putting out into the universe that would reflect back in such a way? You can take the power away from the attacker and put it in your own hands. That, in itself, is a concept that some are just not willing to accept. But think about it … when you have the power you take away the influence and ignorance of others. You put your own beliefs and dignity first. When you think that what they (homophobic morons) say or do has no power over you, it can’t negatively affect you. How wonderful and empowered would you feel then?

Reverend Dunzila paints the “Secret” as such:

The materialistic and narcissistic messages of “The Secret” belittle whatever superficial spiritual teachings it hopes to offer. The movie makes no mention of loving one’s neighbor or enacting justice. It makes no overtures toward feeding the hungry, clothing the needy, sheltering the homeless, or caring for the sick. The power of positive thinking will apparently take care of that.

What the “power of positive” thinking does is take the responsibility off of others and puts it right into your own lap. Some people just don’t want to be responsible for their own lives. They would rather blame someone else or something else for the cause of their misery because it’s easier. What the Reverend fails to realize here and what he seemingly cannot wrap his mind around is that it’s not only the power of positive thinking; it’s the power of positive thinking of the individual. The power lies within them … us … me… you. Individual thinking. That is what it is all about.

Yes, love thy neighbor. Be good unto others. Donate money, clothing, time and whatever else you can. Act from a position of love and gratitude. These are all principals that the “Secret” embodies and yet the Revered somehow overlooked them or saw them as “superficial.” He was too busy being stuck in his rut of disbelief. If, by some miracle, he could put his stubbornness aside and look into the “Secret” a little further then he might be able to get the entire message and not just bits and pieces of it.

The Reverend also goes off about AIDS and how the “Secret” paints a disturbing picture that it is the gay man’s fault for contracting the disease. Fault, no. Poor choices maybe, depending on the circumstance. Maybe if he looked into Louise Hay a bit he might learn that she has an entire charity built on the foundation of positive thinking to fight AIDS and give peace to the billions of people who have the disease. He might learn that she is charished and loved in the gay community, especially by gay men with AIDS because she started a support group in her own home for them. (It grew into what is now known as the Hay Foundation) He might also learn that she is an advocate of the “Secret” and its basic principal of positive thinking (which she uses to empower gay men living with aids).

The “Secret” is an amazingly freeing concept that breaks all limitations. In fact, it could be used as an empowering tool for many gays and lesbians. The basic premise of it stems from self-love. Teaching gays and lesbians how to truly love themsevles despite what society or others may think could do wonders for our community.

I ask the Reverend this: Is it a bad thing for people to learn how to love themselves, how to think of themselves and wonderful, amazing individuals? Imagine how this simple thought could influence gay and lesbian teens who struggle with their sexual identity?

He’s not “sold” on the secret. Yet there’s nothing for him to buy. You can either believe it or not. That doesn’t change the law of attraction.

Gay or straight, the “Secret” doesn’t discriminate. What it does do is give us all something beautiful to believe in.

gay, bisexual, lesbian, the secret, the advocate, manifest, louise hay, hay house, homophobic, reverend vilius dunzila