Revealing Oprah's Secret (Part II)

By Kenneth Winfrey, in viewpoints
Monday, March 12 2007, 10:31AM

Kenneth Winfrey Reports

My last article about "the Secret" brought a lot of feedback, and I appreciated all of it. Much it was aimed at testing the validity of the "Law of Attraction," and that wasn’t a surprise to me. I'll be the first to admit that sometimes the "Law of Attraction" eludes me. However, I’m hopeful because I believe that mastery of the "Law" comes with greater awareness and for most human beings, awareness increases over time. I don't claim to be at a point where I have a life that only contains the events that I randomly or spontaneously "choose" yet. I actually don't want that for a life. It would be boring to me, and it would offer no challenges for learning.

For me, the "Law of Attraction" is not about denial or bucking “common sense” either. I wouldn’t support the notion of eating unhealthy food, for example, and then denying the impact it would have on the body. However, something Rev. Michael Beckwith said on the Oprah show did inspire me. He talked about how our perception of ourselves and our lives has an impact on our capacity to see the opportunities that we might have. His words helped me understand that we can't choose what we don't see. I believe that this is the blindness referred to in the song “Amazing Grace.” Rev. Beckwith also talked about the inexplicable divine force that support us in our effort “to see.” So, today I want to elaborate on the basis of my faith in that force.

I mentioned "the Secret" because I really think that the general premise is inspiring. Having only seen the movie and the two shows Oprah did about it, I admit that I am not as familiar with the book, where some of the more extraordinary assertions are made. I'll address those here today as well. I just want you all to know that what I shared with you last week wasn't only about the movie though. I also want you you to know that I won't try to defend the creators of "The Secret," or my cousin Oprah, for that matter. This is why "The Secret" resonated with me and why I chose to share it with you.

Changing Myself

By the time I was about 22 years old, as a gay man, after an entire lifetime of disempowerment and low-self esteem through sexual and physical abuse, I had already "demoted" the Bible from being the only source of spiritual guidance in my life. I lost my faith in that God. I was still curious about spirituality though. Despite the homophobia at school, I was also active with the Black Student Union at the University of Missouri at St. Louis. I started to read the works of men like Ra Un Nefer Amen, Muata Ashby, Cheikh Anta Diop, Tony Browder, Ivan Van Sertima, Na’im Akbar and others who wrote a lot about the spiritual belief system of the Ancient Egyptians. They made it clear that Ancient Egypt represented some of the greatest heritage we can claim as people of African decent.

Through reading, I came to understand that the ancients of “KMT” lived by a philosophy that was much like what is found in “The Secret.” (…and nothing like what you’ll see on “Stargate SG-1” by the way.) Among these ancient ideas was the supposition that the Universe is mental. That wasn't hard to imagine since the Bible also describes all of creation as a thought of God (John 1:3). God, being the ultimate creator, had to be the one to "think" up all of this. I also learned during my reading that the only way to exercise maximum control our own lives was through the ability to control our own thoughts. I realized that In a universe of thought, what could be more powerful? If God is thought, and I am a thought of God, then God is acting through me and I am an individualized expression of God.

So, you see, “The Secret” was not my introduction to what is called New Thought or the beginning of my belief in the power of thought to change reality. For me, this belief is firmly rooted in antiquity and feeds my pride as a Black man and my relationship with God. In fact, there is nothing new about New Thought at all. And, even though it is something that I've been aware of for a long time, only recently has it become so clear.

Changing the World

Living with HIV and as a survivor of other "bad" things life has to offer, I don't believe for one minute that the people of New Orleans, for example, were responsible for the hurricane because they did or didn't visualize one thing or another. Nor do I believe that everything that happens to us is a reflection of our intention. In fact, what I am saying is that too much happens that is not a reflection of our intention. I hope to convey inspiration for more of us to live lives that do reflect a plan, a purpose, and an intention, rather than a life that reflects only happenstance. I want to share a message that inspires people to make things happen rather that letting things happen.

Too many of us just accept mediocre lives because we've been given the message that we are worthless and “abominations” as black gay men. These are thoughts that were given rise to us by our society. We frequently assimilate these “shared thoughts” and end up living out self-destructive patterns as individuals. In fact, many of the writers I've mentioned here would tell us that homosexuality is something that we learned from white people and that it’s anti- “Afrocentric.”

As you can see, I had to also learn that no one book, movie, or person can tell me what is right for me all the time. My salvation does not (and cannot) rest upon any one doctrine. If it did, I wouldn’t believe that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE and that I deserved the great miracles that my life has to offer.

It’s very easy to take something like “the Secret” to the extreme test and suggest that if one believes in it that one should be able to walk on water, fly, eat food and not gain weight, or perhaps conjure up a cool million for my bank account. While I actually do believe that these things are entirely possible, I also realize that I haven't reached that point of enlightenment yet and, that it may never be necessary for me to walk on water or fly or do anything else to prove the power of my faith to others. Such a demonstration of power for the sake of showing it off isn’t real power—that’s ego. I’m not looking to fly; I'm not looking to advance the disease of greed or excess. I’m just looking for peace, understanding and prosperity.

I do believe that all of our destinies are "chosen" by us before we are born in order to learn peace and understanding--and to raise our consciousness. Regardless of how our lives come to be, learning peace and understanding takes time, practice, and faith. Regardless of where we are today, if we don't plan to succeed, we aren’t planning at all. In order to induce growth, there are some elements of our destinies that are not (as) mutable (like sexual orientation) and that we must accept and learn to understand in order to find peace. For example, I believe that homosexuals are here--if nothing else—to teach the world that creation goes beyond the confines of what humans can prescribe as "normal" or "acceptable." Every time a homosexual person is born, it is a testimony to the diversity of the universe and the possibilities of creation. It is nature's way of telling us that we can't limit what it can or cannot do. The Serenity Prayer does teach this lesson quite well.

Amazing Grace

A lot of people think that the "Law of Attraction" is the tool of selfish fools. However, in being grateful we must accept what is before us (no denial) and then learn to move beyond wishing for things (in appreciation for what we already have). When we realize what we have, we can realize that we are also here to share and give. The saying goes, "What goes around comes around;" not "What comes around goes around." Knowing self means knowing how you fit in with the rest of society. It means that you are aware of not only the opportunities to receive, but also to give and share. It means finding your purpose.

I don't disagree with those of you who doubt the power of your thoughts to change reality. In fact, I'll count on the "Law of Attraction" to prove your case for you! If you don't dream of a better day, it will never come. However, beware that the "Law of Attraction" is not some sort of spiritual ATM. Nor does it permit us to go beyond what we think we "know" to be true. The "Law of Attraction" is only one of many laws, such as the law of gravity (hence, I don't fly without an airplane). Ultimately, I believe that the access we have to power is relative to our own ability to manage it—our consciousness. The consciousness of empowerment is to be chosen, built, and earned.

That doesn't mean that there aren't people out there who seem to have more power than they can handle. They abuse the power they have and, in my opinion, they don’t deserve it. But who am I--really--to judge? “Right” or “wrong,” those situations are also there as learning opportunities. For one thing, such situations will teach me to be a better steward of power and influence when my turn at the helm of civilization comes. In the meantime, I’ll try to be a part of the solutions instead of part of the problems. For even while we work to cure the world of all of its sorrows, we can still choose to live in peace.

Now, with the power of thought really at work like a magic wand, what I want most of all right now is for black gay men to never see our heritage as a burden, or a rationale for mediocrity or inescapable oppression. In order for us to exercise power over our collective destiny, we must change our collective thoughts. I will visualize the manifestation that being black and gay is a promise for excellence and prosperity. Our individual thoughts shape our individual reality. Our shared thoughts shape our shared reality. Most certainly, a better world begins within.

Kenneth Winfrey is a graphics and web designer, writer (and believer) living in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

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