“The Secret Beyond The Secret”
Author: Ardiana Cohn
Having just finished my reading of “The Secret Beyond The Secret” I can honestly say I’m a bit perturbed. Initially the book’s title caught my eye and…it seemed apparent that the author, Ardiana Cohn, was making reference to a previously published book: “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne. Reading the back cover of “The Secret Beyond The Secret” supported my supposition and I decided to read it.
The premise of “The Secret Beyond The Secret” is that bottom-line we, the public, were incorrectly led to believe that we can use the Law of Attraction to design our own destinies. Cohn does not support the belief that our destinies are our own to choose; instead she believes that each person’s destiny is unchangeable. “However, we do have the potential to exercise our free will within its confines so as to make our paths toward our destinies happier and more satisfying.”
I’m not going to attempt to prove or disprove Cohn’s personal opinion…my disappointment with “The Secret Beyond The Secret” stems from what I read on the back cover. Or should I say what I didn’t read on the back cover… The synopsis touched on things like the Law of Attraction. Is it a lie? Dreams too were mentioned. However, there was absolutely nothing stated about religion, God or that we need to “exploit our free will in order to receive His blessing.” Needless to say I was completely blindsided by the overabundance of the author’s religious teachings and I wondered if Cohn had even read “The Secret” before writing “The Secret Beyond The Secret.” Don’t get me wrong; I have zero issues with books that have religious undertones, references, et cetera – I just believe in appropriate disclosure. When I read a book’s “about” I want to know the truth of what it’s about so that I can decide if I really want to read it.
In summary? “The Secret Beyond The Secret” was reasonably well-written although there was way too much over explanation. I appreciated Cohn’s desire to share her personal experiences as a way to connect with her readers but, more often than not; it was just too much. Some of the information provided within “The Secret Beyond The Secret” is of a nature to be useful and helpful to those who struggle to accept themselves and / or their lives. Unfortunately much of what I read I found to be extraneous.