I got an email yesterday that read: I was just reading the latest Horizons and I see that you recommend the original Secret with Abraham-Hicks. That is the version that I first saw and was surprised that they edited Abraham-Hicks out of future versions. With Abraham explaining our Emotional Guidance System, THAT is the key to working the Law of Attraction! Without that segment in there, there IS no secret. But I never did hear WHY she/they were edited out–did you? (see end of this article for their statement in their own words.)
I wrote him back that I had a blog post waiting to go in about it and this is it: I just saw the revised/edited (they call it EXTENDED) version of The Secret for the first time. I had seen the original one with Abraham-Hicks, whose material was the inspiration for The (original) Secret movie, several times and it was an excellent work. The revision is a very diluted version that paradoxically leaves out “the secret” itself. No wonder everyone is so confused despite the new legion of Secret Teachers out there. For WHY Abraham-Hicks bowed out of the original project, read at https://www.meetup.com/Washington-Abraham-Hicks/boards/view/viewthread?thread=2283719
UPDATE: YOUTUBE HAS MORE INFO SINCE I POSTED THIS. See ABRAHAM HICKS Compilation Of Esther From The Original Version Of The Secret at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XggwjRBSag and Abraham-Hicks reveals the secret behind The Secret at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFp-iPSPplE
Hear Esther Hicks on Oprah here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E1hZMZWJNY explaining in her own words
Being a publisher, I get review copies of all the newest personal development books out there: all the spin-offs from The Secret; the market is pretty flooded with law of attraction titles and books on how to affirm and do treasure maps and visualize. Most of them – and believe, me I read lots of them – seem to be written in a hurry by someone who was real interested in getting to press before their key phrase (law of attraction, manifestation) falls off the lips of the public. Most of the material their work contains is simply a superficial overview of someone else’s writing (often using Esther-Hicks phrasing and terminology) and in the text and exercises you can see they have clearly missed the essence of the work.
I wrote in my May 2007 editorial that I admit I was a little miffed to find Abraham-Hicks edited out of The Secret movie. Which is silly since Jerry and Esther didn’t seem miffed. I guess disappointed is a better word. The biggest difference I noticed in the edited (what they call the ‘extended’) version is that without the crystal clarity of Abraham woven in and out of the other speakers, many subtle nuances of ‘the secret’ are missing. While most of the co-presenters were, if not students of Abraham, then certainly very familiar with the Hicks work, and for many the Hicks material was their first introduction to the law of attraction.
Yes, they all mention other authors, going back many years. But remember, all reference to Abraham-Hicks had to be removed from the edited (extended) version of The Secret. All of it. That meant creating a new back story, and gathering new “source” materials for the same teachings. Easy to do since Abraham-Hicks mentions the books as well.
As a publisher in the genre, I talk to publicists all the time and when something new is about to come on to the scene, I hear the buzz. I get calls and emails and have discussions with lots of these publicists and their clerical staff and sometimes hear a blow by blow account of how the project is coming along. That means I know when the back story changes, because I heard the original story, and got every revision all along the way.
This goes for many authors, yes even some that were in The Secret. Abraham-Hicks has addressed this and also why they were edited out of the revised, “extended” version.
Nonetheless, for some people, what they are reading and learning in the revised Secret is an upgrade to what they knew before. There is still a lot of good information in it. When someone has taken that information as far as they can take it, they can take the next step later to fine tune anything they are missing. Small steps are easier to take.
I wrote in my September 2007 editorial that I can’t make someone else get it.
The original Secret with Abraham Hicks may not be available. It is NOT the extended version. The extended version is the revised version Abraham was edited out of.
HERE IS THE HICKS STATEMENT ABOUT THE SECRET CONTROVERSY
Copied from the Abraham-Hicks website:
THE SECRET
The Television Movie
From Jerry & Esther
Dear Friends,
Nearly two years ago, while on-board our Mexican Riviera Cruise, Prime Time Productions did an interview with Jerry and me, and with Abraham, in response to an agreement that we had all carefully crafted together for a television show that was to be aired in Australia called “The Secret.” We were told that “The Secret” would be based on our work and that they would seek out other teachers who were in alignment with our work. We reviewed, on DVD, two other projects that had been created by this production company and found them to be beautifully done, and good-feeling pieces.
Since Jerry and I had never before stepped into the public forum in that way with our Abraham work, we followed the advice of our publisher, who introduced us to an intellectual property rights attorney who assisted us in drafting the agreement which would guide our involvement with this project. He explained to us that although he had included in the intellectual property rights license agreement that we were to receive a small percentage of the net profit from this project, and 10% of direct video sales, that it was very unlikely that (from his experience) we would receive any substantial compensation from our participation, and we were not unhappy with that arrangement. Our decision to do it was not motivated from the idea of making money from it, (unless there was profit to share) but because we were stimulated by the excitement of this beautiful producer, and when we met her and her beautiful crew, we easily loved them all.
As time went by, it became apparent that the television network that we had been told would air “The Secret” was not going to do it, at least not right now, and so the production company began seeking other ways of marketing their beautiful project to recoup their very large investment. While Jerry and I were uncomfortable with what felt to us like a rather aggressive marketing campaign (just not our style, nothing wrong with it) we stayed focused on our busy schedule and really had very little to do with what was happening with “The Secret.”
Eventually we received an email from the producer of “The Secret” lovingly explaining (we never have received correspondence from her that was anything other than extremely loving) that the contract that we had all agreed upon and signed was no longer sufficient for their further distribution of the project in the areas they were now seeking to distribute the project, and that it would be necessary for us (Jerry and Esther) to relinquish our intellectual property rights in these areas forever and redo our contract or they would have to reluctantly edit us out. It was clear, from the lovingly written email that they did not want to edit us out, but after conferring with our publisher, and then our intellectual property rights attorney, and finally with Abraham, allowing them to edit us out was the path of least resistance. Abraham’s words were very clear and easy to understand: “Whenever you are given an ultimatum that says, ‘if you don’t do this, then we will have to do such and such,’ it is best that you just let it go and move on. Otherwise there is always another, and this, and this, and this?”
Now, it seems there is quite a firestorm surrounding our dis-involvment with “The Secret”. We are receiving so many emails and letters and face-to-face questions from disappointed people regarding this, so we want you to understand how we feel about it.
We think that “The Secret” clearly and beautifully presents Abraham’s Law of Attraction in a way that is easy to understand. It is filled with stunning beauty and beautiful people, many of whom are our personal friends. We love the way “The Secret” moves us, and we feel joy rise within our hearts every time we watch it. We feel the power of it, and the clarity of it, and we love “The Secret”.
It is our desire that, rather than being upset that our part of “The Secret” will be omitted in future offerings of it, that instead you enjoy the original Abraham version, as it is, at this time, and that you look forward to what other incredible things these talented people may bring to you. These are people who clearly care about the planet, who want to be of value, and who, in our opinion, are of tremendous value.
Financially speaking, we have been very well paid for our participation with this project? which has amounted to a staggering amount of money. And if money were the most important factor, we assure you, we would have found some way of staying involved.
So, we’re out here doing our thing, enjoying the incredible expansion of the message of Abraham, and are so looking forward to the wonderful things that are in our future. Abraham says to us and to you:
It is our desire that you be easy about all of this. There is nothing that has gone wrong here. Everything is in alignment. The Universe will offer a steady stream of uplifting avenues to all of you.
There is great love here for you, Abraham.
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