“The Science Behind the Secret” Review

I’ll start with some extractions from the back of the book:

“For over forty years writers have described and pondered the aspects of The Law of Attraction in works such as The Power of Positive Thinking, Creative Visualization and the

A Good Read

phenomenal best seller The Secret… Now, Dr. Travis Taylor–scientist, engineer and science fiction writer who has studied the esoteric nature of quantum physics and the universe–takes the reader on an eye-opening journey of understanding this theory.

Through modern quantum physics Dr. Taylor shows that The Secret is actually a restatement of the accepted physical models of quantum coherence and entanglement… The Science Behind the Secret–Decoding the Law of Attraction shows us that with every thought we have we are creating our own reality and that we can control our own realities if we learn how…”

Recently I blogged about the cognitive dissonance with the LoA that I experienced during my fifteen month departure.  I read so many books, but it was after this one that I returned to blogging.  It’s not that this book had a transformative effect on me, but it was nice icing on the cake.

Let’s get clear on Travis Taylor’s credentials.  He holds a doctorate in optical science and engineering, three masters degrees–in physics, aerospace engineering and astronomy–and a bachelors degree in electrical engineering.  He’s worked on various programs for the Department of Defense and NASA for the past sixteen years.  His current work involves advanced propulsion concepts, substantial space telescopes, space-based beamed energy systems, and next generation space launch concepts.  Now to the review.

Taylor uses a very southern-U.S.-folksy tone.  I’ll admit that it seems like he reaches just a bit too far with this tone, and at time it feels goofily contrived, but it didn’t keep me from reading with interest and ultimately appreciating the book.

Taylor starts with his incidental viewing of the Oprah program, which his wife likes to watch.  One episode featured those who had appeared on and contributed to The Secret. The other featured an interview with author Louise Hay.  While a number of comments made him flinch, watching these programs brought him back to themes he’d become aware of in his study of quantum physics and human consciousness.

To start off with, Taylor makes clear that technically a “law” is something that people have hypothesized, theorized, experimented with and tested diligently, and then argued and debated through peer review, often over generations, until the scientific community finally verifies it as a “law.”  So we should be clear that, from a scientific viewpoint, the Law of Attraction is not really a law, but more a “maxim.”  A maxim is something considered a general truth or principle, which has not been subjected to the above scientific rigor.  (I think most people believe deeply in plenty of things that, for one reason or another, the multi-generational scientific community has not “proven” with such rigor.)

Author Travis S. Taylor, Ph.D.

One thing I like is how he makes a distinction between two principles:  the one you hear all the time and the one that more specifically addresses what the LoA community embraces.  We always hear that the basis of the Law of Attraction is that like attracts like. But, as Taylor points out, often this isn’t true at all since science has often shown that opposites attract. Yes, there are a lot of other situations in modern physics in which like does attract like, but the more specifically interesting point is that (to borrow from my About page) our thoughts modify our reality.

“The idea behind it is deeper than just “birds of a feather” or “like attracts like.”  The idea is that you create your own reality.  You create your universe around you by how you perceive it, interpret it and feel it.  And if you don’t believe me…just wait until we get to the science.”

Taylor proceeds with a bit of a history lesson on the LoA, followed by the quantum physics of how it might work.  He does his best to describe quantum theory, waves and particles to us in laymen terms.  Not easy.  Then we get into the real substance of this book as he discusses “qwiff’s” (or quantum wave functions,) what they are and how they move and interact with each other, coming together to manifest an intention equal to or better than what we asked for.

For some, delving deeply into the (usually) very complex things associated with the LoA seems confusing and unnecessary.  And if you don’t have the interest in so delving, fine.  But still others think that the nature of the LoA is so unusual, so seemingly woo-woo, that it’s ridiculous or even embarrassing to admit an interest in it.  For them, I recommend this book.

In case you think the world and your relationship to it is basically defined, documented and understood, you’ll find that scientists have been making many bizarre discoveries for decades.  Consider the fact that a single particle can exist in two distant places at the same time.  Consider “quantum entanglement,” which shows that two different particles that were once “entangled” will remain such, and when action is performed on one it affects the other despite their distance.  Even Einstein called it, “spooky action at a distance.”

And, speaking of Einstein, he also recognized the nature of human consciousness when he said, “Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.”

I found the book thought-provoking and stimulating.  I bought it for around $15 in an airport bookshop.  Since airports also charge three bucks for a bottle of water, I imagine you can find it for less elsewhere.