Rhonda Byrne is an Australian author and television producer known for her book "The Secret" and subsequent work in the self-help genre. Born in 1951, Byrne had a successful career in television before experiencing what she has described as a personal "meltdown" in the early 2000s. In 2004, Byrne discovered a 100-year-old book called "The Science of Getting Rich" by Wallace D. Wattles that she credits with transforming her life. Inspired by the ideas presented in this book, she went on to create "The Secret," a phenomenon that would capture the attention of millions around the world. "The Secret" was published in 2006 and quickly became a bestseller.
"The Secret" was published in 2006 and quickly became a bestseller. The book introduces the concept of the "Law of Attraction," which suggests that positive thoughts and intentions can attract positive outcomes, while negative thoughts can lead to negative outcomes. It also emphasizes the power of gratitude and visualization in achieving desires.
The Hierophant by Ted Hand
The tarot card that represents 2021 is the fifth card of the Major Arcana, The Hierophant (2+0+2+1=5). To mark the turn of this tricky year, we are returning to Ted Hand’s text on finding The Hierophant in the work of C. G. Jung and Philip K. Dick, originally published as part of the Ignota project 22 Moons .
“Change yourself, the heavenly wisdom says, from dead philosophical stones into living philosophical stones, because I am the true medicine and I change everything which cannot exist into something eternal. Why are you possessed by madness? Through yourself but not from you, is everything which you need and which you wrongly seek outside.” Carl Jung’s rediscovery of alchemy as a precursor to analytic psychology is exemplified by this quote from the early modern alchemist Gerhard Dorn. Jung drew parallels between the alchemist’s work and the process of integrating the psyche, creating the conditions for a rebirth of alchemical thinking within the modern discipline of psychology. Within Jung’s new esotericism, his theory of the archetypes of the collective unconscious provides a framework for thinking about the symbols of Tarot, which esoteric tradition conceived of as signals from the ancient Book of Thoth. ‘As above, so below’: the master symbol of the Mandala, pictured in our Jung card, makes the connection between the personality becoming an integrated whole and the unity of the world.
We chose Carl Jung as the Hierophant of the Philip K. Dick Tarot because of his influence on Dick, who also created a new esoteric tradition. The Hierophant is a teacher who initiates students into the mysteries of the hieratic art of theurgy, stretching back through esoteric traditions like Tarot and Alchemy to the Neoplatonism and Hermeticism of Late Antiquity. Dionysius the Areopagite had his Hierotheus and occultists harken back to the legendary figure of Hermes Trismegistus.
Philip K. Dick was a faithful reader of Jung in the 1950s and 1960s and in his novels we find characters like Mr. Tagomi of The Man in the High Castle wrestling with Jungian ideas. Dick’s series of mystical experiences in the 1970s referred him back to Jung’s work and its esoteric influences, including the Hermeticism of early modern thinkers like Paracelsus, Jacob Boehme and Giordano Bruno, reflected in Dick's masterpiece Valis.
Like Jung, Dick turned to the esoteric traditions for help with healing, as part of a response to the trauma that he had experienced and perceived in the world around him (when he had a vision of Asclepius he asked for medical attention). We can understand Dick's mysticism in the context of the Kabbalistic tradition of Tikkun Olam, or repair of the world to bring it closer to a state of harmony. Just as the Jungian alchemist seeks to bring light to the darkness of the Unconscious, the Kabbalist performing Tikkun Olam redeems the spark trapped in the darkness of matter. In what is perhaps his most terrifying novel The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (source of the Devil card in PKD Tarot) Dick portrayed a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by global warming. Dickian spirituality must be seen as a response to the oppressive trauma inflicted on the environment by a Satanic and mechanized world order that Dick recast using his own spiritual archetypes such as the ‘Black Iron Prison’. Dick’s response to the climate grief he experienced and expressed in his fiction was to articulate a new gnostic spirituality which envisioned salvation in terms of an escape from the horrors of capitalism. The situation may be bleak but there is some hope. There are redemptive possibilities in the dissolution of pseudo-realities, by means of gnostic signals from a transcendent beam of information-rich light. Ted Hand is a teaching credential student and independent researcher working on esotericism who lives in Sonoma, California. He is the co-creator of the Philip K. Dick tarot deck . This text was originally published for the full moon in Aries on 13 October 2019. It formed part of 22 Moons, an Ignota project r esponding to climate grief through the Major Arcana. 22 Moons delivered a new text on each new and full moon, bringing together twenty-two poets, writers, artists, thinkers, curators, scientists, astrologers, practitioners, witches and technologists for twenty-two lunations.
How to work with the Occult Tarot deck, each practitioner decides for himself. Beginners can only focus on the traditional names of the cards. In fact, the same archetypes partly remain the same, only they are presented from the dark side. But professionals can really interact with the demons sealed in the drawings. To do this, you should study the accompanying book from the author, as well as familiarize yourself with the works of Crowley. The literature that describes the rituals of summoning, gives advice on working with infernal entities, is suitable.
Following the success of "The Secret," Byrne released other books, including "The Power," "The Magic," and "Hero." These books build upon the principles introduced in "The Secret" and offer practical advice and exercises for implementing the Law of Attraction in daily life. One of Byrne's notable achievements was the creation of a film adaptation of "The Secret" in 2006, which featured interviews with experts and personal testimony from people who claimed to have successfully applied the concepts discussed in the book. The film, also called "The Secret," garnered significant attention and further spread the ideas of the Law of Attraction. Critics of Byrne's work argue that it promotes a simplistic view of life and success, suggesting that positive thinking alone is enough to achieve one's goals. However, proponents of these teachings believe that they provide valuable insights and tools for personal development and self-improvement. Regardless of one's opinion, it is undeniable that Rhonda Byrne has had a profound impact on the self-help industry, inspiring millions of people to believe in the power of positive thinking and to strive for their dreams. Her work has sparked a global movement and has left a lasting legacy in the world of personal development..
Reviews for "The Power of Intention: Rhonda Byrne's Magic Strategies"
1. John - 2 out of 5 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Magic" by Rhonda Byrne. I had high expectations after reading "The Secret," but this book fell flat for me. It was repetitive and didn't offer any new insights or strategies. I found the daily exercises to be tedious, and they didn't bring about the kind of transformative change the author promised. Overall, I felt like I wasted my time and money on this book.
2. Sarah - 2 out of 5 stars - I found "The Magic" by Rhonda Byrne to be a bit too mystical and unrealistic. While the concept of gratitude is important, this book took it to the extreme. The author claims that practicing gratitude alone can change your life, which I found hard to believe. Additionally, the writing style was repetitive and overly simplistic. I couldn't connect with the material, and it didn't provide me with any valuable insights or practical tools. I wouldn't recommend it.
3. Alex - 3 out of 5 stars - I have mixed feelings about "The Magic" by Rhonda Byrne. While I appreciate the message of gratitude and the potential it has to improve one's life, I felt that the book was overly focused on this one practice. The daily exercises and affirmations became monotonous after a while, and I started losing interest. I think the book could have benefited from more diversity in techniques and stories to keep the readers engaged. Overall, it had some valuable lessons, but it could have been more comprehensive and engaging.
4. Emily - 1 out of 5 stars - I have to say, "The Magic" by Rhonda Byrne was a huge disappointment. The author's writing style was repetitive and overly simplistic, making it hard for me to stay engaged. The daily exercises felt like a chore, and the promised life-changing results never materialized for me. I found the book to be filled with empty promises and unrealistic expectations. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for real personal development advice.