THE MASTER KEY SYSTEM

If you are reading this review, it is likely that you are familiar with The Law of Attraction. This is its initial book, written in 1912 by Charles F. Haanel. I am a proponent—a believer. A couple caveats: The book is written in archaic language and style, which can be hard to understand at times. And, that being one, there are other ironies as well. And lastly, my ultimate question remains unanswered. Nevertheless, FIVE STARS. This book is amazing!

The basic premise of this book is that the world of your experience (your outer world) reflects your inner world. In other words—the unseen creates the seen. The world of your senses is dictated by your mind. Mind is what is commonly referred to as “God.” Mind is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. Most of what goes on, 90%, happens at the sub-conscious level. So the trick is, the “master key” is—in the language of Freud, to make the unconscious conscious. The Law of Attraction is Freud’s, “There are no accidents.” Whatever is happening in your life is a direct effect of your mind. You are the cause of all that happens. There are no accidents. This is abrasive to most people.

Consider this: “Every person is the reflection of the thought he has entertained during his lifetime. THIS IS STAMPED ON HIS FACE (my caps), his form, his character, his environment.” (p. 116). Difficulties, inharmonies, and obstacles indicate that we are either refusing to give out what we no longer need, or refusing to accept what we require.” (p. 120).

I love this, being a writing coach: “… see that the words … are exact … put together carefully because accuracy in building words and sentences is the highest form of architecture in civilization and is a passport to success.’ (p.123) That is exactly what I tell my students.

Here is the problem there doesn’t seem to be a solution to: You only know what you know. Haanel acknowledges this, saying that people (their minds) are products of their environment and are imprinted early with habits, customs, and traditions; and these then govern their behavior and thoughts. So how can a person break out? He says to seek silence and listen – called meditation today. Empty the mind of all the crap that has been deposited by powerful others. Okay, great. But how would you know to do that, if you are not predisposed to question authority and are open and curious? Not everyone is. He say as much: “The average person is entirely innocent of any deep thinking; he accepts the ideas of others, and repeats them …” (p.185). It’s a “Catch-22.” There’s no way out. (From the novel by Joseph Heller.) Novelists and writers are the most powerful of all people, by the way. That’s from Haanel, but I agree. But what if a person is not a reader? Most aren’t; and then those that do often read only what they like … like attracts like—it is law.

So if you are reading this, you already know this. But, to practice it is really hard, let me tell you. To take full and complete responsibility for everything that happens to you is easier said than done. And here is another question I haven’t found an answer to – what happens when desire (within and without) conflicts? I want you and you want him and he wants you to be like him and you fold yourself into him and he uses you for his desire and you lose yourself—your I? Am I just to watch? Am I to just be my “whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, happy self … and let you self-destruct? Huh? Huh? Huh?

“Fear is the cloud that hides the sun.” I am unafraid.