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14 min 05 sec
Available in:English

The Greatest Secret

Rhonda Byrne argues that your true self is the Awareness that notices your thoughts and feelings, and she offers a short daily practice for letting worry, sadness and limiting beliefs lose their hold.

Table of Content

Most people treat a bad mood, a money worry or a flash of anger as simply part of being human. In The Greatest Secret, Rhonda Byrne, the creator of The Secret, argues the opposite: any negative feeling counts as suffering, and it all springs from one mistake about who you are.

You are not your body, your mind or your personality, she writes. You are the Awareness that notices all three. That is the secret of the title, which she says prophets and sages have known for ages while the noise of modern life keeps it out of view. Everything else in the book follows from it. Once you stop identifying with your thoughts and feelings, Byrne claims, they lose their grip, and the peace underneath turns out to have been there all along.

Ahead are her case for that claim, a short daily practice built on a single question, and her methods for letting painful feelings and stubborn beliefs dissolve.

Ask anyone who they are and they will give a name, a job and a history. Byrne thinks that ordinary answer is the hidden source of almost every bad feeling they have ever had.

Your body, your moods and your opinions have all changed since childhood. Byrne points to one thing that has not, and claims that recognizing it removes even the fear of death.

Calm from a weekend retreat rarely survives Monday morning. Byrne’s daily routine starts with a question you are told not to answer and ends with a trick borrowed from a camera.

The boss, the bank balance and the news all seem to cause our worst days. Byrne locates the cause somewhere much closer, inside a loop most people never notice running.

Pushing a bad feeling away seems like the sensible move. Byrne says it only makes the feeling linger, and she describes a practice called welcoming that she says released a childhood memory so fully she can no longer recall it.

Some of the rules you live by were handed to you by someone else and never checked. Byrne explains how to catch them in the act, starting with a surprising electricity bill.

War, hunger and poverty fill the news, yet mystics keep saying all is well. Byrne explains how they can believe that, and what a clear night sky reveals about where you end.

The Greatest Secret makes one large bet: that nearly all human unhappiness is a case of mistaken identity. Byrne asks you to treat the anxious inner voice, the old hurt and the conviction that money only comes from overtime as passing contents, seen by something that was never hurt at all. You can accept her view of the cosmos or set it aside; the practical side of the book is short and easy to carry.

The simplest place to start is the question at the front of her practice. Ask yourself Am I aware, and feel the answer instead of thinking it. When stress narrows your attention, widen it until you take in the whole room. When a feeling hits, trade I am sad for the question of whether you are the sadness or the one noticing it. And when a rule about money or work feels like hard fact, listen for the I believe hiding in front of it.

Byrne’s promise is that the peace you are chasing does not have to be built. In her telling, it is the one part of you that has never changed.

About this book

What is this book about?

Most people accept stress, worry and the occasional dark mood as part of being human. Rhonda Byrne disagrees. In The Greatest Secret she argues that any negative feeling at all is suffering, and that it comes from one basic mistake: believing you are your body, your mind and your personality. The real you, she writes, is Awareness itself, the constant presence that has noticed everything you have ever experienced. She says this truth has been known to prophets and sages for ages, yet stays hidden by the distractions of modern life. From it she builds a three-step Awareness Practice, a way of welcoming painful feelings instead of resisting them, and methods for spotting and dissolving the beliefs that limit what you think is possible. The book ends on its widest claim: that the world itself is an illusion projected on Consciousness, and that you are that Consciousness. Readers get a clear statement of Byrne's spiritual view and a set of simple practices, built around one question, that they can try the same day.

Book Information

Rating:

Genre:

Mindfulness & Meditation, Religion & Spirituality

Topics:

Emotion Regulation, Inner Peace, Spirituality

Publisher:

HarperCollins

Language:

English

Narrator:

Evelyn

First published:

February 24, 2020

Pages:

276

Length:

14 min 05 sec

Get the book:

Amazon

Who it's for

  • Feeling run by worry

    People who feel run by worry, low moods or a critical inner voice and want a simple daily practice.

  • Curious about non-dual ideas

    Spiritual seekers curious about awareness and non-dual ideas in plain language.

  • Wanting more Rhonda Byrne

    Readers of The Secret who want more of Byrne's thinking, here centered on Awareness.

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About the Author

Rhonda Byrne

Rhonda Byrne was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1951 and worked as a television writer and producer, including on the series Sensing Murder. In 2006 she created the documentary film The Secret, and the book version followed in 2007, later translated into more than fifty languages. Time magazine named her among its influential people of 2007. She has since written The Power, The Magic and Hero, as well as The Greatest Secret.

Ratings & Reviews

Ratings at a glance

4.3

Overall score based on 374 ratings.

What people think

Listeners find this work to be eye-opening, specifically highlighting the way it details the power of awareness and helps them transition into an aware state of mind. The material itself earns high marks, with one listener noting how it helped them feel their love. On the other hand, perspectives on readability and the inclusion of quotes are varied—though some find the text simple to grasp, others claim it is a difficult read. Similarly, while some enjoy the impactful gathered quotes, others find there are too many quotes from other people. Furthermore, the book's length draws criticism for being excessively repetitive and dull.

Top reviews

Sureerat

Wow, this book feels like a complete evolution of everything Rhonda Byrne has taught before. While her earlier work focused on manifesting external things, this one teaches you how to be someone who doesn't need material objects to find peace. The gold-smudged pages and beautiful layout make the physical reading experience feel special, though it’s the content that truly resonates. I spent hours highlighting the sections on "Everlasting Happiness" because the shift from identifying with the mind to resting as awareness is life-changing. Some might say it’s repetitive, but for me, that repetition was necessary to break old, toxic thinking patterns. Truly, the collection of quotes from teachers like Mooji and Eckhart Tolle creates a powerful atmosphere of collective wisdom. I finally feel like I understand that the voice in my head isn't actually "me," which has brought an incredible sense of relief. It is more than a book; it's an awakening.

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Leo

Finally got around to reading this, and I was genuinely introduced to my true self in the process. There is a specific kind of clarity in the way Rhonda explains the purposes of reality and why we should live consciously. I don't care if people say she’s just repeating other teachers; her synthesis of these ideas is what makes them click for me. Reading this book helped me feel my own love and recognize the "causeless joy" that exists beneath the surface of everyday stress. The chapter summaries are particularly helpful for when you need a quick reminder to stay as Awareness during a busy day. It feels less like a self-help book and more like a mirror reflecting your best possible self back at you. If you are ready for a spiritual awakening, this beautiful gold-edged book is the perfect guide to the mountain top.

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Suphan

The chapter on Everlasting Happiness was the highlight for me, as it challenged my ideas about material success. For years I thought manifesting "stuff" was the goal, but this book shifts the focus toward the peace that is already within us. While some of the concepts are quite ginormous and hard to grasp at first, the writing style remains accessible for those who aren't avid readers of psychology. Not gonna lie, the book does get repetitive, but I think that’s intentional to help hammer home the "Awareness" mindset. I particularly liked the quotes from Anthony de Mello, which added a layer of credibility to Rhonda’s usual enthusiastic tone. It isn't perfect, and the hype might be a bit much, but I walked away feeling more centered and less afraid of my own thoughts. It’s a great companion to The Power of Your Subconscious Mind if you want to deepen your practice.

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Dome

To be fair, I was skeptical about another "Secret" book, but the simplicity of the message here is actually its greatest strength. It’s not just about manifesting cars or money anymore; it’s about finding a permanent sense of bliss that doesn't depend on external circumstances. I loved the glossy pages and the gold-smudged design, which makes the book feel like a sacred object. The quotes from teachers like Jan Frazier and Mooji are powerful and perfectly placed to emphasize Rhonda’s points. Some might find it boring or circular, but I think that’s because they are looking for a complex solution to a simple problem. This book helped me feel my own love in a way that words usually fail to describe. It’s a treasure for anyone looking to go beyond the material world and find their true self.

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Nina

Picked this up after a friend recommended it for my anxiety, and the timing couldn't have been better. The way the author explains that we are the "Awareness" behind our thoughts really helped me detach from some pretty negative emotional spirals. To be fair, the writing style is very similar to her previous books, which some might find a bit cheesy or overly simplistic. However, the "Awareness Practice" steps provided a practical way to actually apply these massive concepts to my daily routine. I loved the inclusion of diverse voices like Anthony de Mello, even if the book relies heavily on them to carry the narrative. It’s a gorgeous book to hold, and while it gets a bit circular toward the end, the core message is incredibly uplifting and empowering for beginners.

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Joe

As someone who has followed the Law of Attraction for years, I had mixed feelings about this newest installment. On one hand, Byrne’s ability to take complex spiritual truths and make them approachable is unmatched. She has a way of making you feel like you’re on the verge of a massive breakthrough with every page turn. On the other hand, the book is quite repetitive, and the sheer volume of quotes can make it feel like you’re reading a compilation rather than an original work. I found the chapters on "Freedom from the Mind" to be the most useful, though I wish there was more depth regarding the actual nature of consciousness. It’s a quick, easy read that serves as a decent reminder to stay present, but it lacks the punch of The Secret. It’s a nice addition to the shelf, just don’t expect it to reinvent the wheel.

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Rosa

Truth is, most of what is written here can be found in other spiritual texts, but Rhonda Byrne has a unique gift for making these ginormous concepts easy to understand. I appreciated the chapter summaries at the end of each section, which I now use for quick referencing during my morning meditation. The "Awareness Practice" is a straightforward three-step process that actually works if you give it a real chance. While the book can feel a bit repetitive—there are only so many ways to say "you are awareness"—the repetition helps shift your mindset. I flagged several passages about how the voice in our head isn't actually us, and that realization alone was worth the price. It’s a solid read for fans of self-help who want something deeper than just positive thinking, even if it isn't entirely original.

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Bank

Ever wonder if spiritual enlightenment can be summed up in a few hundred pages of gold-flecked paper? This book tries its best, but the results are a bit of a mixed bag. The truth is, Byrne is excellent at creating an uplifting atmosphere, but the actual content is spread quite thin. I appreciated the "Super Practice" for dealing with negativity, yet I found myself skimming through the endless quotes from other authors. It starts to feel like a high-end scrapbook of spiritual "greatest hits" rather than a groundbreaking new discovery. To be fair, it’s an easy read for a Sunday afternoon, and some of the illustrations are truly beautiful. However, if you are looking for a deep, analytical exploration of consciousness, you might find this a bit too "woo-woo" and superficial for your tastes.

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Tod

Struggling for the right word to describe my frustration with this purchase, but "empty" comes to mind. I’ve read all of Rhonda’s books, and I think she forgot what she wrote in her earlier manifesting series. In those, we were told to focus on thoughts to create reality, but now she says thoughts are just "birds flying by" that we shouldn't analyze? It’s a complete contradiction that left me feeling unsettled and confused rather than enlightened. The book is 50% the word "awareness" and 50% quotes from other people who actually know what they're talking about. I’m not sure what happened here, but it feels like a cash grab intended to capitalize on the mindfulness trend. I actually want a refund because there is zero substance behind the glossy pages and pretty font. It stayed on the surface of a topic that requires much more depth.

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Priya

Look, I really wanted to love this because the original book changed my life, but this was a massive letdown. It feels like 90% of the text is just recycled quotes from other spiritual teachers and the word "awareness" repeated until it loses all meaning. There is no new "secret" here if you have ever read a single book on mindfulness or Sufism. Instead of a deep dive into the soul, Byrne stays strictly on the surface, offering platitudes that don't explain the "how" of spirituality. I felt like I was reading a beautiful, glossy Pinterest board rather than a cohesive guide to enlightenment. If you want to know that you aren't your body, you can find that on a sticky note. Save your money and just re-read her earlier work. This is a half-baked attempt to transition into spiritual writing without any original substance.

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Questions about this book

Byrne’s secret is that you are not your body, mind or personality but Awareness itself, the constant presence that notices everything you experience. She argues this Awareness is shared by everyone, never dies and is by nature pure love and peace. In her view, suffering comes from identifying with thoughts and feelings, and recognizing yourself as Awareness lets that suffering fade.

It is a three-step routine. First, ask yourself Am I aware and feel the answer without thinking it. Second, as the mind quiets, notice Awareness as often as possible through the day. Third, stay as Awareness by keeping attention wide, like a camera zoomed all the way out, instead of locked on one narrow detail. Byrne says this brings immediate relief and calm.

She says negative feelings last because we resist them. Her advice is to pay full attention to a feeling and let it flow through without pushing back. She also teaches welcoming: opening your attention, and even your arms, to the emotion. For sadness, she suggests asking whether you are the sadness or the one aware of it, which she says drains its force.

Byrne suggests asking your subconscious to show you your beliefs one at a time, then listening for phrases that begin with I think or I believe and their negatives. She also points to reactions, such as anger at a high electricity bill, as beliefs in disguise. Once spotted, you recognize the belief as a story you told yourself, and she says it dissolves.

It suits readers drawn to spiritual ideas about consciousness who want a direct, simple practice rather than theory, and people who feel ruled by worry, sadness or self-critical thoughts. Readers who know Byrne from The Secret will find this book centered on Awareness and on dissolving negative feelings and beliefs.

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The Greatest Secret

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