Abraham Hicks - Truth or Lie?
Who or what is Abraham Hicks?
Abraham Hicks comprises two entities.
Firstly the Hicks element is Esther Hicks, who frequently identifies as "Abraham Hicks", and is an American business woman who together with her late husband Jerry Hicks - a former top level Amway salesman - has co-written nine books and presented numerous workshops on the law of attraction.
Prior to parting company with Rhonda Byrne [the business woman behind "The Secret"], Hicks appeared in the original version of the 2006 film "The Secret".
Hicks' unique selling proposition [USP] is her connection and self identification with "...a group of non-physical entities called Abraham."
Hicks describes what she is doing as tapping into "infinite intelligence" which she channels live on stage.
When Hicks is on stage channeling "Abraham" she speaks about herself in the third person.
The second entity is "Abraham". The following verbiage is taken directly from the Hicks' website and is how Hicks - speaking as Abraham - answers the question about the identity of "Abraham":
"Abraham is a name. A symbol. A feeling. Evocative-yet simple-like we want our names to be. Abraham has described themselves as “a group consciousness from the
non-physical dimension” (which helps a lot!). They have also said, “We
are that which you are. You are the leading edge of that which we are.
We are that which is at the heart of all religions.” Esther herself calls Abraham “infinite intelligence,” and to Jerry they are “the purest form of love I’ve ever experienced.” We say check out Abraham for yourself. It’s the only way to go and
the only way to know. If watching or listening or reading the words of
Abraham feels good to you, then you’re in the right place. If they sound
“off” to you, or maybe even a little bit annoying—adventure on! And finally—from Jerry—”Mr. Practical”: “I don’t know what they are and I don’t care what they are. I’m just using them for the good it will do for myself and others.” And sometimes—all is said with just one word. Abraham. They just are what they are." "
What Are Abraham Hicks' Core Teachings?
A synopsis of Abraham-Hicks’ teachings as stated on the Hicks' website:
# You
are a physical extension of that which is non-physical. # You
are here in this body because you chose to be here. # The
basis of your life is freedom; the purpose of your life is joy. # You
are a creator; you create with your every thought. # Anything
that you can imagine is yours to be or do or have. # As
you are choosing your thoughts, your emotions are guiding you. # The
universe adores you for it knows your broadest intentions. # Relax
into your natural well-being. All is well. (really it is!) # You
are a creator of thoughtways on your unique path of joy. # Actions
to be taken and possessions to be exchanged are by-products of your focus on
joy. # You
may appropriately depart your body without illness or pain. # You
can not die; you are everlasting life
Why Am I Featuring Abraham Hicks On This Site?
My intention with this site is to write articles and create resources that are in line with the primary focus of this site which is to teach you how to think effectively.
I do not normally include material that I do not find helpful and to which I feel considerable distaste and antipathy. But I am including this material on Abraham Hicks as it relates to the law of attraction which I have written about in depth.
I am featuring this page on Abraham Hicks as a protest and a warning.
Objections to Abraham Hicks
So what are my objections?
[1] Abraham Hicks is a business
The primary motivation behind this and Rhonda Byrne's great commercial success "The Secret" is money.
These people are business people in the entertainment industry posing as inspirational and spiritual people. "The Secret" and the "Abraham Hicks" projects are brands.
When the whole LOA idea took off after repeated exposure on Oprah, it was most noticeable how so many well established and respected people in the personal development space jumped on the bandwagon. People like Jack Canfield, the late Bill Harris and the late Dr Wayne Dyer, and many others.
These people knew better - or should have - so it shows where their true priorities lay when they got themselves embedded in this spurious and damaging non-sense!
Have no illusions about it, LOA and all its spin-offs is a financial juggernaut. Seems like no-one wanted to miss out and they all wanted their piece of the LOA pie.
If the Hicks' [and Rhonda Byrne] stuck to their "dog and pony" shows as entertainers there would be no issue, but they don't.
Esther Hicks offers pseudo-science based, ridiculous,
and unproven preposterous claims such as the one in the
picture at the head of this article.
[2] Abraham Hicks - Truth Or Lie?
So we have this disembodied entity - or group of entities - claiming to be Abraham, channeling its gems of wisdom, pearls of comfort and reassurance through Esther Hicks.
So here's the question:
How do we know whether Abraham is benign or malign?
Is Abraham is an "angel of light" bringing genuine spiritual truth which aligns with teachings at the core of major faith traditions?
Or is Abraham an "angel of darkness", masquerading as an angel of light, bringing subtle lies, distortion and deceit to ensure the vulnerable and unwary?
Is Esther Hicks a genuinely wise, insightful and deeply spiritual person shining the light of spiritual truth into the darkness of ignorance - or is she a charlatan?
Evaluating the law of attraction
Follow these links for a comprehensive assessment of the key aspects of the law of attraction:
- Causation or Correlation - Does A + B = C?
- Evidence Basis - Fact vs Faith
- Domains of Influence - "Here" or "Out There"
- Do Thoughts Have Magnetic Resonance and Attract?
- Being vs Doing
- The Conflicted Mind
And then cut to the summary recap on key points of our evaluation of the law of attraction:
[3] Abraham Hicks - "By Their Fruit You Shall Know Them"
In the Christian bible, in the book of Mathew, chapter 7, verse 6, the writer says:
So what are the fruits of Abraham Hicks' teachings?
A morally despicable basic teaching
Since all that happens to us is supposedly the result of our positive or negative thoughts, the millions who died either through political persecution, genocide or starvation have therefore brought this upon themselves by their thoughts, and they are therefore responsible for their own destruction.
This is repugnant rubbish!
False hope
We can do anything and be anything we want, because deep inside there is an awesome power of unlimited potential a deep spiritual self that once unleashed, will empower us to become the tycoons, the rock stars, the writers that we really are.
The true spiritual self is an infallible guide to the good life and unlimited personal fulfillment.
If this is not happening, if we are confused, this is clearly because we are not connected to its power...or say they say!
So if it doesn't work - it's your fault!
Exploitation of the vulnerable
Those who suffer from real problems need real help. The price for a little "feeling-good" is much higher than the charlatans promoting these teachings will ever acknowledge. Serious illness has to be taken very seriously, and treated according to the best knowledge we have.
Positive thinking does not cure cancer - Jerry Hicks' death from cancer is proof of that claim.
Shattered hope is doubly hard to bear when false expectations have been raised - the resulting despair is very hard to bear.
**********************
The review posted below is a full dissection of the Abraham-Hicks ideology and its consequences, written by someone who followed it for 5 years.
This guy is objective and offers what reads as a balanced and even handed analysis based on his considerable experience.
The comments are interesting and useful, and his blog also contains several articles on people's experiences with the Abraham Hicks teachings.
Please read the full article at the link provided below.
5 Years a Committed Follower of Abraham-Hicks: Ultimately More Harmful Than Helpful
A mix of harmful and helpful info from a questionable source # A word to the wise - if something seems too good to be true: IT IS. # I was committed to these teachings for 5 years. They encouraged an emotional high that made me feel my life was amazing. I felt I knew the secrets of the universe. # Like a drug, one of the reasons for the rave reviews is that it promotes highs and feelings of enlightenment. # What IS the source? Don't romanticize so-called channeled information as automatically better, more pure, more truthful, or without an agenda. # My life seemed unique through my special Law of Attraction filter, but it was no different from regular life # That's what Abraham-Hicks taught me to do is see normal life through a special lens of magic. But do not surrender your mind to one simplified ideology.
Please read the full article and make up your own mind!
In Conclusion
I know from readers' feedback that Abraham Hicks is a contentious subject about which people have polarised views.
This article is the only one of about three hundred articles on this site where I take such a critical view of a subject.
I have stated my views, why I hold them, and why I have expressed them in the way that I have.
But, I understand that not all readers will agree with me. If you are one of these then let us agree to disagree.
If you want to contact me direct to discuss this article and issues raised within it, please do so and I will respond to all genuine messages.
Further Reading
For readers who may be having a tough time right now and are seeking support: Zen Thoughts For Tough Times Conversations With A Friend
If you would like to know more about this site, its purpose, aims and objectives, please see the Home Page.
For background to my personal motivations and my agenda with this site please take a look at "The Balanced Toolkit" Approach To Life
The following is a sample of the many articles on this site that cover the following subjects: thinking skills, discernment, spirituality and a balanced approach to life.
- Belief - A Terrible Tyrant Or An Empowering Servant
- How To Think - Focusing On HOW Not WHAT To Think
- How To Practise Mindfulness - Drop The Cushion, Focus Your Mind On NOW
- The Loving Father - A Love That Will Not Let You Go
- Like A Prayer - Life Is A Mystery
- Your Ebenezer Stone Of Help - Remembering Your True Source Of Power
- The Balanced Life - The Key To Keeping Your Balance Is Knowing When You Lost It
- Walking The Talk - Don't Explain Your Philosophy. Embody It!
Return to: The Law Of Attraction
Contact me
LATEST ARTICLES
The Challenges Of The Road Less Traveled
Issues You'll Face When Playing The Long Game. The challenges of the road less traveled is loosely based around the phrase popularised by M.Scott Peck with his book "The Road Less Traveled". This arti…How To Benefit From the Unseen Margins - 5 Key Tips For Success
These Unseen Margins Can Have A Very Dramatic Impact On Your Life. To understand how to benefit from the unseen margins we need to start by understanding what they are and where we find them. In this…The Art Of Thinking Clearly - How To Do More Than Just Survive And Reproduce
3 Key Tips The art of thinking clearly starts with the sobering realisation that our brains are designed to achieve two things: Survival and Reproduction! 98% of our thinking is unconscious, automatic…Algorithms to Live By - 5 Useful Rules Of Thumb
5 Useful Heuristics From Algorithms To Live By The thesis of the book "Algorithms to Live By" is that algorithms developed for computers can be used by people in everyday life in a wide range of situa…Finding Signal In The Noise - How To Avoid The Noise Bottleneck
The Art Of Being Wise Is The Art Of Knowing What To Overlook. We are blessed and cursed to live in the digital age. We have access to more information than we can possibly handle yet we struggle to fi…The Checklist Manifesto - Your Personal Safety Net
A Checklist Is A Safety Net That Encourages Better Results And Prevents Avoidable Mistakes. The volume and complexity of what we know has exceeded our individual ability to deliver its benefits correc…How Not To Be Stupid - 4 Key Tips
How To Avoid The 7 Causes Of Everyday Stupidity. We are all capable of everyday stupidity as we undertake routine tasks in our business and working lives and also in our personal lives. This is not ab…Beginners Mind And The Voice Of Experience
Only The Experts Survived Evolution.
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." These are the famous words of Shunryu Suzuki in "Zen Mind, Beginner's Min…The Art Of Being Alone Is A Skill
Let's Make Today A Good Day. You may not have chosen the condition of being alone, and it may have been imposed upon you by circumstances beyond your control, but your response to the situation is wit…Intuition & Anxiety - Are There Angels Or Devils Calling Here?
How To Tell The Difference Between Intuition and Anxiety. How do you know whether the voice of your intuition is real or just the product of your inner anxiety? We all struggle with these inner voices…Like A Prayer - Life Is A Mystery
It Isn't The Process Of Prayer That’s The Problem, It’s The Way It’s Framed. Regardless of what we feel about Madonna or her song the topic of prayer often arouses strong reactions. Usually, it is som…Fear Of Missing Out - "I'll Have What She's Having!"
We Follow The Herd - We Mimic Other People's Choices. Fear of missing out - or FOMO as it is popularly referred to - is the feeling that everyone else in your peer group is having much more fun than y…Free - Self Improvement Resources
Exercising Balance and Discernment. I have just updated these self improvement resources with a number of additional sources of material that are practical and can help you change your life. Check it…Your Higher Self - Your Hardwired Portal To The Universe
This Is The You That Is Beyond Your Thinking Mind. This is the big you, the transcendent you, the you that is often referred to as your higher consciousness or higher self. This is the you that acts a…The Power Of Gratitude - It's Good For You!
Gratitude And Attitude Are Not Challenges, They Are Choices. The power of gratitude quite simply is that it is good for you! Many of us were raised by parents who instilled in us the social niceties o…Living With Your Thoughts - 4 Tools To Help You
Develop A Good Working Relationship With Your Mind. The first step in living with your thoughts is to understand and develop a good working relationship with all areas of your mind. The key to develop…You Are Not Your Thoughts - How To Escape This Ferris Wheel Of Suffering
The 4 Stages To Dealing With Your Thoughts. You are not your thoughts, at least that's what your rational mind tells you most of the time, but that's definitely not how it feels at 3 am when you have…Finish What You Start - Action Will Destroy Your Procrastination
4 Key Tips To Help You Finish What You Start. So why do you fail to finish what you start? Or in my case, why do I fail to even get started? There is a wealth of information out there about how to avo…Going The Extra Mile - The Power Of One More
Life Is Non-Linear, Which Makes The Rewards Of Continued Effort Disproportionately Big. In the pursuit of a long term goal you have to go countless extra miles to set yourself up for a big success. Go…Tao Te Ching - Connecting To Your True Source Of Power.
How To Be Lived By The Tao. The Tao Te Ching is one of those books that many people read, few understand, and even fewer put into practice. The only way to know the Tao is to experience it, and it is…Dying To Self & Dropping The Ego
Everything Does Not Revolve Around Me. The two phrases dying to self & dropping the ego are Christian and Buddhist expressions of the same fundamental truth - the need to correct the inbuilt, hardwire…The Confident Mind - 4 Keys To Peak Performance
Peak Performance Is Meditation In Motion. Peak performance is grounded in the Tao practise of Wu Wei which means "doing with out doing". This is all about how you take action by being so immersed in p…Going With The Flow - The Balance Of Being And Doing
Steer The Boat Each Day Rather Than Plan Ahead Way Into The Future. Going with the flow is about learning to become comfortable with uncertainty, and learning how to exploit the potential hidden withi…8 Principles For Success
A Timeless Foundation On Which To Build Your Success. There are Universal laws and processes that work to support us and guarantee that we achieve all our goals. But first we need to know what they ar…The Loving Father
A Love That Will Not Let You Go. I had a loving father. I knew that I did, but I never felt it. My father was a good man but very damaged and unable to show his feelings. So I grew up knowing in my he…Your Ebenezer Stone Of Help
How To Stay Connected To Your True Source Of Power. Approximately 2,500 years ago the Israeli town of Kafr Qasim was close to the site of two battles between the ancient Israelis and their neighbours…The Stockdale Paradox
How To Deal With The Attrition Factor. The Stockdale Paradox is named after the late James Stockdale, former vice presidential candidate, naval commander and prisoner of war during the American-Vietna…Embrace Your Fear Of Failure And Uncertainty
We Celebrate Success And Ignore Failure. Numerous studies have been undertaken on successful people to understand what it was that they did to become so successful, how they did it and when they did i…The Wilderness Years - 3 Keys To An Exit
How You Got Into The Wilderness Matters Less Than The Lessons To Be Learnt There. The wilderness years can be described as any lengthy time, longer than a year, that is spend aimlessly; without an imm…Boredom – Your Greatest Threat to Results
We Live In A World That Glorifies The Results And Not The Process. We all know what we should be doing, but the trouble with that is that sooner of later we get bored. The enjoyment fades, the excitem…