The Hindu Roots in Western Self-Help Books.

Western Self-Help Books and Their Unseen Hindu Roots.

By Asif Jalal*

Today a great many self-help books by western authors are in wide circulation working as soup for the soul. Books like ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne, ‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Cehlo, ‘You Can Heal Your Life’ by Louise Hay, ‘Power of Subconscious Mind’ by Joseph Murphy, ‘Millionaire’s Secret’ by Mark Fisher, sold millions of copies and shaped the thoughts and actions of countless people across the globe.

Beneath most of these self-help books, beneath the voices of these authors and their words, lies the silent wisdom of Hindu philosophy.

For example, at the heart of the book ‘The Secret’ is something called ‘Law of Attraction,’ which means your thoughts and feelings act as a “magnet”. People experience and come across circumstances that dominate them.

While this may appear something new and fascinating, this idea is inspired from Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 17, Verse 3): “All that we are, arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”

In this book, Byrne Gautam Budhha is quoted as saying: ‘All that we are is the result of what we have thought.’ The same idea finds echo in (Dhammapada Verse 1 & 2): A person is made of their faith. Whatever one believes, that they become.”

In ‘The Millionaire’s Secret’ Mark Fisher a character is in distress because he lost money. Then he started repeating the mantra, “Be at peace and know that I am God.” Then something strange began to happen.” The idea that a human being is God–”Tat Tvam Asi” (You are That) comes from Chandogya Upanishad (6.8.7)– and this is something alien to the Abrahamic religion.

At one place the author Fisher suggests to the character: ‘completing each day what they must accomplish not caring about rewards for their actions even though they may apply themselves heart and soul…’ This is lifted straight from Bhagavad Gita.

Similarly, ‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho is sprinkled with Hindu philosophical thought. It says: “The boy reached through to the Soul of the World, and saw that it was part of the Soul of God. And he saw that the Soul of God was his own soul.” This comes from The Gita (v 10.8): “I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise, knowing this, worship Me with love and devotion.”

In much the same vein, the essence of the message ‘You Can Heal Yourself’ is aligned with the philosophical ideas of Hinduism. Louise Hay says, “You have the power to heal your life, and you need to know that. We think so often that we are helpless, but we’re not. We always have the power of our minds…Claim and consciously use your power.”

This has been told centuries ago in Ashtanga Hridayam: “The body is a product of the mind. When the mind is disturbed, disease manifests. When the mind is calm and positive, the body remains healthy.” Yoga Vasistha (6.1.36) says, “The mind alone is the cause of bondage and liberation. A disturbed mind causes illness, while a calm mind brings health and peace.”

One thought which is now common among the self help-guru is that we all are connected, we are one. This idea appears very strange as to how we are connected and how we harm ourselves when we injure others. Now let us dive into Hindu scriptures. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.4.8) says “He who loves himself should not harm others, for the Self in all is the same.”

In the book ‘The Celestine Prophecy’ James Redfield says, “The universe is energy, energy that responds to our expectations.” We find an exact parallel to this in Yoga Vasistha (2.3.19), “Everything in the universe is vibrating consciousness, appearing as matter.” The same book (Yoga Vasistha 5.13.14) says, “The universe is like a mirror, reflecting back the thoughts and expectations of the mind.”

Thus we turn to self-help books for guidance, unaware that many basic premises have been borrowed from the Hindu scriptures written millennia ago. While these books give us strength to face the challenges of the daily world, if we take time to delve into Hindu philosophical works, we would come across an ocean of wisdom that transcends time.

(Views are personal)

*Writer  Asif Jalal is an IPS Officer of Himachal Pradesh Cadre.
The article was first published in Times of Indian on May 5, 2025.