According to the popular book 'The Secret', if you ask the universe for anything and write this down you will receive what you have asked for. It is similar to Norman Vincent Peale's positive visualization techniques (except that Peale suggests you ask and thank God whilst 'The Secret' (by Rhonda Byne) suggests you ask and thank the universe).
'The Secret' asserts that if you think positively, positive things will happen. But it also says that if you think negatively, negative things will happen to you. In the book this is called 'The law of attraction'. It suggests that if you think negatively you also attract sickness into your life.I think the problem with this is that when you are sick you already have to cope with the imminent pain and a very unruly imagination (which usually plays over every horrific scenario).
If you are then told that your sickness has come about because of negative thinking the logical conclusion is that the sickness is your fault.That is the last thing that someone who is sick needs to hear. 'The Secret' is not the only self-help or new-age book which propagates this idea. And you know what? It stinks to high heaven. Thanks a lot Rhonda- do try to stay healthy.