With some understanding and a few simple steps, you can harness your deepest desires and start turning your dreams into a reality through manifestation.
Where Did Manifestation Come From?
When looking back, the concept of manifestation can be seen in many ancient practices and Eastern teachings. For example, it was referred to in Buddhist and Christian writings. The Buddha famously said, “All that we are is a result of what we have thought”.
While the concept has been around for centuries, the actual practice of manifestation seems to have been influenced by the Law of Attraction, a pseudoscience that is based on the belief that positive thoughts lead to positive experiences in a person’s life, and vice versa. This belief system comes from the New Thought spiritual movement of the 19th century, where the concept of manifesting was obtained by the public. The New Thought movement is a spiritual movement that formed in the United States, made up of religious denominations, philosophers, authors, and individuals with shared beliefs concerning positive thinking, the Law of Attraction, healing, creative visualization, and personal power. Some of the authors that were a part of the New Thought movement were Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Phineas Quimby, and Prentice Mulford.
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky was a highly gifted yet controversial spiritual teacher in the 19th century that many suspected had occult or psychic powers due to her high level of insight. Helena’s most influential book was The Secret Doctrine, which illustrated the Law of Attraction and similar beliefs. Helena once said, “The universe is worked and guided from within outwards”. Author Prentice Mulford said, “To say a thing ‘must be’, is the very power that makes it”.
Manifestation Today
The Law of Attraction became better known in the 21st Century when author Rhonda Bryne released her book The Secret. This converted the concept from a niche interest into a worldwide accepted phenomenon. The Secret illustrated the power of manifestation, and stated that setting goals, learning new ways of positive thinking, and reflecting on negativity are key to getting what you want in life. The book has sold over 20 million copies and has been embraced by many celebrities worldwide. Since then, social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have erupted with influencers practising manifestation in multiple ways and sharing their experiences and journeys.
Manifestation Practice 101
Manifestation is a broad concept that can be practised in many ways. Simply speaking, manifestation can be practised just by focusing your thoughts on what you want and visualizing your desires each day. The Law of Attraction states that if this is done, the universe will present you with those desires. If you are wanting to delve a little deeper into the practice of manifestation, there are many actions that can be taken to promote the success of the process.
Here are 6 ways in which you can practise manifestation on a deeper level:
- Practise visualizing your dreams for 5 minutes
Take 5 minutes out of your day to picture yourself living your ultimate dream. Focus on your sensations and what you feel in order to make the visualization as real and vivid as possible.
- Prepare for your dreams physically
Start preparing for your dreams now by making them a reality. This means getting organized so that you can achieve your goals e.g. organizing your bank accounts and finances to prepare for new income, rearranging your space to accommodate a new friend or housemate, or even buying a spare toothbrush to manifest a new relationship!
- Clear up any clutter
When preparing for new and exciting things, it is important to let go of anything that is not serving you anymore. This could be as simple as cleaning out your space, or throwing away old birthday cards from exes (we suggest doing that anyways, manifesting or not).
- Find ways to make yourself feel good
Write a list of things that make you happy, and schedule them into your day or week. When you feel good and positive, you attract positivity. This in turn can attract more good and result in achieving or obtaining the things that you desire.
- Practise affirmations
Write a list of empowering and reassuring beliefs about yourself or the journey you are on. For example, you can write “I am on the right path, I am exactly where I need to be right now”, or “I am strong, powerful, and beautiful just as I am today”. Say them out loud with feeling.
- Journal daily
Keep a journey for when you wake up or before you go to bed. Write what you are grateful for, and what you still want to achieve or obtain. It is believed that putting down your desires in writing can subconsciously help you attract them more!
Manifestation can be intimidating, especially when there is so much knowledge around it and so many ways to practise it in this day and age. The great thing about that, however, is that you get to choose exactly how you would like to take part in it, and just how far into it you would like to go. Once you start seeing positive changes, or start to obtain your desires and achieve your goals, you can dive a bit deeper, and start really using manifestation as a way to harness your dreams and turn them into a reality.