What is Manifestation? The Truth Behind the Trend

What is Manifestation???

I feel like everywhere I go I hear about manifestation. Sometimes in a super positive way, and sometimes, not so much. It seems like it is getting really popular - and really misinterpreted.

In the context of personal development and spirituality, "manifestation" often refers to the process of bringing a thought, desire, or intention into reality through focused mental and emotional energy. This involves aligning one's thoughts, beliefs, and actions to attract desired outcomes, a concept popularized in various self-help and spiritual teachings.

The word Manifest means to - ‘to make evident or certain by showing or displaying’ (Merriam-Webster, n.d)

Better stated, manifestation is the act of making something that is desired a reality through intentional action.

It is not magic - it is not woo woo - although a lot of people practice various forms of spirituality to amplify their manifestation practices. It is true, there are many activities to experience the feeling of reaching and aligning their energy, thoughts, emotions and actions with what they are seeking. For example - some may ‘light a candle’ while focusing on what they want to see happen. This again doesn’t need to be considered magic. Lighting a candle is just focusing the intended energy where you want it to go. Think about it, candles are definitely known to be used in occult practices, but they are also used in religious practices, on birthdays, and when we want to relax.

In religions across so many cultures and faiths candle lighting symbolizes intention, prayer, and connection with divine. Lighting of a candle represents illumination, clarity, and the channeling of energy or prayers towards a higher power - the divine source. 

For example candles are used in churches to symbolize Christ as the "light of the world." Lighting a candle during prayer represents offering one’s intentions or petitions to God. It’s also seen as a way to keep focus and create a sacred atmosphere.

In the wiccan practices lighting a candle while visualizing a desired outcome is a common practice in spellwork, or rituals. This is thought to help focus mental energy and send it into the universe for realization. And because it represents the element of fire. 

In Western cultures we light a candle, sing happy birthday, make a wish and blow out the ‘light’ which is supposed to make our wish come true. Sounds pretty much like becoming intentional about what we want doesn’t it?

So these practices can be used to focus intention - but they are not the meaning of manifestation at all.

At its core, manifestation is about turning your thoughts, desires, or intentions into reality. But it’s not magic—it’s a process of aligning your energy, thoughts, and actions to bring about change.

The concept of manifestation isn’t new. It’s rooted in ancient spiritual practices. In Hinduism and Buddhism, the idea of karma is tied to manifestation—you reap what you sow. In Hermetic philosophy, the Law of Correspondence ('as above, so below') hints at the power of inner and outer alignment.

Authors in the 19th century influenced the new thought movement. Think and Grow Rich with Napoleon Hill or The secret with Rhonda Byrne.

And then there is social media!

If you’ve ever scrolled through TikTok or Instagram, you’ve probably seen the #manifestation tag paired with dreamy aesthetics, success stories, or even viral affirmations like 'I don’t chase, I attract.' But what are these posts really telling us?

It makes it too simple, first off, which is why I created Manifestation Therapy for supportive professionals to better understand the principles and how to work with manifestation in their practice.

Manifestation isn’t just saying ‘I want a million dollars’ and expecting it to show up. A lot of online content skips the deeper work behind the process, like mindset shifts, habits, and understanding energy.

There are Pros and Cons of this social media manifesting Hype.

The Pros include how social media has introduced a new generation to spiritual concepts and encouraged people to think about their goals and dreams.

But the Cons are that it can also create unrealistic expectations or turn manifestation into toxic positivity—like ignoring challenges instead of working through them.

Let’s review the universal principles with manifestation. Because manifestation doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s connected to the 12 Universal Principles—laws that govern energy and reality. Think of them as a framework for understanding how manifestation works.

Like the first law, of Divine Oneness: Everything is connected. What you do, think, or feel impacts others and the collective energy of the universe. Cultivating positive energy to create ripple effects supports the creation of intentional desires - it is manifestation in action.

With the law of Vibration: Everything has energy. Manifestation is about aligning your energy with what you want to bring into your life. Everything is always moving - and our manifestations are always happening.

The Law of Resonance: where we align energetically with what we are experiencing ourselves supports how important it is to do the inner work—it raises your frequency to match your desires.

With the law of Correspondence: we recognize that ‘As above, so below.' Our inner world reflects our outer world, and vice versa. That’s why mindset shifts are crucial.

And with Cause and Effect: Every choice has a consequence. Manifestation is also about the actions you take to bring your dreams to life.

With the law of blessings or Compensation You get back what you give. If you’re putting out gratitude, generosity, or love, that’s what you’ll receive more of in manifestation.

And the big one, the Law of Attraction: where Like attracts like, but this works when it’s backed by clear intention and aligned action. And can also attract negative when you are in that headspace - you manifest what you are.

The Law of Polarity defines life with contrasts—light and dark, positive and negative. Recognizing duality helps us understand balance and how challenges can fuel growth.

With the law of Perpetual Transformation we know that Energy is always changing, and so are you. Manifestation requires adaptability and trust in the process. This is a primary focus in manifestation - understanding change can and will happen - so setting intentions around that.

With the law of Rhythm we recognize how Everything happens in cycles—seasons, emotions, success. Trusting the rhythm of life keeps you patient and grounded while we wait for the manifestation to become reality. "Sometimes, things unfold exactly when they’re meant to. It’s about releasing control and trusting the universe’s timing.

In the law of Gender we are able to understand the importance of balance. Balance between masculine with action and logic and the feminine with intuition and creative energies for our manifestation focus.

But what does the meaning of manifestation have to do with you? Or with your clients?

It is about the Practical Steps:

Find Clarity: Get crystal clear on what you want and why you want it.

Practice Mindset Shifts: Reframe limiting beliefs and focus on what’s possible.

Maintain some Energy Alignment: Use tools like affirmations, visualization, and gratitude to raise your vibration.

Keep intentional in your Actions: Manifestation is co-creation. Take inspired steps toward your goals.

Have Patience and Trust: Which includes celebrating the little wins. Manifestation isn’t always instant. Trust the process and stay open.

Find awareness through Self-Reflection: Ask yourself: Am I in alignment with what I want? Are my thoughts, emotions, and actions supporting this?

Manifestation is a practice, not a quick fix. It’s about aligning your energy, actions, and mindset to create the life you desire, guided by universal laws.

Manifestation integrates beautifully into therapy when approached as a tool for empowering clients to recognize their agency, align their mindset, and shift their behaviors to align with their goals.

I developed Manifestation Therapy with the universal principles for this purpose. To build awareness and intention. To find your full potential.

In therapy, clients often struggle with clarity about what they truly want. Manifestation practices can help them identify goals rooted in their authentic desires rather than societal pressures or past conditioning.

For Example: During a session, a therapist might guide a client in identifying their “ideal outcome” using visualization exercises, asking them to imagine not just the result but the feelings associated with achieving it.

You can give clients some homework to build on their self-awareness and perception, always with the intention of increasing self-love. Some things may be to suggest

Journaling prompts: like - "If anything were possible, what would I create for myself?" or it can be to discover what prevents them - “I cannot reach my goals today because of …” or “If I reach my goals the worst thing that could happen is…”

I encourage my clients to use Affirmations: Creating truthful, heart felt affirmations rooted in their desired outcomes, reframe negative self-talk and support change (think of the law of perpetual transformation)

We aren’t meant to have negative self talk, those nasty critical things we say to ourselves come from imprints in our childhood, youth, or perhaps even in our adult years. But naturally we are not meant to have those. No baby comes out thinking it is ‘unworthy’ or unloveable.

In the Therapeutic Process: Manifestation emphasizes aligning conscious desires with subconscious programming, which is critical in therapy. Techniques like brainspotting, EMDR, or hypnosis can help clients uncover and rewire subconscious blocks that prevent them from moving forward.

For Example: A client struggling to manifest healthy relationships might have unresolved trauma from past connections. Therapy can address those root issues while helping them set clear intentions for what they want in future relationships.

I have mentioned brainspotting before - and even after taking a recent EMDR training it is my go to. I offer it to my therapeutic clients when I can, as well as in coaching sessions. 

Brainspotting: Helps clients connect with their intuitive knowledge, releasing blocks tied to past experiences. The brain knows how to heal - and while they process where they need to, their brain rewires to support their intentional manifestations.

Of course there is also the importance in Guided meditations: Visualization exercises to reinforce positive outcomes and align energy. These do not need to be long and drawn out, they can simply be something like a body scan or a guided storyline of where the individual wants to be to gain the experiential feeling and increase the energetic path towards where they are hoping to go.

The 12 Universal Principles provide a structure for understanding life’s patterns, making them valuable in therapy for self-reflection and creating meaningful change.

For Example: Teaching clients about the Law of Cause and Effect by building on awareness of how previous choices have led to current situation can help someone see how their daily habits contribute to their outcomes. You don’t need to express the law of cause and effect as a universal principle to do so. You can just guide clients to understand choices lead to outcome. It builds on accountability, and empowerment.

We want to support the Shifting of Energy and Mindset

Manifestation teaches that energy and mindset shape reality. Therapy naturally focuses on shifting negative patterns into healthier ones, which aligns perfectly with this principle.

A therapist might notice a client ruminating on failures, reinforcing a cycle of self-sabotage. Through CBT or mindfulness techniques, they can help the client redirect their focus to possibilities rather than limitations.

Gratitude practices to cultivate a higher vibration: Encouraging clients to write down three things they’re grateful for daily. I always give this as homework with new clients who struggle with symptoms of depression or grief.

Teaching clients to identify and interrupt negative thought spirals using grounding techniques. FIrst they need to be aware - what does their body tell them, their nervous system, prior to the reaction that emotion initiates?

Remember, Manifestation isn’t just about positive thinking; it requires actionable steps toward goals. Therapy sessions can help clients set SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) aligned with their manifestations.

Example: A client manifesting career success might explore practical steps like updating their resume, networking, or developing new skills.

Using visualization techniques paired with goal-setting: “Imagine your ideal job. What’s one action you can take this week to get closer to it?"

Accountability: Checking in on inspired actions during sessions to reinforce progress.

Manifestation emphasizes alignment, but fear, doubt, or trauma can create resistance. Therapy offers a safe space for clients to process and release these emotions. Coaching should never claim to heal trauma - it can be supportive in life events, but trauma belongs with a trauma modality in therapy.

A client with abuse in their childhood may be struggling to manifest self-love might uncover deep-seated shame or a belief that they are unworthy. Therapy can help untangle these beliefs and replace them with empowering ones.

Brainspotting, EMDR, Somatic Experiencing and others use approaches or mindfulness to release stored tension and create alignment.

Intuition is also important. And intuition is not woo woo or magic either. We all have it both men and women.

Many manifestation practices highlight the importance of listening to intuitive guidance. Therapy can support this by helping clients reconnect with their intuition, especially if they’ve learned to ignore it due to past trauma or external validation seeking.

We want to amplify clients' intuitive insights, helping them trust their inner wisdom when making decisions.

Exercises that promote mindfulness and body awareness: Helping clients recognize the physical sensations tied to intuition.

Also the importance of Reflective questioning in Manifestation Therapy like: "What does your gut tell you about this situation?" “What does your mother's intuition say is the answer?” or even “What is your body telling you that you need right now?”

Manifestation encourages living in alignment with one’s values and desires, which is a cornerstone of many therapeutic approaches like Manifestation Therapy.

A client may realize they’ve been manifesting career success but feel unfulfilled because their goals weren’t tied to their core values. Therapy can help realign their intentions.

In therapy, manifestation can be a powerful tool for self-awareness, empowerment, and action. By integrating principles like energy alignment, intuitive guidance, and practical steps, therapists can help clients create meaningful change while staying grounded in their unique journeys.

So - that’s manifestation. 

Its just about getting what you want, by changing the way you think, feel, and energetically experience the world within and around you.

It’s possible to reach your full potential.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate. Check out my new book Manifestation Therapy that covers all of the steps of this process, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
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Till next time.