Manifestation for beginners: debunking common misconceptions

Manifestation for beginners: debunking common misconceptions

Sometimes, when I talk about manifestation, I’m met with blank stares or eyerolls. And honestly, I get it. That’s how I used to feel too. My understanding of manifestation began and ended with The Secret, the 2006 self-help book that took the world by storm. The book claimed that your thoughts alone can influence your material reality. As in, if you wanted a BMW and you thought about getting a BMW, you’d receive one. As silly as it sounds, this is something a lot of people believe(d) in: it sold 30 million copies and has been translated into 50 (yes, 50) languages. 

I say it’s silly, and yet here I am, writing about manifestation for beginners. I want to clarify something: I do think our thoughts have power. I think it matters what energy we put out into the world, and that it’s very possible to attract good things to you. So why am I over here dunking on The Secret? Essentially, because it’s not that simple. 

Let’s talk about manifestation for beginners. I’m not necessarily here to tell you how to manifest; there are teachers far more wise than I who can help you with that (this is a witchy teacher I love who specifically works with creatives, especially writers.) What I’m here to do is debunk common misconceptions around manifestation so that you are equipped to take it on in your own life, whatever that looks like for you. So without further ado, let’s jump right in.

Manifestation is a self help practice

When you manifest something, you’re spending time reflecting on who you are and what you want. You’re using techniques like mindfulness and visualization to picture what you want and to help you go after it. Manifestation is not the easy way out, a quick fix, or a way to get out of hard work. It’s a technique that can help get you closer to your goals when utilized correctly.

Manifestation requires aligned action

This is perhaps the biggest misconception about manifestation. If your thoughts on their own were powerful enough to get you a raise, or a BMW, or a book deal, everyone would have those things. True manifestation requires aligned action. What does that mean? That means that as you’re manifesting, you’re also taking steps to achieve that goal.

I’ve had a lot of people roll their eyes at me when I’ve said that. “That’s just working towards a goal, not manifesting!” Well, yes and no. I think about it like this: when I manifest, I’m asking the universe for exactly what I want. I’m preparing myself energetically to receive good things. I’m using my thoughts to attract the things I desire. And, alongside all of that, I’m working. 

I’m a writer, and for a long time I really wanted to sign with a literary agent. If you don’t know how this works, it’s a grueling process, and for some people it takes many years… or never happens at all. When I was querying agents, I was also manifesting the type of relationship I wanted with my agent. That helped me get really clear on the specific people I needed to be querying. I spent time putting that energy out into the world. However, I also worked hard: I wrote the best book I could and received feedback from trusted critique partners, I crafted the best possible query letter I could, I worked hard sending it out to agents and updating my submission spreadsheet. This story has a happy ending: I signed with an agent I admired who has proven to be a wonderful business partner and advocate. Of course, this is due to my hard work, but the hard work is part of the manifestation process.

What aligned action can you be taking towards your goals?

Manifestation should not include spiritual bypassing

Spiritual bypassing is when spirituality is used to avoid confronting complicated or negative emotions or realities, and many people have weaponized manifestation against people who are struggling. Sometimes, situations arise because of structural issues; capitalism, racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, the list goes on. Just like how we can’t “thoughts and prayers” our way out of the gun violence epidemic, we can’t ask people to manifest their way out of situations that are caused by structural issues. 

For example, telling someone to manifest their way out of poverty is spiritual bypassing. That doesn’t mean that individuals can’t choose to manifest prosperity, a better job, or a stable housing situation, but in those situations, the aligned actions available are often limited or difficult to achieve. Manifestation is not a fix for social or political problems, and modern witches and other spiritual people should work in tangible ways for the betterment of humankind, rather than using the law of attraction to blame people for difficult situations. Likewise, manifestation does not aleve individuals of responsibility to their communities. Lighting a candle for an end to war is a beautiful gesture, but it needs to be paired with tangible actions like writing or calling representatives, protesting, or donations of money or time. 

The universe works for your greater good

I think I’m really good at manifesting, and I also genuinely believe that I couldn’t manifest a billion dollars. Why? Well, aside from the structural issues in place that prevent people from building wealth, I don’t think that being a billionaire would serve my greater good, and the universe knows that.

Think about all the things that haven’t worked out in your life, only for you to end up exactly where you needed to be. Maybe relationships that didn’t work out, job offers you didn’t receive, or opportunities that passed you by. I’m not saying that everything happens for a reason–that’s another good example of spiritual bypassing, sometimes things just suck–but I am saying that not every opportunity is for you, and the universe knows that. If you work really hard to manifest something, you take aligned action, and it doesn’t happen for you, you can take comfort in the fact that some things are not meant to be and use this as an opportunity to think about what WOULD serve you.