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Creative visualisation & ‘manifesting’ - seems to work (?)

35 replies

Peverellshire · 16/04/2023 09:49

Geri Halliwell famously ‘wrote down what she wanted’ & it came to pass.

Was pondering today as came across the Pinterest of a woman I know socially. All see was ‘manifesting’ 10 years ago has come to pass & these were VERY broad, ambitious goals.

Think ‘dream home’ and much more, second home, £££s.

I can see that being dogged, tenacious & single minded gets you places but beyond that? Which are best books or podcasts that offer a take on it?

A friend attended a ‘course’ in London, funnily enough an ex Spice girl there too. Some kind of wish fulfilment, manifestation ‘boot camp’. Her success speaks for itself.

So, is there anything in it & where can I discover more?

OP posts:
Dithyramb · 16/04/2023 09:52

Don’t be silly, OP. You’re basing your ideas that ‘manifesting’ works on the Pinterest of someone who says she visualised a second home etc ten years ago and, lo and behold, now has one, and a bootcamp an ex-Spice Girl attended, therefore there must be something in it?

Thelnebriati · 16/04/2023 09:53

Does the Universe only give you stuff, or can you get things like good health?

Nimbostratus100 · 16/04/2023 09:55

of course there is nothing in it, other than profit for those people that set themselves up as some kind of woo guru

Luckydog7 · 16/04/2023 09:57

But you don't hear from the millions who this didn't work for do you? Only then one who got successful enough to now have a platform. A kind of success bias.

The only way 'manifesting' actually works is if you use it to motivate yourself to do the work.

I hit 30 recently and had a baby and realised that I was basically the same lazy procrastinator as I was in university and all my ambitions weren't going to happen on my own without changing myself. No one was going to gift it to me.

I worked on being the person I wanted to be. 4 years later im running my own freelance business in design because of that work I put in. It isn't exactly what I was aiming for but it caused a positive change that led me to a better life.

BonnieGlasses · 16/04/2023 09:59

Yeah it doesn't work. If it did I would be living in a much nicer house!

user146539089 · 16/04/2023 10:00

I really believe that you have to see things you want really clearly and then set about making that happen. I don’t know if that’s manifesting as other people understand it but I’ve had some very big, against the odds things happen for me.

Lovingitallnow · 16/04/2023 10:01

I think it's confirmation bias a bit. When I think good things and focus on them I notice all the amazing things that have happened. Same when I think bad things. I don't think it changes outcomes- just how you feel about them. I do however think goal setting makes a difference. I have goals I write down a few years ago and they've all happened - but I made them happen. I've plenty that I wrote down that didn't, but in retrospect they're no longer important to me now. I showed my mom the ones I made happened, not the ones that were never achieved, mainly because it's not relevant now that 5 years ago I wanted x but it never happened and I don't want it now. I guess SM is a macro version of me telling my mom.

Peverellshire · 16/04/2023 10:04

I completely understand the ‘Woo’ aspect but I notice the ‘success’ of those broadly, I guess, with a supremely positive mindset.

It’s that, dogged determination, unshakable confidence & an overarching plan. I’ve seen those that employ it lead extraordinary lives.

So, is it possible to curate your life to a certain extent & develop ‘It’?

Do you know anyone that has done so? Some do & will do anything & stop at nothing to achieve goals…

OP posts:
PussBilledDuckyPlait · 16/04/2023 10:05

It only works in the way that positive thinking works. There is no supernatural way of making things happen. Visualising your goals in detail can be motivational and make you more likely to see opportunities to bring them to life but it can't guarantee they'll come to pass.

Bababababab · 16/04/2023 10:07

I do not believe in manifestation etc. But 5 years ago I wrote down a 5 year plan and what I want to achieve in that time. 90% off what I wrote came true. But this is not because of manifestation. It is because the time spent thinking about what I want to achieve and what I really want to focus on. Then it made it easier to happen as it is not just random thoughts in my head I see manifestation as the same. It is not that the universe gifts it. It is that you spend time thinking about what you really want to achieve and then focus on that rather than a scatter gun approach.

Littlepiglet123 · 16/04/2023 10:08

Yes visualisation does work but there are things you would need work on at a deeper subconscious level to help remove limiting beliefs and inherited patterning. Not everyone wants the same stuff

Littlepiglet123 · 16/04/2023 10:08

Look at Silva method, lefkoe institute, Adele spragg

Peverellshire · 16/04/2023 10:26

Bababababab · 16/04/2023 10:07

I do not believe in manifestation etc. But 5 years ago I wrote down a 5 year plan and what I want to achieve in that time. 90% off what I wrote came true. But this is not because of manifestation. It is because the time spent thinking about what I want to achieve and what I really want to focus on. Then it made it easier to happen as it is not just random thoughts in my head I see manifestation as the same. It is not that the universe gifts it. It is that you spend time thinking about what you really want to achieve and then focus on that rather than a scatter gun approach.

Isn’t that was ‘manifestation’ is? You ‘made it so’ by clear sighted, specific & detailed planning. Do we sell ourselves short by settling for muddle & confusion?

OP posts:
Peverellshire · 16/04/2023 10:27

Littlepiglet123 · 16/04/2023 10:08

Yes visualisation does work but there are things you would need work on at a deeper subconscious level to help remove limiting beliefs and inherited patterning. Not everyone wants the same stuff

Interesting, can you expand? Thanks.

OP posts:
GuevarasBeret · 16/04/2023 10:29

Luckydog7 · 16/04/2023 09:57

But you don't hear from the millions who this didn't work for do you? Only then one who got successful enough to now have a platform. A kind of success bias.

The only way 'manifesting' actually works is if you use it to motivate yourself to do the work.

I hit 30 recently and had a baby and realised that I was basically the same lazy procrastinator as I was in university and all my ambitions weren't going to happen on my own without changing myself. No one was going to gift it to me.

I worked on being the person I wanted to be. 4 years later im running my own freelance business in design because of that work I put in. It isn't exactly what I was aiming for but it caused a positive change that led me to a better life.

I think this is what makes ‘manifesting’ work though. Tackling the inertia head-on.

Littlepiglet123 · 16/04/2023 10:30

Developments in neuroscience are increasingly showing us we have the ability to create our world, but, it is our unconscious driving us not our conscious, thus, it is that area of the mind we need to work on in order to create and manifest the reality of our choosing. Have a look at the signposts I gave you.

Peverellshire · 16/04/2023 10:31

user146539089 · 16/04/2023 10:00

I really believe that you have to see things you want really clearly and then set about making that happen. I don’t know if that’s manifesting as other people understand it but I’ve had some very big, against the odds things happen for me.

How did you visualise? What sort of ‘big’ positive things happened? (Without outing yourself). Interesting.

OP posts:
Peverellshire · 16/04/2023 10:34

Littlepiglet123 · 16/04/2023 10:30

Developments in neuroscience are increasingly showing us we have the ability to create our world, but, it is our unconscious driving us not our conscious, thus, it is that area of the mind we need to work on in order to create and manifest the reality of our choosing. Have a look at the signposts I gave you.

Thank you. Makes sense I think, that might be why ‘success’ apparently favours those with the most tangible self confidence.

Others too, are attracted by their self belief & breezy, assured brevity.

OP posts:
determinedtomakethiswork · 16/04/2023 10:35

Someone might want a big house and financial security. They might realise they only have a few GCSEs, no interest in going to university but are willing to work very hard. They might know that they are not going to get a well-paid job working for someone else so start up their own company, work very hard and achieve their goals. That's not visualisation.

yogacushions · 16/04/2023 10:36

Op read ‘the game of life and how to play it’ by Florence Scovin. And oldie but a goodie and ‘the power of now’ by E Tolle.

I am a very non woo person but after reading those a few years ago and mindfully deciding what I wanted and why, it has come to pass. Shortly I will be manifesting a large redundancy payment and a fab new job. It will happen as I’ll keep working on it till it does.

ohfook · 16/04/2023 10:38

I don't think it works in a magical sense but I do think being clear on what you want helps you make sure that any decisions you make help get you closer to your goal.

Obviously illness, sickness, money issues can all get in the way and no amount of manifesting can prevent that.

OzempicClicker · 16/04/2023 11:03

Wow, it sounds exactly like Spacestar Ordering!

user146539089 · 16/04/2023 11:05

@Peverellshire I suppose the best way to explain it is that it’s like praying. For those who believe, ‘Ask and ye shall receive’ is part of their beliefs and I know some people say this is the same as manifestation. I can’t really say what has happened without being very outing but it involves succeeding against thousands of other people.

sequincardi · 16/04/2023 11:11

I also think there is research based oj writing down your goals helps you achieve them.

fairydust11 · 16/04/2023 11:44

Bababababab · 16/04/2023 10:07

I do not believe in manifestation etc. But 5 years ago I wrote down a 5 year plan and what I want to achieve in that time. 90% off what I wrote came true. But this is not because of manifestation. It is because the time spent thinking about what I want to achieve and what I really want to focus on. Then it made it easier to happen as it is not just random thoughts in my head I see manifestation as the same. It is not that the universe gifts it. It is that you spend time thinking about what you really want to achieve and then focus on that rather than a scatter gun approach.

I did this although not a five year plan but things I wanted in the future and most on my list came true. I believe it was manifestation as writing things down is part of the process. Tbh I had forgotten about the list and it was only years later when I was sorting things out in my attic that I found the list and realised nearly everything came to pass.
Op - writing a specific list of things you want to pass and focusing on the list daily helped for me, even when I stopped focusing on it. Good luck.