To ask if you believe in manifestation?

[Thewal]

I watched ‘The Secret’ today. It seemed to be mostly waffle with some random quotes thrown in, but from what I can gather it suggests that positive thinking and asking for things from the universe is what leads to ‘success’ and essentially getting what you want.

So I’d love to hear if you have ever manifested something into reality? How did you do it and how long did it take? Do you believe in it? And does the banishing of negative thoughts ever stress you out?

I just want to know what day to day life is like for people who practice this and if people have actually had something happen they put down to it?

I believe in it but I don't believe we are meant to be here to manifest success, money, material, marriage etc.
It's more about the joy of seeing the magic when things come into your life and immersing yourself in that wonder and child likeness. Like talking about something good and then it happening the next day. It's more like thinking about a type of event you'd like to go to and then seeing a poster for that event a couple of days later. Or needing something small and finding it on a walk somewhere.

I think you attract whatever you focus on, so if you’re thinking about new job opportunities you’re more likely to spot them whenever and wherever you find them but I don’t think you can just ask the universe for a pony.

Manifestation
Prayer
Witchcraft
Asking the universe
"Putting it out there"

All different sides of the same dice. People's natural instinct is to ask for help when they're struggling and this is just a form of that. Do I believe it works? Sceptical.

Nope. Manifesting is the mantra of instahun bossbabe MLM’s. It’s not real.

Spacestar ordering?

The flip side is victim blaming. So you manifested your cancer, SA, abuse, bankruptcy.

Yes, if you make a detailed plan, you're more likely to achieve it. If you focus on your goals you'll find more opportunities. That's all there is to it.

Nah it's bollocks, do you think anyone who has terrible tragedy happen to them deserve it and brought it upon themselves? Because that's basically the end point of that idiotic line of thinking.

I think it is, at best, a form of confirmation bias: if you 'manifest' a new job, for example, you will inevitably be looking at opportunities, expanding your network, talking about a new job etc, so it wouldn't be a massive surprise to anybody else that you end up with an actual new job.

If manifestation was real, then I'd want proof of somebody manifesting something like a shark with lasers on its head.

Yes, I believe in it and I work it every day. I was always a very logical person and thought it was BS but three years ago for a number of reasons I tried it. If I showed you what I'd written down before it happened it would blow your mind. It's changed my life and I'm so grateful for that.

I never believed in it because what about people in war zones? How awful life is for some people etc. This was where I had a complete mind block. I can't answer those questions but it's made me realise that there is more to life than what we see.

The thing is about LOA is you can't dip in and out of it. You need to actively do it daily.

I don't believe in manifesting, who manifests childhood cancer/dementia/where bad thing is going on?
Same as you don't manifests good things.

I do believe, strongly, that if you focus on the good, you feel more optimistic, take more chances, try new things, and therefore are more likely to encounter what you are looking for.

If you feel unable to try anything new, too tired to look for opportunities, too worried or busy to take the chance to change, you will continue to be in unproductive, unhappy situations.

I don't believe in manifestation as you described, but I do simultaneously think that to get a new project involving other people off the ground (starting a group, for example), the 'secret' is to act as if it is definitely going to be occurring on x date and then work to that - including telling others so that they will be there on x too - rather than keeping the start vaguely in the future whilst you perfect getting your ducks in a row.

So basically its making a list of what you want to achieve and focussing on that every day.

I am not saying that that doesnt work, it really does. The most successful people I know are the most focussed. They will not be derailed from their primary objectives, but that doesnt mean that is some gift from the universe or a god or whatever. Its you giving yourself the gift.

I think that manifestation does work, I absolutely do. But not for the reasons devotees do. I think that it is just a name for you pushing and looking for what you want and seeing or seeking out opportunities that you perhaps would not have seen or sought without that focus.

We did IVF. We bought a 3 package deal and the first two rounds were a disaster. We were on our third - and final - fresh round. If it didn't work this time but we had embryos left over, we could do another 3 rounds with frozen embryos. But it wasn't looking good.

I was sitting in the hotel room waiting for the call from the embryologist. I had a little piece of card that had come from a top I bought and I was doodling on it. I wrote: "Dear Universe, please give us 8 perfect embryos." In my mind, this was how many we needed for 1 fresh round and 3 frozen rounds. But given that we had had NO success, thus far, it was unlikely. But I'd read The Secret and thought I had nothing to lose.

Then I got an email from the clinic nurse. Not the call I was expecting from the embryologist. She told me we had 8 perfect embryos! I was so shocked. But very happy. But mostly shocked. I tried to tell her about the little piece of card I'd written on but I sounded like a loon.

Anyway, do I believe I manifested this? No, I think it was a coincidence. A pretty weird one, though.

Yes

It's cobblers. However, there's pretty good evidence that successful business people fail more than unsuccessful ones. The successful ones just keep going. And hoping and wishful thinking is part of that.

So it looks like it works, but not in the way it's meant. To paraphrase Granny Weatherwax, people who wish upon a star and dream a dream will be beaten by people who get up early and work hard.

My friend is so into this but still hasn't found the man she's been trying to manifest for at least 10 years

It's more of making lots of little choices that lead you to a bigger life change.

Someone once told me they manifested everything in their life. They were literally given everything they owned. I was amazed as I had to work so hard for everything. It was the first time I'd seen something like that. It opened my mind to possibilities other than being overworked. I since learned that networking, asking for things, giving to others, etc. are the actual real-life ways people are "manifesting".

So to me it's more about making connections that lead you to what you want. My example was getting things for free. Since then I've been given so much it's become a burden. But other things I've gotten no results in. Like a major rift in my family- nothing can save it. I lost my faith over it. In my experience manifesting is actually you forging your own path in ways you haven't tried yet, thus yielding positive results in the direction you're trying to go.

Yes, it works. But not in some 'woo' way.

It works because people focus on what they want, and take the steps they need to take to get there.

Is it 100%? Nope. You have to believe it's possible because that's what keeps people focused on the end goal so they don't get swayed by or things. For example Neil Gaiman, when he was just about making ends meet as a writer, turned down a great job offer for a well known magazine, despite having a baby on the way. He knew it would take him away from his goal. That's the kind of focus that people should be trying to harness when they try manifesting - but a lot of people think it's just putting what you want out to the universe and hoping it will come back to you somehow.

I'm not saying that Neil Gaiman was using manifesting btw...

No I wouldn't say prayer and/or witchcraft are the same as manifestation (though you get these online 'business guru''s' who promote them as such). Not that I've had any dealings with the latter directly but I've had friends who were involved in witchcraft and there is structure within it, the emphasis being on 'craft.' It is more than simply just writing lists and concentrating on what you want, as a witch or wizard contrary to TV programs.

Prayer isn't the same as manifestation as the premise is presumably communication with a being with some sort of personality, in which the answer if given at all, can be yes, no, wait, or something you didn't think you needed. It isn't just a vague concept of disembodied energy that you tap into.

I have had strange coincidences that I thought were incredible at the time, but later realised actually, perhaps weren't so unusual after time had passed.

I do think there is some sort of truth regarding attraction to and between people though, and I do believe if you're in a room full of people and are trying to be successful in some way, the people with similar energy are going to find you in that room too. This works negatively too. If you've been badly abused in the past, sexually, emotionally or physically it is simply AMAZING how people with bad motives are able to sniff that out and you attract them out of seeming nowhere.

No! Although I believe positive thinking is more effective than negative thinking in making progress in one’s life. I think a big issue with manifestation is often people really want others to change and that is not something anyone can personally change. Learn to live with others, your life and make actual steps to get the changes you want don’t just expect it to land in your lap because of making wishes!!

No. I think people who say this has happened only remember when what they want has "manifested" and forget about/discount all the times when they were disappointed - belief confirmation bias.

Manifestos worked twice for me. Incredibly. Life changing. It’s about knowing and identifying what you need from life. It’s then about focus to get there. So not so much expecting the universe to deliver but being open to the changes you need to be fulfilled. It works.

Utter bollocks.
The universe? The whole of it? 😂
Surely it has better things to do than hone in on some lass wanting a boy to fancy her for example.

How arrogant are we humans to think we even matter a jot?

Oh, I believe in almost anything, depending on the day 🤣

With manifestation, I feel like it might “work” in a way…surely if you’re clear with yourself about what you want, you’ll be better at seeing the opportunities that lead to your wish when they arise?