Power of Manifestation

I was so inspired by the women of Boss Ladies Magazine work session this past week. As usual, we started off our time together by circling the room, each one of us sharing one challenge and one win for the week, and one thing we would like to manifest.  Some women had trouble connecting with their wildest manifestations. Others squealed with delight and embodied their manifestation while sharing with such intensity that it left the group speechless. We thought their manifest share was their win for the week. 

This got me thinking, and I simultaneously heard and received questions from some of the ladies... What is manifesting? Why do some people manifest their wildest dreams? Why do others have trouble turning fantasies into realities? 

I was first introduced to the concept of manifestation through the film, The Secret, back in 2006. The movie was based on the book written by Rhonda Byrne. In 2006, I was two years into a personal spiritual evolution and the movie expanded that paradigm shift to new heights. My then career of pharmaceutical research began to intertwine with alternative healing. And this movie, in particular, took me down a rabbit hole of quantum physics, biology of belief and neuroscience of meditation and visualization. 

During this time in my life I was finishing my second year of a master's degree in Spiritual Psychology. I was learning philosophies, practices and tools in the graduate degree as I was in my personal journey. In that second year I created five ideals for my life. I phrased all of my visions with “I am…” statements and extended them into much more detail in a five-page document. I detailed out the specifics of each ideal scenario – life, work, creativity, health, relationship, sobriety and spirituality. I cut photographs from magazines and inspired myself with vision boards. I started to observe that some of these ideal scenes were coming true. As each one "manifested" I would create the next one. 

But there was something that the movie didn't discuss that I had learned in my graduate degree. That the specifics of what I wanted to manifest wasn't the most important aspect of visualizing, it was the feeling the dream gave me that I was truly seeking.

For example, at that time my pharmaceutical research career didn't feel fulfilling anymore. I wanted something new. I had ideas but felt overwhelmed at the execution. Then I remember to focus on how I wanted to feel in this new career, versus attempting to fix, plan and figure it out with my mind.

What I deeply desired was a career that felt fulfilling, where was helping people who were suffering, that allowed me to continue to grow and learn, was lucrative and flexible, that challenged me intellectually and spiritually, that was creative, and utilized my strengths and gifts. As I wrote these “I am…” statements on paper and created a visual onto poster board that reflected how this experience would feel, I focused more on the essence, rather than the actual job. Within a year, without intending to become a coach, I had five clients and worked out a deal with my then pharmaceutical company to only work four days a week, with the same pay, so one day each week could be dedicated to my coaching clients. 

I learned a few other things through the early years of manifesting, and also, not manifesting. Although I could dream and imagine, what the Universe (Spirit, God, Higher Power) wanted for me might not always in alignment with what I wanted. Therefore I include a prayer into my visualizations and dreams. It goes, "This or something better for the highest good of all concerned." In sum, it means that I am declaring this is the next best idea that I can come up with, but I am also turning it over, because if there is something better for not only me, but for everyone else involved, then I am willing to show up for that dream too. I learned that this was surrender in action. And when there is surrender, there is manifestation. And sometimes, that manifestation looks different than what we imagined, or it unfolds in a different way that we would imagine. 

I've had ideals come true exactly the way I dreamed they would. I've had visualizations come true but in delayed span of time than I would have desired. I have had visions come true in a much different way than I would have planned but they were exactly how they needed to unfold looking back in retrospect. One of those was being a single mom before I got married. I needed to first open my heart to a child before I could open my heart to another adult. And how symbolic that was for me in my own personal journey. Relationships, commitment and marriage were always a daunting subject. I had more to heal before I could truly call partnership into my life. Being a mother first softened me, brought me into my feminine and allowed me to call in a masculine energy in the form of my now husband. And partnership still tends to be my biggest mirror and grounds for learning and spiritual evolution. 

But I digress. We are the only mammals that can dream into the future. The Secret failed not only to describe focusing one the feelings of what we deeply desire, but how to make that part of our life right here, right now, so that our dream merges into our reality. When we begin to feel and act as if its already happening, the veil between imagination and intuitive opens and there is really no difference.

Last, the other limitation of The Secret was it made us believe that these manifestations should happen simply because we are affirming them, putting photos on our walls of them. But there's also emotional and mental processing that needs to happen in order for us to release old wounds and hurts, as well as unconscious and very limiting beliefs that keep us stuck. I work with clients on releasing the conscious and unconscious material that keeps them stuck, so they can vibrate in the feelings they truly desire. Otherwise it is like banging your head against a wall while saying positive affirmations.

Remember, manifestation is energy. It is alive. Make sure you keep it living inside of you.

Register for the Manifestation Workshop on November 11, 2017 from 10 AM to 2 PM. We will dive into all of the processes, tools and skills that I use with 1:1 clients on manifesting dreams into realities. We will clarify our vision, release what is blocking us, and plan ahead for the next six-months. Then we will meet again on May 12, 2018 from 10 AM to 2 PM to share and celebrate our manifestation, learning and growth.

Photo by Ilene Squires Photography