Manifestation - Magic, or Mantra?

What's really holding you back?

I don’t know about you, but I’ve heard the word manifestation being bandied about endlessly over the last few years. It’s become a bit of a buzzword, and it gets under my skin a little.

It reminds me of the 90s evangelical “name it and claim it” prosperity movement — the idea that if you saw a nice car and declared, “I claim that car in Jesus’s name,” that somehow, at some point in the future, it would become yours. We then moved into the millennium and along came The Secret, which held within its pages the glossy promise that gratitude, visualisation, and positive thinking (all good things in themselves) could become a recipe for getting whatever you wanted.

And now, we have manifestation.

So yes, I’m cynical. Mostly because I’m wary of anything that sells the idea of having what you want as a spiritual or scientific truth.

However, is there some truth?

Are You Still Waiting?

A couple of weeks ago, I went to a women’s event at The Conduit Club, where the theme for the evening was ‘Waiting To Be Chosen.’ The room was packed wall to wall, with women crammed in, sharing seats, and standing at the back, eager to hear the discussion about how to stop waiting for someone else’s approval or permission and start choosing themselves. It seemed as if it were a common problem, and I was right there in the middle!

As I listened, I realised that perhaps this is what manifestation in its purest form is really about — not magic or entitlement, but the internal and intentional act of saying, ‘yes’, ‘I’m going to do this’, and stepping into that role before anyone gives you permission or an invitation, because you know that’s where you want and deserve to be.

Why We Hold Back

Why do we do this though? What is it that makes us hold back?

When I was at the Trauma Conference in Oxford earlier this month (see my last post), I had the opportunity to hear a neuroscientist talk about manifestation, and I jumped at it. Because here’s the thing: I’m fascinated by the brain, and I’m certain a giant chunk of the answers lies right between our ears, if only we could figure it out. Neuroscience is still a relatively new field, and the more we learn about how the mind actually works, the more we can see just how extraordinary this supercomputer really is.

This neuroscientist, Dr James Flowers, explained that you can create the life you want through manifestation —not through magic, but through the mind’s ability to rewire itself. Neuroscience has taught us that our brains can form new neural pathways through techniques like hypnotherapy, EMDR, tapping, and even something as simple as writing things down.

So much happens in the brain. Our thoughts and feelings are intrinsically linked: thoughts trigger emotions, and emotions, in turn, shape our thoughts. This is known as the thought–feeling loop, and it can work in our favour or spiral against us. The question is, how do we influence it, or are we just who we are? Then we start to question whether or not we have a choice, or if everything is preplanned. Maybe that’s a conversation for another day.

According to Dr Flowers, if you imagine something you want, such as a goal, a vision, or a change, and you write it down, focus on it, and meditate on it, you set the process in motion. So, is that magic? Or mantra?

He referenced the famous story of Jim Carrey, who, when he was a struggling actor with just $15 to his name, wrote himself a post-dated cheque for $10 million. Three years later, just before the date expired on the cheque, he landed Dumb and Dumber — with a $10 million pay cheque. Was that magic?

Carey insists that he has the ability to manifest things into his life. However, part of me resists the idea that it’s a flawless formula because it’s not like he sat on his sofa and waited for greatness. He got out there and worked for it. Isn’t that mantra?

He didn’t just write a cheque; he got on with the work of being an actor. He invested and believed in his dream, which tells me it’s both!

The Magic OF The Mantra

For me, this is the magic of the mantra: When we change the words we live by, the things we tell ourselves and believe on the inside, we change how our brains function. When we feed ourselves negativity, judgment, and criticism, our neural patterns reflect that, and we feel lethargic, hopeless, and as if the world is against us. But when we start to accept ourselves as we are, then train our minds to look for the good, to find possibility and believe in hope, we begin to see new options and the world opens up to us.

I believe manifestation isn’t about calling things in from thin air but about creating a state of mind in which ideas can flourish, where what we want to manifest comes into being because of what we are saying and doing - to ourselves and for ourselves.

It takes intention and practise but we can transform the words we live by and change the pattern of our lives. I had to do it too. It’s why I’m so excited by neuroscience and the evidence it offers in support of what I know works.

It’s an ongoing mission and I still have to battle the permission thing, too! So maybe we can make a pact together: if you’re waiting for permission or hoping the universe will choose you, try choosing yourself instead. Can we all do that?

I reckon that’s where the real magic might just begin - with a bit of magic and a lot of mantra :) If you’re in, drop me a message or a comment below!!