How to Manifest, According to Experts

If you're into healing crystals,astrology, or any other element of "woo," you've probably encountered manifestation. The spiritual practice is nothing new, but it's seeing a spike in popularity (thanks,TikTok). According to astrologer Natalia Benson, we're always creating and manifesting in our own lives albeit subconsciously. However, when we become conscious of the power we

If you're into healing crystals, astrology, or any other element of "woo," you've probably encountered manifestation. The spiritual practice is nothing new, but it's seeing a spike in popularity (thanks, TikTok). According to astrologer Natalia Benson, we're always creating and manifesting in our own lives — albeit subconsciously. However, when we become conscious of the power we have to create our lives as we'd like to live them, that's where manifestation comes in.

It's really powerful when we become aware enough to declare, "This is something I'd really like to experience in my life." 

"Let's say it's a job or a relationship or an amount of money or a feeling in your body. Manifestation is really about understanding what it is that you want for your own life experience and then creating those outcomes," Benson explained.

To find out more about what manifesting means, we tapped Benson and experts Ellen Bowles, Imani Quinn, and Lindsay Herr.

Meet the expert

  • Natalia Benson is a women's empowerment coach and astrologer who uses manifestation with clients.
  • Ellen Bowles and Imani Quinn are intuitives and founders of The Woke Mystix.
  • Lindsay Herr is the founder of Inside/Outside.

Interested in giving manifestation a try? Here are five key tenets of the buzzy wellness practice.

Manifestation

"I like to look at manifestation as just a fancy word for being a creative force in your own life," explained Benson, adding that manifestation is creating your life as you would like it to be.

Manifestation and Spirituality Go Hand-in-Hand

As a newcomer to manifestation, it can be helpful to understand that it's often combined with other modes of spirituality and mysticism, which makes sense when you think about it. 

"They both have a way of connecting us with ourselves," explained Bowles and Quinn.

There are many ways this can play out, but many manifestation practitioners often talk about setting intentions or getting clear on what you hope will happen in the future (think: a pay raise, a new house, or a better relationship with a parent). 

"Setting intentions can be done with the new moon; it's the perfect time to plant new seeds," Bowles and Quinn told us. This is just one of the many ways manifestation can intersect with other practices in this space.

Like Attracts Like

Many people are familiar with manifestation thanks to The Secret, a book and 2006 film about the law of attraction. The premise is simple: like attracts like. So whatever energy you put out into the world is what you'll receive back. Focus on the negative, and you'll have negative experiences. Stay in a state of "high vibration," and you'll set yourself up for more positive experiences.

However, according to manifestation pros, there are 11 other laws about how the universe works. The law of attraction is just the tip of the iceberg, noted Benson. Going through all of them would require their own separate article, but here are a couple more to consider:

The Law of Action

When you take action that relates to what you want to manifest, it will happen faster. So, for example, if you want to switch careers and become a therapist, sending applications to graduate programs for therapists will get things moving in the right direction energetically.

The Law of Relativity

We are the ones that attach meaning and emotions to our experiences, but in reality, it's all relative. No matter how difficult something we're going through is, there's always someone going through something more challenging.

Where Focus Goes, Energy Flows

One of the best ways to get started with manifestation, suggested Benson, is to start daydreaming. 

"Usually, we use our minds to worry or make a list of things we've got to do," she said. 

Instead, she proposed using your mind to get excited about life's possibilities and begin visualizing what you might want to experience.

"As soon as you wake up in the morning, list or think of five things you would love to experience, whether immediate or long-term desires," she recommended. "Do the same thing before you go to bed. Work the power of your own imagination and start to dream bigger than where you are now."

Some practitioners call this creative visualization. Mysticism aside, this strategy does make sense. If you always have the things you hope to experience at the forefront of your mind, you'll be more conscious of opportunities to get closer to those things when they present themselves.

It's Not All About You

Manifestation sometimes gets criticized for "good vibes only" sentiments, which is one of the reasons practitioners want to be clear that it's not about bypassing what's happening in the world.

Yes, putting positivity out there is part of manifestation, but that doesn't mean ignoring problems in our own lives and in the world at large. 

"We can acknowledge what we want to see and not only in our own lives, but what we would love to see in the lives of other people," Benson explained. "That is an amazing manifestation tool, to also want the best for the world and for others."

It's Not a Quick Fix

It's easy to think of manifestation as an instant gratification kind of thing. However, looking for immediate results from a manifestation practice is kind of like planting a tree and expecting it to grow big and tall overnight, according to Benson.

"It takes patience, faith, and allowing for alignment of intent and actualization to occur," Bowles and Quinn added.

It's also key to put manifestation in context. 

"When manifesting, it's important to acknowledge that we live in a capitalist structure with privileges and disadvantages," Bowles and Quinn told us. 

For instance, it can be hard to manifest when you're starting with less due to class, race, gender, education, and so on. If you have privilege in those areas, manifestation may feel easier. 

"Acknowledging our disadvantages and privileges keeps us grounded in the real world while still maintaining space for the magic of manifestation."

"I don't think manifestation is a 'think it, and it will come'; it requires some hard work and a de-programming of sorts," explained Herr, who practices manifestation as part of her self-care routine. "It works best for someone willing to pull up the uncomfortable stuff with themselves to move to a space of healing and trust."

Herr also recommended looking for outside help, perhaps from a therapist, as things that might come up that are difficult to face. For instance, you might revisit past traumas you've worked hard to push down — your parents' divorce, being bullied as a child, or a bad breakup. 

"I've manifested everything from a scholarship to a partner," said Herr. All that to say, the results are worth it.

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