photo: Leah Gregg on flickr
Have you ever affirmed something?
Maybe you employed the technique of visualization. Maybe you stood in front of a mirror and recited affirmations. Maybe you cut out a bunch of pictures and put them on a vision board.
Or maybe you just focused your mind on a particular outcome until it came about.
If you’ve ever used any of these techniques, you know the power of using your intent and focus to bring something into physical manifestation.
It can feel like a magic trick: You think it, you visualize it, you claim and affirm it and – Presto! Chango! – it comes into form.
But did you know there’s an even bigger trick, and even more magical purpose behind all affirmations and visualizations?!
And it has nothing to do with Siegfried and Roy.
I’ve written a bunch of posts about affirmations and manifestations in this blog.
I’ve talked about how affirmations can make things worse. I’ve talked about letting go of overly-detailed affirmations. I’ve talked about the importance of perseverance in manifestation work. I’ve given tips on what to do if your visualizations aren’t working. I’ve written about the power of rogue affirmations.
These posts are all great. I wrote them, and I’m quite fond of them.
But there’s a bigger picture here, one that involves a little trick the Universe plays on everyone who ever manifested anything.
Wanna know what it is?
Okay, I’ll tell you:
The manifestation doesn’t matter.
Yup, it’s true.
Now before you get your panties in a bunch about the very important thing you’re manifesting and how your life is going to be so much better once you manifest it, give me a chance to explain.
photo: Steven Depolo on flickr
Yes, it’s awesome to manifest stuff. Yes, it’s empowering to realize your consciousness is creative and you can change your life by changing your thoughts and beliefs.
I’ve been a hard-core woo-woo manifestor for thirty years now. My life is far better for it.
But the more I visualize and affirm, the less important the stuff I’m affirming becomes. Ultimately, affirmations and visualizations are a creative process. That’s what’s cool about them.
We are powerful creators, whether we know it or not.
When we first discover this, it can be fun to affirm parking places and cars to park in them.
photo: Moto “Club4AG” Miwa on flickr
But if our happiness is predicated on having stuff, we’re not going to be happy for long. Stuff comes and goes. What’s really amazing is our power to create.
The more we’re willing to align ourselves with this power, the better our lives get.
At least, that’s been my experience.
So even though manifesting stuff is groovy, it’s ultimately a trick. The desire to manifest stuff is the carrot that gets us interested in the creative process in the first place. Manifesting stuff is the shell game that allows us to see that we are what we want.
And by we, I mean the creative genius that lives in each and every one of us, the creative genius that is both in us and beyond us.
photo: Moyan Brenn on flickr
And here’s something really groovy:
Now I use my manifesting muscles to claim and affirm that I have an amazing, intimate, loving relationship with the Divine. (That’s my name for the creative power.)
Yes, I still manifest stuff. It’s fun. But more and more, I’m seeing that the whole reason the Divine created this whole manifesting stuff game was to get us to align more fully with the power behind all manifestation.
That’s the point. That’s the real “secret.”
Not fancy cars and mansions, but the power that created the cars and mansions in the first place.
It’s the same power that creates baby ducks.
photo: Jim Pennucci on flickr
And baby sheep.
photo: Tess on flickr
And baby people.
photo: Andrew Vargas on flickr
And friendship.
And kindness.
photo: Wonderlane on flickr
That’s what we are.
And when we know this, really know it, nothing can fool us. Not even a game that seems to be about stuff.
The true fulfillment of the game is in aligning ourselves with the Game Master.
And I’m not talking about Bob Barker.
What’s your experience with manifestation? How do you align yourself with the creative power? Share your comments below!
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I affirm I am a co creator of the universe and beyond…that’s why I LIKE Alfred E. Newman (from MAD) “What me worry?” and Popeye the Sailor “I ams what I ams).
I’ve always been a big fan of both Alfred and Popeye.
When Facebook first came out, you were able to have a little quote on your page.
I put: “I yam what I yam.” Popeye, American philosopher.
He was deep.
Thanks, Z, for another terrific, insightful post.
I love the way that Abraham-Hicks says, “The manifestation is not the main event.” But as you say, the manifestation is the carrot on the stick to get us excited about doing what we need to do to get to the manifestation — which is: focus our creative energy and feel good.
Abraham recommends we not visualize/affirm in order to make something happen but to feel good because feeling good is why we want what we want in the first place. So just take a short cut and feel good now via mental focus. We’ll inevitably receive the manifestation, but inevitably it won’t be such a big deal anymore because we already feel good. And that’s what we’re really after anyway, for when we feel good, we’re aligned with our ever-joyful Inner Being, which is a very big, wonderful deal.
Yep, I think we’re onto something here.
Hi Karen!
When I was first introduced to Abe, it was through their books. Then I started listening to the CDs. For me, the audio version of Abe works better, as I can feel their energy when I’m listening to them (though I know that it’s possible to do this through a book as well). I also began to really hear the message that I talked about in this post and that you write about in your comment – it’s ultimately not about the manifestation at all. But when we make alignment/feeling good the main event, then all the “stuff” comes as a byproduct. Let go of caring about the stuff and the stuff comes. Love it! 🙂
XOZ
I began a Facebook group called Gems of Experience to gather and sort out evidence concerning the truth of the idea that it is possible to manifest whole new levels of experience from consciousness alone.
If it is indeed possible to manifest “stuff” from consciousness, focus, affirmations, and vibration alone, this really is a HUGE deal, and to deny it is silly. If it’s actually true.
Abraham has made many claims on this subject including it is as easy to create a button as a million dollars. Then Abraham says, well, focus on just being happy and the million dollars won’t be a big deal. Folks, we are ignoring the elephant in the room. If the original claim has any truth to it to now say it’s no big deal simply is not true. For example, if I claim that I can make apples rise from the ground to the tree through consciousness alone, this is extraordinary and would reverse everything we know about gravity. To say, well, making apples rise will not make you happy so stop thinking about that so much would be an obvious ploy, a softening of the original claim.
If you have a house, food, car, and money, and you’re then claiming these manifestations are no big deal and being happy is what matters, I say you’re fooling yourself. Here’s the truth: I’m extremely happy to have a beautiful place to live, and I would be most unhappy if I didn’t. And if I didn’t have a place to live, I wouldn’t want to focus simply on being happy. I would most definitely want to focus on “manifesting” a place to live–and finding it would make me most happy! I appreciate that my ability to focus on positive aspects will enable me to continue appreciating the house once I have it–and even how having a positive focus can accelerate the house coming into my experience. I say, however, let’s stop tap dancing around this manifestation subject.
If anyone makes the claim that it is just as easy to manifest a million dollars as a button, then I say prove it. Show me this is true in your experience–and in mine. And let me decide whether that’s a big deal or not. I have enjoyed many manifestation experiences (what I call dream realizations), and I know for certain they are the coolest thing that have ever happened to me. If you had given me a choice of being happy in a closet or being happy manifesting these dreams come true, I would choose the latter every time!
Now here’s the thing: I’m not sure it is as easy to create a million dollars as a button. This has not been my experience, and it isn’t a claim I make. I have a whole different take on this subject–one that produces consistent results both in the happiness department and in realizing our dreams. If you’re interested, join my group.
We would love to hear about your experiences of synchronicity and dreams come true.
Hi Ted,
Nice to meet you. Thank you for commenting on the blog.
This blog is full of my experience with synchronicity and making dreams come true. I am a fan of Abe and their work and I resonate with most of what they say. As for the castle/button concept, my take on what they’re saying is that it isn’t me, in the individual egoic sense, who is doing the manifesting. It’s Source. In that sense, it’s as easy to manifest a button as a castle in that it’s Source who is the ultimate creator of it. The feeling of difficulty comes from the part of us that feels separate from Source. At least, that’s been my experience of it. I’ve also found that the more I align with Source before I decide what I want to manifest, the easier manifestation becomes. This is my experience. It also sounds like you’ve found a variation on this that works for you, and that’s awesome! 🙂
XOZ
Funny – I just saw an Abraham video on Saturday with Karen that said the same thing! I love it!
I believe I have gotten to the point where all I want is to feel good. If I do that, everything I need (and even some of the things I want) will come to me.
Thank you for another wonderful blog!
Hi Sherry,
Yes, there are lots of different ways to talk about this stuff. Abe’s way of speaking about it is a current favorite. The best part is putting it to practice and watching how awesome life gets. Thanks for being part of the fun! 🙂
XOZ
Yeah… the Popeye thing. Beaten to the punch. But, more importantly, really enjoy your voice and humor and intimacy. You da bomb! And a ‘Hey” to Melissa. xo
Hi Joe!
Awesome to see you here. One of these days we’ll meet in person. Melissa says “Hey” back. Glad you like the blog!! 🙂
XOZ
Another great post & wonderful comments.. Thanks Z, et al!
I am one of those that has not been successful at manifesting. Nor did I relate to focusing a lot on material manifestations back when I watched “The Secret”. (Though I admit I still very much like my stuff! Certainly have not reached the non-attachment of a Zen monk!!!)
When I already feel it, it happens. Seems to be quite natural, yet at the same time magical & fun! And it feels like I happen to have tuned into my soul, my heart’s desire & enough faith in the moment to *know* it is coming.
Yet when I don’t see it or feel it (i.e. have internal blocks to it), I can’t seem to manifest it. So, I have been focusing more on feeling good, which actually I feel more in harmony with – to spread the Love! (And then, from that good feeling in the moment, considering what my needs are & what my wants are.)
When I feel good, am grounded, I feel like I’m living in the Flow… aligned with
the same Source (I too call it the Divine) that creates everything. Synchronicities abound.
Whatever might be going on in my life goes better with Source.
(My form of Coke. I am dating myself with that ad for Coca Cola! lol)
When I am caught up in negative thoughts, I see/feel the difference.
It’s like swimming up river, with a strong current against me (my own egoic thinking that is believing in limitations, caught up in fear.) Boy, does that show the power within us! That we can create such limitation, when our nature is to live in harmony & ease, expanding into more!
I enjoy Abe’s work… it resonates. Just need more practice in switching my focus off what I don’t want, into what I do want… Saying YES! to Life, to myself, to receiving the Good!
And I agree that for the Divine, creating a castle or a button is the same process. For us in this 3D world, well, we get to practice 🙂
Realizing that I have that power to more consciously create is helping, by allowing the Love in, opening to the moment, to inner guidance/intuition & choosing Love, rather than fear.
Thanks for the reminder – both that we are powerful creators – & that I want to check out more of Abe’s work (to help discipline how I respond/react to my own thinking.) Meaning, to choose to feel better, rather than feed negativity.
Choosing joy, love, openness to possibilities, allowing myself to be Divinely guided (i.e. Higher Self, rather than ego)… all these help me to live a happier (& healthier) life.
Thanks… <3
Aloha Lani!
I love Abe’s work. It has been a great addition to my spiritual work/play.
When I first started reading their books, it seemed like it was more like the Secret, and more about manifesting stuff. But then I started listening to their audio tapes/CDs from their seminars.
To me, that’s when I started hearing the deeper message: That it’s about feeling good, which is about being aligned with Source. When we do that, then all the “stuff” comes, but we don’t even care about the “stuff” as much, because we’re aligned with Source. But still, that alignment causes all our material needs to be met as well.
I also like how Abe brings emotions into the picture in a whole new way. At least, it was new for me. Great stuff.
Thank you for your comment! 🙂
XOZ
Hi Z,
I hadn’t any idea that this feed has been active for all these years. So I’m addressing the subject of manifestation here when most commentary has posted seven years ago wow.
I am in a state of shock right now because I have been trying to get a book off the ground with bad eyesight. I have used a title that contains the name of a very famous person so I tried to get permission. to use his name by looking up his agent and othet I have visualized this whole thing but truly had no idea that it was going to involve this person directly. He wants to get to know me and has his agent contacting me. I am so freaked out right now that I contacted my publisher to ask her for help editing my work so far. I am so freaked out about this that I can’t believe it. I have had several celebrities contact me before but it has never been this directly. I am so scared about this and don’t know how it happened so fast but I have been thinking about this person constantly lol… I can only say that you are so right about connecting to Source. I am very thrilled but also scared 😨
Hi Joan,
Wow – Congratulations! Sending you Love and Peace as you continue to ride out this wave of manifestation in your life!!
BIG Love,
Z