Manifestation can be defined as 'something theoretical made real'. But does it actually work in reality? Emily Bickers reports.
The origins of the word and public displays of manifestation stem from religion and the spiritual world, working on the basis that if some spiritual becomes real, it’s said to be a manifestation.
Molly-Mae Hague told her 5.2 million Instagram followers how her claim to fame on ITV’s popular dating show Love Island resulted from her manifestation.
She says: “When I was around 15 or 16, whenever the first series of Love Island came out, I watched the show and it wasn’t an aspiration of mine but, I just used to say to my mum and dad “I’m going to go on love island one day like I just know it’s going to happen for me. I know I’m going to be on that show."
Hague says: “I used to believe it so much to the point where it wasn’t just an ‘oh maybe’ I knew I was going to be on the TV show."
She says: “For the next 3 or 4 years and believed it, knew it, and was waiting for the day to come and I was sat in the hairdressers one day and ITV messaged me asking to come in for an audition."
Hague says: “It wasn’t like a *gasp* moment for me, it was almost like I was just waiting for the day to come. I almost thought it isn’t existence.”
Many other high-profile influencers like Molly-Mae have expressed their own experiences with the law of attraction and manifestation. For instance, another Love Island contestant (and 2019’s winner) Amber Gill has shared her experience - as have popular YouTubers Elle Darby and Emily Canham.
To put it into perspective how popular manifesting is, TikTok users used the hashtag #manifesting over 334 million times, and #manifestation obtained a huge 4.3 billion in 2020.
This process of re-evaluating the way we think or process thoughts and challenges has recently become popular in younger audiences and self-help bookworms.
It is carried out simply by setting a goal either in writing or saying it out loud as if you have already achieved the goal.
Let’s imagine the goal is to own the latest Range Rover: tinted windows, heated seats, heated steering wheel – the works.
You would begin visualising yourself in the car, driving to your friend’s house, and write down or say out loud something like: “I own the latest Range Rover”.
In terms of what can actually be manifested into people’s lives varies largely on that individual.
For example, as above Molly-Mae manifested bagging a place on Love Island, and look where she is now. Elle Darby told her subscribers she manifested her own clothing brand, buying her dream home and starting a family. Others have taken to social media, to evidence their success thanks to manifesting saying they manifested clearer skin, exam results, social media followers and so much more.
As a result of the rise in interest in this spiritual practice, many authors, craft shops, and other brands have been able to take advantage of this ‘free’ publicity and sell even more books, journals, posters, mobile phone apps, etc.
But the question is, does it actually work or is it another phrase for thinking positively, with the price tag?
Luke Rutherford, 26 from Colchester, stands with those who believe manifestation is positive thinking, but unrealistic.
He said: “I just think it’s a case of people wanting to think positively and make changes in their lives, but it’s just a bit ridiculous."
Rutherford said: "You cannot physically think something into existence, it’s literally impossible.”
He admits he has never given manifestation a try but confirms he isn’t about to any time soon.
the 26-year-old said: “You couldn’t pay me to try this s**t, looking at a £12.99 salt lamp at night is not going to do anything other than keep you awake.”
He said: “It’s a waste of money and time. I’m not saying thinking positively and having a positive mindset is a waste of time, that is genuinely good for you, but I think people are just taking too far.”
Although Rutherford disagrees with manifestation as a whole, he said: “I would never actively tell anyone that believes in this sort of stuff what I think because that would be cruel and I suppose it’s like a religion, you can’t tell people what they should and shouldn’t believe."
He said: "At the end of the day, as long as they don’t start forcing their crap on me, I just let them get on with it.”
Chloe Dolton agrees with Molly-Mae in that manifestation has the power to change lives – despite having doubts initially.
She said: “I had previously heard about it and ‘The Law of Attraction’ but never looked into it. If anything I’d heard about it more so because of the criticism it has had.”
She said: “I know there are a lot of people that don’t think it works, but it works for me and that’s all that matters really.”
Dolton spoke of one of the hardest times in her life as a third-year university student during the pandemic in 2020, explaining: “I didn’t think that I’d get through my final year at university because of everything that was going on, I really felt like giving up.”
She explained how even though she is not a master of manifestation and all it encompasses, it took a lot of perseverance.
She said: “It’s definitely something you have to perfect and make work for you and your personal circumstances, but it is a really good way to train your brain into thinking positively which I think is so powerful.”
She said: “You don’t have to buy the salt rock lamps and the crystals, you can easily practice the basic principles from just using a notebook. You just have to be committed and trust the process.”
Dolton said: “People seem to think it’s some sort of spiritual crap to do with star signs, but it’s nothing like that and that’s why it doesn’t get the credit it deserves.”
Dolton spoke about her time at university, living away from her parents, and finding each day more challenging with coursework and deadlines piling up. “I felt like I was drowning in coursework but it really helped me change my mindset.”
She detailed just how she incorporated this practice: “I spoke out loud to myself, which did seem silly at first but I just went with it. I spoke as if I had already completed my degree and said ‘I have a degree in Criminology’ and visualised me submitting my last bit of coursework, opening my exam results, and graduation day, and I truly think that is the reason I have a degree now.”
According to research, as of February 2021 ‘Generation Z’, commonly known as ‘zoomers’ or ‘millennials’, were the fasted growing audience for popular social media search engine Pinterest. certain trends peaked with a particular interest in the word ‘manifestation’ alongside other spiritual and self-help themes.
Pinterest’s ‘virtual mood boards’, have seen an increase of 600% over the course of the pandemic. Pinterest spokesperson Amanda Switzer thinks the spike for manifestation and such themes is down to many of us becoming more intentional with goal setting, specifically surrounding career, travel, and mental wellness.
While self-love or self-help is not a new concept, it seems those of ‘Gen-Z’ are backing it more than ever, perhaps in the hope of a brighter future.