As a young person in the West with a spiritual practice rooted in Buddhist thought, I have met many others around my age who label themselves as “spiritual.” Whether inspired by their religious upbringing, Asian philosophy that they were introduced to, or aspects of witchcraft and other pagan movements, being “spiritual” has become an arguably overused term that people use to describe how they navigate the world. In the West, spirituality is often associated broadly with an individual’s style and interests. It has also become linked to this image of the Western “wild child” who rejects Western religious practices and has affinities for both whimsical things and grounded practices inspired by the interconnectedness of all beings. Many stereotypical interests and images have become associated with this “archetype” of person. In many cases, people have started to view spirituality as a stylistic trend rather than a way of life.
Frequently, people with this misconstrued understanding of spirituality share their “practices” in excessive detail on social media, where they share not only videos and images of their eccentric lifestyles but their intimate thoughts and manifestations, which has become one of the most popularized practices in “spiritual” Western spaces. It is not uncommon for these young individuals to have something akin to a “manifestation journal.” I have many friends who have them, and I, too, have practiced writing and tracking my goals and intentions on paper.
Having goals, dreams, and desires is essential, and there is nothing wrong with putting those out into the world, whether it is mentally, verbally, or in writing. Nonetheless, I aim to call attention to the fact that, similar to the “spiritual” label, manifestation is yet another concept that young Westerners have taken on and oversimplified. As a result, it lacks some vital value in how it is discussed and practiced in mainstream media.
Many young people I know believe that manifestation is as simple as “ask and you shall receive.” If we want something, we ask the universe for it and, over time, the universe will respond, rewarding us with the gifts we have been requesting. When people first hear this oversimplified yet very popular version of the principle, they typically react in one of two very different ways. Those who tend to rely on faith and emotion are more open to and excited by it, while those who are more critical and rationally minded typically outright reject it.
I often open social media to find that somebody on my feed, whether a friend or influencer, is “manifesting abundance.” While the idea of having an abundant life is appealing, it is not only too vague to be a productive goal but it is typically centered around having more than necessary. Nevertheless, I see it everywhere and part of me feels like those who post or say it do it mainly for show and lack a proper understanding of what values or goals they are looking to enhance in their personal lives. It is simply a vague and flowery way of saying that it would be nice to have more than they currently do. It sounds meaningless.
It is a misconception to believe that you can simply ask for something and expect the universe to deliver it. However, I do not believe that outright rejection of the theory of manifestation is the answer either. Instead, it is crucial to understand the origins of manifestation. Thus, we can begin to understand it as a concept that is in tune with both the rational and emotional aspects of our minds.
The concept of manifestation has deep and varied origins, drawing from a mix of spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions. Personally, I am first called to examine ancient Eastern religions, such as Buddhism. In the Buddhist teachings, the mind’s role in creating one’s experience of the world is emphasized. Concepts like karma and the law of dependent origination highlight the interconnectedness of thoughts, actions, and outcomes.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the New Thought Movement in the West advocated positive thinking, visualization, and mental focus in achieving success. These ideas have since become part of the New Age movement and other schools of thought advocating the “Law of Attraction.” This concept suggests that focusing on positive thoughts and emotions can attract corresponding outcomes into one’s life. The New Thought Movement significantly influenced the modern understanding of manifestation, promoting the idea that positive thinking can lead to positive outcomes.
The common 21st-century understanding of manifestation has likely taken shape due to Western cultural and religious influences. In the West and Abrahamic religions, we are often told to look elsewhere, such as to God, for gifts, reflection, forgiveness, and self-improvement. Although Western spiritualists might outwardly reject this notion of asking God for forgiveness, they still mirror that practice in their actions by expecting “the universe” to reward them. Both practices boil down to an expectation that some otherworldly being is responsible for what we do and do not have.
I began exploring Buddhist principles throughout my early adulthood. As someone who has always been a more rational, critical thinker rather than someone ruled by emotions, I resonated with the Buddha’s teachings in a very practical way. His teachings have provided me with a concrete set of terminology and exercises that I have worked into my routine to become a more generous, patient, wise, and compassionate person for the benefit of myself and others.
I believe manifestation is and should not be treated as faith-based. Instead, manifestation is a lens we can utilize to better understand and practice goal setting and preparation for the future. This idea of bringing desires and goals into reality is not a consequence of simply asking for them but rather through a combination of focused thought, belief, and action. So, typically, when I think about manifesting something for myself, I am not asking the universe or anyone else for that thing. Rather, I am putting myself in the proper headspace to go after my goals and motivating myself through positive thinking and affirmations. I envision myself achieving my goals and empowering myself to stay purposeful and present during each step throughout the process of working towards a certain manifested goal.
Or, maybe in another case, I want to “manifest” something for myself in the very distant future; perhaps it is too far off for me to map out a concrete plan. Nonetheless, manifesting that achievement by stating my intentions and beginning to set my mind on something is influential in how it will consciously or subconsciously guide my actions and set me up for future success. Even when they are not immediately relevant, my actions and agency over them are very significant. I manifest by altering my attitude towards my behaviors and their outcomes, not by apathetically asking for gifts from some abstract being.
Although I (clearly) find the common expression of “manifesting abundance” to be questionable, I still believe that there is a way that we can take the phrase and transform it into something more valuable. If we reframe how we think about abundance, we might notice that the world and our lives are already abundant. There is an abundance of life, love, joy, opportunities to be generous, mindful, and so much more. There are countless good people, potential friends and future loved ones, as well as immense beauty in the environment. Essentially, there is no need to manifest or call abundance into our lives. Rather, we need to shift our perspectives and become more grateful for the abundance that the world already provides for us. Rather than manifesting abundance, I’d like to encourage people to reframe this manifestation into the goal of calling their attention to the abundance that already exists in our world.
After all, the reason why modern psychologists continue to advocate for the law of attraction and employ practices such as visualization is not because they believe that the universe will reward people who visualize what they want in life with those things, but because belief in an outcome can influence behaviors and emotions in ways that make it more likely to happen.
This is not to say that the Western spiritualist is foolish in their practice, and there is nothing wrong with finding joy in more mystical practices and concepts. If one feels empowered by the idea that the universe has a plan for them and that everything happens for a reason, I admire their ability to find the positive in all of life’s happenings. I have often surrounded myself with people more emotional and fantastical than myself, and many of my friends might find my evaluation of the modern spiritualist too critical. I do not believe there is anything inherently wrong with placing a certain amount of trust in things outside of oneself, and faith can be a powerful tool. In many ways, I can probably learn from those more in tune with their faith and emotions to further open myself up to the changes and experiences that are bound to happen as I progress through life.
Nonetheless, I implore my young spiritual peers to remember their agency and seek additional guidance and wisdom in both themselves and the present moment. At its core, manifestation reflects humanity’s enduring belief in the power of the mind to influence reality. If we ever hope to achieve our goals, we must first strive to understand that we are capable of making those things happen.
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