Wouldn’t it be nice if we could ‘think’ things into reality? Make good things happen, just because we ask the universe for them?
Actually, that’s already a thing. It’s called ‘manifestation’ and search traffic suggests that it's a particularly hot topic right now.
Kim Kardashian is at it, Ariana Grande loves it and Lady Gaga is a believer. And then there’s the slew of books, memes, courses, and hashtags reminding us to keep thinking positive if we want our dreams to come true. The internet is awash with influencers crediting their perfect lives, jobs, partners, and collabs to the law of attraction, a practice based on the idea that we have the power to create our own reality and attract into our lives pretty much anything we choose to focus on through positive thinking and aligned action.
The self-help technique – which effectively promises to turn dreams into reality – has been gaining popularity for decades, from the publication of The Secret back in 2006 to more modern iterations over on TikTok and whether you believe in it or not, it's worth giving it a go because what can possibly go wrong?
Sneer all you want but I've long sworn by the power of manifestation and whilst, no, I don't live in my dream Chelsea home nor have the funds to shop at Net every day, a little positivity and focus has helped steer me towards my goals.
I've been fully influenced by Roxie Nafousi, whose first book, Manifest: 7 Steps to Living Your Best Life; a staple on many an influencer's Insta grid with it's recognisable bright-orange jacket, is based all around the topic. And my go-to intuitive healer, clairvoyant and meditation guru Emma Lucy Knowles has long been a staunch fan of manifestation. In fact, she's just penned an entire book, Crystals to Manifest, within which she aims to show us that this isn't a passing fad or a process of wishful thinking, but that we are in fact manifesting our life moment to moment through our energy, our thoughts, our beliefs – all of which we have the power to influence for the better. And Emma believes that crystals are the missing piece to the puzzle. “You can manifest the energy you are ready for in your life and the power of using crystals to turn your dreams into reality,” she promises me as I sit down for a session with her, in which she guided me through how to use crystals to clear my body of what is blocking me. She taught me how to tap into my intuition and call in positive energy to manifest the stuff I really want. Whether you're manifesting good things for your romantic life, friendships, career or physical health, this accessible guide tells you which crystals to pick and how to use them to strengthen your manifestation practice.
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I was so amazed by our session that I asked her to share a very simple guide to manifesting, using a manifestation letter. “We write to the universe as a ritual, as a focal point and a healthy habit,” she explains. “It allows us to get clear with ourselves and keep coming back to check in as to whether something feels relevant to us later or if we need to reset the intention. Are we still clinging to an old goal? Or do we not believe it can ever happen? Getting it down on paper is the first part in the creative practice of energising your being to attract.”
Emma explains how a manifestation list is essentially a top 10 list of things you are ready to bring into your life. “You may be wordy, like me, or perhaps you’d like to get to the point and list your wishes in bullet points of one or a few words,” she said.
“Wherever you are in your journey, please stick with the structure but always feel free to tweak as you feel you need to. This is a personal practice that allows you to focus on communicating what you are really feeling. Trust your gut and go with it.”
Heal yourself during the cosmic chaos
Always date your letter, then begin: Dear Spirit, dear all those who see, please can I ask for your help in supporting me with: This is where you write your top 10 list.
It can be paragraphs or a simple list. Don’t worry about specifics, just get it all out and down. Think of it as a spiritual brain dump.
When you have finished close your letter with: Thank you, it is done, it is done, it is done. Yours truly, Me xx
Ready to manifest that megayacht?
Extracted from Crystals to Manifest by Emma Lucy Knowles (Ebury Press, £16.99) Photography by Lizzie Mayson
