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Do you wish to bring your greatest dreams into reality? Shamanic practice provides pathways to dreaming forth your highest destiny through the application of focused intention that merges thought, feeling, visualization, and action. As a long time shamanic practitioner and healer, I am here to provide you with a 13-step guide to follow, along with the wisdom teachings behind it all.
What Does Manifestation Mean?
Manifestation is the dreaming forth into reality an experience, state of mind, activity, goal, or dream. From the point of view of shamanic practice, at its foundation is the creation of a positive vibrational field within, through and around you interlinked with the conceptualization and visualization of the desired outcome.
A Word on Affirmations and Conditions
The common advice on manifestation is to merely verbalize affirmations. In shamanic practice, this method done solo is understood to not be enough. If there is no alignment between mind, heart, soul, and spirit, just speaking words will not lead to the desired goal. There may be personal and/or ancestral wounds blocking the creation of what is desired. Lastly, there are sometimes certain external societal conditions, such as war, that would mitigate certain desired outcomes. I address both of these below.
Kinds and Qualities of Manifestation
Manifestation can certainly be about creating something in your outer life, such as a job or money or love relationship. But you can also wish to manifest states of being. For instance, “I wish to develop greater self-esteem and self-love.” “I want to have healthier interpersonal boundaries.” Or “I want to heal the old trauma that continues to hold me back.” Or you can put your desire into something like overcoming addiction or eating a healthier diet. Every dimension of your inner and outer life can be on the table for manifestation. Often, as you go through the 13-step process below, you will find that they are interconnected.
Manifestation Must First Be for You
In shamanic practice, it is axiomatic that you must love yourself first. From out of this inner condition and outer action, you are then able to be in service to family, community, and the planet from a place of abundance. But be careful! Sometimes, we wish that someone in our life would change. We may see how they could undertake doing this and then may even want to somehow influence them. Though we can certainly support and love, and even say prayers for others (knowing that research studies have validated the power of prayer), we cannot ultimately manifest something for another person that on some level, conscious or unconscious, they do not want or around which they are blocked. Start with yourself and recognize that as you shine your light brighter, so you mirror to others what they themselves can be and do.
The Shamanic Manifestation Process
Step 1: Bring Ideas, Desires and Dreams into Conscious Awareness
We all have desires and dreams for a new career, a fulfilling relationship, financial prosperity, inner peace, healing, or personal and spiritual growth. Sometimes, they are very clear. However, often, they are only whispers in our mind as we meet the responsibilities and demands of each day. Or we suppress and deny them. It is important to stop and listen to yourself: what is the persistent idea or goal that is always there? Give the dream space in your mind. Make it conscious. Become aware.
Step 2: Conceptualization
Once you bring your dreams and ideas into awareness, the next step is conceptualization. Use the power of the mind to imagine what the result would look like in its full manifestation? Allow yourself to dream. If you have trouble with this, go to Step 3.
Step 3: Notice Blocks, Fears and Voices of Doubt
As you bring the idea or desire into awareness and allow yourself to begin to conceptualize it, you may notice that there is a skeptical voice within. The doubting self might say, “This isn’t realistic.” “I don’t have enough time [or money or support, etc.]” Or “Someone else has probably already done it.” Or even mean voices that say things like, “I am too stupid.” Or “I am not talented enough.” You may even notice that these voices are similar to things a parent or teacher in your past has said to you. Notice how family conditioning and even abuse has created self-doubt and fear. You may even do this to yourself. For instance, if you have been hurt in a previous relationship, that voice might say, “I will probably attract the same type of person into my life all over again.” Lastly, you may simply sense a huge and unexplained inner barrier—a wall—that won’t allow you to bring the conceptualization into full awareness. The source of this wall may not initially be apparent to you.
Step 4: Heal the Blocks and Traumas Holding You Back
In many, not all cases, there are old traumas preventing you from even believing you could create something positive for yourself. These could be personal, ancestral, or even from past lives. If this is so, it is important to address these deep causes and conditions holding you back.
Shamanic practice offers many tools to self-heal. One of them is to perform a simple fire ceremony with a candle. Have on hand matches. First, pray to Creator, God/Goddess, Creation (by whatever name you use), angelic beings and guides, or to whatever sources of power and support that resonates with you. This is called in shamanic practice “opening sacred space.” Second, light a candle while holding an unused match in your hand. Third, close your eyes and allow yourself to feel fully the block or the effect of the negative voices in your head—all the emotions and energies in body, mind and emotions. Fourth, blow that energy into the match in your hand. Fifth, say a prayer for the removal or healing of the block. Sixth, burn the match fully. Lastly, say thank you and blow out the candle.
Step 5: Visualization, Feeling and Belief
Visualization is a potent tool in the art of manifestation. However, to be effective, it must be paired with feelings. Close your eyes and immerse yourself in a vivid mental image of your desired outcome. Feel the emotions associated with achieving your goal and believe that it's already happening. Believe in the dream fully. The more detailed and real your mental image and the positive feelings and beliefs, the more effective your manifestation process will be.
Step 6: Harness Affirmations
Affirmations are positive statements that can reinforce your belief in the process of manifestations. In shamanic practice, we pair an affirmation with the words, “I AM.” This harnesses the power of your soul into the higher destiny line into the future you are creating. Craft affirmations that align with your goal and recite them 4 times in a row once a day, as you face the 4 directions—East, South, West, and North (in other words, say the I AM affirmation once in each direction). For instance, if your goal is financial abundance, you would say, "I AM the Positive Power of Wealth and Financial Freedom.” “I AM in Love and Loved.” “I AM the Presence of Inner Peace.”
Step 7: Link Your Abundance with Service to Others
In your I AM statement, link in your vision and feelings the goal of finances or love to how it would help you achieve your goals for spiritual and personal growth. In shamanic practice, we understand that ever and always anything positive that we wish to manifest must, in some way, be linked to this dimension of our journey in life. It should also be seen to be in service to others or the planet.
This doesn’t literally mean you have to be working in a field that is overtly in service, such as being a minister or therapist. Your abundance financially can give you the freedom to help your family or manifest a new career as a thought leader or healer. Being able to take that wonderful trip can bring you joy and stimulate your mind. You can then share that with others while traveling and when you return home. Manifesting a deep, committed and loving relationship can give you a foundation from which to realize another dream or simply to be an example to others of a beautiful partnership (consider, for example, what you feel like when you see an older married couple who clearly have a loving and respectful relationship). Developing inner peace makes you pleasant to be around and can be transmitted simply energetically through your presence or a smile. Always and ever
Step 8: Construct an Earth Mandala
Physically manifest your vision in a circular “drawing” on the Earth. First, make an outline of a circle with small stones, sticks or by marking the ground with a stick. The circle can be about the size of your arms held up and in front of your body. Second, collect items from nature—sticks, stones, crystals, seeds, feathers, flowers, leaves, etc.—that represent your vision and your I AM Statement. This is your nature-based “vision board.” Third, as in Step 4, open sacred space. Fourth, blow into the sticks the feelings and stories of the block identified in Step 4 and place them in the circle on Earth in whatever formation seems to represent them. Fifth, “paint” the picture of your manifestation in, around and/or on top of the sticks. Make the Mandala as beautiful as your dream. Blow all the happy, positive feelings and visualizations into each object. When you are done, say thank you. This shamanic ceremony allows Mother Earth and other Great Cosmic Beings of Light to assist, both with the healing of all blocks and with the manifestation of your dream.
Step 9: Take Purposeful Action
While manifesting, it is crucial to take inspired action. The universe responds to your commitment to your vision. Start big or small. But make it do-able in the beginning, so you don't get overwhelmed or discouraged. If the goal is a big one, such as eating healthier, start with adding one or two healthy items to your daily meals. Experiment. If you want to start a new career, do some research online. If you want to publish your book, write your table of contents. If you want to cultivate greater inner peace, make a point of doing a simple mindfulness meditation each day (look for examples online). In this way, your actions align the energy of your intentions and the Earth Mandala ceremony.
Step 10: Gratitude and Appreciation
Practice thankfulness daily. Recognize and value the things you already have and the new energies, synchronicities that align with your dream, and the opportunities that arise. The cosmos responds to gratitude. It will assist in drawing more good things into your life.
Step 11: Let Go and Trust
Now it’s time to relinquish control and put your faith in the greater within, through and around you, by whatever name after you have made your intentions clear and taken action. Acknowledge that the timing, form and process might not exactly match your expectations. Work on faith in the process and release any uncertainty or fear. Should the latter arise again, return to the Earth Mandala (Step 5) and redo the process.
Step 12: Maintain Persistence and Patience
Manifestation is not an overnight process. You live within an interconnected universe. Those things externally that you wish to create often depend on the actions of others. Shamanic practice recognizes that within this luminous matrix of reality, everything is happening all at once and in its own time. Hence, cultivate patience and trust. Remain committed to your dream and keep your faith unwavering.
Step 13: Surround Yourself with Positivity
The people and places around you greatly influence your destiny and thus, how and what you manifest. It may be that there are people in your life who refuse to believe in you or who subtly or overtly undermine you. This is part of the effects of old traumas. It may be necessary to step away from or create distance with such individuals. Trust that this is part of positive action towards manifestation. You may also want to live in or go to places that help you stay positive and grounded.
Sometimes, however, we find ourselves in situations where we are surrounded by heavy emotions and experiences, such as war. In these times, with so much war around the world, it is important to address this. Under such conditions, it is still possible to work on manifestation. There are many individuals throughout history who have told stories of finding deep inner peace under the most impossible and frightening circumstances. Or they have had gratitude for the smallest manifestation of goodness and abundance in their lives—such as a bit of good, nourishing food or a helping hand. But also recognize that meeting the intense and changing conditions and pressures of the situation means you may have to put aside your highest dreams.
In every way, though do your best to reach for that keynote of goodness and positivity, but don’t set unrealistic expectations for yourself or others. Find that center point of the smallest manifestation of beauty in all situations.
In Summary
Bringing your dreams to life is a liberating experience, no matter the conditions around you. In shamanic practice, we hold that you do have the ability to direct your destiny. Destiny is not fate. Destiny speaks to the free will we have to make the most of our situation and to fulfill our mission and purpose in life. With the 9 simple steps provided here, I hope I have not only given you the means to make your dreams come true, but to also inspire you to do the spiritual work that it entails.
And sometimes, we need support and help in this process. I am happy to do so with the power of shamanic healer and spiritual mentoring. You may sign up for a free Discovery Call with me to explore if and how I might be of service!