features
THE DAWN OF MANiFESTATiON Over lockdown, I think it’s safe to say that most people went a bit stir-crazy. We all started picking up random hobbies we had never previously shown any interest in or would have dreamt of doing in our previous day-to-day lives. From relentless baking and family hikes, to zoom quizzes and painting. Bored out of my mind, what did I take up? Tarot cards and manifestation. Some of you may be wondering, what actually is manifestation and does it work? Is ‘WitchTok’ to blame for the popularisation of manifestation amongst Gen Z? Can anyone actually practice it?
words by: Phoebe Bowers design by: May Collins
What is the Difference Between Manifestation and the ‘Law of Attraction’? ‘What’ manifestation actually is, is quite simple. ‘Manifestation’ is making something intangible, tangible. It is the belief that through positive concentration you can attract something you want that does not already exist. You are manifesting the physicality of whatever it is you want. Whereas, the ‘Law of Attraction’ is attracting something towards you in the world that already exists. If anything, manifestation seems to be harder work - and perhaps more closely aligned with ‘wishful thinking.’ But it seems that manifesting £1,000,000 physically in cash is not how manifestation works. It is not some form of telekinetic superpower. Manifestation
is instead about creating a certain circumstance or environment for yourself. It’s about making your goals more achievable through positive thinking. What is the History of Manifestation? The origins of the art of manifestation and the ‘Law of Attraction’ are not concrete, but for the most part it is agreed that they originate from ancient Eastern philosophies. Manifestation pops up in Buddhist thinking, Christianity, and Hinduism. Over the turn of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, manifestation again seems to weave itself into our literature. Without getting too entangled in the philosophy of our metaphysical reality, figures such as Michael Dummett and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel in the modern era spearheaded arguments for manifestation in a Westernised sense, under the umbrella of anti-realist philosophy. In short, these figures doubted the independence of our perceptions from concrete objects or physical entities, meaning that our thoughts and our material reality are very much interconnected. Hence, our supposed ability to ‘manifest.’
9
Why the Sudden Urge of Interest - is it Tik Tok? For sure, TikTok has certainly popularised manifestation, particularly with the ‘WitchTok’ sub-category of the app, where young adults appear to be lighting candles, purchasing crystals, practicing tarot spreads, or even manifesting a ‘femboy’
