This was in my email newsletter for February 2020.
By manifestation, I'm referring to the idea that we can create things and events with our thoughts.
Disclaimer: I believe that I've already shared about my Vedic consultation withDr. Katy Jane, but it feels worth mentioning again, because many of her insights about my personal timeline that she shared with me two years ago, are now coming to pass. (in many areas of life, not just professional) I was impatient, and she said just wait till the winter and spring of 2020... Talking with her helped me to have faith, and make the most of the situation that I was in. I bring this up at the start of a conversation about manifestation, because sometimes it just can't and won't work now like we want it too, and working hard towards a goal and seemingly making zero progress can be distressing. Manifesting isn't always in our hands, and I think it's important that we be gentle with our emotions when attempting this work.
But: I sincerely believe that we can nudge things in the right direction, and I've had enough positive experiences to feel like there's something to it. Here are my favorites:
I've enjoyed listening to all three seasons of Esther Perel's podcast, Where Should We Begin? In it, she asks people to tell their stories, and then asks them how they learned to tell it that way. For example, why do you perceive the past 2 years as a series of failed attempts instead of as explorations, getting warmer each time, or developing skills? Editing the story in our heads about the past, is an amazing way to change the future, and manifest the story that we want.
Surabhi Mudra (Wish-Fulfilling Mudra), is a yogic hand gesture taught to me by my dear friend and teacher Indu Arora. She writes about it in this article, and my experience was in practicing the mudra in the liminal space between waking and sleeping, am and pm. The mudra is able to impact the subconscious in those moments to clear away limiting beliefs, and connect neural pathways towards our desires. While holding the mudra, I would vividly picture the the thing that I wanted, as though it was happening. For example I might've contemplated people desiring to learn from me in France, the unique and special things I could bring to such a class, and the huge variety of ways that desire might be able to enter my life. *In my personal experience with this mudra, some desires were too tender, and it hurt to picture them daily. Carefully watch your feelings around this practice, and only use it in ways that feel nourishing and good.
Would any list of this nature be complete without mentioning The Law of Attraction? Here are my favorite take-aways. 1) Give voice to the things I want, and not the things I don't want, like, 'one day maybe I'll teach in France,' instead of 'I'm worried this quilt is a flop.' 2) Speak with positive phrasing like 'clean up after yourself' instead of 'don't leave a mess.' 3) Name the things I want, and dream big. Jeff Koons is an artist who speaks brilliantly on this subject, and I mentioned him in this podcast recorded during QuiltCon last year.