Interested in manifestation? Discover the art of removing blockages and preparing the body and mind for manifestation with Antonio Sausys's program Manifesting Potential from June 19 - 22, 2022.

Manifestation has been the buzzword in the spiritual community for the last decade. Described at length in the Law of Attraction and by Deepak Chopra, Oprah, and various other prominent figures, manifestation tells us that we can will the lives we truly want into existence. But how?

By setting the right intention. Intention is the starting point of every dream you wish to come to fruition, every reality you are capable of manifesting.

The upcoming new moon on April 1 is a perfect time to consider the power of intention-setting, as the new moon is classically considered the time of month to reflect on one’s goals with the themes of invitation and attraction. But before we can set intentions, we must prepare the mind and body for diving deep within. We must first cleanse ourselves so as to understand what it is we truly want — and why.

What Manifestation Is and What It Isn't

Manifestation is the practice of bringing something tangible into your life through attraction and belief. The word manifestation means to create something, to turn something from an idea into palpable reality. Manifesting is about using your thought patterns, mindset, self-beliefs to shift your perspective and attract the world you want to be living in. At its core, manifesting is about actualizing your goals through clear-set intentions that are realized in every facet of your daily wellbeing: your thoughts, your actions, your emotions, and your belief systems.

Manifestation is a practice, emphasis on the word practice. Manifestation is not achieved overnight. Manifestation is an umbrella term for living in an optimal state where you are nurturing your wellbeing and aligning your daily routine, actions, and whole being with the reality you wish to be manifesting. Manifestation is a state of being in which you are consistently and with much self-effort working towards having your external world (as in through your words, deeds) align with your internal world (your thoughts, beliefs).

Manifesting isn't a magic solution; it isn't a genie lamp upon which you make a wish and receive your heart's truest desire instantaneously. Manifestation requires going deep within, doing much self-reflection and attuning one's awareness to the compass of the inner heart. Only when you are in line with your interior self, the self that is free from the chatter of other people and your memories, opinions, past experiences, future expectations, etc., only then does this compass point true to show you the direction in which you are going, the direction in which you are manifesting.

Manifestation Dos and Don'ts

1. Work hard to understand yourself; have a practice of regular self-reflection, like guided journaling.
2. Align yourself with the rhythms of the Earth. Practice admiration of the sun and moon and observation of their cycles.
3. Remove limiting thoughts. Fear is the thief of dreams.
4. Minimize expectations. Understand that the Universe works in mysterious ways. Don't get caught up on the specifics or particulars.
5. Be clear about what you want and why. Is it a dream or a fantasy? A dream connects us with our Higher Self and represents that which we want to become for the good of all. A fantasy is an indulgence and will take us away from our Higher Self.
6. Make consistent efforts. Align your daily actions and deeds with your set intentions and goals. Be proactive.
7. Believe in yourself. Practice positive affirmations. Change your diction. Change your use of past, present, and future tense when you talk about yourself and your goals. Don't say, "I will do this." Say, "I am doing it."
8. Acknowledge and appreciate small wins. Practice gratitude for the losses. See how you can learn from them and improve moving forward. Every minute, every hour, every day is an opportunity to learn something, to apply it, to grow, to manifest.
9. Remain patient. Good things come to those who wait.

Practices to Prepare the Mind for Setting an Intention for Successful Manifestation

The world is a reflection of your mind. Most of the time our minds are caught up in a typhoon of emotions, memories, and thoughts. Because of this, there is a distinct lack of presence; when our minds are caught up in these states, we are existing in a fiction created by the worries of the past, plans for the future, and the (mis)perceptions of the present.

Meditation is the ideal tool for purifying the mind and making it ready for manifestation. Intention and thereby manifestation should never come from a state of lack or need. Intention, the seed of manifestation, is best planted from a place of contentment and heightened awareness.

Contentment and heightened awareness don't happen overnight. They are cultivated over time by exertion of the will and a clear view of the desired outcome. If you wish for your mind to be at peace and ripe with guidance for your soul, it is best to establish regular practices that still the mind. Meditation is one such practice. Other practices that can help are yoga asana (yoga postures), yoga pranayama (breathwork such as Kapalabhati and Anuloma Viloma), self-reflection (as in the case of journaling, keeping a spiritual diary, or mental prayer at an altar first thing in the morning/last thing before falling asleep), kirtan, mantra-chanting, and Satsang (gathering regularly with like-minded individuals for spiritual discourse, group chanting, and support).

In truth, any practice that is mindful is beneficial for purifying the mind and cleaning the slate, so to say, in preparation for manifestation. Even mundane acts like eating your food and doing the chores around the house are prime examples of opportunities for mental purification. Try this: the next time you eat a meal or sweep the floors, do so with mindfulness by repeating the phrase "I am the consciousness that is aware of [enter your action phrase here - e.g. eating, sweeping the floor, so on]". Pay attention to the sensations of the act; for example, if you're eating, pay attention to the flavor, the feeling of chewing, of swallowing, the pressure on the hand as it lifts the fork with the food up to the lips, etc.

What is an Intention? A Practical Guide to Setting the Right Intention

“You are what your deepest desire is. As your desire is, so is your intention.  As your intention is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny.” ― Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

An intention is a deep, driving desire that has materialized into a thought. An intention is the seed of manifestation; an intention is the seed of action, outcome, and the rest.

Setting an intention isn't so much asking the Universe for something as it is being open to receiving (in accordance to your innermost desires, of course!) from the Universe. There is a difference between the two! When you ask for something specifically, you are setting limitations and making expectations. When you are practicing openness and fostering receptivity after aligning yourself to your innermost deeply-rooted desires, you are allowing the Universe to bring into creation that which is most suited to those innermost deeply-rooted desires. Remember that our human minds are limited by experience and that the more detailed and stuck we are in our view of what we think we want, the less space the Universe has to work to give us what we actually want.

In layman's terms, setting the right sort of intention is like setting a direction with a vague notion of a final destination. Having a destination is important, of course, and a big part of intention-setting is understanding not only what direction you're going in but where you want to end up as well. The difference comes in the specifics of how you get there; leave those specifics to the Universe.

To identify and set your intentions:

1. Meditate. Practice mindful awareness. Clear the mind so that it is as free as possible from disturbing emotions, thoughts, and memories. This noisy internal dialogue will confuse you, making it hard to understand what you desire and harder still to set a clear intention.
2. Journal. Practice gratitude.
3. Create rituals that suit your temperament, rituals that you repeat like clockwork before setting intentions. For example, you might wish to set your intentions at night, after a long bath and a self-massage session followed by 5 minutes of deep breathing and mental clearing.

Here is an example of an intention. Feel free to cut out the bolded words and replace them with your own; this template is a great format for intention setting.

This month/week/day, I will bring intuition, creativity, and inner confidence into my life by sticking up for my beliefs, listening to my body, and embracing the present moment.

Once you have understood what your intentions are:

1. Write them down. Verbalize them to yourself in the mirror; tell them to a friend. After writing your intention down, make sure to have the writing visible to you- place it on your refrigerator, set it as an auto-reminder on your phone, etc.
2. Create daily rituals to reconnect yourself with your set intentions. Think about your intention when you're making your coffee, while you're showering, after your meditation, etc.
3. Practice visualization. Visualize your intention, the sensations in the body when the intention is manifested. Remind yourself of the why behind the intention, of the desire that is driving it.
4. Affirm that you trust the Universe and are open to the Universe's interpretation of your intention.
5. Ask for what you want and then let it go. After you think about your intention, revel in it, envision it, spend your daily ritual (of positive affirmations, or repeating it over coffee, or pondering it after meditation), let your intention go. Resist the urge to control every aspect of your day. Resist the urge to force your day to go this way or that to align with how you perceive your intention should be realized. Allow the Universe to figure out the details. Enjoy the ride. In other words... trust the process!

New Moon Rituals that Set Intentions for Your Manifestation Practice

The new moon is an incredible time to set intentions and focus on bringing abundance into your life. Journaling is a positive way of aligning with your inner self, understanding your desires, and writing down your intentions. Maintaining a monthly practice according to the moon's cycle is highly recommended for manifestation. Try these journal prompts whenever a new moon occurs and keep a record of your new moon journaling in one place so that you can check back on the full moon to express gratitude for the process as well as to see what your intentions were, if you made the self-effort to manifest them, if they manifested, etc.

JOURNAL PROMPT #1

1. How am I feeling right now?
2. What am I grateful for that happened in the last month?
3. What do I need to release or let go of?
4. What are 9 things that I desire?
5. What are 9 things that I believe in? Am I living in harmony with them?

JOURNAL PROMPT #2

1. What in my life is going well?
2. What in my life isn't working for me?
3. What do I want more of?
4. What do I want less of?
5. What energy, divine aspects, or theme do I want to embody this month?
6. How do I want to feel this month?
7. Where have I strayed from my goals and beliefs in the last month?
8. What past intentions do I need to let go of?
9. What do I want to call forth this month?
10. How do I experience more joy this month?

JOURNAL PROMPT #3

1. What are my goals for this month/lunar cycle?
2. How do I intend to manifest this outcome? What are small actions or rituals I can do to make sure I stay aligned with my goals?
3. How will I feel when my desires will come true?
4. What is/are my affirmation(s) for the goals I have set?

JOURNAL PROMPT #4

1. What do I desire most right now? What do I need?
2. What do I intend to manifest this month? Why do I want it? Why do I deserve it?
3. What steps do I need to take to manifest my dream?
4. What advantages do I have on my side? Whose help can I count on? Where can I draw strength from? What skills and gifts have I been blessed with?
5. What could potentially hold me back from manifesting my goals? What can I do to release those blocks tonight to refresh my mind and rejuvenate my body?

Interested in manifestation? Discover the art of removing blockages and preparing the body and mind for manifestation with Antonio Sausys's program Manifesting Potential from June 19 - 22, 2022.