Manifestation Methods That Actually Work, According To A Witch

This is Ask A Witch, NYLON’s column with Indigenous healer and herbalist Napaquetzalli Martinez that answers your questions on the esoteric, the spiritual, and so much more.

Whether we call it praying, manifesting, or petitioning, higher power(s) respond to our efforts. The elements of manifestation require divine guidance, and the alignment of intention and action. Manifestation has become a buzzword trend on many social media platforms, with an influx of spiritual influencers sharing affirmations and rituals. Of course, the sharing of guidance on free platforms is helpful for many folks who otherwise might not be exposed to spiritual or magical practices. Although inspiration is everywhere, divine guidance isn’t something we can find in a podcast or TikTok video. Everything has an energetic effect, either repelling or attracting that which we desire.

The divine reciprocates our energy, so more than just affirmations and vision boards are needed to make tangible shifts. We can manifest our wildest dreams, but action is vital. Be honest about your capacity and dedication, and also limitless in your vision of possibility. Only complete dedication (in devotion, in action, in gratitude) will keep the blessings sustainable and consistent. Our intentions must be in alignment with our actions for divine manifestation to occur. Light the candles, say the prayers, make the offerings, and then begin the necessary work. As we begin a new year, set your intentions and dream wildly. What are you wishing to manifest this year, within yourself, within your community, within the Earth we share? Acting in our full purpose and power, we are capable of collectively dreaming and manifesting a more harmonious world entirely. Whether you’re trying to summon more financial abundance or call love into your life, find the principles that will magnetize your manifestations, below.

Relationship

As we cultivate and nourish our relationship with the divine, our manifestations materialize more quickly and with ease. Working in alignment with our ancestors and spirit guides increases our protection from any negating forces or obstacles. Whatever your belief system, when we communicate with the universe, we begin to co-create our reality. Human perception can be limited by physical and material desires, which is why it is necessary to have faith in the higher power(s), forces, and ancestors we petition for assistance. Practice regular gratitude; tend and upkeep an altar. Honor the spirits, and they’ll reciprocate.

Offerings

Along with altar work, offerings are key to keeping blessings sustainable and consistent. Any type of offering or service has a spiritual component. You can serve food or give offerings to ancestors and spirits, tend plants or land, support children and elders, share your gifts with the world. As we give of ourselves, the universe and our supportive spirit guides will reciprocate. Whether we give ritual offerings or donate time or resources to community members in need, giving our energy without expectation opens our energetic field to divine favor and support.

Focus

We manifest whatever we give our thoughts and energy toward, so dream big and prepare for the work ahead. Entertaining doubt and negativity stagnates progress and creates energetic obstacles. We can literally manifest our own downfall, so be mindful of your inner dialogue and concentrate on positive goals. Narrow vision must be eradicated as we open ourselves to greater blessings. Visualization is a powerful tool, and can help us embody the energy we are manifesting in our lives. See your dreams fully realized and focus on that vision, regularly.

Grounding

When doing spiritual or magical work, every element has meaning and significance. Setting manifestations in nature adds power and grounds our work, releasing our prayer into the cosmos where it can be answered and integrated into reality. The forces of nature support us, and certain places may hold specific spiritual significance for you. Rivers and other bodies of water are especially potent manifestation portals, purifying our energy and giving our magic momentum. Working with sacred trees helps us ground and root our work to create a lasting foundation. Mountain tops help us gain a greater perspective and calculate our next move. The element of fire can help us transmute and purge old energy and cut toxic cords. Remember to give thanks to the ancestral spirits and descendants of whichever land you stand on. Go outside and see what elemental magic calls to you.

Timing

If you’re doing a manifestation ritual, you can utilize different times of day to optimize your work. Doing spiritual work in the morning or beginning of the day helps us open fresh energy and allow for new pathways to emerge, while the day is still building. Practicing lucid dreaming can help as well; we can embody our desires in the dream world and plant our goals like seeds to manifest in the 3D. Visualize your intentions before bedtime and start a dream journal to keep track of messages that come through. Listening to specific frequencies/repeating affirmations before sleep or during meditation can help integrate energies as well. Once your intentions have been set, trust in your higher power(s) and let the outcome manifest in divine timing. We can desire certain outcomes, but still leave room for miracles beyond the imagination. By letting go of our limited human scope, we allow for divine timing to work its magic.

Surrender

When we align with our destiny and surrender to our purpose, we magnetically attract abundance instead of forcefully imposing our will. This way, even obstacles can be seen as blessings rerouting us from potentially harmful paths. Sometimes we are protected from what we think we want. Give thanks for those difficult lessons. We can conduct rituals in attempts to manipulate energy, but we may not receive the instantaneous results we crave. Manifesting success in any area of life requires alignment with our highest good, which is why we must be careful with the energy we conjure. Spell work done out of anger or poor judgment will just manifest chaos. We can attract toxic people and situations into our lives or perpetuate harmful cycles within our ancestral lines. Be honest about your own intentions, and recognize any red flags surrounding the situation. Manifesting new patterns will require surrendering our rigid thinking. It’s always best to focus on manifesting your best self and allowing blessings to flow to you.

Discernment

Spirituality and magic has no one specific appearance, so regardless of what might be popular, find what speaks to you. Be discerning and listen to your intuitive guidance first. The embodiment of success looks different for each person, so comparison to others is fruitless. Social media tends to lead to toxic comparison, as if we could all just magically conjure the lives of our dreams with the right mantras and designer clothes. Remember, the divine will always meet us where we are. We are always powerful agents of change, no matter our current realities. Find your authentic voice and ask your higher power(s) for guidance. All of the tools needed are already within us, and opening to divine guidance unlocks those inner gifts. We are all capable of manifesting our dreams and powerfully shaping our lives.