‘Manifest’ is the Word of the Year. It nearly ruined my life

Manifest; meaning to dream or will something into existence has been declared the Word of the Year by Cambridge Dictionary.

Cambridge chose the word based on how often it’s been looked up, along with its increased use, and the way the word has changed meaning over time.

Although the word can mean “to make clear, or obvious,” it is now more often used to describe the act of thinking positive thoughts, and the claimed ability of being able to reach a desired goal simply by attracting it with positive vibes.

Fifteen years ago, I read the popular book The Secret, which was about the ‘law of attraction’ (another word for manifestation). In those days it was more of a fringe activity for spiritual types. But over the last few years I’ve seen books on manifestation in bookshop windows and on prominent display tables. And I’ve noticed the way that people have started to use “manifest” as a verb, in a way we might have previously used “get.” For example “I manifested that job”.

It seems the practice has gone mainstream. And just as yoga and meditation have been stripped of their spiritual packaging, and sold to Western consumers as a kind of positive thinking ‘science’, so has manifesting. This has allowed the practice to become more popular even with those who aren’t particularly spiritual.

While there’s no doubt that positive thinking can help us achieve our goals, manifestation takes it a step further. It’s based on a belief that the universe is a giant vending machine; that all you need to do is think the right thoughts and your life will be perfect.

In the secular world, many are recognising the dubious ethics of this belief system; and that it can encourage toxic positivity. It promotes a culture of selfishness and individualism, and can lead to self-blame when it doesn’t work. The belief system also implies that when someone attracts something bad into their lives they are responsible for it. If you follow the theory through to its natural end point, you’d have to belief that those who are born into poverty somehow invited it with their own thoughts. Clearly there’s no sense in claiming that babies ‘attract’ their family circumstances; whether they are born into a loving family, or an abusive one.

When I used to try manifesting things, I would push any of these doubts to the back of mind. I truly believed this was how the universe operated, perhaps because I was seduced by the promises of wealth and success.

But while secular critics dismiss manifestation as a psuedoscience, I do believe it works in some circumstances.

After Jesus was baptised he was shown all the kingdoms of the world by the devil and told, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:9). Satan is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), and he can offer wealth, fame and success to those who worship him, though it comes with a price.

Ultimately, manifestation is a form of witchcraft, operating on the same principles - namely that we can be gods, that everything is energy, and that we have the power to manipulate our environment through our thoughts. This opens people up to the demonic realm and spiritual attack.

manifestation is a form of witchcraft, operating on the same principles

When I made the shift from new age beliefs to Christianity a woman read one of my social media posts and told me of how she’d had great success with manifestation. She had a wonderful home, and was making lots of money. However she started going to church when her daughter became ill, and after that she lost everything she’d manifested. It was clear to her that her success was because she’d tapped into the demonic realm, and once she started following Jesus the devil took back what he’d given.

In my case, manifestation contributed to me being in debt. This is because some manifestation coaches encourage spending, saying it creates the belief that you are rich. It sounds silly on reflection, but at the time I truly believed what these gurus said. I was in debt all of my adult life until I found God, who helped me think more carefully about money, and provided a money miracle to finally get my finances in order.

In a world where the cost of living is increasing, and many people are feeling hopeless, manifestation is a tempting practice. As this year draws to a close I’ll be praying for opportunities to share that the devil’s price isn’t worth paying, and that by following God you can receive all you need…without any nasty interest rates.