Cracking the Code: A Skeptical View on the Science of Manifestation
"Cracking the Code: A Skeptical View on the Science of Manifestation" was writen by LMHC and owner of Float On Counseling, Joel Schmidt. Float On Counseling offers mental health counseling for those struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, neurodivergent issues, grief, trauma, and more. Float On Counseling therapy is offered to Tampa area residents for in-person / online sessions - and ALL Florida residents for online counseling. To begin your counseling journey with Joel Schmidt or a different therapist with the us, visit our "Contact Us" page on our website (www.floatoncounseling.com), click on the "contact us" button below, or call 813-515-9602.
If my memory and perception serve me well, it was the unveiling of “The Secret” back in the early 2000s that really helped the idea of manifestation gain traction. Can you really have whatever you want just by asking the universe for it? By setting the right intentions, visualizing your dreams, and putting the right vibrations out there for the world to respond to? Many people have since responded with a resounding, “yes”, and had incredible anecdotal evidence of the true power of the “Law of Attraction” that led to an abundance of wealth, improved physical health, cured disease, higher successes than ever dreamed of, and “harmonious” romantic relationships even after a lifetime of failed attempts. Sound too good to be true? Well, even though it might be - there might also just be something to it - but for better (and more scientific) reasons than the Law of Attraction suggests.
Before I get into those reasons, we might first need to look at the obvious limitations of manifestation. It’s probably unnecessary to say that manifestation principles are subject to natural laws. If they weren’t, we might see people defying gravity or living far beyond the normal life expectancy. As far as I’m aware, none of those things have yet happened. It’s probably also fair to say that the law of attraction can’t ALWAYS work, especially in the case of conflicting interests. If, for example, 2 people were both practicing manifestation to get their offer accepted to move into the same dream home, one of them just has to lose. We must also acknowledge that many people who diligently practice the art of manifestation have suffered tragedy, loss, and adversity beyond their fair share. Why? Well, unfortunately there’s no foolproof cure to bad things happening to people - and luck just isn’t always in our favor. Sadly, many of the most rigid believers of the practice have often placed blame on the victim of said suffering by suggesting that the reasons had to do with insufficient positive energy, unconscious negative thoughts, karmic influences, or misalignment of intentions.
Despite the obvious limitations, this skeptic believes there might actually be some real positive benefit to practicing principles of the “Law of Attraction” if viewed through a healthy and rational lens. After all, it promotes ideas surrounding positive thinking, believing you are worth having the kinds of things you want, and ways in which we might limit our true potential by our own negative beliefs.
Where practicing manifestation might have some true benefit probably boils down to a few of the reasons I’ll cover below.
Manifestation puts an emphasis on Goal Setting. When we don’t have goals and don’t know what we are working towards, how can we ever get anywhere? The goal setting component of the Law of Attraction helps people become clear on what they want by setting specific and measurable goals for themselves. This intervention alone helps people understand what they need to do to get what they want and what direction to head in.
Manifestation involves Visualization, Focus, and Rehearsal. When we start to imagine what we want, it’s easier to view it as a possible reality. Creating a vision board to place in a very local place (such as in a bedroom or common area) can help serve as a reminder. It’s easy to set goals and to forget about them, but when they’re in front of us everyday they stay present in our minds and in our focus. That helps us stick to goals. Nothing fantastic, spiritual, or supernatural about that. Additionally, rehearsal (an intervention that might be used in psychotherapy), helps us practice and prepare for imagined situations. It can help increase our confidence and reinforce positive ways of thinking and interacting with the world.
Manifestation takes a look at the role of our thoughts in getting what we want. A huge component of manifesting things involves thinking positively and believing that the things we want for ourselves are possible. Not believing we are capable of achieving our dreams will undoubtedly translate to not doing some of the things we might need to do to get there. Alternatively, framing things more positively and challenging core beliefs about ourselves can go a long way towards taking action and making stuff happen! Those things - reframing and challenging negative beliefs - are right out of the CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) playbook…and CBT is one of the “Gold Standard” evidence-based practices many therapists utilize everyday in their work with clients.
Manifestation can promote taking action. Again, when we set goals we also set objectives. We then have to take some kind of action. I can’t imagine that even the biggest advocate of “The Secret” would disagree that you can’t just make things appear in front of you without doing anything. Anyone who has ever manifested anything either had to be taking steps in the direction of that thing or looking for that thing.
Manifestation is supported by positive affirmations. Law of Attraction affirmations might sound something like “I am attracting abundance” or “I am open to receiving prosperity” or “I am confident, capable, and worthy of success”. Anyone who reinforces positive ways of thinking about the world, themselves, or what they are capable of will likely find that it translates to feeling much different about themselves. A person with an abundant or growth-oriented mindset will almost certainly be more capable of seeing and “attracting” positive things. A person who is riddled with self-doubt and who sees resources as being very scarce will be much less likely to look for or find opportunities. After all, what would be the point?
Other less-direct considerations: The above referenced reasons for effectiveness related to manifestation principles are pretty straightforwardly effective for very common-sense reasons. Other less directly-relevant reasons they might be effective (or be perceived to be effective) come down to things such as the Placebo Effect and Confirmation Bias.
The Placebo Effect: simply having a strong belief that something works can often translate to a direct improvement in people’s lives, whether the thing prompting the effect has any real therapeutic benefit or not. You see this sort of thing with medication trials and with homeopathic medicine all the time.
Confirmation bias speaks to the tendency to be highly tuned in to evidence that backs up already held beliefs, by dismissing (or just not noticing evidence) that might be contrary to those beliefs.
If you are interested in getting started with mental health counseling, but not sure where to start, we can help. Send us a message by visiting our contact page: www.floatoncounseling.com/contact or call 813-515-9602. Our Client Care Coordinator can give you some information to get started and even help schedule a free consultation with a therapist. We offer Virtual counseling for all residents in Florida or In-Person counseling in Tampa.