Manifestation for Skeptics

In which I explain how to make magic while not believing in magic

My spiritual practice involves maintaining a balance between believing in magic and not believing in magic. (And on Sundays, believing in Spirit or Source or whatever and not believing in Spirit or Source or whatever. That’s a whole different post.) Or maybe another way to say this is that I know I have to do work in the world in order to create the world that I want. Witches further along the path than me will see no contradiction here, I know. I’m still learning to have faith, to feel the interconnectedness of all things. So, I keep trying. Both magic and activism are practices, which is to say that they only work when we make an effort rooted in sincere desire, and when we keep trying.

I just read something in Eliza Kelly’s Curiosity Report that helped me understand this process:

Manifestation is actually quite simple: It’s the process of identifying what you want, and thoughtfully moving your intentions from the energetic realm into the tangible, physical world.

Kelly offers suggestions for doing candle spells and creating talismans, but she also explains the importance of taking practical action. Writing a check to yourself to invite abundance into your life is magic, but so is updating your resume. And Kelly reinforces the idea that magic isn’t just lighting a candle and making a wish. Magic is lighting a candle while clarifying what we really want and creating new habits that will get us closer to where we want to be.

Morgan le Fay updating her resume (Frederick Sandys, 1864)

In a recent Mystery Cult post, Amanda Yates Garcia offers some wisdom about setting intentions that complements what Kelly has to say. The first step in creating what we want is being honest with ourselves about what that is. This is something I’ve learned from Tarot, both in my own study and in reading for clients. Once we’re clear about what we want, the challenge is to stay true to our desires and our values. As Amanda writes:

Holding a strong vision is a gift we witches can give to our communities and the world.

Again, this is something that takes practice—something we get better at by doing. If lighting a candle helps us do that… Well, that’s magic I believe in.