the practical and the spiritual
Manifestation. It has to be one of if not my favorite topics to contemplate. If I were to give it a definition at this very moment, I might say that manifestation is the process of energy being manipulated to form the outcomes in our lives.
Whether or not we know it, we are constantly manifesting, and the magic of it is more obvious than one may think. I like to think about manifestation in both a spiritual and practical sense. The spiritual aspect is what I see it being more known for. It’s the visualization or saying something and that thing coming to fruition. It’s the surreal occurrences that just have to have happened for a reason but you can’t put a finger on as to why.
I love the spiritual aspect of manifestation. It’s beautiful and unpredictable and is inspiring in terms of witnessing the way the universe presents its magic in our lives.
But the less talked about aspect of manifestation that I think is equally as magical as the spiritual is the practical. This is literally what you do to achieve something. If you want a good grade, you can manifest that for yourself by turning in assignments on time or going to office hours. If you want to be healthy, you can start getting better sleep and eating more nutritious foods.
These are also examples of manifesting. Our universe has laws that if we follow them, we can achieve what we desire. Well-known laws such as taking care of your mind and body to be healthy is still manifestation taking place, it’s just a universally known way to manifest that for most people, works every time.
I think common daily actions we take to manifest are deemed less magical than the spiritual because they aren’t unique. The spiritual element feels more magical to us because it makes us feel special. Running into that one person at the perfect time can make you think “Me? really? out of the 8 billion people on this planet and this happened for me?”
But just because the mundane and practical is something every person does, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t play a huge role in achieving what we desire.
I focus a lot of my manifestations on achieving a feeling rather than something physical. I’ll link a video going more into detail about why I do this below. Anyway, whenever I am trying to manifest a feeling, it becomes even more important for me to focus on the practical aspects of manifesting.
For example, if I’m trying to manifest happiness, I’ll only be able to see this feeling come to fruition if I can become happy in the mundane moments and actions of my life. Seeing those practical moments as just as valuable and special as the spiritual ones is what brings me fulfillment.
I think it’s important here to mention that depending on our own unique experiences, this can be easier or more difficult. I say with gratitude that I rather enjoy my life and the cards I’ve been handed, but I think perspective also plays a huge role in how we view our lives. It doesn’t really matter how our lives look, it matters more how we feel about them. With that being said, it can sometimes be easier to enjoy the practical moments of manifestation when we are leading more generically appealing lives.
go where it’s quiet to hear yourself
So then why am I talking about the different aspects of manifestation while showing footage of camping? In my opinion, camping is a perfect example of this balance between the spiritual and practical.
There’s work you need to do to manifest a fulfilling environment for yourself through planning, packing, setting up a tent, cooking, and whatnot, but if you succeed in the practical, the spiritual is oh-so abundant. You have so much time to just reflect and mess around and enjoy life.
I love being in the middle of natural beauty with nothing to do but just be. It leads you to the most curious places. All of a sudden, the practical becomes like a game. It becomes enjoyable because it’s something to do as to not be bored. Whenever I’m camping, the practical becomes more mindful, and it is the same mindful energy that I wish to bring into the rest of my life, surrounded by more stimuli and distractions.
But in this simple state where the only goal is to create an environment to cook and sleep in, the rest of the world is your goddamn oyster. If you feel like going for a hike, you can go on a hike, if you feel like collecting rocks, you can collect rocks, if you want to go for a swim, go for that swim.
learn to love the practical
I used to have this expectation that life would only be enjoyable once I reached a certain milestone. I used to believe that my quality of life was dependent on the aesthetics of it around me. Once I was at my dream school I’d be happy. Once I had friends who were fun and cared about me then I’d be happy. Ironically enough, I didn’t find such people until I learned to love time alone. I didn’t find my dream school until I let go of the expectations I had for what constituted my “dream school.”
Letting go of what I thought I wanted to make me happy and instead focusing on what I already had to make me happy is what made me happy. And eventually, it’s what brought me what I originally thought would be the thing making me happy. The school I go to, my friends, my major, hobbies, and so much more. And yes all of those things enhance my life, but it started with where I was, and the future is starting with where I am now.
It wasn’t until I learned to love the practical actions I took every day to manifest that my life turned into something worthwhile. It sounds cliche, but it starts where you are, in the present moment. And most of the time, the present moment may not seem too glamorous, but I like to make it glamorous.
I’m always trying to appreciate where I am because, at the end of the day, the present moment is the only thing I will ever have a hold on. It’s easier said than done that life is too short to be worrying about it.
