Section 2:
MANIFESTATION BASICS
This section introduces the art of manifestation and gives you a step-by-step guide to working with crystals to manifest your goals and dreams. There are exercises to help you get your mind “in the frame,” as well as meditation and visualization techniques to connect you to universal energy and to your own inner magic. Then there is a selection of grids specially designed to help you manifest love, abundance, and harmony in the home, and a brief guide to the crystals that can help you to become aligned with your true desires.
WHAT IS MANIFESTATION?
We all want to make our dreams come true or just make something specific happen. We wish on stars, throw coins in a fountain, believe in luck or fate. But most of us never really empower ourselves with the very essence of manifestation—being at one with not only ourselves, but also the universe within us. The great news is that with the help of your crystal friends you can start to find this sense of oneness and manifest your dreams and goals. Be warned, it takes willingness, intention, goodness, gratitude, effort, passion, and, most of all, self-belief. Manifestation is about letting the universe within you reveal itself through you and your unique identity and desires. But to manifest your dreams you have to really know yourself and what you truly want, or rather what you actually seek. And with that knowledge, you must know how to call on the universal energy within you to make your life complete.
MANIFESTATION
The word “manifest” derives from the Latin word manifestus, meaning clear, apparent, or proved by direct evidence. In other words, whether you have a dream of an abundant lifestyle, a yearning for a house in the country, or a wish for a happy family, you have to make it “real.” We can only make these dreams come true (or bring them into tangible reality) if we are ready to cast off expectations, conditions, assumptions, and emotional poisons—to cut to the core and reveal our true self. This self is the one that lies deep within us, profoundly linked to our soul's purpose and its connection to the universe. In fact, the universe lies within us, just as it appears to lie without us. It is only once we start to really believe this, and by “believe,” I mean “know and experience” this, that can we actually manifest that which we desire.
Tossing coins into fountains is one way to attract happiness, but you must truly believe in your dreams to manifest them.
WANTS AND NEEDS
Wanting and needing are two very different things. “Want” implies a lack. When we are “wanting” it is because we don't have whatever it is we think we lack. We feel a sense of missing out—or we feel inadequate in some way because we don't “own” this thing, or quality of life. We may be envious of others who are wealthy or in happy marriages, and so we feel we deserve those things and ought to have them in our own lives. But whether the things we want on the surface are in tandem with what our soul or deeper purpose has intended for us is another matter. This is not about “fate,” it is about innate potential and what we truly seek. This is when we have to learn to accept every piece of goodness that we do get, and also learn to let go and trust in the flow of the universe, letting goodness come to us.
When we feel we need a change of scenery, new shoes, or to be loved, we are also expressing a sense of lack. But this time it is about necessity—in other words it is necessary for us to have that thing to make us feel at one with ourselves. It seems essential to our very existence. But, as with wanting, we have to be careful we aren't getting carried away with cultural or family expectations about what we need. Both “want” and “need” are feelings we attach ourselves to throughout life. It is only when we give and receive with no emotional investment—only emotional involvement, enjoying the giving or accepting, observing or being aware of our reactions—that we can really manifest that which we are truly blessed to have.
A joyful life is one where you are not dependent on other people's expectations or lifestyles. Find what truly matters to you.
THE SEEKER
A seeker is someone who knows that they are looking for something, and are taking responsibility for the quest they are on. The seeker is in everyone, but only some of us are aware there is a questing side to our natures. Some of us repress or deny the seeker, because we fear we will be a failure if we don't get what we seek. That is when the wanting, or needing, egocentric bit of ourselves takes over from the free spirit of the seeker.
Obviously then the seeker in you must first find out what it is you truly seek. Let's take a look at the root of the word. Generally, “to seek” means “to look for,” “to desire,” or “to wish for.” I'm seeking a new career, I'm seeking a pot of gold, I'm seeking enlightenment. But the ancient Indo-European word from which it derives, sag, also means “to perceive with wisdom.” So, with wise thought, self-understanding, and objective observation, we can learn to seek what is right for us. The seeker in us then becomes aware of what has to manifest, rather than what the ego wants to manifest.
Do you see the sun rising or setting? Rather like the analogy of the half-empty or half-full glass, you can learn a lot about how you perceive the world. This will have an important effect on its responses to your requests.
DO I DESERVE WHAT I SEEK?
Of course, we may think “Do I deserve the best? Do I deserve to be wealthy, or wise, or both? Do I deserve love?” Well, yes you do, just by being a human being on this Earth. And manifesting the things you truly seek is deserved, too.
So, we long to fulfill our goals and dreams, and once we have learned to find our own magic and power—once we have shrugged off the heavy cloak of cultural or family expectations—we are then free to manifest goodness in our lives. All it takes is mastering the hidden potential locked within us and taking control of our own destiny, so the universe can bring us all that we truly seek. Everything you dream of can be yours, with a little help from your crystal friends and an understanding of the law of attraction.
THE LAW OF ATTRACTION
Ancient esoteric thinkers believed “What we are is what we attract.” This viewpoint implies that, whatever a person’s intention or emotion, when it is thought about or felt it is projected outward and picked up as a request by the universe—only to be amplified and sent back in tangible form.
The metaphysical law of attraction, “like attracts like,” states that we attract more of who or what we are into our life. Inner richness creates outer wealth and self-love generates love around us. Or, if you’re miserable, bleak, and think the world is a sad place, then it will be. The more you think life does you no favors, the more that despair and hatred will be sent back to you. If you feel joy at the sight of a sunrise, believe in your talents, and have passion for achieving a goal, then the universe usually obliges. But to fully manifest what you want, you have to get your conscious mind in tune with the universe.
The current body of neuroscientific and psychological evidence also indicates that thoughts determine your destiny. In other words, if you put out positive thoughts you will attract positive experiences back into your life. If you're constantly expressing negative thoughts then you'll simply attract even more negativity back to you. If you think, believe, and act positively, you will receive positive energy in return.
THE GLUE OF UNIVERSAL ENERGY
Universal energy flows through all things, connecting everything as one. And that includes you. If you truly believe and want goodness for yourself and others, then the universe will do good for you too. Still, you can’t just shrug your shoulders and think “Well, I’ll just sit around imagining lots of money landing in my lap and I’ll suddenly have a windfall.” This might happen, but the law of probability is as relevant as the law of attraction, and this means that the coin could end up falling the “wrong” side up. So, to make sure you’re putting out the right signals to the universe—both “out there” and within yourself—you must first make sure you have utter belief in yourself and the universe. But you can’t believe in yourself if you aren’t aware of yourself.
Ingrained in our psyche is the belief that more money will bring us happiness. Before attempting to manifest abundance, make sure you know what kind of “wealth” you are seeking.
PRINCIPLES of MANIFESTATION
The principles of manifestation can be divided into seven steps, and before you start to use crystals to reinforce and amplify your intentions it's important that you are seeing things objectively. You need to be aware of what it is you truly seek, clear of all emotional and mental negativity, and open, serene, and ready for working with the power of your crystal friends.
1. SELF-AWARENESS
Before you discover how to focus on, visualize, or ask for what you seek, you need to be more aware of who you are and what you truly deserve. Most of us think we know what we desire, but we’re usually brainwashed by our social, cultural, or family beliefs and opinions. We think we want this or that car, more money, or a better place to live, and that that will make us happy. Remember, the great fortune you desire may not be what you truly need or seek.
SELF-AWARENESS EXERCISE
This exercise will test you and help you to see if you really do know yourself.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
• Two pieces of paper
• A pen
WHAT TO DO:
1 First of all, in your own handwriting (handwriting is a powerful interface between the mind and the universe), write down a list of your weaknesses on a piece of paper. Start with key words to inspire you, such as “anger” or “fear” for the negative list. What do you get angry about? What do you fear? Start by using the following sentences as a guide. You can write as little or as much as you like for each one.
• I HATE …
• I am most UNHAPPY when …
• I CAN’T BE A …
• I get ANGRY when …
• I DON’T WANT …
• My BAD feelings arise when …
• I DON'T LIKE getting …
• I DON'T LIKE giving …
2 Now write your good qualities on a separate piece of paper. Think about key words such as “love” and “enjoyment.” What do you love? What do you enjoy? Here are some sentences to complete:
• I am most CONTENT when …
• I LOVE …
• I WISH for …
• I ENJOY …
• I am GRATEFUL for …
• I NEED …
• My GOOD feelings come to me when …
• I have PASSION for …
• I LOVE receiving …
• I LOVE giving …
• I am HAPPIEST when …
3 Have a look at your lists and think about the reactions and feelings that came to you when you wrote all this down. These are powerful symbols of YOU. Crumple up the piece of paper with the negative words on it and chuck it in the trash. Take the positive words and think them, but most of all you need to feel them—experience them as inner qualities and be aware of them and yourself. These are the “good vibrations,” thoughts, and feelings which will determine your destiny.
CLEARING OUT THE DEMONS
To really be able to manifest your true desires, you have to become aware of any negativity inside you, and once aware of that, you can then dump it and replace it with positive thoughts. To do this, first accept that the world “out there” is a mirror of what goes on inside you. Who you are is what you attract and what you see in the world is who you are. Do you love the you that is you? If you don’t love yourself and you’re putting out “sad little old me” energy, the world will simply oblige and say back: “Yah boo sucks, sad little old you.” Then you’ll never be successful or happy in mind, body, or business.
First try this exercise, which will help you eliminate thought patterns that get in the way of focusing on what you seek. This exercise will help you to get rid of negative feelings, thoughts, and other emotional trash, and replace with positive life-improving energy.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
• A mirror
• Two pieces of paper
• A pen
• Various small crystals
• Paper bag (or similar)
WHAT TO DO:
1 Look at yourself in a mirror. What do you see? Do you like what you see? If you truly do then you can leap ahead to Step Two. If you don’t like what you see in the mirror then please do the following:
• Write down a list of the things that you don’t like about yourself. It might be your eyes, your feet, your weight, your frustration, your anger—or anything else.
Now, get creative with what you have written on your “don’t like” list. For example, if you don’t like your voice, transform it by writing something practical and positive about it. Written words magnify thoughts and help to manifest them in the tangible world. For example, write: “I’m going to start loving my unique voice,” or: “I’m going to become a great singer.” Or, if you hate getting up in the mornings: “I’m going to get up each morning and smile at the day, for every day is a gift.”
2 Face the mirror again and look at yourself straight in the eye, saying aloud what your fears, worries, and vulnerabilities are. We all have them, so don’t deceive yourself that you haven’t any—that’s a belief system you’d need to dump straightaway.
3 On a piece of paper, write down your list of fears, inadequacies, and any other current issues you have.
4 Count out some small crystals (little polished ones will do)—one for each issue that you have listed. These represent the stuff that you don’t want in your life and you’re not going to think about any more. Because every time we think “doubt,” “fear,” or, “Nobody understands me,” then we’ll simply get doubt, fear, and misunderstanding thrown back at us.
5 Sit down comfortably on a chair. Put the stones in a paper bag. Close your eyes and then gradually, one by one, remove them from the bag and place them on your list of negative qualities. As you remove each one affirm to yourself:
I deserve happiness just by virtue of being on this planet.
When you have finished, put your stones away safely but crumple up the paper and chuck it in the trash.
6 Now ask yourself these questions: Did you feel released from negativity when you faced your issues and dumped them? If not, you may need to do some more work in this area before you can proceed.
Do you absolutely believe that you're going to manifest your dreams and that your thoughts shape reality?
Are you someone who says “I never get,” or “Why does this always happen to me?” If so, stop it now.
Start saying, “I always get” and “This is happening to me.” This takes us on to positive affirmations, which can erase any self-doubt or disbelief still stuck in your mindset (see here).
2. KNOWING WHAT YOU TRULY SEEK RIGHT NOW
So, what is your personal “grail”? What are you truly seeking? Is it a better lifestyle, health, love, wealth, or spiritual contentment? It doesn’t really matter what it is, as long as you are sure of your goal. Many people want fame or success, for example, but there are as many different kinds of success as there are individuals. Make your goal sacred but don’t let it become an unobtainable distant dream. Learn to know what you want before you start to focus on it and guard it closely; like the Holy Grail of medieval legends, it should be treated with respect and hidden where nobody can find it. Only you should know what it means for you. Keep it a secret and the power of the universe will work its magic for you.
CREATIVE THINKING
Of course there is one problem. You still might not know what you truly seek. Although you are now more self-aware and have learnt how to drop negative patterns of thinking, you may have no idea how to go about finding out what your Holy Grail actually is. The following exercise will help you to access the unconscious realm of your mind, get in touch with your imagination, and allow the universe to promote a realization of what it is you are seeking.
According to medieval legend, the Holy Grail was a sacred goblet that held Christ’s blood. You must decide for yourself: What is your Holy Grail?
CONNECTING TO THE CREATIVE FORCE OF THE UNIVERSE
Make a commitment (now!) to do this simple meditational exercise every day. It doesn't have to be for long—maybe three to five minutes at a time. In the silent place you will create with this practice, where everything is connected with everything else, you will feel at one with the unlimited power of creative imagination.
Once you practice this on a regular basis, you'll notice what seems like new flashes of insight about what you are seeking. In fact, these flashes of insight are within you, but have been relegated to the unconscious part of your mind. Most of your thought processes may be taken up with negative thinking or worry, doubt, fear, or attending to what has to be done in the here and now. But after practicing meditation, you'll find the deeper insights of your mind flow up to your consciousness. Free from tangled thoughts and complexes, and with this new creative awareness, you will realize what it is you really seek, and can start to manifest it.
WHAT TO DO:
1 Relax, and find somewhere quiet and comfortable to sit. With your eyes closed, become aware of your breathing. Take slow breaths, in and out, until you feel calm and peaceful. Concentrate on your breathing.
2 Imagine each breath is like a door opening and closing. As you breathe in you are letting in beautiful thoughts and ideas. When you breathe out you are releasing dull or meaningless ones. As you breathe in, imagine the smell of roses, the smell of baked bread, or the sight of your favorite friend. As you breathe out, imagine that you're decluttering your home. You're chucking out those unwanted nicknacks, clothes you never wear, and magazines you never read. When you breathe out, all negative thoughts, fears, or self-doubt leave too. Keep going for ten breaths, in and out. Let the good ideas continue to flow in; they'll still be there for you later.
3 Now you must empty your mind. This is challenging to begin with because thoughts will keep coming back. Use a simple technique of counting slowly to twenty in your head and focus your mind on each number. If an alien thought drifts into your head or tries to muscle in on your focused attention, you will need to start counting from the beginning again. Now, with no thoughts, imagine you are at one with the creative soul of the universe.
4 To begin with you might not find yourself in this silent place at all. But persevere. Believe you will. Soon you will find the intrusive thoughts go away simply because they can’t match the source of untapped potential flowing through you. That's when you are no longer a prisoner to your thoughts and can begin to be creatively engaged in the wealth of the universe.
5 Come out of your meditative state and try to maintain an objective awareness of yourself and how your mind works throughout the day. Also, what happened to those wonderful imagined ideas you let come into your conscious mind as you breathed in? When you remember them, be creative with them. By focusing on one or all of those bright ideas and with objective self-awareness, you will soon have clarity about what it is that you truly seek.
3. AFFIRMATIONS AND INTENTION
Hopefully, by now, you are beginning to get a glimpse of your true quest, and what it is you have to manifest in your life. If not, you may need to do more self-awareness or meditational work. If you are ready to follow the pathway, then this next section provides a series of positive affirmations that will prompt you to realize that you do deserve what you desire, and that it is possible to fulfill your dreams. But what is your “intention”? It is basically your objective, your aim, your purpose. Before you can focus on that specific goal, though, you must let the universe know that your intention is for the good of the whole.
Being positive is about cutting out the negative and looking at the world with a wider perspective.
Positive affirmations, when used consistently, change our internal language pattern and eventually transform any inner negativity into a positive attitude. That means that if you really want something, and have complete faith in yourself as well as total belief that you will achieve your goal, you will get it. Remember: don’t dwell on what you want, lack, or need, only on what you seek.
Here are some positive affirmations that will convince yourself and the universe that you deserve what you desire. Say them aloud and also leave them written in places that you will see every day. The more you say and think them, the more positive you will become.
Words are magical. You probably know the magic word “abracadabra” or maybe you have your own mantra—a phrase or series of words repeated over and over again to create a sense of stillness and connection to the universe. Learning to focus on your dream or goal is one of the most difficult steps in manifestation, because it is easy to be led astray by all the other rogue thoughts floating around in your head.
So, you must create a mantra of positive intention, such as “My intention is that all I seek comes to me with goodwill and the blessing of the universe.” Repeat this over and over again, aloud, when you're in the car, in the bath, alone, or in a crowded place, and “think” it in your head.
Power stones such as labradorite enable us to focus on positive intentions.
MAGIC MANTRA RITUAL
The following exercise will help you to align yourself with your mantra and allow it to empower you with its energy.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
• A crystal of your choice
• A white candle
WHAT TO DO:
1 Sit in a quiet place and light the candle. It doesn't matter which crystal you use, as long as it is one that you really have an affinity for. This is a crystal for positive connection to the universe and all crystals will bring you that connection.
2 Hold your crystal between your hands and repeat your magic mantra five times. Then, place the crystal on the table in font of the candle and say aloud five times:
When I am in this still place I am connected to the affluence of the universe. I meditate each day and am no longer a prisoner to my thoughts. I am the designer of my destiny.
3 Now open your eyes and come back to your normal consciousness. Blow out the candle and relax before you answer the following questions:
• Were you aware of the creative channel flowing through you?
• After the ritual, did you feel positive about life and believe in what you seek?
If you answered “Yes” to both of these questions, you’re on your way to being able to manifest your desires.
FOCUSED INTENTION
We can twist our mind to make our thoughts follow our written statements as suggested in the previous exercise (see here), but what will really create the flow of beneficial energy into our lives? Well, apart from the help of specific crystals, it is focused intention. So what is that exactly?
Focused intention is knowing exactly what you seek deep down inside and feeling it so powerfully that it cuts through all illusions, expectations, and doubts. It is a way of “being” rather than something thought up inside your head or outside of you. It is also about remaining emotionally detached, mentally uninvolved, and just letting the pure intention that is deep within you flow out to the universe with the aid of your chosen crystal.
Keep asking yourself what it is you truly seek. And if you can answer this question from deep down, from the heart and the soul of yourself—without ifs, buts, thoughts of “if only,” hidden agendas, uncertainty, or self-sabotage—then you will manifest that intention. Once the intention is fired into the universe, via your crystal work, then you must also learn to let it go and wait for it to come to you.
So remember, to really “make it happen,” intention is more than just thought. It has to be an experience within you. It's not about willing it to be or thinking it aloud. The difference is that you have to be that thought and the thought has to be you. When you know what it is you truly seek, then you can let the thought flow outward and let it go at the right moment. But you also need to start doing some practical work with crystals, too.
Concentration, belief, and focus are the keys to manifestation, but you also need to know in your heart what is right for you.
WHITE QUARTZ PURE INTENTION AMPLIFICATION
To help understand the difference between intention and merely hoping or willing something into existence, use a white quartz crystal to amplify the idea of pure intention and connect you to the deeper matrix of the universe.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
• A white quartz crystal
WHAT TO DO:
1 Sit comfortably, relax, and hold your white quartz crystal nestled between both hands. Close your eyes and concentrate on your goal or desire.
2 Ask the crystal to work with you for the good of all. Now repeat your mantra over and over again, either aloud or in your head, as you imagine that the dream you have is deep within the crystal itself.
3 As you hold the crystal, feel its power surging through you and radiating throughout your whole body. This power is flowing from the crystal in your hand but also from you. Your own power is now amplified by the white quartz crystal, so that you can do its work.
4 Before you open your eyes, ask the crystal:
Always connect me to the power of the universe, so I know what my true goal or intention is.
5 Carry the stone with you for one lunar cycle so you can really learn what that intention is.
4. BELIEF AND PASSION
Manifestation isn't just about using the law of attraction to get what you want—nor is the power of positive thinking the only thing that's needed. Positive feeling and engagement with life and the universe are necessary to bring you your heart's desire.
If you are really sure you know what you seek, and have learned how to focus your intention, the next step is to start to visualize. This isn't about imagining a mansion and suddenly receiving one. True visualization is about experiencing and being in that mental image as if it were real now. It's as if you are literally experiencing your goal at the very moment you are seeing it in your mind. You may be thinking “Can't I just say I believe in cosmic energy and make a wish?" Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that. You have to enter and become part of the mystery itself. Saying it isn't the same as believing it. Visualizing your dream or goal is another step toward manifesting it.
VISUALIZATION TECHNIQUE
Visualization techniques also promote positive creative thinking. By utilizing specific images in your mind, you are less likely to be invaded by rogue thoughts. Using these mental images is like watching a movie or gazing at a still photograph. Try sitting somewhere quiet with your eyes closed and think of something you like doing—playing tennis, eating a meal, chatting to a friend, falling in love, strumming a guitar. Now form a mental picture or simple short clip of it in your mind—whichever is easier to “see.”
You can practice doing this at any time of day. The more often you practice, the more you’ll prepare yourself for visualizing your dream. If you find you can’t visualize like this, keep practicing and it will happen.
Like playing the guitar, the more you practice trying to “see” with your mind, the better you will get at visualizing your goal.
COLOR VISUALIZATION
Once you’ve got the hang of simple visualization, it’s time to try the following exercise.
WHAT TO DO:
1 Sit quietly somewhere. Close your eyes and create a mental picture where you’re connected to the Earth, as if your feet have roots reaching down toward the Earth’s crust.
2 Now imagine that deep within the ground the color green permeates the world’s interior. Realize that green is the color of manifestation.
3 Next, imagine that the color green begins to slowly work its way up through your feet, then your legs, your torso, your arms, and finally your head. Take it slowly. See the color filling you until you are completely green.
4 Now you will feel totally enriched with the goodness of the Earth. Gradually let the green color wash away, back down into the Earth.
5 If you have found that you can create the feeling of a full and enriched self by visualizing green, you will equally be able to create a feeling of utter purpose with the color red. Do the same visualization technique, simply changing the color. By changing your mental image of the world (your mindset) you can create and manifest the “color” of life that you seek.
5. CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT
Now that you can visualize what you seek, you need to learn how to make it happen. Making things happen doesn’t mean waving a magic wand, but you do draw on the magic within yourself to get results. This is about engaging with the world in a creative and imaginative way. The more you trust in the process and in your own magical powers, the more likely you are to manifest those dreams. So, do a little work and see the magic happen. First, you need create the theme or “mood” of your goal or dream.
MOOD BOARD
Advertisers and designers will use a mood board—a collage of images and materials that together evoke a certain message or emotion—to create a “feel” for their range of fashion, TV set, or theater designs. Interior decorators add swashes of colors and fabrics, photos cut out of magazines, and sketches. Create your own mood board for whatever it is you seek and it will help you to focus on your goal.
You don't have to be an artist—find illustrated images that symbolize what you want, use photos of objects you dream of owning, or paint your desires on canvas if you like. The main thing is to put your passion into the mood of your collage. Then keep your mood board on your desk, in the bathroom, stuck on the fridge, or anywhere else you pass or visit frequently during the day. Every time you look at your mood board, think positively about who you are, and focus on the images as you learned to focus on your mystical mantric words. Your continued passion for and involvement with this “mood” is another key to manifestation.
Surrounding yourself with visual imagery of what you desire, or creating a mood board, will help you to believe in your quest.
IMAGINING THE OUTCOME
WHAT TO DO:
1 Create in your mind an image of what you seek. Include all the finer details, whether they’re material possessions or experiences. For example, you might want to become a rich business tycoon. Picture what suit or outfit you’re wearing, the kind of laptop you own, a boardroom scenario, and an amount of money in the bank, and imagine yourself running the business.
2 Devote as much time as you can each day to visualizing and concentrating on these images and thoughts. Perhaps you simply seek love and marriage. Imagine the person of your dreams, what do they look like? What color hair? What sort of eyes? What do they say to you? What do you say to them? Create your own script.
3 Practice holding the thought or vision of what you desire in your mind while you wait for the bus, or even while you tap away on the computer and another part of your brain is working. The more you exercise the visualization of what you seek, the easier it gets and the sooner you will achieve it.
Imagining the very thing you seek is another aid to achieving it.
DAILY AFFIRMATIONS
The following affirmations can be repeated daily, in conjunction with your visualization practice, to help you truly believe in your goals:
• I am conscious of my thoughts, actions, and intentions.
• I believe and have faith in my creativity.
• I know that what I seek is already mine and I am grateful for that.
• I truly believe in what the universe will bring to me.
To make things happen you have to feel the faith, feel the belief, and, most of all, feel the very thing you seek. This is the key to being and having it.
Allow it to come to you and it will. That's why you must without any doubt or misgiving believe in your quest and be at peace with the universe.
6. TIMING AND REALISTIC GOALS
Of course, you may think you've made all the right moves and taken all the right steps for manifesting but still feel hard done by. This may be because you need to have a realistic goal and the right timing. It is possible that the date or time you set out to achieve something by will be impractical because of energy cycles, such as the lunar cycle and other planetary influences. I'm an astrologer by trade, so I know that we can't always get what we desire exactly when we desire it—timing and realism are as much a part of the manifestation process as desire or intention.
THE BEST TIMES FOR MANIFESTATION
There are certain times that are more favorable to “fire” one's intention or practice manifestation rituals with crystals. Here are a few suggestions about when to ask for the right thing at the right time:
• Between the new crescent moon and the full moon.
• Early in the morning, at sunrise.
• On days such as the equinoxes and solstices, as long as the day doesn't occur during a waning moon.
• Your own birthday.
• When gazing at the stars at night and you see a falling star.
• A day when you simply feel at one with the universe or good to be you.
• When you get a sign from the universe. Maybe a butterfly lands on your hand, a bird sings when you least expect it, you have a moment of fascinating synchronicity—whatever feels or seems special.
• When you find a crystal that seems to say “Hey, you're magic too.”
• Quiet times, when you can really relax and turn off from the material world.
Finally, as well as finding the right timing, you must always ask for things you know you truly seek, not what other people think you want or what they want. Don't be led astray by impossible dreams. Be humble, gracious, grateful, and realistic.
We are often inspired by the deeper workings of the universe if we stop to take notice of the signs—such as a butterfly landing on us.
ASK THE UNIVERSE
Here is an exercise that lets you “ask” the universe, via a crystal, whether this is a beneficial time to perform a manifestation ritual. In divination, lapis lazuli is the stone that is symbolic of the present moment. When used as part of this oracle spell, its energy draws on your deepest desire and connects you to the universe to give you the answer.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
• A piece of lapis lazuli
• A favorite book, such as a poetry book, Bible, or novel
WHAT TO DO:
1 Sit quietly with the lapis lazuli stone on a table in front of you, alongside your chosen closed book. Reflect for a moment about whether now is the right time to set the manifestation wheels in motion.
2 Pick up the stone. Hold it in your hands for several minutes and relax.
3 As you hold the stone, say out loud:
Is this a good time to perform my manifestation ritual?
4 Put it back on the table and now take up the book in your hands. Run your fingers back and forth along the top until you feel you are ready to open the book at a page at random. Open the book at the page, but don't look at the words yet. Place the lapis lazuli on one of the open pages, wherever it seems to guide you.
5 Now look down, remove the stone, and read the words that the lapis lazuli was covering. Treat those words as an oracle, a message which will either reveal it is good timing or not. For example, a sentence such as “It was a dark, foggy morning” sounds inert and motionless, and therefore your response would probably be: “No, this isn't a particularly good time to fire an intention.” Alternatively, an active piece of writing, such as “The clouds moved fast in the sky,” or “The sun rose over the mountains to the east,” would imply that this is a positive and active time to get manifesting. It is up to you to intuit these kind of moments.
An oracle can be read as a sign as to whether this is an appropriate moment to act.
7. LETTING GO, ACCEPTANCE, AND GRATITUDE
Once you have released your intention into the universe, with the help of your crystal, you have to let go of it and trust in the process. If you've ever written a book or painted a work of art, you'll know how hard it is to put the pen or paintbrush down! But you have to follow the same principle here—just stop when the moment is right or you could make a mess of it.
This is often the hardest part, because most people think that if they don't keep doing the same rituals or thinking the same thoughts over and over again, nothing will happen. But repetition isn't manifestation—manifestation is knowing that it is happening from the moment you let go. How long the “happening” takes is not important. Once you can let go in this way, then you only need to hold your crystal or just smile at it to know what you seek will soon be yours.
ACCEPTANCE AND GRATITUDE
In our relationship with the world we give or receive, go up and down, and move toward and away. Equally, you must balance your desire by being grateful and appreciative, not only for what you will receive but also for the desires of other people too. After all, what goes around comes around. So you must practice the art of giving out good thoughts as well as thinking them about yourself.
Being creative is about self-discipline and right timing. Knowing how to finish something at the right time is as hard as starting.
GENEROSITY AND GRATITUDE PRACTICE
Handwritten thank-you letters are becoming a thing of the past now that we can post our appreciation across the web in an instant. But when we write by hand, each of us creates a unique work of art on the page. This work of art is going to be your gift to the universe, and by doing this exercise you will receive as much goodness back.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
• A piece of paper and pen
WHAT TO DO:
1 Resolve to think only good things about anyone who comes into your mind. You may well struggle with this to begin with—“Hang on, I can’t stand the boss!” But the more you think kindly of someone, the more you will be putting out positive energy that shapes your own destiny. Write down:
I think good thoughts for all.
2 Try to practice the art of giving at least once a day, by literally giving someone a flower, a smile, a compliment, a nice e-mail, praise, or genuine sympathy. Write down:
I will smile at a stranger every day.
3 Receive nature’s offerings too—if it’s raining be glad for it. If there’s a drought know that there is meaning behind it. A drought could be ruining your livelihood but it also presents a creative opportunity to choose a change of viewpoint, to take action so that something better will come your way.
Remember to use objective perception, rather than an emotional agenda, for any problem you encounter. Write down:
I will be glad for rain, as I am for sun.
4 Name at least five things you are grateful for today. Write them down.
Now finish these phrases in your head and write them down on your piece of paper:
• I am PLEASED when I . . .
• I am FASCINATED by . . .
• I ENJOY . . .
• I am GRATEFUL for . . .
• I DESIRE . . .
• WARM feelings come to me when . . .
• I feel JOY when . . .
• My PURPOSE is . . .
Writing down what you are thankful for is a creative engagement with the process of manifestation.
WHY CRYSTALS HELP YOU
Once you have realized how serious it is to think and feel, and to imagine yourself having the things you truly desire—and you are sure that you know what your current intention is—then you can begin to work with the crystals of your choice. There are several ways of approaching this. First, you can just use one crystal to amplify your desire (see the Crystal Sourcebook in section 3 of this book for brief guides to using each crystal on its own). As well as wearing or carrying the stone, there are other ways of reinforcing your desires. Although the most important thing is that you believe and know that you can manifest goals with your crystals, if you really want to make things happen you can get creative with a range of different crystals in the same manifestation category and use them in rituals or place them in grids. Here is a range of ways you can use crystals to help you manifest your dreams.
CRYSTALS AND SYMBOLS
Ancient symbols are a gateway to the unknown or invisible universe. They are a secret language and by virtue of their geometry, shape, or occult or esoteric meaning, they focus energy and amplify the power of your own manifestation magic. For example, the pentagram (see page opposite) has been a symbol of transformation and renewal, linked to Venus as the morning star and the bringer of dawn in ancient Greece.
The circle, the cross, the spiral, and the triangle are all associated with universal energy. So, placing crystals in a layout or grid in the shape of the points of the compass, or even a tarot layout such as the well-known Celtic cross, can both energize the crystal's power and add protection when left in this formation around your home.
When we see an ancient symbol, such as the Celtic cross, we experience an unconscious recollection that connects us to the universe and its energy.
RITUALS AND MAGIC
Before using any rituals or magic spells, it's important to be able to relax, calm your mind, and visualize what you seek. That way, the ritual or spell will be focused on your goals and the crystals used will invoke whatever energy is needed to help you on your manifestation quest.
Whether you prefer the word ritual or spell, using crystals with a series of potent movements, acts, intentions, and visualization aids will put you in harmony with the crystals and the universe. This is why combining spells and rituals with grid layouts will increase their potency tenfold.
Thinking, feeling, and being in a positive place are the keys to the doorway to manifestation.
GRIDS AND LAYOUTS
A grid or layout is simply a geometric pattern created by placing crystals in a specific place. Grids or layouts are often used to amplify, protect, or simply to add a symbolic resonance that attunes to the universal energy flow to maximize the manifestation process. Do use the example grids in this book but, more importantly, create your own. For crystal healers, tarot readers, diviners, and astrologers alike, the geometric five-pointed star known as the pentagram is a sacred symbol that resonates with magical transformations. You may want to draw on personal favorite symbols, or a rune, hieroglyph, or sign that truly matters to you. When using the grids in this book, lay down the crystals in the order shown and when doing so, remember what you are manifesting, why you are doing so, and that the power of the universe will be brought to you as you do this. Equally, you must always respect your crystal friends and the enhancement and protection they give to you.
The pentagram makes a perfect crystal grid, resonating to the sacred geometry of the universe.
SETTING UP a GENERATOR CRYSTAL
Before you begin working with the grids suggested in the following pages, it's useful to set up a generator crystal. This is a power source, a focal crystal that amplifies your intentions, as well as the positive effects of the other crystals used in your work. You can leave this set up on a special altar or sacred space, to work with other grids you decide to use or to continually amplify placements of crystals around the home. But where should you put it?
In the Chinese art of feng shui the southeast corner of your home is highly important for attracting wealth. But you may be seeking other forms of abundance, such as love, a fulfilling home life, spiritual happiness, or a successful business. Here is a diagram of the nine other areas of your home that correspond to different qualities you may be seeking. Set up your generator crystal and/or sacred space or altar (you can dress a table with flowers, candles, souvenirs, and so on to make it special) in the part of your home that corresponds to your current goal. This will amplify your intention to the universe.
Each of the eight compass points corresponds to specific energies in Feng Shui. For example, if you are seeking new romance, set up your generator crystal in the southwest corner of your home to boost its power.
SETTING UP THE GENERATOR CRYSTAL
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
• A sunny day
• A clear quartz crystal (either in the shape of a large terminated point, or a cluster of points radiating outward from the base)
• An altar, table, or sacred space in the preferred corner of your home
• Two white candles
WHAT TO DO:
1 After you have cleansed your crystal (see here) take it outside into the sun. If you don't have outdoor space, take the crystal to a peaceful park, quiet bit of the countryside, or beach. Stand for a few moments, eyes closed, facing toward the sun with the crystal in your hands.
2 Feel the energy of the crystal in your hands as it aligns with the solar power and repeat, in your mind or out loud, the following spell:
With this crystal all good intentions will be fired with the light of the sun and the blessing of the universe. I thank you for helping me to manifest my desire.
3 Now open your eyes and return to your altar.
4 Place the crystal between two white candles. Light the two candles and then again place your hands around the crystal, repeating the following:
With this crystal all good intentions will be fired with the power of the universe. I am at one, so all that I seek will be inspired.
5 Sit for a few moments absorbing the energy from the crystal between your hands. Then, when you are ready, let go and blow out the candles.
6 Leave the crystal in its place and occasionally perform the same generator exercise to boost your manifestation powers before using other spells, placements, or grids.
GRID TO MANIFEST ABUNDANCE
This simple grid is based on the pentagram—the five-pointed star used by medieval occultists to capture the invisible forces of the universe for magical purposes. It can be used with any abundance crystals of your choice, but to maximize prosperity, use cinnabar—the favored wealth attractor of the ancient Chinese. Meanwhile, the double-terminated clear quartz crystal will amplify the power of this grid to draw down opulent energy.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
• Five pieces of cinnabar (or citrine)
• A clear quartz double-terminated crystal
• An orange or yellow candle
WHAT TO DO:
1 Sit at a table. Place your crystals to the left of where you will lay them out. With focused intention (see here), take the candle and light it, then position it to the right of where the grid will be. As you light the candle, say out loud:
I now follow my bliss.
(Note—as you take each crystal in your hand, hold it for a few seconds and feel its power as it flows through you and the energy of your desire for abundance flows out of your hand into the crystal.)
2 Take the clear quartz crystal and place in the center of the layout and say:
I am grateful and blessed.
3 Place each of the five cinnabar crystals in the shape of a star, in the order shown on the diagram opposite, as if you were drawing a pentagram. As you place the first crystal, say:
I accept all the joys of life and know that abundance is about being enriched within as well as without.
As you place the second, say:
I believe in myself and that I can achieve my dream of abundance.
As you place the third, say:
I will be generous with all that I have, and that means to myself too.
As you place the fourth, say:
I take pleasure in giving and receiving.
As you place the fifth say:
I ask the universe to let abundance manifest in my life.
4 Now turn the double-terminated quartz crystal in a clockwise direction so that the ends point to each cinnabar crystal in turn, until you have rotated it in a complete circle. As you do so, say:
I put my trust in the power of the universe.
5 Focus your mind on your desire for abundance for a few minutes, as you gaze at the pentangle.
6 Now blow out the candle and say:
I now let go of this intention.
7 Gradually remove all your crystals one-by-one, in the reverse order to how you first placed them. Put them somewhere safe. Keep one piece of cinnabar with you at all times, to let the process of abundance unfold.
KEY
Cinnabar or citrine crystal
Clear quartz
CRYSTAL SPIRAL TO ATTRACT LOVE
At times we all want to find new love, romance, rekindle a love affair, or just have a real sense of being loved and desired by someone special. This grid is designed to help you to attract the right kind of love into your life. But do you love yourself? If you’re not radiating a love of yourself then you're not going to attract love. How can anyone love you if you don't? And what kind of love are you wishing to attract? If you want to be loved for being you, then self-awareness, understanding, and forgiveness are imperative qualities for attracting the right kind of attention. Without these genuine qualities, love won't come winging its way to your door.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
• Seven pieces of rose quartz
• Three pieces of rhodochrosite
• A pink or red candle
WHAT TO DO:
1 Before you perform this ritual, you will need to do a pre-ritual warm-up. Hold a rose quartz crystal between your hands, close your eyes, and be at peace with yourself. Feel the energy of this crystal, the rose quartz’s love and acceptance, flowing through you to the deepest part of yourself, so that you feel love for yourself. Go deep within and feel your soul that loves all, the soul that forgives and forgets, the soul that profoundly accepts the love that is given and the love you have to give too. Hold the stone until you know that you are exuding love and drawing it to you.
2 Place the seven pieces of rose quartz in the positions and order shown in the diagram. Take care to remember that this spiral draws in energy and as you place each stone say out loud what it is you wish to manifest. For example, if you seek a new lover, say:
With this crystal I bring a lover to me.
As you place the next crystal, add:
He/She will love me unconditionally, as I will him/her.
For each of the remaining five crystals, either repeat your request, or say:
I call on the universe to bring me my heart's desire.
3 Light the two candles and place one to the left of the spiral and one to the right. Now take the three pieces of rhodochrosite and place as shown in the order on the diagram.
4 As you place the last three stones, visualize what it is you desire. Sit for a minute or so and hold this vision until you are ready to let it go, then say:
I fire this intention to achieve my heart's desire, so let it be.
5 Now blow out the candles, knowing that you have sent love out to the universe and that it will come back to you as you desire.
KEY
Rose quartz
Rhodochrosite
MANIFESTING HARMONY IN THE HOME
This layout or grid is based on an ancient feng shui empowerment and protection circle, signifying the points of the compass and the major cardinal directions, North, South, East, and West. By creating a protective circle in a special place in your home, this represents and attracts only positive or beneficial energy to enter your home, and banishes negative energy.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
• Twelve small pieces of amber
• Eight pieces of black obsidian or black tourmaline
• Four pieces of jasper
• Eight small pieces of amber
• A yellow tea-light candle or short candle
WHAT TO DO:
1 First relax, and close your eyes. Visualize in your mind how you would like your home and/or family life to be. Imagine all is peaceful, calm, and there is no stress, only comfort, warmth, and happiness. Send out these thoughts to the universe as you open your eyes and light the candle.
2 First place the four main cardinal point pieces of jasper in the order shown in a large circle around the candle (so you have room for the inner circle and connecting stones). Start with North, then East, South, then West as shown in the numbered diagram. As you place the stones at each point say:
Crystal of the North, bless this home with love and harmony. Crystal of the East, bless this home with love and harmony . . .
Continue like this around the circle:
3 Next place the outer eight pieces of black obsidian where indicated and in the order shown. These connect and direct the energy, so that the circle is complete and protected. As you place each stone, say:
Thank you universe for manifesting all that I seek for the good of the home.
4 Finally, take the remaining 12 pieces of amber for the inner circle, and the four inner connecting points, and place in the order shown. Amber ‘soaks’ up negative energy and any geopathic or psychic stress will be neutralised by the interconnecting power of these stones.
5 As you lay the amber pieces, say:
With these stones the universe will bring my home peace and harmony.
6 Leave the candle burning for a few minutes, and quietly sit and place your fingers on each of the stones in the outer circle to connect to the energy of the grid. Blow out the candle to fire your intention to the universe, and then leave the grid for as long as you desire to ensure harmony and peace in the home.
KEY
Jasper
Black obsidian
Amber
HOW TO WORK with THE CRYSTAL SOURCEBOOK
Now that you have begun to understand the manifestation process, there is one last thing to add into the mix: choosing the right crystals. The crystal sourcebook (shown here) covers 100 crystals, divided into four categories according to their most suitable purpose. But how do you know which to choose?
CHOOSING YOUR CRYSTALS
Before you look through the crystal sourcebook, make sure that you know what you really want to manifest (see here to here and the list of guidance crystals shown here). Once you are sure about what it is you truly seek, you can head for the relevant section of the sourcebook.
If you truly want an abundant lifestyle, then the first section, Crystals for Abundance and Good Fortune, is for you. For manifesting career goals, success, and all forms of self-empowerment, chose the Crystals for Success section. When you seek harmony, peace, holistic well-being, or a happier home and family life, chose from the Crystals for Well-Being. For positive love results, turn to the final section, Crystals for Love. All of the crystals featured can either be used alone (carried, worn, or placed in significant spots in the home) or used in tandem with other crystals in the same category. So, for example, if you are looking for wealth and prosperity, you may choose citrine, but you could also incorporate cat's eye or fire agate. You can then either create your own grids and layouts based on powerful symbols or just take a selection of crystals in a pouch wherever you go.
ATTRACTION FACTOR
For the beginner, and while you are learning about the power of manifestation that is in you, choose crystals that not only are in the “right” category for your intention but that also speak to you and stand out from the others. As you flick through the pages, you might come across one crystal that seems to be made for you, whatever category it is. You can simply skim through each relevant section until you spot a crystal that calls out to you. Go with your instinct. Remember, what you are attracted to is also what you can attract right now.
ATTACHMENT
The 100 crystals in this book are usually available, although some may be more expensive due to their scarcity. If you can't get hold of a crystal that you feel is just right for you, don't give up on your goal. Change your focus to another more accessible crystal that will work equally well. It is all about attitude, action, and belief, and however pretty the rare crystal is or however fabulous its powers, if you can't get one now then drop the attachment and choose another. Being able to adapt and change is itself a sign to the universe that you are serious about manifesting your desire!
CRYSTALS TO GUIDE YOU
If you are still unsure about what you truly desire or seek then you can always place crystals in your home or wear them as jewelry to spark your imagination and to get you in a mindset where you can begin to focus on positive manifestation.
Sometimes we think we desire love, business success, money, or spiritual revelation, but aren't sure which. It may be that we are confused, not passionate enough about our desire, or unsure we will ever manifest it at all. This means that what we actually get in return is more doubt and confusion about our true aims. The following crystals bring clarity, truth, objectivity, or motivated ambition. They will help you to “know” the answer you seek and become sure that what you decide to manifest is right for you now.
IOLITE: For insight
SUGILITE: For deep truth
SUNSTONE: To know your destiny
YELLOW TOPAZ: To be motivated
FLUORITE: To inspire objectivity and decisiveness
MOSS AGATE: To herald new beginnings and ideas
