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What Exactly IS Manifestation?

What is manifestation? Many people are throwing that word around. So, what does it mean, exactly? Manifestation is when something materializes into form by using the Law of Attraction—whether it’s something physical that you wanted, all the way to new relationships, jobs, and life circumstances. It is the magnetic power of the Universe that draws similar energies together. It manifests through the power of creation, everywhere, and in every area of your life. This law attracts thoughts, ideas, people, situations, and circumstances, both good and bad. You cannot escape this law. When I first heard about it, I thought, well that stinks. Now I have to take some responsibility for some of the terrible things that happened in my life. And yes, we do. The good news about finding this out going forward is I have much more power in what happens in my life. I am not a victim to circumstances. I am co-creator with the Universe. I have a lot more control over what my life will look like moving forward than I realized.

I am going to share with you a personal story of how the Law of Attraction worked in my life and how something I deeply wanted to experience manifested. I had no idea about the Law of Attraction or manifestation at this point. It was only later, when I looked back, when I had learned about its properties, that I could see how it is always working in our lives.

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a marine biologist. I was obsessed with Jacques Cousteau, and I would watch every nature special he produced. I especially wanted to study and work with dolphins. This childhood desire was so strong that I used to dream about being on the Calypso, Cousteau’s boat, studying with him and his sons. But more than anything else, I wanted to work with dolphins. I loved the seals and whales as well, but it was the dolphins that spoke to my soul. At that time, I was still a very young girl living in New Jersey. Time went on, and my family moved us to Florida. When I became a teenager, I took a marine biology course in high school. My teacher, a man, was not very supportive of women embracing their dreams and was very discouraging of a young girl becoming a marine biologist. I clearly got the message that it probably wasn’t an option for me, and being an impressionable, insecure girl, I believed him. I took on that story. It was a subconscious response, but slowly as boys and fitting in with the in-crowd became more important, I let my dream of marine biology and working with dolphins die.

When I got to to college and was trying to figure out what I wanted to major in and make a career of, I decided on journalism, which never really resonated with me. I did it just to do something. Until one semester, when I took an elective class on photography—that was it—I was hooked. I changed my major to photography and fine art. It became a deep love affair.

I started a photo project where I followed my sister, who is developmentally disabled. I would photograph her and her friends in school and their programs, at group homes, and at the YMCA. It opened many new doors for me, and I was getting accolades for my sensitivity and unique perspective. Through my work photographing the disabled community, I graduated with a thesis in documentary photography. For years after, I did some traveling, worked in restaurants, opened a photography gallery and went on with my life as a photographer. I was still doing my documentary series on my sister and the community, but I was getting restless with the project, and was looking to see how I could take it further.

One day I was watching television, and I saw a story about disabled children doing therapy with dolphins in the Florida Keys. It was only eighty miles away from where I lived. I immediately wrote to the founder of Dolphin Human Therapy, Dr. Nathanson, who created the program. I actually handwrote him a letter explaining what I did, and that I would love to come and observe, and maybe take some photographs for my project. Within two weeks, he wrote me back with details on whom to contact, asking me to make an appointment. A month later, I went for my first visit with my camera. The agreement I made was to provide copies of pictures to the parents who gave permission for me to observe and photograph the sessions. The families loved their photos, and the staff really took a liking to me. On my fourth or fifth visit, Dr. Nathanson who ran the program, asked to take me to lunch. He proceeded to tell me how much he loved my photos, and how happy the families were with them. I had a certain sensitivity to the subject having grown up with a special-needs sister. He wanted to know if I would be interested in becoming their staff photographer; he wanted to hire me full-time.

I said “yes” on the spot. Meanwhile, I lived eighty miles away, had a photography gallery, a restaurant job, and was living with someone. I hadn’t figured out how I was going to do it, but I was doing it. For the next seven years, that was my job. Every day I got to work with dolphins. I absolutely loved every second of it. So, you see how the Law of Attraction and manifestation works? I had a strong desire as a child to work with dolphins, but life took over, and my career went in another direction. The Universe doesn’t worry about that. That dream becoming a reality was already in the works. It came to me in a completely different way than I ever could have imagined. Even though I didn’t become a marine biologist, it still manifested through my work as a photographer. I never could have imagined that would happen. I completely let go of that dream, but it didn’t let go of me.

This is a perfect example of how this law works. I want you to look back into your life. Can you see a similar situation where you unknowingly manifested something you wanted? I know if you look deep enough, you will find it. There are also things in our lives that we manifest that we don’t want. Look at those too. Whatever we focus and put our energy into is what we manifest. This also means we bring into our lives the things we don’t want. If we keep worrying, going over the worst-case scenario in our minds, and putting our energy into something unwanted, what we are doing is becoming a magnet for that unwanted outcome. I have learned to shift that energy, and place my focus on what I do want. That is why I created this project.

Postcards to the Universe was birthed from learning about being a conscious co-creator with the Universe for what we want and learning to stop focusing on what we don’t. This is very important—you must believe that you deserve to have what you want; you must have faith that the Universe has your back and is delivering the fulfillment of your wishes to you. Allow it to unfold as it is meant to, get out of the way, and let it go!

One of the biggest reasons that we encounter so much resistance to getting what we want is because we have a deep fear that we don’t deserve it. We must be a match energetically to what we want. If I want a brand-new shiny car, and am working on manifesting it in my life, yet I don’t feel I deserve it or cannot picture myself driving and owning that car, guess what is going to happen? Nothing. I am not a match energetically for that car; I am resisting its coming to me. If you have feelings that you are unworthy and undeserving of having your dreams come true, then I recommend you find a way to fix that. Fix it as soon as possible. Work with a therapist or a coach; find a class or program that will teach you to love yourself, so you know you deserve everything you want. This shift in thinking will completely change how you manifest what you want. The second thing I want to say is that everything is subject to divine timing. Have faith that a positive outcome is unfolding, because the Universe wants to give you everything you want! The problem is that we get very impatient, and butt in with how we think it should show up. Know that it is working out the way it is meant to, and move on with your life.

After I left my job as the staff photographer working with the dolphins and children, I struggled for a long while not knowing what I wanted to do. At that same time, my marriage ended, and I moved back to my old hometown. It was a difficult time, to say the least, and I hadn’t heard about the Law of Attraction yet. As I started doing internal work and healing, I learned that we co-create with the Universe. This is when I really took a moment and looked back over my life to see how I helped attract everything that entered it. I had to take responsibility for both the good and the bad. The more work I did, the more I connected with others who helped me reach the next level in my learning, and that is how Postcards to the Universe was born. I believe it was divinely gifted to me. I heard the words whispered in my ear, “Postcards to the Universe,” very clearly one night, and felt the significance of those words; inspiration sparked, and a movement was born. I make my own postcards on a regular basis when I want something; it is very powerful.

When I looked back over my life’s history closely with a fine-tooth comb, I found evidence everywhere that we in fact do attract people, situations, and experiences to our lives. Remember my story of wanting to be with dolphins? I thought I had to be a marine biologist, but I went into photography instead, so I let my intention to study marine biology go. The Universe created the perfect circumstances for me to have the experience of working with dolphins, and I wouldn’t change the way it happened to me for anything in the world. It was a magical experience, and the personal fulfillment I received from getting to know those dolphins, plus the added bonus of working with amazing special-needs children, are some of the greatest blessings in my life. I have written another book on that magical experience, filled with touching photos, and one day, I’ll publish that book too.

You are constantly co-creating in your life. Isn’t that wonderful? Take the time to reflect and ask yourself what it is that you want. Is there an area in your life where something is missing? Even those of us who are abundantly blessed desire more. I know I do. Many of my dreams have already manifested, this book is one, yet there is still more that I want to create.

I started Postcards to the Universe to share with others a fun way to tap into the energy of childlike creativity. Children are such master manifestors! Their imaginations are so vivid, they innately know the feeling of already having what they want. Their dreams are realized the way a meal is delivered to the table when it is ordered from a restaurant. I wanted to use art and photography in the process of making these postcards as a creative means to reach into that same kind of magical childlike energy. Participants really get into the fun of it. It’s like being a little kid again, and the Universe responds to that energy very strongly. We just set a very powerful intention out there. The Universe says, “Okay, got it, babe! I am on it.”

I hope as you go through the book that you enjoy seeing other people’s postcards, and reading their personal stories of manifestation. Every postcard and story in this book was sent to me with their creator’s permission to photograph and include them; they get to be a part of this creative journey. We are all co-creators, and together, we have the power to shift our world—starting with ourselves—and radiating outward to everyone else whose lives we touch. I have a big vision for my life and this world. Many of the participants in my book feel the same way. Remember, our inner world gets pushed outward into reality. Together we each are doing our part. Enjoy the magic!

“The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.”

—Oprah Winfrey