It gets thrown around a lot: Manifest your destiny and get what you want. It's a fantastic way to make sales, as modern Western Society is built around creating needs. How else would the engines of capitalism and consumerism continue working? We don't need 100 different supplements, 20 different products for our skincare, the ability to choose from 50 different cereals, thousands of coaching and dieting methods or clothing brands.

We are sold the idea that we need to want something incredible for ourselves and that whatever we want, no matter how grand or frivolous, we can and, more importantly, should manifest it.

Here, at Magic is Key, we also sometimes use these words. It is easy, and everyone understands what it means. To manifest something is to make it real, and getting what you want applies also to needing to find a new home or finding peace and love after a difficult breakup.

Most people don't know that the word 'manifestation' also has a dark history. Have you ever heard of America's Manifest Destiny? In short, manifest destiny described the colonial expansion westward on Turtle Island, the American Continent. The manifest destiny philosophy was used to justify unspeakable cruelty caused in the name of the intruders conquering and prospering on this land.

When we consider today's context, we can still see some of this behavior in action. Many of our consumerist needs align with perpetuating the destruction of our environment, cruelty towards animals, and invisible workers in faraway lands, just to name a few.

How do we counteract this? Magic is Key! 

Before going out there and manifesting what we want, we need to get clear on what we truly want, free from the influences of consumerism and perpetual expansion. The moment we are confronted with the suffering of an animal or see the destruction of a natural paradise, we know this is not what we want, yet this is the price that is paid for much of what we bring into our lives. We are only okay with it because it often remains invisible or feels distant and abstract. 

Inside each of us is a part that already knows that for us to thrive, we need this whole planet to thrive. It is our home. We don't feel great living in a house when we know someone is suffering in chains in our basement and our roof is rotting. Still, in many ways, that is the reality of living on planet Earth at this time.

Here are 3 steps you can take to make sure that you are manifesting what you really want:

1. Purification: Many roads lead to Rome, and there are many ways to purify. The goal here is to get rid of the baggage and programming we carry from a society that keeps us wanting more in order to function. The result is a clear and meditative state of mind and feeling connected to your soul and spirit.

Here is one way in which you can purify yourself:

• In the shower, envision the water also cleaning your energy. Feel the conditioning and programming of culture, family, and society wash away. Breathe deeply as you do it, and let your breath cleanse you. Every exhalation clears anything that might be within your body. The water droplets catch the breath and carry it down the drain. To enhance your experience of this practice, speak out loud: "I purify my body, mind, and energy. I release anything that blocks me from listening to the truth and wisdom within me. I release anything that clouds knowing what I truly desire."

2. Alignment: This is not just about aligning your body, mind, and soul. It is also about aligning with what is around us and the cosmos. None of us live in isolation, and our thoughts, words, and deeds ripple out and touch the world we live in. When we are aligned in this way and listen to our desires from this place, the things we manifest in life are both for our own benefit and the good of all. Doesn't that feel much better?

Here is one way simple way to align:

• After purifying, sit or stand in a comfortable position. Bring your awareness to your breath and let it carry you. At first, tune into your body by feeling your breath flow up and down. Begin with the flow of breath in your lungs and feel it expand into all your body parts until all your body is connected as one via your breath and awareness. Let breath and awareness expand even further to encompass at first your immediate surroundings, then the town or city you are in, the country, the entire planet, all the way into the center of the planet, and all the way out, until your awareness and breath are so expansive and infinite that they encompass the entire universe. Feel yourself aligned within and without, breathing and aware as part of the entire cosmos.

3. Listen to Your Voice of Truth & Wisdom: The world can be a very noisy place. From being endlessly connected through our various devices to sound and light pollution, it can be quite a challenge to get quiet and listen. This is especially true when it comes to listening to ourselves.

• After purification and alignment, take some time in silence. This can be sitting, standing, or lying down. Taking a walk outside, especially in nature, is also a great way to enter into this practice. Listen to your voice of truth and wisdom, knowing that it is within you, and it is also the voice of the universe. From this place of connection, what is it that you truly want to manifest?

Do you wish for an experienced guide to support you in finding your voice of truth and wisdom? We invite you to join Magic is Key. This magical membership gives you access to live guidance, in-depth courses, and practices that help you live a life that is aligned to your truth and wisdom without compromise.