Manifestation, terrorists and quantum physics (Part 1)

What manifestation is, how it works and what it has to do with your own psyche

What does manifestation have to do with terrorists and the success industry, you might ask. It’s an odd trio at first sight, but they share a common thread: the power of the psyche. Let’s dive into what manifestation is, what works about it and what doesn’t, and the psychological phenomena that make it so seductive.

What is manifestation?

First, let’s get clear on what we are talking about. Manifestation is the idea that by focusing your thoughts, you can bring certain outcomes into your life. Popularized by people like Gabby Bernstein, a New York Times bestselling author and self-proclaimed manifestation expert, the concept has gained significant popularity. Bernstein attributes her recovery from drug addiction to i.a. manifestation (and to a lot of therapy actually), turned her story into a million-dollar business with books, a podcast, and a legion of 1.4 Mio. Instagram followers alone. Good for her. Her tagline is “I’ll help you manifest a life beyond your wildest dreams”. The promise is a bit vague, but I think it is safe to say this involves a certain level of success. And everything is possible, “no limits to what you can attract”, according to Gabby Bernstein’s website. She goes on explaining that “Manifesting isn’t about getting; it’s about allowing. As soon as you let go of control you become a magnet for what you desire.” Sounds great, right? And she is not the only one. There is an entire industry capitalizing on people’s desire to live a successful life, and - this is the most important part - effortlessly, just with the power of your thoughts. 

What do I mean by “success industry”?

Success industry is the industry that teaches you how to become successful. Duh. That becoming successful is a mind game. And that there is a secret path. It is a part of the wellness industry and has a variety of nuances. Think Tony Robbins and his famous “Unleash the Power Within” program or Esther and Jerry Hicks, who are most famous for their “law of attraction” concept. Their teachings differ, but they are all about finding positivity, teaching self-love, or making you walk through fire or at least dance and shout affirmations at complete strangers at 2am in an ugly hotel conference room. Like the typical Tony Robbins events. Most of the manifestation methods are at least in part based on the law of attraction. 

One of the first famous figures in this industry in recent times who introduced this concept is Rhonda Byrne. She became popular through a documentary called “The Secret'' in 2006 which she turned into a book with the same title later. The idea behind it is not new though, it seems largely to be based on a book from 1910 called “The Science of Getting Rich” by Wallace Wattles. That whole belief system is part of a broader phenomenon called “New Thought”, the “law of attraction” is a huge part of it. Made popular by Esther and Jerry Hicks and their book “The Law of Attraction - The Basics of the Teachings of Abraham” - where Abraham is “the Source” (with a capital S) that channels information to Esther. It remains a tad unclear to me who or what Abraham actually is. And I think this vagueness is part of the system. It appears to not be a person, but more of a second personality of Esther herself, a part of her consciousness if you will, some mystical energy. We’ll never know. 

So is there something to it and if yes, how does it work? 

How does manifestation work?

There are many different concepts and methods, but they all have some traits in common. At its core, manifestation involves three things:

• Goal Setting (define what you would like to manifest)

• Positive Thinking (focus on the positive, positive thoughts, emotions etc.)

• Mindfulness Practices (e.g. prayer, meditation and journaling)

Why is manifestation so attractive?

It is pretty simple. The idea that thinking alone can bring success is incredibly appealing. We like positive feelings, we love mystery. We are drawn to stories of triumph and transformation. Manifestation methods are also very coherent systems. If manifestation doesn’t work, there’s always an answer to why it hasn’t worked (yet). And we love certainty. It feels good to have all the answers while everyone else has questions.

Our intuition is often flawed, and we are naturally drawn to success stories. The idea of achieving great things with no effort is seductive, especially in a culture that idolizes quick fixes and instant gratification. This allure is compounded by the success industry, which sells books, courses, and seminars promising to unlock the secrets of manifestation.

And, let’s be honest, they do a really good job at marketing. It is no coincidence that the most successful “thought leaders” in this industry are charismatic, attractive and persuasive people who are really, really good at selling. 

This brings us to the next point.

What works about it

Now that we understand what makes it so attractive, let’s talk about what definitely, provably, works about it. 

• Goal Setting: Clearly defining your goals and taking actionable steps towards them is crucial. This is true and makes sense - if you don’t know where you’re going, it is very hard to get anywhere. Common sense. 

• Positive Thinking: Maintaining a positive mindset can improve mental health and increase motivation, which can indirectly lead to better outcomes. This is also true and makes sense - it is detrimental to mental health if you’re dwelling too much on negative emotions or memories. Common sense.

• Mindfulness Practices: Techniques like meditation and visualization can help reduce stress and increase focus. They are shown to have measurable positive effects on body, mind and health overall. 

The methods themselves all have a sensible core idea. It becomes problematic when these truths are married with false promises and pseudoscience to make them sound more credible. And they seem to be very successful at doing that, even though at first sight, some ideas seem crazy. Manifestation methods contradict everyday experiences and common sense. Let’s see how they make it make sense.

The psychological mechanisms explained

Selective Attention and Confirmation Bias

Many people report that manifestation works. They will tell you how things magically appear in their lives, how opportunities and people show up out of the blue. They start to hear about other people who manifested things and suddenly manifestation stories are everywhere. Time to talk about terrorists. There is a psychological phenomenon named after the German terrorist group RAF (“Rote Armee Fraktion”). It is named after two of the founding members Ulrike Meinhof and Andreas Baader. It has nothing to do with them per se, it was just the example where people became first aware of it. The Baader-Meinhof-Phenomenon was first described in 1994 by a gentleman called Terry Mullen in a comment in the St. Paul Pioneer Press newspaper. He had found that after learning about the terrorist group, he kept reading about them multiple times, despite him being in the US where they had not been active. He was wondering if they actually gained prominence or if it was just his own perception. 

The Baader-Meinhof phenomenon explains how once you become aware of something, you start seeing it everywhere. I am sure you have noticed this in your own life before. Once you buy a red car, you will see red cars everywhere. When you’re pregnant, you will see babies everywhere. When you are learning French, you start to notice French words everywhere. “Whatever you focus on, you’ll find.” as Corey Wilks puts it in an article on this phenomenon for Psychology Today from 2023.

Arnold Zwicky, a linguistics professor at Stanford University, coined the term “frequency illusion” for the phenomenon. The main cause behind this phenomenon is a cognitive bias: Selective attention. 

“Selective attention refers to the processes that allow an individual to select and focus on particular input for further processing while simultaneously suppressing irrelevant or distracting information.” (from a 2011 study by Courtney Stevens and Daphne Bavalier on selective attention). And this is literally what the “law of attraction” people tell you to do. Just ignore everything that doesn’t fit the desired outcome and the narrative, of course. This is irrelevant or even distracting information in their view.

Selective attention reinforces the impression that manifestation is working. If you focus on all the good things that are happening to you or all the good things in your life, you might see more of them. Our brains love coherence and patterns, so it isn't necessarily a result of manifesting but rather heightened awareness and selective attention. 

Your brain simply does what you ask it to do. Reality however has not changed. The bad is still there, you just chose to ignore it. 

Recency Effect

There is another interesting psychological effect that plays into the workings of the manifestation methodology. The recency effect is a well-studied cognitive bias that gives undue weight to recent experiences. It is part of a phenomenon called the serial-position effect. It describes the phenomenon that humans, broadly speaking, remember the first and last thing they see or experience best. It’s also been shown that there is an overestimation and underweighting of rare events. In the context of manifestation, this could mean that people overestimate the chances of getting rich by using just their thoughts - which is highly unlikely and hence a very rare event.  

When you’ve recently started manifesting and then notice a positive change, you might attribute it to manifestation without considering other factors. Like all the work you did in the last five years, all the prior knowledge you have etc. This bias can make recent events seem more significant than they are, skewing our perception of cause and effect.

Why it feels so good to release responsibility

A big part of the manifestation methodology is to let go and trust the process, trust the Universe (with a capital U). Giving up control. Letting go. Don’t do anything, just open up, allow and receive. It is not about taking action, it is about leaning back and being patient. And I am sure you have had situations in your life when you tried to force something. And as soon as you relaxed for a bit, things became easier and it happened when you least expected it. I know I have had this experience. It’s common sense. You can't make the grass grow faster by pulling on it. So this very general advice given by almost all the manifestation gurus is to just focus on the positive and let go. And it often works, unsurprisingly. 

What makes this so attractive though? It means to hand over responsibility to an external, invisible force, the Universe. And let it guide you. And that feels just so good. It is very human to feel great relief when giving up responsibility. 

Once you find a leader, you become a follower. You trust and give up your autonomy, at least in part. You get a framework, a belief set and a lens through which you see the world from now on. Belief systems can be seen as parental ideas that release us from responsibility. Erich Fromm, a German-American psychoanalyst, wrote his world famous book “Escape From Freedom” (first published in 1941) about this behavior. He explains why strong leaders are so attractive and why people are so happy to succumb to authoritarian systems that dictate how to live and think. Which, if you think about it, is pretty similar to what all the manifestation gurus do. They tell you what to think and how.   

It is simple. Leaders promise certainty, stability and a sense of purpose. They demand full trust in them and their belief system in return. And that is very appealing, because it releases people from thinking, from taking risks, from failing. From making decisions. All of which are the flip side of responsibility. Taking responsibility is exhausting, it requires effort. That’s why it feels good to be relieved from that burden, as Fromm shows in his book. And who wouldn’t want effortless success? 

The need to belong

There is another powerful mechanism that makes manifestation so appealing. You become part of a group. A special group. A group that knows the secret to success. Group members can develop a great willingness to override their own experience and sensate information in order to conform and belong. We are social beings and we need to belong to survive. This can end up in so-called groupthink where members of ideological groups make decisions based on the group’s expected behavior - especially when dissent is frowned upon and when there is a strong “us vs. them” mentality, the believers and the non-believers. 

I am sure you know the fairytale “The Emperor’s New Clothes”. It is a fairytale about a delusional emperor who wants to be known for his intelligence, and his elegance. He falls prey to his tailor who makes him believe that he is tailoring him new clothes that are so special that only the eyes of the connaisseurs could see them. While he didn’t make him any clothes. He didn’t dress him at all. The emperor was naked. During a parade where the emperor wore his new “wardrobe”, the crowd would cheer him on and people would pretend to see and admire the excellent taste of their sovereign. It took a child to shout out loud: “But he hasn’t got anything on!” - and only then the crowd would dare to laugh and shamefully admit that they saw it all along. 

What always helps is a reality-check. Say you are promised to make back the money you invested in a manifestation training within three months of following the method. You did everything you were told to do, and it hasn’t happened. Well, it is not a sign that you did anything wrong. It’s a sign that the method doesn’t work.

I’d say it’s always safe to trust reality. And your bank account is one of those factors that is just brutally honest. If the numbers don’t add up, they don’t add up. End of story. It’s not your fault. It’s the method that is based on a fallacy. Be aware that your desire to belong to this group of chosen souls might override your own perception and make you see clothes where there’s actually only a naked dude. 

Correlation vs. causality

Manifestation can blur the line between correlation and causality. What’s the difference? Correlation means that two things occur together or in close timely proximity. Causation means that one thing caused the other. Did you know that the divorce rates in the UK correlate with Disney movie releases? If you’d like to have good laugh about funny correlations, “Spurious Correlations” is a brilliant source. This website is a collection of completely absurd correlations that give you a feeling for the difference between that and actual causation. 

Success stories in manifestation love to focus on correlations, but often overlook the hard work and external factors involved. For example, someone might attribute their career success to manifestation, ignoring the networking, skills, time and effort they invested. I guarantee you that none of them is an “overnight success”. No book is ever written without effort, no training is ever put together without effort, no podcast ever recorded without effort. 

Funny enough, people never manifest becoming a machine learning engineer or building a rocket. It’s almost never a path that requires working towards acquiring actual hard skills like coding, engineering or math. Hard to manifest effortlessly building a rocket company or getting a bachelor degree in math. It’s almost always lofty goals from the so-called eternal industries health, wealth and relationships. Things that are vague enough so that they can be re-interpreted if necessary.

I am not saying that synchronicities don’t happen. That miracles never happen. They do. I am sure you can name a few examples. Just like I can. Where really weird coincidences happened. You just thought about someone and boom, the phone rings and it is that person. You dream about a vacation and - boom - a discount for a flight to the place drops into your email inbox. And I am also sure you know people who seem to be just chronically unlucky, who always sprain an ankle when hiking, whose car would break down on the way to an important exam, who catch a cold before their wedding day. 

We love to see patterns and make sense of them. Our brains love coherence, positive or negative. And, like we discussed earlier, if you are thinking more positive thoughts, you will be in a more positive state of mind. You will have more hope and be more relaxed and positive about the future. You will see more positive things happen. And the vibe you are sending out to other people is more positive. And naturally, that is more attractive. This is again common sense. Not magic. And it is often a correlation, not a causation. And there were very often actions involved. And effort.

If you set a goal and work towards it over a long period of time, it is much more likely to be successful than if you just trust in luck. Most “overnight successes” took five years on average to “manifest”. 

But what about “quantum mechanics”?

Now you might call me a critic that just doesn’t get it. Who didn’t try long enough or hard enough. Who didn’t open up to the quantum realm enough. Who is holding on to logic and the “3D reality” whereas there is at least a “5D” if not a “9D” to tap into. There is an argument that is often used to justify the non-linearity of success or outcomes. And it is usually just two words: “quantum mechanics”. Delivered with a knowing face, because “science is catching up”. This quote for example is from a book description: “In terms of manifestation, quantum physics suggests that our thoughts and emotions have a direct influence on the energy that makes up our reality. The energy of our thoughts and emotions interacts with the energy of the universe, shaping the reality we experience. This means that our thoughts and emotions can literally manifest into physical reality.” The book is called “Quantum Physics, Energy and Manifestation: The actual science behind manifestation” by Sharon Mark. That is only one random example that I found on Amazon. I have not read it. It is more or less always the same claim. And it sounds great, right? 

Like quantum mechanics is the secret sauce to everything. And it’s true that many findings in this field of quantum physics are counterintuitive, revolutionary and question our understanding of the universe. 

Let's first clarify what quantum mechanics and quantum physics is (they are often used interchangeably) and then go through various claims made by the manifestation or success industry. 

Quantum mechanics is the science dealing with the behavior of matter and light on the atomic and subatomic scale. It attempts to describe and account for the properties of molecules and atoms and their constituents – electrons, protons, neutrons, and other more esoteric particles such as quarks and gluons. These properties include the interactions of the particles with one another and with electromagnetic radiation (i.e., light, X-rays, and gamma rays).

Quantum mechanics is the field of quantum physics that focuses on the mathematical framework and principles governing individual particles and their interactions. 

Quantum physics encompasses quantum mechanics and extends to more complex theories and applications, including the behavior of fields and the fundamental forces of nature.

So far, so good. All of these concepts can be summarized in layman terms with “everything is energy”. Something that you’ll also hear pretty often in the wellness industry. Quantum mechanics indeed acknowledges that everything in the universe is made of energy, including our thoughts. So that makes sense.

It is a very broad field though and it is unfortunately almost never specified which concept of quantum mechanics exactly applies to manifestation. So I’ll summarize the five core concepts and how this is all interpreted by the manifestation folks. As a next step, we’ll dive into the possibilities of it working. 

Quantization: Certain properties, like energy, come in discrete units (quanta) rather than being continuous.

This point is often used to explain how quantum leaps are possible. Meaning that you can create massive shifts in a short amount of time using manifestation techniques. In the context of quantum mechanics, a quantum leap is actually the smallest possible change an electron can make. In other words, when people refer to quantum mechanics as “proof” for massive leaps, they use a term that has the exact opposite meaning of what they intended to say. So be careful with your words when asking for a quantum leap, the universe might understand itself better than you and only give you a teeny tiny shift ;). 

The following principles are often mixed together, so I will write about them together. 

Wave-Particle Duality: Particles can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties. For example, light can behave both as a wave and as a particle (photon).

Proponents of manifestation argue that thoughts, being forms of energy, can influence these quantum particles. They claim that our thoughts can interact with the quantum field, altering probabilities and bringing desired outcomes into reality.

Uncertainty Principle: This principle says that it is impossible to know both the exact position and momentum of a particle simultaneously. The more precisely one property is known, the less precisely the other can be known.

Manifestation proponents extend this idea to human intentions and beliefs, suggesting that focusing our minds on a specific outcome can "observe" it into existence by collapsing the wave function of possibilities into a desired reality.

Superposition says that particles can exist in multiple states at once until they are measured. For example, an electron can be in different energy levels simultaneously.

This point allows for two separate arguments. First, it could be interpreted to mean that all potential outcomes exist simultaneously in a quantum state. Which makes sense. Second, by focusing our thoughts and intentions (a form of observation, if you will), we might influence which potential outcome becomes reality. Which makes less sense, as we’ll see in a minute. 

Entanglement: Particles can become entangled, meaning the state of one particle instantly affects the state of another, no matter the distance between them.

This is a favorite of the industry, I find. Advocates for manifestation might argue that human minds can become "entangled" with the quantum field, suggesting that focused thoughts and intentions can create connections that bring about specific outcomes in our lives.

Attuning to the frequency of the universe in practice

How would this all work? Manifestation theories often propose that by aligning our thoughts and intentions with the right frequency or vibration, we can use quantum mechanics to attract similar energies and bring our desires into reality.

When the field of quantum mechanics is brought up, I often hear the example of a radio dial tuning into a certain radio station. The claim is then made that the music existed all along, you just didn’t hear it, because your receiver wasn't set to the right frequency. The same is true for your vibe and the universe. Allegedly. 

There is only a small problem with the “energy argument” unfortunately. Your brain is not a radio. And energy is not just a big homogenous property. "Energy" encompasses a wide range of phenomena, including kinetic energy, thermal energy, electrical energy, sound energy and more. The energy related to thoughts is primarily electrical and metabolic, and that is not the same as the energy forms often referred to in discussions about the physical universe at large.

So, let’s look at our vibes. We emit various vibes, thermal radiation (through our skin), electromagnetic fields (through our heart and brain), sound waves when we move, breathe or speak. Since manifestation focuses on thoughts that are generated in the brain, I’ll use the brain waves as an example. The following is, however, true for all the vibes. 

The electromagnetic fields produced by the brain are extremely weak. They are generated by the tiny electrical currents from neuron activity. These fields are orders of magnitude smaller than those produced by common household electronics. In other words, you couldn’t even attune to your bluetooth box if you wanted to. 

Brain waves operate in specific frequency ranges, typically between 0.5 Hz and  s. 40 Hz (delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma waves). These frequencies are much lower than those found in many natural and artificial electromagnetic fields, which can range from kilohertz (kHz) to gigahertz (GHz) and beyond. 

The concept of "vibing" at the same frequency as the universe is problematic because the universe contains a vast spectrum of frequencies, from radio waves to gamma rays. In other words, there is not only one vibe, there are thousands of different ones. Just for fun, let’s pick two that sound cool. 

Let’s look at radio waves from astronomical sources, e.g. distant stars, and cosmic microwave background radiation. That sounds like something worth tuning into, right? 

I will spare you the math, let’s just say that brain waves are 2 orders of magnitude stronger than cosmic microwave background radiation. As a reminder, 2 orders of magnitude is 100x. So, if at all, you would have to lower your vibration massively to the vibe of “the cosmos”. 

When it comes to the vibe of distant stars, you would have to raise the vibration of your brain waves by 1 order of magnitude. Or 10x. 

Good luck lowering and raising your brain activity in orders of magnitude at the same time. Even if you did manage to do that without hurting your brain tissue (which is, again, physically impossible), matching a specific frequency does not imply that the brain can interact meaningfully with such a broad and powerful array of electromagnetic phenomena. All in all, the vibe of the universe is orders of magnitude away from your own vibe. And there is absolutely no evidence of any possible interaction. 

Dude, that’s like standing in San Diego shouting at the Pacific Ocean in English hoping that a bat in Vietnam can hear you and expecting it to shout back with a Texan accent. And then go and order a pizza for you in Italian that gets delivered to your doorstep 25 minutes later by a raccoon. Something like that. You get the point. Not happening.

For all of this to be true and possible, there would need to be a revolutionary discovery in physics demonstrating that weak biological electromagnetic fields can influence large-scale electromagnetic fields or quantum states in a coherent and controlled manner.

This would likely involve identifying entirely new forces or interactions that can bridge the enormous gap between biological processes and quantum mechanical phenomena, which are currently understood to operate at vastly different scales and magnitudes.

While the idea that thoughts can directly influence the external world through electromagnetic or quantum interactions is intriguing, it is not supported by current scientific understanding. Not even by quantum physics. The brain's electromagnetic fields are too weak, the frequencies are mismatched, and there is no known mechanism for such interactions. Significant scientific breakthroughs and technological advancements would be required to make such phenomena possible. 

Maybe there is an all-encompassing consciousness that hasn’t been discovered yet. Which is totally possible. And I am totally open to that idea, too. Until then, the notion of vibing with the universe via manifestation remains in the realm of speculative fiction and magical thinking rather than established science. 

Sorry, folks. “Quantum mechanics” is not only not your strongest argument, it is not an argument in your favor. At. all. That’s probably why we never hear about fantastically rich and successful quantum physicists. 

If you absolutely insist on attuning to the vibe of the universe, then call it what it is: a METAPHOR and stop butchering quantum mechanics concepts to make it sound more sophisticated and credible. Go find something new. 

Now, is it all bullshit? 

Manifestation capitalizes on the powerful interplay between belief and perception. While maintaining a positive mindset, mindfulness practices and focusing on goals can indeed improve outcomes, it’s important to recognize the psychological mechanisms at play. Success often requires action, hard work over a long period of time, and sometimes, a bit of luck. Understanding these dynamics can help us navigate the hype around manifestation and approach our goals with a balanced perspective. 

Ultimately, while the mind is powerful, achieving success involves more than just thinking positively – it requires dedication, effort, and a realistic understanding of the world around us. 

I can assure you from my own personal life experience of the 41 years that I walked on this earth and especially from my work in the crypto industry - where I have a front row seat for watching how people love to believe the dumbest and most unrealistic promises by scammers. Same thing. The philosophy and the technology are fantastic and smart, just like our brain and psyche, but nothing should prevent you from using your fucking brain. Stay smart. Stay safe, my friends. 

Because there are a lot of cunning people out there. I can’t repeat it often enough and this is true for all walks of life: If it is too good to be true, it almost certainly is. 

So manifestation might not be complete bullshit, but in any case, be aware that it is a massive business. That plays to insecurities, exploits deepest human needs and takes massive advantage of psychological traps. Which is always a great setup for scams. I’ll dive deeper into that dark side of the manifestation industry in Part 2. 👀