Manifestation (popular psychology)

Manifestation (or manifesting) refers to various self-help strategies that can purportedly make an individual's wishes come true by mentally visualizing them.[1][2] Manifestation techniques are based on the law of attraction of New Thought spirituality.[3] While the process involves positive thinking, or even directing requests to "the universe",[4] it also involves actions on the part of the individual.[5]

The practice was popularized by the film The Secret (2006) and a book of the same name by Rhonda Byrne. It has been popularized on social media since the 2010s.[3] It is promoted by Oprah Winfrey, Deepak Chopra, Eckhart Tolle, Gabrielle Bernstein, and Iyanla Vanzant, among others.[4] People who practice manifesting do not believe in tarot or psychic, as they contradict the purpose of an individual choosing their own destiny. Manifesting has often been criticized for lacking scientific evidence, in a similar way to criticism of religion.