In manifesting we often use pieces of paper to write down our intentions and make them physical – this is what is referred to as ‘manifestation papers’.
Writing our goals in our own handwriting has a powerful impact on our subconscious mind. It’s an affirmation that what we want to bring into the physical is more than just an idea, we are taking action on it.
You might be wondering what to do with all of these little pieces of paper afterward, that is what I am exploring in today’s post.
In my post about the pillow manifestation method I recommend burning the papers you write on. The pillow manifestation method is where you write an intention on a piece of paper, put it under your pillow and allow your subconscious mind to do the rest of the work. Of course it isn’t that simple, but you get the idea.
I’m writing this post because I often get questions about why I recommend doing so, and I think it deserves a more thorough explanation.
Burning = letting go
Burning written word symbolizes letting go, acceptance and forgiveness. People have been writing letters to represent the things they want to say to someone but shouldn’t/can’t for centuries, and similar principles apply here.
Depending on the ritual you might even want to burn your papers straight away! These sorts of rituals can be done in conjunction with the Full & New moons depending on what your intention is.
Full Moon: If your intention is to grow something already in your life.
New Moon: If your intention is to let go of something in your life.
When you burn the piece of paper you also want to do this with intention. You can affirm, ‘My work here is done’ or ‘I release this desire to the Universe’, whatever allows you to begin the process of letting go.
Take this process into nature to amplify the effects of your intention and create some grounding.
Burning manifestation papers also helps with keeping these things private. Although we don’t have to keep all of our rituals secret, having a level of privacy before what you want comes to fruition, allows it grow unfettered.
What to do with manifestation papers?
The great thing about manifesting and using the law of attraction, is that there are so many different techniques and processes that you can try. Different things work for different people.
The thing is the paper itself is not whats driving the manifestation. In the example above, placing the piece of paper underneath your pillow – it’s symbolic.
Much like tarot cards the power comes from you! You are charging an item with your energy for a particular use.
The piece of paper itself holds significance due to how it has been designed and the words that have been placed on it.
Burning the paper is not going to reduce the impact of the intention (if this option is aligned with you). When we write our goals out like this with the intention to let go, it’s not that we forget about this goal completely but that we give it over to the subconscious mind and the Universe at large.
There is still an energetic tether or a vibration that is created, in alignment with whatever intention you set. This is what fuels the manifestation, not the paper itself.
- Create a ‘manifestation box’ with all of your papers
- Display them
- Create something with them
- Throw them away
- Give them to someone else who is manifesting a similar thing
When you have written down an intention on a piece of paper and it has come to fruition, perhaps it has been several weeks or even months, you can start to build quite a collection.
Whether or not you want to burn them depends on how it feels to you. If you want to let go of a particular goal and no longer refer back to it, then you can burn it (in a safe setting).
However if you would like to look back on your intentions and have a record of how you have progressed, you can keep these pieces of paper and do something with them.
Burning is also a good option when our intentions are not coming into physicality. When we have focused a ton of our energy onto one goal, we’ve let go; the process has gone well but we don’t see any results.
Burn these unsuccessful papers when it feels right to do so (when all of the residual energy has cleared). Either focus on a new goal or adapt the one you released so it is better aligned.
Ask yourself, ‘Does burning these papers make me feel clearer or heavier?’
The reason I don’t recommend throwing these papers away personally is because of what that represents on an energetic level. Throwing something away is almost treating it like trash. However for some intentions (perhaps ones that no longer fit) this might feel appropriate and cathartic.
Giving your papers away is another thing that should be done with care, again, based on what it represents energetically. Your intention is powerful, so you don’t want to be giving them away to just anybody. Give them to those you trust, who have similar intentions and will appreciate the gesture.
Can you show your manifestation paper to others?
What if you want to show your papers to someone but not necessarily give them away? The same principle applies. Only share your goals with those you trust to receive them well and amplify the energy you are building. The type of people you can share good news with without feeling competition or jealousy.
What happens if I lose my manifestation paper?
I have lost a manifestation paper in the past and was worried about the impact that would have long-term. Not to worry. In these circumstances the best you can do is release things mentally rather than physically, the end result will be same if you do so wholeheartedly.
In conclusion
As you can see, this process has a lot to do with how things align for you – these rituals are very adaptable. Often through making mistakes along the way we are able to refine how we focus on/do things in the future.