Manifestation is the art of bringing your dreams into reality using the power of your thoughts and emotions. If you’ve landed on this page than you are likely familiar with the Law of Attraction, at the most basic level this is the principle that what we put our mental focus into will eventually come to fruition in the physical.
There are so many people who talk about the Law of Attraction and so many different techniques that you can try that it can be difficult to know where to start. In today’s post I want to go over the pillow method.
This method is great for those who need a simple technique they can implement today with little fuss. It also helps get your mind tuned into this law and see how it can work for you, further increasing your chances of success down the road.
How To Do The Pillow Method
- Write a goal/affirmation down on a piece of paper.
- Spray it with a perfume or essential oil (optional)
- Place it underneath your pillow.
- Go to sleep without a worry.
You can make tweaks to this formula to get a better result. Use a piece of paper of a higher quality, write with a well-loved pen (perhaps one that is for this exact purpose).
Spray your manifestation paper with a perfume, scent, essential oil that you like or that aligns with the type of goal you want to achieve.
When you are going to sleep allow this to be time of peace and relaxation…I know this isn’t always easy.
Notice where you are getting into bed but not actually trying to go to the sleep. Where you are replaying events from the day and allowing yourself to fall into negative thought loops. Allow your bed to be a space of rest and rejuvenation rather than reinvigorating stress.
How to set your intention
The first thing you want to do is pick a specific goal you have, one that isn’t too far fetched for your mind at the moment. In choosing a goal that is a little off your present circumstances but not too extreme, you are priming your mind to get used to the idea.
Many times we will choose something to manifest that is so far off from where we currently are that we don’t truly believe it is possible, and as we know belief is key when using the Law of Attraction.
The next thing you want to do is convert this goal into an affirmation. For example if you want to get an upgrade on your car your affirmation would be “I love my new car”. Bring whatever it is that you want in the future into the present tense.
Another mistake we make when manifesting is consciously or unconsciously distancing ourselves from our goals. We may word our affirmations in future tense and so our mind is always anxiously waiting.
Bringing an affirmation into the present with I AM and then adding an emotion to is such as ‘I love’ ‘I enjoy’ ‘I appreciate’ magnifies that affirmation tenfold. By focusing on the emotions you will feel and recreating those emotions in the present you are priming your body & mind for that reality.
The final thing to do is to simply let go! This means going to sleep without a worry, not particularly focused on the hows or whys. This may sound ironic but the minute you forget what you’ve written on that piece of paper the quicker it can come to you.
You exhaust the conscious mind by visualizing this affirmation in your mind, feeling the emotions of what you want in the present, fantasizing, making plans, and then you just let it go. Allow your unconscious mind to do the rest.
How Does The Pillow Manifestation Method Work?
The thing that’s misunderstood about the pillow manifestation technique is that the paper itself holds no power. What holds power is the intention you charge the piece of paper with.
Writing our goals in our own handwriting with a physical pen or pencil has a powerful effect on our subconscious mind – it’s a way to affirm that we are making our desire physical.
Another reason this method works is because it utilizes the state before sleep or SATs. The point between wake and sleep is a great time to focus on our manifestations because they can better sink into our subconscious mind.
When we’re on the brink of sleep we’re not inhabiting the same fast-paced brainwaves as we do during the day. We’re in theta and alpha state, both are trance-like states where we’re most susceptible to suggestion.
If your heart isn’t in this method, try something else! With any manifestation method we have to ask if it is actually aligned with us. If we are simply doing things automatically or following a trend it isn’t going to have any impact on our own lives.
As with any spiritual tool like tarot, crystals, mandalas, it’s not about the item itself but the energy we are focusing on it.
FAQ:
Does it really work?
It’s all well and good doing the technique and hoping for the best…but does it really work?
I was using a combination of my night time manifestation routine and this pillow method to manifest some vacation time. At night I would visualize waves flowing over me and hear the sound of them in my mind. As I write this post I am on that vacation.
Keep in mind I have practiced different/similar manifestation techniques before and have already manifested something similar in the past I know this works. For those starting out getting passed the doubt and uncertainty is the biggest step.
What I love about this method is that it is simple but that it also makes manifestation into a sort of game. The more we get caught up in the details during manifestation and worry ourselves about how and when the less likely we are to see results.
The truth is that there is nothing particularly magical about writing an affirmation and putting it under your pillow. The real magic comes in how doing this charges your intention with energy.
Once you have charged an intention with conscious energy and are able to let it go for the moment, your unconscious mind can get right to work rearranging your perception and thought patterns.
How does it work?
As we fall asleep we are transitioning from beta/alpha brainwaves to more relaxed and dreamy theta brainwaves. It is during these brainwaves that we are more susceptible to suggestion and here we can program the subconscious mind with our intentions.
Rather than spending this time worrying about the day gone or about a day to come, when we shift our thoughts to the things we wish to welcome into our life our energy is free to flow there.
You may find that you have dreams about whatever it is that you want to manifest as you sleep or that you wake up feeling more energized than usual. When you go about your day start to notice the subtle opportunities that show up in relation to your intentions.
As you make your intentions clear the universe working with your higher self can then give you these opportunities. They may come in the form of lessons that will help you grow, consequently shifting you to become a better match to your goal.
The time it takes from writing your affirmation down to manifesting it will vary for everyone. However the quicker you release the conscious intent and allow your subconscious mind alongside the Universe to get to work for you, the quicker you will see physical results.
Little by little your external environment can shift to match this internal reality, until the two converge.
How long does it take to work?
This process can take anywhere from days to years to work. However if you aren’t seeing any movement after a few weeks then it’s likely that the intention is too broad or far off from your present circumstances.
If this is the case you will want to write a new intention based on the initial progress or lack thereof. Make it more specific, attainable and aligned with your intuition.
Don’t become discouraged if you don’t see any results after a few weeks, this will give you insight on how to refine things in the future.
Usually we’ll see signs that our manifestation is close after a few weeks. When you notice these signs, give thanks and continue with what you are doing. Think of the intention like a seed that is just starting to sprout, you want to give it some loving attention.
Can you put someone’s name on the piece of paper?
Often this method is recommended as a way to manifest a partner or SP (specific person). I do not recommend using the method in this way.
This sort of manifestation is an attempt to subvert someone else’s free will. When we are manifesting it should be about the type of person we are becoming or the type of person we want to attract.
If you are looking for a partner, write your preferred qualities on the piece of paper instead. This keeps your intentions open and is less about focusing on a specific person (who may or may not be aligned).
What do you do with the pieces of paper afterwards?
A question I get asked often is if you can throw away or even burn these manifestation papers. I recommend the latter.
When we have done this technique a few times we’ll have built quite a collection of manifestation papers and it can be difficult to know what to do with them.
Burning your papers is a great way to release that intention altogether (once it has come to fruition) or to focus on a new intention (if it was unsuccessful). You can also throw these papers in the trash, but I would only recommend doing so if it feels right.
You can create something from these papers, like a piece of art or give them away to someone who is trying to manifest the same thing. It’s really up to you.
Have you tried the pillow method before? How did it work for you?
Hey there, I’m Ashley. I hope that by sharing my experiences with deepening my intuition, I can help you find that ‘spark’. That magic we can all experience when our energy is aligned and we feel deeply supported by the Universe.
Tried my best to astral travel but always failed. Still trying my luck.