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Is Manifesting Life-Changing Or A Waste Of Time?

"It’s about being empowered to create the life you deserve."
Does manifestation work.Getty

Zoe Marshall’s mother introduced her to The Secret a month before she died. The Oprah-endorsed book and accompanying DVD was, in many ways, pop culture’s introduction to the concept of manifestation – but for Zoe, it was personal. Not that she knew that at the time.

The first time she watched it, Marshall says The Secret went over her head. “I knew there was something important in that film, but I didn’t understand it until the passing of my mother,” she tells marie claire.

“When she passed, I found myself in a really dark place. I was also in an abusive relationship and had a huge falling out with my family. I was desperate to heal. I learned what the true power of manifestation was when I was in this place, and that really did save me.”

What Is Manifesting?

Today, Marshall has created her own manifestation program, ariise. All too familiar with manifestation’s naysayers, Marshall has partnered with neuroscientist Joel Pearson to share insights throughout the course – oh, and she’s rebranded the entire concept. “I’ve renamed manifestation to co-creation,” Marshall says.

“It’s about being empowered to create the life you deserve with the support of the universe, God, angels, mother nature – whatever you want to call it. I think often the misconception of manifestation is that you wish really hard for something, and it magically appears. That’s not manifestation. That’s just wishful thinking. You must take aligned action.”

Marshall says the key to manifestation is deep inner work. “Like attracts like. You want to feel positive and happy about everything in your life, so the universe meets you with more of that. The universe is a magnet, and matches your vibe.” That’s easier said than done, of course, and that’s where Marshall believes that ariise stands out from other manifestation practices.

“ariise is so different because we meet people where they’re at, whether you’re at rock bottom and are coming through something really serious, or you’re in a good ‘neutral’ place. Others that teach manifestation market it toward the privileged, they’re assuming everyone is okay and at neutral. Lots of people don’t feel like this is for them or that they can access it.”

How Do We Release Limiting Beliefs?

For those people, the key lies in releasing limiting beliefs. “You can only manifest what you believe you deserve,” Marshall explains. “If you’re truly longing for a life partner but you have a belief that you are unlovable, no matter how much you try to manifest this person, you have a block. Once we find the subconscious block, we can heal that by creating a new neural pathway that shifts this belief into ‘I am deserving.’”

And for the skeptics, there’s good news. “All of the mindset tools, and ways to prime the nervous system, will be uber beneficial whether you believe in the universe or not,” Marshall says. “It’s changing your perspective and having a robust, positive and resilient

mindset. This is why I say it’s a lifestyle. It’s a practice; learning to trust that what is for us, will find us.” If Marshall’s career trajectory is anything to go by, the proof is in the pudding.

Go to zoemarshall.com/ariise

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