Manifesting Protocol Step 3: Appreciation

How does it feel to deeply appreciate something? It's far more than just scribing a gratitude list, though that can be a wonderful way to start.

Truly appreciating requires a pause, an internal alignment with the Essence of whatever it is we're focusing on, a resonance of joy, peace, satisfaction.

Essential Art of Manifesting 6-Step Protocol

Appreciation is the third step in the Essential Art of Manifesting 6-Step Protocol. While these Steps are not limited to linear use, but more like steps in a dance that can take us backward, forward, side to side and even around in circles and spirals, it can be helpful to learn them in order. This gives us a chance to slow down and create room for the energies arising within and around us, rather than endlessly rushing to do things and accomplish goals.

Appreciation is a facet of receiving that asks us to open our hearts and pull back from the heads-down scurry to complete a to-do list.

It brings us into harmony with our Vision that we set in Step 1, and our Intentions, which we have been honing in the last Moon cycle.

Appreciation isn't frivolous, it's crucial to the Manifesting process. Otherwise, we're just cultivating busy-ness, or worse, motivated by conditioning to perform, pressure to get things done, even manic grasping at so many dreams and desires that we never see any through to completion, or don't really enjoy the journey.

In order to Manifest in a healthy, pleasurable, successful way, we need to appreciate before we even act. 

When we appreciate what we have to work with, it can lessen the feeling that we're so far away from our Vision and Intentions that it's discouraging. It feels more empowering to realize we're starting with something, standing on some foundation and surrounded by some support.

Cultivating the good feelings of Appreciation frees up energy that would otherwise be stuck in stress, worry, frustration and doubt. Appreciation opens our hearts and minds, even on a biochemical level, literally giving us more energy, insight and inspiration to easefully accomplish what we want.

Go directly to gratitude!

Instead of waiting for our manifesting prizes to arrive on time in pretty packages to validate all our hard work - Manifesting starts with cultivating feelings of gratitude. It doesn’t even have to be specifically for what we’re intending to manifest. Just start singing the praises of your life just as it is, and yourself just as you are. This opens the pathways for more blessings to flow to and through you and your Manifesting practice.

We can feel Appreciation for opportunities and resources coming to us that we don't even see yet, trusting that they are on their way even now. How good does that feel?! Maybe it's an odd sensation if you're used to being more pessimistic, or healing from past disappointments.

Appreciation for unknown future blessings doesn't mean not putting energy into the present or into your own activities to help bring it to fruition. It just opens our awareness to opportunities and insights we may otherwise miss, and helps us practice focusing our time and attention on what's good and what's possible. This is powerful fertilizer for creativity and confidence.

This is the magic of Manifesting, and why it's different from just getting things done. It's transformational for the practitioner, not just the results in the outside world.

Kansha shite

If this phrase doesn’t look familiar, that’s probably because it’s Japanese! If it does, you’re probably a Japanese-speaker, or familiar with the Reiki Precepts. 

This is the third Precept, and it teaches us to cultivate gratitude as part of our wellness practice. In the very first Essential Art of Reiki Level 1 class, Bring Reiki to Life, students learn to chant these Precepts - yes, in Japanese as well as English - and to contemplate them twice daily as well as learning to live them throughout our days and lives. 

Manifesting Moondays

Join me for Manifesting Moondays (Mondays) 4-5 pm EDT a Manifesting practice circle.  We start with a brief centering meditation and discussion on this 6-Step Manifesting Protocol. Then we'll spend half an hour working independently on our own Manifesting practice, whether in meditation, journaling or other ways that help you Appreciate and Manifest. Finally, we come back to share and support one another. And it’s all charged with the power of Reiki.

These free gatherings are not recorded, so please do attend live if you can. If you'd like to join our weekly Manifesting Moondays, but this time doesn't work for you, please reply to this email and let me know when would be a better day/time as we are considering other options.

Meanwhile, Essential Arts community, please know I Appreciate you with my whole heart!

Self-Care Spa Day Virtual Retreat 4/10 10-4 EDT

Join me for a whole day of appreciating yourself and our loving community. All are welcome and only a Reiki Attunement is required. Find out more and register at www.essentialarts.net. 

Bonus fun ~ word play! 

Etymology & related words

The root of the word “appreciation” is related to praise, prize and price, showing us how we assign and express value in a range from mundane transactions to heartfelt celebration.

Conscious capitalization

I capitalize Manifesting, Intention and the other Steps in the Manifesting protocol to show that they are specific to this practice and not the general terms.