The Science of Intention

Can our minds truly shape the world around us, or is reality bound strictly to science? The laws of physics govern the universe and provide logical explanations for how things work, yet the concept of manifestation challenges the power of our mind. To clearly understand the connection between these two concepts, we must comprehend what they are and the contradictions between them. In this essay, I will explain what manifestation is, what quantum physics is, and the complex relationship between the two.

Manifestation, by definition, is “an event, action, or object that clearly shows or embodies something, especially a theory or an abstract idea.” However, its meaning has become more modernized and nuanced over the years as its popularity has expanded. Social media has played a significant role in popularizing this concept, allowing many to connect and share thoughts and ideas based on the original definition. People use manifestation to bring something into their life through attraction or assumptions. These concepts are known as the Law of Attraction and the Law of Assumption. The Law of Assumption states that your assumptions shape your reality, while the Law of Attraction suggests that your positive and negative thoughts are drawn into your life. While manifestation is not commonly viewed as witchcraft, one could argue that spells are a form of manifestation, with physical action put behind intention.

While there is no single origin point at which manifestation became a widespread belief, its earliest connections can be traced to Hinduism through the concept of karma. As Christopher Key Chapple explains, the law of attraction can be seen as a reimagined form of karma theory (The Ancient Origins of ‘Manifesting’ — and Why It’s Making a Comeback, National Geographic). In Hindu belief, what an individual puts out in their current life has direct consequences for how they live in the next. Similar ideas appear in other ancient civilizations. Around 3000 BCE in Egypt, the Book of the Dead emphasized the power of words, symbols, and intentions to shape reality through spells, rituals, and sigils. In the Abrahamic religions — Christianity, Judaism, and Islam — the power of the tongue, along with the concept of the evil eye, reflects parallel understandings of manifestation. Even earlier, in Ancient Mesopotamia between 4000 and 2000 BCE, Sumerian and Babylonian records describe some of the first known rituals and spells. Although practices of witchcraft and the law of attraction are often treated as distinct today, both rest on the same fundamental principle: putting intentions into the world with the expectation of receiving desired outcomes in return. Beyond Hinduism, Egypt, and Mesopotamia, almost every spiritual tradition includes beliefs or practices with a correlation to manifestation and the power of words, such as Judaism and Kabbalah, which emphasize the mystical significance of words, or Indigenous tribes, which utilize chanting to focus intentions.

The modern concept of manifesting can be traced back to the New Thought Movement of the late 19th century (The Ancient Origins of ‘Manifesting’ — and Why It’s Making a Comeback, National Geographic). This movement emerged in the United States, though its roots can be traced to Hinduism, and became a significant spiritual and philosophical influence with figures such as Phineas Quimby, Emma Curtis Hopkins, and Charles Fillmore. Phineas Quimby, considered the founder of the New Thought Movement, believed that mental states could directly affect physical health. Emma Curtis Hopkins, known as a teacher of the movement, emphasized meditation, affirmations, and the importance of controlling one’s mind to achieve personal transformation. Charles Fillmore, cofounder of the Unity Church, focused on the power of prayer and integrating these practices into daily life. Together, they promoted the idea that one’s life and physical well-being are directly shaped by mental and spiritual states. Although these practices gained significant traction and widespread belief, they also compelled scientists to question their validity and investigate potential connections within the quantum realm.

Quantum physics is the study of matter and energy — atoms, electrons, protons, neutrons — and the principles by which they transcend classical physics. Max Planck is credited with introducing the concept of quantized energy in 1900, providing a solution to the problem of blackbody radiation. Paul Dirac is also considered one of the fathers of quantum physics; in 1928, he developed the Dirac equation, a formula that predicted the existence of antimatter by describing how electrons behave at high speeds. As quantum mechanics developed, it gave rise to concepts that defied classical reasoning. Superposition, for instance, is regarded as one of the most fundamental phenomena of quantum mechanics, wherein a particle may exist in multiple states or positions simultaneously until it is observed. In 1935, Erwin Schrödinger, an Austrian physicist, proposed a thought experiment now known as Schrödinger’s Cat. Though not an actual experiment, it served as a theoretical illustration of superposition. In this paradox, a cat is placed inside a sealed box with a mechanism that has an equal chance of killing it. According to the principle of superposition, until the box is opened, the cat exists as both dead and alive simultaneously. Consider it from this perspective: nothing truly exists for an observer until it enters the scope of perception. In other words, the moon does not “exist” for you until you direct your attention toward it. This concept highlights the dynamic between observation and reality, suggesting that consciousness itself may play a role in shaping the world we experience. This is called the Observer Effect. Quantum Entanglement is also one of the most important ideas in quantum physics. Introduced by Albert Einstein, Boris Podolsky, and Nathan Rosen in the 1930s, now called the EPR Paradox, it is considered one of the strangest phenomena and was even initially viewed as a flaw in quantum mechanics. This phenomenon describes how two particles can become entangled and, even when separated, remain linked. This theory was later shown to be valid and measurable by physicist John Bell through his work on Bell’s Theorem, which was in response to Einstein, who believed quantum mechanics was incomplete and that hidden variables could predetermine how particles behave. Bell used mathematics to challenge this view and eventually formulated Bell’s Inequality, stating that if unknown variables existed, the particles’ measurements would always follow certain statistical limits. In the 1980s, Alain Aspect conducted an experiment to test Bell’s Theorem and Einstein’s conclusion. He took pairs of entangled photons and sent them to separate detectors, then changed the measurement settings while they were in transit. This demonstrated that the photons’ directions remained linked, even when measured in different ways. Quantum leaping is a sudden transition of a particle from one energy state to another without traversing the intermediate space. Theorized by Niels Bohr in 1913 as a part of his model of the atom. He observed that electrons could occupy only certain discrete energy levels, and when they are observed or emit energy, they “leap” between these levels instantaneously. In 2019, an experiment was conducted at Yale University by physicists Zlatko Minev and Michel Devoret. This experiment challenged the long-held belief that quantum jumps are instantaneous. Using a superconducting artificial atom, they observed a quantum system evolution between energy states, revealing a continuous and predictable process. They were able to predict and reverse a quantum jump before it fully happened. It was demonstrated that these transitions are not abrupt, but occur gradually and can be monitored in real-time. Spiritually, it is believed human beings can influence their reality by consciously directing attention, aligning thoughts, and taking purposeful action. Quantum leaping becomes a framework for understanding how shifts in perception, intention, and behavior may catalyze immediate or significant changes in life. These quantum phenomena hint at proof that observation can influence reality, linking science to the concept of manifestation.

Quantum physics suggests that observation affects outcomes, meaning manifestation, which relies on focused attention and intention, can be viewed as a spiritual parallel to quantum physics. Manifestation can be understood as the conscious act of aligning one’s intent and vibration with the energetic patterns of the universe, turning an abstract thought into a measurable interaction with reality. Biophotons, the ultra-weak light emissions from our bodies that are imperceptible to the human eye, reflect this connection. Human tissues and natural objects both oscillate due to quantum fluctuations, and our biophotons interact with external electromagnetic radiation, showing how the human body is never separate from its environment but continuously exchanges energy with it. Photons are tiny packers of energy, but the way they vibrate encodes information about the source and can influence whatever absorbs them. Photons carry information due to their properties, depending on the frequency, wavelength, etc. Light is both a wave and a particle, because it has wave-particle duality, it has frequency, wavelengths, and energy. Light, matter, and even our bodies are all in constant vibration, with frequencies measurable in brainwaves, heartbeat, breathing cycles, and circadian rhythms. These oscillations show that all matter carries energy in motion, from atoms to human tissues, connecting us to the energetic patterns of the world. Humans generate electromagnetic fields that extend beyond the body. This electromagnetic field is within natural objects, lightning discharges energy, Earth’s magnetic field, plants emit faint bioelectric signals, and the sun’s electromagnetic radiation. Resonance occurs when an external frequency matches the human body’s natural frequencies. When resonance occurs, it amplifies our body’s biological responses. For example, exposure to certain light wavelengths directly affects our circadian rhythm by signaling the pineal gland to regulate the body’s melatonin production. Rhythmic sounds can entrain brainwaves, shifting states of consciousness. A more everyday occurrence would be the sound effects and music used in horror movies to induce fear and anxiety. Our biophotons co-influence external electromagnetic radiation. One example of this occurs during meditation or manifestation practices such as grounding, in which the human body exchanges electrons with the Earth, reducing oxidative stress and stabilizing biological rhythms.

Manifesting is truly the act of realizing you are in control of your own life. Think of it like studying for a test, with the universe being the test and manifestation as the notes you take. Writing down what you want or focusing your attention on a goal acts as a way of imprinting your intention into reality, much like sending a signal into the energetic patterns of the world around you. By consistently clarifying and acting on your intentions, you attract opportunities and circumstances that align with them. The universe tests whether you will recognize and engage with these opportunities, essentially, whether you will ‘network’ with what is presented. However, manifestation is not purely mental; to bring intentions into reality, one must actualize ideas through physical effort, taking concrete steps toward the goals you envision. This active engagement ensures that intentions are not just abstract thoughts but measurable interactions with the world, paralleling how observation in quantum physics can influence outcomes.

The relationship between manifestation and quantum physics suggests that human intention is not an isolated force but a participant in the universe’s unfolding. From the quantum realm, where observation shifts probabilities into outcomes, to the body’s biophotons, which interact with external electromagnetic fields, we see evidence that thought, energy, and reality are intertwined. Light, vibration, and frequency not only define the physical world but also reflect the rhythm of our inner states, our heartbeat, brainwaves, breathing, and circadian cycles. Together, these patterns reveal that human beings exist in constant resonance with their environment. Manifestation, then, is not a mystical abstraction but a conscious alignment with the natural processes of vibration, energy exchange, and observation that already shape our reality. By understanding this interplay, we recognize that the boundary between science and spirituality is far thinner than it appears, and that our very awareness contributes to the creation of the world we experience.

The ancient origins of ‘manifesting’ — and why it’s making a comeback | National Geographic