Sherianna Boyle on the Essentials of Manifestation

Sherianna Boyle, MEd, CAGS, is an international Emotional Detox Coach and the author of nine books, including Energy In Action and Emotional Detox Now. She has been featured in over 90 articles and is a presenter for renowned organizations such as PESI Behavioral and Mental Health Education, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, 1440 Multiversity, and more. She is an adjunct psychology professor and founder of Emotional Detox Coaching. She lives in Massachusetts.

Her latest book, Energy In Action, is reviewed in the May/June issue of Spirituality+Health.

S+H: How did you use your background in psychology, yoga, and meditation to come up with the Cleanse Method?

Boyle: In psychology there is always more than one way to see something. I love taking a subject and learning about it through an entirely different angle. The Cleanse Method is through the perspective of emotions. I find, when you are in a processing state, you can gain valuable and, at times, life-changing insights. In terms of the Cleanse Method, I knew it had to be steps that could be learned and repeated.

We can change the brain with repetition and experience. The steps and guidelines provide the repetition, and the yoga and meditation provide the experience. I also knew there had to be a mantra in the practice. Mantras move energy like nobody's business. The final two steps, Surrender and Ease—those are your free will statements. I know from working with clients that you can give someone all the tools in the world but, ultimately, they have to choose it themselves.

You talk about manifestation as focusing on redirecting emotions rather than changing thoughts. How do you differentiate between thoughts and emotions?

Well, everything ultimately is energy. I just think we have been focusing on changing our thoughts as a means for manifesting for a long time. What I have found is when you allow your emotions to enter a processing state, they change the thoughts automatically for you. So, inevitably, you are changing your thoughts. You are just doing it by focusing on moving your emotions.

Many of the thoughts we have, in my opinion, are triggered. They are triggered from memory or unprocessed emotions of fear or anger. If I label an emotion, then, in many ways, I am thinking about the emotion. I don't see this as a feeling. I am not saying labeling is bad or wrong; what I am saying is you don't have to label something to feel it. The Cleanse teaches us that in step two: Looking Inward.

You share a lot about how you use manifesting in your daily life. What has been one of your biggest roadblocks to successful manifestation?

Up until Energy in Action, I wasn't taking into consideration all of the spiritual laws. Instead, like many other people, I overfocused on the law of attraction. My roadblock was my own personal ignorance. I also over-relied on "doing." My mindset was, "Now what?" When we are in "doing mode," we tighten up and constrict our energy.

Today, I have a relationship with the spiritual laws and the 13 rays of light, which are distributed throughout each cleanse.

Is there a cleanse exercise you practice first thing in the morning to start your day off right?

So, I developed the Energy in Action bookmark. Each morning I quiet my mind and run my finger along the bookmark to see which spiritual law I land on. Then I open up the book to that chapter and choose one of the cleanses within the chapter on that specific law. I train my mind to focus on the specific ray of light within that cleanse.

Many things may pop in my mind, but the structure of the cleanse and the ray of light help me to discipline my mind so I can move my energy. The cleanse is essentially teaching me how to use my attention. How you use your attention is essential in spiritual practices, such as meditation and conscious manifesting.

You talk a lot about manifestation as a way of connecting people. Is it possible to use cleanses to manifest health and happiness for others?

Yes, in fact I recommend it. Each cleanse gives the reader the opportunity to offer it to the planet and all living beings everywhere. Let's remember, health and happiness is energy in motion. If you think about approaches such as Chinese medicine, acupuncture, tai chi, or yoga, they aim at moving energy (via movement, breath, or herbs) as a way to foster a sense of health, and we all know better health (including mental health) leads to more happiness.

You say that manifesting was never meant for me but for the we. How can this energetic work contribute to the wellbeing of the planet at large?

With practice, readers will learn and experience the difference between action and reaction. I think very often we are confusing the two. My message in Energy in Action is to focus less on what you want and more on the inner space you are manifesting from. Clear the inner space similar to the way you might wash the dishes before cooking a meal.

We are all manifesting beings at heart—there is no doubt each and every one of us has the ability to create. I want people to know you are not powerless. If you are bothered by what is happening in the world, you can make a difference by giving yourself permission to feel and transform emotions of fear into love and peace. The spiritual laws of the universe teach us this.

Dive into our review of Energy in Action here.