The whisper method has been taking TikTok by storm, but does this trending manifestation practice work? Experts spoke with DailyOM about the technique, including pros, cons, and tips for making it even better.
You’ve been longing for a promotion, an estranged friend to contact you, or a romantic proposal. Could making it happen be as simple as meditate, visualize, whisper?
Given that “whisper method” hashtags have well over 220 million views on TikTok, plenty of folks seem to hope so. According to experts who spoke with DailyOM, there are multiple ways to leverage the practice, as well as some cautions to consider before you begin.
What Is the Whisper Method?
In the realm of New Age self-help, manifesting is basically the process of thinking, feeling, or believing something into reality. And the whisper method is one such manifestation technique. Believed to derive from the teachings of Neville Goddard, an influential self-help author who studied and wrote about mysticism and spirituality in the mid-1900s, it involves whispering while visualizing (or visualizing that you’re whispering) in order to make your dreams come true. It ties into a theory Goddard wrote about that “others mirror what we whisper in secret.” This whispering — whether silently or aloud — is believed to bring your yearnings to life. And it doesn’t seem to matter whether you actually whisper or not. The key, Goddard asserted, was privately imagining what you wish to happen.
“I define the whisper method for manifesting as very similar to the law of attraction” (the belief that like attracts like), says spiritual entrepreneur and intuitive executive coach Tonya Melendez. She considers it a “method of mentalism, trying to make something occur through mental manipulation.”
Interested in learning more? Check out You Are What You Think
The Trending Whisper Method Technique
There is more than one way to practice the whisper method, but the TikTok-trending version usually involves relaxing with your eyes closed, then imagining that you’re whispering into the ear of someone you want to take a specific action. You imagine that you’re whispering “Text me to ask me out” into a crush’s ear, for example, to encourage precisely that, or “You are going to call me and offer me a raise” to your manager.
According to TikTok creator Taylor Nicole, who makes videos on the topic, you can make it more effective by visualizing as many details as you can during your manifestation session. “Imagine your specific person in their home, work, car… Are they doing the dishes? Are they working?” From there, the influencer says you should imagine yourself as a “a ghost or hologram version of yourself” — in other words, invisible to the person you’re whispering to, and then, “Walk up to them and whisper in their ear three times what it is you want them to text you.”
This whispering — whether silently or aloud — is believed to bring your yearnings to life.
Next, imagine your crush sending you that message or your boss telling you your new salary, then sit in the feeling that they actually have done this. Finally, go about your daily life as though you did receive that text or call, because, according to the theory, if you believe it, it will happen.
Whisper Method Benefits
In order for the whisper method to manifest your desired results, you have to “firmly believe that this is possible for you,” Nicole asserts in her popular video. (That ties into Goddard’s work, too. His book, The Law of Assumption, talks about imagining your goals into reality. Changing your assumptions, he says, can change your life.) If you can do that, Nicole says, whispering meditation is a “super easy way” to attract your heart’s desires. So if you’re looking for a simple practice with no fancy equipment or training required, visualizing and whispering may be worth a try.
Bruna Nessif, a mystic, writer, and spiritual coach, uses a spoken form of the whisper method as a form of prayer, literally stating her hopes aloud in hushed tones. “A teacher once told me that this is an effective form of manifestation,” she tells DailyOM. “I always felt like the intimacy of it all added an element of intention.”
For some, the whisper method may be a way of connecting with a higher power. Nessif appreciates the intentionality and trust that her spoken, energy-focused whisper method practice brings, explaining it as a way of having a “secret heart-to-heart with the Universe and sharing my innermost feelings, knowing that they’re being heard and won’t be used against me.” She adds that whispered prayers help her facilitate creating “a meaningful bond between me and whoever’s listening: God, the Universe, my quantum self, etcetera.”
Does the Whisper Method Work?
While there’s no clinical research that shows whether or not you can influence another person or attain a goal through private or imagined whispers, that doesn’t mean the practice isn’t useful.
Let’s say you can’t stop fixating on something you’d like to see happen. A whisper visualization session might help you let it go, according to Nessif, who believes that intentionally focusing on your wish during your session, and then easing your grip on it afterward (versus constant fixation), may make its reality more likely. And regardless, not fixating is a refreshing thing.
“I think with any manifestation technique, the most difficult yet crucial part is letting it go once it’s been spoken,” she says. “It’s almost like a paradox. The more you want something, the harder it’ll be to grasp. When you find acceptance with or without that thing, you’ll usually find that it comes to you effortlessly.”
Downsides of the Whisper Method
Just because a technique goes viral on TikTok doesn’t mean it’s worth embracing, at least not without some consideration or tweaks, say some experts.
Melendez believes the whisper method as it’s popularly depicted on TikTok creates a “karmic imbalance” — given the whole manipulating-someone-into-action premise versus allowing for their autonomy.
Nessif agrees, adding that she sees the whisper method being abused as a manipulation technique. “I see this a lot on social media,” she says. “However, anyone who does this work can tell you that using your energy to force what you want, without considering the other person’s free will, may backfire in the long run, because that’s a form of manipulation and karma that always comes back around.”
Plus, she says, you want authentic connections, not those you’ll question later, wondering whether a person took an action because they wanted to or only because you did.
Another possible downside of the whisper method involves relying on visualization alone. While experts generally agree that pondering your hopes and goals is a good thing, believing that you can imagine something into reality could lead to feelings of shame or sorrow, especially if your goals aren’t realistic or they don’t happen for you. You can’t manifest your way out of a life-threatening cancer diagnosis if you meditate in lieu of helpful treatment, for example. But some smart reflection may help you get clear on ways to best thrive, such as seeking the support and care you need.
“While we may not be able to ‘cheat death,’” says Nessif of the cancer example, “the deeper thing to consider here is, how do you want to spend the time you have left? If you knew these moments were numbered, what would you want to do with it?” Visualizing those things might bring you helpful clarity, making way for a better quality of life.
How to Whisper-Manifest Better
While a whispering manifestation session might bring benefits, you want to go about it in ethical and practical ways, according to experts.
Rather than focus on a specific person during your whisper meditation, Nessif recommends concentrating on the energy you hope to call in. Do you want to experience more financial confidence? Whisper “I have financial freedom.” More romantic or loving vibes? Try “I am attracting wonderful people right now.” Get specific, she adds, because “the clearer you are with the ask, the better.”
And consider what other steps you need to take to reach your goals, Nessif suggests. “The missing piece that people can overlook is taking aligned action.” Yes, speaking your desires out loud is a powerful thing to do; now think about what steps you can take to get what you desire the most.
And if you’re really struggling with a deep longing or to reach a personal goal, seeking support from a qualified expert — such as a trusted therapist or coach — can go a long way. Doing so might help you avoid the pitfall of believing you can think something into reality without additional efforts, or beating yourself up if your journey is not going exactly as imagined. Plus, therapy or coaching will support your use of manifestation techniques, such as the whisper method, in a way that best bolsters you and your desires.
