On a recent episode of the podcast, host Sam Believ sat down with coach Diana Merfeldiene — a woman who went from a logistics job to a life-and-manifestation coach — to ask a bold question: does manifestation really work? What unfolds is less about quick formulas and more about transformation, self-awareness and aligning energy with action.
From “Stuck” to “Calling”
Diana begins by sharing her personal turning point: being in a job she disliked, leaving her children each morning feeling unfulfilled, and hearing an inner voice saying “you’re meant for more.” Two years ago she stumbled into the concept of manifestation after noticing a friend’s shift in energy. She explains: “I could feel the energy… and this is where my manifestation journey began.”
That journey went from being a student to becoming a teacher. She began setting intentions, visualising, using techniques that many associate with the “law of attraction,” and slowly changed her outer world in concert with her inner state.
What Manifestation Really Means
Many equate manifestation with wish-lists and “thinking it into reality.” But Diana reframes it: “Manifestation is like intention for your entire life.” She emphasizes that it’s not only about wanting something, but about becoming someone who aligns with that something. Her story of predicting she’d have four kids (despite her then-partner’s surprise) becomes a light-hearted proof-point of alignment: the vision felt real before the physical fact.
For her, key steps include:
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Identifying your true desire (not what you think you should want)
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Setting the intention and visualising yourself living it
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Shifting your identity and behaviour to match that intention
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Taking action that aligns with your vision
Why 11/22 Matters (and Why Dates Are Symbolic)
In the podcast Sam asks why “11th of 22” is a special date. Diana responds that certain numerical synchronicities can act as markers for energy shifts — not magical shortcuts, but rituals that help the psyche open to change. The date becomes less about the calendar and more about the intent: designate a moment for renewal, for clarity, for stepping into something new.
Actions, Not Magic
Diana insists manifestation isn’t passive. She says, “I started working towards it. I started visualising… using different techniques.” She counters the myth of instant materialisation by saying: “You were in a logistics job … you’re meant for more.” What changed wasn’t luck—it was her inner orientation and thus her outer trajectory.
Sam, coming from a “mechanical engineer turned plant-medicine facilitator” background, draws parallels: both of them moved from “technical, soulless jobs” to service, to self-actualisation. They suggest that sometimes our old roles serve the lesson, not the destination.
Alignment + Action = Transformation
Key take-awys from their dialogue:
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Manifestation is not just thinking about what you want, it’s aligning who you are with what you want.
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Emotional/inward readiness matters; if you declare something new but your identity remains old, the friction will persist.
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Visualisation and intention-setting are tools, not magic. They prime your system.
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External results follow internal change. Diana’s four-kid prediction isn’t a fluke—it’s the fruit of aligning identity, vision and action.
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Dates and rituals (like “11/22”) aren’t gates to power—they’re anchors for attention and energy.
A Balanced Perspective
Diana and Sam both emphasise that manifestation isn’t about denying reality or pretending all is perfect and you’ll magically manifest a Lamborghini. Instead:
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It’s about clarity: getting clear on what you really want.
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It’s about congruence: aligning your thoughts, feelings, identity and behaviours with that desire.
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It’s about commitment: showing up, doing the work, staying consistent.
In other words: you don’t just manifest change — you become the cause of it.
Final Thoughts: Does Manifestation Even Work?
The short answer, according to Diana: yes — but not the way pop culture often presents it. Manifestation works when you are ready to shift internally, to take action aligned with your vision, and to embody the life you’re aiming for.
For listeners curious about manifestation, the episode offers both encouragement and caution. It encourages you to aim, but cautions you not to outsource the work. If you’re feeling stuck, perhaps the first step isn’t buying a new vision board—it’s asking: “Who do I need to become so that this desire is a natural next step?”
From the logistics job to the life coach, from setting an intention to living it, Diana’s journey suggests: if you align yourself deeply—and take steps in the direction of your vision—manifestation isn’t just a buzzword. It becomes the story you live.
Based on the Ayahuasca Podcast episode “Does Manifestation even work?” with Sam Believ and Diana.
Sam Believ is the founder and CEO of LaWayra Ayahuasca Retreat, the best-rated Ayahuasca retreat in South America, with over 520 five-star Google reviews and an overall rating of 5 stars. After his life was transformed by Ayahuasca, he dedicated himself to spreading awareness about this ancestral medicine to help address the mental health crisis. Sam is committed to making Ayahuasca retreats affordable, accessible, and authentic, with a focus on care, integration, and the involvement of indigenous shamans. He is also the host of the Ayahuasca Podcast.
