Yogi Sathya Sai Baba was said to manifest actual things, wrist watches, earrings, necklaces, and more. If he was making the stuff out of thin air that is truly a remarkable miracle. If he was somehow pilfering the goods from innocent victims through cosmic channels then that is miraculous, too, although the miracle would probably be better appreciated by the likes of John Dillinger, or a mafia don, than by the honest average Joe.

The manifestation of material goods, and the possible cosmic theft of them, caught my attention several years ago when I lost my car keys somewhere between the back door and the driveway. They were Gone. Since I’m of a spiritual bent, it’s only natural that Sai Baba would be a likely suspect, particularly since the keys have never turned up.

Acquiring things of value through magical means has probably been part of human life ever since things of value were invented. Lately, I notice there’s big business in teaching the wanna-be-filty-rich how to become a money magnet. Some of these magnet providers say if you don’t cough up a reasonable amount of dough you’ll be doomed to make a pittance for the rest of your life. Such beliefs surely must come from the Strong-arm School of Spirituality and Finance.

I do believe manifestation occurs in our lives, probably more often than we realize. I don’t think it’s quite as straightforward as sucking money in with a virtual magnet, though.

I’ve had many experiences where the right thing popped into my life at just the right moment, I believe because I envisioned or anticipated the event. I’ve had other experiences that weren’t quite as pleasant where I was apparently able to influence another person’s behavior but the resultant manifestation was not what I expected at all.

There is a profound difference between manifesting what is good for us, which often isn’t material at all, and manifesting material objects that we want, or think we want.

If you really want to manifest money or other material goods, the best way to do it is to get yourself in tune with the Source, not the source of the material object but with the Universal Source. The only way I know how to do this is through meditation. Then, what you receive will be truly what you need, not a trinket that you merely want, and not an unexpected backfire of your desires.

You might believe that material manifestation is a lot of hooey. I wouldn’t blame you, but I’m still wondering if Sai Baba had something to do with those car keys.