Democratic presidential candidate deletes tweet calling for people to use their minds to stop Hurricane Dorian

Democratic 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson has gotten herself into hot water after suggesting the "power of the mind" could be used to divert Hurricane Dorian away from the US mainland.

Williamson, an author and spiritual adviser, made a huge impression at the first televised debate from Florida in June with her eccentric performance, rising to national prominence and becoming something of a cult phenomenon.

But on Wednesday morning, she created a stir by applying her faith to the tropical storm raging in the Atlantic - which decimated the Bahamas and left at least 20 people dead - and tweeted the following:

The Bahamas, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas... may all be in our prayers now.

Millions of us seeing Dorian turn away from is not a wacky idea; it is a creative use of the power of the mind.

Two minutes of prayer, visualization, meditation for those in the way of the storm

Williamson subsequently thought better of the tweet and deleted it, but not before it had been screen-grabbed by journalists, to her evident frustration.

The reaction on Twitter to what many regarded as her insensitivity in the face of mounting tragedy was potent.

Brutal.

Still, at least she didn't create mass panic in the wrong state and then doctor a weather map with a Sharpie to cover for it.

Now that really would be crazy.

More: Marianne Williamson's surreal performance in the Democratic debate has seen her become a hilarious meme