Reflection: Karma and The Flow of Energy

Greetings beautiful souls. This post is an extension to my new year reflections as it is a part of the lessons I learned in 2022. I was hesitant in talking about this at first, but I realized opening up and sharing with others about your spiritual journey is exactly what this year is all about. With that, I hope some of you will be able to relate and gain some insight from my experiences.

Karma: Every Action Counts

The greatest lesson I learned last year is the lesson of karma. I learned the universe truly keeps count of everything that is said and done. Even when we don’t realize it... even when we think it doesn’t matter... everything we do, say, and think matters... and the universe is always watching. So when you do the right thing but still end up getting hurt... the universe is watching. If you do a small deed you don't think twice about... the universe is watching. If you act on your selfish desires... the universe is watching. If your innocence is taken advantage of... the universe is watching. If you know something is wrong and you do it anyway or worse, try to convince others to do it... the universe is watching. If you have good intentions and choose to take the high road... the universe is watching. If you choose to be humble and grateful... the universe is watching... and the list goes on. I had a series of events unfold in my life and it was surprising to me how even the smallest of details are accounted for, and whether it’s something negative or positive, believe it will come back to you because what goes around - comes around.

I've also come to realize that sometimes karma is instant, and sometimes the universe will sit and wait for the right moment to hit you with it - oftentimes when you least expect it. With that, I encourage you all to think carefully before you act and to be compassionate of others and their journey. This doesn’t mean you won’t make mistakes or you won't get hurt along the way, because you will, but at least you know your heart was in the right place and you had good intentions, because take it from me... the universe never forgets your intentions. Lastly, whether it is positive karma or negative, either way, the universe found you deserving, so even if you don’t quite understand at the moment, accept your good and bad karma with humility as both are meant to serve your highest good.

Energy is Powerful: Navigating Energetic Shifts

This goes along with the last point but for the first time last year I became aware of how energy manipulates and maneuvers in a physical way, and it really boils down to our karma and destiny. The universe puts us in situations to let go and release in order to make space for what’s to come. The universe also gives us the opportunity to heal what is holding us back in order to move forward. To navigate these energetic shifts, I made a few points based on what I had to learn to do (some of which I had to learn the hard way):

1. Allow the energy to flow. Think of energy like an element - it naturally knows which space to fill - just as the universe naturally makes space for what is meant to be in your life. Don't be resistant to change, accept what comes with faith, and let go of what has run its course. Even if it hurts or feels confusing at first, it will all make sense eventually.

2. Pay attention to your body. My own health journey has taught me how energy can quite literally alter the physiology of your body - with the nervous system being particularly sensitive. Therefore, as you go through energetic shifts, you may notice changes in your body or health. If you aren’t looking or feeling your best or suffering from health issues (this could be physical or mental), it could mean there is a negative flow of energy in and around you. If you are feeling good in your skin and seeing health improvements, this could mean the energy within and the energy in your environment is shifting in a positive direction. The flow of energy can be influenced by anything whether it is a particular circumstance, person, or even the state of mind you find yourself in.

3. Do your shadow work to heal because there are no shortcuts. You know when something is so painful you decide to not think about it and move on? Yeah... one day you're just living your life... and all of a sudden that something will creep back into your awareness. You may feel like you’ve moved on from what caused you pain, but if you don’t truly heal from it, it will resurface. Having said that, some traumas take a lifetime to overcome, and others are meant to be addressed at the right time, so if something comes up that you thought you were over, just work through it one day at a time. [Side note: talking about it usually helps, even if you are someone who likes to deal with things on your own.]

4. Continue to follow your divine path. Following another's path might get you what they have, but abandoning your own will make you miss out on the beauty of your own blessings. No one's path is perfectly carved out, things will be difficult and may not always make sense, but if it feels right for you intuitively, embrace it. Also, the mind can be fickle at times so learn to follow your intuition and higher self. If you feel disconnected from your higher self, do what I did; let go and let God (surrendering to a higher power).

5. Let go of your fears. This one is easier said than done, but I learned the things that scare us the most, can end up being the most rewarding. I also feel like if we have pure intentions and follow our higher self/the path of God, we will never be steered wrong. We may not always understand the greater purpose at the moment, but that’s where trust and faith have to triumph over our fears.

6. Accept that not every person or situation will serve you on your current journey and that’s okay. That is a part of divine alignment and the energetic flow of our destiny. With that, sometimes what feels right to you will hurt others and vice versa and that is also okay. Just remember, empathy goes a long way. [Side note: this is where practicing detachment becomes crucial because it reinforces the idea that we do not have ownership over any person/thing and no person/thing has ownership over us.]

7. Embrace new people and new experiences because they have come for a reason. It can be challenging to decipher new energies, as you don't always understand their purpose right away, but if you follow your intuition, it will show you who is worth being on your path, and who is not. Also, just as you can spiral into a negative flow of energy by allowing negative energy to come into your life, the same will happen when you choose to deny positive energy from coming into your life.

8. Be confident in your convictions. Yes, flow is important, but I've learned there is also great power that comes with being strong in your actions and beliefs, especially when they are aligned with your higher self/God. And the universe will test you, to see if you retract or second-guess yourself, to see if you allow others to deter you from your path, but if you remain confident and firm, the universe recognizes your heart and determination and reciprocates with you (sometimes in ways better than you imagined).

9. Understand that nothing is a coincidence. Everything is interconnected and the more connected you are to your higher consciousness, the more spiritually in-tuned you will be to these universal signs. Pay attention to your dreams, the environment around you, the random downloads of information in your head, and the scenarios that arise in your life. As crazy as something might seem or as insignificant as something may seem, if you pay close enough attention, you will find a message in it; a message that is put in place to guide you on your divine path.

10. Surrender to divine timing because timing is everything. I finished writing this entire post and I could not think of a 10th point. But of course, even this point had to come at the right time. I was thinking of something and thought "everything happens in divine timing" and I realized that was it. We have gotten so used to chasing instant gratification, sometimes we forget all good things happen at the right time. My mom always says "time and tide waits for no man" and she is right because there are times when we need to take action, but I have also learned if something is destined for you, you will never miss the opportunity. Also realize, something can be right in front of you but you will not be allowed to see it until the universe is ready for you to see it because... like this section says... energy is powerful... the universe is powerful... god is powerful... love is powerful.

To illustrate some of what I talked about in this post, I thought I would share an experience. Not long ago I was faced with a situation where I pretty much had to walk into my own pyre. I knew if I took that step, I was going to get burned, but I also knew that step was divinely guided, so I did what I had to do, and sure enough... I was burned. I knew this was not meant to be a punishment but a part of my destiny I had to face, so I tried my best to walk into the fire in my highest self, and even when I was hurt, I tried my best to walk out of the fire in my higher self once again. At the time, I did not understand why the universe put me through that, but I tried not to beat myself up about it, I played my part and simply followed the path of God without expecting anything in return. It took me some time after that to tend to my wounds and come out of the darkness but then... as I'm starting to embrace the light again... out of nowhere... the universe surprised me in such a beautiful way... I didn't even think it was possible. Reflecting back on it now, the universe needed me to walk into that pyre to energetically burn away the bits of myself that were still holding me back, that way my energy was renewed and ready to receive what they had planned for me next. During this process, I had to follow my divine path, pay attention to universal signs, allow the energy to flow, face my shadows, be confident, be fearless, and of course, surrender to divine timing. And yes, I did get hurt along the way, but as the saying goes: "you can't have a rainbow without a little rain."

Buddha's Way: It's All About Balance

To end off I would like to explain why I chose Buddha as my avatar for this post. In Hinduism, some believe him to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, meaning he was a divine being brought on earth for a greater purpose, but to me, I like to think of him as a humble man who simply followed his higher self on his divine path to enlightenment. 10 years ago I learned of his teaching of the "middle path" or the "middle way" and since then I have tried to apply that teaching to every aspect of my life - now more than ever. I think it is the perfect compliment to navigating karma and the flow of energy because it keeps you from going from one extreme to the other when moving through energetic shifts; in other words, it helps to keep things balanced. If you're anything like me then perhaps you have a knack for being hard on yourself and giving into extreme behaviors - whether it's addictive behaviors, overly indulging behaviors, or overly restrictive behaviors. Following the middle way is highly beneficial in stabilizing these extreme behavioral patterns. The Buddhist concept of sati (awareness, mindfulness) also helps with this as it teaches you to be mindful of your experiences and emotions as you are going through these changes. It also helps to remind you to be empathic and mindful of others as they work through their energetic shifts.

If you read this far, thank you. I hope you enjoyed this read and took something constructive away from it. Life is a roller coaster but I'm learning to be grateful for every moment. It's funny looking back now, if I could tell my past self what was going to happen next, she wouldn't believe me, but I guess that's the beauty of life... which leads me to one last point and that is... to expect the unexpected. I was that girl who really thought she had it all figured out, but even I was a mere puppet to the power of the divine. Like the saying goes: "man plans, god laughs." Clearly, life was meant to surprise you, so you might as well let it... it's part of the soul's journey after all.

Peace and Love,

Vashti