A small story before the year turns
Before the year comes to a close, I want to share a small personal story: a reminder that even the tiniest, consciously set intentions can quietly shape Karma.
A few weeks ago, my sister asked for one of my Bīja mantra stones. These are small stones I usually leave somewhere in nature, trusting that their energy will support either the person who finds them or the place itself. I immediately knew which Bīja belonged to her: Dum.
Dum – the sound of protection and inner strength
Dum is the Bīja of Durga – the force that protects, that stands in the fire without being burned, that says: “This is my space, and I will not be diminished.” Dum carries the energy of protection, courage and grounded resilience. It reminds us that strength does not need to be loud to be real. Sometimes strength is simply not giving up. Sometimes it is saying no. Sometimes it is standing firmly in your own ground, even when no one sees the cost.
When I think of my sister, this is exactly what I see: a woman who holds her entire world together, often without anyone noticing.
Finding the right stone
But I didn’t want to engrave Dum onto just any stone. I wanted one that could carry a part of her path. So that same day, with the mantra already alive in my heart, I went into the nearby mountains to see if a stone would reveal itself.
And somehow, at an almost unreachable cliffside, I found a small semi-precious stone, simply lying there, as if it had been waiting. I know it didn’t arrive there naturally. Someone must have lost it long before I came along.
But that is what made the moment feel so meaningful: something forgotten by one person becomes a gift for another.
Coincidence or Karma
Call it coincidence. Call it Karma. Whatever name we give it, it shows how a positive inner orientation – even expressed through the smallest gestures – can ripple outward in ways we may never fully see.
As we step into the Year of the Fire Horse, this is my wish:
May you be protected. May you be healthy. And may you remember that you, too, are a source of energy that shapes the world long before you become aware of it.
Happy New Year – and may a gentle flame carry you through whatever comes next.
