As the year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting once again on how nature’s cycles—like the quiet return of light after the winter solstice—mirror our own journeys through darkness, transformation, and renewal. They remind us that even the hardest struggles, though they may cut deeply, can lead to growth and balance if we embrace the lessons within them.
This year has undeniably felt like a reckoning—something especially evident to anyone who’s been following the news. Around this time last year, I shared a reflection via social media that 2024 would likely be a year of deep confrontation—a time when many of us would be called to face the truths we’d rather avoid, take responsibility for our choices, and address the unresolved pain we carry. That prediction has proven true in ways that have exceeded even the usual challenges of a passing year.
For some, this year has been a time of profound transformation—a season of breaking through old patterns and stepping into something new. For others, it has been a year of resistance, clinging to the familiar, even when it no longer serves. I’ve watched—nay, observed—it unfold in the patterns of those around me: in my daily life, across social media, and in the news. In one way or another, we’ve all found ourselves on one path or the other. Both paths, though different, hold their own truths and lessons.
Karma, as I’ve come to understand it over the years, isn’t about punishment or retribution—though it’s often misunderstood as such, especially when the word is so carelessly thrown around (as so many concepts and ideas are these days). At its core, karma is about balance, cause and effect, and alignment. What we plant in the soil of our lives—whether seeds of love, humility, and patience, or fear, pride, and avoidance—inevitably grows into the reality we experience.
In short, 2024 has been a stark reminder of that truth—a nudge (or perhaps a push) to remove our blindfolds and rose-colored glasses, to take an honest and unflinching inventory of how we show up—for ourselves, for others, and for life itself.
Growth, by its nature, asks much of us. It requires courage: the courage to face our shadows, let go of identities that no longer fit, and break free from the comfort and confines of old habits. It asks us to feel deeply, even when it hurts. To crack open, even when we’d rather stay closed. Growth is rarely clean or easy—it’s messy, uncomfortable, and at times exhausting. But in the end, it’s worth it. Every small step forward, every lesson learned, is a move toward freedom, clarity, and becoming the person we were meant to be.
And now, as we prepare to turn the page on this year, I sense a shift. The year of reckoning—of karma—may be giving way to something gentler, a year of windfall for those who have leaned into the hard work of growth, healing, and self-honesty. For them, this next chapter seems to hold the promise of clarity, abundance, and blessings. For those who have resisted, however, the lessons are likely to persist—perhaps in ways even more unrelenting and difficult. Nature’s cycles are impartial, always reflecting back what we have sown.
It’s easy to feel hopeless in the midst of struggle. When the days are dark, it can seem like the light will never return. But the solstice teaches us otherwise. Even in the darkest moment, the light is already on its way back. From here, it only grows stronger. Progress may feel slow or invisible at times, but it is steady and inevitable.
This is a moment to honor your journey—whether you’ve been navigating the challenges of karma or receiving the blessings it bestows. Either way, it has taken immense courage to keep going. To wake up each day, carry the weight of your struggles, and still move forward is no small thing. It requires a strength you may not even realize you’ve built—a strength forged in the fire of adversity, patience, and persistence.
Every challenge you’ve faced, no matter how painful or overwhelming, has taught you something essential. It has stripped away what no longer serves, tested your resilience, and revealed depths of courage you may not have known you possessed. And even if it feels like you’ve stumbled more than you’ve stood, know that every misstep has also been a teacher, guiding you toward clarity and growth. The wisdom you’ve gained along the way is not just about surviving—it’s about learning to thrive.
None of it has been in vain. The hardships, the heartbreaks, the moments of doubt and exhaustion—they’ve all shaped your transformation. Like the seasons of nature, your life has been a cycle of death and rebirth, pruning away what is no longer alive within you to make room for new growth. Every act of bravery, no matter how small, has carried you closer to the person you’re becoming. You’ve been planting seeds, even when it felt like nothing would ever grow.
Now, as the light begins its slow return, this is your time to take stock not only of what you’ve endured but also of what you’ve become. Look back with compassion on all that you’ve carried, and let yourself feel the full measure of your strength. Growth is never easy, but it is always worth it. Trust that every step you’ve taken has prepared you for the blessings that lie ahead.
As the light returns, so too does the chance for renewal. This is an opportunity to align more deeply with the person you are becoming, to let go of what no longer serves you, and to open yourself to the beauty waiting on the horizon. Trust in the work you’ve done. Trust in the growth you’ve fought for. Trust that the light ahead is more radiant than you can yet imagine.
Let us move forward with gratitude—for the lessons, the growth, and the chance to begin anew. Let us release the fear, pride, and heaviness that hold us back.
The light is returning. In fact, it’s already here.
The Twin Tree Project 