"Holy Guano! It's the Bat Signal!"

"Karma's a bitch!"

C'mon, be honest, you've said it at some point in your life and, if you haven't uttered those words, you've heard them. Usually, when you say or hear the words, there is a tone of condescension or judgemental righteousness attached to the tone of the voice, usually accompanied by a smirk and a shake of the head. Then, the person saying. "Karma's a bitch." feels a certain puffiness of pride in knowing that, "Hey, it's your ass, not mine... what comes around goes around."

There is a lot of truth in everything I just penned... or typed... and every single person on this planet is guilty of that puffiness. Those in humid climates are puffed up even more (it's a lame joke... just go with it).

Normally, I'd launch an unfounded argument based upon people's loss of self-awareness, pride, over-reliance upon religion or politics or a simple uncaring attitude towards life.

Instead, I'm directed to launch an argument regarding each of the above subjects that is completely founded upon my knowledge and understanding of Karma, the One who doles that 'bitch' out, and what one can expect from the 'bitch..' In addition, I'll put a few minds at ease since there are many who believe that certain thoughts or actions, even lack of actions, relegate them to a life of bad luck (no such thing), retribution or future payback.

I've not regaled anyone but my wife with the details of what I'm about to put forth. It gets quite deep. Not that you, the reader, is incapable of following... not at all. I do not mean to imply that that is the case. The details that I am putting forth to you were presented to me both as symbolism and word.

Let me explain.... As you may or may not know, I practice Shamanism. One of the aspects of Shamanism is the gift of journeying to realms that contain Divine Beings. Here's a side note... all of these realms exist in the same reality (realm) in which we all reside. Do a little quick study in Quantum Physics (hint).

In any case, during one of my Shamanic journeys, I encountered a Divine being. He was imposing and held in his hands a rather large clear, round crystal. I had no idea who this being was, so, duh, I asked. His name was Zadkiel. The crystal that he held in his hands was my 'Book of Life'... every thought, every action, every intention... in a crystal orb smaller than a basketball. Apparently, every soul, on this planet or otherwise (another journey) has an orb like this one.

Now, I'm no authority on angels. I had never heard of Zadkiel although having lived my entire life (until about seven years ago) in the grasp of the Methodist church. As it turns out, Zadkiel and his legions (multitude, homies), are the keepers of that Book (orb) of Life He assigns Karma, which is the end result of an intentional act or thought, good or bad, and in effect routes the soul towards reincarnation or ascension when the energy within us (the soul) leaves the shell of the body.

To get to the point of the blog post a little more quickly, I'll speed through my own journey. I was standing on railroad tracks. Behind me, at a distance, a light was slowly approaching. I was told to run... not towards the light, but away from the light. The light was a symbol of bad Karma that I'd already overcome in both this life and lives past. The message was to keep moving forward, living and acting by the light of the Divine. If I didn't move forward, I'd only be run down by that Karma once again.

It was a powerful message. It was a message to me to do what I know is right, right now, by looking within, listening and using intuition, which is nothing more than that voice of the Divine. Sometimes, it's a whisper, sometimes it's a steam whistle.

And then, today happened. I was told that my stepdaughter was very upset. My stepdaughter is an old soul, a junior in college. However, even as a young adult, she is very connected to this grand Universe. During an early Shamanic journey, at her request, I discovered that one of her spirit animals is a bat. Yeah, we thought it was funny...

Today, she sent a picture of a bat that had found it's way into her apartment and was hanging from the ceiling in true, bat-fashion. Odd, for a bat, to not place itself in a darkened place during broad daylight. Odder still, that the bat found her.

The bat, as a spirit guide, is a very powerful and inspiring creature. If one who is listening to inner self sees a bat, one of the messages is that it is a time of transition and that a spiritual awakening is underway. My stepdaughter knew this.

Yet, she didn't know what to do or how to take the bat away from her apartment. She did say it was cute and fuzzy... :-)
So, as can be expected, she called the building maintenance department.

Here it comes...

In walks maintenance. I picture the 'Booker' character from the TV show 'Good Times' with an apprentice. They have a cardboard box. I suppose the plan is to scrape the bat from its perch and quickly capture it in the cardboard box... imagine the gift-wrapped cat in National Lampoon's "Christmas Vacation."

Kelsey, my stepkid, says, "Don't kill it, just let it free."
In response, Booker the janitor, says to his apprentice, "Hear that, Billy? She said, "Don't kill it."

In response, Booker and Billy laugh, carry the bat in the box out of the apartment and do whatever they think that they should do with a rogue bat.

Kelsey was upset, thinking that she would incur the wrath of the bat, or the Universe, or bad Karma, for having it taken away. Makes sense... she thought that she had condemned the bat to death.

Nay. She didn't condemn the bat to die, if indeed that is what Booker and his cohort had planned for the creature. She received the message that was sent to her in a way most would not notice. She became more connected to her inner self, the Divine within her, as a result of the presence of a creature that shares the energy that is part of everything that exists.

Booker and his apprentice, who had no compassion or insight, are the individuals who are the ones who should, and will, be upset.
The purposely intentioned killing or harming of another soul, human or otherwise, with malice, glee or human sense of authority is a Karmic no-no.

Zadkiel surely held two cloudy crystal orbs today and placed a train directly behind two maintenance dudes with no connection to who they are and what they are a part of.

He then held a nearly clear crystal belonging to a young woman who stepped further into the Light of Being by becoming aware that the creature she once feared sacrificed itself for her betterment and the better good of the world that awaits her arrival.

Life's a bitch, Booker.

Namaste,Kelsey.

Namaste and Peace.