Stop Blaming the Cosmos: Taking Responsibility for Your Energy and Behaviors

Over the last few years, I’ve noticed a common pattern in spiritual conversations. Where many seem to look to what is happening in the cosmos to help explain what we are feeling or experiencing. The full moon, the new moon, solar flares, the Schumann Resonance, Mercury retrograde, energetic portals, and frequency shifts have become a part of our spiritual language of influence and excuse.

Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being aware of these cycles or working with them spiritually. I personally love watching the moon, paying attention to the rhythms of nature, and noticing how different times and seasons may affect us. If you use the lunar cycle as a time for reflection, meditation, intention-setting, or releasing old patterns, that can be a beautiful and meaningful practice. But I think there’s an important distinction we need to make; there is a difference between being aware of these influences and using them as an excuse or a scapegoat for responsibility. For example, you have a terrible night of sleep and the first thing you do is get online to see if there was a full moon or a Schumann Resonance spike. Maybe there was, but maybe you were also stressed, had too much caffeine, were worried about something, or simply had one of those nights when your mind refused to quiet down. Sometimes the explanation is much more ordinary than we want it to be. Let alone you can’t trust the internet and will find five different “spiritual” people sharing completely different information. And of course, we choose the one that fits the best for our situation.

The same thing can happen with emotions and energy levels. If we suddenly feel angry, it might be helpful to ask whether something in the moment hurt us, whether an old wound was touched, or whether an emotion needs attention. Sometimes anger is not random; it may be pointing us toward a boundary, a need, or something we have not fully processed yet. If we suddenly feel energized, it might also be worth noticing whether we slept well, felt inspired, had a meaningful conversation, or are simply having a good day. Looking at these everyday possibilities does not make the experience less spiritual. It simply helps us stay curious about ourselves instead of immediately placing the cause outside of ourselves.

Not everything needs a cosmic explanation or supernatural justification.

And I think this is where we need to be a little more discerning in the spiritual community. We can become so focused on what is happening out there that we forget to pay attention to what is happening or not happening within us. A new moon doesn’t automatically give you a fresh start. A solar flare doesn’t give you an agitated demeanor and a change in the Schumann Resonance doesn’t mean everyone on the planet has just received a massive spiritual download or shake up. In most cases those readings do nothing in any of influence on our body and those that come from “spiritual” teachers do not even compare to the real readings given by N.O.A.A.. Most are just interpretations of the frequencies and not actual scientific readings of the data.

This is also why I have a hard time with the idea that we should use an energetic event to excuse our behavior. I’ve heard people say things like, “I am feeling depressed and uneasy with spike in the earths energy” and “Please forgive me in advance for anything I do during Mercury retrograde.” We laugh about it, but there is something underneath those statements worth examining. If we blame our reactions, our emotions, or our choices on whatever energetic event is happening that week, we’ve handed over a little bit of our personal responsibility and even some of our power. And spirituality, at least the kind that I want to practice, should make us feel more empowered, not less. Of course, outside influences can affect us. Weather affects our moods. Seasons affect our routines. Lack of sleep affects our patience. Stress affects our nervous system. A difficult conversation can stay with us for hours or even days. We are constantly responding to the world around us and there is nothing nonspiritual about acknowledging it for what it is, a normal experience. We have forgotten to be human and all the experiences that come along with it.

I love the idea of working with the natural rhythms around us. I love the symbolism of the moon, the opportunity to pause and reflect, and the idea of using these cycles as invitations to go inward. But I don’t want to become so dependent on them that I forget that I have the ability to choose, change, heal, and grow at any time. If you believe you can only release something during a full moon, what happens during the rest of the month? If you believe you can only begin again during a new moon, what happens when you decide you’re ready to begin today? The universe can offer us beautiful opportunities for reflection, but we still have to walk our own path. So, yes, pay attention to the moon. Watch the skies. Be curious about solar activity. Explore the spiritual practices that resonate with you. If you notice something during a particular energetic period, by all means, explore it. Ask yourself what it might be showing you and whether there is something within you that is ready to be understood, released, or transformed.

You can feel affected by something without allowing it to determine what you do next. You can notice that you feel different around a full moon without deciding that the moon is responsible for your behavior. You can work with energetic practices without waiting for the universe to provide the next breakthrough, download, or upgrade. There’s a powerful difference between working with the universe and waiting for the universe to do something to you. Just don’t give your power away in the process. You are not a victim of the moon, the planets, solar flares, energetic portals, or whatever energetic event happens to be trending this week. You are an empowered being, and your spiritual growth is ultimately your responsibility.

The universe can absolutely be part of your spiritual journey. It can inspire you, reflect things back to you, and give you beautiful moments to pause, listen, and go deeper within yourself. But it doesn’t have to become the author of your choices or a scapegoat for mistakes. And perhaps that is the real invitation, to look up at the stars with wonder while remembering that you are still the one walking your path. Where the movement of planets can remind us that we are humans experiencing a human experience. That the earth has always been resonating and people are still living normal lives or how the sun has flared for millions of years and humanity hasn’t gone fully crazy yet. 

The power isn’t somewhere out there.

The power is within you.