Manifestation: 5 Vedic Insights
Becoming the vessel: Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita. By Komal Dadlani
Last year was one of my toughest! I spent 50% of my time cancelling, re planning, re-strategising and re-assessing plan A, into plan B, C, and D. By the year end, I joked around with my students I was now executing plan F!
Half of my workshops, classes, retreats and ideas that I had comfortably leaned into being a sell out during previous years, didn’t sell! Yes, I visualised, journaled, embodied, meditated, practiced superimposition, did yoga and what not! But Mr. Universe chose to have it differently with me in 2025.
Makes you tremble inside, especially after teaching and practicing yoga for half your life – and question yourself to your core! Was I ‘manifesting’ wrongly? Tuning-in wrongly? When a child asks a parent for something, does the parent decline on the basis of the child not vision boarding it correctly? How much can we truly manifest in our lives? How much of the fruit of our actions are we in ‘control’ of?
Krishna, the ‘author’ of the Bhagavad Gita, would say none — “mā phaleshu” — not the fruits he would say…you have zero control of the results of your actions (neither should they be your motivation “mā karma phala hetuh būh”).
Instead, direct your attention towards the quality of the action, not its results — “karmani eva adhikhāra te” (B.Gita - Verse 47, Chapter 2). Really? Wait! What about manifestation?
5 VEDIC INSIGHTS
Come the new year and resolutions take over of every social media post and group chat, with self-growth books and vision boards marking the start of the ‘manifestation hype’. But how much can we truly do…and what is the interconnection between our desires, manifestation, karma and destiny? Here are five Vedic insights that have helped me re-define my relationship with manifestation and remain excited about creating and visualising a thriving life-plan, never minding whether my plans go to plan!
1. Embrace your karmic field
First of all, we can only ever manifest that which is within the scope of our karmic field. The word ‘karma’ is commonly misunderstood as a bad thing and the source of all our troubles. “I have bad karma!” says someone who is ill, or has just lost their job. Truly, the word ‘karma’ plainly alludes to action, and refers to the collective vibratory field that lingers on, as a consequence of every action you have committed in this and in previous lives — in thought, word and deed…the ‘after-taste’ of all intent.
To truly manifest something, it must be in resonance with your karmic field. Sometimes you might be playing the part and embodying the feeling of your ‘future self’, but is it in resonance with your karma? There might be some karmic lessons to work through before you evolve into your future vision. If you have to cancel, re-assess, re-strategise or harshly be manoeuvred onto unknown territory, that is karma benevolently recalibrating your field and we must faithfully embrace it.
2. Align to the collective
The fruition of your dreams needs to be aligned to the collective field; but also to the welfare of those around you. Actions that disregard consequences or might provoke loss or injury to others are of low vibratory nature (“yat tat tāmasam uchyate”) and aren’t supported by the strength of the Divine to manifest. So if you are aiming to lead in market share, but that will cause the competition’s CEO to be fired; or you are raising tariffs at the demise of neighbouring countries, that’s not going to go down well for you in the long run!
Actions propelled by greed (“kāma īpsūna karma”), in arrogance (“sa-ahankārana”) and at the expense of unease and stress of the collective whole (“kriyate bahula āyāsam”) are also of low vibratory nature (“tat rājasam udhāritam”). Whereas actions that are done honouring the good of all, whose ethics are aligned with the scriptures are of a higher vibration (“sāttvikam”) and likelier to manifest (Chapter 18, Verses 23-25).
Going back to our example: aim to lead in market share because your product will lower carbon footprint and the competition might have to level up and do the same as a result, the chances are the Universe will support your cause. Sometimes we are not aware our intentions conflict with the welfare of the collective, until the universe signals with a little plot-twist. Observe and re-route in alignment of the greater good.
3. The ‘win’ is who you become
The goal and the vision you set yourself to manifest might be the seed through which the Divine guides you onto a certain path – and the ‘win’ it hopes and wishes for you, resides on who you are becoming as you exert towards your vision and not in your arrival. Paraphrasing back to Krishna’s words on Chapter 2, Verse 47: dedicate yourself to the quality and the energy you invest onto the action (therein lie your earnings, not in the fruits). Our visions could be the seeds that lead us to wins that are far greater and nourishing than the ones we set.
Back to Krishna’s words again: never let yourself be disheartened by things turning out differently to your expectations. Try again…and different iterations. “Never let thy attachment (to how you want it to ‘turn out’) be the cause of inaction” he says. Truly, we limit the realm of abundance when we are so set on our expectations. Last year, I led a yoga retreat with only five sign-ups (unheard of!), but the open-heartedness of the venue’s owner (who was willing to host it anyway) and the depth of the connection meant I was able to share with each one of the attendees— it was just the medicine I needed to expand my heart at a time of great need.
“Truly, we limit the realm of abundance when we are so set on our expectations.”
4. Reframe failure
There is no greater success and by-product to your creative efforts than the conquest of even-mindedness and equanimity (“samatvam”). In the eyes of the Divine, contentment amidst ‘failure’, rejoicing in your ‘inner growth’, while remaining equipoised amidst external success, praise and fame is the highest of all skills and the truest embodiment of yoga. Remaining ‘skilful in action’ is yoga, says Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita (“yogah karmasu kaushalam”)…being utterly and passionately involved, yet utterly detached from your expectations, willing to flow with the Will of the Divine, to the extent you are undisturbed by whether you get what you want or not; and are free from anxiety. All is equal to you. A feeling that stems from the knowing that your true worth lies in the eternity and wholesomeness of your soul (“atman”), and not on whether your vision board comes to life, is the highest of all attainments and true yoga. “Na inam chidanti shastrani” says Krishna: nothing can diminish your worth. Immerse yourself in life playfully – (Verses 23, 48-50, Chapter 2).
5. Step aside for the Divine to step in
“Inaction in action”, in Krishna’s words. Let loose a little and let yourself be led. Things can also work out if you let them work out by themselves. Not to be confused with laziness, nor apathy, but stepping away, taking a pause. Also, “action in inaction” can be more effective than micromanaging, obsessing, and pressuring yourself and people around you for things to happen or respond in a specific away. Sometimes your fixation with Plan A blocks the abundance of Plan B. It is also a reminder that we are vessels and that we excel at doership (being a doer) when we channel rather than impose (Chapter 4, Verse 18).
“Those who see action in inaction, and inaction in action, are truly wise
amongst humans. They perform all actions, are true yogis, and excel at all
actions” – Chapter 4, Verse 18
Find Komal Dalani on IG @komi_yoga or get in touch directly:
komal@omhathayoga.com
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