16-07: Time After Time

Time After Time

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“A Course in Miracles” offers us one of my favorite quotes “time is an illusion.” From Albert Einstein he states: “The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.” And from Steve Jobs we have “My favorite things in life don’t cost any money. It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.”

We do all kinds of things with time: waste it, have fun with it, dread it, anticipate it, it’s good, it’s bad. Over time, if we live long enough and are observant, we see patterns repeating themselves; patterns within ourselves, our family history, in those around us, and throughout our world’s history.

This Week…

Go back in our own personal history to see if we notice any patterns in attitudes, behaviors, thoughts that have either stayed the same, become worse, or have improved. Honor and acknowledge all of them. At some point in time they have all served us well and for a purpose.

Notice, too, that often times what looks like a repeated pattern or going in circles, is more like a spiral. We may think we’re back where we started from but in reality we are experiencing the same thing from a higher perspective which allows us to peel back yet another layer of understanding about ourselves and the world around us.

Become Worse

In those areas where things seem worse, explore and examine how and why that happened. Consciously, and without judgement, choose to keep it the way it is, to make it even worse, or to improve it. What, if anything, can be done to support this choice and to maintain it?

Stayed the Same

In those areas where things have stayed the same, explore and examine if this is just a plateau or if it’s a case of being fearful of moving forward. Consciously, and without judgement, choose to keep it the way it is, to make it even worse, or to improve it. What, if anything, can be done to support this choice and to maintain it?

Have Improved

In those areas where thing have improved, honor and celebrate them! It’s okay to be proud of our progress. Often times we forget to look back or, because the change is so subtle, it’s hardly noticeable. And like the previous options, consciously, and without judgement, choose to keep it the way it is, to reverse, or to improve it even more. What, if anything, can be done to support this choice and to maintain it?

As we color/paint this week’s mandala, feel free to express any one or all of these options within each of the repeated sections of the spiraling pattern.

Happy Coloring!

joyfully,

Maureen
The Mandala Lady