24-15 The Guide #2

The Mandala Lady,

A Journey Into Joy
Step 4 — Week 2: The Guide

Step 4 encourages us to find a guide/mentor or something (externally or internally) to help us overcome/heal/process the root cause(s) of our refusal (step 3) so that we can turn towards the call (step 2) rather than continue to turn away from it.

With this step, it’s time to seek guidance and/or take a deeper look within to help clear the fears, disbeliefs, apparent inadequacies, or plain ole unwillingness to make the sacrifices so that we can answer the call…as it relates to the areas of our life that are calling us to action (work, health, relationships, personal, leisure, play, and so on).

For me I plan to continue with the areas covered in the weeks of Step 1 (health, home, The Mandala Lady, and my purpose).

To join in on the journey, visit the MandalaoftheMonth.com to download the mandala to color and learn more about this step.

Here’s my journal entry for step 4–week 2: Home

I’ve tried many approaches to organizing, cleaning, and decluttering my home…to no real avail. The issues are with ME — NOT with the systems I’ve tried. Just as I’ve tried and “failed” at least 5 different food plans to bring my weight down, I seem to have a similar issue with my home. That’s an interesting bit of news to me. Huh.

Cleaning and decluttering are the two main areas where I struggle…which is basically _everything_ when it comes to maintaining a home, isn’t it? I desperately need help with both. For the most part I know what needs to be done…I just resist doing them or doing them consistently. So, like my health, I need a mindset upgrade.

One change I made recently seems to be working as far as decluttering goes: only declutter one _small_ area a day. For instance, yesterday I picked one kitchen cabinet to declutter & clean. I think it took about 20 minutes. Voila! I’m actually happy to open that cabinet now.

I used to do timed decluttering (5-10 minutes a pop) which worked to some degree however I didn’t always finish the area “in time”. By going with an “area” system that I can do in under 30 minutes, it feels more complete.

Just like with my health, I can see where doing EFT (tapping) could help me process through my resistance and improve my mindset.

Looking at all of this from an observer point of view, it seem odd to me that I resist taking better care of my home. Each time I declutter/clean an area, I feel good about the space and about myself. Why wouldn’t I want that ALL THE TIME??? Good question. This seems like a great place to start digging deeper.

That’s it for now,

Maureen
The Mandala Lady

inspiring and encouraging creativity, curiosity, and play through the art of mandalas

ABOUT “A JOURNEY INTO JOY”

With all the anxiety and stress in the world right now, focusing on joy may seem a bit counterintuitive. Mais contraire mes amis. We actually need more joy in our lives…now more than ever. And it starts within each of us. It’s been my experience that when in that higher vibrational state of joy, it helps raise the vibration of those around us as well. 

Brené Brown defines joy as “an intense feeling of deep spiritual connection, pleasure, and appreciation”. Of late, I mostly experience only moments of happiness and on a rare occasion, joy…thus my desire to journey into joy.

My quest throughout this year is to explore, experience, and express this state in a variety of ways, including following a variation of the hero’s journey, as professed by Jospeh Campbell.

Care to join me? Here’s how…

MandalaoftheMonth.com: On the first of the month, I’ll create and post a mandala for coloring. Each month we’ll take another step along the “journey into joy” by following a modified version Joseph Campbell’s a hero’s journey. Included in each step will be a description of the step and prompts for coloring and/or journaling for the month. You’re welcome to color them as well…they’re free to download.

MandalaoftheWeek.com: Each Monday I’ll be posting my coloring of that month’s Mandala of the Month, which will produce 4-5 colorings of that design. With each one, I intend to dig deeper into the message of that month’s mandala. You’re welcome to color along as well.

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Published by The Mandala Lady

My Mission: connecting with our Inner Light in delightful, inspiring ways For me, creating mandalas is more than just coloring pretty patterns in a circle. I do it because my spiritual evolution and creativity require it of me. My mandala designs come about within an active meditative state, connected with my higher self, my spiritual guides and nature spirits. Together, we bring into form, mandala art the allows me to re-connect with my own inner peace and joy, letting me explore and expand my own creative spirit to however far and in whatever direction I want to take it. As part of my own spiritual journey, I encourage, and hopefully inspire, others to explore their own creativity, to help them re-connect with their own inner peace and joy. As a means to that end, I make all of my mandalas available for people to color. Why should I have all the fun?

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