A Journey Into Joy
Step 4 — Week 4: 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 4: My Purpose
Continuing with pursuing my “call”: to soar like the one I am meant to be, I’m looking into some form of guide to help me through my limiting beliefs (LBs) that keep me grounded. Just today I received a vital piece of insight from an unusual source: a news headline notification that popped up for about 3 seconds and then disappeared.
The headline stated how a person conceded to illegal activity because he feared the anger of an authority figure. It struck me like a shot to my chest and triggered memories of my childhood where the entire household tried to cope with an angry, rageful adult. I now believe that much of my LBs (PTSD?) stem from the constant rage and verbal abuse not just towards me but towards everyone. We all feared this person’s anger.
Now that I have this newly uncovered piece of information I feel I can use EFT (tapping) to help me process through the trauma still stored in my body…as well as working with my functional medicine doctor to help heal and release it.
Also this past week, I “happened” to see in a stack of free books, Pam Grout’s “E3”, in excellent condition. I knew it was meant for me. It was the first book I saw. I have her “E2” ebook but only read the first few pages…I haven’t felt inspired to continue it…until now.
Between the EFT, my FM Doctor, and E2/E3, I feel like I have a well-rounded approach to towards pursuing my purpose.
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.
Mandala of the Week 