A Journey Into Joy
Step 4 — Week 5: 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 5: Play
Because some months give the allusion of an extra week, about 4 times this year I’ll be doing a “week 5” which for me is all about play. And having listened to a person of a certain age today talk about how he wished he had played more, I’m thinking I need to pay attention to that.
Interestingly enough, most of what I do as The Mandala Lady I consider as playing. Creating this week’s mandala was all ABOUT playing…I kept playing around with different colors and textures. Since I’m using the app Procreate to paint these, it gives me a lot more flexibility and more opportunities to be creative. It’s fun for me.
The downside to my form of playing is that I’m mostly alone when I do it. I can see where it would benefit me to play with others. Of late, though, I find it more difficult to be around other people. I’ve become pickier about how and with whom I spend my time…because most of the time I’m thinking about my next creative endeavor.
A couple of days ago while listening to a YouTube reading of the book Psycho-Cybernetics as I slept, I happened to catch a segment on alone-ness…about how some people would rather be alone than be around other people. It felt safer…safe from judgment, criticism, and negativity. So I checked the book out of our library. It’s definitely worth exploring further. I’ll use it as my guide as I continue on my journey into joy.
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 