A Journey Into Joy
Step 7 — Week 5: The Approach
Step 7 The Approach Time to approach a “dangerous” place. In an adventure movie this is usually an impending big battle. For me/us, it’s more like a mental barrier. In essence, the approach is marked by a setback of some kind. It becomes a lesson in persistence, where we must cope with failure, change our mindset, and/or try new ideas.
This step is about the approach itself, where we must navigate to get closer to our ultimate goal. The stakes are rising, and failure is no longer an option. Well…that’s a bit over the top…but you get the picture.
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 and learn more about this step.
Here’s my journal entry for Step-7 Week 5: Play
I rarely get to “week 5” with any step because it’s seldom that it works out that way. Step 1 was the last (and only) time I’ve written about this topic: Play.
The idea of play is coming up more often for me of late. At my last appointment with Dr. Ben, I realized that even with I’m coloring/painting mandalas, I seldom see it as play…I take my mandala art quite seriously…which is okay and yet how much more creative would I be if I let it be a playful experience?
So with this week’s mandala coloring, I selected daisy-like colors since for me they represent unconditional love and they always seem so playful. I went with the attitude of playing vs “painting”…and I have to say, I like the result. It feels so much lighter than the last several MotWs.
I’ve also been playing with wire wrapping my mandala meditation stones along with taking a more playful approach to painting them. More of that please! On my daily walks I keep finding these cute stones that seem to cry out to me: pick me, paint me! How can I resist?
Recently someone commented on my painted stones and called me “the make-up artist for stones”…I LOVE that! I’m going to use that in my promotions.
I would love to do more plays…still waiting to find one that would work for me. Gerry and I are thinking about some singing at some upcoming open mics. I would love that. Right now I’m prepping for a fair in a couple of days. But after that I’ll make it a point to pursue it.
That’s it for now,
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
bringing sanity to an insane world 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 