24-32 The Ordeal #1

A Journey Into Joy
Step 8 — Week 1: The Ordeal

Step 8 The Ordeal This marks the greatest test thus far. We may face a major hurdle or obstacle which causes us to hit rock bottom. It’s a pivotal moment in our journey. It’s time to face our greatest fear, it’s time to overcome our weaknesses and step into the title of hero.

Translating this to our journey into joy, this is the moment where we go into the “belly of the beast” of that which is blocking our joy, to face it directly, and challenge its hold on our joy. We have the skills, we know what to do, now is the time to put it all into action…it’s time to put down the self-help books and apply what we’ve learned.

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 8–week 1: Health

Last month I determined that I wanted to focus on how I want to feel with regard to my health: confident, strong, and light. I’d like to add to it how I want to feel about my body…mainly gratitude. I also learned of this mantra last month however I have yet to use it so it’s time to make it more prominently available. It also seems appropriate for this month’s step.

“I know what I want to do and what needs to be done. I am ready to take the next steps, even if I make a mistake. I know I will be given what I need to succeed.”

Physically, I’m walking 1.5 miles at least 6-7 days a week. I have yet to incorporate a stretching and weight resistance regimen. My right foot is still bothering me, although it’s feeling better since last week’s massage session. Time to “step up” my game and do the stretching and weights.

In the last few days, three other approaches have come to light:

1. Listening to one of Martha Beck’s recent podcasts, “The Gathering Room”, she mentioned and recommended the book “Self Therapy” by Jay Earley, PhD which offers a self-guided approach to IFS (Internal Family Systems). It’s about healing our inner child and the parts that have separated from the Self. I’m liking the book so far especially the idea of “parts” because I often hear myself saying “part of me wants to be healthy” and yet another “part of me wants to devour bags of potato chips”. I completed the first exercise…so I feel good about that.
2. Another podcaster I follow, Dr. Russell Kennedy also known as the Anxiety MD, has intrigued me with the basis of his work…that our anxiety is caused by our separation from our child self. He also has a self-study program, MBRX, that helps heal this separation. I’ve watch the first couple of lessons. The next one is where we get to start doing the actual work.
3. I’ve talked about using EFT (Tapping) before and how I have yet to really apply it. Well today I chatted with a dear friend I haven’t seen in a long while only to find out that she is newly certified in EFT and GoE Modern Energy Tapping. I asked her “how does one do EFT when there’s resistance to doing it even though one knows that doing EFT does help?” Her reply changed everything for me. She said “do the tapping without the words…determine your number and then just start tapping”. Right there on the spot, she took me through a round of slow and gentle tapping. In that moment I had been at an 8. By the time we completed around I was down to a 2. It worked. This feels like a positive game changer for me.

So now the journey into “The Ordeal” begins with regards to my health. I feel good about these three added tools. And as it turns out, the “belly of the beast” is really about going deep within to reconnect with my Inner Child, who may seem to behave like a beast but in reality is seriously hurting. It’s time to rescue her from the hell she’s been stuck in for far too long.

That’s it for now,

Maureen
The Mandala Lady

bringing sanity to an insane world through 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.