A Journey Into Joy
Step 10 — Week 3: The Return
Step 10 The Return With the “reward” in hand, it’s time to head home. But the journey isn’t over yet. It’s at this stage where we deal with the consequences of everything that has lead us to this point. The ordeal may have given us some version of success, but things have changed now. Perhaps some long-hidden, deeply repressed limiting beliefs or fears are sensing that we’re getting too close for comfort and they may put some added obstacles in our way. Whatever those are, we must face them before our journey is complete.
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 10–week 3: The Mandala Lady
I feel like I’ve picked up all the “tools” that I need to make the journey “home”. I have this sense that with each “tool” I’ve collected, the inner resistance has become stronger. The fear(s) and limiting beliefs part of me seems to be doing all it can to stop me…and worse, I’m heeding their calls.
The weird thing is…I know it’s up to me to take charge. I also know that if a friend were voicing their fears and limiting thoughts about their goals, I would be right there to help them face it and process through them. I need to be that same kind of friend to myself.
So what do I do now? The first thing that came to mind was to remind myself that “I’m in charge here!” … “I decide what we do and don’t do.” I was going to say I need to make that part of me stronger and take the lead but I realized that that isn’t a “part” of me, that _is_ ME…my true self.
If this were a movie, this would be the part where the hero has been beaten down, left by the roadside, about to give up…when some force, some spark gets lit…essentially the hero makes a decision to fight back…it’s really the only honest decision they can make. It’s at this point that they struggle to rise up, staring forward with an intense look of determination in their eyes. They start inching their way forward, slowly at first and then picking up speed, as they head towards their ultimate challenge: overcoming their biggest obstacle on their way to achieving their quest. Where am I in this story line? Right now I’m left by the roadside, waiting for that force or spark to ignite my inner Light. I know it’s just a simple decision yes or no decision away.
In other news…I had the opportunity to fill in at the Rasani Fair. Financially I’ve done much better in the past than I did this time…don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for the sales I did have and for meeting some amazing people. That being said, I only sold a couple of my mandala meditation stones. I’m so confused as to why they don’t sell well. I receive lots of compliments about them: “they’re so beautiful”, “these are gorgeous”, and so on. I also have them priced lower than probably what they should be for the amount of time it takes to create them. So what am I doing wrong here?
When I shared this with my brothers during our weekly zoom call, one of them said that if they’re not selling at the lower price points, then maybe I should price them a lot higher. I’m warming up to the idea. This where having a better marketing approach would be helpful. Time to ask that primary marketing question: what problem are they solving? Good question.
I did have a thought “pop” into my head about a week ago that suggested I start doing individual videos for my art and the stones as a way to tell their story. I’ve started some baby steps in that direction…I feel the resistance.
Ultimately, though, it’s up to me to convince the parts of me that are resisting, that they would be much happier daring to go along with my ideas (the quest) than staying in their little comfort zones (giving up).
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 