A Journey Into Joy
Step 11 — Week 1: The Final Exam
Step 11 The Final Exam Now comes the true climax of the journey…the final test, when everything is at stake: the final chance for “evil” (fears, limiting beliefs, etc) to triumph. We are also at the peak of our powers. Joy is within sight…should we succeed. We must draw on everything we have learned and prove once and for all that we have truly internalized the lessons of our quest.
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 11–week 1: Health
I’ve come to realize—and I guess accept—that the issues regarding my overall health and well-being come mainly from my wounded internal dialogue and my deep-rooted beliefs (or lack thereof) about my self, my worth, and what I’m capable of accomplishing.
In participating in a recent online class looking a money and worth issues, we did this exercise that revealed to me that I’ve been letting my much-younger wounded self take charge of things in my life that are beyond what she or anyone else her age can or should handle.
For instance, when a well-adjusted adult knows that there’s ice cream in the freezer, it could probably sit there for days or even weeks without being touched. But if a five yo knows there’s ice cream in the freezer, and no adults are around, I’m sorry but she’s going to polish off as much as she can in one sitting before any adults show up. This is what I’ve come to realize…I’ve been putting my five yo self in charge of my food intake. Rut Roh!
Now that I know this, it’s time to connect with that part of me and do all that I can to listen to her and help her heal. I can use the Internal Family System (IFS) workbook that I bought to help me with the conversation. I’m also getting the hit that doing a “Doodle Mandala Meditation” would help with this…besides most five yo’s LOVE to color.
Along with the food issues, there are the issues with sporadic exercise, anger, and my constant anxiety (hyper-vigilance). Over the next couple of weeks I plan to connect with and heal those parts that have been affecting my body’s health issues (weight, BP, and stress).
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.
Mandala of the Week 