When we have courage to love ourselves, that is the greatest bravery of all.
Karen Henry Daly
Each month, we share insights, inspiration, and all the ways the cycles of the Great Mandala uplift and support you. We draw upon the metaphors and messages of each season to explore and celebrate our individual and collective personal growth journeys.
Life goes in circles...all aspects of life...expansion, contraction, every part is equal, valued, necessary to be in balance...
The seasonal cycles play a significant role in our daily lives, influencing our moods, energy levels, and overall well-being. The annual and monthly Co-Creative Mandalas have a vibration that anchors, activates specific qualities, and represents something about the natural world and the energy in the universe at a particular time. The mandalas support aligning ourselves with the natural rhythms of the Great Mandala and enhance our sense of connection--within, with each other, and the world.
This time of year marks the opportunity for envisioning the future and for opening to how we want to feel throughout 2024--whatever our goals and intentions are.
This month's mandala is Courage.
Last month I blogged about the ways that Curiosity activates Wholeness. This month, we'll explore how Curiosity opens the pathway to the Courage that leads to inspired action.
Children are courageous – climbing without fear of falling; attempting new things without thinking about the consequences. Why is it that children take risks and dream big? They dream of going to the moon, being a movie star, or playing in a rock band, or being a superhero. In my wildest dreams, I wanted to be a trapeze artist--flying through the air with the greatest of ease. I believe children's imagination and courage don't have boundaries because they're rooted in joy. As Jack Kornfield, PhD., reminds us--the Spirit Child--is born in all of us. It's that part of ourselves that feels the joy, peace, and delight of Wholeness. This is our true nature, unlimited potential and unafraid.
We're not born afraid. However, life teaches us caution, and we begin to question ourselves in every situation.
As you move toward adulthood, --you may forget your Wholeness...but it's always there. You may move away from the joy, the wonder, the curiosity, the courage that you had as a child because our culture, our neurological wiring...is geared toward looking for what is scary. That's a good thing, biologically. It's one of the reasons we're still alive on the planet.
But it comes at a price.
We all have fears. To overcome them, we need courage. Courage is bold - courage doesn’t take no for an answer. Courage looks at our fears, and says “I understand the fear is there to protect me, but I won't let it limit my potential.” Courage is an element of joy.
No matter how it gets covered over, we can remember our Wholeness at any time and discover that joy is already present.
Just like fear, courage is a choice.
Curiosity, plus courage, leads to inspired action--the beginning of change.
It takes courage to dream, to play, and to create. It takes courage to give ourselves permission to see the joy, in the midst of it all---the suffering that's part of the human condition. It takes courage to remember your Wholeness.
It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.
e.e. cummings
This is my invitation: Stay with your experience...
Is it possible that the very barriers that get in your way of feeling whole...disappointment, anger, fear may be the things that reveal your Wholeness? Are you open to possibility that the truth of your being is hidden in your present experience...however disappointing or intense...even if you can't feel it or see?
We all forget Wholeness in the moment...particularly when we're in pain.
Courage reminds us that we can always begin again...in any moment...we can remember our Wholeness, the Divine is always present, even if we forget.
In Unfolding the Stone ethnobotanist and mystic Terence McKenna offers hope in the face of difficult circumstances:
Nature loves courage. You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up. This is the trick. This is what all these teachers and philosophers who really counted, who really touched the alchemical gold, this is what they understood. This is how magic is done. By hurling yourself into the abyss and discovering it's a feather bed.
My clients tell me that they feel called to pursue their dreams or be more creative, but there is something stopping them. Maybe it’s fear of judgment. Maybe it’s fear of criticism. Maybe it’s another fear altogether holding them back. No matter what happened in the past, we all deserve to feel love, see ourselves as truly brilliant, and have the courage to express our gifts and offer love to the rest of the world—without fear.
I'm always awestruck when my clients bravely take a step toward unlearning the belief that they aren't good enough, or they need to hide their brilliance, their unique beauty from the world. I love holding sacred space as they begin to trust themselves, their intuition, and their Wholeness, and discover they we are blessed with the goodness of their heart. They begin to intentionally look for moments of joy even in the midst of suffering.
They don't bypass by pretending to be happier than they really are, or deny or avoid their experiences. Instead they tell the truth about the present moment, whatever is happening, whatever the emotions, or the circumstances. This acceptance of what is opens a doorway to move through the suffering, being uplifted, trusting life, and seeing the light in everything, the beauty in and around themselves. They see through expansive lenses.
True courage is not blind stupidity. Stupidity, for example, is jumping off a diving board without first looking to see if there’s water in the pool. True courage means facing reality, and not wishing that inconvenient facts would somehow just disappear.
Swami Kriyananda Life's Little Secrets
It takes courage to nurture authenticity, learning and growth, to be brave enough to seek out experiences that might challenge or disrupt how we see the world. That might, temporarily, feel uncomfortable. We need to use ourselves as role models, each of us to own our own journey and be willing to be vulnerable and honest about where we have come from and where we are headed.
Trusting your goodness takes courage. It takes courage to know yourself. When you take the risk to sit with your Wholeness--all parts of yourself, with your eyes, heart, and mind wide open, you develop the awareness of yourself, your feelings, and your intuition. You start to trust something greater than yourself; the field of awareness where love and compassion grow from an expansive, peaceful, joyful heart. This is your true nature.
This Co-Creative Mandala--"Courage"--from a photo of crocus (symbolizes courage) is associated with the sacral, solar plexus, heart, and crown chakras. It reminds you to take a leap of faith. Take some risks. Face your fears. Step confidently into the unknown. Listen to your guidance. Drop into the unknown and trust.
Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.
Brene' Brown
Courage Exercise
Intention:
The real power of the exercise is the intention you place behind it. Start your day with gratitude and by setting the intention that you are dedicating time for self-care, and for remembering your Wholeness. Create a space in your experience into which the energy of Wholeness can emerge.
Why choose to Courage?
You haven't now or ever lost your Wholeness...you've simply forgotten.
Activating Wholeness within has special meaning at Co-Creative Mandalas. Our focus, and message, is on offering you support for remembering your Wholeness and coming to a deeper understanding of what is possible for you.
There are many methods, techniques, and teachings that support activating, remembering, awakening to Wholeness. Courage is curiosity in action.
There's a part of you within that knows the truth of your being, who remembers your Wholeness. When you regularly remember the peace of your true nature, no matter how much you forget, you are inherently activating your Wholeness.
Begin and end with compassion. Ironically, it's when we cultivate compassion towards the least "awake" parts of ourselves -- the parts that are the most stuck that the path to Wholeness opens up.
Revealing the heart of your true nature isn't the end of your journey, but the beginning of a new chapter. With Courage you step into the world, embracing the personal growth you have worked so hard to achieve--with renewed vigor and purpose.
Are you willing to open your heart to your true nature and remember your Wholeness? Then this three part Courage exercise is for you!
The Courage Exercise:
Allow yourself plenty of time to complete this exercise. You can use this exercise throughout the day and the weeks and months ahead. Remember, as you co-create this exercise, be gentle with yourself as you discover what nurtures and sustains you.
Before you begin the exercise:
There are two parts to this exercise. You'll need paper, pen, pencil, color crayons, colored pencils, and/or a journal. I invite you to write, draw, color, and/or create music that reflects your experiences as you complete each step.
Preparation:
Invest time toward moving into stillness.Create your sacred space. Light a candle. Create an altar that contains items that bring you joy, delight, and peace. Include items that reflect the season--evergreens, pine cones, crystals.
Take a few deep breaths to ground & center.
When you are ready, invite any subtle colleagues, allies, your guides and helpers to join you in your sacred space. Wait a moment for that connection and alliance to form.
Part 1: Power of Mandala Meditation
Incorporating mandala meditation into your routine gives added support to your Courage. Mandalas are sacred geometric patterns that can help focus the mind, induce a sense of calm, and unlock deeper levels of self-awareness.
Step 1: Sit comfortably, read and reflect on the Courage mandala, the description, and the message. Let your gaze fall gently on the mandala. Take a few moments to observe its intricate details and patterns. Then, gently close your eyes and bring the image to your mind's eye. As you visualize the mandala, allow your attention to rest on each shape and color, observing, without judgment, any thoughts, emotions, or sensations that arise. Use your breath as an anchor, returning to it whenever you find yourself getting distracted. It's okay to feel distracted--simply gently return your focus to your breath and to the mandala.
Step 2: Ask yourself: What message does the mandala have for me? What does it want me to know? How can I incorporate Courage into the mandala of my life?
Continue this practice for few minutes, gradually increasing the duration as you become more comfortable.
Step 3: Journal, draw, create music...about any thoughts, feelings, or insights you have.
Part 2: Courage Exercise: Mini Me, Big Me
Step 1--Create List 1: Allow your mind to bring to the surface whatever comes first. There are no right or wrong answers.
Imagine there is a small version of you.
Write down your answers to these questions:
1. When you're playing small, how do you feel?
2. What does being small feel like in your body?
3. How do you behave toward yourself?
4. How to do you see yourself? How do you feel about yourself?
5. What kind of people surround you?
6. What do you envision for have for your life?
Step 2--Create List 2: Allow your mind to bring to the surface whatever comes first. There are no right or wrong answers.
Imagine there is a big, expansive version of you.
Write down your answers to these questions:
1. When you're feeling big, expansive how do you feel?
2. What does being big feel like in your body?
3. How do you behave toward yourself?
4. How to do you see yourself? How do you feel about yourself?
5. What kind of people surround you?
6. What do you envision for your life?
Part 3: Inspired Action*
Keep Aristotle in mind when you complete this exercise. Remember his view that we become courageous by being courageous!
Design your own courage-building exercises by revisiting a life goal that is gathering dust.
When you bring a goal to mind, answer the following questions:
1. What is that unique brilliance hiding inside?
2. What can be multiplied and and magnified to generate a more inspired purpose? People? Attitude? Clarity?
3. Is fear holding you back?
4. How might you break down this goal into smaller steps, with each step requiring a progressively greater amount of courage?
Over the next days, weeks, and months ahead, be sure to journal about your progress toward reaching your goal. What did you learn about yourself? What surprised you? What delighted you?
My major focus in this blog, in my practice as a Transformational Coach, and in Co-creative Mandalas is on cultivating spiritual courage--for my clients and for myself. I support clients in creating a spiritual path and finding the courage to take brave steps in the world. This includes finding purpose and meaning through heart centered practices toward oneself, each other and the world. If
you’re curious about connecting more deeply with your Spirit Child--the source of goodness, joy, peace, and Wholeness, becoming more present to your life, and uncovering your authentic feelings…I think practices I share will be helpful for you! Contact me...I would love to co-create with you!
May you embrace the curiosity we all had as children and step bravely into new territory--inner and outer.
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