The second definition of “wellspring” on dictionary.com states:
“a source or supply of anything, esp.
when considered inexhaustible…”
It is this definition of which this mandala speaks. We are the source of all that we need. I know…very new agey…and yet very true.
I recently read that we are a consumer-based society…consume…consume…consume. And why are we consuming so much only to consume even more? Just yesterday I caught myself eating for the sake of eating, without even being hungry. I continued to eat anyway…my reasoning? because I wanted to. Now is this the voice of a mature adult or a three-year old? Hmm?
Consuming goes beyond just food…it encompasses everything: clothes, cars, toys, shoes, etc. Why do I feel the need to buy more clothes when in my closet I have perfectly fine clothes to wear…granted with all the eating lately, some of them fail to fit me any more.
I’ll tell you why…because I (we) believe it will make me (us) happy…I’ll feel better wearing a pretty new blouse. And yet, I have a closet of pretty blouses that I thought when I bought them would make me happy, now they seem boring and dull. The only thing that has changed about these blouses is my attitude toward them.
The joy we seek is within us.
Try this experiment. Imagine that you’re sitting in front of the TV with your lottery ticket. The nice lady on the screen is calling out the winning numbers one by one. Lo and behold as she calls out each number you see that each one of them matches one of the numbers on your ticket. Your heart starts to beat faster, you’re sitting more upright in your chair, the excitement and anticipation is growing with each number. When she’s done and recites the numbers again, you see that you have everyone of the numbers. You stop breathing for a few seconds while your brain processes what has just happened. And then with a huge explosion of excitement you jump out of your seat screaming, “I won! I won! I won!” Now stop right there. Capture that moment…feel that excitement…let your imagination run wild with the shear joy of just winning $250,000,000! Bask in this feeling for a while. Really feel it!
That my friends is what we really want…what we are all seeking…that joy, that happiness, that excitement. We just created it! And we can create it anytime we like because within each and every one of us is this endless supply, this wellspring, of joy and happiness that we can tap into whenever we like…and IT’S FREE!
The money, the cars, the shoes, the clothes may all disappear or wear out; however, this wellspring of joy is constant and forever. While it may appear that I’m encouraging us to stopping buying stuff, what I’m really suggesting is that we become aware of WHY we’re buying the cars, the clothes, the shoes, and eating that second brownie. Am I buying that cute pair of red shoes because they would be fun to wear and would match an outfit already in my closet? Or am I buying it because I’m feeling down and believe that having these shoes will make me happy.
Ponder this as you color this month’s MOTM.
Happy Coloring!
Maureen, The Mandala Lady
I would love to see your colorings…Upload them to Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/groups/mandalas/
UPDATE: After I published this posting this morning, I discovered an article published today in the Wall Street Journal entitled “Money can buy one form of happiness” by staff writer Rob Stein. How serendipitous! It’s a very interesting read. Here’s a quote from the article:
“The thing I think is exciting about this is money can make you feel better in a limited way,” said Barbara L. Fredrickson, a professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “But positive feelings like enjoyment and laughing can do a whole lot more for people. They can help people grow and learn and become a more resilient, better version of yourself.”
Mandala of the Month 