In honor of the upcoming Chinese New Year which began on February 8, 2016, I’m dedicating the 2016 Mandala of the Year to the Monkey. Each month we’ll explore a trait or symbol of the monkey to explore how we can incorporate it into our own lives.
For Section 4 we look at the monkey energy of expressive.
While monkeys freely express themselves, we humans tend to hold back to the point of suppressing our thoughts and emotions completely.
Our culture often discourages, puts down, ridicules, even at times shames anything beyond what it determines to be comfortably normal. Overly suppressing our emotions, ideas, and thoughts can eventually lead to mental, emotional, and/or physical health issues.
If we struggle with expressing ourselves in the “usual” way through conversation or interactions with others, finding a creative way to do so can help us holistically.
For renowned psychologist Carl Jung, he found that making mandalas proved to be a therapeutic way for his subconscious mind to express itself. He gained greater insight about himself through this process. Eventually he found that it helped his patients as well.
When we color mandalas, we can increase their effectiveness by setting an intention prior to coloring, to be able to express ourselves in our efforts to better understand our life’s circumstances and our inner workings, giving us a more holistic perspective.
Before coloring this month’s section, let’s set the intention to allow ourselves to express that which is in our best interest to know at this time and to do so adding author, Marc Allen‘s powerful mantra “in an easy and relaxed manner, in a healthy and positive way, in its own perfect time, and for the highest good of all.”
Ponder this while coloring this month’s section of the 2016 Mandala of the Year.
Happy Coloring!
joyfully, Maureen
The Mandala lady
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Be sure to download/color the April 2016 Mandala of the Month.
Mandala of the Year 
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