In continuing to color Section 1 of the 2012 Mandala of the Year today, I decided to monitor my body. Usually when I feel fearful or stressed, my body tightens up into a knot in my stomach, my jaw tightens and it seems as if I’m playing this game of making my shoulders reach my ear lobes…ie. super tense shoulders and upper back.
I realized a while back that this stress mode reminds me of being fearful of doing something wrong or fearful of getting into trouble. I seem to always keep myself in this “ready to defend myself” state. At a deeper level it feels like I have to continually justify my existence. I look forward to working through as the year progresses.
It amazes me how quickly my body goes back into stress mode after each time I relax my affected body parts. I stopped coloring at least 3 times to relax. By the end of coloring today, I noticed my stomach managed to stay calm for longer than a minute! Diligence = Progress!
So here’s my coloring progress for today:
Feel free to comment about your progress with coloring this year’s 2012 MotY.
Happy Coloring!
joyfully,
Maureen, The Mandala Lady
Art Progressions 
I so know what you mean about stress & how it causes difficulties with projects & the body. I’m trying to tell my brain this year to just “shut up & let me work!” So far it’s working… somedays! The mental hurdles are always the hardest.
🙂
Gale
I like it! I’ll add it to my arsenal 🙂