The Mandala:

Thoughts about the Aspects of a Richly Lived Life

Aspects of a Richly Lived Life
	Overall Balance
	Travel & Exploration
	Home & Family
	Play & Friends
	Work
	Appreciation of Beauty
	Enjoyment of Life's Pleasures
	Education & Learning
Requirements for Happiness
	Prosperity with Charity
	Healthy Living
	Respect for Others
	Honor, Trust & Self Respect
	Circle of Love
	Truth to One's Self

In every respect, the user must relate to the mandala as a self-knowledge tool completely open to his/her interpretation to make it maximally meaningful. There is no right or wrong way to use - or interpret it.

Here are some thoughts I have about it, with regard to the 7 aspects of a richly lived life. I personally believe in a healthy self-restraint. When I talk about the aspects, I think they need to be in BALANCE. One should assess successful participation and joy in each of the aspects as it inter-relates with the others. An example would be the workaholic. You wouldn't want to look at your workaholism and say "Yeah, I've got Work to the highest level; I just need to bring the others up." Instead, you would want to note and assess that your unhealthy overemphasis on work is detracting from the overall richness of your life.

Thus with "enjoyment of life's pleasures". Don't take this to mean that I think you should grossly indulge to "earn points" in this system. That's not my meaning at all. But assess yourself: Is your sexuality fulfilling? Do you find an appropriate healthy pleasure in the delight of good food, activities, friendship, music, TV and movies, whatever you wish to include in contemplating this aspect? Do they contribute to balance and happiness in your life ... or not?

The seven aspects I present are admittedly somewhat arbitrary and reflect biases I have about what is important in life. Travel? Seems, perhaps, of minimal importance. Fine, if you value it that way, give it less weight in your self-assessment. I value it highly because it contributes to broadening one's experience, expanding one's world view beyond the provincial Americocentrism to which we're inclined.

Also, there are many possible overlaps or ambiguous areas. Music would be an example of this. Where does it fit in? I suggest you contemplate how you express it in your life, and consider it appropriately - for you. You may consider it in multiple categories, always remembering balance. Music could be Play for you, Enjoyment for you, Appreciation of beauty for you, and even Work for you. Fine - it's your tool for your life, so determine how you wish to view it. Indeed, music in its multiple contributions might be profoundly contributing to overall richness. Just assess honestly if it is maintained in good balance.

Family may seem to be undervalued. Indeed in my own life, family is paramount. While in my own case family contributes enormously to my sense of joy and fulfillment, I don't want to impose that within the context of the Aspects. You don't have to have a family to be happy. I believe that the issue of "family" is best considered within the context of the "requirements" of the outer circles of the mandala, in the all important consideration of "Circle of Love". Here is where family - if it operates to enhance one's life - can be best incorporated into the mandala. Thus, within the Aspects, the consideration of family is more within the context of "How is life at home?" A consideration of the space, and the comfort and joy you derive from living there. And that in the context of the people you share it with, and are they (and the relationships) contributing or detracting ... or both, from the overall richness of your life.

Do Play, Enjoyment of Life's Pleasures, and Appreciation of Beauty seem like an over-emphasis on the pleasure side of the ledger? Fine, if that's the way you feel. It's your tool. Assign them somewhat less weight. My own thinking, admittedly, reflects a bias toward enjoyment. After all, this is about richly enjoying your life. But I recognize that many of the luckiest people find great personal rewards (I'm not talking about the money) from the work they do. Fine, value it accordingly - but remember the "balance" thing. A recent study comes to mind where - and I'm paraphrasing - people, while they tend to recommend hard work and thrift, tend to regret lost opportunities for enjoyment. Particularly as those opportunities fade into the more distant past. They feel that they should have taken advantage of those opportunities, and regret passing them up for more solid, respectable choices. Very interesting.

It also reminds me of a saying I've heard: "On one's deathbed, no one ever says 'I should have spent more time at the office.'" I'm not anti-work, especially if that work is fulfilling. I'm just pro-richness, and you find that in your way.

A word should be said about "simplicity." On its own, it is not a category within the mandala. As always, it's your call, but personally, I'm a big believer in it.