|  | | | | | Print... Mandala Mirror: A Self-Reflection Index Copyright 2007 by Alan Stopper YourLife Mandala proposes and portrays a passionate, yet balanced approach to life, in which meaning in one's life is attained through the richness of experience with which it is lived. Meaning, rather than a predefined set of answers such as an organized religion might provide, is individual, and is only one term for the ultimate goal. Happiness, fulfillment and serenity are other ways of expressing it. Fundamentally, we seek a life of fulfillment, and the Mandala proposes that that fulfillment is to be found in the richness of the fabric of which one's life is composed. The Mandala Mirror consists of a series of questions exploring the various aspects of life, and requirements for fulfillment, as portrayed in the Mandala itself. Ask yourself these questions. Answer them as honestly as you wish - each along a spectrum of fulfillment. The higher your score on each question, and then each section, the greater that aspect of your life is contributing to your overall happiness (as long as it remains in a healthy balance with the other aspects). The purpose of the exercise is to examine your life, and identify areas of your life that you might wish to strengthen in order to attain the richness and happiness you desire. If you choose not to answer any question, mark the "n/a", and that question will not be included in calculating your results. You may self-administer the questionnaire as often as you like - checking in as your life changes, and as you address areas of weakness. It is simply a tool for you to assess where you are in your life, and to help clarify where you might want to be directing your attention. I hope the Mandala, and the Mandala Mirror are useful to you, and I welcome your comments and suggestions. After completing the Mandala Mirror you are invited to join the discussion in two ways. First, I welcome your comments and encourage your suggestions for additional questions - or improvements to those currently in use. Second, I welcome your insights into how users who find various aspects of their lives "deficient" can enrich those areas. Enjoy. (The questionnaire only takes about 15 minutes to complete.) The Mandala Mirror - "Take a look at yourself" Part One: Exploring the Aspects of a Rich Life Section 1: Home and Family | 1. | Is your family a source of joy for you? | | 2. | Are you happy with your home and family situation? | | 3. | Do you live among people whom you love, and who love you? | | 4. | Do you live harmoniously with others in your home? | | 5. | Do you have a great personal space? | | Awful/non-existent | Perfect | | | 6. | Are you happy with your home (location, size, quality, decor, VIBE)? | | 7. | At the end of a trip, are you happy to be coming home? | Section 2: Work Life | 8. | Do you love your work? | | 9. | Is your work in balance with the rest of your life? | | Out of balance | In Balance | | | 10. | Are you happy with the role your work plays in your life? | | 11. | Are you happy about the contribution your work makes in our world? | | 12. | Are you happy about the level of financial benefits of your work? | | 13. | Are you happy about the advancement/recognition aspects of your work? | | 14. | Are you happy about your ability to really focus and accomplish your work? | | 15. | Do you feel confident about your abilities? | Section 3: Play | 16. | Do you make time for play in your life? | | 17. | Is your play in balance with the rest of your life? | | Out of Balance | In Balance | | | 18. | Are you happy with the role your play occupies in your life? | | 19. | Do you have friends and/or family with whom to play? | | I Feel Isolated | Friends/family | | | 20. | Do you engage in interesting pastimes, whether artistic, athletic, literary, appreciative ... and fun? | | 21. | Does your play provide you with adequate exercise? | | 22. | Is your life filled with pleasure? | | 23. | Is there an activity, developed passionately over a sustained period of years, contributing to your happiness and fulfillment? | Section 4: Appreciation of Beauty | 24. | Do the arts add to fulfillment in your life? | | 25. | Does ACTIVE participation in the arts contribute to your happiness? | | 26. | Is love of nature contributing to joy in your life? | | 27. | Are you happy with the aesthetic component of your life? | | 28. | Do you find yourself spiritually moved by great music, great art, beautiful sights or experiences in nature? | | 29. | When you unexpectedly encounter something beautiful - a flower, a view, a sunset etc. - do you take the time to experience and appreciate it ... or just continue what you were doing? | | Nice, but I'm busy | Appreciate | | | 30. | You're driving and enjoying a great piece of music. You arrive home without great time pressure. Do you continue listening in your parked car, or get out of the car and move on with your activities? | | Nice, but I'm busy | Keep Listening | | Section 5: Enjoyment of Life's Pleasures | 31. | Are you happy with your sex life? | | 32. | Are you confident about your abilities as a lover? | | 33. | Does physical (non-sexual) touch - like massage - contribute to fulfillment in your life? | | Not happening | Major contribution | | | 34. | This question assumes moderation. Is great food (and drink) contributing to happiness in your life? | | Not contributing | Major contribution | | | 35. | Are the quantities of food and drink you consume contributing to balance and happiness in your life? | | Out of balance | In balance | | | 36. | Does humor contribute to your happiness? | | 37. | Thinking more in terms of observing human nature (as opposed to joking) do you tend to see the funny/amusing side of things? | | I'm miserable | Constantly amused by life | | Section 6: Education and Learning | 38. | Have you achieved your desired educational level? | | Haven't got it | Got it done | | | 39. | Is education an ongoing - active - part of your life (whether formal or informal)? | | 40. | Is your education (or your current educational commitments) in balance with other aspects of your life? | | Out of balance | In balance | | | 41. | Are you happy about the contribution of your education (formal and informal) to your life? | | 42. | Do you have a continuing sense of curiosity and wonder, causing you to seek knowledge? | | 43. | Are you happy about your ability to focus and learn? | | 44. | Are you confident about your intellectual capabilities? | | 45. | When someone asks you a question about a topic, or a word definition, and you vaguely recognize it but can't really answer adequately, are you piqued to seek out the answer, or just let it go? | | Who cares, really | Where's my dictionary | | Section 7: Travel and Exploration | 46. | Is travel an active part of your life? | | 47. | Do you enjoy new places, find them exciting, challenging, and worth exploring? | | Intimidating, or boring | Very much so | | | 48. | Does planning a trip fill you with excitement? | | No, just fear or tension | Yes indeed | | | 49. | Is travel in balance with the other aspects of your life? | | Out of balance | In balance | | | 50. | Are you happy with the role travel plays in your life? | | 51. | Someone you enjoy being with suggests a trip to an exotic destination you've never visited. Money is not an issue (maybe they'll pay!). How likely would you be to find a way to go? | | I don't think so | Let's do it | | | 52. | Is a spirit of adventure contributing to your happiness? | Section 8: Overall Balance | 53. | Do you know how to relax ... and practice it regularly, to your satisfaction? | | 54. | Do you like yourself? | | Unhappy, disappointed, disgusted | Within reason, yes | | | 55. | When you look in a mirror, are you generally pleased with your appearance? | | 56. | Do you tend to like other people? | | 57. | Do others tend to like you? | | 58. | Do you have lots of energy? | | Utterly fatigued | Boundless | | | 59. | Do you feel like a "winner"? | | I think I'm a loser | Profoundly | | | 60. | Fundamentally, do you think of yourself as "a happy person"? | | 61. | If you sometimes feel "down", how long do you stay that way? | | Lasts awhile | Bounce back quickly | | | 62. | Do you believe you have choices and options (a sense of control) to improve your life? | | In the grip of destiny | Definitely | | Part Two: Exploring the Requirements for Fulfillment Section 1: Prosperity (Economic Security) and Charity | 63. | Is a sense of prosperity contributing to happiness in your life? | | 64. | Do you live within your means (minimal debt)? | | 65. | Are you comfortable with your income (are you making the kind of money you want to make)? | | Barely surviving | Very satisfying | | | 66. | Do you have a clear, comprehensible path to the prosperity you seek (or have you already attained it)? | | I'm lost | Confidently on the path, or there | | | 67. | Do you make the kinds of donations you feel you want to make? | Section 2: Healthy Living | 68. | Are you living in a healthy way? | | 69. | Are good diet, frequent exercise and avoidance of toxic products active parts of your lifestyle? | | 70. | Are you happy with your sleep? | | 71. | Are you happy with your weight? | | 72. | Are you happy with your overall health? | | 73. | Is your stress exposure minimal? | | 74. | Are you happy with your general alertness? | | 75. | Are you a master of time, or is time a cruel master to you? | | Frazzled | Cruising smoothly | | Section 3: Respect for Others and Service to the Larger Community | 76. | Do you generally have positive feelings toward others? | | 77. | Are you a good listener? | | 78. | Do you AVOID gossiping about others in your life? | | I love to gossip | Yes, consciously | | | 79. | Do you tend to exert a positive influence on events you get involved in? | | 80. | Do you believe your life is having a positive influence in the world? | | 81. | Are you motivated by concern for those impacted by injustice, repression, etc.? | | Not at all | Yes, very much | | | 82. | Are you motivated by concern for our environment, and the health of the natural world? | | Not at all | Yes, very much | | | 83. | Is working for the greater good of the community contributing to your sense of fulfillment? | | 84. | Are you happy about the degree to which you exert yourself on behalf of those in need, and for causes in which you believe? | | Disappointed in myself | Proud of my contribution | | Section 4: Honor, Trust, and Self-Respect | 85. | Do you practice honesty in virtually all situations (excepting those where excessive honesty would cause unnecessary pain to others)? | | I'm even cheating now! | Yes, I swear it! | | | 86. | Can you be trusted? | | Not at all | Yes, definitely | | | 87. | If someone tells you something in confidence, do you absolutely respect that confidentiality? | | 88. | Overall, do you feel proud of yourself for the way you conduct your life? | | No, I'm disappointed | yes, very much | | | 89. | When you encounter an unexpected obstacle, do you do everything reasonable to overcome it, or are you resigned to feel that "it wasn't meant to be"? | | 90. | If you're undercharged in a store or restaurant, etc., do you make a point of correcting the mistake? | | 91. | How strongly will you maintain your principles under pressure? | Section 5: Circle of Love | 92. | Is there an abundance of love in your life? | | Not at all | Yes, very much | | | 93. | Are you happy about the state of love in your life? | | Not at all | Yes, very much | | | 94. | Have your relationships been a source of happiness for you? | | Not at all | Yes, very much | | | 95. | If providing care for others (children, family members, friends, pets) is part of your life, is it a source of happiness? | | Not at all | Yes, very much | | | 96. | Do you have friends with whom you can close a letter - or email - with the word "love"? | | 97. | Have you developed the family you want, and is it a source of joy? | | Not at all | Yes, very much | | Section 6: Truth to One's Self, Peace of Mind, and Equanimity | 98. | Have you developed a spiritual life that is a source of happiness for you? | | | |
