Story of the Site

 

Like many people, I've long pondered the meaning of life, and explored it through a lifetime of reading, thinking and experiencing. An odd recollection on an unusual day provided the initial motivation for YourLifeMandala.com.

It was a beautiful day in the northwestern region of Costa Rica, where I own a small home near the beach. I was in my tiny, rat-trap rental car, noisily driving the four hours to San Jose Airport, to pick up my son and his friends. I had no music – the radio having been stolen several weeks before (ah, paradise!).

For whatever reason, I was struck with an odd recollection. One day, many years ago in my late teens, I took a walk with my wise, loving, elderly grandfather. I was hoping for a serious heart-to-heart with him. I said "Grandpa, now that you've lived 80 years, what can you tell me about the meaning of life?" Without much hesitation, he replied "It's not worth a hill of beans."

I think I was struck silent, and we didn't have much of a talk. Maybe I'd caught him on a bad day, or just taken him by surprise. Needless to say, I was disappointed with his answer.

So, I thought now, as I drove to the airport, how would I respond to such a question. Now that I've traveled life's pathways for 55 years, enjoyed a long marriage, raised a family, built a business and explored numerous places and interests, how would I describe the meaning of life? And if someday I should be fortunate enough to have a grandchild who sought to hear what I have learned, how would I respond? Frankly, I would hope to do better than my grandfather – of blessed memory – did that day.

I thought … "well, I've got a long drive in front of me (and no music), so why not give this some thought!"

It was amazing, but thoughts kept flooding my mind. In living richly, life's meaning is revealed. What does that mean: "living richly"? That brought various components of living richly to mind, which later took form as the "aspects". As my thoughts developed, I sensed that they were taking the shape of a mandala. Then I realized that these aspects were not enough; that there were certain higher requirements that needed to be satisfied – like love, trust, and truth to one's self – or the "aspects" would be meaningless.

I was tremendously excited and inspired by these thoughts, and the way they crystallized into a mandala – a spiritual geometry. That evening – upon returning to my casita … or perhaps it was the next morning in the hammock, I wrote it all down, and have been clarifying and refining ever since