The Natural World demonstrates unending cycles of life, death and rebirth…As human beings living in that world, our lives are also cyclical and will either unfold as closed circles within which we stagnate or open to ever-widening spirals that allow us to most fully realize our potential. —The Way of Joy
In last week’s video blog, I told the story of when I was hit by a car while walking across a street. I described how, often around the anniversary of that “kick-in-the-butt for change” event, I experience a visceral sense of anxiety or stress without recognizing why. It takes a moment for my mind to remember what my body is already processing.
There is a concept in the Way of Joy I call Circles Open into Spirals. Whether conscious or unconscious, we make continual choices about whether to repeat old patterns of self-defeat and victimization or to grow and become more fully realized. When we recognize our lives as cyclical rather than linear, we can observe our patterns as we would observe nature, without judgment, blame, and shame. This leads to a new level of understanding that can open the door to creative problem-solving.
Vicki Dello Joio, founder of The Way of Joy: A Spiritual Fitness Program, is a teacher, speaker and performing artist. Integrating over 40 years of Chi Kung practice with other martial arts as well as her work in Yoga, Feldenkreis, physical fitness and theater, Vicki has developed a dynamic set of tools to increase awareness, transform obstacles into opportunities and enhance creative potential. Book: The Way of Joy, CD: Short Meditations for a Busy Life. Information about the BEMER