I take a mental health break, which I do every two to three years, normally quite suddenly, to prevent any decline. I have a boss and environment where this was disclosed from the beginning, and I remain surprised with the support I get. So here I am, at my favourite spot, and as usual, I have made material shifts.
One of those is that I have signed up to do a high investment (time and money) coaching course through my favourite podcast host, Kara Lowentheil. I have followed her for over three years, joined her online community, and trained on how to self-coach for 18 months, and used her modality in my life extensively. There is no silver bullet, but this was one of the colourful ones.
So why did I finally commit to the course, so that I could coach others? (Well besides the clever marketing time limit to enrol to get the extra ‘bonus’ modules on offer. Look, Kara’s smart.) I love coaching people who are committed and do the work. I dislike the majority who don’t do the work, miss session, and mess me around. So, the primary reason is that it’s taking me in the right general direction for my next phase. This story explains the signs that made this particular decision so right. I write the story more for me to remember in the future, but thanks for reading.
While here I have been listening to Tara Swart’s book The Signs. To take on her approach, you would need to put aside 8 hours a day haha, but I did pull out wonderfully useful things and opened my mind to the possibility of having a sixth sense. I am a grounded practical person, while my beautiful sister is the spiritual one. That’s how it’s always worked. This week, I broke the preconceived barriers.
Step 1: The Mandala Class
First it started with the mandala class, which I didn’t know was part of The Signs process yet. Here is the picture of the mandala, with Perplexity’s interpretation.
Interpretation of My Free Form Mandala (you can SKIP THIS PART; my sister will read it)
Central Core and Spiral Movement
The intensely colourful centre features concentric circles moving from deep purple/magenta at the core, through blue, green, yellow, orange, to red. This central point represents the core of your being and serves as your spiritual centre. The dynamic spiral motion swirling outward is profoundly significant, representing:
- Life’s natural cycles and transformation
- Energy in motion – indicating vitality and creative life force
- Active personal development – you’re in a period of growth and change
Colour Psychology and Emotional Landscape
Your full rainbow spectrum carries deep meaning:
- Purple/Magenta Centre: Spirituality and higher consciousness – you’re accessing deeper spiritual insights
- Blue: Tranquillity and wisdom – strong capacity for meditation and inner peace
- Green: Growth and healing – you’re in a phase of personal development
- Yellow: Mental clarity and optimism – indicates intellectual growth and happiness
- Orange: Creativity and transformation – ability to overcome obstacles
- Red (Outer): Energy and life force – active engagement with life
The rainbow colour scheme represents diversity, balance, and wholeness, suggesting you’re integrating multiple aspects of your personality.
Psychological and Spiritual Significance
From a therapeutic perspective, your mandala reveals:
- Integration Process: The spiral movement suggests you’re actively integrating different aspects of your psyche
- Emotional Resilience: Vibrant colours indicate emotional vitality and healthy processing
- Spiritual Growth: Sacred geometry with rainbow colours shows spiritual expansion while staying grounded
- Transformation Readiness: Dynamic patterns suggest openness to growth and change
The outward spiral represents your journey from inner awareness to outer manifestation, while the circular wholeness symbolizes unity and cosmic order. This mandala indicates you’re in a period of active spiritual development, integrating wisdom while maintaining connection to your creative, passionate nature. The spiral energy shows forward movement in your personal journey, embracing the full range of human experience with balance and vitality.
Step 2: Unsure of Myself and the Course
Separately I dithered about the course. I knew I could take up the early offer the next morning due to the time difference, got some advice from my sister (go for it) and from the husband (you have a massive job and its not going to lighten up), and then went to bed.
Step 3: Asking for The Sign
Woke up at 5am and went for a walk in the mountain trails. On my way, I said, ‘ok, let’s ask for a sign’. I then asked for a clear branch or stick on the ground to show me the path to walk (there are multiple paths in these mountains and a choice to make every ten minutes!). If I don’t see a stick, then its no.
Step 4: Sun and Symbols
I looked up and saw my mandala! Straight ahead to my right, was the rising orange sun. So, I knew I had to head in that direction as this was a part of my Signs.
Step 5: My Sign Appears
When I get to a fork in the path, I normally go straight. Yes, I come here often. This time I turned left, towards the sun. And its crazy, but there was my stick telling me I was on the right path. This path took me down through recently controlled burned brush – stark, beautiful, clear, rocky, and holding the seeds for the next rains.
Step 6: New Paths become New Adventures
Another choice arrived, and I could have gone up – my normal natural choice to challenge my body and get to see the views. Instead, I followed the desolate and peacefully lonely path, following the sun. It was a new experience this path, something I would not normally do, and the novelty and attention to the sun kept me enthralled. I had also turned off my audio book at the beginning of the walk so for the full walk I could hear everything and concentrate on everything.
Step 7: Wildebeest Blessings
The path curved left and brought me back onto the road which takes you into the retreat. Also, a road is something I don’t do on nature walks – because it’s a road! But straight ahead where the Wildebeest. We had a little conversation while I paused and asked them to pass. It took a while for all the Wildebeest to gather and head up into the mountains. Cautious of me, a little less scared I was of them. This photo does not capture the pure strength and size of those horns. But I love the fact that they were on my uphill – a small blessing and energy to get me to the top.
Step 8: The Metaphor Realised
I got to the top of the hill and very proud of myself. I took this to say that my following my own path and signs, doing the course and making other sign-based future life choices, I will give all I have to give. And the road home is going to be plane sailing!
Step 9: The Real Hard Path Down
But then of course I decide to backtrack slightly to take a picture of the stick – so I could remind myself of this story and that it actually happened. That then took me to another path choice to get back to the resort. Clearly avoiding the straight downward road (WHY would someone take that path?!) I took a another path through the bush. Coming to another Y in the path, I went left. My sister and I had previously turned right at this decision point earlier in the year, as we went with her energy flow. So, I wanted to explore left.
That was a bit harder. Rocky downwards, scrambling, a ladder, jumping down and with branches to get through. The whole feel changed. It was dark, low, difficult and I felt sad. I paused in a sand break and did hear hidden water flowing behind the rocks which was a reprieve. Still, I had the feeling that this bit was going to be hard, unsure and lonely when I got here. And there would be sadness.
Step 10: Choosing My Direction Based on The Signs
I got back, got coffee, and decided to sign up for the course regardless. Not the course alone, but the direction I am taking has been going for a while, with small and big choices leading in the same direction. And the direction is right, and I can be bolder. It will bring joy and rightness. Even though later, life will bring sadness, as it does, I will still have myself with me, following the path I need to follow, and having had the brightness that is still ahead of me today.
