Mondo Beyondo

I've mentioned a few times that I'm participating in Mondo Beyondo and yet I've not really talked about what it is. First though, I should tell you about someone I greatly admire and who is the co-founder of Mondo Beyondo, Andrea Scher. 

I have been following Andrea's blog, Superhero Journal, for years. She is an artist and photographer who shares her journey through life eloquently and provides so much inspiration to me that I consider her a great friend, even though we've never met. More than once I have been struggling with some inner doubt or fear and I will turn to her blog and find she has written about the same thing that day. She has taught me a great deal about being compassionate to myself and I am grateful. She and her blog feel like my own personal gift from the Universe.

When I first learned about her Mondo Beyondo endeavor, I was too afraid to register. It sounded far too cool for someone like me and I sat out. The next time it was offered I tried to register but it was full or I had missed the deadline or something and I sat out again. I now understand that this was how it was meant to be. I wasn't ready emotionally for where the Mondo Beyondo journey was going to take me. This year, I am. And this year, when I went to register, I got in. Just as it was meant to be. 

Mondo Beyondo, as the website states, is all about turning dreams into reality. It wasn't until the last year that I realized how few dreams I had. I believed that I couldn't dream or shouldn't dream of things I really wanted because I didn't deserve them. But, you know what? I do deserve a life that fulfills me and I do deserve love and I do deserve joy. So that's exactly what I'm dreaming for in my Mondo Beyondo experience.

I won't take you through every step of the process because I recommend you just take the course yourself, but I will tell you what has stood out for me so far. 

• We sat one night and brainstormed dreams. Just sat, pen on paper for two ten-minute blocks of time, writing every dream, large or small, crazy or not, that came to mind. I was overwhelmed with how many dreams I had for my life. Some of them are quite grand, others completely obtainable, but I had never seen them all listed out like that before. It was amazing to see what my life could become if I trust that everything will happen. 
• It was several days later that we returned to our list of dreams and began to categorize them by how they were challenging us. Some would require us to be more vulnerable, others more brave. Some required more flexibility, and others required us to be more open and others still, trusting. In looking at my list this way, I learned a few things about myself. The most enlightening, and what caused me to cry for over an hour, was that I have several dreams in which I just want to matter to someone. I want to be the most important person in someone's life and I want to have someone who is the most important person in mine. That was eye-opening. I have always known I wanted love, I didn't realize how completely isolated and alone I was until reading that list. While it was difficult to learn, I'm glad I did. It has convinced me to not give up. 
• Another incredible exercise was called The Dance. With every dream, there are things that we can do to help achieve it and things that we must surrender to the Universe. For each of our dreams, we had to list everything we could do and another list of everything we had to surrender in order to see that dream fulfilled. Knowing that not everything was up to me was an incredible feeling. I now have a list of everything I can do to achieve my dreams and for the things I can't control, I don't have to worry about them. The Universe will provide. I have only to do my part. I was feeling so overwhelmed before this exercise and so much more at peace after. 

We haven't completely finished our journey but I am thrilled for the experience so far. I will probably have one or two more posts about this because I want to capture some of the things I've learned. If you're interested in Mondo Beyondo, I encourage you to check out the website and I'd be happy to give you more information on my experience after the class is over. In the meantime, dream. Dream big. 

Comments

[Kellee]

I've heard about this, and I'm interested. I hope I'm ready sometime soon. <3

"But, you know what? I do deserve a life that fulfills me and I do deserve love and I do deserve joy."

That part... hell yes! I totally just did the Arsenio Hall arm pump for you. You deserve all of that and more, my love.

"The most enlightening, and what caused me to cry for over an hour, was that I have several dreams in which I just want to matter to someone. I want to be the most important person in someone's life and I want to have someone who is the most important person in mine. That was eye-opening. I have always known I wanted love, I didn't realize how completely isolated and alone I was until reading that list."

And that one? It brought tears to my eyes. I'm trying hard not to ugly cry. You know that I know. <3 I have no doubt that you'll get there.

[Maura]

I've seen you mention this project but really didn't know anything about it. I'm glad that it found you at the right time. :-) Like Kellee, I know that you're going to get there, too. (((hugs)))