Activity time: 20 minutes

Say:

Spiritual journaling is a way be conversant with yourself about those things in life that touch you, the things that puzzle you, the ones that make your heart smile, the things that break your heart, and those happenings in life that hold deep beauty and bring feelings of gratitude. It becomes a rewarding habit to reflect in Your Journal and to create those colorful mandalas. It helps you take stock of where you are.

Give each participant a portable mandala journal. Encourage them to carry this little book in a pocket or daypack when out for fresh air and exploring. (Thoreau called it sauntering.) Invite them to make notes and ask questions while journaling or creating a mandala. Say:

Your inner wise one has a way of answering questions when sauntering and while you use your hands.

Then invite participants to open their writing journals or their mandala journals. Post the journaling prompt. Say:

Maya Angelou once said, "Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud." With this in mind, please respond and complete this sentence: “One way I will reach out to others using my inner strength is…”

Allow five minutes for journaling, and then invite participants, to the degree they are comfortable, to share with the group how they completed the sentence. Distribute Handout 1, Taking It Home.