12 Steps to Expand Your Consciousness

This month Mare gives us her synopsis of the 12 steps toward expanded consciousness

It often seems, that we wake up one morning and decide we’ve had enough! We feel a new sense of renewed life, a new assertiveness. We are com ing out of the negative Pisces addictions, sense of helplessness or being a victim! Or we realize we can no longer be a rescuer or consider everyone else’s needs more important than our own . We allow our anger at ourselves to propel us into action . We desire a new individuality and purpose so that we can push through obstacles and accept challenges as we reach up toward the sun. We learn where we are dominating and insensitive to others, and where we lack the courage to make a new start.

Now we are tested as to how far we are able to put down new roots. Are we able to ground and stay steady in our new purpose? Will the Aries impulse to act and change carry us into the next stage or will we become stuck in our anger, lose the impulse and not be able to complete what we start? In Taurus we learn patience and realize how deeply rooted our bad habits are . We can also learn about our distorted values, realize how we mistreat our bodies and hoard what is useless. We start to value ourselves more as we go from self-indulgence to a healthy pampering of our sensuous, precious bodies. We awaken to a new awareness of our senses. We start to ask ourselves questions about our attitude toward money and loyalties and how they are connected to our self-worth.

As we stop blaming ourselves, and start to feel more steady and worthy, we can now ask for help and admit our need to learn new skills. We become more detached and able to talk to others. We look for a teacher or sponsor. We become more open and honest about our lack of communication skills and where we’ve been in stubborn denial and refusal to change. We try to understand the past as we struggle to create a new future. We become aware of our dualities as we bring our dark side into the light. We meet new people and keep busy to help us stay in our new purpose. We lighten up as we develop a sense of humour. We can let go of old friends who are intent on keeping us in our old ways and make new friends who are more understanding, more positive. We learn it’s not what we say, but how we say it. Do we use words as a weapon or as a tool for healing.

In this stage we become aware of how self-centred and self-absorbed we’ve been, as we search for a new sense of belonging and can redefine the meaning of family. We can realize where we’ve been — all talk and no action — and have rationalized or intellectualized our feelings. As we open to our feelings we can feel flooded with memories of past hurts, family trauma and orphanhood. We look for someone to enfold us and nurture us through the old wounds . We may need to move to a spot in the world where we feel more at home and safer. We begin to reach out and nurture others in sympathetic response. We learn to trust our intuition and drop our self-pity and fear of being an outsider.

Now we start to feel pride in our accomplishments and want to teach others what we’ve learned and are continuing to learn. As we let go of the past and the hurt child we begin to feel free, the playful child, the creative, talented spontaneous child. We can start to take risks in expressing ourselves and learn new roles to play in life. We can make a more positive statement with our appearance. We become aware of parent/child dependency issues and no longer wallow in our misery of too much give or too much take. We work on opening our hearts and becoming more loving and doing what we love.

Now we do THE WORK in earnest , as a lifetime task. We develop humility in the face of our arrogance. We start to surrender our ego to a Higher Power. We work hard to clean up our act. We change our diet, work in a healthier environment and keep a written journaI of our progress. We find a way to be of service to others. We still can’t take much criticism but we become more self-analytical. We pay attention to the details of body language, repetitive negative thoughts and words and how we tell a story. We look for practical solutions as we sort out the complexities. What have we learned from our mistakes? Doubts become experienced Knowing. We become more discriminating about the people we associate with.

Now we’re ready to be genuinely aware of others, in their own right, with their own viewpoint. We continue the search for harmony as we become more open to confrontation. We value our friends and loved ones as our equals and learn to compromise, without compromising our integrity. We find a new balance between extremes. We become more easy-going and less critical or judgmental. We become less defensive, more honest and fair. We learn to be alone without being lonely, as we also are more able to truly share with others. We hold in balance skepticism and faith. Have we learned how appearances can often be deceiving? We can re-evaluate and change tactics to continue our process.

Now we’re ready to go to the depths and do our core therapy. We’re ready to die to the old so we can be transmuted. We can see and weigh up all positions and then make a decision. We become aware of how deeply ingrained our family patterns are as they repeat through the generations. We not only regain and deeply feel the memories of any sexual, psychological or

physical abuse we’ve experienced, but we also admit where we have abused them as we lashed out in pain. We feel the shame and the secrets and the complexities of our dark nature. We delve deeply underground as we search for the nugget of gold we trust is buried within the toxic waste dump. We no longer sit on the fence being half alive. Our will is powerful as we commit to live as fully and deeply as possible .

As we open and accept our dark side we start to feel a new optimism, a light at the end of the tunnel. The search for truth becomes more important than denial or hurt feelings. We realize our belief systems limit our experience. We develop our own philosophy of Life as we incorporate our personal experience with knowledge and become our own guru. We realize the rest of our lives will be a continual opening, expansion and new experiences that we know have meaning and purpose even if we don’t know what it is until later. We practice what we preach. We have more fun, joy and enthusiasm.

We now have new rules and goals to live by. Our changes have withstood the test of time. We know this because people who come into our lives challenge and test our changed perceptions and we stand find in our own authority . We are now respected by the world and feel a sense of security. We honour and acknowledge all the people who have helped us along the way. We know we have to do the work step by step by and for ourselves , but we couldn’t do it alone . We will always help others who are willing to help themselves. Our commitments are backed up by action. We have the confidence and courage of our convictions and now accept responsibility of our lives.

Now its time to loosen up as we realize we’ve become too conservative and strict. We may take ourselves too seriously and break out of ruts with a new ability to take risks and try to live in the moment. Because of our detached compassion we can start interacting with all kinds of people without fearing we’ll be dragged back into our old patterns. We become more experimental and open to alternatives until we find ways that are truly suited to our unique individuality. We no longer have to conform to any particular group or system. We may feel bored or restless as we continue to deepen the search for inner meaning. We may start seeming flighty or unpredictable to others, but we’re now willing to be alone or different and stop controlling others, as they become our equals.

Now we truly surrender to a Higher Power. We’ve learned to trust ourselves and go with the flow as we accept our Divine Humanity, flaws and all. Right action arises out of Beingness. We look for healthy ways to integrate, instead become receptive to bliss consciousness. We are gentle with ourselves as we continue to dissolve the barriers. We no longer have to control the future as we heal the past. Our pity becomes empathic compassion? We can allow things to unfold in their magical way. Sadness for self becomes sorrow for all and a true acceptance of worldly duality.