2012 A Year of Spiritual Awakening Support for Your Soul Journey By Andrew and Bonnie Schneider The Soul Journey 2012 Website: Email: support@thesouljourney.com Contents Introduction... 2 The Last and Next Millennium... 3 The Past 1000 Years... 3 The Next 2000 Years... 4 The Next Millennium - 2000-3000... 5 The 21 st Century 2000-2100... 5 A Time of Great Change... 6 Seven Issues of Consciousness... 7 The Year - 2012... 11 2012: Crown Chakra Divine Union... 11 Five - The Energy of 2012... 12 A Time of Transformation... 13 The New Enlightenment... 13 1
Introduction We are living in a time of incredible opportunity that is unprecedented in human history in terms of the confluence of energies that are occurring for the evolution and upliftment of humanity. Each year s energies have both challenges and opportunities. Our challenged is to align ourselves with these energies and the energies of humanity while living our individual cycles. At the same time, we have a great opportunity to unfold our life and consciousness in more expanded and inclusive ways. Alignment with humanity is essentially achieved through soul identification in the larger sense, the group sense. If we relate to soul beyond the idea of the individual soul, then we automatically are aligned with humanity. This is what is basically meant by group consciousness. In this alignment the soul within us perceives itself in others. We do this through intention, love, interest, sympathy, compassion and identification. We also need to consider universal influences on our life and in order to do that we need to be aware of an esoteric truth. The truth is that the universal influences will be determined by the extent of one s willingness to assume responsibility. When I say influences I mean both in terms of opportunities and of challenges. If one is not willing or able to assume responsibility for what the indicators point to, then one cannot take advantage of the opportunities presented. However, since there is a needed learning in order to eventually assume responsibility, one will experience the challenges of the indicators to some degree depending on what learning is needed. If we understand the universal energies affecting us, then we will be able to: 1. make wiser choices. 2. know what opportunities there are so that we can take advantage of them in a positive way. 3. understand what is going on in the world around us. That part of humanity lacking soul consciousness is still being affected by the universal energies but they will be reacting unconsciously rather than having conscious soul choice to act accordingly. The annual influences tell us what opportunities exist for us collectively to respond creatively to the divine impulses seeking expression during the current year. To find meaning and to interpret the energies of consciousness I use symbolic systems and the Law of Correspondences to a great extent. If references in this text are obscure for you, do not concern yourself. Just get the meaning that speaks to you. 2
The Last and Next Millennium In the year 2000 we entered a new millennium, or 1000 year period, with new, unique energies. We need to understand these energies that affect humanity and that humanity has to work with, if we are to live life more fully at a soul level of consciousness. Without knowing where we are going, we cannot make adequate preparations for our journey. Without a sense of what will be needed in the future, we cannot be pro-active in setting a course of action and events that will be supported by the universe. If we don t know what lies beyond today, we can only react to what comes along, thereby giving up our ability to co-create a better world. Reacting is avoiding responsibility. And without responsibility (the ability to respond appropriately) we are operating without soul. Connection with soul gives us the ability to expand our perception of what is usually referred to as the present so that we have an awareness of what most people call the future. It also takes soul consciousness to trust what our intuition and the sacred sciences indicate will be the energies of the future. We can and do know with a high degree of certainty what the future energies will be. What we do not know are the tangible, practical results of these energies. This cannot be known until human beings make decisions and use the energies. This is where free will comes into the picture. The Past 1000 Years For the past 1000 years humanity has had the purpose of developing mind and cooperating with the higher Will or Plan to bring abstract ideas into concrete manifestation. Therefore, in these past 1000 years, there has been great emphasis on developing and using mind through education, technology, science, institutions and organizations, ideas and ideologies. The 6th ray energy of the Piscean Age in the past 2000 years helped us orient ourselves to the realm of ideas and ideals through its support for devotion, faith and idealism. The establishment of the Christian and Islamic religions in the West during this time were part of the Plan to foster devotion and idealism. These qualities are essential pre-requisites for the current 7 th ray manifestation of ideals into appropriate, practical expressions. With the development of mind, there is psychologically also a development of selfawareness and the value and distinctness of the individual. This received the greatest emphasis during the 20th century, which has had the spiritual purpose of humanity learning about right relationship to oneself. When there is a focus on oneself, as there has been in these past 100 years, there is going to be much separatism, egotism and selfishness, giving rise to much conflict as well as abuse of others and of the environment. 3
What we have been learning during this past 1000 years is how to be a human being and become an individual capable of standing on one s own two feet. You could say that this has been our spiritual or evolutionary purpose. Some of our learning has included the following: a) meeting our personal needs. b) facing our shadow. c) developing mind. d) establishing personal authority. e) gaining independence (physical/economic, emotional, mental). f) developing a personal belief system. g) cultivating a loving relationship to oneself. (This means fulfilling one s needs.) The Next 2000 Years Every year has its very special vibration and energy, and this year is truly one of note. If we all lived up to its potential we could suddenly have world peace. That is how significant it could be. The age we are entering has been described as one of right human relationships and peace. But it will take some time to enter that consciousness and create these conditions. The Aquarian Age and the Seventh Ray influence are ways of speaking about specific energies that we will continue to experience over the next 2000 years as the energies of our planet. This means that they form the context or background vibration for everything that happens on this planet during this period of time. Within this context of a 2000 year cycle, there are smaller cycles the cycles of centuries, decades, years, months, weeks and days. It is my perception that the influences are proportionate to their longevity. For example, the Aquarian and Seventh Ray energy are the strongest, the century energies are next, and the yearly cycles are third, etc. The spiritual purpose of the next Age, the 2000 years under Aquarius and the 7 th ray, can be expressed with different words all meaning more or less the same. It is: a) the expression of universal ideas in practical action. b) the development of soul consciousness. c) the creating of beauty in the world. d) the realization of peaceful co-existence with the kingdoms of nature. e) the fostering of unity in diversity. f) the bringing of spirit into form. g) the manifestation of heaven on earth. 4
The Next Millennium - 2000-3000 The spiritual purpose of this next millennium from the year 2000 to the year 3000 is Right Human Relations. This is the underlying purpose for all human experience during the next 1000 years. For this to occur, we need to develop soul consciousness. Right Human Relations requires certain qualities, such as respect, responsibility, cooperation, compassion and empowerment. All of these are soul qualities. Being soul consciousness means that we choose to manifest these qualities. Soul consciousness does not unfold automatically without personal choice. The transformation of the world into a beautiful, peaceful, harmonious place without wars will only slowly come into being, and likely will not be witnessed in its fullness until after the year 3000. We can expect indications of it within the next 100 years, especially beginning around 2020 when we begin a 7 year soul cycle indicative of implementing the Divine Plan. However, when it comes to human actions we can never predict because everything depends upon the choices that are made. We can only indicate what the potentials are and get some idea of the underlying plan seeking to manifest. The Divine Plan for humanity is an influence that stimulates the group soul to bring servers into group consciousness and the rest of humanity into soul consciousness. The potential of this influence is that: a) There will be a greater desire on the part of humanity to take responsibility for the whole of planetary life. b) Love will increasingly motivate human behaviour. c) Humanity will begin to show that it is intelligent. d) There will be an increased awareness of the subjective or soul side of reality when making decisions about human affairs. e) The Plan of Light and Love will work out through human activity. From 2000-3000 we are largely under the influence of second ray energy which is Love- Wisdom. To experience its potential, we need to reconcile duality with all that it implies: separatism, hate, prejudice, racial discrimination, etc. We will initially be dealing with these things as they express through wars and economic disparity. Education will play a large role in bringing about the necessary changes. The 21 st Century 2000-2100 The 21st century, the next 100 years, will be the next 2000 years in miniature. The 21st century carries both themes of the next 2 millennia: namely, 1. right relationship to the other, or the development of soul consciousness, and 2. right relationship to the world, or the manifestation of soul consciousness in practical living (emphasized in the millennium from 3000 to 4000). Both of these themes run through every year of this century. 5
The spiritual demand placed upon us by life itself during this time will be to learn about the soul, cultivate and develop soul, and bring about a soul centered focus on quality, values and meaning in all our relationships. The difficulties, conflicts and challenges that we experience in this period of time will inevitably be as a result of not responding to this spiritual demand. All conflict resolutions, all negotiations, all healing approaches to illnesses and emotional and psychological disturbances, must address the issue of soul. Healers, therapists, counsellors and educators must become soulful workers and soul guides. There will be no other avenue to follow and still be successful. This conflict is still continuing, which initially causes systems to break down, but always eventually leads to a breakthrough, resolution and transcendence that we call soul consciousness. We may not immediately get to the breakthrough of soul consciousness, first needing to go through the breakdown of ego and all that it supports. Both of these processes are currently going on in individuals and parts of humanity. Breakdown of separatism through war, social and family fragmentation and economic disasters will result in breakthrough into soul consciousness where people are trying to share holistic and compassionate perspectives for right action. The 21 st century will be a very creative time, bringing spirituality into everyday life. The new expressions in science and technology will increasingly consider the relationship to universal reality. Communications will flourish. The universal dimensions of life and the life-giving energy of Spirit will inspire people to consider the moral and ethical implications of situations and actions. These considerations will come increasingly from the voice of the people rather than from political or other hierarchies and authorities. This implies that we need to make our voices heard our soul voices which speak for spirit in form, and always considers the good of the whole as a priority. Before the transformations implied can occur, and as part of the awakening process, we need to collectively go through major challenges in relationships. Globally this is already taking place through failing economic systems that impoverish people, wars that destroy the integrity and autonomy of cultures and societies, and natural environments that are abused and polluted. All three of these areas of life are of great significance for balanced sustainability on this planet. They demand a complete adjustment in the way humans relate. The whole globalization reality is also requiring solutions to these relationship challenges. A Time of Great Change During the first 12 years of this millennium there was a great infusion of powerful forces influencing us to make radical changes. It was a time to deal karmically with the past and 6
re-orient our thinking so that we could live in new and more harmonious ways in the future. It was a time to take responsibility, as humanity, for how we live on this planet and how we relate to one another. These influences were working to reform our economics as well as our politics. But as human beings we have free will with may lessons to learn. We can see the results with the economic challenges of some of the choices made. We need to take more responsibility and make our voices heard in the decisions that are made about our human affairs. The first 12 years of this century were the beginning, in a very tangible way, of the emerging soul consciousness of humanity. The decisions made by the few affected many and it got our attention. This is the real beginning, of the first initiation of humanity. The major initiations we go through are a way of describing the various stages of integration between personality and soul. The first initiation marks the stage of the first emerging of soul consciousness in the mentality and heart of human beings when unconditional love begins to be expressed consciously. This initiation is symbolized in the Christian story as the birth of the Christ symbolically the birth of love in the physical. It is said that at the turn of the century there was an infusion of Shamballa energy. This ray 1 type energy emphasizes synthesis and new beginnings. This is also a renewed impression of the Planetary Will or Purpose on the mind and heart of humanity, speeding up the process toward the first Initiation. Since the Purpose of the Planetary life is stated as Goodwill, there will be a greater alignment with goodness and will on the part of humanity. The result will be improved right human relations. Right human relations is a primary effect of developing the higher mind, and it is also a primary effect of the first Initiation. This evolutionary step into the path of the First Initiation is possibly as dramatic and significant as the evolutionary step from the animal to the human state that occurred some millions of years ago. Seven Issues of Consciousness There are 7 primary issues we need to work with and develop through several levels of awareness and consciousness as we evolve in our journey, our soul journey. Each of these issues is always present in our personal reality, but they also have a very important correspondence to the cycles we are currently going through. Each of these issues resonates in a specific way and each represents an opportunity for growth and development. Opportunities do not force themselves on us. We need to be aware of them and make conscious choices to align ourselves with whatever the opportunity offers. Hence, the following suggestions can prove very helpful. 7
These 7 issues of consciousness are represented symbolically in our chakra system. What you will notice is that there are different levels of development within each center, rather than just a development from the lower centers to the higher ones, as most people believe. With each issue there are potential fears. When fears control there is a gross distortion in the basic energies. So instead of soul consciousness emerging with respect to the issue, the personality will dominate and there will be negative experience. When fears produce negative realities we must learn to overcome the fear which we do by approaching the issue involved with soul energy and soul perspectives. This provides many opportunities for insights and growth. Each of the 7 issues has external characteristics, but the energies themselves are in the realm of soul or consciousness. They are therefore deep potentials awaiting activation. Base Chakra Security Security is about feeling safe, about feeling that your life will not be taken away, so that you can live a long and good life in this body. It is about being fully in this form world. Security is connected with the most basic instincts, which are our natural intelligence to keep us secure. Security is a primary issue. The sacred theme is: All is One. We must emphasize the yin approach to security. This could mean: a) Empowering others to take care of themselves based on an appreciation of the inherent value of each one. b) Giving in a way that nourishes, nurtures and supports. c) Honouring your biological family. The fears to face might include: abandonment, loss of physical order, loss of physical life and insecurity. Sacral Chakra Pleasure Pleasure is a necessary part of human life. It is an indication that you are in some kind of harmonious relationship with other human beings or your environment. The emphasis is on pleasure through sexual relations and pleasure through business and economic relations. By enjoying experiences, you establish harmonious relationships. Behind this there will be the necessity of reconciling the opposites, the dualities of life, creating harmony and beauty. 8
We must emphasize the yin approach to pleasure. This could mean: a) Taking risks by giving yourself to secure relationships through trust in the goodness of life. b) Honouring your relationships to people and the world. c) Being receptive to the spiritual energies and messages derived from relationships. d) Opening yourself to the abundance of the universe. It is yours to share. e) Celebrating life, and experiencing the joy of living. The fears to face might be: fear of loss of control, fear of being controlled by another or by circumstances, fear of financial loss, fear of abandonment by a primary partner or very important people in your life, fear of betrayal, fear of impotence, fear of addiction, fear of retirement and loss of influence in the outer world, and fear of losing the abilities of the physical body. Solar Plexus Chakra Power Power is about exercising your right place in life, and expressing your purpose in relation to others. When you are doing this there is no interference in another s life, there is no inappropriate dependence on others, there is no imposition on others. Being in your right place fulfilling your purpose always empowers others. We must emphasize the yin approach to personal power. This could mean: a) Cultivating friendships and being true to your friends. b) Respecting the differences between yourself and others, and allowing those differences to co-exist. c) Empowering others to be comfortable with themselves. d) Cultivating self-esteem and self-respect. e) Honouring yourself and honouring others. f) Being generous toward others. g) Being empathic and understanding toward others. h) Forgiving yourself. i) Accepting your weaknesses as necessary to your growth and development. j) Drawing upon the deep inner power that exists within you. k) Being honest with yourself. l) Supporting others to fulfill their purpose as they see it. The fears to face at this time might be: fear of criticism, fear of rejection, fear of being out of place, fear of being in danger, fear of being inappropriate, fear of looking foolish or stupid, fear that our secrets will be found out, fear of the way we look. 9
Heart Chakra Love Love is about being united and joined to others as a reflection of your essential oneness. Love is your participation in the heart of God, the power of the Divine Presence. We must emphasize the yin approach to love. This could reflect the following characteristics: a) Being sympathetic. b) Being empathic. c) Being compassionate. d) Caring for others. e) Accepting your dark side. f) Being tolerant and accepting of whatever life and others present to you. g) Cultivating intimacy. h) Allowing vulnerability. i) Developing group consciousness. j) Growing into God consciousness. The fears to face might be: fear of loneliness, fear of commitment, fear of following your heart, fear of your emotions, fear of others emotions or fear of being loved. Distortions of the love energy give rise to: anger, jealousy, hatred and resentment. Throat Chakra Communication Communication is about joining consciousness with life energy and expressing it creatively. It is connecting spirit and matter through the soul, and expressing it outwardly through the instrument of the mind. It is about aligning personal will with divine will. Through communication we express who we are at all levels from the separated self to the God self. The will is central to this expression. We must emphasize the yin approach to communication. This must result in: a) Surrendering personal will to Universal/Divine Will. b) Opening the mind to impression from the intuitive planes. c) Making connections and seeing relationships between ideas and things. d) Listening deeply to oneself, to others and to the Universal Presence. The fears to face this year might be: fear of having no voice or authority, fear of expressing yourself, fear of making the wrong choices, fear of being out of control, fear of releasing your power and authority to a higher or external power. 10
Brow Chakra Insight Insight is about seeing the true or higher nature of reality. Insight is soul vision and only operates when the soul has been consciously activated in your life. Insight occurs when, and to the degree that, you know yourself. This knowledge is the basis for the contact with Reality or Truth. It is when this level of consciousness is activated that doubt, uncertainty, lack of discipline, insecurity and all things relative can be released. In fact, they are released automatically as this insight center is used. (The healer, focused within the Universal, can heal that which is relative.) We must emphasize the yin approach to insight. This must result in: a) Discriminating clearly between the true and the false. b) Releasing yourself from attachments to false truths. c) Seeing the Divine Presence in all. d) Communicating with others on a soul level of contact. e) Maintaining a state of detachment from externals, while relating to all with love and understanding. f) Honouring and enjoying the diversity of life s expressions. g) Understanding the relationships between all things. h) Refraining from self-referencing. i) Living the inner life. j) Trusting in divine guidance. k) Being in the present moment. The fears to face might be: the fear of going within; the fear of uncovering the truth of yourself; the fear of facing the shadow; fear of discipline; fear of the voice of Truth. The motto for this level of development is: Seek only the truth, and the truth shall set you free. The Year - 2012 2012: Crown Chakra Divine Union There is huge potential for 2012 if we weren t shackled by our limitations and the limitations of humanity. This potential is called Divine Union. It is virtually beyond words to describe because it is the experience of unity with God, the Universal or the All. It is about Unity Consciousness, living in the Divine Presence as all that matters and all that is. The experience of oneness liberates us from the confinement of separation. This 11
liberation is the goal of all incarnations. We can, however, practice experiencing unity at whatever level we are functioning. We must emphasize the yin approach to Divine Union. This must result in: a) Recognizing the Divine Presence within oneself. b) Recognizing the Divine Presence in others. c) Recognizing the Divine Presence in all things. d) Having an awareness of the Divine as a transcendent force or authority in life. e) Knowing the Oneness of all life. f) Living and being the Oneness. g) Having faith in the Divine Presence, in Life. h) Maintaining an attitude of complete acceptance, compassion and life-giving support. The fears to face during this year might be: the fear of loss of identity; the fear of losing connection with family and friends; the fear of not coping with life s practical issues; the fear of the spiritual journey through darkness; the fear of freedom; the fear of spiritual responsibility; the fear of spiritual abandonment. Five - The Energy of 2012 We certainly have our work cut out for us in order to experience a spiritual liberation. This is not a liberation from the mundane, but an elevation of consciousness such that the lower nature does not control. Since the work has not been done prior to this, there is a deep longing for freedom - the freedom of the spirit. The quality of life is emphasised, and therefore the true quality within oneself. Now we contemplate the macrocosm and renew the quality of our own microcosmic world so that the greater and the lesser are more linked and the highest energies we are capable of opening to can flow through us. We must begin with ourselves and our way of perceiving our reality. In 2012 the joys and sorrows of life can more easily be reconciled and accommodated within our psyche. We are more free in consciousness to avoid the extremes, the duality, the emotional tides of life. We are able to identify with our higher nature and its mastery. And if so educated, we can actively offer ourselves to the Kingdom of Souls (the Hierarchy) to serve the greater good. If there are any aspects of consciousness which need to be altered, changed or completely transformed, this is the time, for we have the gift of adaptability and the energy of regeneration. 12
A Time of Transformation We can conclude from various converging factors that this is definitely a most significant time of transformation. But we should realize that the implied transformation is now only in the first stage and will not reach noticeable attainments until later. What we have to do to be part of the constructive aspect of transformation is to be aware of the specific energies that are impacting us and consciously respond appropriately to them, incorporating them into our being. If we do not do this, or to the extent to which we do not do this, we will be involved in the destructive aspect of the creative energies of transformation. Transformation is creating something new. It is a new stage of integration. It is a creative process, and every creative process has both a destructive and a constructive dimension to it. Our degree of awareness and consciousness determines how much of the destructive needs to occur in order to bring about the necessary awareness and consciousness that is missing. Humanity is about to take the most significant step in consciousness that has ever occurred in the history of this planet. Some say that we are about to take a quantum leap. This leap, however, has a history. We have been preparing for this for a very long time. Humanity is entering the path of Initiation for the first time. This is a path of conscious response to spirit, opening to the path of soul consciousness. Knowing this, we may more easily get where we re going. The New Enlightenment The changes we are going through, and will continue to go through, all serve one end which is to speed us along the evolutionary journey to wholeness. The emerging energies now dawning is not the same as the mental opening that occurred 300 years ago, but the light of the soul leading us into an experience and state of wholeness never before experienced by humanity. The evolutionary process that all souls in incarnation go through is the process of developing soul consciousness. It is the evolution of consciousness rather than the evolution of form that biologists and physical scientists would talk about. Enlightenment or the evolution of consciousness involves two psychological-spiritual realities: 1. The progressive awareness of universal reality, sometimes called God or Spirit. 2. The progressive identification with that reality as the self. 13
This evolution of consciousness has four stages that we experience: 1. Self consciousness which is the awareness of our own individuality as separate from others, wherein we pay attention to our desires and thoughts and seek to fulfill our desires and manifest our thoughts. At this stage we are learning to be independent, and capable of meeting our personal needs. 2. Soul consciousness which is the awareness of meaning and quality in all life and experience, including oneself. Understanding and love become of primary importance, and service to others and their needs assumes a very important place in one s life. We are learning to live more of the unity of life. 3. Group consciousness which is the identification with others as oneself. Unity of purpose is perceived in the active participation in the group soul and group service to respond to group need. This level is more of a future possibility, currently achieved by few. 4. Unity consciousness which is the blissful oneness with all life. This is an ideal to which we relate only in aspiration rather than in present achievement. We can take comfort knowing that we are all in this together and collectively we can make the changes that are needed in our world. We are not without assistance, we need to attune to our soul, the soul of humanity and be willing take responsibility in creating a world that is loving, harmonious and one that focuses on right human relationships. Together we can do that. We must be patient, tenacious and confident in our ability to bring spirit into matter. THE MANTRAM OF UNIFICATION The sons of men are one and I am one with them. I seek to love, not hate; I seek to serve and not exact due service; I seek to heal not hurt. Let pain bring due reward of light and love. Let the soul control the outer form, And life, and all events, And bring to light the love Which underlies the happenings of the time. Let vision come and insight. Let the future stand revealed. Let inner union demonstrate and outer cleavages be gone Let love prevail. Let all men love. May we all be blessed. From Bonnie with Andrew's ever present support. 14