It is our consciousness that must evolve.

The death throws of the overt dominator mindset in leadership playing out in various parts of the world today show us just how far the human ego will go to preserve an illusion. The human cost is so very high and now evident for all the world to see where it was previously easier to hide. Local and global dynamics are throwing up some really new challenges we haven’t had to face before and we are needing new ways to approach them, especially in a country like New Zealand where dictatorial leaders who would use their will to bend ours would not get away with it – unless we all allowed it. In my view it is our consciousness that must evolve to meet these needs. In spite of the growing transparency (apparently) of world affairs and breaking news we must be vigilant with who and what we delegate our authority to and recognise the responsibility we all have for shaping the world we all live in. We really do reap what we sow…and we all sow…and we all reap. We are all responsible for the world we inhabit. One way we can all help is to pay at least some attention to our own growth, to take care of our own patch of consciousness. One way I do my best with this is to use the Christian Easter tradition. As the Easter story reflects the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, my personal habit at this time of year is to make time to consciously reflect on my personal relationship with life, death and renewal. I use Easter the way some people use New Year. I look to what it is time to release and allow to evolve, how I can cooperate with my natural process. I seek my own habits of thinking and doing that are in their ‘death throes’ and need to be acknowledged and released or otherwise put out of their misery. This time of year always evokes this kind of enquiry and ‘trims the sails’ of my own direction. If you want to join me in your own way, what I do is very simple. About now I start consciously considering how life is and where I am at in relation to my personal relationship with myself, my relationships with others and my connectedness to the world at large. Sometimes I make lists of what I want less of and what I want more of. These can be habits, beliefs, attitudes, things and stuff. On Good Friday I do something practical to release things or do a little ritual like burning my list of things I don’t want to take forward. I clean out a drawer, the garage, shed or cupboard, papers or anything that reflects letting go and clearing out. For me this year my focus is on habits I want to change. On Easter Saturday I start reflecting and listing clearly what I want to ‘call forward’ in myself as well as consciously reflecting what I have intended to let go of and feeling into the space they leave behind from the process the day before. For me this will mean doing some circuit breaker activities and changing my routines. On Easter Sunday I do something that reflects what I want to call forward. It could be anything but the ritual of it signifies renewal and new beginnings. This year I will be surrendering to the evolution of my life and work in the technology context – aaaarrrggghhhh! Where will I find the time? Even as I write I can feel how daunting this idea feels like even as at the same time I know myself well enough to trust that as a willing participant I CAN LEARN! Fear not – I won’t be blogging my process or bombarding you with my new learning (for now) – wish me luck! And that’s it from my view, Amanda