It would be a great conceit for me to believe that I can decide if you are an awakening soul or not. What you are is up to you. Only you can make this call about yourself.

But while that is true, I none-the-less have a little questionnaire that I think you might find interesting, enjoyable, perhaps just a little challenging but, most of all, enlightening. The process of completing this questionnaire will, I believe, give you an opportunity to evaluate, for yourself, the degree to which you have managed to awaken your soul.

There is a "score" that you can add up as you answer each question. But really that will only measure the degree of your awakening against MY ideas of what this means. So the score is just for fun and to see to what degree you agree with my reasoning. And spiritual awakening is anyway not a competitive sport! So play along if you like... or ignore the scoring component if you prefer. But please DO go through the questionnaire anyway and see how this might spark your awareness of the areas in which you are awakening beautifully... and the areas that you might still like to work on.

Perhaps you might like to think of this questionnaire as a kind of a "spiritual mirror". By playing along you get to take a moment to gaze into a part of yourself that is normally quite hard to see. So have fun. See what you think of the questionnaire itself. And see what you discover about yourself in the process...

Note: This questionnaire has 40 questions, divided up into 7 sections. Some of the questions are interspersed with a fair amount of information for you to consider. It should take anywhere from 20 minutes to half an hour, depending on how deeply you wish to ponder the issues. It is best approached when you are in a relaxed and peaceful frame of mind.

Awakening Metric 1. Shifting Social Circles

This life you are living is a grand, elaborate dream. But, while almost everyone sharing this dream with you is working very hard to stay asleep, you are trying to wake up. And this very yearning to awaken in a world trying hard to remain asleep is the cause of a considerable amount of the difficulties and challenges in your life. Here is the first of those difficulties:

There are subjects that interest you that you’d love to discuss with others. Subjects like: who are we REALLY? Why are we really here? Why is life the way it is? What is the real point of origin for the pain we all seem to feel in our hearts and souls? Why is there evil in the world? What is the truth about God, life and everything?

Perhaps for you the topics of interest include other things that you also know, within yourself, to be true. Such as Earth being visited by extra-terrestrials. Or the existence of nature spirits. Or power animals. Or spirit-guides. Or angels.

Perhaps your awakening has included the discovery that the story presented in the media (and believed by everyone around you) is a fabrication. And perhaps you have come to believe some (or even a great many) conspiracy theories to be the actual truth of things.

Whatever the specifics of the ideas that you have come to hold to be both true and important, as you awaken, you almost certainly find those around you responding with anything from boredom to outright hostility if you try to discuss these ideas. So you feel quite alone and isolated in your quest for the truth.

Is this you?
(put a tick in this box if it is... or if the answer is closer to "yes" than it is to "no")

1. Yep, that's me alright!

And it's not only that friends, colleagues and family react negatively to the things the awakening soul begins to find important and of interest. It cuts both ways. Perhaps you too are finding the things that these others in your life want to prattle on about and want to entertain themselves with to be ever less palatable too!

And so, as we awaken, we usually find ourselves becoming ever more isolated. And though this often feels quite unpleasantly lonely, this is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact I believe this to be a necessary phase in the awakening process. It results in a kind of "time of pupation"; this isolation allows the awakening soul space to begin to decide, without just going along with the old influences in their life, who and what they really are. It is a time of introspection. A time of choosing. Choosing to look within for what is true and important rather than going along with what outside influences dictate. Certainly, for many, a time of finding companionship in books and music (and, in this digital age, videos and websites) carefully chosen for the way they inspire and add to the awakening process.

Have you found yourself to be in this "time of pupation"?

2. Yes, I am (or have been) in just such a phase. I am (or have been) sufficiently isolated from my erstwhile social circle that I have had time to begin to find the "real me" within.

But the good news is that awakening doesn't mean eternal isolation! Quite the opposite. This pupation phase does come to an end. When the awakening soul is ready; when he or she has found enough of what they sought inside of themselves, they begin to emerge, as a butterfly emerges from its chrysalis. And then there is a whole new self, resplendent and gorgeous in evidence. Because the being that emerges from this period of isolation has begun to truly find and love him- or herself. What they then have to share with the world is their own true and authentic self (not just another insipid reflection of popular culture). This new emergent being then finds a yearning for true, soul-deep, intimate connections with significant others. And so a new phase begins. A phase of oneness in separation... rather than simply "socialising" as before.

Have you found yourself in this phase?

3. Yes. I felt quite bereft when I lost some of my old friendships. But the depth and profundity of the connections I am now making shows me that I am on the right path, for sure!

Awakening Metric 2. Rock-a-bye Baby…

One of the most powerful ways those in this world keep themselves (and everyone else around them) deeply asleep is with little “fascination games”. Things that make you look outside of yourself for what to believe in; for what to attach your ego to. What to call “important”. What to live for, fight for and die for.
 
These are the things the people of this world give all their focus and attention to. And in so doing this is how they keep themselves sound asleep in illusion land.
 
And these are also precisely the things that you are losing interest in, as you awaken.
 
What are these things? Put a tick in the box next to each item below that you  have no interest in:

Money, power and status for their own sake.

4. Nope. Money is, at best, a tool. I don't hunger for money itself. And certainly not for power or status!
 
The notion of “celebrity” and that there should be “stars” that the rest of us gush over.
5. No way! If someone is great at what they do then good for them. But I don't worship any other human being!

Religion: the dogmas and doctrines that some person or book tells you, you must believe in.

6. Not for me! I don't need someone (or some book or some group) to tell me what is true. I find my truth inside myself!

Politics: The very entertaining drama that a small group uses to fool the rest of us that we actually have a say in the way they will continue to run "their" business.

7. No thanks! Politicians serve the masters that “donate” to keep them in the running, not the electorate. And I am not interested in that game.

Discrimination: the idea that there is a group of humans that you belong to that is “okay” and that there are other groups that are different and “not okay” - whether these groups are divided by colour, gender, sexual orientation, language or whatever other demographic.

8. Are you kidding? We are all eternal spirits having a human experience. How can someone else be of less value than myself?

Nationalism: the idea that you actually belong to a geographical region and, perversely, that that makes you better than someone else who doesn’t. The idea that your geographic region deserves your undying loyalty, no matter what destructive idiocy the leaders of your geographic region (see politics above) get up to.

9. How silly. I am a spirit being first. What REALLY does it matter where I was born for this incarnation?

Sport as a religion. If you actually participate in some sport and love that, then that’s perfectly good and healthy. What you get a point for is having no interest in getting yourself attached to some sports team as if they were somehow an extension of yourself. The belief that what they do on the sports field is somehow significant in your life.

10. Nope. I am not interested in being polarized by the actions of a group of people engaged in sweaty activity with a leather ball. How on earth can THAT be important?

News. The idea that some talking heads on TV (or some other opinion makers in print) are actually telling you what is both true and important.

11. Nope! News is a business paid for by sponsors provided by a corporation that exists to make money. It's not a public service. And it doesn't exist for my benefit.

And as you lose interest in these things, so you find that there is room in your mind to think your own thoughts. To begin to process the things that you really should be processing. So you begin to notice the things that are going on inside yourself.

Awakening Metric 3: The journey is inwards.

And as you lose interest in all of these "fascination games" that don't serve you, so you find you have space in your mind and energy in your being to focus on other things. Important things. Things that DO serve you!

Place a check in the box next to each item to which you do give your energy and attention:

Are you becoming aware of your thoughts? Are you becoming aware that your thoughts actually impact your reality? That positive thoughts BRING positive experiences?

12. Yes, I am aware of the power of my own thoughts.

Are you aware that you are creating your reality with your beliefs? Have you noticed something in your reality change “like magic” when the only thing you changed was your belief about it (or yourself)?

13. Yes, I have!

Have you noticed that your body has its own intelligence? That it seems to be a “someone” rather than a “something”? And that this “someone” is working quite hard to show you to the things that you are hiding from yourself? So, for example, your illnesses, discomforts and diseases all seem to “magically” point you to some idea or belief that you're clinging to that no longer serves you. Have you noticed this?

14. Yes, I have!

And if you have actually begun putting these awarenesses into practice by working to heal your thoughts and beliefs… and then noticed that this has brought healing to you relationships, your life experiences or your body, give yourself an extra point. You certainly deserve it!

15. Yes, I have!

Awakening Metric 4: Who are you?

And soon enough, after noticing the power of things like thought and intent... you begin to wonder how this works. Who are you... and why are you here?

Have you asked yourself this question: “who am I really?”

If you’ve wrestled with it a bit... really given this more than a cursory thought or two... give yourself a point.

16. Ooooh, yeah. I've gone around the block with that!

If you are past thinking that you are your body, your mind, your thoughts, your experiences, your memories, your beliefs, your relationships… or anything else that you can point to… give yourself a point.

17. Yeah, I know these are things I HAVE... not what I AM.

If you know that life, for you, is unending. That this life in this body is just one experience and that you have had other, utterly different, experiences, some in other bodies and many more not in a body at all and that, obviously, you will continue to live and experience when you leave this body behind… then you get a point.

18. Its not possible to PROVE this... and yet I KNOW this.

If you understand that this “person” you currently are is your ego and that this is something you “have”, not something you are, then you earn another point.

19. Yep. I've got that sorted too.

If you are aware that the REAL you is creating this ego-persona and then inhabiting it so as to experience this life in this world, then you certainly deserve another point.

20. It's not immediately obvious but, yes, I figured that out for myself.

Feel into this persona. Here you are now. Here you are pretending to be THIS human being, reading these words. It feels as if you ARE this person, right? If you can, from this perspective, connect with your Inner-Self, your “real” self… then give yourself a point!

21. Wa-hey! There's my Inner-Self! I can connect with It and know that I am It!

If you are able to accept guidance, teaching and direction from your Inner-Self (probably via your heart portal?), then you can give yourself a point.

22. My own internal guru and guidance is right here in my heart. Got it!

If you make a practice, at least daily, of listening to your Inner-Self and “following your heart” then you can give yourself another point.

23. I do! I make sure to "tune in" at least daily.

If you meditate and find true stillness regularly, then you earn another point.

24. I know the value of stopping to "listen to my soul". I meditate regularly.

If you feel your ego is becoming a tool in the service of your soul, then you get another point.

25. Yeah! It's a real challenge to get this right, but I am learning that this "person" is a set of beliefs and tools that the "real me" is using to experience this world and enact Its soul-deep desires.

And finally, if you feel that you are actually BECOMING your Inner-Self and that your ego is just that which you use to interact with the world, then you get both a point and my deep respect. It takes some doing to get to this point here on Earth!

26. Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude! I am reaching this point!

Awakening Metric 5: Your Belief System

I believe that your entire external reality... everything you experience, from the thoughts in your mind to the health of your body to the quality of the relationships you have to the way you experience the world... all of this is really just a mirror reflection showing you your own beliefs back to you.

That's what I believe.

What do you believe?

Do you know that you can change your beliefs? Do you know that your beliefs are just ideas to which you have become attached?

27. Yes, I know that this is possible because I have observed my beliefs changing and refining as I have grown spiritually.

Do you know that your spiritual pain is really just a manifestation of beliefs that no longer serve you?

28. That makes sense to me, yes.

Do you know that all other kinds of suffering (physical, mental and emotional) are really just manifestations of your spiritual pain... and therefore also a result of your clinging to beliefs that no longer serve you?

29. Yes, I know that I can heal myself and my life by healing my beliefs.

Do you know that there are beliefs that are good, not because they are "true" but because they work? They are useful. They bring healing, growth, peace, harmony and joy as they replace damaging, limiting beliefs. For example, a belief that "All is One" will result in the believer being more loving to all of life. And a belief that "what you do to another you do to yourself also", will cause the believer to be kinder, more caring and more compassionate. And will therefore experience more kindness, caring and compassion in the world. Because what you believe is what you perceive.

30. Yes. I am very carefully working on my belief set, crafting the beliefs that optimally serve the greatest good.

Awakening Metric 6: It's not the thing itself... it's the way you feel about it.

Emotions are powerful things. When we are deeply asleep we can feel as if we are their victim. As if they are something that "happens to us". Perhaps even that they are "a bad thing" that needs to be controlled or even shut off. But then, as we awaken, we begin to discover their true power and potential. We discover that they are actually tools that we can use to change our very reality. Have you found this?

Do you know that it is possible to self-emote (to choose your emotions)?

31. Yes. I do.

Have you managed to do this? Can you decide to feel as you wish to feel whenever you want (or at least most of the time)?

32. Yes. Right now I can find joy in my heart, just because I choose it. Or love. Or peace. Or whatever other emotion I choose. And I do this, at least sometimes.

And has the fact of your ability to self-emote led you to the discovery that you can actually change the pattern and flow of your life? Have you discovered that, by choosing your emotions, you can actually change your life?

33. Yes. I used to think I felt the way I did as a result of the things that were happening to me. Now I find it to be the other way 'round. Now I know that life works to bring me the experiences that reflect the emotions I am choosing.

When the awakened learn to own the power of their own emotions, they usually quite quickly become quite serene. Their base, normal state becomes tranquillity and peace. And from that quiet, calm centre, they sometimes choose to move their emotions in this direction or that... as is appropriate to them. Have you reached this state?

34. Yes. I have found the transcendent bliss of serenity. And this is my normal state. And from here I choose to paint my life with the palette of emotions that my deepest sense of right calls forth.

Awakening Metric 7: Integration

This reality we find ourselves in is called "Separation" because that is what it is. It is a place where parts of the One can come to feel what it is like to be "not one".  So forgetting is the same thing as fragmenting. That is how we get to feel as if we are small, powerless, mortal little beings. When we awaken just a little, we begin to become aware of the greater self. Then we feel as if we are each just one incarnation, amongst many, of this greater self. When we further awaken we realise that those "past lives" are all right here, right now, within us. That we heal ourselves as we heal and re-integrate our past lives. Have you done any of this re-integrative work yet?

35. Yes, I have done (at least some of) the work of finding, healing and re-integrating my alternate life-streams.

And when we begin to heal other life-streams, we open ourselves to the awareness that there are all kinds of other aspects of self, not just "past lives", that we can heal and work with. Like the Shadow, for example.

Shadow work is, at the same time, the most challenging and the most wonderfully healing thing to do. You see, your Shadow encompasses all the parts of yourself that you are hiding from yourself. Whenever you reject, revile and deny any part of yourself, it moves into Shadow. So, all the most hateful, fearful, destructive and harmful parts of yourself reside in Shadow. Which means that we typically REALLY don't want to go scratching around in there! We only begin to work on Shadow when our life reaches a crisis and we cannot go on any further without beginning to face "our demons"... our Shadow aspects.

Have you had that "dark night of the soul" that caused you to choose to turn your life around and face the unfaceable within yourself?

36. Yes. I have been there. It was terrible to experience. But I made it through. And I chose for life and love and healing. And I have begun (or am willing to begin) to face my own Shadow.

Have you found ways to heal this most self-destructive part of your psyche?

37. Yes. As challenging as it is, I am in the process of bringing loving awareness to this aspect of myself and it is being reintegrated.

But we don't only hide the reviled parts of ourselves in our Shadow. The Big Secret of Shadow work is that we are more afraid of our beauty, power and magnificence than of our ugly, destructive victimhood. And so, as we heal this most painful part of ourselves, so we begin to confront the most radiant part of ourselves. The truly God-like, immortal Inner-Self. Have you begun to feel yourself unifying and reintegrating with this divine being?

38. Yes. The personality that is here on Earth is to my spirit as a glove is to my hand. It is the means by which I reach into this reality. The means by which I can feel what this kind of life is like. Without it, I would not be able to be here. But I am here. And I am the eternal, immortal spirit being that gives life to this very small belief-set that is this ego-persona. As I have given life to my other “past lives”. And In due course, when I am ready, I will release this perspective and return to a much expanded state. This is my truth and my experience.

And as we reach these lofty states of awakening where we KNOW that we are this divine being walking around within the ego and body of this person... so we also bring to this life all the wisdom, compassion and creative power that is the true nature of the Inner-Self. We begin to Shine our Divine Light. We begin to give our Greatest Gift. We begin to express our most God-like nature. Are you there yet?

39. Yes. Without being either coy or boastful, I can state my truth. The I-that-I-am is here now. And I am expressing my Self fully into this life.

Since "what you put out is what you get back", as you arrive at this place of full self-expression, as you begin to give your Great Gift, as you truly shine the Light of your soul... so life begins to reflect all of that back to you. Because life does not lie. It can only ever be a mirror in which you see yourself. And so, as you arrive at this state of full self-expression, life becomes ever more abundant, blissful, and gorgeously loving. Is life reflecting back to you that you are indeed arriving at this final stage of your awakening?

40. Yes. I find the only question I ever ask myself is "how can I express myself more fully?" I no longer even ask how I can get the things I want and need. I am supplied in loving abundance with all that I can imagine wanting and needing. I feel no blockage or resistance. I am flow. I am life. I am love. And I am one with all that I encounter.

Time to Add It Up!

The above questionnaire has 40 check boxes. Please go back and add up your checks to see what your score is out of a total of 40.

That's your score on MY measure of spiritual awakening. But I am not your guru. I am not your spiritual master. And I am not your source of truth. So it's time to get clear with yourself. Do you agree with the questionnaire? What does your heart say... do YOU feel this questionnaire to be a fair measure of a soul's level of awakening?

Only you will know for yourself. As careful as I was about putting this questionnaire together, and as much as I have given this all due consideration... at best this is all still just my perspective!

And if you do think my perspective is at least moderately accurate... what does your score mean for you?

What's the Score?

I'm sure you will agree that it is obvious that 40 out of 40 is a REAL stretch. Truly only the most enlightened, sainted, christed and godlike will be residing at that state of perfection.

So I don't expect anyone to actually get 40 out of 40 (without deluding themselves, of course). Certainly I didn't! Not nearly!

But that is not to say that it is not possible!

And that is the point. It was my intent to show where it is possible to get to. What the heights are that we can reach. This way, after concluding the questionnaire, we can take stock of the growth that we have each attained and also see where we have yet to go.

And if you scored a bit low? Don't be down-hearted! Even if you only have a handful of points, you are beginning to awaken. You are on the path. And once you are on the path, the difference between your low score and someone else's high-30's is really just time. You are being called to awakening by your Inner-Self. All you need to do is to keep tuning in. Keep listening. Keep healing. Keep growing. Keep following your heart as you are led by the path of Divine Assistance to your own ever-unfolding awakening. And (if you come back to do this again some time) your score will steadily climb until you too are scoring in the high 30's.

Not that the score itself ever matters. But the elevation in your consciousness that it represents certainly does. And all the gifts of spirit that come with the awakening certainly do.

What's Next?

Right now make the choice to be loving towards yourself for the growth that you have accomplished. No part of any of this should be taken as criticism. No part of any of this should be used to beat yourself up. You are awesome. Exactly as you are, exactly where you are right now.

Take a moment to accept yourself in this here and now. If you do, then you take ownership of yourself and your situation. And doing THAT is what allows you to recreate yourself consciously. And what is awakening other than the recreation of the self into a more whole, integrated, evolved state?

And then...? If you would like my assistance in your continued awakening, then I'd love to offer it!

Take a look at the areas that you would still need to grow in (the areas in which you feel you lacked checks).

If the areas you lack are in:

Awakening Metrics 1 and 2

Then I invite you, especially, to read The Ascension Papers, Book 1.

Awakening Metrics 2 and 3

Then I think you will benefit greatly from Heart and Mind Aligned, the first module of Dreamer Awake!

Awakening Metrics 4 and 5

Then you will find Shining the Light on Shadow, the second module of Dreamer Awake! to be very helpful indeed!

Awakening Metric 6

Then Create Yourself; Create Your Life is exactly what you are looking for!

Awakening Metric 7

Then the some combination of Soul Re-Integration, Shining the Light on Shadow and The Tools of Creation (the third module of Dreamer Awake!) is sure to provide you with the assistance you need.

... and of course you are most welcome to contact me to discuss your needs. I have a variety of other offerings that I can recommend. Such as Guided Meditation recordings, coaching, past-life work or one of my other publications. Or, if you are ready for a truly life-altering, soul-rejuvenating vacation, combined with my focussed attention tailored specifically to your needs, perhaps a Spiritual Safari is called for! Contact me... let's talk!

Now, to be clear, I don't wish to imply that the only way for you to progress is with my assistance. But I have been blessed with all kinds of wonderful help upon my own path. I could not be here (either where I am upon my path of ascension or, in fact, even just here, alive, happy and whole) without the assistance of my Inner-Self, my spirit-guide, my life-partner, a variety of healers and (perhaps this might surprise you) a good number of my clients who came to me for healing, but through which we both healed together.

What I am saying is that we ALL need some help, guidance, reminding and assistance sometimes.

If I have what you need at this juncture of your journey, then it is my great joy to render that assistance!

In Conclusion

The question we asked at the beginning of this document was, "Are you an awakening soul?"

I think we can agree that "awakening" is a sliding scale; that there are "degrees of awakening".

I think we can also agree that awakening is a process that will continue until you are ready to leave this life (and indeed this whole reality) behind.

And finally, I think we can agree that you are engaged in that process. You are an awakening soul!

Did you know that there are different types of awakening souls? Depending on how you got here, to this point of awakening, you will belong to one of a number of groups. At this point I am aware of three main groups. They are Earth Souls, Starseeds and Light-Bringers. I'd love to tell you about these and what this might mean for you. Read all about that here.