高等意识手册-第27节

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quieting　the　mind　or　dropping　away　the　self。　And　since　an　increase　of　any
one　factor　accelerates　the　realization　of　the　other　two　factors；　eliminating
your　addictions　may　also　be　your　most　rapid　technique　for　calming　your　mind
or　knowing　what　you　really　are。
One　of　the　great　approaches　to　the　mountain　of　consciousness　involves　the
letting　go　of　the　“self”　with　which　we　are　identifying　and　which　we　protect　so
laboriously。　And　progress　in　disidentifying　with　the　myriad　of　things　we
contain　within　our　self　boundary　also　helps　us　quiet　the　mind　and　drop　away
addictive　demands。
As　children；　we　learn　to　experience　a　territory　that　we　call　“myself”　or
“mine。”　This　“self”　is　considered　to　be　bounded　by　our　skin；　although　we
experience　extensions　of　the　“self”　with　concepts　such　as　my　toys；　my　room；
my　dog；　my　clothes；　my　friend；　my　reputation；　etc。　We　feel　that　everything　is
mine　or　not　mine。　And　we　generate　the　experience　of　alienation　and　anger
towards　people　when　they　appear　to　encroach　on　territory　we　consider　our
own。
Since　the　ego　is　constantly　busy　protecting　the　territory　it　has　defined　as
“mine；”　it　can　never　relax　into　the　here　and　now。　It　must　always　be　securing
its　future　happiness。　This　continuous　activity　reinforces　the　sensation　of　an
“I”　or　“me”　or　“self”　to　whom　the　territory　belongs；　and　to　whom　painful
experiences　are　always　threatening　to　happen。　One’s　programming　reinforced
by　memory　thus　forces　the　ego　to　continually　protect　its　territory　　which　it
identifies　as　“self。”
The　frequency　with　which　one’s　bioputer　is　running　off　addictive
programs　creates　the　illusion　that　this　“I”　or　“self”　is　an　entity　　a
“somebody”　　rather　than　a　robot…like　activity。　When　this　activity　of　“I”　or
“self”　is　recognized　as　an　activity　rather　than　an　entity；　we　begin　to　see　that
we　are　responsible　for　our　suffering。　The　“I”　is　this　activity　of　defense。
When　we　stop　defending；　there　is　no　more　“I”　or　“self。”
We　work　hard　to　make　ourselves　suffer。　It’s　a　full…time　job　with　no　time　off
even　on　vacations！　As　this　activity　and　basic　attitude　of　addictively　securing
one’s　future　happiness　begins　to　be　reprogrammed；　the　“I”　loses　its　purpose
and　begins　to　merge　with　what　is　here　and　now。
Depending　on　one’s　security；　sensation；　and　power　profile；　the　self　boundary
is　drawn　at　different　places　with　different　people。　For　example；　a　man　may
defend　as　a　part　of　himself　various　patriarchal　feelings　towards　women　that
involve　domination；　control；　and　masculine　superiority。　Another　man　may　not
identify　his　self　boundary　with　these　subject…object　relationships；　but　instead
he　experiences　as　essentially　like　himself　all　beings　who　happen　to　be
encased　in　female　bodies。　Thus　the　area　that　we　regard　as　part　of　our　“self”
will　fluctuate；　depending　upon　the　attitudes　and　concepts　one　has　acquired
and　the　stage　of　consciousness　development　one　is　in。
If　we　would　understand　the　nature　of　this　experience　that　we　regard　as
“myself；”　it　may　be　helpful　to　realize　that　the　self　boundaries　we　defend　are
like　boils　on　our　skin。　A　boil　is　a　part　of　us　　and　yet　it　is　not　a　part　of　us。　It
is　just　a　functional　thing　that　arises　and　that　can　pass　away。　It　is　not　a
structural　part　of　our　body　like　our　liver　or　bones　or　eyes。　Like　a　boil；　the　self
concepts　that　we　pick　up　in　our　cultural　milieu　cause　a　lot　of　pain　and
messiness。　And　also　like　a　boil　on　our　skin；　the　“self”　will　dissolve　in　its　own
way　as　we　get　healthier。
One　might　ask；　“How　could　this　experience　of　‘self’　be　such　an　impermanent
part　of　us　when　it　is　felt　so　strongly？”　Our　experience　of　“self”　is　created　by
the　frequency　with　which　our　ego　is　defending　our　security；　sensation；　and
power　addictions。　Since　these　lower　three　Centers　of　Consciousness
determine　most　of　our　experience　before　we　begin　to　grow　toward　higher
consciousness；　our　minds　are　moment…by…moment　reinforcing　the　boundaries
of　this　impermanent　experience　of　“self。”　The　waves　of　the　here　and　now　are
constantly　trying　to　wash　away　this　boundary　of　“self”　that　we　are
maintaining　by　our　addictions　and　our　stored　memories。　But　we　keep
drawing　a　self　boundary　in　the　addictive　sand　of　our　personality　so　that　it　is
continually　defined　and　redefined　in　our　experience。
With　each　addiction　that　you　are　successful　in　upleveling　to　a　preference；　you
will　find　that　a　hunk　of　this　“self”　disappears。　Instead　of　experiencing　people
as　objects；　you　increasingly　feel　them　as　“us”　or　“like　me。”　Gradually；　with
the　upleveling　of　almost　all　of　your　addictions　into　preferences；　this　sharply
defined　experience　of　“self”　leaves　you。　You　then　begin　to　identify　with　other
people　even　when　they　do　something　that　previously　would　have　triggered　an
angry　response　in　you。　You　just　see　that　they　are　doing　something　that　you
have　done　hundreds　or　thousands　of　times　　and　you　do　not　throw　them　out
of　your　heart。
When　you　are　heavily　addicted；　your　experience　of　“self”　is　solid　like　a　block
of　ice。　When　you　have　succeeded　in　reprogramming　almost　all　of　your
addictions　into　preferences；　your　“self”　loses　its　rockness　and　begins　to　have
the　adaptability　and　clarity　of　water。　When　one　is　operating　primarily　on
preferences；　the　hardness　melts　and　instead　there　is　a　conscious　fluidity。　In
this　state；　like　water；　your　sense　of　“self”　is　infinitely　flexible　to
acmodate　itself　to　your　here…and…now　surroundings。　But　there　is　still　a
gentle　experience　of　“self”　even　at　the　Fourth　through　Sixth　Centers　of
Consciousness。　All　of　the　intense　separateness　and　alienation　of　the　previous
rock…like　“self”　is　gone　　but　a　shadow　of　the　former　“self”　still　remains。
Since　it　is　now　so　flexible；　and　since　you　have　trained　your　ego　not　to　fire
your　energy　into　guarding　and　defending　it；　this　gentler　experience　of　“self”
does　not　keep　you　from　enjoying　a　happy　life。　The　self　boundary　created　by
your　preferential　programming　enables　you　to　love　everyone　unconditionally
　including　yourself。
For　the　few　intrepid　explorers　of　the　mountain　of　consciousness　who　wish　to
go　to　the　top　（which　in　the　Living　Love　Way　we　call　the　Seventh　Center　of
Consciousness）；　even　preferences　must　be　reprogrammed。　The　same　tools　of
mindfulness　that　enable　one　to　get　rid　of　addictions　can　be　used　to　eliminate
preferences。　But　one　should　realize　that　just　as　the　ability　to　skillfully　play
the　Brahms　violin　concerto　is　extremely　rare　and　attainable　only　by　a　few
people；　the　ability　to　reside　in　the　Seventh　Center　of　Consciousness　is　unusual
today。　Enjoying　life　in　the　Fourth　through　Sixth　Centers　of　Consciousness　is
something　that　almost　every　one　of　us　can　do　when　we　are　sufficiently　fed　up
with　yo…yoing　between　pleasure　and　pain　and　are　determined　to　use　the　Five
Methods　to　get　free　of　the　addictions　which　keep　us　from　continuously
enjoying　life。
At　the　Seventh　Center　of　Consciousness　even　the　fluid　self　boundaries
disappear。　As　water　evaporates；　it　bees　a　transparent　vapor。　Similarly；　at
the　highest　level　of　consciousness；　the　experience　of　“self”　bees　a
transparent　vapor　that　does　not　affect　perception　or　dam　up　the　intuitive
wisdom　that　is　within　each　of　us。　As　our　perception　of　“self”　or　“somebody”
disappears；　we　bee　“nobody”　　which　then　lets　us　be　in　an　unitive　space
with　everybody。
And　so；　step　by　step；　we　climb　the　mountain　of　consciousness。　We　find　the
path　that　most　beckons　to　us　and　then　we　let　the　cosmic　energy　within　each　of
us　impel　us　toward　the　loftier　regions　where　serenity；　unconditional　love；　and
fulfillment　await　us。
Chapter　19
How　to　Recognize　Your　Addictions
Since　the　Living　Love　Way　to　Higher　Consciousness　is　based　on　gradually
eliminating　your　addictions；　it　is　most　important　that　you　learn　to
automatically　spot　them　in　your　moment…to…moment　flow　of　consciousness。　A
year　contains　31；536；000　seconds　　each　of　which　offers　you　an　opportunity
to　grow　in　consciousness。　How　fully　you　benefit　from　these　thirty…one　million
opportunities　is　up　to　you。
You　can　recognize　an　addiction　by　your　awareness　that　your　bioputer　is
using　emotional　programming　to　make　you　irritated；　angry；　jealous；　confused；
tired；　bored；　defeated；　fearful；　resentful；　or　upset　in　one　way　or　another。　Once
you　are　well　on　your　way　to　reprogramming　your　more　gross　addictions；　you
may　then　bee　aware　of　your　subtle　addictions。　A　subtle　addiction　does
not　get　you　upset　emotionally　　but　with　a　subtle　addiction　your
consciousness　is　preoccupied　with　the　addiction　for　a　period　of　minutes；
hours；　or　days。
We　may　kid　ourselves　that　we　are　thinking　profoundly　and　continually　about　a
subject；　but　we’re　actually　churning　away　most　inefficiently　and　ineffectively
　and　diverting　energy　and　consciousness　that　could　be　more　optimally　used。
As　you　grow　into　higher　consciousness；　your　here…and…now　broad…channel
perception　and　your　relative　freedom　from　having　your　consciousness
dominated　by　addictions　will　intuitively　give　you　the　wise　and　effective
answer　to　any　problem。　As　you　work　toward　the　higher　levels　of
consciousness；　you　will　find　that　“thinking”　（juggling　words；　hypotheses；　and
ideas　centering　around　a　problem）　is　usually　not　the　way　to　find　th