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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
C