aware of our addictive demands and to understand the heavy price that we
pay for all of them sooner or later if they are not reprogrammed into
preferences。
The goal is not to kill your ego but to retire it due to lack of work。 If you
killed your ego； you might retreat into a schizoid…type shell that would keep
you from enjoying the beautiful things life offers you。 Your ego has a vital
part to play in revealing to you the addictions you have yet to work on。 When
you reprogram your addictions； your ego will automatically stop triggering
negative emotions that interfere with your happiness。 So wele your ego；
watch its operation； and use it as a necessary part of you that will give you
the experiences you need in order to grow into higher consciousness。
THE THREE LOWER CENTERS
PRODUCE UNHAPPINESS IN LIFE
CENTERS ASSOCIATED
EMOTIONS
WHY THE THREE
LOWER CENTERS
OFFER A YO…YO
TYPE OF
ENJOYMENT OF
LIFE
1 … SECURITY Fear； worry； anxiety； etc。 1。 Constant driving
pulsiveness。
2。 Constant fear of loss。
3。 The rational mind
can always trigger an
unlimited chain of future
possibilities to worry
about。
2 … SENSATION Disappointment；
frustration； boredom；
etc。
1。 Constant driving
pulsiveness
2。 Constant fear of loss。
3。 When we repetitively
experience an enjoyable
sensation； we bee
satiated and bore
ourselves。
3 … POWER Anger； resentment；
irritation； hostility； hate；
etc。
1。 Constant driving
pulsiveness
2。 Constant fear of loss。
3。 Our power threat
stimulates a counterattack
from others and
we are continually
caught up in defending
and trying to control。
Chapter 11
The Two Joyous Centers
In the previous chapter； we saw that the Security； Sensation； and Power
Centers of Consciousness cannot be depended upon to continuously enable
you to feel that you are getting “enough” to be happy in life。 One problem
with the Security Center is that； with a little imagination； you can always find
one more loophole in your security setup that must be plugged。 And there is
no end 。 。 。The Sensation Center of Consciousness cannot work to produce
happiness for you either； because you will very likely bee bored with
anything you do repetitively。 You seek to solve the boredom trap by finding
more and more variety； but this in its turn just brings another set of problems
into your life。 The Power Center of Consciousness will not work to produce
happiness for you because your pushing； dominating； and manipulating will
stimulate similar actions from other people。 Their defensive and offensive
tactics then require you to be more dominating and forceful； but this only
works for a short while until the people outside of you respond with even
more force。 What you expected to be a simple solution to a situation actually
sets up the next round of problems in your life。 When you see the
unconscious dance in which you have been ensnarling yourself； you begin to
realize that a higher Center of Consciousness is required to enable you to
enjoy your life。
In the last chapter we learned that when our consciousness operates on the
lower three Centers of Security； Sensation； and Power； we can achieve
greater external success but be a failure inside in terms of happiness。 We
are beginning to get somewhere in our journey toward awakening when our
consciousness deals more and more with the drama of our lives from the point
of view of the two joyous Centers the Love Center and the Cornucopia
Center。
THE FOURTH CENTER OF CONSCIOUSNESS
THE LOVE CENTER
The Fourth Center of Consciousness in the Living Love Way is called the
Love Center。 Love es with the unconditional acceptance of everyone and
everything around us。 And how do we do this？ When your consciousness
lives in the Love Center； you instantly accept anything that anyone does or
anything that happens but the acceptance is only on an emotional basis。
You’re still entitled to your preferences。 A mother will love her child even
though he upsets the quart of milk and it smashes on the kitchen floor。 She
prefers that the quart remain intact。 But if it spills； that’s here and now。 Why
get emotionally upset and bother herself and the baby too？
How do you love everyone unconditionally so that you do not upset yourself
no matter what he does or says？ You can do this only by transcending your
security； sensation； and power addictions for it is only your emotional
programming that disturbs you when the events outside do not conform with
the programming that you have conditioned inside of you。 As your addictions
begin to melt away； you begin to experience everything and everyone around
you in a different way。 You view them not in terms of how they meet your
addictive needs for you are losing those “needs” you just view them in
terms of； “Well； that’s what is here and now。” You realize that each
individual has the need to be doing exactly what he or she is doing here and
now。 You realize that everyone （including yourself） is creating a world in
which one’s addictions are lived out。 When you consciously notice the
hollowness and suffering that these addictions cause； you achieve insights
that help you get free from them。
You are in the Love Center when you accept everything people do as part of
their journeys toward awakening。 You know that if they are consciously on
the path； they will similarly accept your moment…to…moment “stuff” for this
is what helps them grow； too。 And if they are not consciously on the path and
bee angry； that’s their problem。 As your addictions bee upleveled to
preferences； you begin to find that you can instantly accept what was
previously unacceptable emotionally。 After all； you really have no choice。
Whatever is IS！！！ That’s where it’s at right here and now。 You might be
able to change the situation one second； one minute； one hour； or one day
from now。 And by not getting irritated； you will be more effective in realizing
your preferences。
As you learn to live more and more in the Love Center of Consciousness； you
will begin to find that you are creating a new world in which your
consciousness resides。 People and conditions are not longer a threat to you
for no one can threaten your preferences。 “Others” can only threaten your
addictions。 And you’re losing them fast。 Soon your mind will create no
“others。”
As your addictions are reprogrammed； you will find that your “ego” has less
and less to do； and your ego will activate the egos of other people less and
less。 Thus people begin to experience you as being purer as you give
your ego less to do。 This helps them bee purer。 Even though they may
still be stuck in the lower three Centers； they find that they seldom get in
touch with tense feelings when they are with you。 They can begin to get a
taste of what it is like to live in the more joyous Centers of Consciousness。
They may e down when they are not with you； but you will have planted
a seed of awakening。
When you live more and more in the Love Center of Consciousness； you will
find that your blood circulation will improve and your hands and feet may
be warmer。 Your blood vessels will no longer be tight and restricted so that
you feel cold excessively and deeply。 Your face and the back of your neck
and head will stay especially warm and glowing。 Your skin will experience
cold but you will not feel cold inside。 This is one of the beautiful
physiological things that happens as you grow into higher consciousness。
This greater openness of your circulatory system also affects your brain and
other organs to make them function more effectively。 Colds and illness
bee rare。
As you spend more and more time in the Fourth Center of Consciousness；
you will find that you enjoy touching people more and more。 Now that you
are seldom paranoid you can enjoy the beautiful feelings of warmth and
oneness that you can experience when you make contact not only through
words； sight； and sound； but also through your touch receptors。 As you break
through the illusion of duality and separation； you begin to realize that it was
only your head that previously kept you from loving people unconditionally。
It was not their actions as you had been conditioned to believe。
You begin to see with insight the worldly dramas of addictions that people are
still playing out on the first three levels of consciousness； and you feel
passion toward those who still are involved in the illusion of
separateness。 You know that the best way to help them is to work on yourself
so that they can perceive （perhaps for the first time in their lives） the
experience of unconditional love。 They begin to say to themselves； “Wow；
here is someone who accepts me all the time no matter what I do or say。”
Love doesn’t require you to get involved in their “stuff；” as they struggle
through life seeking security； sensations； and power。 You just accept them
because they are there because they have a right to be there and because
where they are is perfect for their growth and also yours。
Every experience you have of other people either leaves you peaceful and
loving or it makes you aware of the remaining addictions to be
reprogrammed。 When someone does things that you previously found
unacceptable but which you can now emotionally accept； you can say to
yourself； “Great！ I’m getting on with it。 Joe just checked me out and I passed
the test of being free of that addiction。” There is nothing wrong with letting
your ego give you a little pat on the back because you are living more and
more in the Love Center。 You use your ego to constantly raise your Center of
Consciousness。 If Joe does something and you make yourself feel a bit
uptight and alienated from him you can say to yourself； “Joe is my teacher；
because he is showing me an addiction that I should get rid of。”
In the Fourth Center of Consciousness； you experience “work” as an
expression of love and caring。 “Work” is no longer performed unconsciously
or mechanically with the feeling that one can fully enjoy life again when the
job is done。 You will increase your growth into higher consciousness by
learning to flow energy into meeting the needs of “others” as though they
were your own needs。 To paraphrase an ancient s