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economic and social folkways of our in…group with insight； how can our egos
continue to get away with demanding so much that we really don’t need in
order to be happy？ How can we take so seriously the many prestige games in
which we are now engaged？ How can our pride keep us imprisoned in the
meaningless “loss or gain” and “fame or shame” games that we previously
thought were necessary to make our lives work？
A conscious being does not reject either his individual games or society’s
games he just plays them as games。 If our group says； “Let’s play the
game of keeping the sexual parts of our body covered when we walk down
Main Street；” it is accepted as a part of the here…and…now games of life。 If a
conscious being is in a place where the group says； “Here is a beach or a hot
springs where nude bathing takes place；” an individual without addictions in
this area can also flow with what is here and now。 Except where individuals
are being harmed； conscious people flow with the activities and feelings of
the group。 They are magnificently flexible； and they are fortable with
whatever dance the social orchestra may be playing。 They are equally
fortable in trying to change the dance for they usually find ways to
work toward change from an “us” space。 Their consciousness； love； insight；
and flexibility give us messages that help us spring free from the social
rigidities that we thought were “natural。”
So we gradually learn that we are not these personalities that our egos are
defending so valiantly。 If we are not our personalities； this collection of
motivations that we have picked up from our society； just what or who
are we？ Many of us identify our selves with our bodies this changing
structure of bones； muscles； and other organs enclosed by our skin。 When
our bodies are not well or are transmitting a sensation of pain to our
bioputer； our egos tend to focus attention on the pain so that we identify
pletely with the pain。 As we grow into higher consciousness； we
increasingly realize that we are not the bodies we live in。 Our bodies are just
temples that are the homes of our consciousness。
Once you stop identifying with your various social roles and your body； you
will probably say； “Aha！ My essence is my rational mind。” For isn’t this the
essence of being human？ This is the part of your bioputer that has the
ability to use language； to analyze； to calculate； to produce thoughts and
images； to sort out sensations； to store them away in memory and to retrieve
them； to use symbols； to pare beliefs and assumptions； etc。 Didn’t
Aristotle define man as a rational animal？ But here again； your rational mind
is not your essence。 Your intellect or rational mind is a magnificent “sixth
sense” that can help you in your journey to higher consciousness if you know
how to use it properly。 Or it can keep you helplessly trapped in the lower
three Centers of Consciousness by slavishly cooperating with your ego to
form rigid； logical defenses that maintain whatever programming you are now
stuck with。 So you let this one go too 。 。 。
You are now getting it narrowed down。 If you are not your social roles； your
body； or your rational mind； just what is left？ Are you your senses the
various gates through which visual； auditory； tactile； taste； and olfactory data
are received？ Or are you your emotions those feeling tones that you
expend so much energy in either getting or avoiding？ Are you your
programming the collections of desires； motivations； expectations； and
demands on which your ego focuses most of your attention and energy？ Or
are you your ego that “master controller” that is such an absolute dictator
when you are trapped in the lower three Centers of Consciousness？
Fortunately； the essential you is none of these； either。 And so we continue the
search for “you。” Could it be that the search for your essence is clouded by
your ego…backed programming that wants you to be “somebody”？ Does your
name； your memory； and your rational mind bine to give you the illusion
that you are a specific entity that should make a splash as you pass through
the world of people and things？
At this point you may have the feeling； “There’s nothing left of me。” But
your essence is something which you may experience to help you grow into
higher consciousness。 In the Living Love Way； we define your essence as
your Conscious…awareness。 To understand what we mean by Consciousawareness；
look straight ahead of you and notice for a minute the images that
are being transmitted through your eyes。 Then close your eyes。 Do it now
before reading on。 。 。
The visual sensations disappeared but your Conscious…awareness remained。
Behind all of your thoughts； sensations； and images； your Consciousawareness
is always there。 Most of the time we keep it smothered under a
ceaseless Niagara of words； activities； thoughts； and sensations which keep
our minds analyzing； calculating； symbolizing； talking； remembering； futuring；
and pasting。
The experiment above demonstrates that your visual field and your
Conscious…awareness are not the same。 Let’s go further。 Close your eyes。
Do it now for one minute before reading on。 。 。
What were you aware of？ When you shut off the visual input to your
bioputer； you probably became aware of sounds。 But sounds are not your
Conscious…awareness。 Suppose you go to a pletely dark； quiet place。
With the visual and sound inputs quiet； you may now begin to tune in to your
body on deeper and deeper levels。 You can experience bodily sensations that
have previously been up…staged by the more dominating happenings of your
five senses and the stimulation of your ideas； thoughts； and words。 You only
experience your essence fully when you have quieted your emotion…backed
drama and the torrent of addictive stuff churned out by your rational mind。
In other words； you are the awareness of your consciousness！ You might
wish to visualize a television screen in the middle of your head where all of
your thoughts； images； and emotions are projected。 It’s all there in color
including sights； sounds； words； and thought。 It’s all going by on this
imaginary television screen in the middle of your head。 But you are not the
television screen。 You are not the images or stuff on the screen。 You are that
which is conscious of being aware of all of the stuff which is running on the
screen。 You are simply the watcher of the stuff on the screen。 As Ram Dass
puts it； “Observe your scene from a quiet corner of your mind in which there
is nothing to do but ‘see。’” You are the consciousness that just “sees” what is
happening on the screen。 Your essence is pure Conscious…awareness。
As the watcher of the screen； you are perfect。 The screen may be projecting a
horrendous movie that is showing all kinds of pain and suffering on the
screen。 Or the screen may reflect a happy movie that shows a beautiful
sunset； a delightful sexual experience； or an enjoyable meal。 But the essential
you is the pure awareness that just watches the stuff go by on the screen of
your life。 Behind what you think you are YOU ARE！
The essential you is perfect； has always been perfect； a