productive of growth for you to follow your preference and be with this
individual less （or not at all） in the future。
Everyone and everything around you is your teacher。 If your washing
machine won’t work； you are being checked out on your ability to peacefully
accept the unacceptable。 If you are addicted to your appliances always
working； you will suffer。 If you prefer them to operate well； you will not
pound your problem by superimposing your unfortable emotions on
the here and now realities of repairing them。
Your moment…to…moment stream of consciousness bees interesting and
real when you experience everything as a step in your growth toward higher
consciousness。 You will soon begin to feel peaceful and loving almost all of
the time。 This is your consciousness telling you that you’re using the Twelve
Pathways more skillfully。 Just keep going you’re well on your way！
Chapter 6
Being Here Now
On interesting aspect of the Twelve Pathways is that if you can follow any
one of them pletely on the deeper levels； you will be using almost all of
them。 They are systematically interlocking and this makes it easier for you
to implement them in action。 Pathways Four through Six are particularly
helpful in learning to live in the eternal now moment； although all of the
Pathways reprogram you to tune in to the nowness of your life。
FOURTH PATHWAY
I always remember that I have everything I need to enjoy my here and
now unless I am letting my consciousness be dominated by demands
and expectations based on the dead past or the imagined future。
If you are not enjoying every here and now moment in your life； it is because
your addictions （otherwise known as desires； attachments； demands；
expectations； emotional programming； models of how life should treat you）
are making you dwell in the dead past or the imagined future。 They are
keeping you from being here now。 All there is in your life is the eternal now
moment and your experience of this moment is created by the programming
in your head。
Most people keep themselves on lower consciousness levels by endless
chatting about what they did in the past or what they plan in the future。 It is
best not to hang out discussing the past or to let your consciousness dwell on
the past； for the constant churning of your mind （and the torrent of words that
issues from it） keeps you from fully experiencing the now moment in your
life。
Nor will you generate the best future for yourself by being constantly
preoccupied with thoughts of the future。 If there is something you need to do
right here now then get busy and do it。 If you’ve done whatever you feel
you need to do at this time； then there is no need to have your consciousness
filled with thoughts of the future。
The real solutions to the problems in your life will e to you when you
stop hassling yourself with your addictions and bee fully tuned in to the
people and things that are around you。 When your Conscious…awareness
watches your own body and mind and all the people and things in the world
around you from a deep； calm place inside； you will find that there intuitively
wells up within you everything you need to understand。 You will have
insights that yield exactly what you need to do in order to flow with the river
of life around you。
You can only be here now when you instantly accept emotionally whatever
happens in your life。 If you wish to change something fine。 Do it。 And
you can make really effective changes when your consciousness is free of
emotional turmoil。 You will now be more perceptive and powerful because
you are able to use the full resources of your great bioputer to flow in any
direction you prefer。
For example； if a tire on your car blows out； you can get mad at the tire；
angry at the people who sold it to you； resentful at the extra expenditure now
necessary or you can keep your addictions from destroying your peace and
serenity。 After all； the blown tire is part of the here and nowness of your life。
You can only make the situation unpleasant by getting uptight。 Don’t be
addicted to your tires not blowing uplevel to a very natural preference that
your tires stay inflated and serve you longer。 When a tire blows； you simply
accept the unacceptable。 You realize that this is a here and now reality in
your life。 Although you have lost the tire； you do not have to lose your peace
and serenity or send out vibrations that jostle the addiction patterns of
people around you and cause them tension and anxiety。
Serenity is the end and serenity is also the means by which you live
effectively。 By fully tuning in to the now moment in your life； you will
discover that you always have enough to enjoy every moment of your life。
The only reason you have not been happy every instant is that you have been
dominating your consciousness with thoughts about something you don’t have
or trying to hold on to something that you do have but which is no longer
appropriate in the present flow of your life。 Here and now （not pasting and
futuring） is the key to the optimal interaction pattern between you and the
people and things in the world around you。
The meaning of here and now is beautifully illustrated by a Zen story of a
monk who was being chased by two tigers。 He came to the edge of a cliff。
He looked back the tigers were almost upon him。 Noticing a vine leading
over the cliff； he quickly crawled over the edge and began to let himself down
by the vine。 Then as he checked below； he saw two tigers waiting for him at
the bottom of the cliff。 He looked up and observed that two mice were
gnawing away at the vine。 Just then； he saw a beautiful strawberry within
arm’s reach。 He picked it and enjoyed the best tasting strawberry in his
whole life！
Although only minutes from death； the monk could enjoy the here and now。
Our life continually sends us “tigers” and it continually sends us
“strawberries。” But do we let ourselves enjoy the strawberries？ Or do we
use our valuable consciousness worrying about the tigers？
Notice that the monk fully responded to the physical danger in the most
intelligent way。 He ran from the tigers and he even scrambled down the
cliff while hanging onto a vine。 And having done this； he remained fully in
the here and now to enjoy whatever life offered him。 Although death was
only minutes away； he did not let thoughts of the future terrify him。 After
doing everything he could do； he used his precious consciousness to fully
enjoy every moment of his life。
There is a saying； “A coward dies a thousand deaths； a brave man only one。”
For all of us； death is a part of our future。 But we do not have to bee
what the existentialists refer to as the “living dead。”
We can always find things we can magnify to threaten our security； sensation；
and power addictions。 Or we can consciously perform whatever action is
needed and then turn our attention to enjoying everything we have to enjoy。
And we always have enough to be happy if we are enjoying what we do have
and not worrying about what we don’t have。
FIFTH PATHWAY
I take full responsibility here and now for everything I experience； for it
is my own programming that creates my actions and also influences the
reactions of people around me。
Whenever you are unhappy； your emotions are telling you that people and
things are not fulfilling the addiction patterns you have programmed into your
bioputer。 But you usually do not talk to yourself in this realistic way。
Instead； you blame your unhappiness on somebody or something outside of
you。 You say things like； “Mary makes me jealous；” or； “Bill makes me
mad。” But what is really happening is that someone is doing things that do
not conform with the patterns of your addictions and your addictions are
making you unhappy。 When you take full responsibility here and now for all
of your feelings and for everything that happens to you； you never again
blame the people and situations in the world outside of you for any unhappy
feelings that you have。 You realize that it is an evasion to blame “others。”
You’ve been doing it to yourself！
You can stop being a mechanical； puter…like person who views himself as
“pushed aroun