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BY DAVE GREGG
Introduction
Serving as primary
energizers, centers govern how we
experience life, and how our response to
experience is expressed. In the
Michael teachings every person has one center
that predominates in their life,
and this is commonly referred to as the center
of gravity, since when we
respond to something we are then using this
primary centering. Each center
could then be thought of as a window that looks
out at the world.
There
are seven centers in all, and
four that are used routinely: emotional,
intellectual, moving, and physical, as
well as two rarely accessed centers: higher
emotional, and higher intellectual.
The higher centers are considered
transformational states of awareness, and they
are not dominant in our experiences, encountered
mostly during meditative
states, or peak states activated from exposure
to music, art, and sex.
Since prolonged exposure to the higher centers
eventually burns out the body, no
one is ever centered for more than brief periods
there. The instinctive
center can also be used as a primary
center, but this is extremely
rare since it operates in the background of our
lives already.
Centers
usually represent the most
prominent part of a person, especially how the
person is perceived by other
people. They are a vital component in the
Michael teachings, but are
often misunderstood or overlooked by most
students. However, mastering how to
react from the center that's most appropriate is
an important part of spiritual
growth.
Understanding
centers involves
learning to understand how people can react so
differently to the stimuli around
them. For example, intellectually centered
people might view their
perceptions of the world as reality itself, and
this can make it very difficult
for them to comprehend how an emotionally
centered person can view the world so
differently. Since these psychological
investments in reality can be so
dominant in life, adopting the different
perspectives of other centers can
sometimes feel to some like we're attempting to
change the established laws of
gravity. Not surprisingly, much of the
misunderstandings that occur
between people are directly related to
differences in centering.
Michael
channel, Shepherd Hoodwin,
writes the following about centers:
Every
center has seven parts of centers, which
is a sort of doorway into the other
centers. The parts of centers have the
same names as the centers themselves. So
there is an intellectual center, and an
intellectual part of every center. Also,
your part of center is like your
secondary centering.
The ordinal action axis center, by
whatever name it's called: physical,
sexual (from Yarbro), or moving (from
the Orinda channels) refers to a
small-scale (ordinal) response from the
body.
If someone is in the physical part of
the intellectual center, he lives life
and responds from the intellect;
intellectual responses then tend to be
embodied by a somatic response (physical
symptoms, such as feeling excitement,
arousal, hot, cold, frozen, etc.) The
last part of self to respond to external
stimuli is usually the emotions.
If
he is "trapped" in the physical part of
the intellectual center, he doesn't get
into the emotions at all. Instead, there
is unending, ineffective
intellectualizing fed by negative bodily
responses, a rut that spirals downward.
The moving center can be transparent,
and many scholars look intellectual
regardless of centering (just as many
appear to be in observation regardless
of mode--observing is what scholars do).
A moving centered scholar will emphasize
learning through experience and doing,
and less through books, than an
intellectually centered scholar
(although there's still a lot of book
learning, too); they usually love to
travel.
Unpublished
transcripts of the original Michael
group from the mid-1970s are full of
discussions about using various centers.
My understanding is that there's a
permanent home base, and then, if we're
flexible, we use all the parts of that
center to get to the other centers as
the need arises. The same with the other
overleaves: I believe that the
prenatally chosen overleaf usually
remains as a foundation, but that, as
needed, the more experienced soul pulls
in other energies on top of it.
The primary center is fixed, but the
part of center is fluid. You can learn
to use the other parts of your emotional
center more often, for instance, by
guiding your emotional responses into
analysis or action. Your essence may
like using the emotional part of
emotional center in order to experience
pure emotion on a regular basis, but if
you're stuck there, that's called the
trap--we need to have all centers
available and use the right part of our
center for the right need, like using a
hammer when we want to pound a nail, and
not trying to use a screwdriver for
that. The intellectual part of the
emotional center is a gateway into the
intellectual center, where one can do
good thinking.
Different Perspectives
One way to illustrate how the various centers
view the world is to create a real
world scenario. Imagine four friends,
each with a different center,
sitting together at a baseball game. The
Physical centered friend watches
the game and sits quietly. A rush of
excitement churns through his body each
time a player gets a hit or scores a run.
Later in the game, an attractive
woman in a short skirt slowly walks by in the
aisle below him, and he suddenly
feels sexually aroused. However his
thrill is short lived because the
persistent roar of the crowd gives him a
headache, and strangely he also begins
to feel nauseous.
The
Moving centered friend has a
different focus. Being spatially oriented, he
scans the field and admires the
geometric shape of the grassy diamond, noting
the distance between the bases and
the foul line. He is aware of the signs
the third base coach secretly
flashes at the base runners, and will probably
have them decoded by the end of
the third inning. He can also tell before his
friends can that the crack of the
bat and a visually identifiable arc of the ball
determines if it will clear the
outfield fence for a home run.
The
Emotional centered friend
notices the people around him in the stadium,
and eavesdrops on their
conversations. He discerns that the
elderly couple in front of him seem
upset about something, even though he can't
quite hear what they're saying.
He also feels sorry for the usher who's being
accosted by a couple of drunken
teenagers in the aisle behind him. He does
all of this while
simultaneously trying to watch the action in the
game, which he feels seems slow
moving tonight, and really kind of boring.
The
Intellectually centered friend
is busy discussing the on-base percentage of the
batter coming up to the plate,
and is berating the logic of the manager for not
using a pinch hitter. The
Moving center friend stomps his foot in
disagreement, while the Emotional
centered friend makes eye contact and seems to
listen attentively, but is still
trying to follow the conversation of the elderly
couple in front of him.
The Physical centered friend gives a placating
nod, but secretly hates that the
Intellectual centered friend always criticizes
the team. The Physical
centered friend suddenly begins to feel nauseous
again.
As was
demonstrated, the centers
present very different windows to the world, but
even though we predominantly
focus on one, all of the centers are available
to us and a chief part of
balancing our energy is directly related to how
we learn to juggle them
collectively and efficiently.
Parts of Centers
The primary centers
can each be broken
down into 3 parts: emotional, intellectual,
and body (moving/physical). An
essence (soul) will choose a primary center,
and one of the 2 other parts in
which to slide. In the course of a
lifetime, the primary center is used
the most, and sliding to the preferred part
will become a secondary response, as
well as a potential trap. Therefore the
third part tends to be the least
developed. For example, people in the Moving
part of the Intellectual center who
have a healthy balance in their centering
might think about something, act on
the thought, and eventually feel something
about it. It's a three-step
process. However, a pattern of sliding to
the Moving center and staying
there can become so entrenched that it's
difficult to access the emotional side
of the centering. An imbalance is created, and
this process of thinking thoughts
and taking action without knowing how to feel
about them can follow an endless
loop. In other words, the third response
goes back to the center rather
than on to the least-used area of
centering.
It is
also important to note that
every response to stimulus does not need to
involve all three centers, just the
appropriate ones.
Balancing the Centers
In order to achieve balance and avoid getting
stuck in the trap of one
particular center, the standard procedure is
to distract part of the centering. This
quote from Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's book, "More
Messages From
Michael," gives the following advice:
...a fragment is in
the moving part of the intellectual center
and wishes to have a better understanding
of its emotions. Taking a long
walk--nothing too rigorous or
involving--distracts the Moving center so
that the intellect can reach the emotional
center. If the fragment is in the
emotional part of the intellectual center
and is having trouble getting going on a
project, then listening to pleasant music
might distract the emotional center so
that the moving center could get into
focus.
It is
important to understand that
balancing the centers does not mean the primary
center is no longer dominant. There is just
greater flexibility available, and the ability
to choose the most
appropriate part of centering for any given
situation. Shepherd Hoodwin
offers the following:
With a balanced,
intellectually centered person, responses
are still first through the intellectual
center, although they may quickly go to
another center through its part of the
intellectual center. So if action is what is
most appropriate, he will get that through a
quick analysis and almost instantly go into
the moving center through the moving part of
the intellectual center. For someone in the
emotional part, the emotional center will
usually come second, but it can be another
part if that's more appropriate. Our primary
center is like the "traffic controller" that
directs our responses to the appropriate
place. An emotionally centered person will
feel what is most appropriate. A
body-centered person will sense it on a gut
level.
To
better understand the individual
perceptions and attributes of the primary
centers and their various parts, a
short description is provided for each
one.
The Moving Center
People in this center experience life
through physical movement and
action. They tend to be human dervishes
of
activity, preferring the feel of being in
motion. They are always on the
go, and can be indefatigable
workers.
This
center has a high tolerance for
repetitive tasks, or routine in general.
Occupations such as assembly,
data entry, food service, or agriculture, which
involves performing the same
tasks repeatedly, are rarely a problem and often
enjoyed. In fact, this
is the one center that can comfortably
accommodate the sometimes boring aspects
of routine. Though, persons in the intellectual
part of this center are a
possible exception.
Because
of the natural enthusiasm
for physicality, athletes prefer this centering,
as well as dancers, inventors,
and even surgeons. Any skill that requires
hands-on application is usually
excelled at.
People
with this centering are also
very in touch with their bodies, and
kinesthetically can determine if there is
something wrong.
In the
positive pole of Enduring,
bodily movement has a purpose and a natural
conclusion. In the negative of
pole of Energetic, there is a restless, fidgety
energy that flows with no
discernable purpose.
In the Emotional part:
This
part is easily observed. There seems to be
an interest in moving for the
sheer joy of it. Being in motion feels good
to these people, and you can
see it in how they walk, and in their normally
dramatic gestures. Movement
is how they express their emotions. It gives
them a rush or natural high, and
can be accomplished in activities such as dance,
skateboarding, white water
rafting, sex, and so forth.
During
times of stress, it's not
surprising to see people with this part release
emotion by doing a domestic
chore, such as vacuuming the rug, or washing the
dishes. When expressed through
the negative pole, people in this center can
become obsessive, and waste
valuable energy compulsively shopping, gambling,
or thrill seeking in the face
of obvious dangers. Nervous twitches also
seems to be a negative
manifestation of this part.
In the Intellectual Part:
Movement
requiring
thought is the focus here. Inventors are
especially suited for
this part, as well as architects, surgeons,
engineers, and actors. People
in this part tend to be good with mathematical
calculations, or anything that
requires sustained attention as long as it isn't
mindlessly repetitive. These
people are project oriented, and gifted in the
area of spatial intelligence.
In the
negative pole, people in this
part can get trapped in purposeless movement,
such as devoting hours to video
games.
The Emotional Center
People in this center experience life
through their feelings, and the emotional
connections they have with others. It
is a favorite center for Mature souls as it
allows for greater intensity in
relationships.
Since
emotional responses move
faster than thought, this center can operate
much faster than the other centers. There
is a deep sense of knowing with this centering,
along with an innate
talent for getting to the core of an issue, and
accessing a situation rapidly.
Emotionally
centered people
are highly sensitive, quick to offer physical
affection or sympathy, and prized
as friends and confidents due to their warmness.
They also tend to attract
friends who operate from centers not using
emotional centering, such as
intellectual/moving, since this seems to fill a
void for these
people. However, intellectual/moving
centered people can be baffled and shocked by
the occasional negative outbursts that
can manifest from the emotional
center. Indeed, this center can be a walking
powder keg at times, and it's naive
to think that the energy will always be warm and
positive.
Usually
boasting cheery
dispositions, people with this center have
strong likes and dislikes, and this
can grate on the nerves of others. There is
a tendency to overreact, and
blow things out of proportions to extreme
levels, and these people will either
love you or hate you, with rarely an in
between. There also seems to be a
low tolerance for boredom here, and it's not
unusual for an argument to develop
for nothing more than the emotional exchange
that might result.
This
is the center most likely to
engage in philanthropic endeavors, or to follow
charitable impulses when passing
beggars on a street corner.
In the
positive pole of Sensibility,
perception is keen and rapid. In the
negative pole of Sentimentality,
perception is distorted, and subjectivity runs
rampant, leaving one at the mercy
of excessive feelings that can blur the
truth.
In the Moving
Part:
People in this part act on their emotions.
They have a feeling, and then
send it into action. Artisans are often
fond of this part as it allows
their creativity to spring forth directly from
their emotions.
Generally
gregarious, people
influenced by this part can be warm and caring,
and are absolute push-overs for
anything cute, such as puppies or
children. They are good with social
obligations, such as birthday cards, or holiday
greetings, and are quick to
offer hugs or affection. Sentimental
movies, stuffed animals, love songs,
and soap operas reflect the sometimes
conventional tastes of this part.
In the
negative pole, a fondness for
gossip can be cultivated, and people with this
part can be petty, jealous, and
vindictive. Compulsive behavior like
eating disorders and drug abuse can
originate from this part. There also is a
tendency for temper tantrums,
domestic strife, and in worse case scenarios,
irrationally following judgements
that can result in crimes similar to those
perpetuated by mob mentality.
In the Intellectual Part:
People
in this part intellectualize their perceptions
and feelings. They can
process perceptions faster than any of the other
centers, and possess the
ability to peel away the layers of a problem to
reveal penetrating truths. The perceptions
can be startlingly accurate, and even transcend
the most ardent
demands of intellectual analysis.
Aesthetic
discrimination is a
hallmark of this centering, and there is an
inner knowing of greater creative
artistry, no matter how conventional the
surrounding environment might be. The
artistic mastery of Shakespeare and Van Gogh
serves as a fine example of the
astonishing heights this centering can
reach.
In the
negative pole, people in this
centering can become deluded by their emotions
and invent reasons why they are
having them that rarely reflect
reality. Endless rationalization can also
manifest, which leads to a non-stop loop of
intellectualizing with little
reward. Obsessively reviewing old problems
can result from this, as well
as petty jealousies, prejudices, and
grudges.
This
particular flavor of emotional
centering is not always the easiest to
recognize, as the intellectual part can
make it seem cool, and not as effusive as
traditional emotional centering.
The Intellectual Center
People in this center
experience life
through the power of thought and
analysis. This is the type of
intelligence normally considered intelligence,
and it is the seed of
communication as we know it. Commonly
referred to as left-brained
thinking, this center is primarily linear in
function.
Philosophers,
scholars, theorists,
and bookworms are likely candidates for this
centering, as well as people in
professions where a logical and discriminating
mind is required to process
ideas, numbers, and abstract
concepts.
Surprisingly,
unlike the quick
response of the Emotional center, Intellectually
centered people actually react
very slowly. In fact, you can almost
imagine the gears turning as a
problem is considered and analyzed. The
center insists on seeing all the
parts in the whole, and understanding how a
given subject relates to everything
else. Frustration soon sets in if a series
of ideas are not logically
connected in one way or another.
Reading,
writing, and good speaking
skills are a function of this center, as well a
rich vocabulary. Games
such as scrabble, chess, backgammon, and text
adventure games are favorite ways
to pass the time. Essentially people with
this center love to use their
minds, and will get bored if there isn't some
sort of mental activity to keep
them stimulated.
A
common downside to this center is
a lack of warmness in personal
relationships. People with this center can
become so cerebral that they find it difficult
to make emotional connections
with others. Feelings can seem irrational to
them, and attempts to communicate
with those who possess emotional centering can
be a baffling process.
In the
positive pole of Thought,
spontaneous thinking, or the "Aha" experience
are common. In the
negative pole of Reason, too much time is spent
attempting to intellectualize
without the use of accurate data.
In the Moving Part:
People in this part take action on their
thoughts. Emotions tend to be set
aside, and for this reason many Old souls favor
this centering since it allows
them to take a break from the drama of the
Mature soul level.
Individuals
with this centering can
seem like walking fact
machines. Information is collected, and
subsequently retrieved by association, spurring
a data dump of whatever facts,
opinions, or moral precepts have been stored
there. Scientists naturally
tend to love this centering, enjoying the
ability to work with complex formulas
without the interference of emotion. This
is not to imply that people with
this centering are without emotion, but there
usually is a conscious effort to
set emotions aside.
Action
is always directed outward in
this centering. A thought is formed, and
usually an external action will
result. For example, thoughts of anger
might result in reactions such as
slamming a fist down on a desk, or kicking the
waste paper basket. People
in this centering can also develop odd physical
quirks, such as nervous twitches
or a tendency to tap their fingers
endlessly.
In the
negative pole, people in this
centering might take action without properly
assessing the emotional impact. They may
blurt out the first thing that pops into their
heads, not realizing
that their words may carry emotional
ramifications. Learning how to
appropriately channel energy (anger,
depression) is a frequent lesson for
people with this centering. Falling into a
futile rut of endless
deliberation is also a manifestation of this
centering.
In the Emotional Part:
People
in this part think then feel. They get emotional
about ideas, theories, events,
and so forth. A gamut of emotions can
result from a single thought,
ranging from sheer joy and exhilaration, to
anxiety and embarrassment.
People
with this centering tend to
have many friends, as they are good natured and
communicate well others. They also make
good teachers, winning many students over with
an effusive
personality that makes new ideas
exciting.
In the
negative pole, an endless
loop can be created as thoughts and feelings are
frenetically deliberated, with
no perceived way of taking action.
.....................................................................................................................................
Dave Gregg is a longtime Michael
student and the webmaster of
MichaelTeachings.com. During the day he
works on a gazillion projects online, and at
night you'll find him at a local jazz club
playing the saxophone.
Michael Teachings
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