Seth Speaks
The Eternal Validity of the Soul
The Potentials of the Soul
Pages 85-95
Good evening.
Now: We will resume dictation, and we are beginning Chapter 8.
It seems to you that you have only one form, the physical one that you perceive, and no other. It also seems that your form can only be in one place at one time. You have indeed other forms that you do not perceive, and you also create various kinds of forms for various purposes, although you do not perceive these physically either.
Your main sense of identity is involved with your physical body, so that it is, for example, extremely difficult for you to imagine yourself without, or outside of it, or in any way disconnected from it. Form is the result of concentrated energy, the pattern for it caused by vividly directed emotional or psychic idea images. The intensity is all important. If you have, for example, a highly vivid desire to be somewhere else, then without realizing it consciously a pseudophysical form, identical with your own, may appear in that very spot. The desire will carry the imprint of your personality and image, even though you remain unaware of the image or its appearance in the other location.
Though this thought-image usually is not seen by others, it is quite possible that in the future scientific instruments may perceive it. As it is as, such an image may be perceived by those who have developed use of the inner senses. Any intense mental act- thought or emotion-will not only be constructed in some physical or pseudophysical manner but it will also bear to some extent the imprint of the personality who originally conceived it.
There are many such incipient or latent forms. To help you imagine what I am speaking of, you might think of them as ghost images, or shadow images, though this is only for the sake of analogy--forms, for example, just beneath, that have not emerged completely into physical reality you know it, but are nevertheless vivid enough to be constructed. You would then think them quite real indeed, if you could see them.
Each individual actually sends such replica images of himself out frequently, though the degree of the materialization may differ, some forms, for example, being more or less shadowy than others. However these forms are not mere projections-“flat “images. They have a definite effect upon the atmosphere. They “make room “for themselves in ways that are rather difficult to explain, although they may coexist at times with physical objects or shapes, or may even be superimposed upon these. In this case there is a definite interaction-an interchange that is, again, beneath physical perception.
You may suddenly strongly wish that you were standing by a beloved but distant, familiar seashore, for example. This intense desire would then act something like a core of energy projected outward from your own mind, given a form, your form. The place that you had envisioned would then attract the form, and it would instantaneously stand there. This happens with great frequency.
It would not be seen under usual circumstances. On the other hand, if the desire were still more intense, the energy core would be greater and a portion of your own flow of consciousness would be imparted to the form, so that for a moment you in your room might smell the salt air, or in some other way perceive the environment in which this pseudo image stands.
The extent of perception will vary here to a great degree. To begin with, your physical form is the result of great emotional focus. The fantastic energy of your psyche not only created your physical body, but maintains it. It is not one continuous thing, although to you is seems permanent enough while it lasts. It is nevertheless in a constant state of pulsation, and because the nature of energy and its construction, the body is actually blinking off and on.
Now: This is difficult to explain, and for our present purposes is not entirely necessary that you understand reasons for its pulsing; but even physically, you are “not here“ as often as you are. Your emotional intensity and focus create forms beside your physical body; however their duration and degree are dependent upon the intensity of any given emotional origin.
Your space is therefore filled with incipient forms, quite vivid, but beneath the regular structure of matter that you perceive.
These projections, then, actually are sent out constantly. Some more sophisticated scientific instruments than you now have would clearly show not only the existence of these forms, but also vibrations in varying waves of intensity surrounding those physical objects did you do perceive.
To make this clearer, look at any table in the room before you. It is physical, solid, and you perceive it easily. Now for an analogy, imagine if you can that behind the table is just another just like it, but not quite as physical, and behind that one another, and another behind that-each one more difficult perceive, fading into invisibility. And in front of the table is a table just like it, only a bit less physical appearing than the “real “table-it also having a succession of even less physical tables extending outward. And the same for each side of the table.
Now anything that appears in physical terms also exists in other terms that you do not perceive. You only perceive reality is when they achieve a certain “pitch,“ when they seem to coalesce into matter. But they actually exist, and quite validly else other levels.
There are also realities that are “ relatively more valid “ than your own; in comparison, strictly for an analogy, for example, your physical table would appear as shadowy in contrast, as [like] those very shadowy tables we imagine. You would have a sort of “supertable“ in those terms. Yours is not a system of reality formed by the most intense concentration of energy, therefore. It is simply the one you are attuned into, part and parcel of. You perceive it simply for this reason.
Other portions of yourself, therefore, of which you are not consciously aware, do inhibit what you could call a supersystem of reality in which consciousness learns to handle and perceive much stronger concentrations of energy, and to construct “forms“ of a different nature indeed.
Your idea of space is then highly distorted, since to you is simply where nothing is perceived. It is obviously filled love all kinds of phenomena that makes no impression at all upon your perceptive mechanisms. Now in various ways and on occasion, you can tune into these other realities to some degree—and you do so spasmodically, though in many cases the experience is lost because it does not register physically.
Think again about this form that you sent to the ocean side. Though it is not equipped with your own physical senses, it was of itself to some extent able to perceive. You projected it unknowingly, but through quite natural laws. The form built up from intense emotional desire. The image then follows its own laws of reality, and to some extent, and to a lesser degree than you, has a consciousness.
Now: You are, using an analogy again, sent out by a super self who strongly desired existence in physical form. You are no puppet of the Super self. You will follow your own lines of development, and through means of far too difficult to explain here, you add to the experience of the super self and also then extend the nature of its reality. You also insure your own development, and you are able to draw upon the abilities of the super self.
Nor will you ever be swallowed by the self that in these terms seems so far superior. Because you exist, you send out like projections of your own as mentioned earlier. There is no end to the reality of consciousness, nor the means of its materialization. Nor is there any and to the developments possible for each identity.
Now: I wanted to begin this chapter this evening so we would have a good start. I will give you an easy, short session, however.
Now: Let me make it clear once again: your present personality as you think of it is indeed “indelible,“ and continues after death to grow and develop.
I mention this again in the middle of our present discussions so that you do not feel lost, or negated, or insignificant. There are obviously an infinite number of graduations in the types and kinds of forms of which we’ve been speaking. That energy which is projected from our “super self,“ that spark of intense identity that resulted in your physical birth, that unique impetus, in the one way has many similarities to the old concept of the Soul--except that a contains only a part of the story.
While you continue to exist and develop as an individual, your whole self, or Soul, has such a vast potential, that it can never be expressed fully through one personality, as somewhat explained in one previous chapter.
Now, through very intense emotional focus if you can create a form, and project it to another person who may then perceive it. This may be done consciously or unconsciously; and that is rather important. This discussion does not concern the so-called astral form, which is something entirely different. The physical body is the materialization of the astral form.
It does not desert the body for any length of time, however, and it is not this that is projected in cases like this seaside analogy used earlier. You are presently focused not only in your physical body, but within a particular frequency of events that you interpret as time. Other historical periods exist simultaneously, in forms quite as valid; and other reincarnation selves. Again, you simply are not attuned to those frequencies.
You can know what happened in the past and have histories, because according to the rules of the game that you accepted, you believe that the past, but not the future, can be perceived. You could have histories of the future in the present, if a rules of the game were different. Do you follow me?
In other levels of reality, the rules of the game change. After death in your terms you are quite free perceptively. The feature appears as clearly as the past. Even this is highly complicated, however, for there is not just one past. You accept as real only certain classifications of events and ignore others. We have mentioned events. There are also probable pasts therefore, that exist quite outside of your comprehension. You choose one particular group of these, and latch upon this group of events as the only ones possible, not realizing that you have selected from an infinite variety of past events.
There are, obviously, probable future is in probable presents. I am trying to discuss this in your terms, since basically, you must understand, the words “ past, “ “ present, “ and “ future “ are no more meaningful as far as true experience is concern than are the words “ego,“ “consciousness,“ or “unconscious.“
I will end dictation for this evening. In this probably evening I select that probable alternative. My fondest wishes to you both.
Session 531. May 25th, 1970.
9:22 p.m. Monday
Good evening.
Now: we will resume dictation.
Not only are you part of other independent selves, each one focused in its own reality, but there is a sympathetic relationship that exists. For example, because of this relationship, your experience need not be limited by the physical perceptive mechanisms. You can draw upon knowledge that belongs to these other independent selves. You can learn to focus your attention away from physical reality, to learn new methods of perception that will enable you to enlarge your concept of reality and greatly expand your own experience.
It is only because you believe the physical existence is the only valid one; that it does not occur to you to look for other realities. Such things as telepathy and clairvoyance can give you hints of other kinds of perception, but you are also involved in quite definite experiences both while you are normally waking and what you are asleep.
The so-called stream of consciousness is simply that--one small stream of thoughts, images, and impressions--that is a part of a much deeper river of consciousness that represents your own far greater existence and experience. You spend all your time examining this one small stream, so you become hypnotized by its flow, and entranced by its motion. Simultaneously these other streams of perception and consciousness go by without your notice, yet they are very much a part of you, and they represent quite valid aspects, events, actions, emotions with which you are also involved in other layers of reality.
You are as actively and vividly concerned in these realities as you are in the one in which your main attention is now focused. Now, as you are merely concerned with your physical body and physical self as a rule, you give your attention to the stream of consciousness that seems to deal with it. These other streams of consciousness, however, are connected with other self forms that you do not perceive. The body, in other words, is simply one manifestation of what you are in one reality, but in these other realities you have other forms.
“You“ are not divorced from these other streams of consciousness in any basic way; only your focus of attention closes you off from them, and from the events in which they are involved. If you think of your stream of consciousness as transparent, however, then you can learn to look through and beneath it to others that lie in other beds of reality. You also learn to rise above your present stream of consciousness and perceive others that run, for analogies sake, parallel. The point is that you are only limited to the self you know if you think that you are, and if you do not realize that the self is far from your entire identity.
Now often you tune in to these other streams of consciousness without realizing that you have done so--for again, they are part of the same river of your identity. All are therefore connected.
Any creative work involves you in a cooperative process in which you learn to dip into these other streams of consciousness, and come up with a perception that has far more dimensions than the one arising from the one narrow, usual stream of consciousness that you know. Great creativity is then multi dimensional for this reason. Its origin is not from one reality, but from many, and it is tinged with the multiplicity of that origin.
Great creativity always seems greater than its pure physical dimension and reality. By contrast with the so-called usual, it appears almost as an intrusion. It takes the breath away. Such creativity automatically reminds each man of his own multidimensional reality. The words “know thyself,“ therefore, mean far more than most people ever suppose.
Now in moments of solitude you may become aware of some of these other streams of consciousness. You may at times for example hear words, or see images that appear out of context with your own thoughts. According to your education, beliefs, and background you may interpret these in any number of ways. For that matter, they may originate from several sources. On many occasions, however, you have inadvertently tuned in on one of your other streams of consciousness, opened momentarily a channel to those other levels of reality in which other portions of you dwell.
Some of these may involve the thoughts of what you would call the reincarnational self, focused in another period of history is you know it. You may instead, “pick up” an event in which a probable self is involved, according to your inclination, your psychic suppleness, your curiosity, your desire for knowledge. In other words, you may become aware of a far greater reality than you now know, use abilities that you do not realize you possess, know beyond all doubt you’re your own consciousness and identity is independent of the world in which you now focus your primary attention. If all of that were not true, I would not be writing this book and would not be reading it.
Now you may take your break.
Now: These other existences of yours go on quite merrily whether you are waking or sleeping, but while you are awake ordinarily you blocked them out. In the dream state you are much more aware of them, although there is a final process of dreaming that often masks intense psychological and psychic experience, and unfortunately what you use a recall is this final dream version.
In this final version the basic experience is converted as nearly as possible into physical terms. It is therefore distorted. This final touching up process is not done by the deeper layers of the self however, but is much more nearly the conscious process than you realize.
One small point might explain what I mean here. If you do not want to remember a particular dream, you yourself censor the memory on all levels quite close to the consciousness. Often you can even catch yourself in the act of purposely dropping the memory of a dream. The touching up process occurs almost at this same level, though not quite.
Here the basic experience is hastily dressed up as much as possible in physical clothes. This is not because you want to understand the experience, but because you refuse to accept it as basically non physical. All dreams are not of this nature. Some dreams themselves do take place in psychic or mental areas connected with your daily activities, in which case no dressing up process is necessary. But in the very deep reaches of sleep experience-those, incidentally, not yet touched upon by science and so-called dream Laboratories-you are in communication other portions of your identity, and with the other realities in which they exist.
In this state you also pursue works and endeavors that may or may not be connected with interests as you know of them. You are learning, studying, playing; you are anything but asleep (smile) as you think of the term. You are highly active. (humorously) You are involved in the underground work, in the real nitty-gritty of existence.
Now let me emphasize here that you are simply not conscious. It only seems as you are, because as a rule you remember none of this in the morning. To some extent, however, some people are aware of these activities, and there are also methods that will enable you to recall them to some degree.
I do not want to minimize the importance of your state of consciousness; as, for example, you read this book. Presumably you are awake, but in many ways when you are awake, you are resting far more than you are in your so-called unconscious nightly state. Then to a larger extent you realize your own reality, and are free to use abilities that in the daytime you ignore or deny.
At a very simple level, for example, your consciousness leaves your body often in the sleep state. You communicate with people in other levels of reality that you have known, but far beyond this, you creatively maintain and revitalize your physical image. You process daily experience, project it into what you think of as the future, choose from an infinity of probable events those of you will make physical, and began the mental and psychic process that will bring them into the world of substance.
At the same time, you make this information available to all these other portions of your identity, who dwell in entirely different realities, and you receive from them comparable information. You do not lose contact with your ordinary waking self. You simply do not focus upon it. You turn your attention away. In the daytime you simply reverse the process. If you were looking at your daily normal self from the other viewpoint, you say, using an analogy here, you might find that physically waking self as strange as you now find the sleeping self. The analogy will not hold however, simply because the sleeping self of yours is far more knowledgeable than the waking self of which you are so proud.
The seeming division is not arbitrary, or forced upon you. It is simply caused by your present stage of development, and it does very. Many people take excursions into other realities-swim, so to speak, through other streams of consciousness as a part of their normal waking lives. Sometimes strange fish pop up in those waters!
Now I am obviously such a one in your terms, swimming up through other dimensions of reality and observing a dimension of existence that is yours rather than my own. There are, therefore, channels that exist between all these streams of consciousness, all the symbolic rivers of psychological and psychic experience, and there are journeys that can be made from my dimension as well as yours.
Now initially Rupert and Joseph and I were part of the same entity, or overall identity, and so symbolically speaking, there are psychic currents that unite us. All of these merge into what has often been compared to as an ocean of consciousness, a well from which all actually springs. Start with any one consciousness, and theoretically you will find all others.
Now often the ego acts as a dam, to hold back other perceptions-not because it was meant to, or because it is in the nature of an ego to behave in such a fashion, or even because is the main function of the ego, but simply because you have been taught that the purpose of an ego is restrictive rather than expanding. You actually imagine that the ego is a very weak portion of the self, that it must defend itself against other areas of the self that are far stronger and more persuasive and indeed more dangerous; and so you have trained it to wear blinders, and quite against its natural inclinations.
The ego does want to understand and interpret physical reality, and to relate to it. It wants to help you survive within physical existence, but by putting blinders upon it, you’d hamper its perception and native flexibility. Then because it is inflexible you say that this is the natural function and characteristic of the ego.
It cannot relate to a reality that you will not allow it to perceive. It can poorly help you to survive when you do not allow it to use its ability to discover those true conditions in which it must manipulate. You put blinders upon it, and then say that it cannot see.
You may take a break
That was the end of dictation. Now give us a moment .