“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Yet you are more limited than this by far. It is important for the race of men now to begin to use and experiment with the inner senses, since for the potentialities of humanity to be fully realized, new concepts must arise which cannot arise in the limited scope he now permits himself. Because the cells and molecules in general have consciousness, because they contain within themselves a capsule comprehension of the universe as a whole, and because they contain the ability to form into an almost infinite variety of form, there is a kinship between every atom and molecule, a basic enduring connection, regardless of the separate appearance which is seen using the outer senses.

The boundaries, limitations, extent and vistas of the self are merely arbitrary. In a very true sense each self is infinite, unbounded, connected in a most intimate way to all other things in the universe on your plane; and through the inner senses and the inner ego connected also in a most intimate way to the unknown and unseen inner universe.

Here we run into something that will be difficult for me to explain to you. Any particular self theoretically could expand his consciousness to contain the universe and everything in it. The closed-in, solitary, isolated self of which you are so proud is, as I have said, an arbitrary formation, containing the core of identity; and you seem to prefer, psychically speaking, to stay at home.

Because of the basic simplicity of the elements in your universe, and for other reasons already mentioned, there is no real boundary neither chemical, electrical or even psychic, between the self and what is usually considered not self.

In the same manner that you are dependent upon, say, green plants for your very physical survival, so the interdependence and connections continue in all other fields. The physical construction of your universe, as I have said, is carried on by all life, not just human life. Each psychio-physical pattern of existence does its part in continuing the maintenance, and renewing construction, of the physical universe.

Man, staying within the core of his arbitrarily designated selfhood, can in truth be compared to early physical man, cowering within his cave. You have learned to venture forth into the physical universe. You have not learned to venture forth from an arbitrarily designated selfhood, into an extended environment that knows no space or time. Such a possibility, such a future development in no way involves a denial of self, a dissolving or sweeping away of self, an annihilation of self. Many cavemen doubtlessly feared for their personal survival when they ventured forth upon the earth in daylight.

They feared that their selves would be annihilated. Such a development as we are considering involves instead an expansion or extension; in the same manner that the expanding universe takes up no space, but expands in terms of value fulfillment, so the expanding consciousness would take up no space, but would also expand in terms of value fulfillment. This is your new frontier, your new challenge.

I shouldn’t have to say this. The image is truly astounding and ludicrous. However, as your expanding universe does not expand in space, so your expanded self will not grow in space to amazing proportions of pounds and tons.

The consciousness, with its source in the inner universe, being not bound by time or space, is in a position to expand along the lines that I have mentioned. The physical body in a large degree is not. Do not mistake me. For practical purposes, theory aside, you could not maintain allegiance to your plane, live out a normal life span for example (and this is necessary) while separate from the physical body.

I have promised to give you some material dealing with the method by which all species and all living things cooperate in maintaining and constantly renewing the physical construction of your universe, and you will see that some of tonight’s material should give you insights into this matter.

The various species and the multitudinous varieties of life in your universe could with much validity be compared to cells, organs, or limbs of some gigantic creature. There is no reason to feel that man is insignificant, or that the individual is impotent or at the mercy of forces he can neither perceive nor comprehend. To the contrary, the individual, any individual, is supremely important, necessary; and his, or even its, ability to use its energy constructively, but most of all to expand in terms of value fulfillment, is more vital than I can say.