“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Once more, action is not a force outside that acts upon matter. Action is, instead, the inside vitality of the inner universe. It is the dilemma between inner vitality’s desire and impetus to completely materialize itself, and its inability to completely do so. This was also discussed briefly in sessions dealing with the first appearance of matter within the physical field.

Action is therefore a part of all structure. Here again is an apparent dilemma, an exquisite imbalance whose result is consciousness and existence. For consciousness and existence do not exist because of delicate balances, so much as they are made possible by lacks of balances, so richly creative there would be no reality as it is understood to be, if balance were ever maintained.

I spoke of this second dilemma. The first dilemma is that which exists when inner vitality struggles to completely materialize, though it cannot completely materialize. The reasons for its inability to completely materialize have been given in a previous session, and I will discuss the matter again at a later date.

This first dilemma results in action, and from action’s own working upon itself we have seen that identity was formed, and that these two are inseparable. We will discuss the second dilemma after your break. I suggest your break now.

First we will speak of our second dilemma.

It is however a mistaken notion that identity is dependent upon stability. Identity, because of its characteristics, will continually seek stability, while stability is impossible. And this is our second dilemma.

It is this dilemma, precisely between identity’s constant attempts to maintain stability, and action’s inherent drive for change, that results in the imbalance, the exquisite creative by-product that is consciousness of self. We have a series of creative strains. Identity must seek stability while action must seek change, yet identity could not exist without change, without action, for it is the result of action, and not apart from it but a part of it.

Consciousness therefore is not a thing in itself. It is a dimension of action. It is an almost miraculous state, made possible by what I choose to call a series of creative dilemmas.

It should be fairly easy to understand now how the second dilemma evolved from the first. I have said that the second dilemma resulted in, and constantly results in, consciousness of self. Now. Consciousness of self is not the same thing as consciousness of ego self. Consciousness of self is still consciousness directly connected with action.

Ego consciousness is the result of our third dilemma.

The ego is a state resulting from the third creative dilemma, which happens when consciousness of self attempts to separate itself from action.

Since this is obviously impossible, since no consciousness or identity can exist without action, because they are inseparable, we have our third dilemma.

A note of further explanation here. The difference between consciousness of self as a result of our second dilemma, and ego consciousness as a result of our third dilemma, should be made very clear.

These three dilemmas represent three areas of reality within which inner reality, or inner vitality, can experience itself. And here we have also the reason, or one of the reasons why, inner vitality can never achieve complete materialization. The very action involved in vitality’s attempt to materialize itself adds to the inner dimension of inner vitality.

Inner vitality attempts therefore to materialize itself completely, and yet because of its very nature, with each materialization it increases itself, making the attempt impossible. This is the basic dilemma, from which all types of reality spring. This of course leads us to the necessity for further discussion concerning the nature of inner vitality itself.