“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

I have spoken of mental enclosures. Theoretically there is no such thing as a closed system. However for all practical purposes a closed mental system is one which allows the least amount of camouflage data to come through. It is not closed entirely but nevertheless it could be said to approximate in psychic terms the enclosure within which your so-called mediums work; that is, with a minimum of camouflage communication at hand.

The system or the mental enclosure, again, is only closed comparatively speaking. An endeavor is made to close one opening from one plane, and keep the alternate or inner communication channel open. As an analogy here, the conscious ego could be said to exist within this copper tube, located at approximately its center.

Now using the analogy again, in our mental enclosure we attempt to close off this channel of communication with the outer universe. So. This end we leave open.

Now this is what you attempt when you experiment with psychological time, when your communication comes through the inner rather than the outer senses. And all living consciousnesses initially enter your plane of awareness by route of such a mental enclosure.

All psychic energy comes through such a mental enclosure. Now, we are leading up to a point. You remember, I am sure, that I spoke of extension and contraction, along with other discussions on the inner senses. Communication with the inner self, communication with entities on another level can be approached from one or the other of two methods. The approaches are different, and one is more often tried than the other.

Extension of energy must have contraction as an after effect, and contraction will lead to extension. Therefore, if you begin in an attempt to contract your consciousness and energy, in the hopes of attaining communication with inner reality, then indeed will your consciousness, closed and contracted like a tight fist, open and expand. And if you seek to communicate by expansion of consciousness, then will this expansion come crushing and closing upon itself.