“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

There are of course peculiar sets of associations that have been collected in this existence only, but even among associations that seem to be from this existence there are those associations, usually key associations, from previous existences which merge with those of the present.

The topmost layer of the subconscious contains predominantly present associations, but in these are mixed and interwoven associations which have their origin elsewhere. These may be called self-unifying associations, since merely by their presence in the uppermost layers of the subconscious they provide a unifying sense of psychic continuity; of which however the ego is not aware.

When I speak of levels of the subconscious, I do so only for simplicity’s sake, since there is after all no top or bottom to the mind, but only a present point of focus from which viewpoints may be taken, and new perspectives formed. It is theoretically possible, for example, to change the focus, to delve downward as it were two lives back, and look upward from that perspective to the present.

These various stages of the subconscious represent what was once the conscious ego of an individual, left now almost like living archeological heritage, from which the present individual may draw both knowledge, psychic continuity and balance.

The personal present subconscious could be compared, using this analogy, with the topmost layer of soil dealing with the present seasons. Through it reach the roots of living emotions and desires. Directly beneath, still using our analogy, will be found the nutrients and seeds of those desires. The topmost layers of the subconscious hold then, first of all, almost conscious just-under-the-surface needs and desires; and under these those more deeply buried, reaching backward to birth, even as the loose dry autumn leaves still contain traces of earlier pigment.

Beneath this layer, in a third subconscious level, still dealing with the present personality, lie those possibilities of development which have lain barren and were not sufficiently strong to send up seeds to bloom in the sun of conscious ego.

It is also possible that these secondary personalities, emerging, give access to buried abilities and benign constructive abilities which had been buried beneath heavier fears that weighed them down. In any case this level represents the last division of what we may call the present personal subconscious, and still only accounts for a small dimension of the inner self, being composed of only the most easily accessible portions.

There are methods, some of which you know, that make entry into these levels comparatively easy. Before I continue into a discussion of other layers, and hence into a following dissertation connecting various types of dreams according to their origin in these layers, I will make a present, pertinent statement.

This phenomena is more common however than you would suppose, though unfortunately in many cases the secondary personality gives personification to buried fears and fantasies that are unhealthy to the dominant personality. Not only this, but because they are released by a psychic earthquake they emerge forcibly and sometimes with more vigor than the present personality can handle, so that they are in a position to dictate terms to the dominant personality.

Historical knowledge and verifications of identity—identities—may be achieved through communication with those layers of the subconscious dealing with past lives. But no information may be gathered here that was unknown to the particular previous personality as a rule. Some particularly gifted may use one of these levels as a focus point, looking outward even to the present personality, but this is unusual.

These so-called layers of the subconscious, however, are not really layers at all, but part of the spacious present.

Actually, all of these previous lives, and the present life, happen simultaneously, but this idea cannot be comprehended on a conscious level.

I am suggesting that psychological time experiments be again adopted for you both. Ruburt has great faith in such experiments when they are successful and when he knows I am not connected with them. The autumn will be an auspicious season in this respect. When our next session arrives I will discuss the furthermost level of the subconscious from the present ego, the particular advantage of the undifferentiated levels, and at least begin a discussion of dreams and the types of dreams that spring from the various levels.