“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Dreams, then, come from various levels of what you call the subconscious. But as a rule any particular dream, although it originates in a particular level, will nevertheless have meaning on all levels. The meaning however may well not be the same. That is, the particular dream may be a method of saying different things or bringing different messages, the one particular dream automatically being translated by the various levels of the subconscious in terms of the interpretation given by any particular subconscious level to the dream symbolism.

The dream could be said to be a message to the multitudinous levels of the self. For purposes of analogy only, imagine that each subconscious layer is personified into a personality, who is then subjected to rendition of a dream or more, who watches a screen upon which the dream images flicker.

When I spoke of the fine discrimination used in the construction of a dream, I had reference to the amazing work done by the inner self in the choice of its individualized symbols, which would have meaning to the many and various levels of the subconscious.

The dreaming self, dear friends, is not aware of the conscious self. The whole self, the entire inner self alone, holds knowledge of the direction in which it moves. The directions can be likened to conscious selves. Any individual on the physical level who has achieved great things has done so because his so-called conscious self was intuitively (and underline the word intuitively) aware of the selves of which he could not be consciously aware.

I will end the session shortly, after mentioning briefly an example of how various levels of the subconscious interpret a symbol. We will take Ruburt’s dream that we have already interpreted on some levels, and one symbol only, that of a tub, t-u-b.

The tub was the unifying symbol of the dream, interpreted by the various levels of the subconscious. On the most superficial level, dreaming Ruburt thought “One day I shall be an old tub,” meaning an old worn-out vessel. This having to do with the disappearance of early youth, and having superficial meaning to the surface female personality.

The tub was next interpreted as a washing machine in a secondary level that was in itself a symbol leading to the next interpretation, belonging to a past life, that of an old tub that leaked. In his dream the washing machine leaked, leading him into a third level, where the tub was a symbol for the old ship that leaked when you, Joseph, were a passenger on your way to Boston in a past life.

The connection picked up again. The past administrator of the gallery was known to you in that life, and was a passenger on the same ship. Here Ruburt was led backward to the first level momentarily, being reassured, saying “I will not be the old tub, she was and is,” therefore on a surface level overcoming jealousy because the former administrator spent so much money on clothes and appearance.

At the same time the word tub referred also to a friend of his, a woman whose maiden name was Tubbs, and informed him subconsciously that she was in difficulties, as when the tub or old washing machine leaked. Here the leaking of the tub referred to the leaking ship on one level, and to the difficulties that were being experienced by her old friend on another.