“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

The reality of dreams themselves can only be investigated through direct contact. Their reality cannot be probed by scientific devices, for dreams in this respect are as nebulous as the spirit, or soul, or inner self. Dreams are directly experienced. They have no meaning outside of their relationship with the personality.

Dreams are an example of mental activity that has its origin within the physical organism, but exists in a dimension which is not mainly physical. Dreams are an example of the inner self’s basically independent nature.

The eye movements noted in the beginning of REM sleep are only indications of dream activity that is closely connected to the physical layers of the self. These periods mark not the onset of dreams, but the return of the personality from deeper layers of dream awareness to more surface areas.

The self is actually returning to more surface levels of consciousness, to check upon its environment. There is a transference of main energy in deeper dream states, from physical concentration to a mental concentration, actually quite separated from physical connections.

Quite simply, the self travels to levels of awareness, and to layers of the self that are far divorced from the physical areas of mobility. The muscles are lax because activity of a physical nature is not required for the physical organism. Actions are indeed being carried on, and actions which would be considered physical if the body was moving, and if the individual were awake. These actions, walking, talking, working, any conceivable dream action, these require energy. The energy that is not being expended within the physical system is used to sustain these mental actions.