“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Now. Sooner or later we are going to have to discuss the ways in which what would appear to be sensual perception is made available to an individual when the physical body, with its senses, perceives an event at which it cannot be said to be present.

Telepathic communication is one of the methods by which such agreement is reached. Long ago, primary and secondary constructions were explained. I emphasized that each individual only perceives his own physical constructions.

This main issue is frequently overlooked, while emphasis is placed instead upon whether or not the information seems to be perceived from the present or future. When an individual—in quotes—“clairvoyantly sees”—end quotes—an event, this is what happens.

First of all, he forgets the concept of continual moments, which usually hampers his perception. His perception changes focus so that he is aware of an event that would otherwise be future for him. He constructs subconsciously, as always, material objects in line with the data that is available to him. It goes without saying then that he helps to construct the clairvoyantly perceived physical event, just as he helps to construct any physical event in the present.

Sensual data is not basically—underlined—dependent upon the physical body. The individual can receive sensual data in other ways. The senses are indeed often used by the inner self as a constant method of acquainting it with circumstances pertinent to the survival and interests of the physical body, but the inner self is not entirely dependent on them for its entire data by any means. The mind can bypass the senses, and receive its data in a more direct manner, translating what it perceives as automatically as it translates sensual data.

(I then remembered that in the 232nd session Seth had said I was in a light trance myself during sessions, as I made “certain automatic adjustments in order to perceive what little of my presence that you do perceive. And I also have a calming effect on you, which is most beneficial to you.” See Volume 5, page 277. Recalling this, I wondered if I was not making a strong effort to perceive Seth, perhaps in apparition form, this evening; which meant that possibly he was present to a stronger degree than usual.

When a clairvoyant event is perceived the data is received by the mind and given to the brain, which then interprets it as it does usual data. The physical body becomes aware of it in other words, but the senses have been bypassed.

The interpretation is made however in the same way as it is usually made. Otherwise the data would make no sense to the physical organism, and would not register. Actually much data perceived directly by the mind bypasses the physical organism completely.

(This time it began in both my feet and moved up my legs to my hips, then manifested itself in the back of my head. It did not interfere with my writing. It was not overwhelming by any means, yet most definite, and lasted in residue until next break. See Volume 1, page 172 for a description of my first experience with this sensation, which was at first frightening to me, and accompanied by visual internal data which was quite vivid. Seth went into the experience in detail in the 24th session, explaining how at times it represented my attempts to perceive him, and at other times my attempts to perceive other data outside the usual sense channels.)

It makes no difference basically, underlined, whether or not the sense data is real in your terms or not. If it is recorded and registered by the physical organism it becomes a part of, and an equal part of, memory. In the case of the odor smelled in a dream, the mind experiences, and then the experience is interpreted precisely as if the senses had been used to perceive it. It is then incorporated with other experience by the physical organism.