“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

The child’s ego is not the adult’s ego. As a rule you perceive the similarity, and overlook the differences of psychological patterns of this sort. The ego is not the most powerful or the most knowledgeable portion of the self. It is simply a well-specialized portion of the personality, well equipped to operate under certain circumstances.

When these circumstances no longer exist, then other layers of the self take over the dominant position, and the personality realigns its psychological components. The ego does not disappear, however. It merely takes a back seat in some respects, as your own subconscious does during physical existence.

A survival personality in many respects is psychologically much different from the individual that he was. The ego is now under the control of what may be loosely called the inner self. When communications take place between a survival personality and a personality who exists within the physical system, then this involves a reshuffling, again, on the part of the survival personality, where the ego is momentarily given greater reign.

The survival personality therefore momentarily inserts his ego in its old position. It can then interpret this data in terms that can be received and understood. This reassembly however does cause some disorientation on the part of the survival personality. The ego, back in its dominant position, finds the circumstances difficult to deal with. It is being asked to manipulate in a manner unfamiliar to it. The survival personality’s inner self gives this reassembled ego concepts in the same way that, often, the subconscious gives the ego concepts in physical existence.

In sleep there is no need for it to be dominant, nor is there under survival conditions. In sleep other areas of the self are being trained through their own kind of experience, and psychic organizations are built up, dispensed with, and built up again in a sort of practice maneuver.

These levels of the self have known self-consciousness in other existences, before the present one. But they cannot be allowed to remain completely dormant, but must continually reassert their characteristics and abilities.

I am aware of the various egotistical selves that I have been. I am still each of these selves, but the whole self that I am is dominant now. The psychological structure has changed, but it has changed not only in realignments but in quality. For I am aware of all my selves.

In my communications to you, I speak as my whole self, and not on the part of any one of the egos which have been dominant in other existences. If I had known either of you as contemporaries within your physical time in your present existence, then after death I would have assumed, once again, the dominant ego by which you had known me. I am not tied to physical existence by any strong emotional bonds however, and my personality structure is more advanced than is usual for communicators from other systems.