“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

At physical death, in your terms, the personality structure is able to approach certain coordinates, to perceive them, and to change focus from one system to another. When this occurs the primary physical construction, the camouflage material, loses its power. The individual would seem to disappear with no trace remaining.

The personality does indeed turn its focus into another field of reality, and does desert the camouflage image that it maintained. However, some trace of that personality remains in that camouflage reality, quite literally, as what you might call a ghost image.

This phenomena is not meant to explain legitimate instances in which the personality and consciousness itself returns for purposes of communication. This image trace is a lingering manifestation, an imprint within your system, a part of its reality, and is held within it as you might for example retain an idea in your mind long after the idea has been expressed physically. As a painting that is destroyed physically may still be retained in your mind, so in the reality of the physical system a trace remains, an image trace of the camouflage structure that enclosed a given personality.

The concept, structure, can be used by you in many ways—as a vehicle to carry many differing ideas. A personality communicating with your system, who was once a part of it, can make use of this trace image. The trace image is not his consciousness however. His consciousness is aware of the trace image, and on occasion can utilize it.

This is simplified. Consciously you deal with those problems of one given physical life. Consciously you are not aware of what you call reincarnations, though these occur within your own system. Now these are not separate existences at all. They only appear so to you. Your earth identity (smile) in singular terms, is one existence. When you sleep at night and awaken, you do not suppose yourself a new personality, or imagine that you have died during the night. This is what you do when you imagine that you have several existences as different people.

Ruburt spoke before the session of handling aggression. Consciously you have the emotions of one personality to contend with and to direct constructively. One set of responsibilities and potentials. At other levels you have the problems, potentials and responsibilities of many to contend with in the same manner.

(She said that sometimes “these personalities” seem to be able to look into her mind and see how she is going to deliver a bit of data; if they don’t approve, then they can change the way they give it to her to speak, so we’ll take it the right way. Jane said she used to distrust this process greatly, but no longer does so. She thinks this may be why she doesn’t completely lose consciousness during sessions—so she can aid the personalities as they make use of her verbal discrimination.

(Jane paused. After a minute, at 10:47, I said good night to each personality, figuring that Seth had been present even if unheard. Jane’s eyes opened briefly. Her expression changed, she smiled, and I knew Seth would speak. He came through in a strong and animated voice.