“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Some people think that we are stuck in physical reality like flies in flypaper or victims in quicksand, so that each motion we make only worsens our predicament and hastens our extinction. Others see the universe as a sort of theater into which we are thrust at birth and from which we depart forever at death. In the backs of their minds people with either attitude will see a built-in threat in each new day; even joy will be suspect because it, too, must end in the body’s eventual death.

I’m dealing with this subject, the nature of physical matter, first, because it is basic to any understanding of Seth’s theories. Seth says that we form the physical universe as unselfconsciously as we breathe. We aren’t to think of it as a prison from which we will one day escape, or as an execution chamber from which all escape is impossible. Instead we form matter in order to operate in three-dimensional reality, develop our abilities and help others. Physical matter is like plastic that we use and mold to our own desire, not like concrete into which our consciousness has been poured. Without realizing it we project our ideas outward to form physical reality. Our bodies are the materialization of what we think we are. We are all creators, then, and this world is our joint creation.

Seth explains exactly how we translate thoughts into physical reality. To our knowledge, this explanation is original with the Seth Material To say the least, the supposition that we actually create matter gives rise to all kinds of questions, and Rob and I have considered many of them at one time or another. Was Seth saying that we created tables and chairs as well as events? And when we were ill, were we creating our own disease? If we create reality to begin with, then can we change it for the better?

“Because I say that you create physical matter by use of the inner vitality of the universe, in the same way that you form a pattern with your breath on a glass pane, I do not mean that you are the creators of the universe. I am saying that you are the creators of the physical world as you know it.

“Matter is a medium for the manipulation and transformation of psychic energy into aspects that can then be used as building blocks. … Matter is only cohesive enough to give the appearance or relative permanence to the senses that perceive it.

“Matter is continually created, but no particular object is in itself continuous. There is not, for example, one physical object that deteriorates with age. There are instead continuous creations of psychic energy into a physical pattern that appears to hold a more or less rigid appearance.

“No particular object “exists long enough” as an indivisible, rigid, or identical thing to change with age. The energy behind it weakens. The physical pattern therefore blurs. After a certain point each re-creation becomes less perfect from your standpoint. After many such re-creations that have been unperceived by you, then you notice a difference and assume that a change … has occurred. The actual material that seems to make up the object has completely disappeared many times, and the pattern has been completely filled again with new matter. …

“Physical matter makes consciousness effective within three-dimensional reality. As individualized energy approaches your particular field, it expresses itself to the best of its ability within it. As energy approaches, it creates matter, first of all in an almost plastic fashion. But the creation is continuous like a beam or endless series of beams, at first weak as they are far off, then stronger, then weak again as they pass away.

“Matter of itself, however, is no more continuous, no more given to growth or age than is, say, the color yellow.”

“Physical objects cannot exist unless they exist in a definite perspective and space continuum. But each individual creates his own space continuum … I want to tie this in with the differences you seem to see in one particular object. Each individual actually creates an entirely different object, which his own physical senses then perceive. Since we have here this evening such an elegant and welcome guest,” Seth smiled, “Let us then perceive him in terms of a slight discussion of matter, in which he will be our guinea pig.”

As soon as Bill told us he had seen an image, Jane and I both looked into the doorway, of course. But we could see nothing; for that matter, Bill said, the image had vanished during break. Now Jane began dictating again in the same strong and very deep voice. Bill continued working on his sketch, saying that he was not satisfied with it and would try another.

We resumed the session, with all kinds of questions in our minds. Bill told us that he still sensed the first apparition, sometimes quite strongly. He had made two sketches, and was still making corrections. Since the session began at nine and lasted until midnight, I won’t attempt to include it all. The deep masculine voice was to last for the entire session, becoming more and more Seth-like as the evening continued.

At this time Rob and I were thinking of buying the house mentioned earlier. That very day we had gone to look it over again, and were surprised to find the back door wide open. Now Seth told us that we had opened the door ourselves, using psychic energy to do so, and that this was just one instance of mind influencing matter.

“In a very real manner, events or objects are actually focal points where highly charged psychic impulses are transformed into something that can be physically perceived: a breakthrough into matter. When such highly charged impulses intersect or coincide, matter is formed. The reality behind such an explosion into matter is independent of the matter itself. An identical or nearly identical pattern may reemerge ‘at any time’ again and again, if the proper coordinates exist for activation.”

Throughout the centuries many people have recognized that mind and matter were related, but the Seth Material specifically gives the ways and means by which mind is translated into the reality that we know. Exactly what force is beneath the smallest units of matter, for example? How does the breakthrough into matter occur? In order to do justice to these questions, I deal with them separately in the Appendix.