“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

A deeper trance state would allow us to get less distorted information on such a test as this, initially, but our results will improve, and such experiments will be helpful in that the various layers of the two personalities, Ruburt’s and my own, will be seen in their operating procedures.

I myself operate well clairvoyantly … for my own reasons and peculiarities, and usually obtain such information [in that manner]. We will have much to say concerning the ways in which that kind of material is received and interpreted, as this is very important.

(From the 211th session for November 24, 1965:) First of all, as far as the hands are concerned, to be left- or right-handed has to do with inner mechanisms and brain patterns that come first, before the motions of the hands. Characteristically I operated in certain manners that resulted in the primary use of my left hand, when I was focused within physical matter.

(From the 242nd session for March 16, 1966:) The ego is not the most powerful or the most knowledgeable portion of the self. It is simply a well-specialized part of the personality, fully equipped to operate under certain circumstances²¹ … When those conditions no longer exist [after “death”], 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. The ego is under the control of what may loosely be called “the inner self.” The survival or nonphysical personality has somewhat the same relationship to the ego as the dreaming personality has to it in physical life.

I speak as my whole self to you … since my personality structure is more advanced than is usual for communications from other systems. Therefore, I do not need to adopt a past ego [of my own]. Perhaps because this is not necessary, the psychological bridge is required to make my messages comprehensible to Ruburt. This connecting framework does some of the translating for me that a reassembled ego would do. It delivers information to Ruburt in a way that he can understand. Occasionally [in your tests] I do impress him directly, telepathically (see Note 19), with a concept. When he receives data in the form of images the framework is operating. With my direction, this framework uses Ruburt’s personal associations to direct his impressions toward the correct point. Then when we are successful I insert the right information.²³

Ruburt’s experience is obviously intertwined with yours. My characteristics as they are displayed through the Seth personality, therefore, come from you as well as Ruburt … Triggers were needed also to initiate my emergence into your world through that personality I display. Ruburt’s own background and questions were highly vital as such initiating principles. Your questions merged with his. It was the practical impetus of your need at the time, however, that operated as the final emotional trigger — you recall the circumstances.³¹

Ruburt keeps track of intuitive details that neither of you are even conscious of, and so there shows an integrity that at least sometimes he is not aware of. You yourselves adopt personalities, though usually you are not aware of doing so. So I adopt a personality that can communicate with your own.³³ In one manner of speaking mine is heroic, larger, and multidimensional. On the other hand, I can operate only mentally in your world. It is Ruburt who must walk down the street.

(From the 775th session for May 10, 1976:) Bits of your consciousnesses,³⁴ Joseph and Ruburt, go out through these books. I am not speaking symbolically. Those portions will mix with the consciousness of others. Portions of your intent and purpose become theirs. My own psychological reality is not particleized. My identity includes the identities of many others, and they each operate in their own fashion. In those terms I am a wave formation. More specifically, however, and to a lesser degree, each physical person operates partially as a particleized being, and partially in terms of a wave.³⁵ But identity, being itself inviolate, is on the other hand everchanging — and there is, in the larger framework of reality, no contradiction.

“When such abilities as telepathy occur, this telepathic function is carried on continually by this other self-conscious part of you; but as a rule you act upon those data without the knowledge of the conscious self with which you are familiar.

“At the same time imagine that these creatures are really one creature, but with definite parts equipped to handle two entirely different worlds. The subconscious, therefore, in this ludicrous analogy, would exist between the two brains, and would enable the creature to operate as a single unit.

In Seth Speaks, Seth developed Jung’s ideas about the anima and the animus by stating that such other-sex qualities or personifications within each of us actually represent memories of past lives. (Jung himself thought the questions of reincarnation, and of karma [or, roughly, destiny or fate], to be “obscure” — he couldn’t be sure of the existence of such phenomena.) From Session 555 for October 21, 1970: “The anima and the animus … are highly charged psychically, and also appear in the dream state. They operate as compensations and reminders to prevent you from overidentifying yourself with your present physical body.” And from Session 556: “The reality of the anima and the animus is far deeper than Jung supposed. Symbolically speaking, the two together represent the whole self with its diverse abilities, desires, and characteristics … Personality as you know it cannot be understood unless the true meaning of the anima and the animus is taken into consideration.”

Two quick reminders: 1. Clairvoyance (“clear-seeing”) is the paranormal perception of events or objects regardless of distance, and without help from another mind. 2. Telepathy is the communication of thoughts or emotions between minds, regardless of distance. In actuality, it’s often difficult to tell whether clairvoyance, telepathy, or both operated in a given instance. Nor am I noting here how the use of these phenomena may be connected to the perception of the past or future.

“Consciousness forms patterns of identities. They move faster than the speed of light. They can be in more than one place at one time. (See notes 5 and 6 for Session 702.) They can operate in a freewheeling fashion as identities in themselves, or as ‘psychological particles.’ They can also operate in a wavelike fashion, flowing through other such particles. They can form together into endless, infinite combinations, forming psychological gestalts. Certain portions of these gestalts can then operate as ‘psychological particles’ in time and space, while other portions operate in a wavelike manner outside of time and space. These represent the unconscious elements of the species, which become ‘particleized’ in physical existence.”