“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

The psyche as you know it, then, is composed of a mixture of these families of consciousness. One is not superior to the others. They are just different, and they represent various ways of looking at physical life. (Pause.) A book would be needed to explain the dimensions of the psyche in relation to the different families of consciousness. Here, in this manuscript, I merely want to make the reader aware of the existence of these psychic groupings. I am alert to the fact that I am using many terms, and that it may seem difficult to understand the differences between probable and reincarnational selves, counterparts and families of consciousness. At times contradictions may seem to exist. You may wonder how you are you in the midst of such multitudinous psychic “variations.”

(Long pause.) You can look at an apple and hold it in your hands, so it is obvious that its shape does not contradict its color. You see that an apple can be red or green or both. If I said: “Apples sit quietly on a table,” you would have to agree that such is sometimes the case. If I said: “Apples roll down grassy inclines,” you would also have to agree. If I said: “Apples fall down through space,” you would again be forced to concede the point. It would be clear to you that none of these statements contradicted each other, for in different circumstances apples behave differently.

When I speak in terms of counterparts, then, or of reincarnational selves and probable selves, I am saying that in the true symphony of your being you are violins, oboes, cymbals, harps — in other words, you are a living instrument through which you play yourself. You are not an instrument upon which you are played. You are the composer and the symphony. You play ballads, classical pieces, lyrics, operas. One creative performance does not contradict the others.

Sometimes you act as though one ability contradicts another. You think “I cannot be a good parent and a sexual partner to my mate at the same time.” To those who feel this way a definite contradiction seems implied. A woman might feel that the qualities of a mother almost stand in opposition to those of an exuberant sex mate. A man might imagine that fatherhood meant providing an excellent home and income. He might think that “aggressiveness,”⁶ competition, and emotional aloofness were required to perform that role. These would be considered in opposition to the qualities of love, understanding, and emotional support “required” of a husband. In actuality, of course, no such contradictions apply. In the same way, however, you often seem to feel that your identity is dependent upon a certain highly specific role, until other qualities quite your own seem threatening. They almost seem to be unselflike.⁷

There are many kinds of music. I could say: “Music is triumphant,” or “Music is tragic.” You would understand that I am not contradicting myself. You would not say, or (humorously) at least I hope you would not say: “Why would anyone write a composition like Tchaikovsky’s Pathetique?”⁸ Why would a composer choose a somber mood? The music itself would have its own sweep and power, and would indeed be beautiful beyond all concepts of good and evil.

(Still buzzing …) Give us a moment … For example: In certain terms, you are working with the challenge of how best to use the world’s resources. Some countries will overproduce. Others will underproduce. Contradictions seem to occur. Some people will be overfed while others starve; some sated with material conveniences, others relatively ignorant of them. These are variations of the same theme, you see. In overall terms contemporaries are working on the same group of challenges, though either oversupply or great lack might show itself at any particular place. Perhaps, however, the challenges could not be clearly delineated without those extravagances of degree.