“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Consciousness within the body knows that its existence is within the body’s context, and apart from it at the same time. In ordinary life during the day consciousness often takes a recess, so to speak — it daydreams, or otherwise experiences itself as somewhat apart from the body’s reality. At night, in sleep, the self’s consciousness takes longer, freer recesses from physical reality, and does this as spontaneously as the body itself walks. [...]

You walk quite well without having at your fingertips any conscious knowledge of the inner mechanism’s activity. [...]

[...] The solutions asked for may not appear to the conscious self in the fashion that it expects. The conscious self may not even recognize that it has been given a particular solution, and yet it may act upon the solution.

[...] The conscious “I” is unaware of the “I” who dreams. [...]

[...] These separate states of consciousness, these multiple levels of awareness, these seemingly unrelated personality aspects, are not unnatural artificial productions, brought about through hypnosis. [...]

In such a case it is not necessary that the conscious self recall the dreams which it requests. [...]

[...] For one thing, that scope includes levels that are consciously unknown to you. [...]

There are dreams of different import, some triggered genetically, that serve as sparks for particular kinds of behavior—dreams, in other words, that literally span the centuries in that regard, coiled latently in the very chromosomes; and no level of consciousness is without some kind of participation in dream states. [...]

Those sequences follow the pursuits of value fulfillment so smoothly that they can be reactivated whenever the conditions are fortunate—for even the animals are not concerned with simple survival alone, nor the plants, but with what I can only call (long pause) emotional qualities: qualities that seek a full appreciation and creative extension of those conditions of consciousness that stamp each species as itself and yet join it with all others.

(4:28.) Even when biological “failures” develop, as with stillborn infants, or malformed ones, the inner consciousness involved does not give up, and even though death results, the consciousness tries again under different conditions. [...] It is simply felt to be an experience, a discovery, that went so far and no further — but the events in no way impede the vitality and strength of the inner consciousness so involved.

“Chemicals themselves will not give rise to consciousness or life. Your scientists will have to face the fact that consciousness comes first and evolves its own form. … All the cells in the body have a separate consciousness. There is a conscious cooperation between the cells in all the organs, and between the organs themselves. [...]

“Molecules and atoms and even smaller particles have a condensed consciousness. They form into cells and form an individual cellular consciousness. This combination results in a consciousness that is capable of much more experience and fulfillment than would be possible for the isolated atom or molecule alone. [...]

[...] You may not have thought of the question consciously, but each of us has an opinion and we guide our daily actions by it whether we realize it or not. [...]

[...] Physical matter is like plastic that we use and mold to our own desire, not like concrete into which our consciousness has been poured. [...]

[...] (Pause.) There are alliances in all levels of reality—there are attractions that reach even bright space and time, groupings of consciousness, associations, psychic attractions that hold and mold various kinds of consciousness in a loose organization. [...] These groups of consciousness range throughout history as you know it. [...]

[...] The conscious self was not told, you see. You are now ready to take up conscious membership. It is only a way to acquaint your conscious self with your real and deep alliances. [...]

[...] Their main activities take place in other levels of consciousness. [...]

[...] Consciousness generally can be divided into certain characteristics, hardly the number, the small number, presently given to it, for example, in charts, the twelve houses. [...]

[...] It is only when it becomes compartmented, so to speak, in the highly differentiated consciousness that such refinements occur. I am not saying that unpleasant stimuli will not be felt as unpleasant and reacted against in less self-conscious organisms. I am saying that they will rejoice even in their automatic reaction, because any stimuli and reaction represents sensation, and sensation is a method by which consciousness knows itself.

“For one thing, while pain is unpleasant, it is also a method of familiarizing the self against the edges of quickened consciousness. Any heightened sensation, pleasant or not, has a stimulating effect upon consciousness to some degree. [...]

According to Seth, each case of senility is different, but generally speaking, the personality transfers the vital parts of consciousness into the next area of existence, and is often fully aware there, and functioning. [...] People who are terrified of physical death might take this path, since when physical death occurs, consciousness is already acquainted with its new environment and the organism’s death is relatively meaningless. [...]

[...] In the following excerpts from a private session, he explains the biological and psychic elements of pain and consciousness and also states that illness itself is sometimes a purposeful activity.

[...] Ruburt’s state of consciousness is different when he approaches Seven.

[...] If certain other beneficial alterations occur, and further understanding on Ruburt’s part, we may be able to meet at other levels of consciousness, in the dream state, when he is not cooperating in the production of our material. [...]

The animals possess a consciousness of self, and without the human intellect. You do not need a human intellect to be aware of your own consciousness. [...]

One of the intellect’s main purposes is to give you a conscious choice in a world of probabilities. [...] On the other hand, you have been taught that the intellect, the “flower of consciousness,” is a frail, vulnerable adjunct — again, a chance creation, without meaning and without support — without support because you believe that “beneath it” lie “primitive, animalistic, bloody instincts,” against which reason must exert what strength it has.

[...] At a biological level, and at an electromagnetic level, the intellect, of course, performs feats that it cannot consciously know through the use of its reason (all intently). [...]

[...] He is only aware of those moments when creative activity surges into his conscious awareness, and by then much of the “work” has already been done.

[...] I do have a few clear conscious memories of Grandmother Butts; the last time I saw her she was ill, a few months before her death 52 years ago. Yet, strangely, I can consciously accept that my grandmother passed away more than half a century ago easier than I can the fact that my own father and mother have already been dead for seven and five years, respectively.

[...] It is a circular, associative, “naturally ordering process,” in which spontaneity automatically exists in the overall order that will best fulfill the potentials of consciousness.

[...] I know it is difficult to comprehend, but every object that you perceive — grass or rock or stone — even ocean waves or clouds — any physical phenomenon — has its own invisible consciousness, its own intent and emotional coloration. [...]

[...] You are biologically and psychologically predisposed to grow within that rich environment, to contribute on all levels to the fulfillment of your species — but more than this, to add your own unique viewpoint and experience to the greater patterns of consciousness of which you are part.

[...] Through exercises you can consciously remember some dreams. Through exercises you can consciously remember some reincarnations.

If you are interested I will give you such exercises, but whether or not you remember these lives consciously is of little importance, for you have subconscious knowledge of them. [...] At death you will consciously realize the sum of your reincarnated selves. [...]

[...] For you also react to me unknowingly on the basis of other relationships with me that you do not consciously recall.

Many habits of repression come about because you are afraid to make conscious decisions, or simply do not want to be bothered with them, and certainly all probable events do not attract you to any important degree. It is, however, an excellent policy to seek out the available conscious decisions that can be made in your lives, for you see your own situations then in a newer clearer light. [...]

[...] This means also that you are bringing such an issue into conscious light, that you are not afraid of making such a choice, and that you are thankful that the choice itself is available to you. [...]

[...] You can consciously retrain yourself to use the ability more freely and directly, and in many instances one individual can help heal another easier than the person can himself. [...]

As far as possible, take your conscious mind away from the condition. [...]

[...] You know enough now so that you do not need to be overly concerned with it on a conscious level. [...]

Sometimes they may not appear to be directly concerned with your goals, but underneath there may be connections that you cannot see on a conscious level.

Now, Ruburt, follow through on the program, but do not be overly concerned on a conscious level. [...]

[...] Your body has an overall body consciousness filled with energy and vitality. It automatically rights any imbalances, but your conscious beliefs also affect this body consciousness. [...]

[...] If you do not like what you see then quite consciously change the picture in your mind.

[...] This one began, generally speaking, when the species tried to step apart from nature in order to develop the unique kind of consciousness that is presently your own. That consciousness is not a finished product, however, but one meant to change, [to] evolve and develop.” [...]

[...] The fatal act propels the consciousness out from the flesh, so that in those terms it is merciful.

But more: I just didn’t know, for example, that everything had its own consciousness. [...] A nail was sticking in the windowsill, and I experienced ever so briefly the consciousness of the atoms and molecules that composed it.

[...] The entity operates its fragments in what you would call a subconscious manner, that is, without conscious direction. [...] It’s as impossible for the entity to control fragment personalities as for the conscious mind to control the body’s heartbeat.”

[...] For example: “The subconscious is the threshold of idea’s emergence into the individual conscious mind. [...]

[...] For one thing, of course, neither of us particularly believed in life after death—certainly not conscious life, capable of communicating. [...]

The value climate of psychological reality can be likened to an ocean in which all consciousness has its being. [...]

[...] Your camouflage and your world are created by conscious focusing and unconscious concentration. [...]

It is true that Priestley speaks in terms of consciousness being retained at this stage, but a consciousness devoid of personality is an odd bird indeed. The personality structure changes, it is true, but consciousness of overall identities within any given unit of consciousness is always retained. [...] And the spirit of life in these terms cannot be considered as something apart and separate from, and outside of, those consciousnesses which illuminate it, and through which they are illuminated. [...]

[...] According to him the consciousness, the individual consciousness of time one, becomes something else at physical death, and the consciousness that is part of time two in physical life becomes dominant in the next existence. [...] Priestley’s individual, after death, with his dominant time two consciousness, has available to him what was time one during physical life.

That is, the life force is constantly renewed by those consciousnesses of which it is formed. The consciousnesses therefore are not simply filled up by a life force which then deserts them to go on its way, for these consciousnesses are themselves portions of the life force, and form its shape, if you will, and continuing existence.

[...] Now, I communicate through this level of Ruburt’s consciousness. It is subconscious to him or to his ego, but it is not without consciousness by any means. [...]

[...] You do not consciously know how you manipulate a staggering pyramid of symbols, picking from them precisely those you need to express a given thought. [...]

[...] Since the mechanisms of normal speech are so little known to you on a conscious level, then it is not surprising that you are equally unaware of more complicated tasks that you also perform — such as the constant creation of your physical environment as a method of communication and expression.

[...] She said the two-minute pause at the start of the delivery took place because she was consciously “hung up” over how Seth was going to begin Chapter Five. [...]

[...] Consciousness, for example, can be defined as a wave or as a particle, for it can operate as either, and appear as either, even though its true definition would have to include the creative capacity to shape itself into such forms.

[...] It is a creation of consciousness, rising into one unique kind of expression from that divine gestalt of being—and that divine gestalt of being is of such unimaginable dimensions that its entire reality cannot appear within any one of its own realities, its own worlds.

You cannot pinpoint the location of consciousness.