“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

[...] It has no ego to cut the “I” identification short. Creatures without the compartment of the ego can easily follow their own identity beyond any change of form. The inner self is aware of this integrity of identity, but the ego, focused so securely in physical reality, cannot afford this luxury.

[...] The inner self knows what is behind the physical stars and planets that the eye views, but the ego would be swept aside in panic at such realization.

However, with the ego at rest the individual may allow communications and dream constructions through, past the ego barrier, in such a manner that he becomes in some ways free. If for example his present expectations are faulty, when the ego rests he may recreate a time when expectations were high. [...]

[...] As your ego experiences changes in its relationship with the physical world, so do you change aspects of the dream world accordingly, and enrich it.

[...] Why man so often mistrusts the dream reality would escape me, if I did not know the nature of the ego.

[...] In some cases the ego construction may be weak, or incapable of holding its own, in which case the imagination is often said to be too excitable, and to be at fault.

[...] It has no ego to cut the I identification short. Creatures without the compartment of the ego can easily follow their own identity beyond any change of form. The inner self is aware of this integrity of identity, but the ego focused so securely in physical reality cannot afford this luxury.

[...] The inner self knows what is behind the stars and planets that the eyes views, but the ego would be swept aside in panic. [...]

[...] When ego consciousness reached a certain point of biological and mental competence, when experience in the present became extensive enough, then ego consciousness would be at the stage where it could begin to accept greater data. [...]

[...] As the ego learned to feel more secure, the cooperative tendencies broadened so that the growth of nations was possible. It was inevitable, however, that ego consciousness would produce a reality in which it would finally need, in those terms, to accept other data and information that in the beginning it had to ignore.

[...] The necessity for immediate conscious exterior action at a “definite” point of intersection with events was left to the emerging ego consciousness.

While the cells required future and past data, and used it to form from that invisible tension the body’s present corporal reality, the same kind of information could be a threat then to the ego consciousness, which could be overwhelmed. [...]

[...] Here the ego is helping us now, for it is sticking to these plans, and the plans are those the ego itself enjoys, and can accept. [...]

[...] The ego is working with you now, for it grew frightened and is taking steps to change.

[...] More extensive changes, a change in working hours, for example, might frighten the ego and should be avoided.

As you know therefore we have differentiated between an outer ego, who manipulates within physical reality, and an inner ego who directs the activities of the inner self. [...] In the main, the ego deals with secondary realities, and in the main, the inner ego deals with primaries.

[...] However his ego is very well in control, so well in control that on occasion when I would have spoken on these very matters, I have not been allowed to do so. [...]

[...] In order to manipulate a physical reality however, the inner I needs a self that is acclimated to physical conditions; hence the ego.

The conscious mind, the ego, must be momentarily diverted, so that the intuitive self is allowed freedom. He should know that inspiration does not come from the ego. He knows this intellectually, but upon this occasion he insists in using his ego as a whip to force speed. [...]

Since he finished his ego has held him in a tight clamp. [...]

[...] It is the ego that is rigid, not the subconscious.

[...] The ego, her ego, is presently too concerned with other problems to allow her any such inner freedom. At the same time the difficulty experienced by her ego cries out for the sort of fulfillment that could be achieved through the development of these abilities.

The ego however is not an afterthought disconnected from the whole self, and when the intellect becomes aware of data given to it by the intuitions or the inner self, it is then capable of informing the ego, which then changes its attitude accordingly. [...]

Such a development would result in the strengthening of her ego, in added self-confidence. And her abilities are strong enough so that they do operate with some efficiency when her ego does let down its guard.

[...] The ego however is a necessary protector, and its barriers should not be lowered by force or pressure. [...]

[...] They allow him to step aside in a regular and disciplined fashion, from the worrisome aspects of his ego.

[...] At such times as now, the ego imprisons him, and he does not allow himself inner freedom. [...]

[...] The ego is not artifically disorganized by such practice. [...] The experience gained does become a part of the physical structure, but there is no massive disorganization of perception, since the ego agrees to step aside momentarily.

The root assumptions upon which physical reality is formed represent secure ground to the ego. We always operate with the ego’s consent. [...]

The ego can exist only within the context of these assumptions. [...] Dream objects are often symbols of realities that the ego could not otherwise perceive.

[...] In order for such data to rise to conscious levels, for example, it must be translated into terms that the ego can understand, and the translation is bound to distort the original experience. [...]

The various ego structures therefore exist simultaneously. [...] The various egos of any personality do not think of themselves as having existed one before the other.

Even in reincarnation for example, an ego who experienced a Civil War life is now aware of another ego who may have experienced life in the year three thousand. [...]

[...] It is most difficult for you to conceive of an ego who experiences events not in serial form. [...]

The ego chooses channels of reception with great discrimination, and again, it censors anything which it feels is a threat to its dominance. [...] [It is the ego’s persistent discrimination in choosing the stimuli to which it will react that determines the nature of physical time as it appears to the personality.] The ego, because of its function and characteristics, cannot make swift decisions as can the intuitive self. [...]

In the future, Seth said, the ego and intellect will expand to contain, use and appreciate all the other portions of the self which they now mistrust. [...] … The ego will become more of an organizer, in general, letting in, literally, a barrage of experiences and forming them into meaningful patterns. [...]

Predictions, per se, do not contradict the theory of free will, though free will is dependent upon much more than the freedom of the ego alone. If the ego were allowed to make all the choices, with no veto power from other layers of the self, you would all be in a sad position, indeed.

[...] It must then be transformed into a pattern that can be distinguished by the ego, if the individual is to be consciously aware of the data.

[...] In many cases, in fact, it is to the ego’s advantage that it remain unaware of the actual dreams involved; for the ego is indeed touchy, rigid and querulous as an old arthritic gentleman, and cranky.

The inner ego directs all activities which are deeply subjective. The outer ego as you know deals with the manipulation of the self in the physical environment. [...]

The primary ego is equally unaware of the other personalities, who very often are actually struggling for dominancy. [...]

[...] The nature of reality, uncamouflaged, can be glimpsed to some degree as you study the personality in the dream state, where awareness does not operate in an ego-directed manner.

Ego failure may result. Development of the inner senses is a much more effective method of perceiving other realities, and followed correctly, the ego is not only stronger but more flexible, and consciousness even of physical reality is increased. [...]

[...] The ego is not artificially disorganized by such practice. [...] The experience gained does become a part of the physical structure, but there is no massive disorganization of perception, since the ego agrees to step aside momentarily.

The root assumptions upon which physical reality is formed represent secure ground to the ego. We always operate with the ego’s consent. [...]

The ego can exist only within the context of these root assumptions. [...] These objects in dreams are symbols of realities that the ego could not otherwise perceive.

It is not my ego that remains, for I have shed egos as a snake sheds skin. [...]

[...] It is not your ego that you fight, although you have a model of an ego. [...]

You were simply learning to let your ego relax. Now the ego itself is a poor term, for individually each individual uses his ego differently. [...]

[...] The ego is a great king. [...]

Humanity’s so-called supreme blossom is the human ego, and this is at times a poisoning blossom indeed. As I have said before, there is nothing wrong with the ego. The point however remains that man became so fascinated with the conscious ego that he ignored the part of himself that made the ego possible, and ignored the part of himself that gives to the ego the very powers of which he is so consciously proud.

[...] I certainly do not like to wound your egos in this manner. [...]

There is behind the ego a stronger and more vivid self. [...]

If the material is to be understood by the ego, then it must be translated in the beginning into terms which the ego is competent to handle, unfortunately. [...]

[...] The only necessity here is that you permit yourself not to displace the ego, but more, to enable yourself to look within and past the ego.

Nevertheless a freedom from the ego must be permitted to some extent, so that the inner self can most freely operate. [...]

I have explained to you how the inner self is connected to the present personality, and how the emotions at your end change through the layers of the subconscious, begin in your plane as parts of the personality, and as part of your force field, and then are transformed and become the inner-sense connective that connects the outer ego to the inner self.

The nonphysical systems are frightening to the ego-centered personality; but the bulk of the individual’s reality does not lie within the physical universe, but in those unknown areas. As you know the ego is the topmost portion, so to speak. Were it not for the dreaming self the ego would not exist. [...]

This facility, the translation of data to the ego, who would otherwise distrust it, any such translation is nevertheless a secondhanded version of the original reality; and that is an important point.

It is the ego of course that concentrates so intently upon physical reality and physical problems, as well as challenges. [...]

They are activated again of course upon the next usual impact of ego consciousness with the environment. [...]