“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

THE CONSCIOUS MIND AS THE CARRIER OF BELIEFS.

[...]

Now: The next chapter, Eleven, to be titled: “The Conscious Mind as the Carrier of Beliefs. [...]

[...] It will seem to you that you feel aggressive or upset without reason, or that your feelings sweep down upon you without cause if you do not learn to listen to the beliefs within your own conscious mind, for they generate their own emotions.

One of the strongest general causes of depression, for example, is the belief that your conscious mind is powerless either in the face of exterior circumstances thrust upon you from without, or before strong emotional events that seem to be overwhelming from within.

[...] In physical reality a man in a desperate frame of mind is more apt to emphasize horrible aspects in the news, for example, and to see desperation rather than joy in the faces of those he meets. [...] So your frame of mind when projecting will largely determine the sort of experiences you have, and the environments you visit.

In your mind’s eye however imagine a run-down, shabby, deteriorating shamble of a house with rotting floorboards and sagging porches. [...] Then imagine a new house being built there, of your preferred choice, with all new materials, of splendid design, and see this always in your mind where before you saw the previous image.

[...] Your conscious mind was taken up fully with your activities, giving the inner self full rein. [...]

[...] Projection experiments should only be adopted therefore when you are in a peaceful state of mind, as Ruburt should know after his creature experience.

[...] Instead, of course, he should then remind himself of the roles of the conscious and the unconscious minds—and then remind himself that the unconscious mind can handle such matters easily—as indeed it can. [...]

[...] With a small inspiration, I told her that in the light of the session today she should do the same thing as far as her understanding of the roles of the conscious and unconscious minds goes. It was a good analogy—to let the unconscious mind be concerned with how she was going to be healed, and so forth. [...]

[...] Let the unconscious mind do that for you, I told her. [...] I said that such a simple action must be governed by other portions of the unconscious mind that are conscious in their own rights. [...]

[...] (Pause.) On the other hand you may believe that wisdom grows with age, that self-understanding brings a peace of mind not earlier known, that the keen mind is actually far better able to assess the environment, and that the physical senses are much more appreciative of all stimuli. [...]

(9:36.) Your conscious mind is meant to assess and evaluate physical reality, and to help you chart your course in the corporeal universe of which you are presently part. [...] All energy at the inner self’s disposal is then concentrated to bring about the results asked for by the conscious mind.

He was a study, a living example, of the effects of conflicting unexamined beliefs, a fierce and yet agonized personification of what can happen when an individual allows his conscious mind to deny its responsibilities — i.e., when an individual becomes afraid of his own consciousness.

[...] This is not a usual case — but to some extent or another, such a division occurs physically or mentally when the contents of the conscious mind are not examined.

[...] He said in another class session: “You have more than one conscious mind. [...] … If you consider the conscious mind that you usually use as one door, then you stand at the threshold of this mind and look out into physical reality. [...]

[...] There is no need to feel that when you block out the ordinary conscious mind, there is only blankness. It is true that when you close one conscious mind—door—there may be a moment of disorientation before you open another.

[...] This doesn’t mean that we will always be able to “read minds.” [...]

At times, we can “read minds”—though that is a popular term, leaving much to be desired. [...]

Now: the overly conscientious self is opinionated, closed-minded, pedantic. [...]

It is possible to be opinionated at times, closed-minded, and pedantic, in good normal behavior—but when certain characteristics group together, then you have the formation of an overly-conscientious self, which acts in a repetitive manner, always showing these fairly rigid characteristics. [...]

[...] If optimism seems to be such a simple-minded, idiotic attribute, then listen. [...]

Such an optimist will of course not be blind, and he will see that there are indeed many blemishes in the world; but his overall faith not only sustains him, but because of his own state of mind his creativity blossoms to whatever degree he has it. [...]

[...] In all cases a misinterpretation is being made on the part of the conscious mind, that then triggers bodily responses. [...] Now there are countering body impulses, and a constant set of checks and balances where the mind is meant to take another look, or where the body says that the biological integrity is in jeopardy. There are periods of new adjustment, and ideally the mind would take a new assessment of events.

[...] When the world-view enlarges to include more sophisticated cultural environments then, however, the body must rely upon the conscious mind’s interpretation of events. [...] The body might object, but it still must rely upon the conscious mind’s interpretation of events, that it realizes are beyond its realm.

[...] His body, mind, spirit, will all exercise themselves together. [...]

[...] I am speaking specifically of the brain, as separated from the mind, to emphasize the point that these abilities are of creaturehood. The brain’s genius comes from the mind, which can be called the brain’s biophysical counterpart.

The body will seek its release, and so will the mind. [...] The mind’s creative play often serves up symbolic events that result in therapeutic physical reactions, and also function as postdream suggestions that offer hints as to remedial action.

[...] In dreams the mind is free to play with events, and with their formation. [...]

[...] For variety, in your mind’s eye follow your own activities of the previous day. [...]

I have often stated that the mind-body relationship is one system. [...]

The “negative” subjective and objective events that you meet are meant to make you examine the contents of your own conscious mind. [...]

The body and mind together do present a united, self regulating, healing, self-clearing system. [...]

[...] They are quite available once you are determined to examine the complete contents of your conscious mind.

“Man is therefore set against his nature in his own mind, and he thinks he must control it. [...] But he himself has largely closed the door of comprehension, so that he only identifies with what he thinks of as his rational mind, and tries to forget as best he can those spontaneous processes upon which the mind rides so triumphantly.

1. “Now, for example,” Seth told us this evening, “man deals with a kind of dual selfhood, in that he presently thinks of himself as an uneasy blend of body and mind. [...] That portion he equates with mind or intelligence. [...]

[...] Hardly a coincidence, for the mass minds of the people are able to make certain joint statements, and those statements are heard.

[...] Only the reasoning mind, it seems, has any idea of order, discipline, or control.

[...] Your thinking, breathing, and motion are all guided by activities that are largely unconscious — at least from the standpoint of what you usually think of as the conscious mind.

Your body repairs itself constantly, and your mind thinks — all without your normally conscious attention. [...]

[...] The conscious mind must be in control of all actions as much as possible, for such a person feels that only rigid, logical thought is strong enough to hold back such strong impulsive force.

Nature and the inner nature of man are both seen to contain savage, destructive forces against which civilization and the reasoning mind must firmly stand guard.

[...] It is the mind, then, as the brain’s nonphysical counterpart, that decides what data will activate the brain in that regard. The so-called ancient portions of the brain (among them the brainstem — limbic system) contain “the mind’s memories.” [...]

[...] Follow the dream in your mind. [...] — should bring an entirely new sequence of images and thoughts into your mind that were indeed happening at the same time as your daydream about the orange.

[...] They do not perceive the mind’s activity at all, except as it is imprinted onto the brain.

[...] While the neural connections are specific, and while learned biological behavior dominates basically, the portions of the brain are innately inter-changeable, for they are directed by the mind’s action.

All of this reminds me of my old idea of a projected book: The Contents of the Mind, or the Unofficial Contents of the Mind. After reading this first page of notes about Peg G. and the paintings, I remember my old ideas … that we organize the contents of our minds along certain lines that then become habitual.

[...] And the discussion was … extremely clear in my mind.

[...] I’ve organized data with the focus of art in mind as a focus point through which to … perceive the world.

The idea is to be alert for psychological contents of the mind that we usually ignore, that science can’t prove or disprove … where we take experience over theory.

[...] Otherwise your free will would have no meaning in a physical framework, for the number of choices available would be so multitudinous that you could not make up your mind to act within time. With all the opportunities of creativity, and with your own greater knowledge instantly available, you would be swamped by so many stimuli that you literally could not physically respond, and so your particular kinds of civilization and science and art could not have been accomplished—and regardless of their flaws they are magnificent accomplishments, unique products of the reasoning mind.

Without the reasoning mind the artist would have no need to paint, for the immediacy of his mental vision would be so instant and blinding, so mentally accomplished, that there would be no need to try any physical rendition of it. So nowhere do I ever mean to demean the qualities or excellence of the reasoning mind as you understand it.

[...] Now: Any real discussion of genetic heritage must also bring up questions involving free will and determinism,² and to some extent those issues must also lead to questions concerning the nature of the reasoning mind itself.

The reasoning mind is a uniquely human and physical phenomenon. [...]

(Pause.) On the other hand, such beliefs can be accepted when it appears that the conscious mind is asleep, or dulled as in periods of shock, or during operations. [...] One of the troubles is that too specific distinctions are made between the conscious and unconscious minds. [...] This is only true, however, if you realize the power of your conscious mind in that moment, and understand the ability of your consciousness to mobilize unconscious reactions.

[...] Relaxation can help simply because the body messages are also quieted, and the mind not concerned with them.

[...] All beliefs or suggestions are first sifted through your conscious mind, and only those that you accept are then permitted their penetration into the other areas of the self.

[...] But instead this is taken as an indication that the conscious mind is helpless under such conditions, generally speaking, and this is not the case.

(Long pause at 9:56.) So controls were needed lest the conscious mind, denied full use of the animals’ innate taboos, run away with itself. [...]

I have used the phrase “moment of reflection” several times because it is another attribute peculiar to the conscious mind and, again in your terms, is largely denied to the rest of creaturehood. [...]

[...] When a man kills another, regardless of his other beliefs a certain portion of his conscious mind is always aware of the violation involved, justify it though he may.

When women give birth in a crowded world they also know, and with a portion of their conscious minds, that a violation is involved. [...]

[...] The same applies to your guests, and particularly to the two young boys from the Sunday school, hopefully showing Ruburt that all conventional churchgoers were not closed-minded, but were also seeking out new knowledge.

[...] The visitors took Ruburt’s mind off of his condition, provided new stimulus, provided reassurance, and allowed his body to continue its improvements.

[...] You could, therefore, make several different kinds of decisions that would give you a free mind for large portions of the time. [...]

[...] He has been inspired, but to paint, because his impulses are quite correct; the painting of flowers leads him to contemplate beauty for beauty’s sake, frees his mind, and also allows for certain kinds of muscular motions that are now beneficial.

[...] The body and mind are so connected that the mind remembers, say, muscular spontaneity as the muscles remember mental spontaneity. [...]

I am not going to dictate on the book since it is too late for what I had in mind for the next installment. [...] One point: I am glad of your good news, but it was not what I had in mind.

[...] He is feeling more secure, and this feeling will grow as it sinks into his mind that he will not have to “worry” about his money productions for the next year, for example. [...]

[...] Now it is true that initially the motion was made in his mind, and accepted, but the will can also be used to initiate such actions. [...]

[...] When using the pendulum, it is a good idea to mentally place a distance between your conscious mind and the pendulum, in which fears are allowed to dissolve, so that body and mind are smooth-enough. [...]

[...] Ideally, you should relax yourself as much as possible first—a light trance, for example, gives much more dependable results – but the mind should be stilled. [...]

[...] When your mind is confused, and when you are quite concerned over a given problem, then you do not dip down far enough, say, into the psychic level.

[...] You write down, then, whatever comes to mind without questioning it. [...]

[...] The question itself causes the dilemma of the dream—that is, the separation of the two in your mind, instinct and reason, causes the uneasy confrontation. There is no separation, of course, only a seeming one, for again, the mind’s conscious processes are spontaneous, and the body’s instincts are highly disciplined, so there is no need to vacillate between one side of the question or the other.

(My question about Jane’s hand, her writing hand, had been on my mind for some time now. [...]

In your mind, the left side represents the unconscious portions of the personality. [...]