“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

2. For those who are interested: As soon as Seth mentioned the “psychological activity” of atoms and molecules, I was intuitively and strongly aware of connections between his statement and at least two principles of modern physics. Yet I hesitated. “I know my feelings are right,” I told Jane, “but how do I explain them in a few words and make any sense?” I was also constrained by the limits of my own knowledge. Especially, though, I sensed relationships between Seth’s idea on the one hand, and both the uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics and the principle of complementarity on the other.

The uncertainty principle, or the principle of indeterminacy (advanced by Heisenberg in 1927, and part of the theory of quantum mechanics), sets definite limits to the accuracy possible in measuring both the motion and position of atoms and elementary particles simultaneously; more importantly to my mind, for the purposes of this note, the uncertainty principle maintains that there is an interaction between the observer (with his instruments) and the object or quality being measured.

Jane is largely unfamiliar with the details of the uncertainty principle and the principle of complementarity, although the general ideas fascinate her. Her feelings for these works of science, then, are the same as those she has for the ether; see Note 1 for Session 822.

The complementarity principle (stated by Bohr in 1928) resolves the seeming paradox posed by contradictory experiments that show how light, for example, can be regarded as consisting of either waves or particles. Both experiments and conclusions are right — and mutually exclusive; whichever result is obtained is due to the nature of the particular experiment.

These unifying principles themselves, however, constantly and imperceptibly change. Upon another occasion we will consider the ways in which these unifying principles may shift. [...]

[...] All basic adjustments to the personality, in a basic manner, must come from within, through regroupings of characteristic actions about unifying principles.

[...] These unifying principles of which I spoke are themselves main, dominating groups of actions, about which the main energies of the personality group themselves.

[...] You get a regrouping of unifying principle actions, and a division of energies about two different ego systems.

(I feel more hopeful today; and almost as if there might be something from the libvary on the principles of conservatism and originality as in the Cézanne book. [...]

[...] the creation of something new that disrupts the conservative principles; and that freedom is paramount. [...]

[...] The principle of right action and divine order govern my entire life. [...]

(Silently, quietly, all distorted thought patterns in her subconscious mind are removed and dissolved, and the vitality, wholeness and beauty of the life principle are made manifest in every atom of her being. [...]

Unifying principles are groups of actions about which the whole personality forms itself at any given time. These unifying principles may change, and do change, usually in a relatively smooth fashion, when action is allowed to flow unimpeded.

[...] Now, if the old unifying system of the personality has broken down, the illness, serving as a makeshift, temporary emergency measure, may hold the integrity of the personality intact until a new constructive unifying principle replaces the original.

[...] Even then, without knowing all the facts surrounding the personality, you could make no judgment, for the illness could still serve by giving the personality a sense of security, being kept on hand, so to speak, as an ever-present emergency device in case the new unifying principle should fail.

In your terms, probabilities are extensions and variations on the growth principle that is quite obvious in your daily reality. [...] Again, other entirely natural manifestations of that principle exist. [...]

“Science has unfortunately bound up the minds of its own even most original thinkers, for they dare not stray from certain scientific principles. [...]

[...] See Note 2 for that session, in Chapter 4, wherein I wrote that as a physical principle the uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics “sets definite limits to the accuracy possible in measuring both the motion and position of atoms and elementary particles simultaneously,” and that “there is an interaction between the observer (with his instruments) and the object or quality being measured.”

[...] The principle of uncertainty must operate genetically, or you would have been locked into overspecializations as a species.²

Here in Dreams Seth uses the uncertainty principle as an analogy (and an excellent one), meaning that as the positions and motions of elementary particles, say, cannot be simultaneously measured precisely, so our genetic qualities and their motions can not always be specifically determined. [...]

Cordellas are the principles behind the units, or the principles upon which the units operate. [...] The cordellas are operating substructures of energy, with the ability to attract and repel, to become cohesive or fall apart, carrying within themselves the knowledge of their own identity, literally the self principle that allows them to retain their integrity as absolutes even while merging with others and forming subsidiary alliances.

[...] The female principle then became connected with the earth and all those elements of its life over which you as a species hoped to gain power.

[...] The love and devotion that might otherwise be connected with the facets of nature and the female principle had to be “snatched away from” any natural attraction to sexuality. [...]

The minus principle can be multiplied forever. [...]

[...] A little known principle of utmost importance.

[...] (Fast pace.) The unrelated functions bear strong relation (Jane asked me to read this phrase back), to the underlying principles upon which the basic theories of malfunction are formed. [...]

[...] The unifying nature (pause) underlying the principle of P S I (spelled) group together in a conciliatory fashion. [...]

[...] An onion comes up from the earth and the growth principle is within it; and imagine our poor onion in the earth. [...] He may even hallucinate such a giant onion but all the time the principle of vitality and power and growth is All That Is, and all of it that you can understand at this point, is within the onion. The principle within it that gives it its existence. [...]

[...] So the principle applies to both life and death. [...]

[...] In cancer cells the growth principle runs wild; within creaturehood each of the species has its place, and if one multiplies out of its proper order then all life and the body of the earth itself comes into peril.

[...] These are basic principles concerning the nature of action, principles that are carried through within any system. [...]

[...] The principle of creative distortions is mainly responsible for the fact that no identical thought is ever transmitted from one individual to another. [...]

[...] However all potentialities are latent in each and every unit, regardless of size, and no combinations or coming-togethers are accidental, but are governed by inner principles of organization. All combinations of particles are voluntary, and based upon principles of value fulfillment, which operates within and causes those acts or motions which are conducive to the formation of more complicated gestalts.

[...] The organizing principle of small particles into larger particles lies within the particles themselves, and is directed from within in all cases.

[...] The father actually is not the uniting principle here, but the feeling against the mother, at this time.

[...] While there is indeed pain in the world, it is the miraculous principle of pleasure that propels life itself.

[...] In a fashion this involved old Christian principles, of course, as pure socialism does—so that a man shared his goods with his fellows, and all land belonged to the people, so that private property—in those terms—would not exist.

You make your own reality—and few people are trying to understand that principle as you are. [...]

[...] I keep comparing that to creative activity because the same principles are involved—and impediments do disappear.

[...] He gave me a knowing, half-smiling look while delivering this paragraph, for it was obvious that his material was related to a note I’d shown Jane today—one I’m finishing for Mass Events. In it, I’m trying to deal very simply with both the uncertainty principle and the complementarity of light, among other tenets of physics. [...]