Index of Articles

 Our culture tends to operate on the myth that all perception and knowledge must be achieved through the physical senses. As a society, we believe that what we can see and touch, taste and smell, monitor and measure is the source from which all experience flows and is through which all activities must be reviewed. We are also taught that one physical activity leads to another and that every event or experience we encounter must be based on something that has "come before". While this thinking is all well and good when encountering physical events, reviewing tangible actions, and manipulating physical experiences, the myth fails to serve us if it translates into a belief that information derived from the physical senses or explained by cause and effect reasoning alone reflects the true nature of reality. More importantly, the acceptance of this myth actually closes us off from the true nature of events and the inner source behind our life creations, both successful and challenging.

As we travel through our daily lives we should keep in mind that it is through the inner components of our multidimensional nature that our creations are unleashed in full splendor. Our lives are not merely components of our outer awareness, nor are they driven strictly by our physical components. While part of our being has a role to play in dealing with objectified reality, another component has a more significant role to play in the formation of the reality that the other component observes. In order to fully understand how experiences develop and how we arrive where we find ourselves at any given moment, we should understand the inherent nature of each of these components and learn to discern how they work together in the achievement of growth, experience and satisfaction in this life.

To do this, we must learn to recognize that the outer ego is well equipped to deal with the world of causes and operates quite well if left to this purpose, but we should not expect more of it than it can deliver. The ego processes systematized information and knowledge effectively, and helps us evaluate the physical component of the experiences we create. It assists us in making sense of the physical components of our creations and experience and allows us to process and digest information of a "tangible" nature. In these arenas, it serves us well. However, the outer ego cannot, on its own, create the physical reality and systems that it observes, because its focus is based outward. As a result, it has only a limited capability to discern the "true" explanations concerning the source of an event or experience it is evaluating, especially when the source has no reasonable explanation in purely physical or cause and effect terms.

For example, we might look at an earthquake and discover that certain buildings collapsed because they were improperly reinforced and that certain people died as a result. These are both valid, ego based observations and deductions that provide some measure of indication as to the physical cause of the events. However, if we want to understand why a particular person died while another sleeping next to him in the same bed survived, then we must move beyond the mere physical explanation, and beyond the mere ego focused vantage point, because there is no precise physical answer to these questions. While our more religious friends might relegate the explanation to a deity-based decision of some sort, I would rather look toward a less "chancy" perspective. I believe that the answer lies within the portion of our self that resides outside of time and space. A portion of the self that mirrors the outer ego yet is charged with a different purpose. A purpose that deals with the formation of events and experience, operating in an environment filled with unlimited possibilities and potentials, unrestricted by the limitations of time and space and cause and effect.

This portion of the self—the inner ego—creates the events that the outer ego evaluates and observes. It exists within a framework of reality beyond our physical senses and has access to a vast amount of knowledge that includes a familiarity with other related inner egos and an understanding of which particular probable physical events are appropriate to achieve a particular moment or life objective. Within this framework it creates the experiences upon which the outer ego reflects, taking direction from our beliefs, expectations, thoughts and emotions. Utilizing the dream world and other inner processes for collaboration, it works in harmony with the outer ego to frame our experience and then evaluate the resulting creations, as long as we allow the natural feedback system to operate as designed. Seth summarizes this relationship in Session 23 of The Early Sessions, Volume I:

"The intellect is extremely important in the manipulation of camouflage patterns once they are created. You have made your world, and your intellect should help you deal with what you have created. .... However, I cannot say this too often: You are more than your conscious mind, much more, and the self which you do not admit happens to be the portion of yourself which not only insures your own survival in the physical universe which it has made, but which is also the connective portion of yourself with inner reality. Which is, when all is said and done, the only basic reality; and which also continually enables you to create these camouflage patterns, and which contains knowledge and intuitions and memories which you need in a most desperate manner if you are ever to understand yourselves, and if the race of mankind is ever to evolve to its fullest."

So, our challenge is to understand the relationship between the inner and outer egos and to keep their roles in proper perspective when evaluating the configuration and quality of our life experiences. Each of these components of the self contributes to the development of the personality in its own way. The inner ego creates experiences based on an understanding of wider possibilities filtered through our thoughts, attitudes, emotions, expectations and beliefs. The outer ego evaluates these experiences through the same filters and considers the physical ramifications of the events, providing feedback to the inner ego for use in creation of the "next" moment event or experience. In this cooperative manner, we create reality, monitor our creations, and provide source information for subsequent creations.

The key here is to recognize the realm appropriate to each of these components of the self and allow each its full reign within its area of "expertise", without expecting one to do the work of the other. If we expect the outer ego to create events or affect change in our lives beyond the consideration and interpretation of physical data, we find ourselves immersed in the myth that one cause leads to the next effect with all its inherent limitations and restrictions. Such an expectation can only serve to impede the creative flow of the inner self. Instead we should use our inner processes to open a dialog between the inner and outer egos to become more aware of the wider reality in which we exist and to allow the free exchange of physical and non-physical expertise. The inner ego has access to the realm of probabilities that can be made manifest in the realization of all of our desires, but it cannot "act" on its own behalf. The challenge is to utilize the outer ego to interpret information, contemplate options, validate or reject particular alternatives, and act in accordance with physical capabilities based on information received on the inner level, without expecting it to actually form the camouflage pattern in which it is immersed. In this way our full multidimensional nature is harmoniously activated in the pursuit of our unique purpose and the expression of our own unique creative potential, unrestricted by the expectation that cause and effect is all that matters.

Now to our publication: In this issue of Perspectives you will find some contemplative ideas concerning consciousness and the nature of reality. Richard Kendall, former member of Jane's ESP class, offers some thoughts on coincidences, Jim Shutte, co-publisher of WellSpring journal, speaks hypothetically about talking to non-Seth readers, Mary Dillman provides a selection from the Yale archives, Karen Sanders shares some thoughts on 2075, and Sue Ray, Moment Point Press publisher, offers some remembrances of Jane. We sincerely appreciate the efforts of these volunteers. Their creative, informative and stimulating contributions provide the foundation for this newsletter. Please join us in expressing our deep gratitude for their support.

The promotional pages of the newsletter reflect our continued expansion of the Brass Ring catalog. We have added some new titles and are also offering special pricing on selected items, so please take some time to explore the catalog listings in detail. Our product line includes the works of leading authors and traditional publishers, materials produced over the years through the talents of the former SNI staff, and unique offerings by new writers and small publishers devoted to expanding the boundaries of human potential. We hope you find something of interest.

Classified announcements promoting the creative efforts of our readers are contained in the news and information section on page 5. We suggest that you check this section to locate activities in your area and to learn about items of special interest. If you are aware of other activities and events that provide an opportunity for our readers to connect around new thought ideas, or have a desire to promote your personal efforts, please let us know. We will publish relevant submissions in future issues of Perspectives as space, interest and financial considerations permit.

Mary and I want to offer a heart felt thank you to all of our customers, contributors and advertisers for their past and continuing patronage of this publication and our bookstore. Without their psychic and financial support we would not be able to produce this newsletter. We sincerely enjoy preparing this publication and the opportunity it provides to gather information, share ideas and to connect with individuals of like mind. We hope that you find value in the material presented in these pages and will continue to support the growth of our store as we explore the boundaries of human potential.

Michael Steffen
Vice President, The Brass Ring Bookstore