dreams梦

In The Early Sessions Book 1, Seth offers an early multidimensional exposition of the concept of "dreams." Dreams are not merely conscious activity in the sleep state; they are also an important multidimensional channel through which the personality, the entity, and different reincarnational personalities communicate and experience non-camouflaged time.

First, dreams are a typical dissociated state, in which the abilities of consciousness are used to form dream images ^[1]. Because the ego is quiet during sleep, this dissociated state provides an excellent opportunity for the deeper operation of consciousness ^[2].

Second, dreams are an important medium of communication among the various personalities within the entity. Seth points out that dream images serve the whole entity and are a means of communication among different personalities; in many cases, they are the way in which past reincarnational personalities communicate with the present personality ^[1]. This communication enables the present personality to understand its past and reminds it to remember its goals without disturbing the awake ego ^[1]. In addition, in many dreams the individual is actually "talking with itself," that is, making contact with portions of the entity with which it is not entirely familiar ^[3]. With the entity's permission, the present personality can even receive visits and guidance from other entities such as Seth in the dissociated state of dreams ^[2].

Third, Seth distinguishes the different natures of ordinary dreams and "nightmares." Ordinary dreams are usually messages transmitted by past personalities to the present personality, whereas nightmares are different; they represent "split-off possibilities" that rarely occur in reality ^[4]. Nightmares are usually signals transmitted by the primary personality to itself, warning of fears or panics that exist directly beneath the strata of the primary personality ^[4].

Fourth, dreams break down the concept of "camouflage time" in the physical world. Seth points out that the existence of dreams confuses and refutes the physical camouflage concept of time ^[5]. In dreams, people can use "condensed time," experiencing the passage of many days in the blink of an eye; this time is the real time felt by the entity when "living" on the level of physical materialization ^[6].

Finally, on the practical level, Seth emphasizes the importance of recording dreams. He strongly advised Jane (Ruburt) to begin recording dreams again and to keep a notebook by the bed ^[7], and also reminded Joseph (Rob) not to forget his own vivid, colorful dreams ^[8].

In The Early Sessions Book 2 (dictated in 1964), Seth gives a preliminary but extremely specific exposition of the concept of "dreams." Seth regards dreams as an important medium through which the subconscious transmits guidance, warnings, and solutions to the outer ego, and demonstrates how highly symbolic dream elements can be used to analyze an individual's current psychological state and future choices. First, dreams are the subconscious's "gentle push" and "warning" to the individual. Seth points out that the individual's subconscious gives direction for action through dreams in a symbolic way. For example, Mark had a dream three days earlier that, on a symbolic level, offered him the same direction as the subconscious warning, namely urging him to establish his own business ^[1][2]. Likewise, Ruburt (Jane) had a dream that clearly warned of trouble in his career choice ^[3]. Second, Seth dismantles the symbolic signs in dreams one by one in extremely detailed fashion, demonstrating the multidimensional creativity of dreams. In Ruburt's dream about the home of the art gallery president: opening a strange door represented a seemingly new opportunity ^[3]; the threatening male figure inside the door represented the real situation behind this opportunity, a dead-end, threatening, and stagnant position, and also specifically represented the gallery director who offered the position ^[3][4]; the frozen moment in which Ruburt could not scream represented his period of hesitation and inability to act ^[3][4]; the dream finally ended with screaming and running away, which represented the final solution the subconscious offered him ^[4]. Third, dreams have the function of protecting the individual's core creative energy and preventing the ego from losing its way. Seth explains that the threat felt in Ruburt's dream was essentially because the new position might have diverted his energy from his main goal of writing, leading him into vain ego satisfaction and ultimately causing him to feel dissatisfied and betrayed ^[4]. Seth emphasizes that this dream was entirely the operation of Ruburt's own subconscious and had nothing to do with Seth himself, which proves that their personal-level dream material has its own validity ^[4]. Finally, Seth points out the limitations of current psychology in dream research. He promises that in subsequent sessions he will explore in depth the importance of dreams on different levels, outline the types of dreams more thoroughly than psychologists have done so far, and use the members' own dreams as concrete examples for teaching ^[1][2]. In summary, at this stage Seth's discussion of dreams focuses on their practical psychological analysis and symbolic interpretation, emphasizing that dreams are a multidimensional experience in which the subconscious autonomously resolves real-life conflicts and protects the inner core driving force.

In The Early Sessions Book 3, Seth elaborates in depth on the concept of "dreams," defining them as a constructive force that is not a void and that possesses its own attributes ^[1]. Dreams are not only an extension of consciousness, but also an objectively existing electrical reality and multidimensional action. First, the electrical reality of dreams and the creation of the dream universe: Seth points out that dreams are direct electrical experiences, relying on an electrical pattern system to transmit data to different areas of the inner self ^[2]. All dreams, thoughts, and psychological experiences have electrical reality ^[3]. Human beings create in dreams a "dream universe" just as real as the physical universe; it exists within a specific range of intensity, independent of the physical ego, and becomes concretized in electrical reality, afterward being decoded and reinterpreted ^[4]. Dreams, like thoughts, have "shape" in intensity quality ^[5]. In addition, dreams as "gestalts" never end; regardless of whether individual perception continues, they continue to proceed ^[6]. Second, multilevel decoding of dreams and inner communication: Dreams originate from different levels of the subconscious and must be interpreted according to the specific symbols of the reality field to which they belong; confusing levels will lead to confusion ^[7]. Although a dream originates from a specific level, it has meaning for all levels of the self, but each level, like an audience watching a movie, translates the same dream differently according to its own symbolic definitions ^[8]. Seth uses the analogy of "a pilot on an airplane sending coded dramas to a person in a ground vehicle" to describe the process by which the inner self transmits information through dreams to restricted subconscious areas and to the outer ego ^[9]. Dreams are the channel through which the unmanifest whole self transmits knowledge to all levels ^[6]. Third, the physiological and psychological functions of dreams: Dreams are critical to maintaining psychophysical balance. Physiologically, if there are no dreams, the outer camouflage self will lose contact with inner reality, and the body will accumulate toxins because it cannot release surplus chemicals ^[10]. Psychologically, dreams can release and resolve aggressive tendencies; such symbolic resolution is as satisfying to the subconscious as resolution in the physical world, and can provide physical release through muscular motion, thereby sparing the body pain ^[11]. In addition, dreams contain information involving precognition, telepathy, or past-life associations ^[12], enabling individuals to symbolically punish themselves or rehearse the future, thereby preparing psychologically ^[13]. Fourth, dreams as pure action: Seth emphasizes that action in dreams is closer to the true nature of action than physical muscular force, because in dreams the ego rarely attempts to hinder action ^[14]. Action in the dream state, like muscular movement, is absolutely valid action ^[15], and dreams, as electrical reality, are no less valid than lightning ^[16]. By recording and analyzing dreams, individuals can not only promote inner development but also make life in the outer world easier ^[17].