physical perception物质感知

In The Early Sessions Book 6, Seth explores the concept of physical perception in depth, revealing its nature as a translation mechanism, its fragmentary limitations, and its behavior when confronted with inner information and projections from other systems. First, physical perception is a translation mechanism for "sense data." Seth points out that the physical body often and consistently acts upon subconscious knowledge, but for this information to impress the conscious mind, it must be carried by some kind of sensory impression. Some sensory impressions from the external environment fall below the threshold of consciousness, while other impressions originate in inner reality. If this inner data is to become consciously perceivable, it must be translated into "sense data" that the ego can recognize. Translating information from the external environment into sense data is relatively simple, whereas translating inner data is more difficult and must be constructed "from scratch." In addition, the physical world possesses an "illusion of continuity" against which physical sense data can be checked, while sensory perceptions translated from inner data lack this continuity. They resemble dream perceptions, are transient and highly symbolic, and serve as a means of bringing deep knowledge into the ego's domain. ^[1] Second, physical perception is fragmentary and limited. Seth explains that even when an action originates in our own physical field, we can perceive only a small portion of it (partly through the conscious mind, partly through the subconscious or the inner senses), and cannot perceive the complete action. Our physical perception cuts the actions that could otherwise be received into "fragments," preventing us from truly understanding actions within our own system. ^[2] Finally, physical perception leads to distortion and misreading of actions from other systems. Because we cannot even perceive complete actions within our own system, when actions from other systems are projected into our system, our physical perception distorts the true nature of the event. We tend to try to understand an incompletely perceived action and project our own "concepts of space and time" onto it for interpretation. The understanding of quasars is an example of this; they cannot be truly understood until intuitive insight emerges. ^[2] In summary, physical perception in this book is described as a highly restricted, fragmentary, and translation-oriented tool that maintains the perception of the physical world through the illusion of continuity, but is highly prone to distortion when confronted with inner reality and projections from external systems.

In The Early Sessions, Book 7, Seth offers an in-depth analysis of the concept of physical perception. He points out that physical perception is not an original state of consciousness, but a highly organized "secondary reaction" system with many limitations, trained after birth for survival in the physical world. The following is a summary of the core discussions of physical perception in this book:

1. The Nature of Physical Perception: A Learned Survival Tool and Its Limitations

Seth points out that the organizational structure of physical perception is (biologically speaking, artificial and learned), rather than a basic, holistic biological structure [chunk 7244].

1. Training Based on Root Assumptions: From infancy, the entire physical mechanism of the body is trained to respond to particular patterns based on "physical root assumptions." For example, the nervous system is built to respond clearly to visual block images received through the skin and the eyes. This organization is clearly necessary for physical survival [chunk 7244].
2. Distortion of Original Experience: For information to rise to the level of consciousness, it must be translated into terms the ego can handle, and this translation inevitably distorts original experience to some degree [chunk 7244].
3. Creating the Illusion of Time and Space: The limitations of physical perception restrict human understanding of multidimensional reality. For example, the "generic images" leading to the past are actually spiral-shaped, but only because of the limitations of physical perception do people regard them as linear lifelines leading to the past [chunk 7344].

2. The Distinction Between Physical Perception and True Perception: The "Dim Receiving" Role of the Outer Senses

Seth clearly distinguishes physical perception (through the outer senses) from the true perception of consciousness:

1. The Outer Senses Are Only Dim Receivers: Seth points out that, fundamentally, perception has nothing to do with the outer senses. At best, the outer senses are "dim receivers" [chunk 7434].
2. Translation and Filtering Mechanism: The inner senses are attributes of consciousness, while the role of the outer senses is merely to translate this information into physical terms that are meaningful to the physical organism, the body consciousness, and the ego [chunk 7434].
3. Experience That Cannot Be Translated: In projection (out-of-body experience) and in daily life, there are many experiences that cannot be translated into physical terms, because in physical terms they are meaningless, and the basic assumptions behind them cannot be understood on the physical level [chunk 7434].
4. The Transcendence of Dreams: Because of the limitations of physical perception, certain dreams reveal far more information to people about the nature of reality than even the most vivid physical experience [chunk 7434].

3. The Dangers of Breaking Down the Structure of Physical Perception and the Necessity of the Inner Senses

Although the organizational structure of physical perception is learned, it is very solid; forcibly breaking it down brings serious physiological and psychological risks:

1. The Danger of Breaking Down the Structure: Although experiments such as LSD have proved that the organizational structure of perception can indeed be broken down, this is highly dangerous. Breaking down strong perception patterns disrupts the entire physical system, makes the inner stability of responses vanish instantly, and causes electromagnetic and chemical changes in the nervous system that are not yet understood [chunk 7244].
2. The Difficulty of Capturing Natural Perception: Before impressions are crystallized in physical terms, it is possible but extremely difficult to catch natural perception in consciousness at the very moment it occurs [chunk 7434].
3. The Training of the Inner Senses: Only the inner senses are equipped to process and perceive other reality systems. Through training, even the distortions in the translation process can be minimized [chunk 7244].

In summary, in The Early Sessions, Book 7, physical perception is defined as a highly restricted translation mechanism serving physical survival. It relies on the outer senses as "dim receivers" to distort and crystallize multidimensional, true perception into physical terms. To experience a broader reality, one must rely on the inner senses rather than on external physical perception [chunk 7244, chunk 7434].

In The Early Sessions Book 9, Seth provides an in-depth and multidimensional exposition of the concept of physical perception, revealing its physical mechanisms, its psychic nature, and the complete circular relationship between it and the creation of external reality.

I. The Physical and Neurological Mechanisms of Physical Perception

Seth points out that at the physical level, perception is essentially "an alteration of neurological structure." The mechanisms of perception themselves are changing, and they are changed by what they perceive. If the perceiver's own inner state does not change, no perception can be physically received. Information automatically merges and interweaves with the physically valid structure of the personality ^[1]. Any perception is an "action" that changes the object upon which it acts, and in the process it is itself changed. Even the slightest perception alters every atom within the physical structure to some degree, producing a ripple effect ^[1]. Furthermore, any perception changes the perceiver not only mentally and emotionally, but also alters the electromagnetic reality of the inner physical structure, so in a literal sense, "you are what you know" ^[2].

II. The Nonphysical Nature of Physical Perception and the Process of "Translation"

Seth emphasizes that originally and fundamentally, perception does not depend on the physical senses. Any perception is first of all psychic perception, which is then translated into a manner meaningful to the physical organism ^[2]. Physical perception is actually a psychic-level action response to thoughts and emotions, which exist independently of their physical counterparts and possess their own electromagnetic reality. Therefore, what humans perceive physically is only an "approximation" of inner events, which are basically nonphysical ^[3]. In this process, the inner self possesses the knowledge behind physical perception. The brain is responsible for producing these physical symbols (such as mental images in the brain), while the mind itself does not need these symbols; it merely transmits the information to the brain, which then interprets it ^[4]. All visual or physical symbols, such as words, printed data, and moving pictures, are merely physical carriers of knowledge, and their existence tends to obscure the nonphysical nature of knowledge itself ^[5].

III. The Unity of Perceiver and Perceived (The Complete Circle of Perception)

Seth points out that perception is continuous, without beginning or end, and the perceiver is itself part of what is perceived ^[3]. In the human reality system, people learn the use of psychic energy by constantly translating thoughts and emotions into physical form. Those objective concrete events that appear to exist independently of the perceiver are actually physical materializations of the perceiver's own inner emotions, energy, and psychic environment ^[6]. However, scientists and the ego tend to separate the perceiver completely from the perceived event. The ego likes to imagine itself as a spectator above events rather than a participant ^[7]. Seth explains that the so-called perceptual process has been recognized by humans only halfway, while the "entire circle" includes not only the mechanism by which events are physically perceived, but also the process of outward projection that forms events ^[8].

IV. Dimensions Beyond Physical Perception and Telepathy

Seth expands the scope of perception beyond physical perception and so-called extrasensory perception, introducing perception in other realities ^[9]. He mentions that telepathy is one of the methods of forming and perceiving events, but it is hidden beneath physical perception, making it very difficult to detect ^[10]. In addition, for entities in a transitional stage, learning the methods of physical perception and becoming familiar with how to use the physical senses to obtain information is an important learning process for shaping the body (the "space suit") in the physical world and achieving the transition of realities ^[11].