1963-1964 · The Early Sessions: Book 1 of The Seth MaterialAI summary (single book)
In The Early Sessions Book 1, Seth provides a systematic and distinctive exposition of the concept of the entity. The entity is not an isolated, static soul, but a multidimensional, eternal aggregate of consciousness that contains multiple past lives, present lives, and probable selves.
I. The essence and eternity of the entity
In essence, the entity is a self-generated, self-aware portion of energy or vitality, without beginning or end . The entity transcends the time limitations of the physical plane; entities "have always existed and will always exist" . Before the first particle of the earth's physical plane was formed, the will and vitality of all entities that have ever lived or will ever live here had already participated in its creation [chunk:3808, 3809].
II. The relationship between the entity and personality: the analogies of dream and limb
In the early sessions, Seth uses vivid analogies to explain the relationship between the entity and its incarnated personalities:
- The dream analogy: The life of an individual can legitimately be compared to the dream of the entity. Just as human beings give inner purpose and organization to their dreams and derive inspiration from them, so too does the entity, to a certain extent, guide and organize its personalities and derive satisfaction from them . Personalities originate from the entity, attain varying degrees of independence, and ultimately return to the entity, but they never for a single moment truly leave the entity .
- The limb analogy: If the entity is viewed as a whole, then the various reincarnational personalities it manifests at different earthly times are like the "limbs" or other organs of the entity . If a particular personality fragment disintegrates, it can be regenerated just as body cells are regenerated .
- The superego analogy (an early distinctive wording): Seth compares the entity to the "superego" of its personality fragments . The entity operates its fragments in an "unconscious" manner, granting them independent life and then, to a certain extent, "forgetting" them; the entity cannot directly control the fragment personalities in the way consciousness controls the heartbeat [chunk:3423, 3424].
III. The multidimensional structure and fragmentation of the entity
The entity is a synthesis of multiple layers of consciousness. During incarnation, the entity is "divided," while between lives it is the "whole self" .
- Simultaneous multiple manifestations: A complete entity may require multiple manifestations or incarnations in what is called "simultaneous" time .
- Personality fragments: The present individual in any particular lifetime can be called a "fragment" of his or her entire entity, possessing all the attributes of the original entity, although these attributes may be in a latent or unused state . Even insects or certain psychopathic individuals are also some kind of fragment. Under certain circumstances, a mature fragment can also evolve into a new entity [chunk:3529, 3789].
- No gender distinction: In its overall essence, the entity is neither male nor female, but it may identify more with certain gender characteristics in its overall essence (for example, Joseph and Ruburt lean more toward male characteristics) [chunk:3417, 3462].
IV. The psyche as the connecting link of the entity
In the wording of the early sessions, the psyche is defined as "that part" of the entity that looks after the personality on the camouflage plane . The psyche contains all data concerning past lives, interwoven purposes, problems, and relationships, but it supplies the brain only with the data needed for the present existence . Therefore, through the channel of the psyche, human beings are in fact always in contact with their own entity .
V. Free will and the blueprint
The entity sets a "blueprint" for each personality as the framework the soul follows, but the personality itself is not consciously aware of this blueprint, thereby preserving free will [chunk:3416, 3417]. At the entity level, the range of free choice and free will is far broader and more meaningful, while choices at the personality level are limited by the restrictions the entity sets for karmic reasons [chunk:3897, 3905].