evolution演化

In The Early Sessions Book 1, Seth, in response to a visitor's question about "Evolution," elaborates his unique perspective on evolution, consciousness, and the origin of the material world ^[1]. Seth's discussion breaks down the anthropocentric traditional view of evolution and defines evolution as a process of conscious collaboration that is jointly participated in by all involved entities, full of intent, and transcending the dimension of time.

I. The Non-Anthropocentrism of Evolution and the Universality of Consciousness

Seth points out that when humans talk about evolution, they tend to think only within the category of "human evolution," and this itself is a manifestation of humanity's deep-rooted "dualism" ^[2]. In Seth's cosmology, evolution by no means applies only to the human species.

1. Consciousness exists in all things: At our level, consciousness exists in all things, including material forms that humans usually regard as "inert" ^[2].
2. Self-consciousness did not suddenly arrive: Humans often try to find a precise point in time at which self-consciousness "announced its entry, with the sound of trumpets," into so-called inert matter. However, Seth clearly states that no such precise "point of entry" exists ^[2]. When matter first physically manifested at our level, consciousness was already present within it; and self-consciousness entered immediately afterward, though it was not the kind of "human self-consciousness" that humans suppose ^[2].
3. There is no essential distinction among types of self-consciousness: Seth emphasizes that there is no actual distinction among the various types of self-consciousness; "either you are aware of yourself or you are not" ^[2]. For example, a tree is aware that it is a tree, and does not mistake itself for a stone ^[2]. Therefore, since self-consciousness exists in all living things, specifying the exact moment of its entry becomes meaningless, and this also removes the original premise of the traditional "creation" question ^[3].

II. Evolution as Collaborative Creation by Entities for the Sake of Experience

Seth further reveals the deeper mechanisms behind the origin and evolutionary process of the material plane. Evolution is not random or purposeless natural selection, but a highly organized, far-sighted creation.

1. Arising from the need for experience: Our material plane came into being because enough "entities" needed a particular type of experience, making such a creation necessary. Through the process of "evolution," these entities set about shaping and forming this plane ^[3].
2. The smallest beginning carried the will of the whole: At the very beginning of evolution, the tiniest, most minute first portion of matter represented the will and vitality of all the entities that would in the future inhabit the earth ^[3]. This was by no means a purposeless arrangement, but involved a foresight almost unimaginable to humans ^[3].
3. Joint participation across time: Every entity that has ever lived on earth, or will ever live on earth in the future, played its own role in the initial reactions ^[3]. Because all entities participated when the first particle of matter physically manifested, this means that those entities not yet born on earth also existed in some manner at that time ^[3].

III. Distinctive Phrasings and Conceptual Aspects

In this portion of the discussion, Seth displays several distinctive phrasings and conceptual aspects:

• "The consciousness of inert matter": Seth challenges the traditional notion that "inert form" is unconscious, pointing out that it not only has consciousness, but even possesses self-consciousness to some degree ^[2].
• "With the sound of trumpets": Seth uses this vivid metaphor to deny that self-consciousness has a dramatic, sudden point of entry, emphasizing the symbiosis and gradual evolution of consciousness and matter ^[2].
• "The preexistence of unborn entities": Seth proposes a highly subversive view of time and evolution: entities that will only be born in the future already existed and participated in creation when the first particle of the earth manifested ^[3].

In summary, the concept of evolution in The Early Sessions Book 1 refers to the process of consciousness expansion in which all entities, in order to obtain specific experiences, jointly gestate, shape, and advance the physical plane with their will and vitality, using a foresight almost unimaginable to humans. In this process, matter and consciousness were never separated, and all things possess equal self-consciousness within their own dimensions ^[2][3].

In Seth Speaks, Seth gives the concept of "evolution" a wholly new definition that transcends traditional biology and three-dimensional space-time. In Seth's view, evolution is essentially the process by which consciousness grows, expands, changes form, and concretizes itself in multiple directions across multiple dimensions. The following are the book's core statements and distinctive aspects of the concept of evolution: [1. Biological evolution is the slow-motion presentation of consciousness's ability to "change form"] Seth points out that the ability to change form is an inherent characteristic of any consciousness. Within the human physical system, the changes of form observed in the biological "evolutionary" history are actually only the result of this ability being presented in the manner of a "slow-motion film" ^[1]. The whole consciousness does not need to be always confined within a single form or within concrete form ^[2]. Some conscious personalities have never possessed physical bodies; they evolve along directions quite different from those of humanity, and their psychological structures are also completely different ^[2]. [2. Evolution is the concretization and expansion of consciousness in multiple dimensions] By its very nature, consciousness always desires to concretize itself in as many dimensions as possible and to create new levels and offshoots of perception ^[3]. Therefore, reincarnation is not the single, linear "series of progressions" usually assumed, but rather simultaneous concrete developments generated by the inner self in multidimensional space so that consciousness may express itself in as many ways as possible ^[3]. Within the framework of everyday physical life, the human purpose is also to grow, develop, and expand the limits of consciousness within it ^[4]. [3. The "evolution" defined by science is only one of infinite possible routes] Seth emphasizes that the "evolution" classified and understood by human scientists represents only one "probable route" among infinite possibilities, the one in which humanity is presently immersed ^[5]. Within other probable physical reality systems, there exist many other equally valid and equally real evolutionary developments ^[6]. Within the human physical image there also lie latent faculties that are not used in the present probability ^[6]. Most importantly, "no evolutionary line is a dead end"; if a certain line disappears in the human system, it will necessarily reappear in another system and continue to propagate ^[6]. [4. Evolution, perceptual patterns, and the creation of environment] Evolution is not only the growth of inner consciousness; it also determines the presentation of the outer environment. The environment itself is not an independent, separate existence, but a result determined by the individual's psychological structure and perceptual patterns ^[7]. Humanity is born from a specific probable dimension highly suited to its own development, enrichment, and growth ^[6]. By practicing the use of the inner senses and multidimensional abilities in other states of consciousness such as the dream state, human beings can learn to change and manipulate the environment, thereby realizing the further evolution of consciousness ^[2][7]. In summary, in this book Seth elevates "evolution" from a single material history to a dynamic process in which consciousness infinitely explores, expresses, and self-actualizes within multidimensional probable realities ^[3][6][8].

In The Nature of Personal Reality, Seth elaborates the concept of "evolution" from multiple dimensions, focusing mainly on the expansion of consciousness, the growth of the conscious mind, the natural evolution of the ego, and the critique of erroneous views that deny the evolution of matter and consciousness.

First, the evolution of consciousness is an active process that continually expands through use. Seth points out that humans, because of their instinct for reasoning and their diversified experience, developed the ability to reason, and the more this ability is used, the more it evolves and grows. Therefore, the more a person uses consciousness, the more consciousness expands; the more one practices using these abilities, the "more" conscious one becomes. For example, when humans write poetry, consciousness turns back upon itself and thereby becomes larger than before. In order to make judgments among the rich possibilities of the environment, the human psyche had to develop the "conscious mind," and as the conscious mind grows, the scope of the imagination also expands, the two enriching each other ^[1]. Seth emphasizes that the theory of the expanding universe applies to the mind as much as to the universe; energy is never diminished, and the evolution of consciousness and the role of the conscious mind are key to understanding this process ^[2].

Second, Seth criticizes those religious and philosophical schools that deny the body and the conscious mind. He points out that some Eastern schools or Christian doctrines emphasize denial of the flesh, restraint and asceticism, and even teach people to distrust the conscious mind; this is actually a distortion of natural guilt. The soul is hidden in muscle and bone for the purpose of experiencing this world, not of denying it. Neither the concept of "nirvana," which pursues the loss of individuality in undifferentiated bliss, nor the blindly worshipped concept of "heaven," truly understands the role of the conscious mind or the evolution of consciousness ^[2].

Third, regarding the evolution of the ego, Seth distinguishes between "natural spontaneous change" and "unnatural artificial intervention." In the natural journey of life, changes in the ego occur naturally and continuously; humans have in fact been living and growing amid such birth and death without realizing it. This "spontaneous" change is a gift of psychic creativity, occurring according to its own rhythm and connected with the seasons of the heart, blood, consciousness, and cells, enabling the conscious mind to digest and absorb what has happened ^[3]. By contrast, forcing the ego consciousness to confront death through heavy doses of drugs such as LSD is an artificial "psychic slaughter." Although this unnatural encounter may bring feelings of "transcendence" or "rebirth," it attacks the foundations of consciousness, altering and weakening the deepest biological and psychic structures, causing the newly born ego to fear the past and to be unable to trust the external world in the same way as before ^[4].

Finally, the evolution of consciousness is deeply rooted in the spontaneous operation of the inner self. The inner portion (inner self) operates spontaneously, joyfully, and freely; at the unconscious level it maintains the miracle of bodily perception, using atoms and molecules to form cells, tissues, and organs, and enabling humans to engage in complex communication. Even when humans misunderstand it or strongly interfere with it through beliefs, it still operates well. Personal reality is projected outward from the inner landscape synthesized from thoughts, emotions, expectations, and beliefs ^[5].

In summary, in Seth's discussion, the evolution of consciousness is not passive biological adaptation, but a multidimensional dynamic process in which the conscious mind and imagination continually expand in material experience, the inner self creates spontaneously, and the ego grows and changes according to natural rhythms.