1964-1965 · The Early Sessions: Book 3 of The Seth MaterialAI summary (single book)
In The Early Sessions Book 3, regarding the concept of the "intuitive self" (or the intuitive dimension of the self), Seth clarifies its core operating mechanisms and distinctive aspects by exploring the relationships among intuition, the inner self, the dreaming self, and the conscious ego. The following is a summary of the book's treatment of this concept. [I. The nature of intuition: the expression of the inner self breaking through barriers] Seth points out that intuition represents the direction of the inner self and is the manifestation of the inner self breaking through the barriers of consciousness . When information from the inner self is strong enough, it penetrates the barriers of consciousness, and the conscious ego is very willing to receive such information . The conscious ego is merely the direction in which the whole self chooses to direct its energy and focus . In intuition, dreams, and silent thought, the individual reaches a compromise and communicates with the whole self, while the conscious ego is only a small part of the whole self and is not necessarily the dominant part . [II. The deep interweaving of intuition and dreams] In Seth's discussion, the activities of intuition and the dreaming self are highly coordinated:
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The mechanism of information release: intuitive information originating from the inner self usually first appears in the form of dreams and only later presents itself to the ego. Much of this information appears in dreams in advance and is released to the conscious mind only when actual circumstances require it .
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The integration of knowledge: dreams bring intuitive knowledge about the whole self to its various parts . Although the conscious ego cannot perceive equally valid dream constructions, through intuition and dreams the different parts of the self are able to establish a connection with the whole . [III. Intuition as the source of inspiration and material achievement] Seth emphasizes that human creative inspiration and great achievements on the material level do not originate solely from the conscious ego but from the reception of inner intuition:
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The birth of inspiration: Seth uses Jane's (Robert's) creation of The Physical Universe as Idea Construction as an example, pointing out that the inspiration for the book did not come from the conscious ego but was conveyed in two ways: first as intuition from the inner self when he sat down to write poetry, and second in a dream the following night. Although he followed up on these ideas intellectually, the crucial initial information was provided by the inner self .
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The attainment of achievement: any individual who achieves great things on the material level does so because his so-called conscious ego is able to "intuitively" (Seth especially emphasizes this word) become aware of those other selves that he cannot consciously perceive . [IV. Intuition as a tool for inward exploration] Because certain parts of the self are highly interwoven and cannot be separated, and because the self cannot directly examine itself consciously (just as the eye can see but cannot see itself), one must travel inward to perceive one's inner parts . Seth points out that "a combination of intuition and discipline" can serve as an extremely effective and definite tool for investigating those inner parts that cannot be separated from the self . [Summary and terminological features] In these sessions, Seth does not frequently use "intuitive self" as a completely isolated technical term; rather, he treats it as the key mechanism by which the inner self transmits information outward and by which the conscious ego explores inward. Intuition is the bridge connecting the conscious ego with the whole self and the dreaming self. It breaks through the limitations of the physical senses and the barriers of consciousness, enabling the individual to access inner knowledge that transcends ordinary consciousness.