Simultaneous time refers to the cosmic reality in which the past, present, and future do not pass linearly, but instead exist simultaneously as an "eternal now."
1963-1964 · The Early Sessions: Book 1 of The Seth MaterialAI summary (single book)
In The Early Sessions Book 1, Seth offers an in-depth exposition of the concept of "simultaneous time." He points out that the past, present, and future with which we are familiar do not occur in sequence but exist simultaneously, and that all divisions are merely illusion. The following are the book's core formulations and distinctive aspects of the concept of simultaneous time: First, the spacious present and simultaneous existence. Seth points out that all planes of existence exist within "the spacious present," and all fragment dramas are enacted at the same time . Time is multilayered, but all layers are one and do not contradict one another . A complete entity may require multiple manifestations, even in "so-called same time" . This simultaneity is also reflected in the fact that all entities that have ever lived or will live on Earth already existed in some manner when the first physical particle physically manifested . Second, the illusion of sequential time and causality. On the human physical plane, no action is truly simultaneous, so time immediately intervenes . Seth explains that the seemingly solidified movement of vitality produces the illusion of time . Humans cling to "beginnings and endings" and "cause and effect," mistakenly believing that sequential time brings them about . Yet even without the succession of moments and without causality, order still exists within spontaneity and the simultaneous existence of "the spacious present" . Seth predicts that as humanity develops, the theory of successive moments will eventually be regarded as outdated and abandoned . Third, time manipulation from Seth's perspective. For Seth, time is a tool that can be manipulated, used, and examined at will . When Seth reviews his own content or that of previous sessions, he does not need to expend an equivalent amount of time; whereas when humans review a minute of history on a screen, they must pay the price of a present minute . Seth once greeted Jane and Rob with "good afternoon, good evening, good morning, all in one happy tumble," because he could attend to their different moments at the same time . He also mentioned: "In a manner, I am always where I am going" . Fourth, psychological time and the transcending role of the inner senses. Physical time is only a splendid camouflage wrapped around "psychological time" . Through the use of psychological time, one can discover that clock time is as fleeting as a dream, experience that "all time is one time, and all divisions are illusion," and encounter the whole self . In addition, the human inner senses also possess the ability to transcend temporal limitations: the third inner sense allows a person to a certain extent to escape the bondage of past, present, and future, theoretically permitting instantaneous cognition ; the fourth inner sense (the conceptual sense) completely ignores past, present, and future, thereby enabling the complete experience and appreciation of a concept as a whole . On other planes, motion is simultaneous and time is unknown , and in perception there is no passage of time .
1964 · The Early Sessions: Book 2 of The Seth MaterialAI summary (single book)
In The Early Sessions Book 2, Seth offers an in-depth exposition of "simultaneous time" and the closely related "spacious present." The core viewpoints and distinctive aspects are as follows:
The essence of life and time is simultaneous occurrence: Seth clearly states that the "time" familiar to humans does not actually exist . A person's life is basically a "simultaneous happening," and humans merely view it in "slow motion" . The true meaning and occurrence of life unfold along the lines of "value fulfillment," psychological experience, and understanding, which do not occupy space and are independent of the time known to humans .
The characteristics of the "spacious present": no continuity but durability: Seth uses "the spacious present" to describe this true state of operation. It does not possess "continuity" in the usual sense (that is, one event occurring before or after another), but contains "spontaneity," in which all events occur simultaneously . Although there is no temporal continuity, "the spacious present" obtains "durability" through the constant expansion of "value fulfillment" .
The forest analogy: To make this concept easier to understand, Seth compares "the spacious present" to an entire forest . Humans are like walking along a narrow path in the forest, calling the trees ahead "the future" and the trees behind "the past," but in fact the entire forest exists simultaneously as a whole . The trees in the forest are like various consciousnesses that exist simultaneously, in which there is no past, present, or future as humans call them, but only "the present" .
The instantaneous and simultaneous creation of matter: Seth points out that matter is created by the unconscious (subconscious), and it exists simultaneously and instantaneously; its arrival and departure, creation and replacement are all accomplished instantly . Time does not cause changes in matter; matter has no duration, but is constantly replaced completely and immediately by other matter . Humans mistakenly believe that matter changes in time and use this to judge time intervals, which distorts the concept of time . In fact, matter is only the "simultaneous expression" of energy under specific conditions .
The transcendence and simultaneous existence of consciousness: Based on simultaneous time, consciousness existed long before physical birth and does not end after so-called death; birth and death are only arbitrary points at which consciousness materializes and dematerializes on different planes . Seth even mentions that all entities that have ever inhabited this field existed before the creation of the Earth and jointly participated in its creation .
Empirical evidence from psychological time experiments: While conducting "psychological time" experiments, Jane once found herself instantly on the street where she lived as a child, clearly seeing the past neighborhood and childhood companions, and had the experience of "this is not today, but it must be today," which intuitively demonstrates the simultaneous coexistence of past and present . In addition, antimatter also exists simultaneously with our positive-matter universe and approximates it within the framework of our concept of time .
1964-1965 · The Early Sessions: Book 3 of The Seth MaterialAI summary (single book)
In The Early Sessions Book 3, Seth offers an in-depth and multidimensional exposition of the concept of "simultaneous time." He points out that the linear and sequential time perceived by humans is only a distortion of camouflage, and that the true universe and life are essentially simultaneous within "the spacious present" . First, concerning the spacious present and simultaneous action, Seth emphasizes that all past lives and the present life occur simultaneously, although this is difficult to understand on the conscious level . The various systems or units in the universe are in essence all "simultaneous actions"; they are not arranged in sequence in time . All matter is objectified psychic action, and these actions basically occur simultaneously in the spacious present, while time arises only because action undergoes transformation and distortion when entering a specific camouflage field . Second, Seth dissolves the illusion of "beginning and ending," pointing out that in simultaneous time there is no temporal starting point or endpoint . The root of the universe extends simultaneously in all directions, extending as far backward as it does forward . The "first origin" is constantly recurring, and there are countless beginnings from different reference points and perspectives . So-called "continuity" exists only because we select and focus upon certain actions from among an infinite number of simultaneous actions . Third, the self is multidimensional and simultaneous. Every consciousness existed simultaneously in its essence before the beginning of the world, and "the self you will become" already exists in its truest form in the present, not merely as an unrealized possibility . The self is unlimited; it perceives itself in all spontaneous and simultaneous operations, containing the past, past lives, and countless selves unknown to the present self . Fourth, there is a difference in time perception between the ego and the inner self. Action itself has no past or future; all actions are simultaneous . The ego perceives past or future only because of its particular way of observing data . When the inner self in constant motion experiences a range of impulses it has experienced before, the ego perceives this as "going back to the past"; when the inner self reaches a new intensity, the ego perceives this as "moving toward the future" - but in reality these two impulses exist simultaneously . Furthermore, future events, although not yet fixed in our terms, have already occurred in other terms . Finally, dreams and thoughts also manifest simultaneity. Objects in dreams, through the contraction and expansion of the psyche, can simultaneously carry multiple realities of past, present, and future . Dream experience itself is constant and simultaneous, rather than a sequential process of one event after another . In addition, thought, as electrical action, has a charge that enables it to exist simultaneously in the past and the present, that is, to project simultaneously into "two times" through the peculiarity of its axis .
Mike's commentary (Chinese)Mike's commentary
The Way Toward Health · Chapter 121 related passage in this chapter
I. Definition and Core Essence
Simultaneous time is a core concept in the Seth material that reveals the nature of the multidimensional universe. This concept points out that the past, present, and future do not pass linearly and sequentially as perceived by human senses, but instead exist and occur simultaneously as an "eternal now" or the "spacious present". The linear time, cause and effect, and the concept of "beginnings and endings" to which humans are accustomed are actually "three-dimensional camouflage hallucinations" caused by the limitations of the physical body's senses, the delay in nerve transmission, and the specific focus of the ego on the physical plane. In basic reality, all action, creation, and life experiences occur simultaneously.
II. Key Expositions
The Illusion of Linear Time and the Physiological Perception Mechanism
Seth points out that the reason humans experience simultaneous action as a series of separate moments depends entirely upon the human structure of perception. Because there is a time lag in the transmission of nerve impulses within the physical body, humans must experience "intervals" of experience, which creates an extremely realistic sense of the passage of time. The ego, as a part of the personality, is temporarily imprisoned in the focus of the physical plane, moving moment by moment like "a man walking between puddles," thereby "drowning in time". Furthermore, the creation of physical matter is also instantaneous and simultaneous; matter itself has no duration but is constantly and instantly replaced, yet humans mistakenly believe that matter changes in time and use this to judge time intervals.
The "Spacious Present" and the Multidimensional Manipulation of Time
In the true nature of action, every given point of a moment expands infinitely in all directions. Seth compares the "spacious present" to an entire forest: humans are like walking along a narrow path in the forest, calling the trees ahead the "future" and the trees behind the "past," but in reality, the entire forest exists simultaneously as a whole. For nonphysical consciousness (such as Seth), time is a tool that can be manipulated, used, and examined at will. They work within "moment points," where simultaneous actions follow patterns of association to succeed one another freely, allowing them to focus on different moments of an individual simultaneously.
Simultaneous Reincarnation and Multidimensional Personality
Based on simultaneous time, all reincarnational lives (past, present, and future lives) occur simultaneously within the "spacious present," and there is no real sequential order. Seth compares reincarnation to "historical dramas" being staged simultaneously, or like a person having seven dreams at the same time. There is an instantaneous communication and feedback system among all lifetimes; therefore, a person's life is not determined by the cause and effect of "past lives," nor is one punished in this life for the sins of past lives. A highly developed psychological structure is capable of being simultaneously aware of all its incarnations within the physical system, and experiencing itself as the subject undergoing these existences simultaneously.
The Two-Way Influence of Time and the "Present" as the Point of Power
Since the true nature of time is simultaneous, cause and effect is not one-way; the influence of time is bidirectional. Not only can present actions change the future, but present beliefs and actions can also reorganize backward and change the past. When an individual establishes a strong belief in health in the present, this change penetrates deep into the biological structure of past existence, altering cellular memory and genetic codes, thereby erasing disease in both the past and the present simultaneously. Similarly, the future self can also project psychic power to the past self, offering guidance in dream states or through intuition, achieving the counsel and encouragement of the "future self" to the "past self".
Dreams, the Subconscious, and Experiences Transcending Time
The subconscious and the inner ego are not limited by physical time, and are able to simultaneously surround and utilize multiple moment points. In the dream state, time barriers are largely dispensed with, and dreams are a faithful approximation of the "basic reality" that is free of space and time. By using "psychological time," people can discover that clock time is as fleeting as a dream, experience that "all time is one time," and meet with the whole self. In the inner world (Framework 2), all time is simultaneous; actions that would take years to complete in normal time can occur in Framework 2 "in the blink of an eye".
III. Evolutionary Context
Seth's discourse on "simultaneous time" exhibits a high degree of consistency throughout more than twenty years of dictation, but its dimensions of application and emphasis of explanation deepened continuously as the sessions progressed.
In the first few volumes of The Early Sessions, Seth was primarily dedicated to deconstructing linear time from metaphysical and physical perception levels, proposing the "spacious present", the forest metaphor, and eliminating the illusions of cause and effect and beginnings and endings.
In middle-period works such as Seth Speaks and The Nature of Personal Reality, Seth deeply applied this concept to the explanation of multidimensional personality and reincarnational reality, proposing "moment points", the "historical drama" metaphor, and strongly emphasizing that "the present is the point of power", transforming simultaneous time into a practical tool for individuals to change beliefs and reshape the past and future in the present.
In his later works, Seth further expanded the application of this concept.
Dreams, "Evolution" and Value Fulfillment introduced concepts such as "time overlays" and "intervals of perception" to explain the simultaneous creation of the human species in macroevolution;
The Magical Approach distinguished between "natural physical time" and "cultural time", reflecting on the limitations placed on creativity by modern civilization;
The Way toward Health combined simultaneous time with the instantaneous creation of "Framework 2", providing immediate theoretical support for physical and mental healing.
IV. Relationship with Related Concepts
With the "Spacious Present": The two are synonymous or highly overlapping concepts. The spacious present is the concrete manifestation of simultaneous time in subjective experience and the state of cosmic operation, in which all events occur spontaneously and simultaneously, without continuity but with durability.
With "The Present is the Point of Power": Simultaneous time is the metaphysical foundation of "the present is the point of power." Precisely because all time exists simultaneously, the effective point of action is always in the present, allowing individuals to change the past and the future in the present.
With "Value Fulfillment": Value fulfillment is the driving force for the growth of the universe and consciousness. In simultaneous time, the development of things does not rely on the accumulation of linear time, but rather through multidimensional exploration inward at "moment points," gaining durability and growth through the continuous expansion of "value fulfillment".
With "Framework 2": Framework 2 is the inner source of reality. In Framework 2, time is simultaneous, which allows creation or healing that would require a long process in Framework 1 to be achieved instantly in Framework 2 in the blink of an eye.
V. Representative Original Quotations
When explaining simultaneous time, Seth often uses vivid and subversive language to break through conventional human perception. He once pointed out that the human concept of time is entirely a "three-dimensional illusion" caused by the physical senses, and that in reality, there is no beginning or end in the universe at all, only the "eternal now".
He uses the forest as a metaphor to illustrate that the past, present, and future are like trees existing simultaneously in a forest, only divided into sequence by a traveler whose vision is limited.
Furthermore, he emphasizes, "You exist in the present, period," where all selves and lives are staged simultaneously at this very moment, with instantaneous communication and feedback existing among all lifetimes.
For a multidimensional personality, events are not recalled in a serial manner, but are held and experienced simultaneously.