unconscious无意识

In The Early Sessions Book 1, Seth offers a preliminary and distinctive account of the "unconscious" and the closely related "subconscious." He breaks down the rigid divisions of traditional psychology regarding levels of consciousness, emphasizing the fluidity among the various levels of the mind, the initiative of inner self-consciousness, and the collaborative relationship among these levels in handling vitality and camouflage material. The following are the core statements and distinctive aspects of the concept of the unconscious at this stage:

1. The Fluidity and Boundlessness of Consciousness and the Unconscious/Subconscious

Seth points out that people often blame the "subconscious" too much, and that terms sometimes cause more trouble in communication than they solve ^[1]. In the actual structure of the mind, there are no real dividing lines or distinctions between consciousness and the subconscious, nor among the seemingly distinct levels of the subconscious itself ^[1]. The mind includes both consciousness and the subconscious, but the two are completely fluid. At different times, consciousness becomes unconscious, and the unconscious becomes conscious, and in certain periods this mutual transformation may even occur simultaneously ^[1]. This indicates that the unconscious is not a closed, static dark abyss, but a dynamic fluid that continuously exchanges energy and information with consciousness.

2. The "Unconscious" Use of Vitality and the Conscious Drawing Upon It by Inner Self-Consciousness

In the construction of the physical world, the unconscious plays an important role, but Seth makes a crucial clarification regarding its "unconsciousness":

1. Apparently unconscious use: The actual material that forms physical camouflage patterns is objective vitality, and our personality uses this vitality "unconsciously" in daily life ^[2].
2. Not absolutely unconscious operation: However, the actual process of gathering raw vitality for physical construction is neither truly automatic nor truly carried out unconsciously ^[2].
3. Conscious drawing upon by the inner self: Seth explains that there exists a powerful "self-conscious self" oriented toward inner reality, of which our everyday outer personality is unaware. It is this inner self that very consciously and deliberately draws upon the vitality and material of existence ^[2]. Subsequently, the outer conscious ego manipulates these materials for camouflage construction ^[2].
4. The connecting role of the subconscious: In this process, the "subconscious" serves as the link between these two self-consciousnesses (the outer conscious ego and the inner self-conscious self), enabling the camouflage personality to accept the materials at hand ^[2].

3. Contact with the Unconscious Mind and the Mechanism of Permission

Seth mentions that, as a kind of existence, he can indeed contact the conscious and unconscious minds of human beings (such as Jane and Rob in the sessions), but this contact is not imposed; rather, it occurs "only when you allow it" ^[3]. This emphasizes the autonomy and protective mechanism of the unconscious level, namely that intervention by an outside entity must be premised on the subject's permission.

4. The Relationship Between Brain and Mind

Seth further clarifies the relationship between the physical brain and the mind, which includes the unconscious. He points out that the brain is merely "the mind in camouflage" ^[1]. The brain is the part of the mind that can more or less be observed by surgeons, the part of the mind that responds to camouflage patterns and can be explored and tampered with (though this is very dangerous) ^[1]. The true unconscious and the mind as a whole far exceed the scope of the physical brain.

In summary, at this stage of The Early Sessions Book 1, the "unconscious" in Seth's account is not a passive, instinctual storehouse, but a realm highly fluid and intercommunicating with consciousness. Although the outer personality appears to use vitality "unconsciously" to create matter, behind this is actually an inner self-consciousness, unknown to the outer self, that is highly self-aware and actively guiding the process, while the subconscious plays the role of a bridge connecting the inner and outer selves.

In The Early Sessions Book 6, Seth gives a distinctive interpretation of the concept "unconscious," not only exploring its operational mechanisms in psychic development and the development of abilities, but also fundamentally overturning the binary division between "consciousness" and "the unconscious" in traditional psychology. First, Seth points out that the deep development of human abilities and the release of energy take place at "deeply unconscious layers" ^[1]. Taking Ruburt's (Jane's) psychic abilities as an example, this development, which appears quite unfamiliar and novel to the conscious mind, cannot be achieved at the conscious level through being willed. At the conscious level, Ruburt can only observe and record which external circumstances promote or hinder the expression of these abilities, but the abilities themselves develop entirely according to "unconscious principles." Seth himself admits that although he can make use of these principles, he cannot ignore them, and he himself is likewise guided by his own unconscious, because in the universe "there is always a principle that will not become conscious" ^[1]. Second, Seth criticizes the opposition between "consciousness" and "the unconscious" in traditional psychology (such as Freudian theory). Seth points out that people usually mistakenly believe that they are "conscious" only when focused on physical reality, and assume that they are "unconscious" when sleeping ^[2]. In Freud's terminology, the scales are indeed tipped too far toward the conscious mind. But Seth asks people to look at it from another angle: in the dream state, a person is in fact likewise concerned with questions of consciousness and existence, and is also fully conscious and aware in dreams. The locations in dreams are as real to the dreamer as physical locations are in the waking state ^[2]. Finally, Seth puts forward a highly subversive view, advocating the complete transcendence of the division between the "conscious self" and the "subconscious or unconscious self." He states explicitly: "Let us no longer speak of the conscious self and the subconscious or unconscious self. There is only one self, which focuses its consciousness in different dimensions, and that is all." ^[2] The waking state and the dream state are merely expressions of the same self focusing its consciousness in different dimensions. When the body rests in bed, although the dream self appears spatially separated from the physical body, this distance has nothing to do with space, because the dream dimension and the room where the physical body lies exist simultaneously ^[2]. Through these statements, Seth at this stage redefines the "unconscious" as a state of focused consciousness that is active in other dimensions and equally highly aware, thereby dissolving the traditional stereotype of the unconscious as representing "darkness and unawareness."

In The Early Sessions Book 8, Seth offers a multi-dimensional interpretation of the concept "unconscious," revealing its distinctive modes of operation at the collective, physical-world, and personal-body levels: First, Seth expands upon and revises Jung's concept of the "collective unconscious." Seth points out that Jung was correct to propose the collective unconscious, but due to the limitations of his knowledge, Jung failed to discover that this unconscious exists entirely outside the three-dimensional system, that it contains not only the past but also the future, and that it exerts a cohesive effect on the whole of humanity. It is "the one self" that originates within the human system but exists outside the system. The collective unconscious is by no means static, but is in constant interaction and change, representing different stages of ongoing creativity within the system. Humanity continuously adds content to the collective unconscious and continuously receives from it, while also altering what it receives. ^[1] Second, the unconscious/subconscious has a profound connection with human physical boundaries and the environment. Seth mentions that humans arbitrarily regard the physical image as the outer boundary of the self, but in fact no such physical boundary exists. Physically, the self literally extends outward to the ends of the universe, but because the physical brain cannot handle such an enormous amount of manipulation, this extension becomes the "subconscious." ^[1] In addition, regarding Jane's view that "the earth represents our unconscious," Seth gives high affirmation, considering it a very reasonable and apt expression. For the foundational earth that nourishes humanity is itself shaped by humanity's own vitality. Therefore, the stability and abundance of the earth are actually signs of humanity's inner vitality, and no matter what wars humanity undergoes, this inner vitality sustains humanity. ^[2] Finally, the unconscious also has concrete symbolic associations in the personal body and in artistic creation. Seth points out that the left ear and the left side of the body are usually connected with the unconscious. For example, in Joseph's case, the trouble with his left ear was related to the unconscious and connected with his feelings about oil paints. Seth uses this to explain that art originates from primal emotions deep in the unconscious, and that these seemingly chaotic experiences actually all have their purposes; after crystallization and regulation, they are transformed into art. ^[3]