Seth on Apparent Deterioration of Physical Matter

From Session 99 of the Seth Early Sessions:


"Ruburt did anticipate with some correctness part of this evening's subject matter, having to do with apparent deterioration of the quality of matter itself, that composes the physical body. Since you know now that all physical matter is constantly coming into formation, that it is formed by atoms and molecules so instantaneously, and that the atoms and molecules that give form to matter continually appear and disappear, so swiftly that the physical form that they compose appears permanent, then you must realize that there is no reason why physical forms should deteriorate as far as the atoms and molecules that compose them are concerned.

"You are, however, left with the fact that physical matter, while appearing permanent for practicality's sake, nevertheless does exhibit disintegration in varying degrees. Since the cause lies not within that which composes matter in physical terms, then wherein does the cause originate?

"Will it be possible, for example, to eliminate such causes to any astonishing degree, and therefore prolong mankind's individual existence within the physical field? This of course would lead to the further question: To what purpose would such elongation serve, in which direction would it tend? You are also aware that certain physical organisms seem to withstand this final dissolution, or hold it off for a greater period of your time. For this also there are reasons, which we will consider in due time.

"We will begin by examining the cause behind the breaking up of necessary physical patterns so that survival within the world of matter is no longer possible. Now. Existence within the physical field depends upon a focus of psychic energy, in the subconscious construction of that physical organism without which material survival is not possible.

"You may refer here to past sessions dealing with the mechanisms involved. Existence within any field of reality necessitates intensive focus within that field. It involves something like a sleight of hand trick, played by one part of the whole self upon another part. As an actor in a drama goes along with certain acts and gestures that make the play necessary, while at the same time he realizes that the play is a play, he must still focus his attention upon the lines spoken, and use the props available.

"In much the same manner, existence within the physical universe involves the most intense self-hypnotic trance, where attention becomes riveted and focused along certain lines while other realities are of necessity closed out of one's perception and comprehension for a certain while.

"No play can go on forever. Individual focus cannot be intensely maintained indefinitely. Neither can the vibrant, almost fanatical focus of the self within the limitations of one field continue indefinitely.

... "Energy cannot be imprisoned for long within one form. The individual whole self, by its very nature, will not restrain itself indefinitely to the particular set of necessities and perceptions necessary for survival within any one given field of reality.

"It changes its focus, grows restive, adopts new forms in line with existence-necessities that exist within other fields. There is nothing inherent within the composition of matter as you conceive of matter to bring about a natural downfall, or natural inevitable disintegration.

"Since matter does disintegrate, or seems to, you take it for granted that this dissolution is inherent within it, but this is not the case. The focus of energy that organizes the physical body weakens, strays; the trance state, strongest at what you call early adulthood, begins to lose its hold even as in childhood it has not yet attained its full depth.

"The similarity here may not be easy for you to perceive, because of the diverse emotions with which you view childhood and old age. Nevertheless the child, to an unrealized degree, is free of the environmental necessities of his existence. Even while he moulds and is moulded by his environment, a part of his psyche is still uninvolved. His subconscious, on an uppermost personal level, is concerned with infantile fears of course.

"Yet on a deeper level he still retains hold upon other existences, so much so that he even yearns subconsciously for those past realities, which mean safety, since their problems have already been solved. He is unbound emotionally and psychically by physical time, even while his physical body ticks with physical minutes.

"By adulthood the trance, the intense focus, is most strongly upon him. It is after this period that the trance little by little weakens its hold. By the period you call old age the inner attention is already escaping. The strong focus of psychic energy needed to maintain the splendid physical image-organization is no longer given. The conscious ego with which you are familiar cries out its bewilderment, for has it not always sensed immortality?

"But the outer ego as you know is that portion of the whole self that is given over to the maintenance of physical manipulations, and it perceives only through those physical equipments, those outer senses. It sees its dominion in jeopardy and rises up in arms. It, the ego, is that small portion of the whole self which the whole self has allowed to be completely, or almost completely, bewitched by the self-hypnotic trance. It is that portion which believes implicitly in the given specifications of the hypnotist, and as such it will be last to leave the trance.

... During that period you refer to as old age, once again emotionally and psychologically the individual is less bound by physical time. He no longer, that is the whole self no longer, makes available sufficient psychic energy however for the maintenance of the physical organism.

"This accounts for the disintegration. There is much more that must be said along these lines, and in time we will go into further discussion. However, the main focus of the whole self has already begun to stray, and the energies used in necessary pattern organization for the physical plane are already being returned, taken from their attention to physical matters, and becoming more attuned to the whole self from which they were originally delegated.

"Now. A more complicated, involved, intricate physical organization, such as man, necessitates on the part of the whole self a tremendous outlay of energy for maintenance of the psychic-physical structural relationship.

"There is not only a physical survival at stake, but also a highly delicate balance to be maintained. Since man is aware subconsciously of a heritage for which he ever seeks, and yet which for many reasons he cannot grasp while in the physical state, he must know and not know, and there is a strain here that no fish or bird or worm experiences.