The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events
Mass Events · A Seth Book: The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events · El individuo y la naturaleza de los sucesos de masas
El sexto libro que el volumen atribuye al dictado de Seth y que firma Jane Roberts. La cuenta la da el propio texto, en la nota con que Robert F. Butts abre la primera sesión: «Mass Events is the sixth1 book that Seth has produced — all of them with Jane’s active cooperation, obviously, as well as my own, since I write down his material verbatim, then add my own notes.» «Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 14» —el «1» pegado a *sixth* es la llamada de una nota suya—. El troceo no trae portada: arranca en la página de derechos, y ahí el volumen reparte la propiedad entre tres nombres, «Copyright © 1981 by Jane Roberts Copyright © 1995 by Robert F. Butts Copyright © 2012 by Laurel Davies-Butts Published by Amber-Allen Publishing, Inc.» «Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 3».
El libro se presenta con un epígrafe fechado que la propia voz dictante firma: «“We have never told anybody to do anything, except to face up to the abilities of consciousness.”» «Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 5». Roberts abre su introducción describiendo el estado en que dicta y el sitio donde ese estado ocurre: «A trance is a very private phenomenon. It represents a turning away of consciousness from ordinary reality toward an inner one. However private a trance may be, it must take place in a physical world of shared events.» «Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 8», y describe el arreglo material con su marido: «Robert F. Butts, my husband, sits on the couch across from me, taking verbatim notes of what I say as Seth, transcribing these “other-worldly” communications with a modern pen on good white bond paper.» «Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 8».
La descripción que Roberts da de Seth no lo resuelve, y ella misma lo deja sin resolver: «but he is a personality whose platform of reality isn’t the same as ours, a personality who writes books through me, but from his standpoint, not mine.» «Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 9». Butts, por su parte, usa la fórmula con que Seth se nombra a sí mismo: «Seth is a highly creative “energy personality essence,” as he calls himself, who speaks through Jane while she’s in a trance or dissociated state.» «Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 14». Las dos formas quedan consignadas y ninguna se arbitra.
El asunto del volumen es el tránsito entre el suceso privado y el suceso colectivo, y el índice lo reparte en cuatro partes: «PART ONE: THE EVENTS OF “NATURE.” EPIDEMICS AND NATURAL DISASTERS» «Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 4», «PART TWO: FRAMEWORK 1 AND FRAMEWORK 2» «Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 4», «PART THREE: PEOPLE WHO ARE FRIGHTENED OF THEMSELVES» «Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 4» y «PART FOUR: THE PRACTICING IDEALIST» «Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 4».
Butts fecha el origen del libro dos volúmenes atrás y lo cita por sesión: «One might say that Mass Events had its origins two Seth books ago — way back in Volume I of “Unknown” Reality, which Seth finished dictating in June 1974. At 10:14 in the 697th session for that work, he made this statement: “I will have more to say concerning illnesses, epidemics, and mass disorders in this book.”» «Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 17». El dictado corre entre dos fechas que el volumen imprime en sus encabezados, de «SESSION 801, APRIL 18, 1977» «Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 14» a «SESSION 873, AUGUST 15, 1979» «Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 254».
1333 afirmaciones · 1 fuente · 1 atribución
Atribución
se consigna, jamás se afirma«Roberts — The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events (1981) · p. 3»
Cadena de la obra
el testimonio procesado, en esmeraldaAfirmaciones
1333 entradas — la voz de la obra, con su pasaje«Generally speaking, for example, if you are seriously worried about a physical condition, go to a doctor, because your own beliefs may overfrighten you otherwise.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 870, manda al médico a quien esté seriamente preocupado por una condición física, porque sus propias creencias pueden asustarlo de más; el volumen imprime el pasaje dos veces, aquí en la nota de Butts que abre el libro y de nuevo en su sitio del cuerpo, y este es el primero
«Begin with innocuous but annoying physical conditions, however, and try to work those out for yourself. Try to discover why you are bothered.» — Seth, según Roberts, reserva el trabajo propio para las condiciones inocuas pero molestas y pide averiguar por qué molestan; pasaje reimpreso, citado aquí en su primera aparición
«When you have a headache or a simple stomach upset, or if you have a chronic, annoying but not serious condition, such as trouble with your sinuses, or if you have hay fever — in those situations, remind yourself that your body does indeed have the capacity to heal itself.» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera dolor de cabeza, malestar de estómago, molestia crónica de senos nasales y fiebre del heno como los casos en que conviene recordarse que el cuerpo tiene capacidad de curarse; pasaje reimpreso, citado en su primera aparición
«My life is its own definition. So is yours. Let us leave the priests to their hells and heavens, and confine the scientists to their dying universe, with its accidentally created stars.» — Jane Roberts abre su manifiesto psíquico haciendo de la vida su propia definición y dejando a los sacerdotes con sus infiernos y sus cielos y a los científicos con su universo que muere y sus estrellas creadas por accidente
«Let us each dare to open our dream’s door, and explore the unofficial thresholds, where we begin.» — Jane Roberts cierra la estrofa convocando a abrir la puerta del sueño propio y a explorar los umbrales no oficiales, que es donde ella sitúa el comienzo
«“We have never told anybody to do anything, except to face up to the abilities of consciousness.” Seth April 19, 1978» — Seth, según Roberts, en el epígrafe fechado el 19 de abril de 1978 con que abre el volumen, reduce a una sola cosa lo que dice haber pedido: encarar las facultades de la consciencia
«Seth was discussing the Three Mile Island accident, but he left off book dictation for a while because we felt so badly, and gave us some excellent material on» — Jane Roberts cuenta que Seth dejó el dictado del libro un rato mientras hablaba del accidente de Three Mile Island, porque ella y Butts estaban apesadumbrados por la muerte del gato; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase sigue en la siguiente
«While Seth was dictating The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events, for example, the Three Mile Island nuclear accident occurred; and had the affair turned into a disaster, our Chemung County would have been used to house refugees.» — Roberts sitúa la producción del libro dentro de un suceso colectivo concreto: el accidente nuclear de Three Mile Island ocurrió mientras Seth dictaba, y su condado de Chemung habría alojado refugiados de haber pasado a desastre
«but he is a personality whose platform of reality isn’t the same as ours, a personality who writes books through me, but from his standpoint, not mine.» — Jane Roberts describe a Seth como personalidad cuya plataforma de realidad no es la nuestra y que escribe libros a través de ella pero desde el punto de vista de él, no del de ella
«In this book he comments on our religions, sciences, cults, and on our medical beliefs as well, with an uncompromising wisdom — as if — as if he represents some deep part of the human psyche that knows better, that has always known better — as if he speaks out not only with my voice but for many many other people — as if he represents the truths that we have allowed ourselves to forget.» — Roberts encadena cuatro *as if* para decir a qué le suena Seth sin afirmar qué es: parte honda de la psique humana que sabe mejor, voz que habla por muchos, las verdades que se dejaron olvidar
«What truths? That our dreams come alive at midday; that our feelings and beliefs turn into the reality we experience; that, in deeper terms, we are the events in which we participate, and that murder for the sake of an ideal is still murder. But more than this, Seth reminds us of something we knew as children: We are of good intent.» — Roberts nombra esas verdades: que los sueños se vuelven vivos a mediodía, que los sentimientos y las creencias se vuelven la realidad que se experimenta, que somos los sucesos en que participamos, que el asesinato por un ideal sigue siendo asesinato, y que somos de buena intención
«“You make your own reality.” That statement is one of the cornerstones of Seth’s material, stated almost from the beginning of our sessions and emphasized throughout his books.» — Roberts fija la frase que hace de piedra angular del material de Seth y la data casi en el arranque de las sesiones
«In Mass Events, though, Seth goes further, maintaining that our private impulses are meant to provide the impetus for the development of our own abilities in a way that will also contribute to the best interests of the species and the natural world as well.» — Roberts sitúa el paso que este libro da sobre los anteriores: los impulsos privados dan el impulso para desarrollar las propias facultades de manera que sirva a la vez a la especie y al mundo natural
«Seth maintains that we can’t trust ourselves while distrusting our impulses at the same time.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que se pueda confiar en uno mismo desconfiando a la vez de los propios impulsos
«Since we are all involved with world events, it is highly important that we also understand how we fit into those global actions, and see how our negative beliefs about ourselves and the species can result in situations far less than ideal, and quite different from our stated goals.» — Roberts deriva la urgencia del asunto de una premisa: como todos estamos metidos en los sucesos del mundo, las creencias negativas sobre uno mismo y sobre la especie desembocan en situaciones distintas de las metas declaradas
«Those theories, along with religion’s belief in the flawed self, have left their marks on all of our lives.» — Roberts suma a Freud y a Darwin la creencia religiosa en el yo defectuoso y dice que las tres dejaron marca en la vida de todos, sin exención para ella y Butts
«In this book, though, Seth states that it is our normal everyday impulses that we must learn to trust.» — Seth, según Roberts, enmienda lo que ella venía buscando: no los impulsos heroicos separados de los habituales, sino los impulsos normales de todos los días
«Our normal impulses are heroic, despite our misunderstanding of them.» — Roberts formula lo que dice haber entendido al cabo: que los impulsos normales son los heroicos, pese a que se los entienda mal
«I’ve had my own hassles with impulses, following only those I thought would lead me where I wanted to go, and drastically cutting down those I feared might distract me from my work.» — Roberts declara en primera persona su propia pelea con los impulsos: seguía solo los que creía que la llevaban donde quería y recortaba los que temía que la distrajeran del trabajo
«As a result of such beliefs, I’ve had a most annoying arthritis-like condition for some years that was, among other things, the result of cutting down impulses toward physical motion.» — Roberts liga su padecimiento físico, una condición parecida a la artritis, al recorte de los impulsos hacia el movimiento; es la única afirmación de la introducción en que aplica a su propio cuerpo lo que el libro sostiene
«This distant-seeming inner self wasn’t so distant after all; “it” communicated through my impulses. In a way, impulses are the language of the psyche.» — Roberts formula lo que dice haber captado al repetirle Seth que confíe en sus impulsos: el yo interior no estaba lejos, y los impulsos son el lenguaje de la psique
«And what is my own part in all of this? I see it as harking back to the poet’s original role; to explore the reaches of his or her private psyche, pushing against usual psychological boundaries until they give, opening up a new mystical territory — the psyche of the people, of the species itself — perceiving a spectacular vision of inner reality that the poet then communicates to the people, translating that vision through words, rhythm, or songs.» — Roberts define su propio papel por el del poeta: empujar los límites psicológicos hasta que cedan, abrir territorio místico nuevo —la psique del pueblo, de la especie— y traducir esa visión en palabras, ritmo o canciones
«And maybe that’s why Seth speaks, communicating first through words, rather than, say, through automatic writing. Seth’s books are first of all spoken productions.» — Roberts explica por esa genealogía que Seth hable en vez de escribir automáticamente: los libros de Seth son antes que nada producciones habladas
«Perhaps the Seth sessions themselves harken back to some ancient time when we received much of our pertinent information about ourselves in just such a fashion: one of us journeying for the others into the “mass unconsciousness” — a journey that somehow altered and expanded the personality — and then communicating our visions as best we could.» — Roberts propone las sesiones como vuelta a un modo antiguo: uno viaja por los demás a la inconsciencia de masas, el viaje altera y ensancha la personalidad, y luego se comunica lo visto
«For if Seth is only a psychological model filled out by my unconscious trance material, then he certainly puts our usual concepts of personality to shame, and by implication shows that we ourselves have a long way to go if we are to use our full potential.» — Roberts plantea la hipótesis contraria a la suya y la deja en pie: aun si Seth fuera solo un modelo psicológico armado por su material de trance inconsciente, avergonzaría a los conceptos usuales de personalidad
«So I do think more is involved. I think that Seth is a model of ourselves as we know we can be; that he speaks for the part of ourselves that never for a minute believed all that nonsense about flawed selves.» — Roberts declara su propia posición: cree que hay algo más, y que Seth es un modelo de lo que sabemos que podemos ser, la parte que nunca creyó el disparate del yo defectuoso
«As far as my relationship with Seth and his with me, because of our long-standing association I think we must have formed a unique psychological alliance; somehow I am part Seth, and in sessions at least, Seth must be part Jane, in a kind of psychological bonding on both sides.» — Roberts describe el vínculo como alianza psicológica recíproca: ella es en parte Seth, y en las sesiones al menos Seth debe ser en parte Jane
«Seth must use my voice to speak and my life as reference, and certainly the contents of my mind are vastly expanded as a result of the sessions.» — Roberts consigna el costo y el rédito del arreglo: Seth usa su voz y su vida como referencia, y los contenidos de la mente de ella se ensanchan enormemente
«Not that Seth is just another focus of mine, for it’s quite legitimate to say that I’m a focus of his consciousness in that same context; but that Seth represents that larger portion of the psyche from which our own kind of consciousness emerges.» — Roberts invierte la relación y la deja abierta: es legítimo decir que ella es un foco de la consciencia de Seth, que representaría la porción mayor de la psique de la que emerge nuestra clase de consciencia
«The earliest poets were probably half shaman, half prophet, speaking for the forces of nature, for the “spirits” of the living and the dead, voicing their visions of man’s unity with the universe.» — Roberts remonta el oficio a los primeros poetas, mitad chamán y mitad profeta, que hablaban por las fuerzas de la naturaleza y por los espíritus de los vivos y los muertos y decían en voz alta su visión de la unidad del hombre con el universo
«But however we attempt to define Seth’s reality, I’m convinced of one thing by now: He is delivering to our conscious minds our deepest unconscious knowledge about ourselves, the world, the universe, and the source of Being Itself.» — Roberts deja la definición de Seth en suspenso y afirma en cambio lo que dice haberse convencido: que Seth entrega a la mente consciente el saber inconsciente más hondo sobre uno, el mundo, el universo y la fuente del Ser
«Not that Seth claims any kind of omnipotence, because he doesn’t.» — Roberts acota la afirmación anterior en la misma plana: Seth no reclama ninguna clase de omnipotencia
«disclosures, according to Seth, no more remarkable than those available in nature itself, but we have forgotten how to read nature’s messages; disclosures no more mysterious than those available in our own states of inspiration, but we’ve forgotten how to decipher those communications too.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que sus revelaciones tengan nada de extraordinario frente a las de la naturaleza o las de la inspiración; lo que se perdió, dice ella, es saber leerlas
«I think that such phenomena were important in evolutionary terms, helping to shape man’s consciousness.» — Roberts atribuye a esos fenómenos un papel evolutivo en la formación de la consciencia humana
«I felt as if I were drawing on energy and knowledge beyond my usual capacities.» — Roberts cuenta en primera persona el episodio que le ocurre mientras escribe la introducción: se sintió tirando de energía y saber más allá de sus capacidades habituales
«The subjective pace quickened and kept accelerating — then I hit a psychological brick wall, and I could carry the concept no further.» — Roberts describe la aceleración subjetiva y el muro psicológico contra el que se detuvo, antes de reconocer a Seth por los bordes de su mente
«No sooner did I sit down than such a rich vein of material opened that I could hardly write fast enough to get it all down; and it began where my earlier ideas had ended off.» — Roberts consigna la reanudación: al sentarse se abrió una veta de material que empezaba justo donde había terminado lo anterior
«I was being given many of the subject headings for — Seth’s next book, even as I was writing the Introduction for this one! Behind each heading or subject, I sensed realms of information available to Seth, but not (in usual terms) to me.» — Roberts declara la escena doble en que se ve: recibía los encabezados del libro siguiente de Seth mientras escribía la introducción de este, y percibía tras cada encabezado reinos de información disponibles para él y no para ella en términos usuales
«Yet there had been an earlier moment just before the onrush of material when I sensed an odd psychological threshold, a certain accelerated state, that in this case at least signaled the intersection of Seth’s thoughts and mine. Then there was a brief point of psychological rest, an almost neutral psychological platform in which Seth’s outline began to emerge.» — Roberts describe el umbral psicológico que precede a la irrupción del material: un estado acelerado que señala la intersección de los pensamientos de Seth con los suyos, y luego una plataforma casi neutra donde asoma el esquema
«Following this, in our next session, Seth confirmed that the material amounted to a partial outline for his projected new book, and that the title I’d “picked up” while he was still finishing Mass Events was correct.» — Seth, según Roberts, confirma en la sesión siguiente que lo recibido era esquema parcial de su libro próximo y que el título que ella había captado era el correcto
«Not that such material wasn’t often distorted, or just as often discounted: In any case, it would have to be interpreted again and again so that it» — Roberts acota en seguida: el material se distorsionó a menudo y otras tantas se descartó, y habría que interpretarlo una y otra vez; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase termina en la siguiente con *applied to the species’ experience in time’s framework*
«So while Seth’s books go out into the public world, the sessions themselves rise from our private lives.» — Roberts enuncia la tensión que da título al libro desde su propio caso: los libros salen al mundo público y las sesiones se levantan de una vida privada
«Yet those lives are lived in coexistence with a mass arena of events that brush against us gently at times, or drastically affect our days on other occasions.» — Roberts describe cómo lo privado y lo colectivo se tocan: una arena de masa de sucesos que unas veces roza suavemente y otras afecta drásticamente los días
«In this book Seth describes the continuum of existence that holds us all together and blends our private experiences into world events.» — Roberts resume el objeto del libro en una frase: el continuo de existencia que sostiene a todos y funde las experiencias privadas con los sucesos del mundo
«By his own definition Seth is no longer a physical being, although he’s told us he’s lived a number of previous lives; thus, ideas of reincarnation enter into his material.» — Butts consigna la definición que Seth da de sí mismo —ya no es un ser físico— y añade que él dice haber vivido varias vidas anteriores, con lo que la reencarnación entra en su material
«Seth calls Jane “Ruburt” and me “Joseph.” According to him, these “entity names” mean only that in our present lives we identify more with the male aspects of our entities, or whole selves — which in themselves are neither male or female, but contain within them a number of other selves [of both sexes] to whom we’re related, or a part of, reincarnationally and otherwise.» — Butts explica los nombres de entidad: según Seth solo indican que en esta vida los dos se identifican más con los aspectos masculinos de sus entidades, que en sí no son ni masculinas ni femeninas
«There is a power of growth and value fulfillment within each individual that must be satisfied. It is the power that makes physical growth possible, the power that is behind the fetus.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión personal del 29 de agosto de 1979 que Butts transcribe, pone en cada individuo una potencia de crecimiento y de cumplimiento de valor que hace posible el crecimiento físico y está detrás del feto
«All creativity is basically joyful. It is play in the highest sense of the term, and it is always alive with motion.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 877 del 3 de septiembre de 1979 que Butts transcribe, hace de toda creatividad algo gozoso, juego en el sentido más alto y siempre vivo de movimiento
«It is foolhardy to try and apply discipline, or secondary order to a spontaneous creativity that automatically gives you the finest order that nature could ever provide.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la misma sesión 877, niega que convenga aplicar disciplina u orden secundario a una creatividad espontánea que ya da el orden más fino que la naturaleza pueda proveer
«Ideas change the chromosomes, but the sessions and Ruburt’s books, and so forth, must first and foremost be joyful expressions of creativity, spontaneous expressions that fall into their own order» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a las ideas un efecto sobre los cromosomas y pide que las sesiones y los libros sean ante todo expresiones gozosas de creatividad
«You cannot begin to understand the nature of mass events of any kind unless you consider the even greater framework in which they have their existence.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 801 del 18 de abril de 1977 que abre el libro, niega que los sucesos de masa se entiendan sin considerar el marco mayor en que existen
«A person’s private experience happens in the context of his psychological and biological status, and basically cannot be separated from his religious and philosophical beliefs and sentiments, and his cultural environment and political» — Seth, según Roberts, hace inseparable la experiencia privada de su contexto psicológico, biológico, religioso, filosófico, cultural y político; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase termina con *framework* en la siguiente
«All of the issues form together to make a trellis of behavior. Thorns or roses may grow therein. That is, the individual will grow outward toward the world, encountering and forming a practical experience, traveling outward from his center in almost vinelike fashion, forming from the fabric of physical reality a conglomeration of pleasant or aesthetic, and unpleasant or prickly events.» — Seth, según Roberts, arma con esos asuntos una espaldera de conducta donde pueden crecer espinas o rosas, y hace al individuo crecer hacia afuera como una vid
«The vine of experience in this analogy is formed in quite a natural fashion from “psychic” elements that are as necessary to psychological experience as sun, air, and water are to plants.» — Seth, según Roberts, sostiene la analogía de la vid y pone los elementos psíquicos como necesarios a la experiencia psicológica igual que el sol, el aire y el agua a las plantas
«The question of epidemics, for example, cannot be answered from a biological standpoint alone. It involves great sweeping psychological attitudes on the part of many, and meets the needs and desires of those involved — needs which, in your terms, arise in a framework of religious, psychological and cultural realities that cannot be isolated from biological results.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que la pregunta por las epidemias se conteste desde la biología sola: implica actitudes psicológicas de muchos y necesidades que nacen en un marco religioso, psicológico y cultural
«I have thus far stayed clear of many important and vital subjects, involving mass realities, because first of all the importance of the individual was to be stressed, and his power to form his private events.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica por qué había esquivado hasta entonces los asuntos de masa: primero había que dejar sentada la importancia del individuo y su poder de formar sus sucesos privados
«Only when the private nature of reality was emphasized sufficiently would I be ready to show how the magnification of individual reality combines and enlarges to form vast mass reactions — such as, say, the initiation of an obviously new historical and cultural period; the rise or overthrow of governments; the birth of a new religion that sweeps all others before it; mass conversions; mass murders in the form of wars; the sudden sweep of deadly epidemics; the scourge of earthquakes, floods, or other disasters; the inexplicable appearance of periods of great art or architecture or technology.» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera lo que cuenta como reacción de masa formada por magnificación de la realidad individual: el inicio de un periodo histórico nuevo, el auge o la caída de gobiernos, una religión nueva que barre a las demás, conversiones de masa, guerras, epidemias mortales, terremotos e inundaciones, y los periodos de gran arte, arquitectura o tecnología
«I said there are no closed systems. This also means that in world terms, events spin like electrons, affecting all psychological and psychic systems as well as biological ones.» — Seth, según Roberts, repite su tesis de que no hay sistemas cerrados y hace girar los sucesos como electrones, afectando a los sistemas psicológicos y psíquicos igual que a los biológicos
«It is true to say that each individual dies alone, for no one else can die that death. It is also true that part of the species dies with each death, and is reborn with each birth, and that each private death takes place within the greater context of the existence of the entire species. The death serves a purpose species-wise while it also serves the purposes of the individual, for no death comes unbidden.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de cada muerte a la vez privada y de la especie: parte de la especie muere con cada muerte y renace con cada nacimiento, y ninguna muerte llega sin ser convocada
«When you consider epidemics to be the result of viruses, and emphasize their biological stances, then it seems that the solutions are very obvious: You learn the nature of each virus and develop an inoculation, giving [each member of] the populace a small dose of the disease so that a man’s own body will combat it, and he will become immune.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la solución que parece obvia si se atiende solo al virus: conocerlo, desarrollar la inoculación y dar al público una dosis pequeña para que el cuerpo la combata
«The shortsightedness of such procedures is generally overlooked because of the definite short-term advantages. As a rule, for example, people inoculated against polio do not develop that disease. Using such procedures, tuberculosis has been largely conquered.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede las ventajas de corto plazo del procedimiento y nombra los casos, la polio y la tuberculosis, antes de objetarle el marco estrecho
«In the first place, the causes are not biological. Biology is simply the carrier of a “deadly intent.” In the second place, there is a difference between a virus produced in the laboratory and that inhabiting the body — a difference recognized by the body but not by your laboratory instruments.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que las causas sean biológicas y hace de la biología el portador de una intención mortífera; y distingue el virus de laboratorio del que habita el cuerpo, diferencia que dice reconocer el cuerpo y no el instrumento
«In a way the body produces antibodies, and sets up natural immunization as a result of, say, inoculation. But the body’s chemistry is also confused, for it “knows” it is reacting to a disease that is not “a true disease,” but a biologically counterfeit intrusion.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede que la inoculación produce anticuerpos e inmunización natural, y añade que la química del cuerpo queda confundida porque reacciona a una intrusión biológicamente falsificada
«To that extent — and I do not mean to overstate the case — the body’s biological integrity is contaminated. It may at the same time produce antibodies also, for example, to other “similar” diseases, and so overextend its defenses that the individual later comes down with another disease.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota su propia afirmación en la misma frase y sostiene que la integridad biológica del cuerpo queda contaminada y sus defensas sobreextendidas
«Now, no person becomes ill unless that illness serves a psychic or psychological reason, so many people escape such complications.» — Seth, según Roberts, condiciona toda enfermedad a que sirva una razón psíquica o psicológica, y por eso da por escapados de esas complicaciones a muchos
«In the meantime, however, scientists and medical men find more and more viruses against which the population “must” be inoculated. Each one is considered singly. There is a rush to develop a new inoculation against the newest virus. Much of this is on a predictive basis: The scientists “predict” how many people might be “attacked” by, say, a virus that has caused a given number of deaths. Then as a preventative measure the populace is invited to the new inoculation.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la carrera por inocular contra cada virus nuevo y la base predictiva del cálculo, con el número de muertes esperado como medida
«Many people who would not get the disease in any case are then religiously inoculated with it.» — Seth, según Roberts, objeta que se inocule con la enfermedad a gente que no la habría contraído, y usa el adverbio *religiously* para el modo en que se hace
«Sweet creatures are difficult to find.» — Seth, según Roberts, interrumpe el dictado para comentar al gato que Butts se lleva; la frase cae entre dos acotaciones de Butts y es la única del tramo que el volumen atribuye al dictado
«An epidemic, for example, serves the purposes of each individual who is involved,» — Seth, según Roberts, da a la epidemia doble propósito; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase termina en la siguiente, donde añade que sirve también a sus funciones en el marco mayor de la especie
«What is the relationship between the individual and the gigantic mass motions of nature, of government, or even of religion? What about mass conversions? Mass hysteria? Mass healings, mass murder, and the individual? Those are the questions we will devote ourselves to in this book.» — Seth, según Roberts, enuncia con preguntas el asunto del libro: la relación entre el individuo y los movimientos de masa de la naturaleza, del gobierno y de la religión, las conversiones, la histeria, las curaciones y el asesinato de masa
«It will be called: “The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events.”» — Seth, según Roberts, pone el título del libro dentro del propio dictado, en la sesión 801
«And you can say that your question about epidemics served as a convenient stimulus; for that question, coming from you, comes also from the readers of our books.» — Seth, según Roberts, adjudica a la pregunta de Butts sobre epidemias el papel de estímulo, y la hace venir también de los lectores
«Dying is a biological necessity, not only for the individual, but to insure the continued vitality of the species. Dying is a spiritual and psychological necessity, for after a while the exuberant, ever-renewed energies of the spirit can no longer be translated into flesh.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del morir una necesidad a la vez biológica, espiritual y psicológica, porque las energías del espíritu dejan al cabo de traducirse en carne
«Inherently, each individual knows that he or she must die physically in order to survive spiritually and psychically (underlined). The self outgrows the flesh.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a cada quien el saber de que hay que morir físicamente para sobrevivir espiritual y psíquicamente, y resume que el yo le queda chico a la carne
«Particularly since [the advent of Charles] Darwin’s theories5, the acceptance of the fact of death has come to imply a certain kind of weakness, for is it not said that only the strong survive?» — Seth, según Roberts, data en las teorías de Darwin el que aceptar el hecho de la muerte pase por debilidad; los corchetes y el *5* son de Butts
«To some degree, epidemics and recognized illnesses serve the sociological purpose of providing an acceptable reason for death — a face-saving device for those who have already decided to die.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a epidemias y enfermedades reconocidas un uso sociológico: dar razón aceptable de muerte a quien ya decidió morir
«This does not mean that such individuals make a conscious decision to die, in your terms: But such decisions are often semiconscious (intently). It might be that those individuals feel they have fulfilled their purposes — but such decisions may also be built upon a different kind of desire for survival than those understood in Darwinian terms.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota en seguida esa afirmación: la decisión no es consciente sino semiconsciente, y puede apoyarse en un deseo de supervivencia distinto del darwiniano
«We have begun Part 1, to be called: “The Events of ‘Nature.’ Epidemics and Natural Disasters.”» — Seth, según Roberts, dicta dentro de la sesión 801 el título de la primera parte del libro
«Chapter 1: “The Natural Body and Its Defenses.”» — Seth, según Roberts, dicta un momento después el título del primer capítulo; entre uno y otro el volumen intercala una acotación de Butts
«It is not understood that before life an individual decides to live. A self is not simply the accidental personification of the body’s biological mechanism. Each person born desires to be born. He dies when that desire no longer operates. No epidemic or illness or natural disaster — or stray bullet from a murderer’s gun — will kill a person who does not want to die.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del nacer un acto de deseo y condiciona la muerte a que ese deseo cese: ni epidemia, ni enfermedad, ni desastre, ni bala perdida matan a quien no quiere morir
«The desire for life has been most flaunted, yet human psychology has seldom dealt with the quite active desire for death. In its natural form this is not a morbid, frightened, neurotic, or cowardly attempt to escape life, but a definite, positive, “healthy” acceleration of the desire for survival, in which the individual strongly wants to leave physical life as once the child wanted to leave the parent’s home.» — Seth, según Roberts, reclama para la psicología el deseo activo de muerte y lo describe en su forma natural como aceleración sana del deseo de supervivencia, comparable a la del hijo que quiere dejar la casa de los padres
«I am not speaking here of the desire for suicide, which involves a definite killing of the body by self-deliberate means — often of a violent nature. Ideally this desire for death, however, would simply involve the slowing of the body’s processes, the gradual disentanglement of psyche from flesh; or in other instances, according to individual characteristics, a sudden, natural stopping of the body’s processes.» — Seth, según Roberts, separa ese deseo del suicidio, que define como matar el cuerpo por medios deliberados y a menudo violentos, y describe en cambio un aflojamiento gradual o una detención natural y súbita
«Left alone, the self and the body are so entwined that the separation would be smooth. The body would automatically follow the wishes of the inner self. In the case of suicide, for example, the self is to some extent acting out of context with the body, which still has its own will to live.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la separación entre yo y cuerpo algo liso si se la deja en paz, y sitúa el suicidio como acto del yo fuera de contexto respecto de un cuerpo que aún quiere vivir
«I will have more to say about suicide, but I do not mean here to imply guilt on the part of a person who takes his or her own life. In many such cases, a more natural death would have ensued in any event as the result of “diseases.”» — Seth, según Roberts, anuncia más material sobre el suicidio y acota que no imputa culpa a quien se quita la vida, porque en muchos casos habría sobrevenido de todos modos una muerte por enfermedad
«Often, for example, a person wanting to die originally intended to experience only a portion of earth life, say childhood. This purpose would be entwined with the parents’ intent. Such a son or daughter might be born, for instance, through a woman who wanted to experience childbirth but who did not necessarily want to encounter the years of child-raising, for her own reasons.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica algunas muertes tempranas por un propósito acordado de antemano con el de los padres, y pone el ejemplo de la mujer que quiso el parto y no la crianza
«Such a mother would attract a consciousness who desired, perhaps, to reexperience childhood but not adulthood, or who might teach the mother lessons sorely needed. Such a child might naturally die at 10 or 12, or earlier. Yet the ministrations of science might keep the child alive far longer, until such a person [begins] encountering an adulthood thrust upon him or her, so to speak.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el desajuste que produce prolongar esa vida: la ciencia mantiene vivo al niño que iba a morir a los diez o doce años, y le impone una adultez no buscada
«I am not here condoning suicide, for too often in your society it is the unfortunate result of conflicting beliefs — and yet it is true to say that all deaths are suicide, and all births deliberate on the part of child and parent.» — Seth, según Roberts, se desmarca de aprobar el suicidio y en la misma frase enuncia la tesis más fuerte del pasaje: que toda muerte es suicidio y todo nacimiento deliberado por hijo y padres
«In wars, people automatically reproduce their kind to make up for those that are killed, and when the race overproduces there will be automatic controls set upon the population. Yet these will in all ways fit the intents and purposes of the individuals involved.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace automáticos tanto la reposición demográfica tras la guerra como los controles de población al sobreproducirse la especie, y los ajusta a los propósitos de los individuos
«I’m a writer who’s psychic — not a psychic who’s a writer.» — Jane Roberts, citada por Butts como frase suya repetida, invierte el orden de los dos oficios y se pone el de escritora por delante del de psíquica
«People will die when they are ready to, following inner dictates and dynamics. A person ready to die will, despite any medication. A person who wants to live will seize upon the tiniest hope, and respond. The dynamics of health have nothing to do with inoculations. They reside in the consciousness of each being.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 703 del 12 de junio de 1974 que Butts recupera del primer tomo de The *Unknown* Reality, quita a la inoculación todo papel en la dinámica de la salud y la sitúa en la consciencia de cada ser
«To a certain extent (underlined), epidemics are the result of a mass suicide phenomenon on the parts of those involved. Biological, sociological, or even economic factors may be involved, in that for a variety of reasons, and at different levels, whole groups of individuals want to die at any given time — but in such a way that their individual deaths amount to a mass statement.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre la sesión 802 del 25 de abril de 1977 haciendo de la epidemia, en cierta medida, un fenómeno de suicidio de masa cuyas muertes individuales suman una declaración colectiva; el *(underlined)* es acotación de Butts dentro del dictado
«On one level the deaths are a protest against the time in which they occur. Those involved have private reasons, however. The reasons, of course, vary from one individual to another, yet all involved “want their death to serve a purpose” beyond private concerns. Partially, then, such deaths are meant to make the survivors question the conditions (dash) — for unconsciously the species well knows there are reasons for such mass deaths that go beyond accepted beliefs.» — Seth, según Roberts, lee esas muertes como protesta contra su tiempo y como manera de hacer que los sobrevivientes cuestionen las condiciones
«Individually, each “victim” was to one extent or another a “victim” of apathy, despair, or hopelessness, which automatically lowered bodily defenses.» — Seth, según Roberts, entrecomilla la palabra víctima y pone la apatía, la desesperación y la desesperanza como lo que baja las defensas del cuerpo
«In some historical periods the plight of the poor was so horrible, so unendurable, that outbreaks of the plague occurred, literally resulting in a complete destruction of large areas of the environment in which such social, political, and economic conditions existed.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica los brotes de peste por la condición insoportable de los pobres y por la destrucción del entorno en que esas condiciones existían; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«Not only do such states of mind lower the defenses, however, but they activate and change the body’s chemistries, alter its balances, and initiate disease conditions. Many viruses inherently capable of causing death, in normal conditions contribute to the overall health of the body, existing side by side as it were with other viruses, each contributing quite necessary activities that maintain bodily equilibrium.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que esos estados de ánimo no solo bajen defensas sino alteren la química del cuerpo, y añade que muchos virus capaces de matar contribuyen en condiciones normales a la salud
«If [certain viruses] are triggered, however, to higher activity or overproduction by mental states, they then become “deadly.” Physically they may be passed on in whatever manner is peculiar to a specific strain. Literally, individual mental problems of sufficient severity emerge as social, mass diseases.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del estado mental el disparador que vuelve mortífero al virus, y remata que los problemas mentales individuales emergen literalmente como enfermedades sociales de masa; los corchetes son de Butts
«The environment in which an outbreak occurs points at the political, sociological, and economic conditions that have evolved, causing such disorder. Often such outbreaks take place after ineffective political or social action — that is, after some unified mass social protest — has failed, or is considered hopeless.» — Seth, según Roberts, lee el entorno del brote como señal de las condiciones políticas, sociológicas y económicas, y sitúa los brotes después de una protesta social fallida o tenida por inútil
«They often occur also in wartime on the part of a populace [that] is against a given war in which [its] country is involved.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa también los brotes en tiempo de guerra entre la población que está en contra de la guerra en que su país participa
«Initially there is a psychic contagion: Despair moves faster than a mosquito, or any outward carrier of a given disease. The mental state brings about the activation of a virus that is, in those terms, passive.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone el contagio psíquico antes del biológico y hace a la desesperación más rápida que el mosquito; el estado mental activa un virus hasta entonces pasivo
«Despair may seem passive only because it feels that exterior action is hopeless — but its fires rage inwardly, and that kind of contagion can leap from bed to bed and from heart to heart.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la desesperación como pasiva solo en apariencia, con su fuego ardiendo hacia adentro y saltando de cama en cama y de corazón en corazón
«[Those] plagues took rich and poor alike, however, so the complacent well-to-do could see quite clearly, for example, that to some extent sanitary conditions, privacy, peace of mind, had to be granted to the poor alike, for» — Seth, según Roberts, observa que la peste tomaba a ricos y a pobres por igual, de modo que los acomodados veían que había que conceder condiciones sanitarias, privacidad y paz de ánimo; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase remata en la siguiente con que esas muertes eran de protesta
«Even in the days of the great plagues in England there were those smitten who did not die, and there were those untouched by the disease who dealt with the sick and dying. Those survivors, who were actively involved, saw themselves in a completely different light than those who succumbed, however: They were those, untouched by despair, who saw themselves as effective rather than ineffective.» — Seth, según Roberts, distingue a los sobrevivientes de las grandes pestes de Inglaterra por cómo se veían a sí mismos: no tocados por la desesperación, y efectivos en vez de inefectivos
«Often they roused themselves from lives of previously unheroic situations, and then performed with great bravery. The horror of the conditions overwhelmed them where earlier they were not involved.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a esos sobrevivientes saliendo de vidas antes no heroicas para actuar con gran valentía, empujados por el horror de las condiciones
«Epidemics by their public nature speak of public problems — problems that sociologically threaten to sweep the individual to psychic disaster as the physical materialization does biologically.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la epidemia, por su naturaleza pública, el habla de problemas públicos que amenazan con barrer al individuo hacia el desastre psíquico
«These are the reasons also for the range or the limits of various epidemics — why they sweep through one area and leave another clear. Why one in the family will die and another survive — for in this mass venture, the individual still forms his or her private reality.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica por qué una epidemia barre una zona y deja limpia otra, o mata a uno de la familia y no a otro: dentro de la empresa de masa cada quien sigue formando su realidad privada
«In the case of any given disease this procedure might work quite well for those who believe in it. It is, however, the belief, and not the procedure, that works (louder).2» — Seth, según Roberts, concede que la inoculación funcione para quien cree en ella y le quita el mérito al procedimiento para dárselo a la creencia; el *(louder)* es acotación de Butts y el *2* la llamada de una nota suya
«I am not recommending that you abandon the procedure when it obviously works for so many — yet you should understand why it brings about the desired results.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota lo anterior en la frase siguiente y no recomienda abandonar el procedimiento que a tantos sirve, sino entender por qué da el resultado
«Such medical technology is highly specific, however. You cannot be inoculated with the desire to live, or with the zest, delight, or contentment of the healthy animal.» — Seth, según Roberts, marca el límite de esa tecnología: no hay inoculación que dé el deseo de vivir ni el gusto, el deleite o el contento del animal sano
«If you have decided to die, protected from one disease in such a manner, you will promptly come down with another, or have an accident. The immunization, while specifically effective, may only reinforce prior beliefs about the body’s ineffectiveness.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace inútil la protección específica frente a una decisión de morir, y añade que la inmunización puede reforzar la creencia previa en la inefectividad del cuerpo
«You have your own medical systems, however. I do not mean to undermine them, since they are undermining themselves.» — Seth, según Roberts, declina socavar los sistemas médicos porque los da por socavándose a sí mismos
«Some of my statements clearly cannot be proven, in your terms, and appear almost sacrilegious. Yet, throughout your history no man or woman has died who did not want to die, regardless of the state of medical technology.» — Seth, según Roberts, admite que sus afirmaciones no se pueden probar en los términos del lector y suenan casi sacrílegas, y sostiene con todo que nadie murió nunca sin querer morir
«Civilizations are literally social species. They die when they see no reason to live, yet they seed other civilizations.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de las civilizaciones especies sociales literales que mueren cuando no ven razón de vivir y siembran otras civilizaciones
«There has been great discussion in past years about the survival of the fittest, in Darwinian terms,4 but little emphasis is placed upon the quality of life, or of» — Seth, según Roberts, desplaza la discusión darwiniana sobre la supervivencia del más apto hacia la calidad de la vida; el *4* es llamada de una nota de Butts y el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«Quite simply, if life is not worthwhile (louder), no species will have a reason to continue.» — Seth, según Roberts, condiciona la continuidad de una especie a que la vida valga la pena; el *(louder)* es acotación de Butts
«Your private mental states en masse bring about the mass cultural stance of your civilization. To some extent, then, the survival of your civilization is quite literally dependent upon the condition of each individual; and that condition is initially a spiritual, psychic state that gives birth to the physical organism.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva la postura cultural de una civilización de los estados mentales privados en masa, y hace depender su supervivencia de la condición espiritual y psíquica de cada quien
«Despite all “realistic” pragmatic tales to the contrary, the natural state of life itself is one of joy, acquiescence with itself — a state in which action is effective, and the power to act is a natural right.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara que el estado natural de la vida es de gozo y de acuerdo consigo misma, con la acción efectiva y el poder de actuar como derecho natural
«I am not speaking of some romanticized, “passive,” floppy, spiritual world, but of a clear reality without impediments, in which the opposite of despair and apathy reigns.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota su propia afirmación y niega estar hablando de un mundo espiritual romantizado y pasivo, sino de una realidad clara y sin impedimentos
«This book will be devoted, then, to those conditions that best promote spiritual, psychic, and physical zest, the biological and psychic components that make a species desire to continue its kind.» — Seth, según Roberts, enuncia el objeto del libro desde dentro: las condiciones que mejor promueven el brío espiritual, psíquico y físico que hace a una especie querer continuar
«No species competes with another, but cooperates to form an environment in which all kinds can creatively exist.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega la competencia entre especies y la sustituye por cooperación para formar un entorno donde todas puedan existir creativamente
«You live in a physical community, but you live first of all in a community of thoughts and feelings. These trigger your physical actions. They directly affect the behavior of your body.» — Seth, según Roberts, antepone la comunidad de pensamientos y sentimientos a la comunidad física, y hace que la primera dispare las acciones y afecte la conducta del cuerpo
«The experience of the animals is different, yet in their own ways animals have both individual intent and purpose. Their feelings are certainly as pertinent as yours. They dream, and in their way they reason.» — Seth, según Roberts, da a los animales intención y propósito individuales, sentimientos tan pertinentes como los humanos, sueños y una manera propia de razonar
«They do not “worry.” They do not anticipate disaster when no signs of it are apparent in their immediate environment. On their own they do not need preventative medicine.» — Seth, según Roberts, quita a los animales la preocupación y la anticipación del desastre sin señales, y de ahí que no necesiten medicina preventiva
«There are stages of physical existence, and in those terms nature knows what it is doing. When a species overproduces, the incidences of, say,» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que la naturaleza sepa lo que hace por etapas, y liga la sobreproducción de una especie al aumento de las epidemias; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«The quality of life is important above all. Newborn animals either die quickly and naturally, painlessly, before their consciousnesses are fully focused here, or are killed by their mothers — not because they are weak or unfit to survive, but because the [physical] conditions are not those that will produce the quality of life that makes survival “worthwhile.”» — Seth, según Roberts, explica la muerte de los recién nacidos animales no por debilidad sino porque las condiciones no producen la calidad de vida que hace la supervivencia digna de tenerse; los corchetes son de Butts
«The consciousness that became so briefly physical is not annihilated, however, but in your terms waits for better conditions.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que esa consciencia brevemente física quede aniquilada y la deja esperando mejores condiciones
«There are also “trial runs” in human and animal species alike, in which peeks are taken, or glimpses, of physical life, and that is all.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama corridas de prueba a las existencias que solo asoman a la vida física, en humanos y en animales por igual
«Epidemics sweeping through animal populations are also biological and psychic statements, then, in which each individual knows that only its own greatest fulfillment can satisfy the quality of life on an individual basis, and thus contribute to the mass survival of the species.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de las epidemias animales declaraciones biológicas y psíquicas, donde el cumplimiento individual es lo que contribuye a la supervivencia de masa
«Suffering is not necessarily good for the soul at all, and left alone natural creatures do not seek it.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que el sufrimiento sea necesariamente bueno para el alma y dice que las criaturas naturales, dejadas en paz, no lo buscan
«There is a natural compassion, a biological knowledge, so that the mother of an animal knows whether or not existing conditions will support the new offspring. Animals instinctively realize their relationship with the great forces of life. They will instinctively starve an offspring while its consciousness is still unfocused, rather than send it loose under adverse conditions.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a la madre animal un saber biológico sobre si las condiciones sostendrán a la cría, y explica así que la deje morir de hambre mientras su consciencia está aún sin enfocar
«In a natural state, many children would die stillborn for the same reasons, or would be naturally aborted. There is a give-and-take between all elements of nature, so that such individuals often choose mothers, for example, who perhaps wanted the experience of pregnancy but not of birth — where they choose the experience of the fetus but not necessarily [that] of the child. Often in such cases these are “fragment personalities,” wanting to taste physical reality, but not being ready to deal with it.» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende el argumento a los niños nacidos muertos y a los abortos naturales, y los explica por un acuerdo entre la madre que quiso el embarazo y no el parto y unas personalidades fragmento que quieren probar la realidad física
«Each case is individual, however, so these are general statements.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota el alcance de lo dicho y declara generales sus afirmaciones frente a la individualidad de cada caso
«Many children, who, it seems, should have died of disease, of “childhood epidemics,” nevertheless survive because of their different intents. The world of thought and feeling may be invisible, and yet it activates all physical systems with which you are acquainted.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica por intenciones distintas la supervivencia de niños que parecían destinados a morir de epidemias infantiles, y hace del mundo invisible del pensamiento y el sentimiento lo que activa los sistemas físicos
«Animals as well as men can indeed make social statements, that appear in a biological context. Animals stricken by kitten and puppy diseases, for example, choose to die, pointing out the fact that the quality of their lives individually and en masse is vastly lacking.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede a los animales la capacidad de hacer declaraciones sociales en contexto biológico, y lee las enfermedades de cachorros y gatitos como señal de que la calidad de su vida falta
«Again, many can thankfully praise a given doctor for discovering a disease condition ‘in time,’ so that effective countering measures were taken and the disease was eliminated. You cannot know for sure, of course, what would have happened otherwise … to those people who wanted to die.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la misma sesión 704, concede el mérito del diagnóstico a tiempo y objeta que no se pueda saber qué habría pasado con quienes querían morir
«A man or woman who is ready to die, if saved from one disease will promptly get another, or find a way of fulfilling that desire. Your problem there rests with the will to live, and with the mechanisms of the psyche.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa el problema en la voluntad de vivir y en los mecanismos de la psique, no en la enfermedad concreta de que se salve a alguien
«It seems the worst kind of idiocy to suggest that the individual has any kind of effective protection against» — Seth, según Roberts, en la misma sesión 704, concede que parezca la peor idiotez proponer que el individuo tenga por sí protección efectiva contra la enfermedad; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«They may have been ‘cured’ whether or not they had treatment, and gone on to lead productive lives. You do not know.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 704, deja abierto el desenlace de los curados con tratamiento o sin él y remata con que no se sabe
«Your scientists are beginning to understand man’s physical relationship with nature. The species is obviously a part of nature and not apart from it. Environmental questions are being raised about man’s effects upon the world in which he lives. There is, however, an inner environment that connects all consciousnesses that dwell upon your planet, in whatever form. This mental or psychic — or in any case nonphysical — environment is ever in a state of flux and motion. That activity provides you with all exterior phenomena.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre la sesión 803 concediendo el avance de la ecología y añadiendo un ambiente interior, mental o psíquico, que conecta todas las consciencias del planeta y provee los fenómenos exteriores
«Those organs are themselves composed of atoms and molecules with their own consciousnesses. They have, then, their own states of sensation and cognition. They work for you, allowing you to perceive physical reality.» — Seth, según Roberts, da a los átomos y moléculas de los órganos sensoriales consciencia propia y estados propios de sensación y cognición
«The physical matter of those sense organs changes constantly, however, with you none the wiser. While your body appears quite dependable, solid, [and] steady, you are not aware of the constant interchanges that occur between it and the physical environment.» — Seth, según Roberts, opone la apariencia de permanencia de los órganos a su intercambio constante con el ambiente físico
«It does not bother you one whit that the physical substance of your body is made up of completely different atoms and molecules than it was composed of seven years ago, [say], or that your familiar hands are actually innocent of any smallest smidgen of matter that composed them [even in recent times past» — Seth, según Roberts, usa el recambio de átomos cada siete años para mostrar que la solidez del cuerpo es apariencia; los corchetes son de Butts
«The physical world that you recognize is made up of invisible patterns. These patterns are “plastic,” in that while they exist, their final form is a matter of probabilities directed by consciousness.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del mundo físico patrones invisibles y plásticos cuya forma final es asunto de probabilidades dirigidas por la consciencia
«The mass world rises up before your eyes, but your eyes are part of that mass world. You cannot see your thoughts, so you do not realize that they have shape and form, even as, say, clouds do. There are currents of thought as there are currents of air, and the mental patterns of men’s feelings and thoughts rise up like flames from a fire, or steam from hot water, to fall like ashes or like rain.» — Seth, según Roberts, da forma a los pensamientos como a las nubes y describe corrientes de pensamiento que suben como llamas del fuego o vapor del agua caliente y caen como ceniza o como lluvia
«All elements of the interior invisible environment work together, and they form the temporal weather patterns that are exteriorized mental states, presenting you locally and en masse, then, with a physical version of man’s emotional states.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de los patrones del clima la exteriorización de estados mentales, es decir una versión física de los estados emocionales del hombre
«The physical matter of the planet is also composed of literally infinite hordes of consciousnesses — each experiencing its own reality while adding to the overall cooperative venture.» — Seth, según Roberts, compone la materia del planeta de hordas infinitas de consciencias, cada una con su realidad y sumando a la empresa cooperativa
«Natural disasters represent an understandably prejudiced concept, in which the vast creative and rejuvenating elements important to planetary life, and therefore to mankind, are ignored. The stability of the planet rests upon such changes and alterations, even as the body’s stability is dependent upon, say, the birth and death of the cells.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama concepto prejuiciado al de desastre natural, porque ignora los elementos creativos y rejuvenecedores de que depende la estabilidad del planeta, como la del cuerpo depende del nacer y morir de las células
«It is quite obvious that people must die — not only because otherwise you would overpopulate your world into extinction, but because the nature of consciousness requires new experience, challenge, and accomplishment.» — Seth, según Roberts, da dos razones para la muerte: la sobrepoblación y la exigencia de experiencia, desafío y logro que tiene la naturaleza de la consciencia
«If there were no death, you would have to invent it (smile) — for the context of that selfhood would be as limited as the experience of a great sculptor given but one hunk of stone» — Seth, según Roberts, compara una vida sin muerte con el escultor a quien se le da un solo bloque de piedra; el *(smile)* es acotación de Butts
«Your senses perceive these patterns in their own ways. The patterns themselves can be “activated” in innumerable fashions. There is something out there (humorously emphatic) to observe.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede que hay algo ahí afuera que observar y deja abierto en cuántas maneras puede activarse el patrón; el *(humorously emphatic)* es acotación de Butts
«Your sense apparatus determines what form that something will take, however.» — Seth, según Roberts, deja al aparato sensorial la determinación de la forma que ese algo tome
«The atoms and molecules within those chairs and couches are quite alert, though you do not grant them the quality of life. When children play ring-around-the-rosy, they form living circles in the air. In that game they enjoy the motion of their bodies, but they do not identify with those swirling circles. The atoms and molecules that make up a chair play a different kind of ring-around-the-rosy, and are involved in constant motion, forming a certain pattern that you perceive as a chair.» — Seth, según Roberts, compara el movimiento de átomos y moléculas de una silla con el juego infantil de la rueda: los niños gozan el movimiento y no se identifican con el círculo, y los átomos tampoco saben que su patrón se llama silla
«[Nevertheless] the agreement takes place at mental levels, and is never completely “set,” though it appears to be. No one perceives the same chair [all of the time], though perhaps a given chair will seem to be “the same one” seen from different angles.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa en niveles mentales el acuerdo que fija el objeto, lo declara nunca del todo establecido y niega que nadie perciba la misma silla todo el tiempo; los corchetes son de Butts
«The scientist probing the brain of an idiot or a genius will find only the physical matter of the brain itself. Not one idea will be discovered residing in the brain cells. You can try to convey an idea, you can feel its effects, but you cannot see it as you can the chair. Only a fool would say that ideas were nonexistent, however, or deny their importance.» — Seth, según Roberts, usa la búsqueda de la idea en las células del cerebro para mostrar que lo inexistente a la vista no es inexistente
«You cannot find any given dream location, either, within the brain itself. The solid matter of your world is the result of the play of your senses upon an inner dimension of activity that exists as legitimately, and yet as tantalizingly hidden, as an idea or a dream location.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la materia sólida del mundo el resultado del juego de los sentidos sobre una dimensión interior tan legítima y tan escondida como una idea o un lugar soñado
«In the same way ideas or thoughts form general patterns, bringing forth in your world certain kinds of events. In this respect your thoughts and feelings “seed” physical reality, bringing forth materializations.» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende la analogía de la semilla al pensamiento: las ideas forman patrones generales y siembran la realidad física
«There are, however, far more vigorous invisible mental patterns, into which the thoughts and feelings of mankind are organized — or, naturally, organize themselves.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone junto a los patrones políticos, invisibles y efectivos, otros mentales más vigorosos en que los pensamientos de la humanidad se organizan
«Each person’s thoughts flow into that formation, forming part of the earth’s psychic» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que el pensamiento de cada quien fluya a esa formación y forme parte de la atmósfera psíquica de la tierra; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo y la frase sigue con *atmosphere*
«From that atmosphere flows the natural earthly patterns from which your seasons emerge with all of their variety and effects. You are never victims of natural disasters, though it may seem that you are, for you have your hand in forming them.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace nacer de esa atmósfera los patrones de las estaciones y niega que se sea víctima de los desastres naturales, porque se tiene mano en formarlos
«The sculptor’s statue, however, comes from the inner environment, the patterns of probabilities. These patterns are not themselves inactive. They are possessed by the desire to be-actualized» — Seth, según Roberts, hace venir la estatua del ambiente interior y de los patrones de probabilidades, que no son inactivos sino poseídos por el deseo de actualizarse; el guion de *be-actualized* lo pide él mismo y Butts lo anota
«Behind all realities there are mental states. These always seek form, though again there are other forms than those you recognize.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone estados mentales detrás de toda realidad y les atribuye una busca de forma que no se agota en las formas reconocidas
«The dance of the atoms and molecules is continuous in your area. In greater terms,» — Seth, según Roberts, declara continua la danza de átomos y moléculas; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase remata en la siguiente con que ninguna silla es nunca la misma silla
«any given chair is never the same chair. All of this must be taken into consideration when we discuss mass events.» — Seth, según Roberts, remata la analogía de la silla en la plana siguiente y liga el argumento a la discusión de los sucesos de masa; el tramo arranca en la plana siguiente al corte
«You are creatively involved in the earth’s cycles. No one can be born for you, or die for you, and yet no birth or death is really an isolated event, but one in which the entire planet participates.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de cada nacimiento y de cada muerte un suceso en que participa el planeta entero, sin que nadie pueda nacer ni morir por otro
«In those terms, natural disasters ultimately end up righting a condition that earlier blighted the desired quality of life, so that adjustments were made.» — Seth, según Roberts, da al desastre natural la función de enderezar una condición que antes echaba a perder la calidad de vida buscada
«The “victims” choose to participate in those conditions at spiritual, psychological, and biological levels. Many of those who are counted among the fatalities might otherwise die of extended illnesses, for example.» — Seth, según Roberts, entrecomilla de nuevo la palabra víctima y hace de la participación una elección en niveles espiritual, psicológico y biológico
«Others have finished with their challenges; they want to die and are looking for an excuse — a face-saving device. However, those who choose such deaths want to die in terms of drama, in the middle of their activities, and are in a strange way filled with the exultant inner knowledge of life’s strength even at the point of death. At the last they identify with the power of nature that seemingly destroyed them.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a quienes buscan una muerte con dramatismo, en medio de su actividad, y los hace identificarse al final con la potencia de la naturaleza que en apariencia los destruyó
«That identification often brings about in death — but not always — an added acceleration of consciousness, and involves such individuals in a kind of “group death experience,” where all of the victims more or less embark into another level of reality “at the same time.”» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que no siempre, y describe una experiencia de muerte en grupo en que las víctimas pasan más o menos a la vez a otro nivel de realidad
«Those people were aware just beneath consciousness of the possibilities of such an event long before the disaster occurred, and could until the last moment choose to avoid the encounter.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a las víctimas un saber previo justo bajo la consciencia y les deja hasta el último momento la posibilidad de evitar el encuentro
«Animals know of weather conditions ahead of time, as old tales say. This perception is a biological part of your heritage also. The body is prepared, though consciously it seems you are ignorant.» — Seth, según Roberts, apela a los cuentos viejos sobre los animales y el clima y hace de esa percepción parte de la herencia biológica humana
«available, and in one way or another imparted, often in dreams, to the individual. Conscious comprehension need not follow, for many people know such things, and pretend not to know them at the same time.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace llegar ese saber celular al individuo a menudo en sueños, sin necesidad de comprensión consciente; el tramo arranca en la plana siguiente al corte, donde la frase empezaba con *At cellular levels such knowledge is*
«There are innumerable relationships that exist between the interior environment of the body and the weather patterns. The ancient feelings of identification with storms are quite valid, and in that respect the “realism” of feelings is far superior to the realism of logic. When a person feels a part of a storm, those feelings speak a literal truth.» — Seth, según Roberts, da por válido el antiguo sentimiento de identificación con las tormentas y pone ahí el realismo del sentimiento por encima del de la lógica
«Logic deals with exterior conditions, with cause-and-effect relationships. Intuitions deal with immediate experience of the most intimate nature, with subjective motions and activities that in your terms move far quicker than the speed of light, and with simultaneous events that your cause-and-effect level is far too slow to perceive.2» — Seth, según Roberts, reparte los oficios: la lógica trata condiciones exteriores y relaciones de causa y efecto, y la intuición la experiencia inmediata y los sucesos simultáneos que el nivel causal no alcanza; el *2* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«In that regard also, the activities of the inner environment are too fast for you to follow intellectually. Your intuitions, however, can give you clues to such behavior.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara demasiado rápidas para el intelecto las actividades del ambiente interior y deja a la intuición dar las pistas
«A country is responsible for its own droughts, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes — and for its own harvests and rich display of products, its industry and cultural achievements, and each of these elements is related to each other one.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace a un país responsable de sus sequías, terremotos, inundaciones y huracanes tanto como de sus cosechas, su industria y sus logros culturales, y liga todos esos elementos entre sí
«If the quality of life that is considered spiritually and biologically necessary fails, then adjustments occur. A political problem might be altered by a natural disaster if political means fail.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del desastre natural un ajuste que puede alterar un problema político cuando los medios políticos fallan
«Excellence will show itself through the arts, cultural creativity, technological or sociological accomplishments. The species tries to fulfill its great capacities. Each physical body in its own way is like the world. It has its own defenses and abilities, and each portion of it strives for a quality of existence that will bring to the smallest parts of it the spiritual and biological fulfillment of its own nature.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone la excelencia como la otra salida del mismo impulso, en artes, cultura, tecnología o sociología, y empareja cada cuerpo físico con el mundo en sus defensas y sus capacidades
«The body is a spiritual, psychic, and social statement, biologically spoken. It is obviously private, yet it cannot be concealed, in that “it is where you are,” in usual terms.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre la sesión 804 del 9 de mayo de 1977 haciendo del cuerpo una declaración espiritual, psíquica y social dicha biológicamente, privada y a la vez imposible de ocultar
«To one extent or another, all creatures use language (underlined), implying a far vaster sociobiological relationship than is usually supposed.» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende el uso del lenguaje a todas las criaturas y deriva de ahí una relación sociobiológica más vasta de lo que se supone
«While each individual springs privately into the world at birth, then, each birth also represents quite literally an effort — a triumphant one — on the part of each member of each species, for the delicate balance of life requires for each birth quite precise conditions that no one species can guarantee alone, even to its own kind.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de cada nacimiento un esfuerzo triunfante de todos los miembros de todas las especies, porque el equilibrio de la vida pide condiciones que ninguna especie sola puede garantizar
«The seasons must retain some stability. The rains must fall, but not too much. The storms must rage, but not too devastatingly. Behind all of this lies a biological and psychic cooperative venture.» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera las condiciones del nacimiento —estaciones estables, lluvias sin exceso, tormentas sin devastación— y pone detrás una empresa cooperativa biológica y psíquica
«Cells possess “social” characteristics. They have a tendency to unite with others. They naturally communicate. They naturally want to move. Period. In making such statements I am not personifying the cell, for the desire for communication and motion does not belong to man, or even animals, alone. Man’s desire to journey into other worlds is in its way as natural as the plant’s urge to turn its leaves toward the sun.» — Seth, según Roberts, da a las células caracteres sociales y niega personificarlas: el deseo de comunicación y movimiento no es propio del hombre ni de los animales, y el afán humano de viajar a otros mundos es tan natural como el de la planta que gira sus hojas al sol
«Man’s physical world, with all of its civilizations and cultural aspects, and even with its technologies and sciences, basically represents the species’ innate drive to communicate, to move outward, to create, and to objectify sensed inner realities.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del mundo físico del hombre, con sus civilizaciones, tecnologías y ciencias, la expresión de un impulso innato de la especie a comunicar, moverse, crear y objetivar realidades interiores sentidas
«The most private life imaginable is a very social affair. The most secluded recluse must still depend upon the biological sociability of not only his own body cells, but of the natural world with all of its creatures. The body, then, no matter how private, is also a public, social, biological statement.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la vida más privada imaginable un asunto social, porque hasta el recluso depende de la sociabilidad biológica de sus células y del mundo natural
«The individual body is what it is because it exists in the context of others like it. By this I mean that a given present body presupposes a biological past of like creatures.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que el cuerpo individual presuponga un pasado biológico de criaturas semejantes; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo y la frase sigue con los contemporáneos
«A spoken sentence has a certain structure in any language. It presupposes a mouth and a tongue, the kind of physical organization necessary; a mind; a certain kind of world in which sounds have meaning; and a very precise, quite practical knowledge of the nature of sounds, the combination of their patterns, the use of repetition, and a knowledge of the nervous system. Few of my readers possess such conscious knowledge, yet the majority speak quite well.» — Seth, según Roberts, desglosa lo que una frase hablada presupone —boca, lengua, mente, un mundo donde los sonidos signifiquen, un saber preciso de sonidos y sistema nervioso— y observa que casi nadie posee ese saber conscientemente y casi todos hablan bien
«The body is geared then to act. It is pragmatically practical, and above all it wants to explore and to communicate. Communication implies a social nature. The body has within it inherently everything necessary for its own defense. The body itself will tease the child to speak, to crawl and walk, to seek its fellows.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace al cuerpo orientado a la acción, a la exploración y a la comunicación, y le atribuye el impulso que provoca al niño a hablar, gatear, caminar y buscar a sus semejantes
«At cellular levels the world exists with a kind of social interchange, in which the birth and death of cells are known to all others, and in which the death of a frog and a star gain equal weight.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe un intercambio social en el nivel celular donde el nacimiento y la muerte de las células se saben, y la muerte de una rana y la de una estrella pesan igual
«This inner environment is as pertinent and vital to the species’ well-being as is the physical one. It represents the psychic, mass bank of potential, even as the planet provides a physical bank of potential.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del ambiente interior de comunicación algo tan vital para la especie como el físico, y un banco de potencial psíquico de masa
«When there is an earthquake in another area of the world, the land mass in your own country is in one way or another affected. When there are psychic earthquakes in other areas of the world, then you are also affected, and usually to the same degree.» — Seth, según Roberts, empareja el terremoto en otro país con el terremoto psíquico en otra parte del mundo, y afirma que los dos afectan al lector en el mismo grado
«An earthquake can be a disaster in the area where it occurs, even though its existence corrects imbalances, and therefore promotes the life of the planet.» — Seth, según Roberts, sostiene que el terremoto es a la vez desastre local y corrección de desequilibrios que promueve la vida del planeta
«The physical eruption, while it may appear to be a disaster in the area of the disease, is also, however, a part of the body’s defense system, taken to insure the whole balance of the body. Biologically, illness therefore represents the overall body defense system at work.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la enfermedad, biológicamente, el sistema de defensa del cuerpo entero en marcha
«I am trying to put this simply — but without some illnesses, the body could not endure.» — Seth, según Roberts, enuncia la tesis más dura del capítulo: sin algunas enfermedades el cuerpo no podría durar
«At biological levels the body often produces its own “preventative medicine,” or “inoculations,” by seeking out, for example, new or foreign substances in its environment [that are] due to nature, science or technology; it assimilates such properties in small doses, coming down with an “illness” which, left alone, would soon vanish as the body utilized what it could [of it], or socialized “a seeming invader.”» — Seth, según Roberts, describe una inoculación que el propio cuerpo se administra: asimila en dosis pequeñas sustancias extrañas y con eso produce una enfermedad que, dejada en paz, se desvanecería
«The body, however, exists with the mind to contend with — and the mind produces an inner environment of concepts. The cells that compose the body do not try to make sense of the cultural world. They rely upon your interpretation, therefore, for the existence of threats of a nonbiological nature. So they depend upon your assessment.» — Seth, según Roberts, señala el punto débil del arreglo: las células no intentan entender el mundo cultural y dependen de la interpretación de su dueño para saber qué es amenaza no biológica
«The body will, therefore, react to imagined dangers to some degree, as well as to those that are biologically pertinent. Its defense system often becomes overexerted as a result.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de esa dependencia la reacción del cuerpo a los peligros imaginados y la sobreexigencia de su sistema de defensa
«The biological basis of all life is a loving, divine and cooperative one, and presupposes a safe physical stance from which any member of any species feels actively free to seek out its needs and to communicate with others of its kind.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara amorosa, divina y cooperativa la base biológica de toda vida, y le supone una postura física segura desde la cual cada miembro de cada especie busca sus necesidades
«It is fashionable to believe that the animals do not possess imagination, but this is a quite erroneous belief. They anticipate mating, for example, before its time. They all learn through experience, and despite all of your concepts, learning is impossible without imagination at any level.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega la creencia de moda de que los animales carezcan de imaginación y hace imposible cualquier aprendizaje sin ella
«In your terms, the imagination of the animals is limited. Theirs is not merely confined to the elements of previous experience, however. They can imagine events that have never happened to them. Man’s abilities in this respect are far more complicated, for in his imagination he deals with probabilities. In any given period of time, with one physical body, he can anticipate or perform an infinitely vaster number of events — each one remaining probable until he activates it.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota la imaginación animal sin confinarla a lo vivido, y reserva al hombre el trato con probabilidades, cada una probable hasta que la activa
«The body’s defense system is automatic, and yet to a certain degree it is a secondary rather than primary system, coming into mobilization as such only when the body is threatened.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del sistema de defensa un sistema secundario y no primario, que se moviliza solo ante la amenaza
«The body’s main purpose is not only to survive but to maintain a quality of existence at certain levels, and that quality itself promotes health and fulfillment.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone la calidad de la existencia junto a la supervivencia como propósito del cuerpo, y hace de esa calidad lo que promueve la salud
«You might be reading a newspaper headline, for example, as you cross a busy street. Long before you are consciously aware of the circumstances, your body might leap out of the path of an approaching car. The body is doing what it is supposed to do. Though consciously you were not afraid, there was a biologically pertinent fear that was acted upon.» — Seth, según Roberts, ilustra el miedo biológicamente pertinente con el cuerpo que salta del paso de un coche antes de que la consciencia se entere
«If, however, you dwell mentally in a generalized environment of fear, the body is given no clear line of action, allowed no appropriate response.» — Seth, según Roberts, opone a ese miedo específico el ambiente mental de miedo generalizado, que no da al cuerpo línea de acción ni respuesta apropiada
«A cat does not anticipate danger from a penned dog four blocks away, however, nor bother wondering what would happen if that dog were to escape and find the cat’s cozy yard.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone al gato como contraejemplo: no anticipa el peligro del perro encerrado a cuatro cuadras ni se pregunta qué pasaría si se soltara
«The mind then signals threat — but a threat that is nowhere physically present, so that the body cannot clearly respond. It therefore reacts to a pseudothreatening situation, and is caught between gears, so to speak, with resulting biological confusion. The body’s responses must be specific.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe al cuerpo atrapado entre engranajes ante una amenaza pseudoamenazante, y exige que las respuestas del cuerpo sean específicas
«Left alone, the body can defend itself against any disease, but it cannot defend itself appropriately against an exaggerated general fear of disease on the individual’s part.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede al cuerpo la defensa contra cualquier enfermedad y le niega la defensa contra el miedo exagerado y general a enfermar
«Usually, now, your entire medical systems literally generate as much disease as is cured — for you are everywhere hounded by the symptoms of various diseases, and filled with the fear of disease, overwhelmed by what seems to be the body’s propensity toward illness — and nowhere is the body’s vitality or natural defense system stressed.» — Seth, según Roberts, sostiene que los sistemas médicos generan tanta enfermedad como curan, porque rodean de síntomas y de miedo sin subrayar nunca la vitalidad ni la defensa natural del cuerpo
«Private disease, then, happens also in a social context. This context is the result of personal and mass beliefs that are intertwined at all cultural levels» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa la enfermedad privada en contexto social y la hace resultado de creencias personales y de masa entrelazadas en todos los niveles culturales; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo
«Old animals have their own dignity, and so should old» — Seth, según Roberts, reclama para los viejos la dignidad que concede a los animales viejos; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase termina en la siguiente
«Senility is a mental and physical epidemic — a needless one. You “catch” it because when you are young you believe that old people cannot perform. There are no inoculations against beliefs, so when young people with such beliefs grow old they become “victims.”2» — Seth, según Roberts, llama a la senilidad epidemia mental y física innecesaria, contagiada por la creencia juvenil de que los viejos no pueden desempeñarse; el *2* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«The kinds of diseases change through historical periods. Some become fashionable, others go out of style. All epidemics, however, are mass statements both biologically and psychically. They point to mass beliefs that have brought about certain physical conditions that are abhorrent at all levels. They often go hand-in-hand with war, and represent biological protests.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace variar las enfermedades por periodo histórico, con unas de moda y otras pasadas de moda, y lee toda epidemia como declaración de masa y protesta biológica
«Whenever the conditions of life are such that its quality is threatened, there will be such a mass statement. The quality of life must be at a certain level so that the individuals of a species — of any and all species — can develop.» — Seth, según Roberts, condiciona la declaración de masa a que la calidad de la vida esté amenazada, y exige cierto nivel para que los individuos de cualquier especie se desarrollen
«There simply must be, for example, a freedom to express ideas, an individual tendency, a worldwide social and political context in which each individual can develop his or her abilities and contribute to the species as a whole. Such a climate depends, however, upon many ideas not universally accepted — and yet the species is so formed that the biological importance of ideas cannot be stressed too strongly.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la libertad de expresar ideas y de un contexto social y político mundial que permita desarrollarlas un requisito biológico, y acota que muchas de esas ideas no son universalmente aceptadas
«More and more, the quality of your lives is formed through the subjective realities of your feelings and mental constructions. Again, beliefs that foster despair are biologically destructive. They cause the physical system to shut down. If mass action against appalling social or political conditions is not effective, then other means are taken, and these are often in the guise of epidemics or natural disasters. The blight is wiped out in one way or another.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace destructivas biológicamente las creencias que fomentan la desesperación y sitúa la epidemia o el desastre natural como el otro camino cuando la acción de masa contra las condiciones no funciona
«Such conditions, however, are the results of beliefs, which are mental, and so the most vital work must always be done in that area.» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra la sesión 804 devolviendo el trabajo al terreno de las creencias, que declara mental
«An animal has a sense of its own biological integrity. So does a child. In all forms of life each individual is born into a world already provided for it, with circumstances favorable to its growth and development; a world in which its own existence rests upon the equally valid existence of all other individuals and species, so that each contributes to nature’s whole.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre la sesión 805 atribuyendo a animal y niño un sentido de la propia integridad biológica, y hace descansar la existencia de cada quien en la de todos los demás individuos y especies
«Survival, of course, is important, but it is not the prime purpose of a species, in that it is a necessary means by which that species can attain its main goals. Of course [a species] must survive to do so, but it will, however, purposefully avoid survival if the conditions are not practically favorable to maintain the quality of life or existence that is considered basic.» — Seth, según Roberts, quita a la supervivencia el rango de propósito primero y la vuelve medio; y hace que una especie evite deliberadamente sobrevivir si las condiciones no sostienen la calidad de existencia tenida por básica
«A species that senses a lack of this quality can in one way or another destroy its offspring — not because they could not survive otherwise, but because the quality of that survival would bring about vast suffering, for example, so distorting the nature of life as to almost make a mockery of it.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica la destrucción de la propia cría no por incapacidad de sobrevivir sino porque la calidad de esa supervivencia traería sufrimiento que haría burla de la vida
«Each species seeks for the development of its abilities and capacities in a framework in which safety is a medium for action. Danger in that context exists under certain conditions clearly known to the animals, clearly defined: The prey is known, for example, as is the hunter. But even the natural prey of another animal does not fear the “hunter” when the hunter animal is full of belly, nor will the hunter then attack.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la seguridad el medio de la acción y sitúa el peligro animal en condiciones claramente definidas: la presa no teme al cazador saciado y el cazador saciado no ataca
«There are also emotional interactions among the animals that completely escape you, and biological mechanisms, so that animals felled as natural prey by other animals “understand” their part in nature. They do not anticipate death before it happens, however. The fatal act propels the consciousness out from the flesh, so that in those terms it is merciful.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a los animales presa una comprensión de su papel en la naturaleza y les niega la anticipación de la muerte; el acto fatal expulsa la consciencia de la carne y por eso lo llama misericordioso
«The animal knows he has the right to exist, and a place in the fabric of nature. This sense of biological integrity supports him.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye al animal el saber de su derecho a existir y de su lugar en la trama de la naturaleza, y hace de ese sentido de integridad biológica su sostén
«Man, on the other hand, has more to contend with. He must deal with beliefs and feelings often so ambiguous that no clear line of action seems possible. The body often does not know how to react.» — Seth, según Roberts, opone al animal el hombre, que trata con creencias y sentimientos tan ambiguos que no dejan línea de acción clara y dejan al cuerpo sin saber cómo reaccionar
«If you believe that the body is sinful, for example, you cannot expect to be happy, and health will most likely elude you, for your dark beliefs will blemish the psychological and biological integrity with which you were born.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de la creencia en el cuerpo pecaminoso la infelicidad y la mala salud, porque mancha la integridad psicológica y biológica de nacimiento
«The species is in a state of transition, one of many. This one began, generally speaking, when the species tried to step apart from nature in order to develop the unique kind of consciousness that is presently your own. That consciousness is not a finished product, however, but one meant to change, [to] evolve and develop.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa a la especie en una transición que arrancó cuando intentó apartarse de la naturaleza para desarrollar esta clase de consciencia, y declara esa consciencia no terminada sino destinada a cambiar
«You must return, wiser creatures, to the nature that spawned you — not only as loving caretakers but as partners with the other species of the earth. You must discover once again the spirituality of your biological heritage.» — Seth, según Roberts, pide el regreso a la naturaleza no como cuidadores sino como socios de las demás especies, y el redescubrimiento de la espiritualidad de la herencia biológica
«The majority of accepted beliefs — religious, scientific, and cultural — have tended to stress a sense of powerlessness, impotence, and impending doom — a picture in which man and his world is an accidental production with little meaning, isolated yet seemingly ruled by a capricious God. Life is seen as “a valley of tears” — almost as a low-grade infection from which the soul can be cured only by death.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el cuadro que a su juicio dan las creencias aceptadas: impotencia, catástrofe inminente, un mundo accidental sin sentido gobernado por un Dios caprichoso, y la vida como valle de lágrimas o infección leve que solo la muerte cura
«During their lifetimes animals in their natural state enjoy their vigor and accept their worth. They regulate their own births — and their own deaths. The quality of their lives is such that their abilities are challenged.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a los animales en estado natural el goce de su vigor, la aceptación de su valía, la regulación de sus nacimientos y sus muertes, y una vida cuya calidad desafía sus facultades
«They will migrate if necessary to seek conditions more auspicious. They are aware of approaching natural disasters, and when possible will leave such areas. They will protect their own, and according to circumstances and conditions they will tend their own wounded.» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera lo que hacen los animales ante el peligro: migran, prevén los desastres naturales, dejan las zonas amenazadas, protegen a los suyos y atienden a sus heridos
«Religious, scientific, medical, and cultural communications stress the existence of danger, minimize the purpose of the species or of any individual member of it, or see mankind as the one erratic, half-insane member of an otherwise orderly realm of nature. Any or all of the above beliefs are held by various systems of thought. All of these, however, strain the individual’s biological sense of integrity, reinforce ideas of danger, and shrink the area of psychological safety that is necessary to maintain the quality possible in life. The body’s defense systems become confused» — Seth, según Roberts, acusa a las comunicaciones religiosas, científicas, médicas y culturales de subrayar el peligro y encoger el área de seguridad psicológica, con lo que los sistemas de defensa del cuerpo se confunden
«I do not intend to give a treatise upon the biological structures of the body and their interworkings, but only to add such information in that line that is not currently known, and is otherwise important to the ideas I have in mind. I am far more concerned [with] more basic issues. The body’s defenses will take care of themselves if they are allowed to, and if the psychological air is cleared of the true “carriers” of» — Seth, según Roberts, declara el alcance de su propio material sobre el cuerpo y cierra el capítulo 1 confiando las defensas a sí mismas si se limpia el aire psicológico de los verdaderos portadores de enfermedad; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo
«While in this book I will point out some of the unfortunate areas of private and mass experience, I will also provide some suggestions for effective solutions. “You get what you concentrate upon.”1 Your mental images bring about their own fulfillment. These are ancient dictums, but you must understand the ways in which your mass communication systems amplify both the “positive and the negative” issues.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre el capítulo 2 anunciando que además de señalar las zonas desafortunadas dará soluciones, y liga los dictados antiguos sobre la concentración y la imagen mental a la amplificación que hacen los sistemas de comunicación de masas
«Your beliefs have generated feelings of unworth. Having artificially separated yourselves from nature, you do not trust it, but often experience it as an adversary. Your religions granted man a soul, while denying any to other species. Your bodies then were relegated to nature and your souls to God, who stood immaculately apart from His creations.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva el sentimiento de indignidad de la separación artificial de la naturaleza, y reparte la culpa entre las religiones que dieron alma al hombre y se la negaron a las demás especies
«Your scientific beliefs tell you that your entire world happened accidentally. Your religions tell you that man is sinful: The body is not to be trusted; the senses can lead you astray. In this maze of beliefs you have largely lost a sense of your own worth and purpose.» — Seth, según Roberts, enfrenta las dos creencias que a su juicio se refuerzan: la del mundo accidental de la ciencia y la del hombre pecaminoso de la religión, y hace de su cruce la pérdida del sentido de valía y propósito
«The body cannot react to generalized threats. It is, therefore, put under constant strain in such circumstances, and seeks to specify the danger. It is geared to act in your protection. It builds up strong stresses, therefore, so that on many occasions a specific disease or threat situation is “manufactured” to rid the body of a tension grown too strong to bear.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica la fabricación de una enfermedad concreta como descarga de una tensión que el cuerpo ya no soporta, porque no puede reaccionar a una amenaza generalizada
«It is impossible to meditate without a goal, for that intent is itself a purpose. Unfortunately, many of your public health programs, and commercial statements through the various media, provide you with mass meditations of a most» — Seth, según Roberts, declara imposible meditar sin meta y de ahí pasa a llamar meditaciones de masa a los programas de salud pública y a los anuncios comerciales; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«I refer to those in which the specific symptoms of various diseases are given, in which the individual is further told to examine the body with those symptoms in mind.» — Seth, según Roberts, precisa a qué anuncios se refiere: a los que dan los síntomas de una enfermedad y piden examinarse el cuerpo con esos síntomas en mente
«The breast cancer suggestions associated with self-examinations have caused more cancers than any treatments have cured (most emphatically). They involve intense meditation of the body, and adverse imagery that itself affects the bodily cells.2» — Seth, según Roberts, sostiene que las sugerencias de autoexamen de cáncer de mama han causado más cánceres de los que los tratamientos curaron, y lo explica por la meditación intensa del cuerpo y la imaginería adversa; el *2* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«Your current ideas of preventative medicine, therefore, generate the very kind of fear that causes disease. They all undermine the individual’s sense of bodily security and increase stress, while offering the body a specific, detailed disease plan. But most of all, they operate to increase the individual sense of alienation from the body, and to promote a sense of powerlessness and duality.» — Seth, según Roberts, imputa a la medicina preventiva el miedo que produce enfermedad, la merma de la seguridad corporal, el aumento del estrés y la alienación del propio cuerpo
«Public health announcements about high blood pressure themselves raise the blood pressure of millions of television viewers» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a los anuncios de salud pública sobre la presión alta el efecto de subirle la presión a millones de televidentes
«Your “medical commercials” are equally disease-promoting. Many, meaning to offer you relief through a product, instead actually promote the condition through suggestion, thereby generating a need for the product itself.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que el anuncio del remedio promueva por sugestión la condición que dice aliviar, y genere así la necesidad del propio producto
«Nowhere do any medically-oriented commercial or public service announcements mention the body’s natural defenses, its integrity, vitality, or strength. Nowhere in your television or radio matter is any emphasis put upon the healthy. Medical statistics deal with the diseased. Studies upon the healthy are not carried out.» — Seth, según Roberts, observa que ningún anuncio médico menciona las defensas naturales ni la vitalidad del cuerpo, que las estadísticas médicas tratan del enfermo y que no se estudia al sano
«More and more foods, drugs, and natural environmental conditions are being added to the list of disease-causing elements. Different reports place dairy products, red meats, coffee, tea, eggs, and fats on the list. Period. Generations before you managed to subsist on many such foods, and they were in fact promoted as additive to health. Indeed, man almost seems to be allergic to his own natural environment, a prey to the weather itself.» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera los alimentos que se van poniendo en la lista de lo que enferma —lácteos, carnes rojas, café, té, huevos, grasas— y observa que generaciones anteriores subsistieron con ellos y los tenían por saludables
«It is true that your food contains chemicals it did not in years past. Yet within reason man is biologically capable of assimilating such materials, and using them to his advantage.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede que la comida lleve químicos que antes no llevaba y acota que dentro de lo razonable el hombre puede asimilarlos y usarlos a su favor
«When man feels powerless, however, and in a state of generalized fear, he can even turn the most natural earthly ingredients against himself.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del sentimiento de impotencia lo que vuelve dañinos hasta los ingredientes más naturales de la tierra
«In your culture, at least, the educated in the literary arts provide you with novels featuring antiheroes, and often portray an individual existence [as being] without meaning, in which no action is sufficient to mitigate the private puzzlement or anguish.» — Seth, según Roberts, incluye las artes y las ciencias entre las meditaciones de masa y señala la novela de antihéroes donde ninguna acción mitiga el desconcierto privado
«On the other hand your common, unlettered, violent television dramas do indeed provide a service, for they imaginatively specify a generalized fear in a given situation, which is then resolved through drama. Individual action counts. The plots may be stereotyped or the acting horrendous, but in the most conventional terms the “good” man wins.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede un servicio a los dramas televisivos violentos, porque especifican un miedo generalizado en una situación que se resuelve y donde la acción individual cuenta
«Such programs do indeed pick up the generalized fears of the nation, but they also represent folk dramas — disdained by the intelligentsia — in which the common man can portray heroic capabilities, act concisely toward a desired end, and triumph.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama a esos programas dramas populares desdeñados por la intelectualidad, en que el hombre común retrata capacidades heroicas
«Yet your more educated beliefs lead you to an even more pessimistic picture, in which even the violent action of men and women who are driven to the extreme serves no purpose. The individual must feel that his actions count. He is driven to violent action only as a last resort — and illness often is that last resort.» — Seth, según Roberts, achaca a las creencias más educadas un cuadro aún más pesimista donde ni la acción violenta sirve, y pone la enfermedad como último recurso del que necesita que su acción cuente
«The viewer can say: “Of course I feel panicky, unsafe, and frightened, because I live in such a violent world.” The generalized fear can find a reason [for its existence]. But the programs at least provide a resolution dramatically set, while the public health announcements continue to generate unease. Those mass meditations therefore reinforce negative conditions.» — Seth, según Roberts, contrapone el drama violento, que da razón al miedo y lo resuelve, al anuncio de salud pública, que genera desasosiego y refuerza la condición negativa
«At best the public service announcements introduce the doctor as mediator: You are supposed to take your body to a doctor as you take your car to a garage, to have its parts serviced. Your body is seen as a vehicle out of control, that needs constant scrutiny.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la figura que el anuncio propone: el médico como mediador y el cuerpo como vehículo fuera de control que se lleva a servicio como un coche al taller
«Now these medical beliefs are intertwined with your economic and cultural structures, so you cannot lay the blame upon medical men or their profession alone. Your economic well-being is also a part of your personal reality. Many dedicated doctors use medical technology with spiritual understanding, and they are themselves the victims of the beliefs they hold.» — Seth, según Roberts, retira la culpa a los médicos porque las creencias médicas van trenzadas con las estructuras económicas y culturales, y llama víctimas de esas creencias a los propios médicos dedicados
«If you do not buy headache potions, your uncle or your neighbor may be out of business and not able to support his family, and therefore lack the means to buy your wares. You cannot disconnect one area of life from another. En masse, your private beliefs form your cultural reality. Your society is not a thing in itself apart from you, but the result of the individual beliefs of each person in it.» — Seth, según Roberts, encadena el consumo del remedio con el sustento del vecino para negar que un área de la vida se desconecte de otra, y hace de la sociedad el resultado de las creencias individuales
«Many of your resurrected occult schools speak of a recommended death of desire, the annihilation of the ego, for the transmutation of physical elements to finer levels. In all such cases the clear spiritual and biological integrity of the individual suffers, and the precious immediacy of your moments is largely lost.» — Seth, según Roberts, incluye en la misma objeción a las escuelas ocultas resucitadas, que a su decir recomiendan la muerte del deseo y la aniquilación del ego, con perjuicio de la integridad espiritual y biológica del individuo
«Earth life is seen as murky, a dim translation of greater existence, rather than portrayed as the unique, creative, living experience that it should be. The body becomes disoriented, sabotaged. The clear lines of communication between spirit and body become cluttered. Individually and en masse, diseases and conditions result that are meant to lead you into other realizations.» — Seth, según Roberts, resume el efecto de todo eso: la vida terrena vista como traducción turbia de una existencia mayor, el cuerpo desorientado y saboteado, y las enfermedades resultantes como lo que ha de llevar a otras comprensiones
«Your religions stress sin. Your medical profession stresses disease. Your orderly sciences stress the chaotic and accidental theories of creation. Your psychologies stress men as victims of their» — Seth, según Roberts, alinea en una sola serie lo que a su juicio cada gremio subraya: pecado la religión, enfermedad la medicina, azar las ciencias y condicionamiento las psicologías; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase sigue con los pensadores más avanzados
«Your most advanced thinkers emphasize man’s rape of the planet, or focus upon the future disaster that will overtake the world, or see men once again as victims of the stars.» — Seth, según Roberts, remata la serie en la plana siguiente con los pensadores más avanzados, que a su decir subrayan la violación del planeta, el desastre futuro o el hombre otra vez víctima de los astros
«Do not confuse your [joint] position with anyone else’s. It is unique. Because it is, the possibilities are endless. If you magnify your limitations you create your own prisons. If you enjoy those freedoms that are yours now, you automatically increase them. You are in a clear position at this moment. You cannot expect a blissful time innocent of problems. That is not the nature of life or of existence.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión improvisada de Marathon que Butts recupera, enlaza la magnificación de las limitaciones con la propia cárcel y niega que quepa esperar un tiempo dichoso sin problemas; los corchetes son de Butts
«Your set of problems are of the most creative kind. They are challenges from which great potentials can emerge. Your full energy for work and your creative drives are released, and will be, as you creatively use and understand your problems. But do not concentrate upon them, nor let them close your eyes to the joys and freedoms that you have. You get what you concentrate upon. There is no other main rule» — Seth, según Roberts, en la misma sesión, llama creativos a los problemas de los dos y remata con la frase que Butts pegó en la pared: se obtiene aquello en que uno se concentra, y no hay otra regla principal
«We think that the dangers of negative suggestion are as real as the physical ones that are connected with the overuse of X-rays, say. Certainly some women have uncovered cancers through self-examinations, and in so doing perhaps saved their lives. There’s no way of knowing, though, what part negative suggestion might have played in their diseased conditions to begin with.» — Jane Roberts, en el texto que Butts imprime como nota 2 de la sesión 805 y le atribuye a ella, iguala el peligro de la sugestión negativa al del exceso de rayos X, concede que algunas mujeres descubrieron cánceres por autoexamen y deja sin saber qué parte tuvo la sugestión en la enfermedad misma
«With some women, not conducting regular self-examinations would rouse as many fears as doing them — and since those women’s beliefs follow official medical ones so strictly, they’re much better off with the examinations. In this and all instances regarding health, each woman should weigh all the evidence, examine her beliefs, and make her own decisions.» — Jane Roberts, en la misma nota, acota su propia objeción: a las mujeres cuyas creencias siguen de cerca las oficiales les conviene el autoexamen, y cada una debe pesar la evidencia, examinar sus creencias y decidir
«Because events do not exist in the concrete, done-and-finished versions about which you have been taught, then memory must also be a different story.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre la parte primera de la sesión 806 negando que los sucesos existan en versiones concretas y terminadas, y de ahí que la memoria sea otra cosa
«You must remember the creativity and the open-ended nature of events, for even in one life a given memory is seldom a “true version” of a past event. The original happening is experienced from a different perspective on the part of each person involved, of course, so that the event’s implications and basic meanings may differ according to the focus of each participant. That given event, in your terms happening for the first time, say, begins to “work upon” the participants. Each one brings to it his or her own background, temperament, and literally a thousand different colorations — so that the event, while shared by others, is still primarily original to each person.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que un recuerdo sea versión verdadera de un suceso pasado, porque cada participante lo vive desde su perspectiva y le trae mil coloraciones propias
«The moment it occurs, it begins to change as it is filtered through all of those other ingredients, and it is minutely altered furthermore by each succeeding event. The memory of an event, then, is shaped as much by the present as it is by the past.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que el suceso empiece a cambiar en el momento de ocurrir y que el recuerdo quede formado tanto por el presente como por el pasado
«In those terms, past or future-life memories usually remain like ghost images by contrast. Overall, this is necessary so that immediate body response can be focused in the time period you recognize. Other life memories are carried along, so to speak, beneath those other pulses — never, in certain terms, coming to rest so that they can be examined, but forming, say, the undercurrents upon which the memories of your current life ride.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa las memorias de otras vidas, pasadas o futuras, como imágenes fantasma y corrientes subterráneas sobre las que cabalgan las de la vida presente
«Often by purposefully trying to slow down your thought processes, or playfully trying to speed them up, you can become aware of memories from other lives — past or future.» — Seth, según Roberts, da un ejercicio: frenar o acelerar a propósito los procesos de pensamiento para hacerse consciente de memorias de otras vidas
«It would be most difficult to operate within your sphere of reality without the pretension of concrete, finished events. You form your past lives now in this life as surely as you form your future ones now also.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede la utilidad práctica de fingir sucesos concretos y terminados y en la misma frase sitúa la formación de las vidas pasadas y futuras en el ahora
«The memory, left alone, not structured, will shimmer, shake, take other forms, and transform itself before your [mental] eyes, so that its shape will seem like a psychological kaleidoscope through whose focus the other events of your life will also shimmer and change. Such a memory exercise can also serve to bring in other-life memories. Edges, corners, and reflections will appear, however, perhaps superimposed upon memories that you recognize as belonging to this life.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el ejercicio de no estructurar un recuerdo: el recuerdo tiembla y se transforma como un caleidoscopio psicológico, y por ahí asoman memorias de otras vidas superpuestas a las de esta
«In a quiet moment, off guard, you might remember an event from this life, but there may be a strange feeling to it, as if something about it, some sensation, does not fit into the time slot in which the event belongs. In such cases that [present-life] memory is often tinged by another, so that a future or past life memory sheds its cast upon the recalled event. There is a floating quality about one portion of the memory.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la señal del recuerdo contaminado: una sensación que no encaja en el tiempo al que el suceso pertenece, con una parte del recuerdo flotando
«This happens more often than is recognized, because usually you simply discount the feeling of strangeness, and drop the part of the memory that does not fit. Such instances involve definite bleedthroughs, however.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a que se descarta la parte que no encaja el que esas filtraciones pasen desapercibidas
«Clues also appear in the dreaming state, with greater frequency, because then you are already accustomed to that kind of floating sensation in which events can seem to happen in their own relatively independent context.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa en el sueño la mayor frecuencia de esas pistas, porque ahí ya se está acostumbrado a la sensación flotante
«In certain terms the past, present, and future [of your present life] are all compressed in any given moment of your experience. Any such moment is therefore a gateway into all of your existence.» — Seth, según Roberts, comprime pasado, presente y futuro en cualquier momento de la experiencia y hace de ese momento una puerta a la existencia entera; los corchetes son de Butts
«Each moment is then like a mosaic, only in your current life history you follow but one color or pattern, and ignore the others. As I have mentioned [in other books], you can indeed change the present to some extent by purposefully altering a memory event. That kind of synthesis can be used in many instances with many people.» — Seth, según Roberts, compara cada momento con un mosaico del que se sigue un solo color, y propone alterar a propósito un suceso recordado para cambiar el presente
«Such an exercise is not some theoretical, esoteric, impractical method, but a very precise, volatile, and dynamic way of helping the present self by calming the fears of a past self. That past self is not hypothetical, either, but still exists, capable of being reached and of changing its reactions.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara el ejercicio práctico y no esotérico, y sostiene que el yo pasado no es hipotético sino existente y alcanzable
«You do not need a time machine to alter the past or the future.» — Seth, según Roberts, remata el argumento negando que haga falta una máquina del tiempo para alterar el pasado o el futuro
«Not only are memories not “dead,” they are themselves ever-changing. Many alter themselves almost completely without your notice.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara los recuerdos vivos y siempre cambiantes, y muchos alterándose casi por completo sin que uno lo note
«In his (unpublished) apprentice novels, Ruburt (Jane) did two or three versions of an episode with a priest he had known in his youth. Each version at the time he wrote it represented his honest memory of the event. While the bare facts were more or less the same, the entire meaning and interpretation of each version differed so drastically that those differences far outweighed the similarities.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone como prueba las novelas de aprendizaje inéditas de ella, donde un mismo episodio con un sacerdote se escribió dos o tres veces y cada versión era su memoria honesta, con los hechos casi iguales y el sentido muy distinto; el paréntesis con el nombre es de Butts
«The point is that past events grow. They are not finished. With that in mind, you can see that future lives are very difficult to explain from within your framework.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara que los sucesos pasados crecen y no están terminados, y de ahí la dificultad de explicar las vidas futuras desde el marco del lector
«A completed life in your terms is no more completed or done than any event. There is simply a cutoff point in your focus from your framework, but it is as artificial as, basically, perspective is applied to painting.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que una vida completada esté más terminada que cualquier suceso y hace del punto de corte algo tan artificial como la perspectiva aplicada a la pintura
«It is not that the inner self is not aware of all of this, but that it has already chosen a framework, or a given frame of existence, that emphasizes certain kinds of experience over others.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que el yo interior sí sabe todo esto y que ha elegido un marco de existencia que subraya ciertas clases de experiencia
«Were you born once in winter, in Europe’s ice and snow, when villages were dark at night and wolves roamed the towering hills? Or dark-skinned, did your swaddling cry pierce Egypt’s early dawn? How many birthdays come and gone, how many homelands, each your own?» — Jane Roberts, en el poema de cumpleaños para Butts que él imprime en la nota 2 de la sesión 806, pregunta por los nacimientos de él en el hielo de Europa o en el alba de Egipto, y cuenta cuántas patrias y cuántos cumpleaños
«While Ruburt was working at one of his books a few days ago, he heard a public service announcement. The official told all listeners that the flu season had officially begun. He sternly suggested that the elderly and those with certain diseases make appointments at once for flu shots.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 814 del 8 de octubre de 1977, cuenta el anuncio de servicio público que ella oyó, donde un funcionario declaraba abierta la temporada de gripe y mandaba a los viejos y enfermos a vacunarse
«“The flu season” is in a way an example of a psychologically-manufactured pattern that can at times bring about a manufactured epidemic.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama a la temporada de gripe un patrón fabricado psicológicamente que puede traer a veces una epidemia fabricada
«Behind such announcements there is the authority of the medical profession, and the very authority of your systems of communication as well. You cannot question the voice over the radio. It is disembodied and presumes to know.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa detrás del anuncio la autoridad de la profesión médica y la de los propios sistemas de comunicación, con una voz incorpórea que presume saber
«Once again, the elderly were singled out. It seems obvious that they are more susceptible to diseases. That susceptibility is a medical fact of life. It is a fact, however, without a basic foundation in the truth of man’s biological reality. It is a fact brought about through suggestion. The doctors see the bodily results, which are quite definite, and then those results are taken as evidence.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede que la susceptibilidad de los viejos sea un hecho médico y le niega fundamento en la realidad biológica del hombre, atribuyéndola a la sugestión y a que los resultados se tomen por evidencia
«Here, you have, however, what almost amounts to a social program for illness — the flu season. A mass meditation, it has an economic structure in back of it: The scientific and medical foundations are involved. Not only this, however, but the economic concerns, from the largest pharmacies to the tiniest drugstores, the supermarkets and the corner groceries — all of these elements are involved.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la temporada de gripe como programa social para la enfermedad, con una estructura económica detrás que va de las farmacias grandes a las tiendas de la esquina
«You are literally expected to come down with the flu. It can serve as an excuse for not facing many kinds of problems. Many people are almost consciously aware of what they are doing. All they have to do is pay attention to the suggestions offered so freely by the society. The temperature does rise. Concern causes the throat to become dry. Dormant viruses — which up to now have done no harm — are activated.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la gripe una excusa esperada para no encarar problemas, y liga la preocupación con la garganta seca y la activación de virus antes inofensivos
«Christianity has become, however, a tangled sorry tale, its cohesiveness largely vanished. Such a religion becomes isolated from daily life. Many individuals cannot unify the various areas of their belief and feeling, and at Christmas they partially recognize the vast gulf that exists between their scientific beliefs and their religious beliefs. They find themselves unable to cope with such a mental and spiritual dilemma.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el cristianismo como relato enredado y triste, aislado de la vida diaria, y sitúa en la Navidad el reconocimiento del abismo entre las creencias científicas y las religiosas
«So the Christmas season carries a man’s hopes in your society, and the flu season mirrors his fears and shows the gulf between the two.» — Seth, según Roberts, empareja las dos temporadas: la de Navidad lleva las esperanzas y la de gripe refleja los miedos, y entre ellas se ve el abismo
«In a few isolated areas of the world even today, the old are not disease-ridden, nor do their vital signs weaken. They remain quite healthy until the time of death.» — Seth, según Roberts, opone al hecho médico unas pocas zonas aisladas donde los viejos no están cargados de enfermedad ni se les debilitan los signos vitales, y siguen sanos hasta la muerte
«Their belief systems, therefore, you must admit, are quite practical. Nor are they surrounded by medical professions.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama prácticos a los sistemas de creencias de esas zonas y observa que ahí tampoco hay profesiones médicas alrededor
«The inoculations themselves do little good overall, and they can be potentially dangerous, particularly when they are given to prevent an epidemic which has not in fact occurred. They may have specific value, but overall they are detrimental,» — Seth, según Roberts, declara de poco provecho las inoculaciones y potencialmente peligrosas, sobre todo cuando previenen una epidemia que no ocurrió; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase sigue con la confusión de mecanismos corporales
«confusing bodily mechanisms and setting off other biological reactions that might not show up, say, for some time.5» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra esa frase en la plana siguiente con las reacciones biológicas que podrían no aparecer hasta más tarde; el *5* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«Christianity has conventionally treated illness as the punishment of God, or as a trial sent by God, to be borne stoically. It has considered man a sinful creature, flawed by original sin, forced to work by the sweat of his brow.» — Seth, según Roberts, resume el trato convencional del cristianismo con la enfermedad: castigo de Dios o prueba enviada por Dios, y el hombre como criatura pecaminosa marcada por el pecado original
«Science has seen man as an accidental product of an uncaring universe, a creature literally without a center of meaning, where consciousness was the result of a physical mechanism that only happened to come into existence, and that had no reality outside of that structure. Science has at least been consistent in that respect.» — Seth, según Roberts, resume la posición de la ciencia —el hombre como producto accidental de un universo indiferente y la consciencia como resultado de un mecanismo físico— y le concede al menos consistencia
«Christianity, however, officially asks children of sorrow to be joyful and sinners to find a childlike purity; it asks them to love a God who one day will destroy the world, and who will condemn them to hell if they do not adore him.» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera lo que a su juicio el cristianismo pide a la vez: alegría a los hijos del dolor, pureza a los pecadores y amor a un Dios que destruirá el mundo y condenará a quien no lo adore
«You cannot divorce your private value systems from your health, and the hospitals often profit from the guilt that religions have instilled in their people.» — Seth, según Roberts, liga los sistemas de valores privados con la salud y sostiene que los hospitales sacan provecho de la culpa que las religiones inculcaron
«One of man’s strongest attributes is religious feeling. It is the part of psychology most often overlooked. There is a natural religious knowledge with which» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del sentimiento religioso uno de los atributos más fuertes del hombre y la parte de la psicología que más se pasa por alto; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo y la frase sigue con el saber religioso natural de nacimiento
«Life is a gift (and not a curse). I am a unique, worthy creature in the natural world, which everywhere surrounds me, gives me sustenance, and reminds me of the greater source from which I myself and the world both emerge. My body is delightfully suited to its environment, and comes to me, again, from that unknown source which shows itself through all of the events of the physical world.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone en palabras esa espiritualidad biológica: la vida como don y no como maldición, el individuo como criatura única y digna del mundo natural, y el cuerpo como venido de una fuente desconocida
«That feeling gives the organism the optimism, the joy, and the ever-abundant energy to grow. It encourages curiosity and creativity, and places the individual in a spiritual world and a natural one at once.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a ese sentimiento el optimismo, el gozo y la energía para crecer, y sitúa al individuo a la vez en un mundo espiritual y en uno natural
«Organized religions are always attempts to redefine that kind of feeling in cultural terms. They seldom succeed because they become too narrow in their concepts, too dogmatic, and the cultural structures finally overweigh the finer substance within them.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de las religiones organizadas intentos de redefinir ese sentimiento en términos culturales, y explica su fracaso por estrechez y dogma
«The more tolerant a religion is, the closer it comes to expressing those inner truths. The individual, however, has a private biological and spiritual integrity that is a part of man’s heritage, and is indeed any creature’s right.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la tolerancia la medida de cuánto expresa una religión esas verdades interiores, y deja la integridad biológica y espiritual privada como derecho de toda criatura
«Man cannot mistrust his own nature and at the same time trust the nature of God, for God is his word for the source of his being — and if his being is tainted, then so must be his God.» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra el argumento con una equivalencia: si el propio ser está viciado, también ha de estarlo el Dios que es la palabra para la fuente de ese ser
«Your private beliefs merge with those of others, and form your cultural reality. The distorted ideas of the medical profession or the scientists, or of any other group, are not thrust upon you, therefore. They are the result of your mass beliefs — isolated in the form of separate disciplines.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que las ideas distorsionadas de médicos o científicos se impongan desde fuera: son las creencias de masa aisladas en forma de disciplinas separadas
«The idea of prevention is always based upon fear — for you do not want to prevent something that is joyful. Often, therefore, preventative medicine causes what it hopes to avoid.» — Seth, según Roberts, funda la idea de prevención en el miedo, porque nadie quiere prevenir algo gozoso, y de ahí que la medicina preventiva cause a menudo lo que espera evitar
«There are also cases where alterations occur after inoculation, so that for a while people actually become carriers of diseases, and can infect others.» — Seth, según Roberts, consigna los casos en que la inoculación altera al inoculado hasta volverlo por un tiempo portador que puede contagiar
«There are individuals who very rarely get ill whether or not they are inoculated, and who are not sensitive in the health area. I am not implying, therefore, that all people react negatively to inoculations.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota su propia objeción: hay quienes rara vez enferman, estén inoculados o no, y no implica que todos reaccionen mal a la inoculación
«In the most basic of terms, however, inoculations do no good, either, though I am aware that medical history would seem to contradict me.» — Seth, según Roberts, sostiene en los términos más básicos que la inoculación no hace bien alguno, y admite en la misma frase que la historia médica parecería contradecirlo
«At certain times, and most particularly at the birth of medical science in modern times, the belief in inoculation, if not by the populace then by the doctors, did possess the great strength of new suggestion and hope — but I am afraid that scientific medicine has caused as many new diseases as it has cured.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede a la creencia en la inoculación la fuerza de la sugestión nueva en los comienzos de la medicina moderna, y sostiene que la medicina científica ha causado tantas enfermedades nuevas como las que curó
«Physicians, of course, are also constantly at the beck and call of many people who will take no responsibility at all for their own well-being, who will plead for operations they do not need. The physician is also visited by people who do not want to get well, and use the doctor and his methods as justification for further illness, saying: “The doctor is no good,” or “The medicine will not work,” therefore blaming the doctor for a way of life they have no intention of changing.» — Seth, según Roberts, reparte también la responsabilidad hacia el paciente: quien no la asume, pide operaciones que no necesita o usa al médico como justificación de más enfermedad
«The physician is also caught between his religious beliefs and his scientific beliefs. Sometimes these conflict, and sometimes they only serve to deepen his feelings that the body, left alone, will get any disease possible.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa al médico entre sus creencias religiosas y las científicas, que a veces chocan y a veces solo ahondan su idea de que el cuerpo dejado en paz enfermará
«In this country, your tax dollars go for many medical experiments and preventative-medicine drives — because you do not trust the good intent of your own bodies. In the same way, your government funds [also] go into military defenses to prevent war, because if you do not trust your own body’s good intent toward you, you can hardly trust any good intent on the part of your fellow men.» — Seth, según Roberts, empareja el gasto en medicina preventiva con el gasto en defensa militar y los deriva de la misma desconfianza en la buena intención del propio cuerpo
«In fact, then, preventative medicine and outlandish expenditures for preventative defense are quite similar. In each case there is the anticipation of disaster — in one case from the familiar body, which can be attacked by deadly diseases at any time, and is seemingly at least without defenses; and in the other case from the danger without: exaggerated, ever-threatening, and ever to be contended with.» — Seth, según Roberts, iguala las dos formas de prevención por la anticipación del desastre que las mueve, dentro del cuerpo o fuera de las fronteras
«Disease must be combatted, fought against, assaulted, wiped out. In many ways the body becomes almost like an alien battleground, for many people trust it so little that it becomes highly suspect. Man then seems pitted against nature.» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera los verbos de guerra con que se habla de la enfermedad y describe el cuerpo vuelto campo de batalla ajeno, con el hombre enfrentado a la naturaleza
«Some people think of themselves as patients, as others, for example, might think of themselves as students. Such people are those who are apt to take preventative measures against whatever disease is in fashion or in season, and hence take the brunt of medicine’s unfortunate aspects, when there is no cause.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a quienes se piensan a sí mismos como pacientes y toman medidas preventivas contra la enfermedad de moda sin causa alguna
«When it saves lives, it does so because of the intuitive healing understanding of the physician, or because the» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye las vidas salvadas a la comprensión curativa intuitiva del médico; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase sigue con el paciente convencido de su propia valía
«There is, incidentally, a Framework 3 and a Framework 4, in the terms of our discussion — but all such labels are, again, only for the sake of explanation. The realities are merged.» — Seth, según Roberts, en una sesión privada que Butts cita en la nota 3 de la sesión 814, nombra un Marco 3 y un Marco 4 y advierte que las etiquetas son solo para explicar, porque las realidades están fundidas
«Ruburt and Joseph have recently purchased a color television set, so now their television world is no longer in black and white. I have used television as an analogy at various times, and I would like to do so again, to show the ways in which physical events are formed, and to try to describe the many methods used by individuals in choosing those particular events that will be personally encountered.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 815 del 17 de diciembre de 1977, toma la televisión recién comprada por los dos como analogía para explicar cómo se forman los sucesos físicos y cómo se eligen
«Not only does television actually serve as a mass means of communal meditation, but it also presents you with highly detailed, manufactured dreams, in which each viewer shares to some extent.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la televisión a la vez un medio de meditación comunal de masa y un surtidor de sueños fabricados con detalle que cada espectador comparte en parte
«As you do not know what happens in the television studio before you observe a program, however, so you do not know what happens in the creative framework of reality before you experience physical events. We will call that vast “unconscious” mental and universal studio Framework 2.» — Seth, según Roberts, nombra Marco 2 al estudio mental y universal inconsciente donde ocurre lo que precede a los sucesos físicos, como el estudio de televisión precede al programa
«In this book I will try to tell you what goes on behind the scenes — to show you the ways in which you choose your daily physical programs, and to describe how those personal choices mix and merge to form a mass reality.» — Seth, según Roberts, enuncia desde dentro el programa del libro: mostrar lo que pasa tras bambalinas, cómo se eligen los programas físicos diarios y cómo esas elecciones personales se funden en una realidad de masa
«Television interacts with your lives, but it does not cause your lives. It does not cause the events that it depicts. With your great belief in technology, it often seems to many people that television causes violence, for example, or that it causes a love of overmaterialism, or that it causes “loose morals.” Television reflects. In a manner of speaking it does not even distort, though it may reflect distortions.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que la televisión cause la violencia, el materialismo o la moral floja que muestra, y le concede reflejar distorsiones sin distorsionar
«The writers and actors of television dramas are attuned to the “mass mind.” They are not leaders or followers. They are creative reflectors, acutely aware of the overall, generalized emotional and psychic patterns of the age.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a escritores y actores como reflectores creativos, ni líderes ni seguidores, sintonizados con la mente de masa y con los patrones emocionales de la época
«On a conscious level, and with your conscious reserves alone, you could not keep your body alive an hour. You would not know how to do it, for your life flows through you automatically and spontaneously.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que con las reservas conscientes solas se pudiera mantener vivo el cuerpo una hora, porque la vida fluye automática y espontáneamente
«We will call the world as you physically experience it, Framework 1. In Framework 1, you watch television programs, for example. You have your choice of» — Seth, según Roberts, nombra Marco 1 al mundo que se experimenta físicamente y lo ilustra con los programas de televisión; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«It reflects and rereflects through millions of homes the giant dreams and fears, the hopes and terrors of events in the most private individual.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la televisión un espejo que refleja y vuelve a reflejar por millones de casas los sueños gigantes, los miedos, las esperanzas y los terrores del individuo más privado
«You decide which of these adventures you want to take part in — and those you will experience in normal life, or in Framework 1.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la elección del suceso vivido algo del mismo orden que elegir qué programa ver, y sitúa esa experiencia en el Marco 1
«The inner mechanisms that happen prior to your experience will take place in the vast mental studio of Framework 2. There, all the details will be arranged, the seemingly chance encounters, for example, the unexplained coincidences that might have to occur before a given physical event takes place.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone en el Marco 2 los arreglos previos al suceso: los encuentros aparentemente casuales y las coincidencias inexplicadas
«Indeed, often the more concerned you become with your body the less smoothly it functions. In the spontaneity of your body’s operation there is obviously a fine sense of order.» — Seth, según Roberts, observa que el cuerpo funciona peor cuanto más se ocupa uno de él, y halla en su operación espontánea un orden fino
«Actors visit casting agencies so that they know what plays need their services. In your dreams you visit “casting agencies.” You are aware of the various plays being considered for physical production. In the dream state, then, often you familiarize yourself with dramas that are of a probable nature. If enough interest is shown, if enough actors apply, if enough resources are accumulated, the play will go on.» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende la analogía teatral al sueño: en el estado de sueño se visitan agencias de reparto y se conocen los dramas de naturaleza probable, y si hay bastante interés la obra se monta
«There are disaster films being planned, educational programs, religious dramas. All of these will be encountered in full-blown physical reality.» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera los géneros que se preparan en ese estudio interior —películas de desastre, programas educativos, dramas religiosos— y los hace encontrarse luego en realidad física
«Such events occur as a result of individual beliefs, desires, and intents. There is no such thing as a chance encounter. No death occurs by chance, nor any birth. In the creative atmosphere of Framework 2, intents are known. In a manner of speaking, no act is private.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega el encuentro casual, la muerte por azar y el nacimiento por azar, y declara que en la atmósfera creativa del Marco 2 las intenciones se saben y ningún acto es privado
«It is as if Framework 2 contains an infinite information service, that instantly puts you in contact with whatever knowledge you require, that sets up circuits between you and others, that computes probabilities with blinding speed. Not with the impersonality of a computer, however, but with a loving intent that has your best purposes in mind — yours and also those of each other individual.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el Marco 2 como servicio infinito de información que calcula probabilidades a velocidad cegadora, y le atribuye no la impersonalidad de una computadora sino una intención amorosa
«You cannot gain what you want at someone else’s detriment, then. You cannot use Framework 2 to force an event upon another person. Certain prerequisites must be met, you see, before a desired end can become physically experienced.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone el límite del método: no se obtiene lo propio en detrimento de otro ni se fuerza un suceso sobre otra persona desde el Marco 2
«They also make choices as to which plays they will take part in.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la elección del papel también un acto del actor; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase sigue con el papel favorito de cada uno, aunque sea el de inconforme
«To the actors, of course, their roles become strong parts of their personal experiences, while those who observe the plays take part largely as observers.» — Seth, según Roberts, distingue la participación del actor, para quien el papel se vuelve parte fuerte de su experiencia, de la del espectador, que toma parte como observador
«Yet that larger inner system of communications is far more powerful in scope, and each mental act is imprinted in» — Seth, según Roberts, declara el sistema interior de comunicaciones mucho más poderoso en alcance que el de los medios; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase sigue con la pantalla multidimensional del Marco 2
«That screen is available to all, and in other levels of consciousness, particularly in the sleep and dreaming stages, the events of that inner reality are as ever-present and easily accessible as physical events are when you are awake.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara esa pantalla disponible para todos y hace de los sucesos del Marco 2 algo tan presente y accesible en el sueño como los sucesos físicos en la vigilia
«I will try to begin work on our book in a more predictable fashion, while still maintaining our own discussions, and answering any questions you may have. I do want to use our Framework 2 material, however, in a more general fashion for the book.3» — Seth, según Roberts, anuncia dentro del dictado que trabajará el libro de manera más predecible y que usará el material de los Marcos de modo general; el *3* pegado al final es la llamada de una nota de Butts y el ancla se cortó ahí
«Before we discuss man’s and woman’s private roles in the nature of mass events — no matter what they are — we must first look into the medium in which events appear concrete and real. The great sweep of the events of nature can be understood only by looking into a portion of their reality that is not apparent to you. We want to examine, therefore, the inner power of natural occurrences.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre el capítulo 3 en la sesión 817 del 30 de enero de 1978 anunciando que antes de los papeles privados hay que mirar el medio en que los sucesos parecen concretos, y examinar la potencia interior de lo natural
«A scientist examining nature studies its exterior, observing the outsideness of nature. Even investigative work involving atoms and molecules, or [theoretical2] faster-than-light particles, concerns the particle nature of reality. The scientist does not usually look for nature’s heart. He certainly does not pursue the study of its soul.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa al científico en la exterioridad de la naturaleza y le niega la busca de su corazón y de su alma
«All being is manifestation of energy — an emotional manifestation of energy. Man can interpret the weather in terms of air pressure and wind currents. He can look to fault lines in an effort to understand earthquakes. All of this works at a certain level, to a certain degree. Man’s psyche, however, is emotionally not only a part of his physical environment, but intimately connected with all of nature’s manifestations.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de todo ser una manifestación emocional de energía, concede que la presión del aire y las fallas expliquen hasta cierto grado, y conecta la psique con las manifestaciones de la naturaleza
«Using the terms begun in the last chapter, I will say then that man’s emotional identification with nature is a strongly-felt reality in Framework 2. And there we must look for the answers regarding man’s relationship with nature. There in Framework 2 the nature of the psyche appears quite clearly, so that its sweeps and rhythms can be understood. The manifestations of physical energy follow emotional rhythms that cannot be ascertained with gadgets or instruments, however fine.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa en el Marco 2 la identificación emocional del hombre con la naturaleza, y hace seguir a las manifestaciones de energía física ritmos emocionales que ningún instrumento mide
«Why is one man killed and not another? Why does an earthquake disrupt an entire area? What is the relationship between the individual and such mass events of nature? Before we can begin to consider such questions, we must take another look at your own world, and ascertain its source, for surely its source and nature’s are the same.» — Seth, según Roberts, formula las preguntas del capítulo y las remite al origen del propio mundo, que declara idéntico al de la naturaleza
«The world’s ideas, fantasies, or myths may seem far divorced from current experience — yet all that you know or experience has its origin in that creative dimension of existence that I am terming Framework 2. In a manner of speaking your factual world rises on a bed of fantasy, myth, and imagination, from which all of your detailed paraphernalia emerge.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace descansar el mundo factual sobre un lecho de fantasía, mito e imaginación de donde sale toda la parafernalia detallada
«Myth is not a distortion of fact, but the womb through which fact must come. Myth involves an intrinsic understanding of the nature of reality, couched in imaginative terms, carrying a power as strong as nature itself.» — Seth, según Roberts, define el mito no como distorsión del hecho sino como la matriz por la que el hecho tiene que pasar, con un entendimiento intrínseco de la realidad en términos imaginativos
«Myth-making is a natural psychic characteristic, a psychic element that combines with other such elements to form a mythical representation of inner reality. That representation is then used as a model upon which your civilizations are organized, and also as a perceptual tool through whose lens you interpret the private events of your life in their historical context.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la creación de mitos una característica psíquica natural y del mito a la vez modelo de organización de las civilizaciones y lente para interpretar los sucesos privados
«When you accept myths you call them facts, of course, for they become so a part of your lives, of societies and your professions, that their basis seems self-apparent. Myths are vast psychic dramas, more truthful than facts. They provide an ever-enduring theater of reality.» — Seth, según Roberts, dice que los mitos aceptados se llaman hechos, y los declara dramas psíquicos vastos y más verdaderos que los hechos, un teatro perdurable de la realidad
«It must be clearly understood, then, that when I speak of myths I mean to imply the nature of psychic events whose enduring reality exists in Framework 2, and forms the patterns that are then interpreted in your world.» — Seth, según Roberts, precisa el sentido de su palabra mito: sucesos psíquicos cuya realidad perdura en el Marco 2 y forma los patrones que se interpretan en el mundo
«If someone is caught in a natural disaster, the following questions might be asked: “Am I being punished by God, and for what reason? Is the disaster the result of God’s vengeance?» — Seth, según Roberts, pone las dos preguntas que a su juicio suscita el desastre en el creyente: si es castigo de Dios y por qué razón
«A scientist might ask instead: “With better technology and information, could we somehow have predicted the disaster, and saved many lives?” He might try to dissociate himself from emotion, and to see the disaster simply as the result of a nonpersonal nature that did not know or care what lay in its path.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone junto a esa la pregunta del científico, que disocia la emoción y ve el desastre como una naturaleza impersonal que no sabía ni le importaba lo que había en su camino
«Myths are natural phenomena, rising from the psyche of man as surely as giant mountain ranges emerge from the physical planet. Their deeper reality exists, however, in Framework 2 as source material for the world that you know.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de los mitos fenómenos naturales que emergen de la psique como las cordilleras del planeta, con su realidad honda en el Marco 2 como material de origen
«In those terms, the great religions of your civilizations rise from myths that change their character through the centuries, even as mountain ranges rise and fall. You can see mountain ranges. It would be ridiculous to ignore their reality. You see your myths somewhat less directly, yet they are apparent within all of your activities, and they form the inner structures of all of your civilizations with their multitudinous parts.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace nacer las grandes religiones de mitos que cambian de carácter por los siglos como las cordilleras suben y caen, y les atribuye la estructura interna de las civilizaciones
«In those terms also, your science is also quite mythical in nature. This may be more difficult for some of you to perceive, since it appears to work so well.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara mítica también a la ciencia y concede que eso cueste más de ver porque la ciencia parece funcionar bien
«Others will be willing enough to see science in its mythical characteristics, but will be most reluctant to see religion as you know it in the same light.» — Seth, según Roberts, observa el reparto de la disposición a mirar: muchos aceptan el carácter mítico de la ciencia y se resisten a verlo en la religión
«Because you divorce yourselves from nature, you are not able to understand its manifestations. Often your myths get in the way.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de la separación de la naturaleza la incapacidad de entender sus manifestaciones, y pone a los mitos en el camino
«When myths become standardized, and too literal, when you begin to tie them too tightly to the world of facts, then you misread them entirely. When myths become most factual they are already becoming less real. Their power becomes constrained.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa el defecto no en el mito sino en su literalización: atado demasiado al mundo de los hechos se lee mal, y cuanto más factual se vuelve menos real es
«Facts are a very handy but weak brew of reality. They immediately consign certain kinds of experiences as real and others as not. The psyche, however, will not be so limited. It exists in a medium of reality, a realm of being in which all possibilities exist. It creates myths the way the ocean creates spray.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama a los hechos un brebaje manejable pero débil de realidad y opone a eso la psique, que existe en un medio donde caben todas las posibilidades y crea mitos como el océano crea espuma
«Myths are originally psychic fabrications of such power and strength that whole civilizations can rise from their source. They involve symbols and known emotional validities that are then connected to the physical world, so that that world is never the same again.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de los mitos fabricaciones psíquicas de tal fuerza que de su fuente pueden levantarse civilizaciones enteras, con símbolos y validez emocional conectados al mundo físico
«They cast their light over historical events because they are responsible for those events. They mix and merge the inner, unseen but felt, eternal psychic experience of man with the temporal events of his physical days, and form a combination that structures thoughts and beliefs from civilization to civilization.» — Seth, según Roberts, invierte la relación usual y hace a los mitos responsables de los sucesos históricos, por mezclar la experiencia psíquica eterna con los sucesos temporales
«The dreams, hopes, aspirations and fears of man interact in a constant motion that then forms the events of your world. That interaction includes not only man, of course, but the emotional reality of all earthly consciousnesses as well, from a microbe to a scholar, from a frog to a star.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que los sueños, esperanzas y miedos del hombre formen los sucesos del mundo en interacción constante, e incluye ahí la realidad emocional de toda consciencia terrestre, del microbio al erudito y de la rana a la estrella
«You interpret the phenomena of your world according to the mythic characteristics that you have accepted. You organize physical reality, then, through ideas. You use only those perceptions that serve to give those ideas validity.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que se organice la realidad física por ideas y que se usen solo las percepciones que dan validez a esas ideas
«The physical body itself is quite capable of putting the world together in different fashions than the one that is familiar to you.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede al propio cuerpo físico la capacidad de armar el mundo de otras maneras que la familiar
«You divorce yourselves from nature and nature’s intents far more than the animals do. Nature in its stormy manifestations seems like an adversary. You must either look for reasons outside of yourselves to explain what seems to be nature’s ill intent at such times, or its utter lack of concern.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el efecto de esa separación: la naturaleza tormentosa parece adversaria y hay que buscar fuera de uno la razón de su mala intención o de su indiferencia
«Science often says that nature cares little for the individual, only for the species, so then you must often see yourselves as victims in a larger struggle for survival, in which your own intents do not carry even the puniest sway.» — Seth, según Roberts, consigna lo que la ciencia dice sobre la indiferencia de la naturaleza hacia el individuo y el efecto de eso: verse como víctima en una lucha mayor donde las intenciones propias no pesan
«In explanation, I do not know exactly how to word this, but in a manner of speaking I take tours — through psychological realities, however, or through psychic lands rather than physical ones. Such journeys “take no time” in your terms. Yet for our sessions I must synchronize many activities, so that on some occasions I am with you, and I am also involved elsewhere.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 818 del 6 de febrero de 1978, describe sus propias ocupaciones: viajes por realidades psicológicas que no toman tiempo, y la sincronización que le exige estar a la vez ahí y en otra parte
«Knowledge is changed automatically through the auspices of each consciousness who perceives it. It is magnified and yet refined. It is a constant language, yet one that transforms itself.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que el conocimiento se transforme y casi renazca en cada consciencia que lo percibe, magnificado y a la vez refinado, como un lenguaje constante que se transforma a sí mismo
«You do not understand or perceive the ways in which your reality contributes to the foundation of the mass-world reality that you experience. Unconsciously, each individual participates in forming that world. In my case, however, I am aware of the same kind of activities, only in regard to many realities rather than one.2» — Seth, según Roberts, describe su propio oficio como el de cada quien al formar inconscientemente el mundo de masa, solo que respecto de muchas realidades y no de una; el troceo parte *mass-world* en fin de renglón y aquí se restituyó el guion, comprobado contra la fuente; el *2* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«While our meetings take place in your time, and in the physical space of your house, say, the primary encounter must be a subjective inner one, an intersection of consciousnesses that is then physically experienced.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa el encuentro primario de las sesiones en una intersección subjetiva de consciencias que luego se experimenta físicamente
«The encounters themselves occur in a Framework 3 environment. That framework of course, again in terms of an analogy, exists another step away from your own Framework 2.3 I do not want to get into a higher-or-lower hierarchy here, but the frameworks represent spheres of action.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa esos encuentros en un entorno de Marco 3 y rechaza expresamente una jerarquía de arriba y abajo: los marcos son esferas de acción
«I have already explained that sometimes I leave you a “tape.” Usually that takes care of any such instances. This evening, however, Ruburt somewhat sensed not only a distance but also the larger complications of my activities.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica la espera de una hora de esa noche: a veces deja una grabación, y esta vez ella percibió no solo distancia sino las complicaciones mayores de las actividades de él
«You are carried above the land of your usual perception so that portions of you glimpse subjective states. These arouse your curiosity even when consciously you are not aware of perceiving them. That curiosity acts as impetus.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el efecto de esos viajes: vislumbres de estados subjetivos que despiertan una curiosidad que no llega a la consciencia y que hace de ímpetu
«Yet of course you are also participators in an immense drama in which the main actions occur outside of your world, in those realms from which your world originated — and you are, foremost, natives of those other realms, as each individual is; as each being is.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa a los dos como participantes de un drama inmenso cuya acción principal ocurre fuera del mundo físico, y los llama ante todo nativos de esos otros reinos
«Portions of your consciousness are alive in mine, so you are to some extent carried along where I go, as motes of dust might be swept along with a brisk autumn» — Seth, según Roberts, dice que porciones de la consciencia de los dos viven en la suya y que por eso los arrastra en sus viajes como motas de polvo; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase remata con el viento de otoño
«Those realms are far from lonely, dark, and chaotic. They are also quite different from any concept of nirvana or nothingness. They are composed of ever-spiralling states of existence in which different kinds of consciousnesses meet and communicate. They are not impersonal realms, but are involved in the most highly intimate interactions.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que esos reinos sean solitarios, oscuros o caóticos, y también que se parezcan a un nirvana o a una nada: los describe como estados en espiral donde distintas clases de consciencia se comunican
«These frameworks, while I speak of them separately, exist one within the other, and each one impinges upon the other. To some extent you are immersed in all realities.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota su propia terminología: los marcos existen uno dentro de otro y cada uno choca con el otro, y se está inmerso en todas las realidades
«If you can, try to sense this greater context in which you have your being. Your rewards will be astonishing. The emotional realization is what is important, of course, not simply an intellectual acceptance of the idea.» — Seth, según Roberts, pide sentir el contexto mayor y distingue lo que importa, la realización emocional, de la mera aceptación intelectual de la idea
«Ruburt wanted material on this book, and that is well and good. The book is important. The book has its meaning in your world, but I do not want you to forget the vaster context in which these sessions originate.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede el valor del libro en el mundo del lector y pide no olvidar el contexto más vasto en que las sesiones se originan
«In your world knowledge must be translated into specifics, yet we also deal with emotional realities that cannot be so easily deciphered. In this session, in the words I speak — but more importantly in the atmosphere of the session — there are hints of those undecipherable yet powerful realities that will then, in your time, gradually be described in verbal terms that make sense to you.» — Seth, según Roberts, distingue lo traducible a específicos de las realidades emocionales que no se descifran, y sitúa las segundas en la atmósfera de la sesión más que en las palabras
«I feel like there’s a whole lot of material out there getting organized, but it just hasn’t gotten here yet. Weird … I don’t think I’ve ever felt quite this way before.» — Jane Roberts, citada por Butts durante la espera, describe la sensación de un material que se está organizando allá afuera y que aún no ha llegado
«I do not know if I have specifically mentioned it, but you should understand my constant state of growth, expansion, and development. Recall Ruburt’s episodes with the [psychic] library.1» — Seth, según Roberts, se describe en estado constante de crecimiento, expansión y desarrollo y remite a los episodios de la biblioteca psíquica de ella; el ancla se cortó en la llamada de nota de Butts y los corchetes también son suyos
«Those are examples of far lesser versions of my activities, and yet in those terms, and using an analogy, I travel to many great universities of the mind.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara esos episodios versiones mucho menores de sus propias actividades y compara las suyas con viajar a grandes universidades de la mente
«I have said that acts of creativity best approach the workings of Framework 2, for [those] acts always involve leaps of faith and inspiration, and the breaking of barriers.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 820 del 13 de febrero de 1978, hace de los actos de creatividad lo que más se acerca al funcionamiento del Marco 2, porque implican saltos de fe y ruptura de barreras
«Each of our books adds to the others. That includes Ruburt’s as well — and that also includes of course books not yet written, in your terms, so that the future books also influence what you think of as the past ones. Again, while appearing in your time, the contents of the books come from outside of your time.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que cada libro se sume a los otros, incluidos los aún no escritos, de modo que los libros futuros influyen sobre los que se tienen por pasados
«When an artist is painting a landscape, he might unconsciously compare hundreds of landscapes viewed in the past in multitudinous, seemingly forgotten hues that splashed upon the grass or trees, or as he seeks for a new creative combination. Art is his focus so that he draws from Framework 2 all of those pertinent data that are necessary for his painting. Not just technique is concerned, but the entire visual experience of his life.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe al pintor sacando del Marco 2 no solo la técnica sino la experiencia visual entera de su vida
«Framework 2 involves a far vaster creative activity, in which your life is the art involved — and all [of the] ingredients for its success are there, available. When you are creating a product or a work of art, the results will have much to do with your ideas of what the product is, or what the work of art is — so your ideas about your life, or life itself, will also have much to do with your experience of it as a living art.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la propia vida el arte de que trata el Marco 2, y liga la experiencia de vivirla a las ideas que se tengan sobre la vida misma
«If you believe in the laws of cause and effect, as accepted, or in the laws of polarity, as accepted (and explained in a letter we received today), then you will be bound by those laws, for they will represent your artistic technique. You will believe that you must use them in order to, say, paint the living portrait of your life. You will therefore structure your experience, drawing to yourself from Framework 2 only that which fits. You will not have the “technique” to attract other experience, and as long as you stick with one technique your life-pictures will more or less have a certain monotony.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de las leyes aceptadas de causa y efecto o de polaridad una técnica artística que limita lo que se puede atraer del Marco 2, con el resultado de una vida monótona
«When you pay attention to Framework 1 primarily, it is as if you have learned to write simple sentences with one word neatly before the other. You have not really learned true expression. In your life you are writing sentences like “See Tommy run.” Your mind is not really dealing with concepts but with the simple perception of objects» — Seth, según Roberts, compara la atención puesta solo en el Marco 1 con escribir frases simples como *See Tommy run*, donde la mente percibe objetos y no maneja conceptos
«In those terms, using our analogy, the recognition of Framework 2 would bring you from that point to the production of great art, where words served to express not only the seen but the unseen — not simply facts but feelings and emotions — and where the words themselves escaped their consecutive patterns, sending the emotions into realms that quite defied both space and time.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe lo que el reconocimiento del Marco 2 haría con esa analogía: pasar a un arte grande donde las palabras expresan lo no visto y escapan de su orden consecutivo
«It is not as if that vaster reality were utterly closed to your perception, for it is not. To some extent it is everywhere apparent in each person’s private experience, and it is obviously stated in the very existence of your world itself. The religions, in one way or another, have always perceived it, although the attempt to interpret that reality in terms of the recognized facts of the world is bound to distort it.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara esa realidad más vasta no cerrada a la percepción y concede que las religiones siempre la percibieron, con la salvedad de que interpretarla en hechos reconocidos la distorsiona
«Your world, then, is the result of a multidimensional creative venture, a work of art in terms almost impossible for you to presently understand, in which each person and creature, and each particle, plays a living part.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del mundo una empresa creativa multidimensional, una obra de arte en que cada persona, cada criatura y cada partícula desempeña un papel vivo
«Again, in Framework 2 each event is known, from the falling of a leaf to the falling of a star, from the smallest insect’s experience on a summer day to the horrendous murder of an individual on a city street. Those events each have their meaning in a larger pattern of activity.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara conocido en el Marco 2 cada suceso, de la caída de una hoja a la de una estrella y del insecto de un día de verano al asesinato horrendo en una calle
«Creativity does not deal with compartments. It throws aside barriers. Even most people who are involved in creative work often apply their additional insights and knowledge only to their art, however — not to their lives. Period. They fall back to cause and effect.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que la creatividad trate con compartimentos y observa que hasta los creadores aplican sus intuiciones a su arte y no a su vida, donde recaen en causa y efecto
«Your Framework 1 life is, again, based on the idea that you have only so much energy, that you will wear out, and that a certain expenditure of energy will produce a given amount of work — in other words, that applied effort of a certain kind will produce the best results. In the same way, it is believed that the energy of the universe will die out. All of this presupposes “the fact” that no new energy is inserted into the world. The source of the world would therefore seem no longer to exist, having worn itself out in the effort to produce physical phenomena. In the light of such thinking, Framework 2 would be an impossibility.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la premisa de la vida de Marco 1: energía limitada, desgaste, esfuerzo proporcional al resultado y un universo que se apagará; y observa que bajo esa premisa el Marco 2 sería imposible
«Instead, the energy of life is inserted constantly into your world, in a way that has nothing to do with your so-called physical laws. I said (14 years ago) that the universe expands as an idea does, and that is exactly what I mean.» — Seth, según Roberts, inserta constantemente la energía de la vida en el mundo al margen de las leyes físicas, y recuerda haber dicho catorce años antes que el universo se expande como se expande una idea
«The greater life of each creature exists in that framework that “originally” gave it birth, and in a greater manner of speaking each creature, regardless of its age, is indeed being constantly reborn.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa la vida mayor de cada criatura en el marco que la dio a luz y la declara, sea cual sea su edad, constantemente renacida
«We will most probably have to end the session, for there are points where the translation becomes most difficult.» — Seth, según Roberts, corta la sesión declarando que hay puntos donde la traducción se vuelve muy difícil
«That’s the first time that ever happened: I started to feel really sick, as though the material really got to me while he was giving it. Toward the end there was a strain, involving things I couldn’t translate. As though I was on the edge of getting some great stuff I’ve never heard of before. I still feel that way….» — Jane Roberts, citada por Butts al salir del trance, cuenta que por primera vez se sintió mal mientras el material pasaba, y describe la tensión del final como estar al borde de algo que no podía traducir
«Maybe my feelings weren’t caused by any thing, but some kind of acceleration toward a state I couldn’t reach, instead of any great disclosure for the world,” Jane said a little later. “But I really felt sick there.» — Jane Roberts, poco después, propone ella misma otra lectura de lo que le pasó: no una revelación para el mundo sino una aceleración hacia un estado que no alcanzaba
«You are, of course, a part of nature, and a part of nature’s source.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre el dictado de la sesión 821 del 20 de febrero de 1978 con la premisa del capítulo: se es parte de la naturaleza y parte de la fuente de la naturaleza
«Growing from an infant to a full adult was probably one of the most difficult, and yet the most easy of feats that you will ever accomplish in a life. As a child you identified with your own nature. You intuitively realized that your being was immersed in and a part of the process of growth.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama al crecer de infante a adulto la hazaña a la vez más difícil y más fácil de una vida, y atribuye al niño la identificación intuitiva con su propia naturaleza
«No amount of intellectual information, no accumulation of facts however vast, could give you the inner knowledge necessary to accomplish the physical events involved in that growth process. You learn to read, but the seeing itself is an accomplishment of far greater magnitude — one that seemingly happens all by itself.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que ningún cúmulo de hechos dé el saber interior que hace posible el crecimiento, y pone el ver como logro mayor que el leer
«In various ways your religions have always implied your relationship with nature’s source, even though they often divorced nature herself from any place of prime importance. For religions have often hinged themselves upon one or another quite valid perception, but then distorted it, excluding anything else that did not seem to fit.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede a las religiones haber dado siempre por supuesta la relación con la fuente de la naturaleza, y les objeta haber divorciado a la naturaleza misma de todo lugar de importancia
«“You are children of the universe.” This is an often-heard sentence — and yet the main point of the Christ story2 was not Christ’s death but his birth, and the often-stated proposition that each person was indeed “a child of the father.» — Seth, según Roberts, desplaza el punto principal del relato de Cristo de la muerte al nacimiento y a la proposición de que cada persona es hija del padre; el *2* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«There are many later-appended references in the Bible, such as the fig tree story, in which nature is played down. Christ’s “father” was, however, the God who was indeed aware of every sparrow that fell, who knew of every creature’s existence, whatever its species or kind. The story of the shepherds and flocks comes much closer to Christ’s intent, where each creature looked out for the others.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara añadidos tardíos los pasajes bíblicos donde la naturaleza se rebaja, y opone a eso el Dios atento a cada gorrión y el relato de los pastores y los rebaños
«The officials of the Roman Catholic Church altered many records — cleansing them, in their terms, of anything that might suggest pagan practices, or nature worship as they thought of it. In terms of your civilization, nature and spirit became divided so that you encounter the events of your lives largely in that context. To some degree or another, then, you must feel divorced from your bodies and from the events of nature.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a los oficiales de la Iglesia Católica Romana la alteración de muchos registros para limpiarlos de prácticas paganas, y de ahí deriva la división entre naturaleza y espíritu
«The great sweeps of emotional identification with nature itself do not sustain you, therefore. You study those processes as if you somehow stood apart from them.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la consecuencia de esa división: las grandes oleadas de identificación emocional con la naturaleza dejan de sostener, y sus procesos se estudian como desde fuera
«Certain scientific treatises often make you believe that the attainment of your adulthood has little purpose, except to insure the further existence of the species through parenthood — when nature is then quite willing to dispense with your services. You are quite simply told that you have no other purpose.3» — Seth, según Roberts, resume el mensaje que atribuye a ciertos tratados científicos: la adultez sin más propósito que asegurar la especie, y la naturaleza dispuesta a prescindir del individuo después; el *3* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«The religions do insist that man has a purpose, yet in their own confusion they often speak as if that purpose must be achieved by denying the physical body in which man has his life’s existence, or by “rising above” “gross, blunted,” earthly characteristics. Period. In both cases man’s nature, and nature in general, take short shrift.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede a las religiones que insistan en un propósito y les objeta que lo hagan negando el cuerpo físico o pidiendo elevarse sobre lo terreno, con lo que la naturaleza sale mal parada
«Such tales are myths. They do indeed have power and strength. In those terms they represent the darker side of myths, however — yet through their casts you presently view your world. You will interpret the private events of your lives, and the spectacular range of history, in the light of those assumptions about reality. They not only color your experience, but you create those events that more or less conform to those assumptions.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama mitos a esos relatos y les reconoce poder, pero los sitúa en el lado oscuro del mito, y sostiene que no solo colorean la experiencia sino que crean los sucesos que se ajustan a sus supuestos
«Those who “lose” their lives in natural disasters become victims of nature. You see in such stories examples of meaningless deaths, and further proof of nature’s indifference to man. You may, on the other hand, see the vengeful hand of an angry God in such instances, where the deity once again uses nature to bring man to his knees.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe las dos lecturas del desastre natural que se ofrecen: la muerte sin sentido que prueba la indiferencia de la naturaleza, o la mano vengativa de un Dios airado que pone al hombre de rodillas
«Man’s nature is to live and to die. Death is not an affront to life, but means its continuation — not only inside the framework of nature as you understand it, but in terms of nature’s source. It is, of course, natural then to die.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la muerte no una afrenta a la vida sino su continuación, dentro de la naturaleza y en términos de su fuente, y concluye que morir es natural
«Intuitively, each person is born with the knowledge that he or she is not only worthwhile, but fits into the context of the universe in the most precise and beautiful of fashions. The most elegant timing is involved in each individual’s birth and death.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a cada quien un saber de nacimiento sobre su propia valía y su encaje preciso en el universo, y llama elegantísimo el momento de cada nacimiento y de cada muerte
«The myths upon which you base your lives so program your existence that often you verbally deny what you inwardly know.» — Seth, según Roberts, sostiene que los mitos programan la existencia hasta el punto de hacer negar de palabra lo que se sabe por dentro
«When people are hurt in a natural disaster, for example, they will often profess to have no idea at all for such involvement. They will ignore or deny the inner feelings that alone would give the event any meaning in their lives.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a los heridos en un desastre profesando no tener idea alguna de por qué estuvieron ahí, e ignorando los sentimientos interiores que darían sentido al suceso
«You think of rain or earthquakes as natural events, for example, while you do not consider thoughts or emotions as natural events in the same terms. Therefore it is difficult for you to see how there can be any valid interactions between, say, emotional states and physical ones.» — Seth, según Roberts, señala la división que hace difícil su propia explicación: la lluvia y el terremoto se tienen por sucesos naturales y los pensamientos y las emociones no
«You might say: “Of course, I realize that the weather affects my mood,” yet it will occur to very few of you that your moods have any effect upon the weather.» — Seth, según Roberts, invierte la relación admitida entre clima y ánimo y observa que a muy pocos se les ocurre que los estados de ánimo afecten al clima
«You have so concentrated upon the categorization, delineation, and exploration of the objective world that it surely seems to be “the only real one.” It seems to exert force or pressure against you, or to impinge upon you, or at least almost to happen by itself, so that you sometimes feel powerless against it.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica el peso del mundo objetivo por la concentración puesta en categorizarlo y explorarlo, hasta que parece el único real y ejerce presión contra uno
«In exasperation some of you see nature as good and enduring, filled with an innocence and joy, while on the other hand you envision man as a bastard species, a blight upon the face of the earth, a creature bound to do everything wrong regardless of any strong good intent. Therefore you do not trust man’s nature either.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el mito en que la naturaleza sale buena y perdurable y el hombre queda como especie bastarda y plaga sobre la faz de la tierra, con lo que tampoco se confía en la naturaleza humana
«This myth finds great value in the larger processes of nature in general, and yet sees man alone as the villain of an otherwise edifying tale. A true identification with nature, however, would show glimpses of man’s place in the context of his physical planet, and would bring to the forefront accomplishments that he has achieved almost without his knowing.» — Seth, según Roberts, opone a ese mito una identificación verdadera con la naturaleza, que mostraría el lugar del hombre en su planeta y los logros que ha alcanzado casi sin saberlo
«You form your own reality. If you are tired of having me stress that point, I can only say that I hope the repetition will serve to make you understand that the statement applies to the most minute and the most important of the events that you experience.» — Seth, según Roberts, repite la fórmula central del material y declara que se aplica a los sucesos más minúsculos y a los más importantes
«Some people believe that they must be punished, and so they seek [out] unfortunate circumstances. They [go] to one event after another in which they meet retribution. They may seek out areas of the country in which natural disasters are frequent, or their behavior may be such that they attract from other people reactions of an explosive kind.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a quienes creen merecer castigo buscando circunstancias desafortunadas, zonas de desastres frecuentes o reacciones explosivas de los demás
«Often, however, individuals use disasters quite for their own purposes, as an exteriorized force that brings their lives into clear focus. Some may be flirting with the idea of death, and choose a dramatic encounter with nature in the final act. Others change their minds at the last moment.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del desastre una fuerza exteriorizada que pone la vida en foco, y describe a quienes coquetean con la idea de morir y a quienes cambian de parecer en el último momento
«They seek the excitement, whatever its consequences. They become a part of history to whatever extent. For once their private lives are identified with a greater source — and from it many derive new strength and vitality. Social barriers are dropped, economic positions forgotten. The range of private emotions is given greater, fuller, sweep.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a los sobrevivientes identificando su vida privada con una fuente mayor, con las barreras sociales caídas y las posiciones económicas olvidadas
«To some extent or another man’s desires and emotions merge with the physical aspects of nature as you understand it, so that such storms or disasters are as much the result of psychological activity as they are of weather conditions.» — Seth, según Roberts, funde los deseos y las emociones del hombre con los aspectos físicos de la naturaleza, y hace de la tormenta tanto resultado de actividad psicológica como de condiciones meteorológicas
«Objectively — whatever the appearances — storms, earthquakes, floods, et cetera, are quite necessary to the well-being of the earth. Both man’s and nature’s purposes are served, then, though generally speaking man’s myths make him blind to those» — Seth, según Roberts, declara necesarios para el bienestar de la tierra las tormentas, los terremotos y las inundaciones, y hace servir en ellos a la vez los propósitos del hombre y los de la naturaleza; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«People’s thoughts and emotions always give clear clues whenever illness is involved, yet most people ignore such information. They censor their own thoughts. Many therefore “fall prey” to epidemics of one kind or another because they want to, though they might deny this quite vigorously.» — Seth, según Roberts, sostiene que el pensamiento y la emoción dan siempre pistas claras cuando hay enfermedad, que la mayoría las ignora censurándose, y que muchos caen en epidemias porque quieren
«I do not mean to assign any hint of accusation against those so involved, but mainly to state some of the reasons for such behavior. If you do not trust your nature, then any illness or indisposition will be interpreted as an onslaught against health.» — Seth, según Roberts, se desmarca de acusar a los implicados y liga la desconfianza en la propia naturaleza a leer toda indisposición como embate contra la salud
«Your body faithfully reflects your inner psychological reality. The nature of your emotions means that in the course of a lifetime you will experience the full range of feelings. Your subjective state has variety. Sometimes sad or depressing thoughts provide a refreshing change of pace, leading you to periods of quiet reflection, and to a quieting of the body so that it rests.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del cuerpo un reflejo fiel de la realidad psicológica interior y da a los pensamientos tristes un uso: un cambio de ritmo que lleva a la reflexión quieta y aquieta el cuerpo
«I am speaking particularly of epidemics that are less than deadly, though danger is involved. In your times, hospitals, you must realize, are important parts of the community. They provide a social as well as a medical service.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que habla de epidemias menos que mortales y da a los hospitales, además del servicio médico, un servicio social
«Flu epidemics become social excuses for much needed rest, therefore, and serve as face-saving devices so that the individuals can hide from themselves their inner difficulties. In a way, such epidemics provide their own kind of fellowship — giving common meeting grounds for those of disparate circumstances.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la epidemia de gripe una excusa social para el descanso necesario, un modo de esconderse de las propias dificultades y un terreno de encuentro entre gente de circunstancias dispares
«Fears, sometimes even seemingly irrational ones, can serve to rouse the body if you have been too lethargic, or have been in a rut psychologically or physically. If you trusted your nature you would be able to trust such feelings, and following their own rhythms and routes they would change into others.» — Seth, según Roberts, da un uso al miedo, aun al que parece irracional: sacudir un cuerpo aletargado, y cambiar en otros sentimientos si se confía en ellos
«Ideally even illnesses are a part of the body’s health, representing needed adjustments, and also following the needs of the subjective person at any given time. (Long pause.) They are a part of the interplay between the body and mind, or spirit.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de las enfermedades parte de la salud del cuerpo, ajustes necesarios que siguen las necesidades de la persona subjetiva en el juego entre cuerpo y mente
«Some portion of each individual is in direct contact with the very source of its own existence. Each individual is innately aware that help is available in every situation, and that information does not need to come through the physical senses alone.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone a alguna porción de cada quien en contacto directo con la fuente de su propia existencia, y declara disponible una ayuda que no llega solo por los sentidos físicos
«In the terms of our discussion, Framework 2 is the medium in which your world exists. It represents the vaster psychological reality in which your own subjective life resides.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre la sesión 822 del 22 de febrero de 1978 definiendo el Marco 2 como el medio en que existe el mundo y la realidad psicológica más vasta en que reside la vida subjetiva
«That framework has been glimpsed throughout history by many individuals, and given many names. If you visit a foreign country, however, you have a tendency to describe the entire nation in terms of the small area you have visited, though other portions may be quite different in geography, culture, and climate. The individuals who have to one extent or another perceived Framework 2 have, then, described it according to their own brief visits, taking it for granted “that the part was a representative sample of the whole.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica la variedad de nombres dados a ese marco con la figura del viajero que describe un país entero por la comarca que visitó
«Plato conceived [of] it as the world of ideals, seeing within it the perfect model behind each imperfect physical phenomenon. He thought of that realm as eternal and unchanging, a perfect but frozen composite that must indeed inspire men toward achievement on the one hand, and on the other reproach them for their failure, since their achievements must necessarily seem puny in contrast. Plato then saw Framework 2 as a splendid, absolute model in which all the works of man had their initial source. Man himself, according to this concept, could not affect that ideal world one whit. He could, however, use it as a source of inspiration.» — Seth, según Roberts, adjudica a Platón la versión del marco como mundo de los ideales, eterno e inmutable, compuesto perfecto pero congelado que el hombre no puede afectar y solo usar de inspiración; los corchetes son de Butts
«The word “ego” is much bandied about, and in many circles it has a poor reputation. It is, however, as I use it, a term meant to express the ordinarily conscious directive portion of the self. It is your conscious version of what you are — an excellent description, if I do say so myself (with amusement). It is directed outward into the physical world.» — Seth, según Roberts, rescata la palabra ego de su mala fama y la usa para la porción directiva ordinariamente consciente del yo, dirigida hacia afuera
«The majority of my readers have come down with one or another disease usually considered very dangerous, and without ever knowing it, because the body healed itself normally and naturally. The disease was not labeled. It was not given» — Seth, según Roberts, sostiene que casi todos sus lectores han tenido sin saberlo una enfermedad tenida por peligrosa, porque el cuerpo se curó y la condición no se etiquetó; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo
«Worries or fears were not aroused, yet the disease came and vanished.» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra esa frase ligando la curación a que no se despertaran preocupaciones ni miedos
«Some ancient religions put the existence of gods there, and saw the spirits of each living thing as existing primarily in that invisible medium of reality.» — Seth, según Roberts, adjudica a religiones antiguas la versión del marco como morada de los dioses y de los espíritus de cada ser vivo
«Christianity saw it as heaven, inhabited by God the Father, His angels, the saints, and [the] deceased faithful.» — Seth, según Roberts, adjudica al cristianismo la versión del marco como cielo habitado por Dios Padre, sus ángeles, los santos y los fieles difuntos; los corchetes son de Butts
«Once scientists theorized the ether as the medium in which the physical universe existed.1» — Seth, según Roberts, pone al éter de los científicos junto a esas versiones históricas del marco; el ancla se cortó en la llamada de nota de Butts
«Framework 2 is the psychological medium in which the consciousness of the world exists.» — Seth, según Roberts, define el Marco 2 como el medio psicológico en que existe la consciencia del mundo
«It is also aware, however, of some of your “unconscious” activities. It is the you you identify with, so it is as aware of your dreams, for example, as you are, and it is quite conscious of the fact that its existence rests upon knowledge that it does not itself possess.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye al ego consciente el saberse apoyado en un conocimiento que él mismo no posee, y lo hace tan consciente de los sueños como quien los tiene
«As you have an ego, fully conscious, directed toward the physical world, you also have what I call an inner ego, directed toward inner reality. You have, in other words, a portion of yourself that is fully conscious in Framework 2.» — Seth, según Roberts, nombra un ego interior plenamente consciente y dirigido hacia la realidad interior, porción del yo que es consciente en el Marco 2
«The ego in your ordinary world, which again we will call Framework 1, is uniquely equipped to deal with that environment. It manipulates with rules of cause and effect and consecutive moments. It deals with an objectified reality. It can stretch its capacities, becoming far more aware of inner events than it is normally allowed to do, but its main purpose is to deal with the world of effects, to encounter events.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe al ego de Marco 1 como equipado para el mundo objetivo, con reglas de causa y efecto y momentos consecutivos, y capaz de estirarse hacia los sucesos interiores
«There must be a psychological chamber between these two portions of the self, however — these seemingly undifferentiated areas, in which back-and-forth translations can occur. Dream periods provide that service, of course, so that in dreams the two egos can meet and merge to some extent, comparing notes like strangers who perhaps meet on a train at night, and are amazed to discover, after some conversation, that they are indeed close relatives, each embarked upon the same journey though seemingly they travelled alone.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone al sueño como la cámara psicológica donde los dos egos se encuentran y se funden, como dos extraños que en un tren nocturno descubren ser parientes cercanos en el mismo viaje
«Your world is populated by individuals concentrating upon physical activities, dealing with events that are “finished products” — at least in usual terms. Your inner egos populate Framework 2, and deal with the actual creation of those events that are then objectified. Since “the rules” of Framework 2 are different, that reality is not at all bound by your physical assumptions. It contains, therefore, the inner ego of each individual who has lived or will ever live upon the earth.» — Seth, según Roberts, reparte las poblaciones: el mundo lo pueblan quienes se concentran en lo físico y el Marco 2 los egos interiores, que contienen a cuantos han vivido o vivirán sobre la tierra
«The inner ego is fully conscious. It is a portion of you, however, that deals with the formation of events, that glories in a rather rambunctious and creative activity that» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del ego interior la porción plenamente consciente que trata con la formación de los sucesos; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«The unconscious, so-called, is — and I have said this before2 — quite conscious, but in another realm of activity.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara consciente lo llamado inconsciente, solo que en otro reino de actividad; el *2* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«Earlier in his own experience Ruburt described that framework (in Psychic Politics) as the heroic dimension. He saw quite correctly that there was a great give-and-take between the two frameworks — your regular working one, Framework 1, and this other more comprehensive reality. He did not thoroughly understand, however, the creative ramifications involved, for it did not occur to him at the time that the prime work of your world was actually done by you in that other wider aspect of your existence.» — Seth, según Roberts, consigna que ella misma llamó a ese marco la dimensión heroica en Psychic Politics y vio el toma y daca entre los dos marcos, sin entender aún que el trabajo principal del mundo se hace en el otro
«You will ignore as information certain stimuli that another person, for example, will latch on to immediately. Even in your own world, then, your interests and desires serve as organizational processes that screen out certain information.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de los intereses y deseos procesos de organización que filtran la información antes de que llegue
«I do not want to compare the inner ego with a computer in any way, for a computer is not creative, nor is it alive.» — Seth, según Roberts, rechaza comparar el ego interior con una computadora porque esta no es creativa ni está viva
«This is not to compare the reality that you know in derogative terms to the other-source existence, either, for your own world contains, as each other world does, a uniqueness and an originality that in those terms exists nowhere else — for no world of existence is like any other.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que la comparación no rebaja el mundo conocido, que contiene como cada mundo una unicidad que no existe en otra parte
«The inner ego is a portion of the self, for example — is the portion of your self — that is aware of your reincarnational activities. It is the part of you that exists outside of time, yet simultaneously lives in time.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del ego interior la porción del yo consciente de las actividades reencarnatorias, que existe fuera del tiempo y a la vez vive en él
«The ego that you are aware of obviously could not form your body for you, however, or grow your bones. It knows how to assess the conditions of the world. It makes deductions. Your reasoning is highly important, yet alone it cannot pump your blood or tell your eyes how to see.» — Seth, según Roberts, marca el límite del ego conocido: no puede formar el cuerpo ni hacer crecer los huesos ni bombear la sangre, y la razón, con ser importante, no le dice al ojo cómo ver
«If you want to change your job, and hold that desire, a new job will come into your experience in precisely the same fashion, in that the inner events will be arranged by the inner ego. A body event involves the working of numerous muscles and joints and so forth. An event involving a job change concerns motion on the part of many people, and implies a network of communication on the part of all of the inner egos involved. Obviously, then, a mass physical event implies an inner system of communications of proportions that would put your technological communications to shame.» — Seth, según Roberts, iguala el cambio de trabajo al movimiento de un miembro, con la diferencia de que exige una red de comunicación entre los egos interiores de mucha gente, y de ahí deriva que el suceso de masa implique un sistema interior que avergonzaría a las comunicaciones tecnológicas
«The information available in Framework 2 is in your terms infinite.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara infinita, en los términos del lector, la información disponible en el Marco 2
«It is the source of your world, so therefore it contains not only all knowledge physically available, but far more.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del Marco 2 la fuente del mundo, y por eso contenedor de todo el conocimiento físicamente disponible y de mucho más
«as LIFE, in capitals. It is, however, only the manifestation of what in those terms can only be called the greater life out of which your life springs.» — Seth, según Roberts, remata esa distinción en la plana siguiente: lo conocido como vida es solo la manifestación de una vida mayor de la que la propia brota
«The inner ego does the actual work that brings about the events you have decided upon. In very simple terms, if you want to pick up a book, and then do so, you» — Seth, según Roberts, adjudica al ego interior el trabajo efectivo que trae los sucesos decididos, con el ejemplo de levantar un libro; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo
«experience that event consciously, though you are quite unaware of all of the inner events that occurred to bring the motion about. The inner ego directs those activities.» — Seth, según Roberts, completa el ejemplo: el suceso se vive conscientemente sin saber nada de los sucesos interiores que lo trajeron, y esas actividades las dirige el ego interior
«You may then, again, unknowingly acquire an illness and recover, never aware of your malady, being healed because of a series of events that would seemingly have nothing to do with the illness itself — because in Framework 2 the inner ego, knowing both the reason for the illness, and its cure, brought about those precise situations that remedied the condition. Such events happen automatically, when nothing hampers recovery at your end.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica la curación desapercibida por el ego interior, que conociendo a la vez la razón de la enfermedad y su cura arregla las situaciones que la remedian
«The communication between the inner and outer egos should obviously be as clear and open as possible. As a general rule, the inner ego depends upon your assessment of physical events. Your involvement in the private aspects of your living, and your participation in mass events, has much to do with your estimation of the physical situation, and with your beliefs and desires regarding it.» — Seth, según Roberts, pide comunicación clara entre los dos egos y hace depender al interior de la evaluación que se haga de los sucesos físicos
«If for some reason or another, through a poor assessment of your reality, you believe that such an act is dangerous, then you will hamper the flow between the desire and the execution. The flow of creativity begun by the inner ego will be impeded.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el estorbo: una mala evaluación de la propia realidad que vuelve peligroso el acto, con lo que se traba el flujo entre el deseo y la ejecución
«The main myth through which you interpret your experiences, however, is the one that tells you that all perception and knowledge must come to you through the physical senses.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 823 del 27 de febrero de 1978, nombra el mito principal desde el que se interpreta la experiencia: que toda percepción y todo conocimiento llegan por los sentidos físicos
«This is the myth of the exteriorized consciousness — a consciousness that you are told is open-ended only so far as objective reality is concerned. It seems to be closed “at the other end,” which in those terms would represent your birth.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama a eso el mito de la consciencia exteriorizada, abierta solo hacia la realidad objetiva y cerrada del otro lado, que sería el nacimiento
«The consciousness of that myth can indeed have no origin, for the myth precludes anything but a physically-oriented and physically-mechanized consciousness. Not only could that consciousness have no existence before or after death, but obviously it could have no access to knowledge that was not physically acquired.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva del mito su consecuencia: una consciencia sin existencia antes ni después de la muerte, y sin acceso a conocimiento no adquirido físicamente
«It is this myth that hampers your understanding most of all, and that closes you off from the greater nature of those events with which you are most intimately concerned. That myth also makes your own involvement with mass events sometimes appear incomprehensible.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de ese mito el mayor estorbo del entendimiento y la razón de que la implicación propia en los sucesos de masa parezca incomprensible
«Let me stress again that the “unconscious” is indeed conscious — and by conscious I mean that its reasoning is not irrational. Its methods are not chaotic, and its characteristics are not only equal to those of the known ego, but indeed are more resilient and knowledgeable.» — Seth, según Roberts, insiste en que lo inconsciente es consciente y le atribuye un razonar no irracional, métodos no caóticos y características más resistentes y sabias que las del ego conocido
«Frameworks 1 and 2 obviously represent not only different kinds of reality in normal terms, but two different kinds of consciousness. To make this discussion as simple as possible for now, at least, think of these two frameworks or states of consciousness as being connected by “undifferentiated areas” in which sleep, dreaming, and certain trance states have their activity. Those undifferentiated areas are involved in the constant translation of one kind of consciousness into the other, and with energy transferences.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa entre los dos marcos unas áreas indiferenciadas donde ocurren el sueño, el soñar y ciertos estados de trance, y donde se traduce una clase de consciencia en la otra
«The inner ego has access, again, to a much vaster amount of knowledge. It is aware not only of its own private position, as you are of yours, but it is also familiar with the mass events of its reality. It is intimately involved in the creation of your own private experience.» — Seth, según Roberts, da al ego interior acceso a un saber mucho más vasto, familiaridad con los sucesos de masa de su realidad e intervención íntima en la creación de la experiencia privada
«I said that the inner ego reasons, but its reasoning is not restricted to the cause-and-effect limitations that you apply to the reasoning process. The action of the inner ego within the wider sphere of Framework 2 explains many events and seeming coincidences that otherwise seem to make no sense within your world.» — Seth, según Roberts, saca al razonar del ego interior de los límites de causa y efecto, y con eso explica sucesos y coincidencias aparentes que en el mundo no tendrían sentido
«Many realities within Framework 2 cannot suitably be explained as facts to you in Framework 1, simply because they involve psychological thicknesses that cannot be translated into facts as you think of them. These often appear in the symbolic language of the arts instead, and many of your dreams are translations in which the events of Framework 2 appear in symbolic form.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara intraducibles a hechos muchas realidades del Marco 2, por sus espesores psicológicos, y las hace aparecer en el lenguaje simbólico de las artes y en los sueños
«On any given day the events of your private lives fit within the larger pattern of world events, in which they have their context. On any given night the intimate events of your dream lives also exist in the greater context of the world’s dreams — in which they have their reality.» — Seth, según Roberts, empareja los sucesos privados del día, que caben en el patrón de los sucesos del mundo, con los sueños de la noche, que caben en el contexto de los sueños del mundo
«The consciousness that you have, as generally described in psychology, is in a strange fashion like the bright shiny skin of a fruit — but with no fruit inside; a consciousness with a shiny surface that responds to sun or rain or temperature, and to its surroundings; but for all of that a psychological fruit that has no pulp or pits, but contains at its heart a vacancy.» — Seth, según Roberts, compara la consciencia descrita por la psicología con la cáscara brillante de una fruta sin fruta dentro, sin pulpa ni hueso y con una vacante en el corazón
«In those terms you experience only one half of your consciousness: the physically-attuned portion. Fruit trees have roots, but you assign no ground of being to this consciousness.» — Seth, según Roberts, sostiene que solo se experimenta la mitad de la consciencia, la sintonizada con lo físico, y que a esta no se le asigna suelo de ser aunque los árboles frutales tengan raíces
«Jung’s collective unconscious was an attempt to give your world its psychological roots, but Jung1 could not perceive the clarity, organization, and deeper context in which that collective unconscious has its own existence.» — Seth, según Roberts, reconoce en el inconsciente colectivo de Jung un intento de dar raíces psicológicas al mundo, y le objeta no haber percibido la claridad, la organización y el contexto en que ese inconsciente existe; el *1* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«In Framework 1 the reasoning processes work largely by deduction, and they must constantly check their own results against the seemingly concrete experience of physical events. The reasoning of the inner ego is involved with the creative invention of those experiences. It is involved with events in a context of a different kind, for it deals intimately with probabilities.» — Seth, según Roberts, contrapone el razonar por deducción del Marco 1, que se coteja contra los sucesos físicos, al del ego interior, que inventa esas experiencias y trata con probabilidades
«[Each of] you, with your beliefs and intents, tell the inner ego which of an infinite number of probable events you want to encounter.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de las creencias y las intenciones el aviso que se le da al ego interior sobre cuál de infinitos sucesos probables se quiere encontrar; los corchetes son de Butts
«Here I would like to emphasize that to one degree or another all species of plant and animal life “dream.” The same applies to the “psychological activity” of atoms and molecules, and any “particle.”2» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende el soñar a toda especie vegetal y animal y a la actividad psicológica de átomos, moléculas y cualquier partícula; el *2* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«You have an inner system of communication, then, in which the cells of all living things are connected. In those terms there is a continuum of consciousness.» — Seth, según Roberts, conecta las células de todo lo vivo en un sistema interior de comunicación y llama a eso un continuo de consciencia
«What part, for example, does chance play in your life? Is it chance if you arrive too late to board a plane, for example — to find later that the plane crashed? Perhaps your late arrival was caused by “a chance meeting” with a friend at the last moment, or by a misplaced ticket, or by a traffic jam that seemingly had nothing to do with you at all.» — Seth, según Roberts, plantea la pregunta por el azar con el ejemplo del pasajero que llega tarde al avión que luego se estrella, por un encuentro casual, un boleto extraviado o un embotellamiento
«What appears to you as chance or coincidence, however, is actually the result of the amazing organizations and communications active in the psychological reality of Framework 2.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye lo que parece azar o coincidencia a las organizaciones y comunicaciones activas en la realidad psicológica del Marco 2
«This will not be a dry, intellectual exploration, because the intent itself will begin to trigger within your lives the emergence of hints and clues as to your own immersion in Framework 2’s creativity.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara que la exploración del Marco 2 no será intelectual y seca, porque la intención misma disparará en la vida del lector indicios de su propia inmersión
«No chance encounter of physical elements alone, under any circumstances, could produce consciousness — or the conditions that would then make consciousness possible.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre el capítulo 4 negando que un encuentro azaroso de elementos físicos pueda producir la consciencia ni las condiciones que la harían posible
«If you think of your world with all of its great natural splendors as coming about initially through the auspices of chance — through an accident of cosmic proportions — then it certainly often seems that such a world can have no greater meaning. Its animation is seen as having no source outside itself. The myth of the great CHANCE ENCOUNTER, in caps, that is supposed to have brought forth life on your planet then presupposes, of course, an individual consciousness that is, in certain terms, alive by chance alone.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el mito del gran ENCUENTRO AZAROSO, que el volumen imprime en versales, y su consecuencia: una consciencia individual viva por azar y un mundo sin sentido mayor
«It is somewhat humorous that such a vital consciousness could even suppose itself to be the end product of inert elements that were themselves lifeless, but somehow managed to combine in such a way that your species attained fantasy, logic, vast organizational power, technologies, and civilizations.» — Seth, según Roberts, halla algo cómico en que una consciencia vital se suponga producto final de elementos inertes que de algún modo se combinaron hasta dar fantasía, lógica, tecnologías y civilizaciones
«Your myths tell you that nature itself has no intent except survival. It cares little for the individual — only insofar as the individual helps the species to endure. In its workings, nature then appears to be impersonal, even though it so consists of individuals that it cannot be regarded otherwise.» — Seth, según Roberts, señala la contradicción del mito: la naturaleza aparece impersonal y a la vez consiste de individuos, con lo que no puede considerarse de otra manera
«Without the particular plants, animals, people, or even individual cells or viruses, nature has no meaning. Your physical universe, then, had a nonphysical origin, in which it is still couched.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del universo físico algo con origen no físico, en el que sigue alojado, y dice lo mismo de la consciencia individual
«Framework 2 represents the inner sphere of reality, the inner dimensions of existence, that gives your world its own characteristics. The energy and power that keeps you alive, that fuels your thoughts — and also the energy that lights your cities — all have their origins in Framework 2.» — Seth, según Roberts, define el Marco 2 como la esfera interior de la realidad de la que salen a la vez la energía que mantiene vivo el cuerpo, la que alimenta el pensamiento y la que ilumina las ciudades
«The same energy that leaps into practical use when you turn on your television sets also allows you to tune into the daily experienced events of your lives.» — Seth, según Roberts, iguala la energía que se usa al encender el televisor con la que permite sintonizar los sucesos vividos a diario
«To parallel these sessions, it would be nice if the two of you kept Framework 2 in mind, and utilized it with a bit more confidence, and became alert again to those “coincidences” that always appear in current experience.» — Seth, según Roberts, pide a los dos que mantengan el Marco 2 en mente y estén alerta a las coincidencias de su propia experiencia
«In connection with the creation of the universe, and with the creation of public and private events alike, let us for a moment consider a different kind of myth.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre la sesión 824 del 1 de marzo de 1978 anunciando otra clase de mito para hablar de la creación del universo y de los sucesos públicos y privados
«Tonight, during a pleasant supper time, our friends Ruburt and Joseph watched a television production based upon the Cinderella fairy tale. According to the definition I gave earlier, this fairy tale is a myth. Surely it may seem that such a children’s tale has little to do with any serious adult discussion concerning anything so profound as the creation of the known world. And most certainly, it may appear, no scientifically pertinent data about the nature of events can possibly be uncovered from such a source.» — Seth, según Roberts, toma el cuento de la Cenicienta que los dos vieron esa noche en televisión y lo declara mito según su propia definición, anticipando la objeción de que un cuento infantil no diga nada sobre la creación del mundo
«For one thing, [the] Cinderella [tale] has a happy ending, of course, and is therefore highly unrealistic (with irony), according to many educators, since it does not properly prepare children for life’s necessary disappointments. Fairy godmothers are definitely a thing of the storyteller’s imagination, and many serious, earnest adults will tell you that daydreaming or wishing will get you nowhere.» — Seth, según Roberts, recoge con ironía la objeción de los educadores al final feliz, que a su decir no prepara para las decepciones necesarias de la vida; los corchetes y la acotación *(with irony)* son de Butts
«In the Cinderella story, however, the heroine, though poor and of low estate, manages to attain a fulfilling and seemingly impossible goal. Her desire to attend a spectacular ball, and meet the prince, initiates a series of magical events, none following the dictates of logic. The fairy godmother, suddenly appearing, uses the normal objects of everyday life so that they are suddenly transformed, and we have a chariot1 from a pumpkin, and other transformations of a like nature.» — Seth, según Roberts, resume el cuento como el logro de una meta imposible por una serie de sucesos mágicos que no siguen los dictados de la lógica, con la calabaza vuelta carroza
«When the inner ego responds in such a fashion, even the commonplace, ordinary, seemingly innocuous circumstances suddenly become charged with a new vitality, and appear to “work for” the individual involved.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el efecto de esa respuesta: las circunstancias más comunes se cargan de vitalidad y parecen trabajar a favor del implicado
«If you are reading this book you are already too old to clearly remember the constant fantasies of your early childhood. Children however know quite well, automatically, that they have a strong hand in the creation of the events that then seem to happen to them.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye al niño un saber automático de su mano fuerte en la creación de los sucesos que luego parecen ocurrirle, y da al lector adulto por demasiado grande para recordar sus propias fantasías
«They experiment very often, and quite secretly, since their elders are at the same time trying to make the children conform to a given concrete reality that is more or less already mass-produced for them.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el experimento secreto de los niños frente a unos mayores que los hacen conformarse a una realidad concreta ya producida en serie
«Children experiment with the creation of joyful and frightening events, trying to ascertain for themselves the nature of their control over their own experience. They imagine joyful and terrifying experiences. They are in fact fascinated by the effects that their thoughts, feelings, and purposes have upon daily events. This is a natural learning process.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del experimento infantil con sucesos gozosos y aterradores un proceso natural de aprendizaje sobre el alcance del propio control
«If they create “bogeymen,” then they can cause them to disappear also. If their thoughts can cause them to become ill, then there is no real reason for them to fear illness, for it is their own creation.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva del mismo poder la conclusión del niño: si el pensamiento puede enfermarlo, no hay razón real para temer la enfermedad
«This learning process is nipped in the bud, however. By the time you are adults, it certainly seems that you are a subjective being in an objective universe, at the mercy of others, and with only the most superficial control over the events of your lives.3» — Seth, según Roberts, declara cortado de raíz ese aprendizaje, con el resultado de un adulto que se cree ser subjetivo en un universo objetivo, a merced de otros; el *3* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«The fairy godmother is a creative personification of the personalized elements in Framework 2 — a personification therefore of the inner ego, that rises to the aid of the mortal self to grant its desires, even when the intents of the mortal self may not seem to fit into the practical framework of normal life.» — Seth, según Roberts, lee al hada madrina como personificación creativa de los elementos personalizados del Marco 2, es decir del ego interior que acude en ayuda del yo mortal aun cuando sus intenciones no encajen en el marco práctico de la vida normal
«To some extent or another, however, the child in you remembers a certain sense of mastery only half realized, of power nearly grasped, then seemingly lost forever — and a dimension of existence in which dreams quite literally came true.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye al niño que uno fue un recuerdo de maestría a medias y de una dimensión donde los sueños se cumplían literalmente
«The child knew “that it came from somewhere else” — not by chance but by design. The child knew that in one way or another its most intimate thoughts, dreams, and gestures were as connected with the natural world as blades of grass are to a field.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye al niño el saber de haber venido de otra parte por designio y no por azar, y de estar tan conectado con el mundo natural como las hojas de hierba a un campo
«In a fashion, they make quicker deductions than adults, and often truer ones, because they are not conditioned by a past of structured memory. Their subjective experience then brings them in rather direct contact with the methods by which events are formed.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a los niños deducciones más rápidas y más verdaderas por no estar condicionados por un pasado de memoria estructurada
«Children understand the importance of symbols, and they use them constantly to protect themselves — not from their own reality but from the adult world. They constantly pretend, and they quickly learn that persistent pretending in any one area will result in a physically-experienced version of the imagined activity.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que los niños usen los símbolos para protegerse del mundo adulto y aprendan pronto que fingir con persistencia da una versión vivida físicamente de lo imaginado
«They also realize that they do not possess full freedom, either, for certain pretended situations will later happen in less faithful versions than the imagined ones. Others will seem almost entirely blocked, and never materialize.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota el poder del niño: unas situaciones fingidas llegan en versiones menos fieles y otras quedan bloqueadas y nunca se materializan
«Before children are acquainted with conventional ideas of guilt and punishment, they realize that it is easier to bring about good events, through wishing, than it is to bring about unhappy ones.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa antes de las ideas convencionales de culpa y castigo el saber infantil de que es más fácil traer sucesos buenos que infelices
«The child is innately honest. When he gets sick he intuitively knows the reason why, and he knows quite well that he brought about the illness.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara al niño innatamente honesto y le atribuye el saber intuitivo de por qué enferma y de que él mismo trajo la enfermedad
«Parents and physicians believe, instead, that the child is a victim, ill for no personal reason, but indisposed because of elements attacking him — either the outside environment, or [something] working against him from within.» — Seth, según Roberts, opone a eso lo que creen padres y médicos: que el niño es víctima de elementos que lo atacan desde fuera o desde dentro
«It is easier to go along than to be honest, particularly when honesty would often involve a kind of communication his parents might frown upon, or the expression of emotions that are quite unacceptable.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica la aceptación del niño por la conveniencia: ser honesto exigiría una comunicación que los padres desaprobarían o emociones inaceptables
«Little by little the fine relationship, the precise connections between psychological feelings and bodily reality, erode.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la erosión gradual de las conexiones precisas entre los sentimientos psicológicos y la realidad corporal
«I do not want to oversimplify, and throughout this book we will add other elaborations upon such behavior. The child who gets the mumps with a large number of his classmates, however, knows he has his private reasons for joining into such a mass biological reality» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que no quiere simplificar en exceso, y atribuye al niño que enferma de paperas con sus compañeros razones privadas para entrar en esa realidad biológica de masa
«The child may be told: “You have a cold because you got your feet wet.” Or: “You caught the cold from Johnny or Sally.” He may be told that he has a virus, so that it seems his body itself» — Seth, según Roberts, cita las frases con que se enseña esa creencia al niño: el resfriado por mojarse los pies, contagiado de otro niño, o el virus; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«usually the adult who “falls prey” to a flu epidemic has little conscious awareness of his own reasons for such a situation. He does not understand the mass suggestions involved, or his own reasons for accepting them. He is usually convinced instead that his body has been invaded by a virus despite his own personal approval or disapproval — despite his own personal approval or disapproval (most emphatically). He is therefore a victim, and his sense of personal power is eroded.» — Seth, según Roberts, contrapone al niño el adulto que cae en una epidemia de gripe sin conciencia de sus razones ni de las sugestiones de masa, convencido de ser víctima de un virus, con lo que su sentido de poder personal se erosiona
«When a person recovers from such an ordeal, he [or she] usually grants his recovery to be the result of the medication he has been given. Or he may think that he was simply lucky — but he does not grant himself to have any real power in such an affair. The recovery seems to occur to him, as the illness seemed to happen to him.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe cómo el recuperado atribuye su mejoría a la medicación o a la suerte y no a sí mismo, de modo que la recuperación le ocurre igual que la enfermedad; los corchetes son de Butts
«Usually the patient cannot see that he brought about his own recovery, and was responsible for it, because he cannot admit that his own intents were responsible for his own illness. He cannot learn from his own experience, then, and each bout of illness will appear largely incomprehensible.» — Seth, según Roberts, liga las dos negativas: no verse autor de la recuperación porque no se admite haber sido autor de la enfermedad, con lo que no se aprende de la propia experiencia
«His desire and intense intent to understand more of the nature of reality triggered the production of that fragmentary automatic manuscript.» — Seth, según Roberts, data el manuscrito automático The Physical Universe as Idea Construction en el deseo y la intención intensa de ella por entender la naturaleza de la realidad
«He found himself as a young adult, at the time of the President Kennedy assassination, in a world that seemed to have no meaning. At the same time, while conditioned by the beliefs of his generation — beliefs that still tinge your times — he held on to one supporting belief never completely lost from childhood.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa a Roberts joven, al tiempo del asesinato del presidente Kennedy, en un mundo que parecía no tener sentido, con una sola creencia sostenida desde la infancia
«The results, appearing initially in that now-yellowed handwritten script, made him initially see that he had chosen the events of his life in one way or another, and that each person was not the victim but the creator of those events that were privately experienced or jointly encountered with others.» — Seth, según Roberts, resume el resultado de aquel manuscrito: que ella había elegido de un modo u otro los sucesos de su vida, y que nadie es víctima sino creador de los sucesos que vive
«In that literally power-packed few hours, he also knew that the physical senses did not so much perceive concrete phenomena, but actually had a hand in the creation of events that were then perceived as actual.» — Seth, según Roberts, añade el segundo hallazgo de aquellas horas: que los sentidos físicos no tanto perciben fenómenos concretos como intervienen en la creación de los sucesos luego percibidos como reales
«Forgive the terminology, but you each believed in “magic,” or the sessions never would have started. You believed that reality had more to it than the senses showed.» — Seth, según Roberts, dice a los dos que creyeron en la magia y que sin eso las sesiones no habrían empezado, porque creían que la realidad tenía más de lo que muestran los sentidos
«His belief, illogical as it sounded when spoken, contradictory as it seemed when applied to daily life, stated that the individual somehow could perceive the nature of» — Seth, según Roberts, enuncia la creencia que ella conservó: que el individuo puede percibir por sí la naturaleza de la realidad; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«The physical universe is the result of idea construction, as Ruburt perceived in the experience mentioned in the last session» — Seth, según Roberts, abre la sesión 825 del 6 de marzo de 1978 haciendo del universo físico el resultado de una construcción de ideas, tal como ella lo percibió en aquella experiencia
«Ruburt did not come to his recognition of the world’s mental source through reasoning. Neither could any ordinary physical perception have given him that information.» — Seth, según Roberts, quita a la razón y a la percepción física ordinaria el mérito de aquel reconocimiento del origen mental del mundo
«His consciousness left his body — an event not even considered possible by many educated people. Ruburt’s consciousness merged, while still retaining its own individuality, with the consciousness of the leaves outside his window, and with the nail in the windowsill, and traveled outward and inward at the same time, so that like a mental wind his consciousness traveled through other psychological neighborhoods.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la salida del cuerpo de la consciencia de ella y su fusión, sin perder individualidad, con la consciencia de las hojas de la ventana y del clavo del alféizar
«The origin of your universe is nonphysical, and each event, however grand or minute, has its birth in the Framework 2 environment. Your physical universe arose from that inner framework, then, and continues to do so.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara no físico el origen del universo y sitúa el nacimiento de cada suceso, grande o minúsculo, en el entorno del Marco 2
«In the same fashion, jointly all of the people alive at any given time “direct” the events of the universe to behave in a certain fashion, even though the processes must happen by themselves, or automatically. Other species have a hand in this also, however, and in one way or another all of you direct the activity of the physical body of the world in much the same way that you [each] direct your own bodily behavior.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que todos los vivos en cualquier momento dirijan juntos los sucesos del universo como cada quien dirige su propio cuerpo, con las demás especies participando también
«You were born with the impetus toward growth built in — automatically provided with the inner blueprints that would lead to a developed adult form. Not only the cells, but the atoms and molecules that compose them contained a positive intent to cooperate in a bodily formation, to fulfill themselves, and they were then predisposed not only toward survival, but with an idealization leading toward the best possible development and maturity.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a las células, los átomos y las moléculas una intención positiva de cooperar en la formación del cuerpo y una idealización que apunta al mejor desarrollo posible
«All of those characteristics have their sources in Framework 2, for the psychological medium in Framework 2 is automatically conducive to creativity. It is not simply a neutral dimension, therefore, but contains within itself an automatic predisposition toward the fulfillment of all patterns inherent within it.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara el medio psicológico del Marco 2 automáticamente conducente a la creatividad, no neutral, y predispuesto al cumplimiento de todos los patrones que contiene
«As James said in Ruburt’s book,1 “The universe is of good intent.” It is automatically predisposed, again, toward the creation of “good” events. I put the word “good” in quotes for now because of your misconceptions about the nature of good and evil, which we will discuss somewhat later.2» — Seth, según Roberts, cita la frase que el William James del libro de ella dice —el universo es de buena intención— y entrecomilla la palabra bueno por los malentendidos sobre el bien y el mal; los números son llamadas de notas de Butts
«Reasoning by itself can only deal with deductions made about the known world. It cannot accept knowledge that comes from “elsewhere,” for such information will not fit in reason’s categories, and confounds its cause-and-effect patterning.» — Seth, según Roberts, limita la razón a deducciones sobre el mundo conocido y le niega aceptar conocimiento venido de otra parte, que no cabe en sus categorías
«The power to reason comes from Framework 2. In the terms of this discussion, you are able to reason as a result of “magical” events that make reason itself possible.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace venir del Marco 2 el poder de razonar, de modo que se razona gracias a sucesos mágicos que hacen posible la razón misma
«To that extent then the physical universe, like each physical body, is “magical.” I use the term purposefully, for it confounds the dictates of your adult reasoning, and perhaps by so confounding what you think of as reason, I may manage to arouse» — Seth, según Roberts, llama mágico al universo físico y a cada cuerpo y declara usar la palabra a propósito para confundir el razonar adulto; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo y la frase remata con el intelecto superior
«The term “magic” has in one way or another been used to simply describe events for which reason has no answer — events that exist outside of the framework in which reason feels comfortable.» — Seth, según Roberts, define el uso de la palabra magia: describir sucesos para los que la razón no tiene respuesta, fuera del marco donde ella se siente cómoda
«Your scientists consider themselves quite rational, yet many of them, at least, would be more honest when they tried to describe the beginning of the universe if they admitted that reason alone cannot provide any true insight.» — Seth, según Roberts, pide a los científicos que al describir el comienzo del universo admitan que la razón sola no da ninguna comprensión verdadera
«Each of you are as familiar with the so-called birth of the universe, as close to it or as distant [from it], as your own recognized consciousness is to your own physical birth, for the initiation of awareness and sensation in one infant really carries all of the same questions as those» — Seth, según Roberts, empareja la distancia de cada quien respecto del nacimiento del universo con la que tiene respecto de su propio nacimiento, porque la iniciación de la consciencia en un niño lleva las mismas preguntas; el tramo cruza el cambio de plana
«The mother could not consciously control the bodily processes that lead to birth. In the truest sense, the birth magically happens, as miraculous in those terms as the so-called initial emergence of life upon the planet itself.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del parto un suceso que la madre no controla conscientemente, y lo declara tan milagroso como la emergencia inicial de la vida en el planeta
«Scientific analysis of the brain will tell you nothing about the power that moves your thoughts, or hint at the source of the brain’s abilities.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que el análisis científico del cerebro diga nada sobre la potencia que mueve los pensamientos ni sobre la fuente de las facultades del cerebro
«I do not mean to speak of reason in derogatory terms, for it is well suited to its purposes, which are vital in your reality. It is also true that in the deepest terms you have not developed your reasoning, so that your version of it is bound to result in some distortions.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que no habla de la razón en términos despectivos y añade que en los términos más hondos la razón no está desarrollada, con lo que la versión disponible trae distorsiones
«Nor do I mean to agree with those who ask you to use your intuitions and feelings at the expense of your reason. Instead I will suggest other paths later in this book.» — Seth, según Roberts, se desmarca también de quienes piden usar la intuición a costa de la razón y anuncia otros caminos más adelante
«On the other hand your intuitions follow a different kind of organization, as does your imagination — one involved with associations, an organization that unifies diverse elements and brings even known events together in a kind of unity that is often innocent of the limitations dictated by cause and effect.» — Seth, según Roberts, da a la intuición y a la imaginación una organización por asociaciones, que unifica elementos diversos sin las limitaciones de causa y efecto
«In those terms, then, Framework 2 deals with associations, so that within it the recognizable events of the physical world can be put together in an infinite number of ways, after which they appear in your private experience according to directions you have given them through those associations that you form mentally.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del Marco 2 un dominio de asociaciones donde los sucesos reconocibles del mundo pueden juntarse de infinitas maneras y aparecer luego según las asociaciones formadas mentalmente
«The coincidences that seem to happen, the chance encounters, the unexpected events — all of these come into your experience because in one way or another you have attracted them, even though their occurrences might seem to have insurmountable odds against them. Those odds — those impediments — do not exist in Framework 2.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye coincidencias y encuentros inesperados a una atracción propia, aunque las probabilidades parezcan insuperables, porque esos impedimentos no existen en el Marco 2
«The intuitions speak of your unique and vital part in the fabric of that universe. The intuitions know that the universe bends in your direction.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace hablar a las intuiciones del papel único y vital de cada quien en la trama del universo, y dice que saben que el universo se inclina en su dirección
«Your reasoning can deal only with results of your physical perception, however — at least with the training your societies have allowed it. You have in fact denied your reasoning the results of important data, for you have taught it to distrust the psychic faculties.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye el límite de la razón al entrenamiento de las sociedades, que le negaron datos importantes al enseñarle a desconfiar de las facultades psíquicas
«Children’s fairy tales still carry some of that ancient knowledge.» — Seth, según Roberts, deja en los cuentos de hadas infantiles el residuo de ese saber antiguo
«So far, I have been speaking of Frameworks 1 and 2 separately, and I will continue to do so for your convenience and understanding. Actually the two merge, of course, for your Framework 1 existence is immersed in Framework 2.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara que separa los dos marcos solo por comodidad de la exposición, porque en realidad se funden y la existencia de Marco 1 está inmersa en el Marco 2
«Framework 2 is ever exteriorizing itself, appearing in your experience as Framework 1. You concentrate so thoroughly upon exterior reality, however, that you often ignore the quite apparent deeper sources of your own physical existence.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del Marco 2 algo que se exterioriza sin cesar y aparece como Marco 1, y atribuye a la concentración en lo exterior el que se ignoren las fuentes hondas de la propia existencia física
«I am letting events magically emerge as they grow beneath the surface of your lives — because Ruburt likes happy surprises. He is very active now on other levels, and is putting our material to good use.» — Seth, según Roberts, responde a la pregunta de Butts sobre la ayuda de ella con las notas y dice dejar que los sucesos emerjan mágicamente porque a ella le gustan las sorpresas felices
«You must understand that in a manner of speaking, Framework 2 is on the one hand an invisible version of the physical universe. On the other hand, however, it is far more than that, for it contains within it probable variations of that universe — from the most cosmic scale, say, down to probable versions of the most minute events of any given physical day.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre la sesión 826 del 8 de marzo de 1978 haciendo del Marco 2 a la vez una versión invisible del universo físico y el contenedor de sus variantes probables
«In simple terms, your body has an invisible counterpart in Framework 2. During life that counterpart is so connected with your own physical tissues, however, that it can be misleading to say that the two — the visible and invisible bodies — are separate.» — Seth, según Roberts, da al cuerpo una contraparte invisible en el Marco 2 y acota que en vida están tan conectadas que llamarlas separadas induce a error
«In Framework 2 thoughts instantly form patterns. They are the “natural elements” in that psychological environment that mix, merge, and combine to form, if you will, the psychological cells, atoms, and molecules that compose events.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de los pensamientos los elementos naturales del Marco 2, que se mezclan y combinan para formar las células, los átomos y las moléculas psicológicas de los sucesos
«In those terms, the physical events that you perceive or experience can be compared to “psychological objects” that appear to exist with a physical concreteness in space and time. Such events usually seem to begin somewhere in space and time, and clearly end there as well.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama objetos psicológicos a los sucesos físicos percibidos, que aparentan concretarse en el espacio y el tiempo y empezar y terminar ahí
«In the same way you experience a birthday party, an automobile accident, a bridge game, or any psychological event as psychologically solid, with a smooth experienced surface that holds together in space and time. Such events, however, consist of indivisible “particles” and faster-than-light perceptions1 that never show.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a todo suceso psicológico —una fiesta, un accidente, una partida de cartas— una superficie lisa que oculta partículas indivisibles y percepciones más rápidas que la luz
«Any event, therefore, has an invisible thickness, a multidimensional basis. Your skies are filled with breezes, currents, clouds, sunlight, dust particles and so forth. The sky vaults above the entire planet. The invisible [vault of] Framework 2 contains endless patterns that change as, say, clouds do — that mix and merge to form your psychological climate.» — Seth, según Roberts, da a todo suceso un espesor invisible y una base multidimensional, y compara los patrones del Marco 2 con las nubes que forman el clima psicológico
«Thoughts have what we will for now term electromagnetic properties. In those terms your thoughts mix and match with others in Framework 2, creating mass patterns that form the overall psychological basis behind world events.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a los pensamientos propiedades electromagnéticas que los hacen mezclarse en el Marco 2 y formar los patrones de masa que están detrás de los sucesos del mundo
«Again, however, Framework 2 is not neutral, but automatically inclined toward what we will here term good or constructive developments. It is a growth medium. Constructive or “positive” feelings or thoughts are more easily materialized than “negative” ones, because they are in keeping with Framework 2’s characteristics.2» — Seth, según Roberts, niega la neutralidad del Marco 2 y lo declara medio de crecimiento, donde lo constructivo se materializa más fácilmente que lo negativo; el *2* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«If that were not the case, your own species would not have existed as long as it has. Nor would the constructs of civilization — art, commerce, or even technology — have been possible.» — Seth, según Roberts, prueba esa inclinación por su consecuencia: sin ella la especie no habría durado tanto ni habrían sido posibles el arte, el comercio ni la tecnología
«Framework 2 combines order and spontaneity, but its order is of another kind. It is a circular, associative, “naturally ordering process,” in which spontaneity automatically exists in the overall order that will best fulfill the potentials of consciousness.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el orden del Marco 2 como circular y asociativo, un proceso que ordena naturalmente y en que la espontaneidad cabe dentro del orden que mejor cumple los potenciales de la consciencia
«At birth, each person is automatically equipped with the capacity toward natural growth that will most completely satisfy its own abilities — not at the expense of others, but in an overall context in which the fulfillment of each individual assures the fulfillment of each other individual.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que el crecimiento de cada quien no vaya a costa de los demás sino en un contexto donde el cumplimiento de cada uno asegura el de cada otro
«In those terms there is “an ideal” psychological pattern to which you are yourself intimately connected. The inner ego constantly moves you in that direction. On the other hand, that pattern is not rigid, but flexible enough to take advantage of changing circumstances, even as a plant will turn toward the sun though you move it from room to room while the sunlight varies its directions.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe un patrón psicológico ideal no rígido sino flexible, como la planta que gira al sol aunque se la cambie de cuarto
«At certain levels these intents of man and nature may merge. I am speaking in very simple terms now, and yet those involved in a flood, for example, want the past washed away, or want to be flooded by bursts of vital emotions such as disasters often bring. They want to feel a renewed sense of nature’s power, and often, though devastated, they use the experience to start a new life.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace coincidir en la inundación las intenciones del hombre y las de la naturaleza: querer el pasado barrido, sentir la potencia renovada de la naturaleza, y usar la devastación para empezar de nuevo
«Those with other intents will find excuses to leave such areas. There will be, perhaps, a chance meeting that will result in a hasty trip. On a hunch someone else might suddenly leave the area to find a new job, or decide to visit a friend in another state. Those whose experiences do not merge with nature’s in that regard will not be part of that mass event. They will act on information that comes to them from Framework 2. Those who stay also act on the same information, by choosing to participate.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe cómo los de otra intención hallan excusas para irse —un encuentro casual, una corazonada, un viaje— y hace que los que se quedan actúen sobre la misma información del Marco 2
«When you enter time and physical life, you are already aware of its conditions. You are biologically and psychologically predisposed to grow within that rich environment, to contribute on all levels to the fulfillment of your species — but more than this, to add your own unique viewpoint and experience to the greater patterns of consciousness of which you are part.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara que al entrar en el tiempo ya se conocen sus condiciones, y suma a la contribución a la especie el aporte del propio punto de vista único
«that you perceive — grass or rock or stone — even ocean waves or clouds — any physical phenomenon — has its own invisible consciousness, its own intent and emotional coloration. Each is also endowed with patterns toward growth and fulfillment — not at the expense of the rest of nature, but to the contrary, so that every» — Seth, según Roberts, da a cada objeto percibido —hierba, roca, piedra, ola, nube— una consciencia invisible propia con su intención y su coloración emocional, y patrones hacia el crecimiento que no van a costa del resto de la naturaleza; el tramo arranca en la plana siguiente al corte de trozo y se corta de nuevo en el cambio de plana
«The psychological connections, however, are far more complicated, so that each individual’s dreams and thoughts interweave with every other person’s, forming ever-changing patterns of desire and intent. Some of these emerge as physical events, and some do not.» — Seth, según Roberts, entreteje los sueños y pensamientos de cada quien con los de todos los demás en patrones cambiantes de deseo e intención, de los que unos emergen como sucesos físicos y otros no
«In your terms, your father’s mother is ready to enter time again. Your father was pointing you out to her, and acquainting her with other such living members of the family as well, who are still in time. Many individuals do this, psychologically becoming aware of relatives still living, even though in life they may never meet.» — Seth, según Roberts, interpreta el sueño de Butts con su abuela: la madre de su padre lista para volver al tiempo y el padre presentándole a los familiares que aún viven
«You may feel alone in life if all of your relatives are dead, for example. In the same way, entering life, you often assure yourselves that past friends or relatives are there before you.» — Seth, según Roberts, empareja la soledad de quien pierde a todos sus parientes con la certeza que se busca al entrar en la vida de que amigos o parientes ya están ahí
«A potpourri. Heredity plays far less a part in the so-called formation of character than is generally supposed.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre la sesión 827 del 13 de marzo de 1978 quitando a la herencia buena parte del papel que se le supone en la formación del carácter
«Your cultural beliefs predispose you to interpret experience in terms of heredity and environment, however, so that you focus primarily upon them as prime causes of behavior. This in turn results in much more structured experience than necessary.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a las creencias culturales el que se interprete la experiencia en términos de herencia y ambiente, con el resultado de una experiencia más estructurada de lo necesario
«You do not concentrate upon the exceptions — the children who do not seem to fit the patterns of their families or environments, so of course no attempts are made to view those kinds of unofficial behavior.» — Seth, según Roberts, señala que no se atiende a las excepciones, los niños que no encajan en el patrón de su familia o de su ambiente, y que por eso no se estudia esa conducta no oficial
«You read constantly of people who seem to have been most affected by fictional characters, for example, or by personalities from the past, or by complete strangers, more than they have been affected by their own families. Such situations are considered oddities.» — Seth, según Roberts, recuerda los casos de quienes fueron más afectados por personajes de ficción, personalidades del pasado o completos extraños que por su propia familia, y que se tienen por rarezas
«The human personality is far more open to all kinds of stimuli than is supposed. If information is thought to come to the self only through physical means, then of course heredity and environment must be seen behind human motivation.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara la personalidad humana mucho más abierta a los estímulos de lo que se supone, y deriva de la premisa contraria el que se vea a la herencia y al ambiente detrás de toda motivación
«Consciousness forms the genes, and not the other way around, and the about-to-be-born infant is the agency that adds new material through the chromosomal structure.2» — Seth, según Roberts, invierte la relación admitida entre consciencia y genes y hace del niño por nacer la agencia que añade material nuevo por la estructura cromosómica; el *2* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«On these other levels the child knows, for example, of its contemporaries born at about the same time. Each person’s “individual” life plan fits in somewhere with that of his or her contemporaries. Those plans are communicated one to the other, and probabilities instantly are set into motion in Framework 2. To some degree or another calculations are made so that, for instance, individual A will meet individual B at a marketplace 30 years later — if this fits in with the intents of both parties. There will be certain cornerstone encounters in each person’s life that are set up as strong probabilities, or as plans to be grown into.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que el plan de vida de cada quien se comunique con el de sus contemporáneos y que se fijen encuentros clave como probabilidades fuertes o planes en que crecer
«The child is from birth far more aware of all kinds of physical events than is realized also. But beside that, the child uses the early years to explore — particularly in the dream state — other kinds of material that suit its own fancies and intents, and it constantly receives a stream of information that is not at all dependent upon its heredity or environment.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace al niño más consciente de los sucesos físicos de lo que se admite y le da en el sueño acceso a una información que no depende de su herencia ni de su ambiente
«There are bodies of events, then, that in a certain fashion you will materialize almost in the same way that you will materialize your own adult body from the structure of the fetus.» — Seth, según Roberts, empareja la materialización de los sucesos de una vida con la del cuerpo adulto a partir del feto
«Your mental life deals with psychological events, obviously, but beneath so-called normal awareness the child grows toward the mental body of events that will compose his or her life. Those unique intents that characterize each individual exist in Framework 2, then — and with birth, those intents immediately begin to impress the physical world of Framework 1.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa en el Marco 2 las intenciones únicas que caracterizan a cada quien y hace que con el nacimiento empiecen a imprimirse en el mundo físico
«Each child’s birth changes the world, obviously, for it sets up an instant psychological momentum that begins to affect action in Framework 1 and Framework 2 alike.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de cada nacimiento un cambio del mundo, por el impulso psicológico instantáneo que afecta a los dos marcos por igual
«A child may be born with a strong talent for music, for example. Say the child is unusually gifted. Before he [or she] is old enough to begin any kind of training, he will know on other levels the probable direction that music will take during his lifetime. He will be acquainted in the dream state with other young budding musicians, though they are infants also.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe al niño dotado que antes de toda formación conoce en otros niveles la dirección probable de la música de su tiempo y se acompaña en sueños con otros infantes músicos
«If you are involved in any kind of mass happening, from a concert to an avalanche, you are aware on other levels of all of the actions leading to that specific participation. If buildings are constructed of bricks quite visible, so mass events are formed by many small, invisible happenings — each, however, fitting together quite precisely in a kind of psychological masonry in which each of you has a mental hand.» — Seth, según Roberts, compara el suceso de masa con un edificio de ladrillos visibles y lo hace formado por muchos sucesos invisibles que encajan en una albañilería psicológica donde cada quien pone mano
«Ruburt, I understand, was looking for the council. He was looking for counsel of a most exalted kind, and so it became the council — an excellent term, by the way, standing for the most intimate and yet exalted counsel possible for any individual.» — Seth, según Roberts, interpreta el sueño de ella con el consejo y juega con la palabra: buscaba *counsel* del tipo más exaltado y por eso se volvió *council*
«He was looking for a state of higher consciousness that would represent a unique and yet universal source of information and revelation. Such a source does exist for each individual, regardless of how it is interpreted.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa lo buscado en un estado de consciencia superior que sería fuente única y universal de información y revelación, existente para cada quien sea cual sea su interpretación
«The white light is characteristically a symbol in such cases. He could not assimilate the information, and became frightened, to some extent at least, at the vastness of the experience involved, as if the ancient yet new knowledge that he sought for his individual reasons was so encompassing that his own individuality would have trouble handling it while retaining its own necessary frame of reference. A natural-enough reaction, simply because of the usual unfamiliarity of such experiences.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica el susto del sueño por la vastedad de la experiencia, con el saber antiguo y nuevo tan abarcador que la individualidad de ella habría tenido problemas para sostener su marco de referencia
«To one extent or another this applies to every field of endeavor as each person adds to the world scene, and as the intents of each individual, added to those of each other person alive, multiply — so that the fulfillment of the individual results in the accomplishments of your world.3» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende ese mecanismo a todo campo de actividad y hace que el cumplimiento del individuo produzca los logros del mundo; el ancla se cortó en la llamada de nota de Butts
«And the lack of fulfillment of course produces those lacks that are also so apparent.» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra esa frase con la contrapartida: la falta de cumplimiento produce las carencias igual de visibles
«each portion of consciousness, while itself, contains [the] potentials of all consciousnesses. Your private information about the world is not nearly as private as you suppose, therefore, for behind the experience of any one event, each of you possesses information pertaining to other dimensions of that same event that you do not ordinarily perceive.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que cada porción de consciencia contenga los potenciales de todas, con lo que la información privada sobre el mundo no es tan privada como se supone; los corchetes son de Butts
«He was bathed in that light, however, filled with it, refreshed by it, and given new comprehensions that will now emerge in his experience in a piecemeal fashion that can be assimilated in his normal frame of reference. Translations, then, are even now being made. The contact will also be reestablished.» — Seth, según Roberts, remata la interpretación del sueño: ella quedó bañada en esa luz y con comprensiones nuevas que irán emergiendo por partes, y el contacto se restablecerá
«Ruburt is, as you know, highly creative. What most artists do not realize is that the self is the first creation. They do not think of themselves as products of their own creativity. Because of Ruburt’s energy and creativity, he has always perfectly mirrored and even somewhat exaggerated the condition of the inner self, its activities and inner postures.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 580 del 12 de abril de 1971 que Butts recupera en nota, sostiene que el yo es la primera creación del artista, y que ella siempre ha espejado y aun exagerado la condición de su yo interior
«In your terms, speaking more or less historically, early man was in a more conscious relationship with Framework 2 than you are now.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 828 del 15 de marzo de 1978, sitúa al hombre temprano en relación más consciente con el Marco 2 que la de ahora
«He often perceived what you would call the products of the imagination as sense data, for example, more or less objectified in the physical world.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace percibir al hombre temprano los productos de la imaginación como datos sensoriales, objetivados más o menos en el mundo físico
«The imagination has always dealt with creativity, and as man began to settle upon a kind of consciousness that dealt with cause and effect, he no longer physically perceived the products of his imagination directly in the old manner.» — Seth, según Roberts, liga la pérdida de esa percepción al asentamiento de una consciencia que trata con causa y efecto
«He realized in those earlier times that illness, for instance, was initially as much the result of the imagination as health was, for he experienced far more directly the brilliant character of his own imagination.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye al hombre temprano el saber de que la enfermedad era tanto resultado de la imaginación como la salud, por experimentar más directamente el carácter brillante de la suya
«Therefore, imagined healings were utilized, in which a physical illness was imaginatively cured — and in those days the cures worked.» — Seth, según Roberts, afirma que se usaban curaciones imaginadas en que la enfermedad física se curaba imaginativamente, y que en aquellos días las curas funcionaban
«Regardless of your histories, those early men and women were quite healthy. They had strong teeth and bones. They dealt with the physical world through the purposeful use of the imagination, however, in a way now most difficult to understand.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara sanos a esos hombres y mujeres tempranos, con dientes y huesos fuertes, y los hace tratar con el mundo físico por el uso deliberado de la imaginación
«They realized they were mortal, and must die, but their greater awareness of Framework 2 allowed them a larger identification, so they understood that death was not only a natural necessity, but also an opportunity for other kinds of experience and development» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a la conciencia del Marco 2 de aquellos hombres una identificación mayor, que les hacía ver la muerte como necesidad natural y como oportunidad de otra experiencia
«They wondered where their thoughts went after they had them, and they imagined that in one way or another those thoughts turned into the birds and rocks, the animals and trees that were themselves ever-changing.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que aquellos hombres se preguntaran adónde iban sus pensamientos e imaginaran que se volvían los pájaros y las rocas, los animales y los árboles
«They also felt that they were themselves, however; that as humans [they were] the manifestation of the larger expression of nature that was too splendid to be contained alone within nature’s framework, that nature needed them — that is, men — to give it another kind of voice. When men spoke they spoke for themselves; yet because they felt so a part of the natural environment they spoke for nature also, and for all of its creatures.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace a aquellos hombres sentirse a la vez ellos mismos y la voz que la naturaleza necesitaba, de modo que al hablar por sí hablaban también por ella y por todas sus criaturas
«Men in those times protected themselves against storms, and yet in the same way they did not begrudge the storm its victims. They simply changed the alliances of their consciousnesses from the identification of self-within-the-flesh to self-within-the-storm. Man’s and nature’s intents were largely the same, and understood as such.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe cómo aquellos hombres se protegían de la tormenta sin negarle sus víctimas, cambiando la alianza de su consciencia del yo en la carne al yo en la tormenta
«He projected himself out into nature, into the heavens, and imagined there were great personified forms that later turned into the gods of Olympus, for example. He was also aware of the life-force within nature’s smallest parts, however, and before sense data became so standardized he perceived his own version of those individualized consciousnesses which much later became the elementals, or small spirits. But above all he was aware of nature’s source.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de esa proyección los dioses del Olimpo y, antes de que los datos sensoriales se estandarizaran, las consciencias individualizadas que luego serían los elementales o espíritus menores
«He was filled with wonder as his own consciousness ever-newly came into being. He had not yet covered over that process with the kind of smooth continuity that your own consciousness has now achieved — so when he thought a thought he was filled with curiosity: Where had it come from? His own consciousness, then, was forever a source of delight, its changing qualities as noticeable and apparent as the changing sky.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe al hombre temprano lleno de asombro ante su propia consciencia, preguntándose de dónde venía cada pensamiento, con una consciencia tan cambiante y visible como el cielo
«The relative smoothness of your own consciousness — in those terms, at least — was gained at the expense of certain other experiences, therefore, that were possible otherwise. You could not live in your present world of time if your consciousness was as playful, curious, and creative as it was, for [then] time was also experienced far differently.» — Seth, según Roberts, cifra el precio de la continuidad lisa de la consciencia actual: se ganó a costa de experiencias que una consciencia juguetona y curiosa hacía posibles, y el tiempo se vivía muy distinto
«It seems quite clear to you that the mass events of nature are completely outside of your domain. You feel you have no part in nature except as you exert control over it through technology, or harm it, again through technology. You grant that the weather has an effect upon your moods, but any deeper psychic or psychological connections between you and the elements strikes most of you as quite impossible.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la posición actual: la naturaleza fuera del propio dominio salvo por la técnica que la controla o la daña, con el clima afectando el ánimo y toda conexión más honda tenida por imposible
«Man actually courts storms. He seeks them out, for emotionally he understands quite well their part in his own private life, and their necessity on a physical level.» — Seth, según Roberts, dice que el hombre corteja las tormentas y las busca, porque comprende emocionalmente su papel en la vida privada y su necesidad en el plano físico
«Through nature’s manifestations, particularly through its power, man senses nature’s source and his own, and knows that the power can carry him to emotional realizations that are required for his own greater spiritual and psychic development.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la potencia de la naturaleza el vehículo de realizaciones emocionales requeridas para el desarrollo espiritual y psíquico
«Death is not an end, but a transformation of consciousness. Nature, with its changing seasons, constantly brings you that message. In that light, and with that understanding, nature’s disasters do not claim victims: Nature and man together act out their necessary parts in the larger framework of reality.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que la muerte sea un fin y la hace transformación de consciencia, con lo que los desastres naturales no cobran víctimas sino que hombre y naturaleza actúan sus papeles necesarios
«The animals do have imagination, regardless of your current thought. Yet man is so gifted that he directs his experience and forms his civilizations largely through the use of his imaginative abilities.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 829 del 22 de marzo de 1978, concede imaginación a los animales y reserva al hombre el dirigir su experiencia y formar sus civilizaciones con esa facultad
«You do not understand this point clearly at all, but your social organizations, your governments — these are based upon imaginative principles. The basis of your most intimate experience, the framework behind all of your organized structures, rests upon a reality that is not considered valid by the very institutions that are formed through its auspices.» — Seth, según Roberts, funda los gobiernos y las organizaciones sociales en principios imaginativos, y señala que las instituciones así formadas no tienen por válida esa realidad
«There have been spiritual rebirths and regenerations — and ungodly slaughter as well, as a result of the meaning of Easter. Blood and flesh have certainly been touched, then, and lives changed in that regard.» — Seth, según Roberts, cifra el efecto histórico de la Pascua en renacimientos espirituales y también en matanzas impías, con carne y sangre tocadas y vidas cambiadas
«All of those religious and political structures that you certainly recognize as valid, arising from the “event” of Christ’s ascension, existed — and do exist — because of an idea. The idea was the result of a spectacular act of the imagination that then leapt upon the historical landscape, highlighting all of the events of the time, so that they became illuminated indeed with a blessed and unearthly light.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace nacer todas esas estructuras religiosas y políticas de una idea, es decir de un acto espectacular de la imaginación que saltó sobre el paisaje histórico e iluminó los sucesos de su tiempo
«It may be difficult for you to understand, but the events that you now recognize are as much the result of the realm of the imagination, as those experienced by early man» — Seth, según Roberts, iguala los sucesos reconocidos hoy con los del hombre temprano en cuanto a su origen imaginativo; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«The idea of man’s survival of death was not new. The idea of a god’s “descent” to earth was ancient. The old religious myths fit a different kind of people» — Seth, según Roberts, declara antiguas la idea de la supervivencia del hombre y la del descenso de un dios, y ajusta los viejos mitos a otra clase de gente
«The miraculous merging of imagination with historical time, however, became less and less synchronized, so that only r-i-t-e-s (spelled) remained and the old gods seized the imagination no longer. The time was ripe for Christianity.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica el relevo de los viejos dioses por la desincronización entre imaginación y tiempo histórico, con los ritos como único residuo; el troceo imprime la palabra deletreada, *r-i-t-e-s (spelled)*, porque Butts la anota así
«Because man has not understood the characteristics of the world of imagination, he has thus far always insisted upon turning his myths into historical fact, for he considers the factual world alone as the real one.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica por qué el hombre convierte siempre sus mitos en hechos históricos: porque solo tiene por real el mundo factual
«Again, Christ was not crucified. The historical Christ,3 as he is thought of, was a man illuminated by psychic realities, touched with the infinite realization that any one given individual was, by virtue of his or her existence, a contact between All That Is and mankind.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega la crucifixión de Cristo y lo describe como hombre iluminado por realidades psíquicas, consciente de que cualquier individuo es por existir un contacto entre Todo Lo Que Es y la humanidad; el *3* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«Christ saw that in each person divinity and humanity met — and that man survived death by virtue of his existence within the divine. Without exception, all of the horrors connected with Christianity’s name came from “following the letter rather than the spirit of the law,” or by insistence upon literal interpretations — while the spiritual, imaginative concepts beneath were ignored.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a Cristo la visión del encuentro entre divinidad y humanidad en cada persona, y achaca los horrores del cristianismo a seguir la letra y no el espíritu de la ley
«What connects people and separates them is the power of idea and the force of imagination. Patriotism, family loyalty, political affiliations — the ideas behind these have the greatest practical applications in your world.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del poder de la idea y de la fuerza de la imaginación lo que une y separa a la gente, y nombra el patriotismo, la lealtad familiar y la afiliación política como las aplicaciones más prácticas
«You instantly color physical experience and nature itself with the tints of your unique imaginative processes. Unless you think quite consistently — and deeply — the importance of the imagination quite escapes you, and yet it literally forms the world that you experience and the mass world in which you live.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que la imaginación tiña la experiencia física y la naturaleza misma, y que forme literalmente el mundo vivido y el mundo de masa
«The theory of evolution,4 for instance, is an imaginative construct, and yet through its lights some generations now have viewed their world. It is not only that you think of yourselves differently, but you actually experience a different kind of self.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama a la teoría de la evolución un constructo imaginativo por cuyas luces han visto el mundo algunas generaciones, con el resultado de experimentar una clase distinta de yo; el *4* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«Your institutions change their aspects accordingly, so that experience fits the beliefs that you have about it. You act in certain ways. You view the entire universe in a fashion that did not exist before, so that imagination and belief intangibly structure your subjective experience and your objective circumstances.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que las instituciones cambien de aspecto para ajustar la experiencia a las creencias, y que imaginación y creencia estructuren intangiblemente lo subjetivo y lo objetivo
«In all of the other imaginative constructs, for example, whatever their merits and disadvantages, man felt himself to be a part of a plan. The planner might be God, or nature itself, or man within nature or nature within man. There might be many gods or one, but there was a meaning in the universe. Even the idea of fate gave man something to act against, and roused him to action.» — Seth, según Roberts, observa que en los demás constructos imaginativos el hombre se sentía parte de un plan y había sentido en el universo, y que aun la idea de destino le daba algo contra qué actuar
«Each man does survive death, and each woman (with quiet amusement), but only such a literal-minded species would insist upon the physical death of a god-man» — Seth, según Roberts, afirma la supervivencia de cada hombre y de cada mujer y objeta que solo una especie tan literal exigiría la muerte física de un dios-hombre como prueba; la acotación entre paréntesis es de Butts y el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«The idea of a meaningless universe, however, is in itself a highly creative imaginative act. Animals, for example, could not imagine such an idiocy, so that the theory shows the incredible accomplishment of an obviously ordered mind and intellect that can imagine itself to be the result of nonorder, or chaos — [you have] a creature who is capable of “mapping” its own brain, imagining that the brain’s fantastic regulated order could emerge from a reality that itself has no meaning.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama acto imaginativo altamente creativo a la idea de un universo sin sentido, y objeta que una mente ordenada capaz de mapear su propio cerebro se imagine resultado del caos; las acotaciones de énfasis e ironía son de Butts
«Indeed, then, the theory actually says that the ordered universe magically emerged — and evolutionists must certainly believe in a God of Chance somewhere, or in Coincidence with a capital C, for their theories would make no sense at all otherwise.» — Seth, según Roberts, sostiene que los evolucionistas han de creer en un Dios del Azar o en una Coincidencia con mayúscula, porque si no su teoría no tendría sentido
«The world of the imagination is indeed your contact with your own source. Its characteristics are the closest to those in Framework 2 that you can presently encounter.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del mundo de la imaginación el contacto con la propia fuente y lo más cercano al Marco 2 que puede encontrarse ahora
«You are having wars between the Jews and the Arabs and the Christians once again, because emphasis is put upon literal interpretations of spiritual truths.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye las guerras entre judíos, árabes y cristianos de su tiempo al énfasis puesto en las interpretaciones literales de verdades espirituales
«In each person the imaginative world, its force and power, merges into historical reality. In each person, the ultimate and unassailable and unquenchable power of All That Is is individualized, and dwells in time. Man’s imagination can carry him into those other realms — but when he tries to squeeze those truths into frameworks too small, he distorts and bends inner realities so that they become jagged dogmas.» — Seth, según Roberts, individualiza en cada persona el poder de Todo Lo Que Es y advierte que al apretar esas verdades en marcos demasiado chicos se doblan hasta volverse dogmas dentados
«The latest growth of fundamentalist religion has arisen as a countermeasure against the theories of evolution. You have, then, an overcompensation, for in the Darwinian5 world there was no meaning and no laws. There were no standards of right or wrong, so that large portions of the people felt rootless.» — Seth, según Roberts, lee el crecimiento del fundamentalismo religioso como contramedida y sobrecompensación frente a un mundo darwiniano sin sentido, sin leyes y sin criterios de bien y mal
«The [fundamentalists] returned to an authoritarian religion in which the slightest act must be regulated. They gave release, and they are giving release, to the emotions, and are thus rebelling against scientific intellectualism. They will see the world in black-and-white terms again, with good and evil clearly delineated in the most simplistic terms, and thus escape a slippery, thematic universe, in which man’s feelings seemed to give him no foothold at all.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe ese retorno a una religión autoritaria que regula el acto más pequeño, da salida a las emociones, se rebela contra el intelectualismo científico y devuelve un mundo en blanco y negro; los corchetes son de Butts
«Unfortunately, the fundamentalists accept literal interpretations of intuitive realities in such a way that they further narrow the channels through which their psychic abilities can flow.» — Seth, según Roberts, objeta al fundamentalismo que la interpretación literal de realidades intuitivas estreche los canales por donde fluyen las facultades psíquicas
«The fundamental framework, in this period of time, for all of its fervor, is not rich — as for example Christianity was in the past, with its numerous saints. It is instead a fanatical Puritan vein, peculiarly American in character, and restrictive rather than expansive, for the bursts of emotion are highly structured — that is, the emotions are limited in most areas of life, permitted only an explosive religious expression under certain conditions, when they are not so much spontaneously expressed as suddenly released from the dam of usual repression.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama al marco fundamentalista de entonces una veta puritana fanática peculiarmente americana, restrictiva y no expansiva, con estallidos emocionales muy estructurados que son más liberación de una presa que expresión espontánea
«The imagination always seeks expression. It is always creative, and underneath the frameworks of society it provides fresh incentives and new avenues for fulfillment, that can become harnessed through fanatical belief. When this happens your institutions become more repressive, and violence often emerges as a result.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que la imaginación busque siempre expresión y abra avenidas nuevas bajo los marcos de la sociedad, y advierte que al quedar enjaezada por una creencia fanática las instituciones se vuelven represivas y emerge la violencia
«If you look for signs of God’s vengeance you will find them everywhere. An avalanche or a flood or an earthquake will not be seen as a natural act of the earth’s natural creativity, but instead as a punishment from God for sin.» — Seth, según Roberts, observa que quien busque señales de la venganza de Dios las hallará en todas partes, y leerá la avalancha, la inundación o el terremoto como castigo por el pecado y no como acto natural de la creatividad de la tierra
«In evolution man’s nature is amoral, and anything goes for survival’s sake. There is no possibility of any spiritual survival as far as most evolutionists are concerned.» — Seth, según Roberts, resume el reparto: en la evolución la naturaleza del hombre es amoral y no hay supervivencia espiritual, y el fundamentalismo prefiere creer en su naturaleza pecaminosa porque su sistema al menos permite salvarse
«The vast social structures of Christianity were instead based upon man’s “sinful” nature — not the organizations and structures that might allow him to become good, or to obtain the goodness that Christ quite clearly perceived man already possessed.» — Seth, según Roberts, opone a ese precepto las estructuras sociales que el cristianismo levantó sobre la naturaleza pecaminosa del hombre, en vez de las que le permitirían alcanzar la bondad que Cristo le veía
«It seems almost a sacrilege to say that man is good, when everywhere you meet contradictions, for too often man certainly appears to act as if his motives were instead those of a born killer. You have been taught not to trust the very fabric of your being.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede que decir que el hombre es bueno suene casi a sacrilegio ante las contradicciones visibles, y atribuye eso a haber aprendido a desconfiar del propio tejido de uno
«You cannot expect yourselves to act rationally or altruistically in any consistent manner if you believe that you are automatically degraded, or that your nature is so flawed that such performance is uncharacteristic.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que quepa esperar conducta racional o altruista mientras se crea uno degradado por automatismo
«You are a part of nature that has learned to make choices, a part of nature that naturally and automatically produces dreams and beliefs about which you then organize your reality. There are many effects which you do not like, but you possess a unique kind of consciousness, in which each individual has a hand in the overall formation of a world reality, and you are participating at a level of existence in which you are learning how to transform the imaginative realm of probabilities into a more or less specific, physically experienced world.» — Seth, según Roberts, define a la especie como la parte de la naturaleza que aprendió a elegir y produce sueños y creencias en torno a los cuales organiza su realidad, y sitúa el aprendizaje en curso en transformar lo probable en mundo físico
«Christ’s message was that each man is good inherently, and is an individualized portion of the divine» — Seth, según Roberts, resume el mensaje de Cristo como la bondad inherente de cada hombre y su condición de porción individualizada de lo divino; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase remata con que nunca se ha intentado una civilización fundada en ese precepto
«In a way you choose from an infinite, endless, uncomputable number of ideas, and sculpt these into the physical fragments that compose normal experience. You do this in such a way that the timeless events are experienced in time, and so that they mix and merge to conform to the dimensions of your reality.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la elección entre un número infinito e incomputable de ideas y su escultura en los fragmentos físicos que componen la experiencia normal
«Along the way there are accomplishments that are as precious as any creatures of any kind could produce. There are also great failures — but these are failures only in comparison with the glittering inner knowledge of the imagination that holds for you those ideals against which you judge your acts.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa los logros y los fracasos de esa escultura, y hace de los segundos fracasos solo frente al saber interior de la imaginación que sostiene los ideales con que se juzgan los actos
«Those ideals are present in each individual. They are natural inclinations toward growth and fulfillment.» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra el capítulo 4 poniendo esos ideales en cada individuo como inclinaciones naturales hacia el crecimiento y el cumplimiento
«You could not have a world in which the newly risen dead mixed with the living. An existence in a spiritual realm had to follow such a resurrection.» — Seth, según Roberts, en una sesión privada que Butts cita en la nota 1 de la sesión 829, niega que quepa un mundo donde los recién resucitados se mezclen con los vivos, y hace seguir a toda resurrección una existencia en un reino espiritual
«in the facts of history, there was no crucifixion, resurrection, or ascension. In the terms of history, there was no biblical Christ. In the terms of the biblical drama (underlined), however, Christ was crucified.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la misma sesión privada, separa los dos planos: en los hechos de la historia no hubo crucifixión, resurrección ni ascensión ni Cristo bíblico, y en los términos del drama bíblico Cristo sí fue crucificado
«It was the Jewish tradition that nourished the new religion in its early stages. Christ, as you know, was a common name, so when I say that there was a man named Christ involved in those events, I do not mean to say that he was the biblical Christ. His life was one of those that were finally used to compose the composite image of the biblical Christ.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a la tradición judía la nutrición de la religión nueva y explica que Christ era nombre común, de modo que el hombre llamado así no es el Cristo bíblico sino una de las vidas con que se compuso su imagen compuesta
«Your world and everything in it exists first in the imagination, then. You have been taught to focus all of your attention upon physical events, so that they carry the authenticity of reality for you. Thoughts, feelings, or beliefs appear to be secondary, subjective — or somehow not real — and they seem to rise in response to an already established field of physical data.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre el capítulo 5 en la sesión 830 del 27 de marzo de 1978 haciendo existir el mundo primero en la imaginación, con los pensamientos y las creencias aparentando ser secundarios
«In titling this chapter I used the word “mechanics,” because mechanisms suggest smooth technological workings. While the world is not a machine — its inner workings are such that no technology could ever copy them — this involves a natural mechanics in which the inner dimensions of consciousness everywhere emerge to form a materialized, cohesive, physical existence.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica el título del capítulo y acota que el mundo no es una máquina, porque ninguna tecnología podría copiar su funcionamiento interno
«In a way, the world is like a multidimensional, exotic plant growing in space and time, each thought, dream, imaginative encounter, hope or fear, growing naturally into its own bloom — a plant of incredible variety, never for a moment the same, in which each smallest root, leaf, stem, or flower has a part to play and is connected with the whole.» — Seth, según Roberts, compara el mundo con una planta exótica multidimensional que crece en el espacio y el tiempo, donde cada pensamiento, sueño, esperanza o miedo florece a su modo y cada raíz y hoja tiene un papel
«Even those of you who intellectually agree that you form your own reality find it difficult to accept emotionally in certain areas. You are, of course, literally hypnotized into believing that your feelings arise in response to events. Your feelings, however, cause the events you perceive. Secondarily, you do of course then react to those events.» — Seth, según Roberts, observa que aun quienes aceptan intelectualmente formar su realidad la resisten emocionalmente, y llama hipnosis a la creencia de que los sentimientos surjan en respuesta a los sucesos
«You have been taught that your feelings must necessarily be tied to specific physical happenings. You may be sad because a relative has died, for example, or because you have lost a job, or because you have been rebuffed by a lover, or for any number of other accepted reasons. You are told that your feelings must be in response to events that are happening, or have happened. Often, of course, your feelings “happen ahead of time,” because those feelings are the initial realities from which events flow.» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera las razones aceptadas para los sentimientos —la muerte de un pariente, la pérdida del empleo, el rechazo amoroso— y sostiene que a menudo el sentimiento ocurre antes porque es la realidad inicial de la que el suceso fluye
«A relative might be ready to die, though no exterior sign has been given. The relative’s feelings might well be mixed, containing portions of relief and sadness, which you might then perceive — but the primary events are subjective.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone el ejemplo del pariente listo para morir sin señal exterior, cuyos sentimientos mezclados de alivio y tristeza se perciben, y remata que los sucesos primarios son subjetivos
«You usually think, for example, that your feelings about a given event are primarily reactions to the event itself. It seldom occurs to you that the feelings themselves» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la creencia usual de que los sentimientos ante un suceso sean reacción a ese suceso; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase remata con la hipótesis contraria
«For an exercise, then, imagine for a while that the subjective world of your thoughts, feelings, inner images and fantasies represent the “rockbed reality” from which individual physical events emerge. Look at the world for a change from the inside out, so to speak.» — Seth, según Roberts, da un ejercicio: tomar el mundo subjetivo de pensamientos, sentimientos, imágenes y fantasías por el lecho de roca del que emergen los sucesos físicos, y mirar el mundo de adentro hacia afuera
«Ignore for a time everything you have believed and see your thoughts as the real events. Try to view normal physical occurrences as the concrete physical reactions in space and time to your own feelings and beliefs. For indeed your subjective world causes your physical experience.» — Seth, según Roberts, pide ver los pensamientos como los sucesos reales y las ocurrencias físicas como su reacción concreta en el espacio y el tiempo, porque el mundo subjetivo causa la experiencia física
«To understand that you create your own reality requires that same kind of “awakening” from the normal awake state — at least for many people. Some of course have this knack more than others. The realization itself does indeed change “the rules of the game” as far as you are concerned (louder) to a rather considerable degree.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de esa comprensión un despertar desde el estado de vigilia normal y le atribuye el cambio de las reglas del juego; la acotación *(louder)* es de Butts
«As long as you believe that either good events or bad ones are meted out by a personified God as the reward or punishment for your actions, or on the other hand that events are largely meaningless, chaotic, subjective knots in the tangled web of an accidental Darwinian world, then you cannot consciously understand your own creativity, or play the role in the universe that you are capable of playing as individuals or as a species. You will instead live in a world where events happen to you, in which you must do sacrifice to the gods of one kind or another, or see yourselves as victims of an uncaring nature.» — Seth, según Roberts, alinea las dos creencias que impiden entender la propia creatividad —el Dios personificado que premia y castiga, y el mundo darwiniano accidental— y describe el mundo que resulta de ambas
«While still preserving the integrity of physical events as you understand them, [each of] you must alter the focus of your attention to some extent, so that you begin to perceive the connections between your subjective reality at any given time, and those events that you perceive at any given time. You are the initiator of those events.» — Seth, según Roberts, pide alterar el foco de la atención para percibir las conexiones entre la realidad subjetiva y los sucesos, sin perder la integridad de los sucesos físicos
«This recognition does indeed involve a new performance on the part of your own consciousness, a mental and imaginative leap that gives you control and direction over achievements that you have always performed, though without your conscious awareness.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el reconocimiento como un salto mental e imaginativo que da control sobre logros que ya se realizaban sin advertirlo
«As a species, however, you have developed what can almost be called a secondary nature — a world of technology in which you also now have your existence, and complicated social structures have emerged from it. To develop that kind of structure necessitated a division between subjective and objective worlds.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama casi segunda naturaleza al mundo de la tecnología y a las estructuras sociales que salieron de él, y hace necesaria para su desarrollo la división entre lo subjetivo y lo objetivo
«You can “come awake” from your normal waking state, and that is the natural next step for consciousness to follow — one for which your biology has already equipped you.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara ese despertar desde la vigilia el paso natural siguiente de la consciencia, para el que la biología ya equipó a la especie
«In those areas of life where you are satisfied, give yourselves credit, and in those areas where you are not, remind yourselves that you are involved in a learning process; you are daring enough to accept the responsibility for your actions.» — Seth, según Roberts, reparte el consejo práctico: dar crédito donde hay satisfacción y recordar en lo demás que se está en un proceso de aprendizaje
«Because of your individual and joint intuitive understanding and intellectual discrimination, you were able from an early age to clearly perceive the difficulties of your fellows. This helped incite stimuli that made you question the entire framework of your civilization. You were able to do something few people can: leap intuitively and mentally above your own period — to discard intellectually and mentally, and sometimes emotionally, the shortsighted, unfortunate religious, scientific, and social beliefs of your fellows.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión privada del 25 de junio de 1977 que Butts cita, atribuye a los dos la capacidad de saltar intuitiva y mentalmente por encima de su propia época y descartar las creencias religiosas, científicas y sociales de sus contemporáneos
«It is somewhat of a psychological trick, in your day and age, to come to the realization that you do in fact form your experience and your world, simply because the weight of evidence seems (underlined twice) to be so loaded at the other end» — Seth, según Roberts, llama truco psicológico llegar a la comprensión de que uno forma su experiencia y su mundo, por el peso aparente de la evidencia contraria; la acotación *(underlined twice)* es de Butts y el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«Many of those old beliefs still have an emotional hold, however, and some helpful beliefs have also been overdone, or carried on too long. Because you can see so clearly the failings of your age, you each have a tendency to exaggerate them, or rather to concentrate upon them, so that you do not have an emotional feeling of safety. You react by setting up defenses» — Seth, según Roberts, en la misma sesión privada, acota que muchas de esas creencias viejas conservan un asidero emocional y que los dos tienden a concentrarse en los defectos de su época, con lo que no sienten seguridad y levantan defensas
«The temporal rose Contains Eternal seeds In which The entire universe (and you and I) Are all implied.» — Jane Roberts, en el poema del 28 de septiembre de 1978 que Butts imprime al abrir la sesión 831, mete el universo entero y a los dos en las semillas eternas que contiene la rosa temporal
«Organized religion has committed many important blunders, yet for centuries Christianity provided a context accepted by large portions of the known world, in which experience could be judged against very definite “rules” — experience once focused, chiselled, and yet allowed some rich expression as long as it stayed within the boundaries set by religious dogma.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede a la religión organizada muchos desatinos importantes y a la vez el haber dado por siglos un contexto donde la experiencia se juzgaba contra reglas definidas
«Church was the authority, and the individual lived out his or her life almost automatically structuring personal experience so that it fit within the accepted norm.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a la iglesia como la autoridad y al individuo estructurando casi automáticamente su experiencia para que cupiera en la norma aceptada
«In your society there is no such overall authority. The individual must make his or her own way through a barrage of different value systems, making decisions that were largely unthought of when a son followed his father’s trade automatically, for example, or when marriages were made largely for economic reasons.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la ausencia de esa autoridad general y al individuo abriéndose paso entre sistemas de valores en conflicto, con decisiones que antes no se planteaban
«For all its many errors, at its best Christianity proclaimed the ultimate meaning for each person’s life. There was no question but that life had meaning, whether or not you might agree as to the particular meaning assigned to it.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede al cristianismo, en su mejor versión y pese a sus errores, haber proclamado un sentido último para la vida de cada quien
«Men’s dreams were also different in those times, filled far more with metaphysical images, for example, more alive with saints and demons — but overall one framework of belief existed, and all experience was judged in its light.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace distintos también los sueños de aquel tiempo, más poblados de imágenes metafísicas, de santos y de demonios, bajo un solo marco de creencia
«In some important areas this means that the mechanics of experience are actually becoming more apparent, for they are no longer hidden beneath one belief system.» — Seth, según Roberts, halla una ganancia en la variedad de creencias de su tiempo: la mecánica de la experiencia se vuelve más visible al no quedar oculta bajo un solo sistema
«If you believe that you do indeed form your own reality, then you instantly come up against a whole new group of questions. If you actually construct your own experience, individually and en masse, why does so much of it seem negative? You create your own reality, or it is created for you. It is an accidental universe, or it is not.» — Seth, según Roberts, formula las preguntas que abre la tesis del libro: si uno forma su realidad, por qué tanto de ella parece negativo, y deja el dilema en dos términos sin término medio
«Now in medieval times organized religion, or organized Christianity, presented each individual with a screen of beliefs through which the personal self was perceived. Portions of the self that were not perceivable through that screen were almost invisible to the private person. Problems were sent by God as punishment or warning. The mechanics of experience were hidden behind that screen.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la pantalla de creencias del cristianismo medieval, tras la cual quedaban invisibles las porciones del yo que no pasaban por ella y oculta la mecánica de la experiencia
«Yet in the midst of these beliefs each individual seeks to find a context in which his or her life has meaning, a purpose which will rouse the self to action, a drama in whose theme private actions will have significance.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que cada quien busque igualmente un contexto que dé sentido a su vida y un drama donde sus actos privados signifiquen
«The beliefs of [Charles] Darwin and of [Sigmund] Freud3 alike have formed together to give you a different screen. Experience is accepted and perceived only as it is sieved through that screen.» — Seth, según Roberts, nombra la pantalla que a su juicio sustituyó a la cristiana, hecha de Darwin y de Freud juntos; los corchetes y el *3* son de Butts
«If Christendom saw man as blighted by original sin, Darwinian and Freudian views see him as part of a flawed species in which individual life rests precariously, ever at the beck and call of the species’ needs, and with survival as the prime goal — a survival, however, without meaning. The psyche’s grandeur is ignored, the individual’s sense of belonging with nature eroded, for it is at nature’s expense, it seems, that he must survive. One’s greatest dreams and worst fears alike become the result of glandular imbalance, or of neuroses from childhood traumas.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe lo que esa pantalla deja ver: el hombre como parte de una especie defectuosa con la supervivencia por meta y sin sentido, y los sueños y los miedos reducidos a desequilibrio glandular o a traumas de la infancia
«There are intellectual values and emotional ones, and sometimes there are needs of an emotional nature that must be met regardless of intellectual judgments.» — Seth, según Roberts, separa los valores intelectuales de los emocionales y sostiene que a veces hay necesidades emocionales que deben satisfacerse contra el juicio intelectual
«The church provided a cosmic drama in which even the life of the sinner had value, even if only to show God’s compassion. In your society, however, the sterile psychic environment often leads to rebellion: People take steps to bring meaning and drama into their lives, even if intellectually they refuse to make the connection.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a la iglesia un drama cósmico donde hasta la vida del pecador valía, y al ambiente psíquico estéril de la sociedad actual la rebelión de quien da pasos para meter sentido y drama en su vida
«When God went out the window for large masses of people, fate took His place (long pause), and volition also became eroded.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el relevo de Dios por el destino en grandes masas de gente y la erosión de la volición que vino con él
«Not only was he set against himself, but he saw himself as a part of an uncaring mechanistic universe, devoid of purpose, intent, and certainly a universe that cared not a whit for the individual, but only for the species. Indeed, a strange world.» — Seth, según Roberts, suma a esa división el verse parte de un universo mecanicista sin propósito que no cuida del individuo sino de la especie
«It was in many respects a new world, for it was the first one in which large portions of humanity believed that they were isolated from nature and God, and in which no grandeur was acknowledged as a characteristic of the soul.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama mundo nuevo a ese, el primero en que grandes porciones de la humanidad se creyeron aisladas de la naturaleza y de Dios y sin grandeza reconocida en el alma
«Here I use the words “soul” and “psyche” synonymously. That psyche has been emerging more and more in whatever guise it is allowed to as it seeks to express its vitality, its purpose and exuberance, and as it seeks out new contexts in which to express a subjective reality that finally spills over the edges of sterile beliefs.» — Seth, según Roberts, iguala alma y psique y describe a esa psique emergiendo en cualquier disfraz que se le permita, buscando contextos nuevos para una realidad subjetiva que se desborda de creencias estériles
«The psyche expresses itself through action, of course, but it carries behind it the thrust from which life springs, and it seeks the fulfillment of the individual — and it automatically attempts to produce a social climate or civilization that is productive and creative. It projects its desires outward onto the physical world, seeking through private experience and social contact to actualize its potentials, and in such a way that the potentials of others are also encouraged.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a la psique la busca del cumplimiento del individuo y un intento automático de producir un clima social o una civilización productiva donde los potenciales de los demás también se alienten
«It seeks to flesh out its dreams, and when these find no response in social life, it will nevertheless take personal expression in a kind of private religion of its own.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que la psique, al no hallar respuesta social para sus sueños, tome expresión personal en una especie de religión privada
«Basically, religion is an activity through which man attempts to see the meaning of his life. It is a construction based on deep psychic knowledge. No matter what the name it might go by, it represents man’s connection with the universe.» — Seth, según Roberts, define la religión como la actividad por la que el hombre intenta ver el sentido de su vida, una construcción basada en saber psíquico hondo, cualquiera que sea su nombre
«A person could neither be proud of personal achievement nor blamed for failure, since in large measure his characteristics, potentials, and lacks were seen as the result of chance, heredity, and of unconscious mechanisms over which he seemingly had little control.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe al hombre que no puede enorgullecerse de su logro ni ser culpado de su fracaso, porque sus características se atribuyen al azar, a la herencia y a mecanismos inconscientes
«The devil went underground, figuratively speaking, so that many of his mischievous qualities and devious characteristics were assigned to the unconscious. Man was seen as divided against himself — a conscious figurehead, resting uneasily above the mighty haunches of unconscious beastliness.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace pasar al diablo a la clandestinidad del inconsciente y describe al hombre como cabeza consciente sobre los cuartos traseros de una bestialidad inconsciente
«In your society, it is generally thought that a person must have a decent livelihood, a family or other close relationships, good health, and a sense of belonging if the individual is to be at all productive, happy, or content.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre la sesión 832 del 29 de enero de 1979 con lo que su sociedad tiene por requisitos de la productividad y la felicidad: sustento decente, relaciones cercanas, buena salud y sentido de pertenencia
«There is a need within man to feel and express heroic impulses. His true instincts lead him spontaneously toward the desire to better the quality of his own life and that of others. He must see himself as a force in the world.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone en el hombre la necesidad de sentir y expresar impulsos heroicos y de verse como una fuerza en el mundo
«Animals also dramatize. They possess emotions. They feel a part of the drama of the seasons. They are fully alive, in those terms. Nature in all of its varieties is so richly encountered by the animals that it becomes their equivalent of your structures of culture and civilization. They respond to its rich nuances in ways impossible to describe, so that their “civilizations” are built up through the interweavings of sense data that you cannot possibly perceive.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a los animales dramatización y emociones, y hace de su respuesta a los matices de la naturaleza el equivalente de las estructuras de cultura y civilización humanas
«They know, the animals, in a way that you cannot, that their private existences have a direct impact upon the nature of reality. They are engaged, then.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a los animales el saber de que sus existencias privadas tienen impacto directo sobre la naturaleza de la realidad, y los declara comprometidos
«An individual can possess wealth and health, can enjoy satisfying relationships, and even fulfilling work, and yet live a life devoid of the kind of drama of which I speak — for unless you feel that life itself has meaning, then each life must necessarily seem meaningless, and all love and beauty end only in decay.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que riqueza, salud, relaciones y aun trabajo satisfactorio basten sin ese drama, porque sin sentido en la vida misma toda vida parece sin sentido
«When you believe in a universe accidentally formed, and when you think you are a member of a species accidentally spawned, then private life seems devoid of meaning, and events can seem chaotic. Disastrous events thought to originate in a god’s wrath could at least be understood in that context, but many of you live in a subjective world in which the events of your lives appear to have no particular reason — or indeed sometimes seem to happen in direct opposition to your wishes» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de la creencia en un universo accidental la vida privada sin sentido y los sucesos caóticos, y observa que el desastre atribuido a la ira de un dios al menos se entendía en ese contexto
«What kind of events can people form when they feel powerless, when their lives seem robbed of meaning — and what mechanics lie behind those events?» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra el tramo de dictado de esa sesión con la pregunta que abre lo que sigue: qué sucesos forma quien se siente impotente y qué mecánica está detrás de ellos
«Little if anything is said about the personality’s innate need to feel that his life has purpose and meaning. Little is said about the personality’s innate desire for drama, the kind of inner spiritual drama in which an individual can feel part of a purpose that» — Seth, según Roberts, señala lo que falta en esos programas: la necesidad innata de sentir que la vida tiene propósito y el deseo de un drama espiritual propio; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«People die for “a cause” only when they have found no cause to live by.» — Seth, según Roberts, condiciona la muerte por una causa a no haber hallado causa por la cual vivir; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«it seems that the world is devoid of meaning, then some people will make a certain kind of statement through the circumstances connected with their own deaths.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de las circunstancias de la propia muerte una declaración para quien tiene el mundo por vacío de sentido
«You do not imagine the existence of blocks or impediments in your way, in the form of additional furniture placed in your path by accident, fate, or design. You make a simple straight path in the proper direction. The act has meaning because it is something you want to do.» — Seth, según Roberts, completa el ejemplo: no se imaginan bloques ni muebles puestos por accidente o por designio, se hace un camino recto, y el acto tiene sentido porque es algo que se quiere hacer
«There are purposes not nearly as easy to describe, however, intents of a psychological nature, yearnings toward satisfactions not so easily categorized. Man experiences ambitions, desires, likes and dislikes of a highly emotional nature — and at the same time he has intellectual beliefs about himself, his feelings, and the world. These are the result of training, for you use your mind as you have been taught.» — Seth, según Roberts, opone a ese acto los propósitos psicológicos y los anhelos difíciles de categorizar, y hace de las creencias intelectuales sobre uno mismo el resultado de un entrenamiento
«One person may desire fame, and even possess certain abilities that he or she wants to use, and that will indeed lead to that claim. Such a person may also believe that fortune or fame leads to unhappiness, licentiousness, or in some other way brings about disastrous conditions. Here we have a clear purpose to use abilities and receive acclaim. We also have another quite opposing clear purpose: to avoid fame.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone el ejemplo del que quiere fama y a la vez cree que la fama trae infelicidad o desenfreno, con dos propósitos claros que se oponen
«There are people who want children and mates, and have those excellent qualities that would serve them well as parents. Some of those same individuals may be convinced that love is wrong, however, or that sex is debasing, or that children mean the end of youth. Such persons may then find themselves breaking off good relationships with those of the other sex for no apparent reason, or forcing the other party to break with them. Here again we have two clear purposes, but they oppose each other.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone el segundo ejemplo: quienes quieren hijos y pareja y a la vez creen que el amor está mal o que los hijos acaban la juventud, y rompen buenas relaciones sin razón aparente
«Those who believe in the ultimate meaning of their lives can withstand such pressures, and often such dilemmas, and others like them, are resolved in an adequate-enough fashion. Disappointments, conflicts, and feelings of powerlessness can begin to make unfortunate inroads in the personalities of those who believe that life itself has little meaning.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que quien cree en el sentido último de su vida resista esas presiones, y que los desengaños hagan mella en quien tiene la vida por poco significativa
«Such people begin to imagine impediments in their paths as surely as anyone would who imagined that physical barriers were suddenly put up between them and a table they wanted to reach at the end of the room.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a esas personas imaginando impedimentos en su camino como quien imaginara barreras físicas entre él y una mesa del otro extremo del cuarto
«Your psychological intents instantly mobilize your energies on a psychic level. You have what I will call for now “a body of thought,” and it is that “body” that constantly springs into action at your intent.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama cuerpo de pensamiento a lo que se moviliza en el nivel psíquico ante la intención, como el cuerpo físico se moviliza ante el deseo de moverse
«Your intent to find a mate sends out “strands of consciousness,” however, composed of desire and intent. Like detectives, these search the world, looking in a completely different way than a physical sleuth. The world is probed with your characteristics in mind, seeking for someone else with characteristics that will best suit your own.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe hebras de consciencia compuestas de deseo e intención que sondean el mundo como detectives, buscando a alguien cuyas características se ajusten a las propias
«For now, consider a very simple act. You want to walk across the room and pick up a paper, for example. That purpose is simple and direct enough.» — Seth, según Roberts, usa el acto simple de cruzar el cuarto por un papel para mostrar cómo opera un propósito directo; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«The organization of your feelings, beliefs, and intents directs the focus about which your physical reality is built. This follows with impeccable spontaneity and order.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que la organización de sentimientos, creencias e intenciones dirija el foco en torno al cual se construye la realidad física, con espontaneidad y orden impecables
«If you believe in the sinfulness of the world, for instance, then you will search out from normal sense data those facts that confirm your belief. But beyond that, at other levels you also organize your mental world in such a way that you attract to yourself events that — again — will confirm your beliefs.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el doble filtro de la creencia: se escogen de los datos sensoriales los que la confirman, y en otros niveles se atraen los sucesos que también la confirman
«Death is a part of you, even as birth is. Its import varies according to the individual — and in a certain fashion, death is your last chance to make a statement of import in any given life, if you feel you have not done so earlier.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la muerte una parte de uno como el nacimiento y la llama la última oportunidad de hacer una declaración de peso en una vida
«Some people’s deaths are quiet periods. Some others’ are exclamation points, so that later it can be said that the person’s death loomed almost greater in importance than the life itself.» — Seth, según Roberts, reparte las muertes entre puntos y signos de admiración, con algunas que después parecen pesar más que la vida misma
«Some people die in adolescence, filled with the flush of life’s possibilities, still half-dazzled by the glory of childhood, and ready to step with elation upon the threshold of adulthood — or so it seems. Many such young persons prefer to die at that time, where they feel the possibilities for fulfillment are intricate and endless. They are often idealists, who beneath it all — beneath the enthusiasm, the intelligence, and sometimes beneath extraordinary ability — still feel that life could no more than sully those abilities, dampen those spiritual winds, and darken that promise that could never be fulfilled.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a los que mueren en la adolescencia como idealistas que sienten que la vida no haría más que ensuciar sus dotes y oscurecer una promesa incumplible
«This is not the reason for all such deaths by any means, but there is usually an implied statement in them so that the death seems to have an additional meaning that makes parents and contemporaries question. Such individuals usually choose deaths with a high dramatic content, because regardless of appearances they have not been able to express the dramatic contents of their psyches in the world as it seems to be to them. They turn their deaths into lessons for other people, forcing them to ask questions that would not be asked before.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que no es la razón de todas esas muertes, y describe a esos jóvenes eligiendo muertes de alto contenido dramático y volviéndolas lecciones que fuerzan preguntas
«There are also mass statements of the same kind for people come together to die, however, to seek company in death as they do in life. People who feel powerless, and who find no cause for living, can come together then and “die for a cause” that did not give them the will or reason to live. They will seek out others of their kind.» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende la declaración a las muertes de masa: quienes se sienten impotentes y sin causa para vivir se juntan a morir por una causa que no les dio razón de vivir
«The inner mechanics of emotions and beliefs are complicated, but these are individuals who feel that physical life has failed them. They are powerless in society. They think in black and white, and conflicts between their emotions, and their beliefs about their emotions, lead them to seek some kind of shelter in a rigid belief system that will give them rules to go by.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a quienes se sienten fallados por la vida física y sin poder en la sociedad, pensando en blanco y negro y buscando refugio en un sistema rígido de creencias que les dé reglas
«Such systems lead to the formation of cults, and the potential members seek out a leader who will serve their purposes as surely as they seem to serve his — through an inner mechanics of which each member is at least somewhat aware.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de esos sistemas la formación de cultos, con miembros que buscan un líder que sirva a sus propósitos como ellos parecen servir a los de él
«I try to strongly state the pristine uniqueness of the individual. I also say that there are no limitations to the self. The two statements can appear to be contradictory.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 834 del 5 de febrero de 1979, pone juntas dos afirmaciones suyas que pueden parecer contradictorias: la unicidad prístina del individuo y la ausencia de límites del yo
«You move in and out of probable selfhoods, while at the same time — usually with the greatest of ease — you maintain an identity of yourself. The mosaics of consciousness are brilliant to behold.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el entrar y salir de yoes probables manteniendo a la vez la identidad, y llama brillantes de ver a los mosaicos de la consciencia
«When I speak of mosaics, you might think of small segments, shining and of different shapes and sizes. Yet the mosaics of consciousness are more like lights, radiating through themselves and through a million spectrums.» — Seth, según Roberts, enmienda su propia figura: los mosaicos de la consciencia no son segmentos pequeños sino luces que irradian a través de sí mismas y de un millón de espectros
«The infant sees mental images before birth, before the eyes are open. Your memory, it seems, is your own — yet I have told you that you have a history of other existences. You remember other faces, even though the mind you call the conscious one may not recognize the images from that deep inner memory. It must often clothe them in fantasy.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye al infante imágenes mentales antes de nacer y antes de abrir los ojos, y hace recordar rostros de otras existencias que la mente consciente viste de fantasía
«Your self is secure in its own identity, unique in its characteristics, meeting life and the seasons in a way that has never happened before, and will never happen again — yet still you are a unique version of your greater self.» — Seth, según Roberts, concilia las dos afirmaciones: el yo es único, irrepetible, y a la vez una versión única del yo mayor
«It is as if you shared, say, a psychological planet, populated by people who had the same roots, the same ground of being — as if you shared the same continents, mountains, and oceans. Instead you share certain patterns of development, images, memories, and desires. These are reflected in your physical life, and in one way or another elements of your life are shared in the same fashion.» — Seth, según Roberts, compara ese compartir con habitar un planeta psicológico con los mismos continentes, montañas y océanos, solo que lo compartido son patrones de desarrollo, imágenes, memorias y deseos
«Your painting was meant to bring out from the recesses of your being the accumulation of your knowledge in the form of images — not of people you might meet now on the street, but portraits of the residents of the mind.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica los retratos que Butts pinta de memoria: no de gente que pudiera encontrarse en la calle sino de los residentes de la mente; los corchetes son de Butts
«The paint brush can indeed be a key to other worlds, or course. Your own emotional feelings carry over in such paintings.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del pincel una llave a otros mundos y de los propios sentimientos algo que pasa a esas pinturas
«The residents of the mind are very real. In a certain fashion, they are your parents more than your parents were, and when you express their realities, they are also expressing yours.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara muy reales a esos residentes de la mente, más padres que los padres, y hace recíproca la expresión entre ellos y quien los pinta
«there are certain — (humorously:) a necessary qualifying word — “power selves,” or personalities; parts of your greater identity who utilized fairly extraordinary amounts of energy in very constructive ways.» — Seth, según Roberts, nombra unos yoes de potencia, personalidades de la identidad mayor que usaron energía extraordinaria de manera constructiva; la acotación entre paréntesis es de Butts
«If you cannot trust your private self, then you will not trust yourself in your relationships with others or in society.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre el dictado de la sesión 834 condicionando la confianza en las relaciones y en la sociedad a la confianza en el yo privado
«If you do not trust your private self, you will be afraid of power, for you will fear that you are bound to misuse it. You may then purposefully (leaning forward, quietly emphatic but with some amusement) put yourself in a position of weakness, while all of the time claiming that you seek influence. Not understanding yourself, you will be in a quandary, and the mechanics of experience will appear mysterious and capricious.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de esa desconfianza el miedo al poder y la puesta deliberada en posición de debilidad, con la mecánica de la experiencia volviéndose misteriosa y caprichosa
«A few that I discuss may be exaggerated, in that they are not “normal” conditions in most people’s lives. Their rather bizarre nature, however, throws a giant spotlight upon intents, purposes, and cross-purposes, that too often appear in the lives of quite normal men and women.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara el método del resto del libro: casos de naturaleza bizarra que iluminan con un foco gigante intenciones y contraintenciones que también aparecen en gente normal
«When people are convinced that the self is untrustworthy, for whatever reasons, or that the universe is not safe, then instead of luxuriating in the use of their abilities, exploring the physical and mental environments, they begin to pull in their realities — to contract their abilities, to overcontrol their environments.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el efecto de creer indigno de confianza al yo o inseguro al universo: contraer la realidad propia, encoger las capacidades y sobrecontrolar el entorno
«They become frightened people — and frightened people do not want freedom, mental or physical. They want shelter, a definite set of rules. They want to be told what is good and bad. They lean toward compulsive behavior patterns. They seek out leaders — political, scientific (humorously), or religious — who will order their lives for them.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a la gente asustada: no quiere libertad mental ni física sino refugio, reglas y quien le diga qué es bueno y qué es malo, y busca líderes políticos, científicos o religiosos que le ordenen la vida
«There are religious cults, and there are also scientific ones. There are people who follow a cult that is purely private, with rules and regulations as rigorous as any sent down to a group of frightened followers by a despot of whatever kind.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone junto a los cultos religiosos los científicos, y añade el culto puramente privado con reglas tan rigurosas como las de cualquier déspota
«A large portion of this book will be devoted, of course, to the introduction of concepts that will privately encourage greater productivity and creativity, and therefore automatically contribute to more healthy and sane social ways.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara desde dentro el propósito de buena parte del libro: introducir conceptos que alienten la productividad y la creatividad privadas y contribuyan a formas sociales más sanas
«Paranoia is extremely interesting because it shows the ways in which private beliefs can distort events that connect the individual with other people. The events are “distorted,” yet while the paranoid is convinced that those events are valid, this does not change other people’s perception of the same happenings» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 812 del 1 de octubre de 1977 que Butts coloca aquí por instrucción suya, hace de la paranoia el caso donde se ve cómo las creencias privadas distorsionan los sucesos que conectan con los demás
«All time is simultaneous. Only the illusion of time on each of your parts keeps you from greeting each other.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del tiempo algo simultáneo y de su ilusión lo único que impide el saludo entre esos yoes
«To some extent, when you paint such portraits you are forming psychic bridges between yourself and those other selves: Your own identity as yourself grows.» — Seth, según Roberts, convierte esos retratos en puentes psíquicos entre quien pinta y esos otros yoes, con lo que la propia identidad crece
«or they may be shared by many, in — for example — mass paranoia.» — Seth, según Roberts, añade que esos ambientes pueden ser privados o compartidos por muchos, como en la paranoia de masa
«What I want to emphasize here is the paranoid’s misinterpretation of innocuous personal or mass events, and to stress the ways in which physical events can be put together symbolically, so that from them a reality can be created that is almost part physical and part dream.» — Seth, según Roberts, subraya la malinterpretación paranoide de sucesos inocuos y la manera en que los sucesos físicos se arman simbólicamente en una realidad mitad física y mitad sueño
«You must of course interpret events in a personal manner. You create them. Yet there is also a meeting ground of more or less shared physical encounters, a sense plateau that offers firm-enough footing for the agreement of a mass-shared world.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que los sucesos se interpretan personalmente y a la vez hay una meseta de sentido bastante firme para sostener el acuerdo de un mundo compartido
«With most mental aberrations, you are dealing with people whose private symbols are so heavily thrust over prime sense data that even those data sometimes become almost invisible. These individuals often use the physical world in the way that most people use the dream world, so that for them it is difficult to distinguish between a private and a publicly-shared reality.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la aberración mental como símbolos privados tan sobrepuestos a los datos sensoriales que estos casi desaparecen, con el mundo físico usado como los demás usan el mundo del sueño
«Many such people are highly creative and imaginative. Often, however, they have less of a solid foundation than others in dealing with a mass-shared reality, and so they attempt to impose their own private symbols upon the world» — Seth, según Roberts, concede a esas personas creatividad e imaginación altas y les atribuye menos cimiento para tratar con una realidad compartida; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«As creatures dwelling in time and space, your senses provide you with highly specific data, and with a cohesive-enough physical reality. Each person may react to the seasons in a very personalized manner, and yet you all share those natural events. They provide a framework for experience. It is up to the conscious mind to interpret sense events as clearly and concisely as possible. This allows for the necessary freedom of action for psychological and physical mobility.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de los datos sensoriales y de los sucesos naturales compartidos el marco de la experiencia, y deja a la mente consciente interpretarlos con claridad para que haya movilidad
«But when you are confused or upset, it is an excellent idea to return your attention to the natural world as it appears at any given moment — to sense its effect upon you as separate from your own projections.» — Seth, según Roberts, da una receta de orientación: volver la atención al mundo natural tal como aparece en un momento dado, aparte de las propias proyecciones
«You form your own reality. Yet if you are in the Northeast in the wintertime, you had better be experiencing a physical winter (humorously), or you are far divorced from primary sense data.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota con humor su propia tesis: en invierno y en el noreste conviene experimentar un invierno físico, o se está muy lejos de los datos sensoriales primarios
«Let us take a hypothetical individual — one who is convinced he has a healthy body, and is proud of mental stability. Let us call this friend Peter. Peter [for his own reasons] may decide that his body is out to get him and punish him, rather than, say, the FBI. He may symbolically pick out an organ or a function, and he will misinterpret many body events in the same way that another may misinterpret mass events. Any public service announcements, so-called, publicizing symptoms connected with his sensitive area, will immediately alarm him. He will consciously and unconsciously focus upon that part of the body, anticipating its malfunction. Our friend can indeed alter the reality of his body.» — Seth, según Roberts, construye el caso de Peter, que en vez de al FBI teme a su propio cuerpo, elige simbólicamente un órgano y malinterpreta los sucesos corporales como se malinterpretan los sucesos de masa
«If he keeps this up long enough, he will indeed strain a portion of the body, and by telling others about it he will gradually begin to affect not only his personal world, but that part of the mass world with which he has contact: It will be known that he has an ulcer, or whatever. In each case we are dealing with a misinterpretation of basic sense data.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe cómo esa atención termina por forzar una parte del cuerpo y por afectar, al contarlo, la porción de mundo de masa con que ese hombre tiene contacto
«The paranoid organizes the psychological world about his obsession, for such it is, and he cuts everything out that does not apply, until all conforms to his beliefs. An examination of unprejudiced sense data at any point would at any time bring him relief.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe al paranoico organizando el mundo psicológico en torno a su obsesión y recortando cuanto no se ajusta, y sostiene que un examen de datos sensoriales sin prejuicio le traería alivio
«There is an enchanting suggestion, solemnly repeated many times, particularly after the turn of the century: “Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre el capítulo 6 en la sesión 835 del 7 de febrero de 1979 citando la autosugestión que se repitió tras el cambio de siglo; el *1* de la nota de Butts advierte que la fórmula original decía *Day by day* y no *Every day*
«To a degree, however, that suggestion worked for millions of people. It was not a cure-all. It did not help those who believed in the basic untrustworthiness of their own natures. The suggestion was far from a bit of fluff, however, for it could serve — and it did — as a framework about which new beliefs could rally.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede efecto a esa sugestión para millones, le niega ser una cura para todo y la acota: no ayudó a quienes creían en la falta de confianza básica de su propia naturaleza
«We often have in your society the opposite suggestion, however, given quite regularly: “Every day, in every way, I am growing worse, and so is the world.” You have meditations for disaster, beliefs that invite private and mass tragedies. They are usually masked by the polite clothing of conventional acceptance.» — Seth, según Roberts, formula la sugestión contraria que a su juicio circula, y llama meditaciones para el desastre a las creencias que invitan tragedias privadas y de masa
«Many thousands may die in a particular battle or war, for example. The deaths are accepted almost as a matter of course. These are victims of war, without question. It seldom occurs to anyone that these are victims of beliefs (emphatically) — since the guns are quite real, and the bombs and the combat.» — Seth, según Roberts, distingue dos lecturas de los caídos en una guerra: víctimas de la guerra, lo que nadie discute, y víctimas de creencias, lo que a nadie se le ocurre porque las armas son reales
«Wars are basically examples of mass suicide — embarked upon, however, with all of the battle’s paraphernalia, carried out through mass suggestion, and through the nation’s greatest resources, by men who are convinced that the universe is unsafe, that the self cannot be trusted, and that strangers are always hostile.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama a las guerras ejemplos de suicidio de masa emprendidos con toda la parafernalia de la batalla por hombres convencidos de que el universo es inseguro y los extraños siempre hostiles
«These paranoiac tendencies are largely hidden beneath man’s nationalistic banners. “The end justifies the means.” This is another belief, most damaging. Religious wars always have paranoiac tendencies, for the fanatic always fears conflicting beliefs, and systems that embrace them.» — Seth, según Roberts, esconde esas tendencias paranoides bajo las banderas nacionalistas y atribuye al fanático el miedo a las creencias en conflicto, de donde salen las guerras religiosas
«You have occasional epidemics that flare up, with victims left dead. Partially, these are also victims of beliefs, for you believe that the natural body is the natural prey of viruses and diseases over which you have no personal control, except» — Seth, según Roberts, llama también víctimas de creencias a los muertos de una epidemia, porque se cree que el cuerpo es presa natural de virus sobre los que no se tiene control personal; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«In the medical profession, the overall suggestion that operates is one that emphasizes and exaggerates the body’s vulnerability, and plays down its natural healing abilities.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la sugestión que a su juicio opera en la profesión médica: exagerar la vulnerabilidad del cuerpo y minimizar sus capacidades naturales de curación
«Therefore, you cannot trust your own intuitions. You think that your purpose in life must be to be something else, or someone else, than you are. In such a situation many people seek out causes, and hope to merge the purposes of the cause with their own unrecognized one.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de esa creencia la desconfianza en las propias intuiciones y la busca de causas donde fundir el propósito ajeno con el propio no reconocido
«There have been many great men and women involved in causes, to which they gave their energies, resources, and support. Those people, however, recognized the importance of their own beings, and added that vitality to causes in which they believed. They did not submerge their individuality to causes. Instead, they asserted their individuality, and became more themselves. They extended their horizons, pushed beyond the conventional mental landscapes — driven by zest and vitality, by curiosity and love, and not by fear» — Seth, según Roberts, distingue a los grandes de las causas: no sumergieron su individualidad en ellas sino que la afirmaron, movidos por el brío, la curiosidad y el amor y no por el miedo
«Many people lost their lives recently in the tragedy of [Jonestown] Guyana. People willingly took poison at the command of their leader. No armies stood outside the grounds. No bombs fell. There was no physical virus that spread through the multitude.» — Seth, según Roberts, trae el caso de Jonestown y enumera lo que no hubo: ni ejércitos afuera, ni bombas, ni virus físico; los corchetes son de Butts
«Those people succumbed to an epidemic of beliefs, to an environment [that was] closed mentally and physically. The villains consisted of the following ideas: that the world is unsafe, and growing deadly; that the species itself is tainted by a deadly intent; that the individual has no power over his or her reality; that society or social conditions exist as things in themselves, and that their purposes run directly counter to the fulfillment of the individual; and lastly, that the end justifies the means, and that the action of any kind of god is powerless in the world.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama epidemia de creencias a lo ocurrido en Jonestown y enumera las ideas que hace villanas: el mundo inseguro, la especie con intención mortífera, el individuo sin poder, la sociedad contraria al cumplimiento del individuo, el fin que justifica los medios y un dios impotente en el mundo
«The people who died were idealists — perfectionists of exaggerated quality, whose very desire for the good was tainted and distorted by those beliefs just mentioned. For those beliefs must gradually shut out perception of good from experience.3» — Seth, según Roberts, llama idealistas y perfeccionistas de calidad exagerada a los muertos de Jonestown, con el deseo del bien distorsionado por esas creencias; el *3* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«Man is of good intent. When you see evil everywhere in man’s intent — in your own actions and those of others — then you set yourself up against your own existence, and that of your kind.» — Seth, según Roberts, repite que el hombre es de buena intención y sostiene que ver el mal por todas partes en la intención del hombre es ponerse contra la propia existencia
«You focus upon the gulf between your ideals and your experience, until the gulf is all that is real. You will not see man’s good intent, or you will do so ironically — for in comparison with your ideals, good in the world appears to be so minute as to be a mockery.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el foco puesto en el abismo entre los ideales y la experiencia hasta que el abismo es lo único real, con el bien del mundo reducido a burla frente al ideal
«People die when they are ready to die, for reasons that are their own. No person dies without a reason.2» — Seth, según Roberts, hace morir a la gente cuando está lista y por razones propias; el ancla se cortó en la llamada de nota de Butts
«You are not taught that, however, so people do not recognize their own reasons for dying, and they are not taught to recognize their own reasons for living — because you are told that life itself is an accident in a cosmic game of chance.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye el desconocimiento de esas razones a la enseñanza de que la vida misma es un accidente en un juego cósmico de azar
«They may be intelligent or stupid, gifted or mundane, but they are frightened of experiencing themselves as themselves» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a esas personas asustadas de experimentarse a sí mismas, al margen de su inteligencia o de sus dotes; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo
«They help create the dogma or system or cult to which they “fall prey.” They expect their leader to act for them. To a certain extent he soaks up their paranoia, until it becomes an unquenchable force in him, and» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que los seguidores creen el culto del que caen presa y que el líder absorba su paranoia hasta volverse en él fuerza inextinguible; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase remata con que el líder es tan víctima como ellos
«In the Guyana affair, you had “red-blooded Americans” dying on a foreign shore (in South America), but not under a banner of war, which under certain circumstances would have been acceptable. You did not have Americans dying in a bloody revolution, caught among terrorists. You had instead Americans succumbing in a foreign land to some beliefs that are peculiarly American, and home-grown.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa lo de Guyana fuera de los marcos aceptables —ni guerra ni revolución ni terrorismo— y lo atribuye a creencias peculiarmente americanas y de cosecha propia
«Beside the list given earlier [tonight], you have the American belief that money will solve almost any social problem, that the middle-class way of life is the correct “democratic” one, and that the difficulty between blacks and whites in particular can be erased by applying social bandages, rather than by attacking the basic beliefs behind the problem.» — Seth, según Roberts, añade a la lista las creencias americanas de que el dinero resuelve casi cualquier problema social, de que la vida de clase media es la correcta y democrática, y de que la dificultad entre negros y blancos se borra con vendajes sociales
«Many young men and women have come to adulthood in fine ranch houses in good neighborhoods. They would seem to be at the peak of life, the product of the best America has to offer. They never had to work for a living, perhaps. They may have attended colleges — but they are the first to realize that such advantages do not necessarily add to the quality of life, for they are the first to arrive at such an enviable position.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a los jóvenes llegados a la adultez en buenas casas y buenos barrios, primeros en advertir que esas ventajas no añaden calidad a la vida
«The money and position, however, have often been attained as a result of the belief in man’s competitive nature — and that belief itself erodes the very prizes it produces: The fruit is bitter in the mouth.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que la creencia en la naturaleza competitiva del hombre erosione los premios mismos que produce, con el fruto amargo en la boca
«Many of the parents believed, quite simply, that the purpose of life was to make more money. Virtue consisted of the best car, or house or swimming pool — proof that one could survive in a tooth-and-claw world.» — Seth, según Roberts, resume la creencia de esos padres: el propósito de la vida era hacer más dinero, y la virtud consistía en el mejor coche, casa o alberca como prueba de supervivencia en un mundo de diente y garra
«But the children wondered: What about those other feelings that stirred in their consciousnesses? What about those purposes they sensed? The hearts of some of them were like vacuums, waiting to be filled. They looked for values, but at the same time they felt that they were themselves sons and daughters of a species tainted, at loose ends, with no clear destinations.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone en boca de los hijos las preguntas por los otros sentimientos y los propósitos que percibían, y los describe como hijos de una especie tenida por contaminada y sin destino claro
«They tried various religions, and in the light of their opinions of themselves their earlier advantages seemed only to damn them further. They tried social programs, and found a curious sense of belonging with the disadvantaged, for they were also rootless. The disadvantaged and the advantaged alike then joined in a bond of hopelessness, endowing a leader with a power they felt they did not possess.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el camino de esos jóvenes por religiones y programas sociales hasta un vínculo de desesperanza con los desfavorecidos, con quienes comparten el desarraigo, y la entrega a un líder del poder que no se sienten tener
«They finally retreated into isolation from the world that they knew, and the voice of their leader at the microphone was a magnified merging of their own voices. In death they fulfilled their purposes, making a mass statement. It would make Americans question the nature of their society, of their religions, their politics, and their beliefs.» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra el caso de Jonestown: la voz del líder en el micrófono como fusión amplificada de las voces de ellos, y la muerte como declaración de masa que haría a los americanos cuestionar su sociedad, sus religiones, su política y sus creencias
«All viruses of any kind are important to the stability of your planetary life. They are a part of the planet’s biological heritage and memory. You cannot eradicate a virus, though at any given time you destroy every member alive of any given strain. They exist in the earth’s memory, to be recreated, as they were before, whenever the need arises.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 836 que Butts cita al abrir la 840, declara importantes para la estabilidad planetaria a todos los virus, parte de la herencia y la memoria biológica de la tierra, imposibles de erradicar y recreables desde esa memoria
«The same applies of course to any animal or plant considered extinct. Only an objectively tuned consciousness like man’s would imagine that the physical eradication of a species destroyed its existence.» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende eso a toda especie tenida por extinta, y atribuye solo a una consciencia sintonizada objetivamente como la humana el imaginar que la erradicación física de una especie destruye su existencia
«You could not live without viruses, nor could your biological reality as you know it now exist.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara imposible la vida y la realidad biológica conocida sin los virus
«Each body contains countless viruses that could be deadly at any given time and under certain conditions. These — and I am putting it as simply as possible — take turns being active or inactive within the body, in accordance with the body’s overall condition. Viruses that are “deadly” in certain stages are not in others, and in those later stages they react biologically in quite beneficial ways, adding to the body’s stability by bringing about necessary changes, say, in cellular activities that are helpful at given rates of action. These in turn trigger other cellular changes, again of a beneficial nature.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a los virus turnándose activos e inactivos según la condición del cuerpo, y a los mortales en cierta etapa obrando en otras de manera benéfica
«As an example from another field, consider poisons. Belladonna can be quite deadly, yet small doses of it were known to aid the body in disease conditions.3» — Seth, según Roberts, pone la belladona como ejemplo del mismo principio en otro campo: mortal en dosis grande y auxiliar en dosis pequeña; el *3* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«The initial contagion in such cases is always emotional and mental. Social conditions are usually involved, so that an individual is, say, at the lower end of a poor social environment (pause), a seeming victim of it, or in a situation where his individual value as a social member is severely weakened.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace emocional y mental el contagio inicial, con condiciones sociales de por medio y un individuo cuyo valor social está debilitado
«In the same way that a member of such a society can go [askew], blow his stack, go overboard, commit antisocial acts, so in the same fashion such a person can instead trigger the viruses, wreck their biological social order, so that some of them suddenly become deadly, or run [amok]. So of course the resulting diseases are infectious. To that degree they are social diseases. It is not so much that a virus, say, suddenly turns destructive — though it does — as it is that the entire cooperative structure within which all the viruses are involved becomes insecure and threatened.» — Seth, según Roberts, compara el estallido antisocial de un miembro de la sociedad con el disparo de los virus, y sitúa el problema no tanto en el virus que se vuelve destructivo como en la estructura cooperativa que se vuelve insegura; los corchetes son de Butts
«It seems quite scientific to believe in inoculations against such dangerous diseases — and certainly, scientifically, inoculations seem to work: People in your time right now are not plagued by smallpox, for example. Some cultures have believed that illnesses were caused by demons. Medicine men, through certain ceremonies, would try to rid the body of the demons — and those methods worked also. The belief system was tight and accepted, and it only began to fail when those societies encountered “civilized views.”» — Seth, según Roberts, pone lado a lado la inoculación y las ceremonias de los hechiceros contra los demonios, y dice que los dos sistemas funcionaron mientras la creencia estuvo cerrada y aceptada
«If you call the demons “negative beliefs,” however, then you have taken strides forward. People continue to die of diseases. Many of your scientific procedures, including inoculations, of themselves “cause” new diseases. It does not help a patient inoculated against smallpox and polio if [eventually] he dies of cancer as a result of his negative beliefs.4» — Seth, según Roberts, propone traducir demonios por creencias negativas como un paso adelante, y objeta que muchos procedimientos científicos causen enfermedades nuevas; el *4* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«Viruses are “highly intelligent” — meaning that they react quickly to stimuli. They are responsive to emotional states. They are social. Their scale of life varies considerably, and some can be inactive for centuries, and revive. They have extensive memory patterns, biologically imprinted.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama altamente inteligentes a los virus por su rapidez de reacción, los declara sensibles a los estados emocionales y sociales, y les atribuye patrones extensos de memoria impresos biológicamente
«You are not aware of the inner army of viruses within the body that protect it constantly. Host and virus both need each other, and both are part of the same life cycle.» — Seth, según Roberts, nombra un ejército interior de virus que protege el cuerpo, y hace del huésped y el virus partes necesarias del mismo ciclo de vida
«I surely understand that you want to make the knowledge practical in the physical world, and to help people as much as you can, but that cannot be the only goal — for that goal must always be the high personal exploration of consciousness, the creative and artistic pursuit for which there may be no name.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota a los dos la meta del trabajo: no solo volver práctico el conocimiento, sino la exploración personal alta de la consciencia y una busca creativa que quizá no tiene nombre
«You are not dealing with material specifics, or even with the psychic specifics. You are dealing instead with the initiation of a framework of beliefs far better than those now current — a framework that is large enough to contain all specifics, through which people can indeed learn to understand themselves better. You are providing an overall aura of spiritual and intellectual light which would help people precisely because you are not tied to specifics, but engaged with the larger levels of reality from which the specifics emerge» — Seth, según Roberts, describe lo que ellos hacen como la iniciación de un marco de creencias mejor que los vigentes, bastante ancho para contener todos los específicos
«The viruses must be triggered into destructive activity, and this happens only at a certain point, when the individual involved is actively seeking either death or a crisis situation biologically.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que los virus tengan que ser disparados hacia la actividad destructiva, y solo cuando el individuo busca activamente la muerte o una crisis biológica
«animals do not ‘think’ of long lives or short lives, but of a brilliant present, which in a way, compared to your framework, has no beginning or end … time, in your terms, does not exist for them — and in the deepest of terms, a life’s quality on a human scale cannot be judged primarily in terms of its length, either.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 836 que Butts cita en nota tras la muerte del gato, atribuye a los animales un presente brillante sin principio ni fin y niega que la calidad de una vida se juzgue por su duración
«My dear friends: Existence is larger than life or death. Life and death are both states of existence. An identity exists whether it is in the state of life or in the state of death. Your cat’s consciousness never was dependent upon its physical form. Instead, the consciousness was itself choosing the experience of cathood.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 837 del 28 de febrero, hace la existencia mayor que la vida y la muerte, declara las dos estados de existencia, y hace a la consciencia del gato elegir la experiencia de ser gato en vez de depender de su forma física
«There is no such thing as a cat consciousness, basically speaking, or a bird consciousness. In those terms, there are instead simply consciousnesses that choose to take certain focuses.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que haya una consciencia de gato o de pájaro y deja solo consciencias que eligen ciertos focos
«I want to avoid tales of the transmigration of the souls of men to animals, say — a badly distorted version of something else entirely. If there is no consciousness ‘tailored’ to be a cat’s or a dog’s, then there is no prepackaged, predestined, particular consciousness that is meant to be human, either» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 838 del 5 de marzo, se desmarca de la transmigración de almas de hombres a animales y extiende su negativa: tampoco hay una consciencia predestinada a ser humana
«The quality of identity is far more mysterious than you understand, for you assign an identity in a blanket fashion, say, to each living thing. Now your dead cat, Billy, exists in the following manner: “The units of consciousness that organized to form his identity as you knew it, still form that pattern — but not physically. The cat exists as itself in the greater living memory of its own ‘larger’ selfhood. Its organization — the cat’s — exists inviolately, but as a part of the greater psychic organization from which it came.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 839 del 7 de marzo, declara más misteriosa de lo que se entiende la cualidad de la identidad, y hace subsistir el patrón del gato muerto en la memoria viva de su yo mayor
«I said, in book dictation, I believe (in the 835th session), that the people of Jonestown died of an epidemic of beliefs — or words to that effect.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 841 del 14 de marzo de 1979, se cita a sí mismo y acota su propia formulación: que la gente de Jonestown murió de una epidemia de creencias, o palabras por el estilo
«You think of viruses as physical, and of thoughts as mental. You should know that thoughts also have their physical aspects in the body, and that viruses have their mental aspects in the body.» — Seth, según Roberts, cruza los dos términos: los pensamientos tienen aspectos físicos en el cuerpo y los virus aspectos mentales
«Your thoughts are as physically pertinent to your body as viruses are, as alive and self-propagating, and they themselves form inner affiliations. Their vitality automatically triggers (long pause, eyes open) all of the body’s inner responses.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace a los pensamientos tan pertinentes al cuerpo como los virus, vivos y autopropagantes, formando afiliaciones interiores que disparan las respuestas del cuerpo
«That identity of Billy’s remains vital, known to itself whether or not it is reactivated in your terms. This is not necessarily always the case — and there is great» — Seth, según Roberts, declara vital la identidad del gato muerto, conocida por sí misma se la reactive o no; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«variation — but Billy identified with ‘the larger organization’ of the litter [that is, with his brothers and sisters, all of whom are also dead], and the consciousnesses of that litter are now together. They are forming a gestalt, where the five consciousnesses will merge to form a new identity.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace identificarse al gato muerto con la camada entera y describe a las cinco consciencias fundiéndose en una identidad nueva; los corchetes son de Butts
«It is not that your thoughts just trigger chemical reactions in the body, but that your thoughts have a chemical reality besides their recognizable mental aspects.» — Seth, según Roberts, da a los pensamientos una realidad química propia además de su aspecto mental reconocible
«Your body is composed not only of the stuff within it that, say, X-rays or autopsies can reveal, but it also involves profound relationships, alliances and affiliations that nowhere physically show.» — Seth, según Roberts, compone el cuerpo no solo de lo que revelan los rayos X o la autopsia sino de relaciones, alianzas y afiliaciones que no se muestran físicamente
«In those terms, thoughts move far quicker of course than viruses. The action of the virus follows the thought. Each thought is registered biologically. Basically (underlined), when you have an immunity to a disease you have a mental immunity.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace el pensamiento más rápido que el virus, la acción del virus posterior al pensamiento, y toda inmunidad a una enfermedad una inmunidad mental de fondo
«You think of viruses as evil, spreading perhaps from country to country, to “invade” scores of physical mechanisms. Now thoughts are “contagious.” You have a natural immunity against all thoughts that do not fit in with your own purposes and beliefs, and naturally (pause, groping), you are “inoculated” with a wholesome trust and belief in your own thoughts above others.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara contagiosos los pensamientos y atribuye a cada quien una inmunidad natural contra los que no encajan con sus propósitos, con una inoculación de confianza en los propios
«The old ideas of voodooism recognized some of these concepts, but complicated and distorted them with fears of evil, psychic invasion, psychic killing, and so forth. You cannot divide, say, mental and physical health, nor can you divide a person’s philosophy from his bodily condition.» — Seth, según Roberts, reconoce en el vudú una percepción de esos conceptos y le achaca complicarla y distorsionarla con miedos de invasión y muerte psíquica; y niega que la salud mental se separe de la física o la filosofía de alguien de su condición corporal
«The people who died at Jonestown believed that they must die. They wanted to die. How could their thoughts allow them to bring about their [bodily deaths]? Again, the question makes sense only if you do not realize that your thoughts are as physically a part of your body as viruses are (intently).» — Seth, según Roberts, devuelve el caso de Jonestown a la tesis de la sesión: la pregunta por cómo un pensamiento puede traer la muerte del cuerpo solo tiene sentido si no se sabe que los pensamientos son parte física del cuerpo como los virus
«I am not such a philosopher that I can compare my own thoughts and works with those of the noted professionals of whom [your correspondent writes]. I think I am — if you will forgive me — in my own way more earthy than those other gentlemen.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la porción borrada de la sesión 841 que Butts imprime en nota, se compara con los filósofos notables y se dice más terrenal que aquellos señores
«I am — again in my way — more rambunctious and playful. The word ‘truth’ is a heavy one, and the more times it is repeated the more distant and inaccessible it seems. I do not put labels on my own theories, and I explain — or I try to explain — my most ‘profound’ statements by adding a dash of zest, a smidgen of humor, an egotistical touch of humility.» — Seth, según Roberts, se describe a sí mismo como más alborotador y juguetón, declina poner etiquetas a sus propias teorías y dice explicar lo más profundo con brío, humor y un toque egotista de humildad
«I consider myself an exuberant psychological explorer, finding myself, at my own request, happily set adrift among universes, able to shout with a loud hearty voice from the hypothetical shore of one to another, news of what I have found and am still finding.» — Seth, según Roberts, se llama a sí mismo explorador psicológico exuberante, puesto a la deriva entre universos a petición propia y gritando desde la orilla hipotética de uno a otro lo que va hallando
«The Christ drama is a case in point, where private and mass dreams were then projected outward into the historical context of time, and then reacted to in such a way that various people became exterior participants — but in a far larger mass dream that was then interpreted in the most literal of physical terms.» — Jane Roberts, en el mismo trance, lee el drama de Cristo como sueño privado y de masa proyectado al contexto histórico, con participantes exteriores dentro de un sueño mayor interpretado en los términos más literales
«Look at your nuclear-reactor troubles at the plant by Harrisburg (Three Mile Island). The entire idea of nuclear power was first a dream — an act of the imagination on the part of private individuals — and then through fiction and the arts, a dream on the part of many people. Instantly, probabilities spun out from that dream in all directions, vast potentials and dangers.» — Jane Roberts hace de la idea misma de la energía nuclear un sueño y un acto de la imaginación de particulares, luego de muchos por la ficción y las artes, del que giraron probabilidades en todas direcciones
«It was hardly a coincidence that this particular situation arrived in the social climate first of all portrayed in a movie.» — Jane Roberts niega la coincidencia de que esa situación llegara a un clima social que una película había retratado antes
«Nuclear power stands for power, plain and simple. Is it good or bad? It stands in man’s dreams as belonging to God: the power of the universe (intently). Man has always considered himself, in your terms, as set apart from nature, so he must feel set apart from nature’s power — and there must be a great division in his dreams between the two. Nuclear energy in fact, then, comes as a dream symbol, and emerges into the world as something to be dealt with.» — Jane Roberts hace de la energía nuclear un símbolo del poder del universo que en los sueños del hombre pertenece a Dios, y de ahí que llegue al mundo como algo con que hay que vérselas
«Fundamentalists think of nuclear power as a force that God might use, say, to destroy the world. That event in Harrisburg means one thing to them. Some of the scientists equate nuclear power with man’s great curiosity, and feel that they wrest this great energy from nature because they are “smarter than” nature is — smarter than nature, smarter than their fellow men — so they read those events in their own way.» — Jane Roberts reparte las dos lecturas del suceso de Harrisburg: la fundamentalista, que ve una fuerza con que Dios podría destruir el mundo, y la de algunos científicos, que la equiparan a la curiosidad del hombre y se creen más listos que la naturaleza
«There was a tie-in, and it’s that the Christ drama happened as a result of man’s dream, at least, of achieving brotherhood — a quiet, secure sense of consciousness, and a morality that would sustain him in the physical world.» — Jane Roberts liga el drama de Cristo al sueño del hombre de alcanzar la hermandad, un estado seguro de consciencia y una moral que lo sostenga en el mundo físico
«Man’s fears of not achieving brotherhood, of not achieving a secure state of consciousness, or a workable morality, result in his dreams of destruction, however they are expressed. And indeed, the present physical event as it exists now at the energy plant near Harrisburg can easily be likened to — and is — a warning dream to change man’s actions.» — Jane Roberts deriva de los miedos contrarios los sueños de destrucción y llama sueño de advertencia al suceso físico de la planta cerca de Harrisburg
«Even if you don’t consciously remember your dreams, you do get the message. Part of it will appear in your daily experience in one way or another — in your conversation or daily events.» — Jane Roberts, en el trance de la sesión 844, sostiene que el mensaje del sueño llega aunque no se recuerde, y aparece en la experiencia diaria, en la conversación o en los sucesos
«Because dreams are such a perfect combination of stimuli from the inner environment and the exterior environment, other events are often used to trigger inner dream messages, just as the opposite occurs. And in a gathering of three people watching the same TV drama, say, each of them might be interpreting different portions of the program so that those portions correlate with their individual dreams of the night before, and serve to bring them their dream messages in ways they can accept» — Jane Roberts describe cómo un mismo programa de televisión sirve a tres espectadores para traerles, cada uno por la porción que nota, el mensaje de su propio sueño de la noche anterior
«One is that because objects just originate in man’s imagination anyway, there’s always a strong connection between objects and man’s dreams. They act as symbols» — Jane Roberts, en su propio trance de la sesión 844, hace nacer los objetos de la imaginación del hombre y los liga a sus sueños; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«You might dream of going away on a long trip by car, only to find that a tire blew when you were driving too fast. You may never remember the dream. One way or another, however, you will hit upon some kind of situation — a portion of a TV drama, perhaps — in which a tire is blown.» — Jane Roberts pone el ejemplo del sueño de la llanta reventada y describe cómo la situación que trae el mensaje aparece luego en un programa de televisión
«Even then, you might not recall the dream, but the situation itself as it comes to your attention might make you check your tires, decide to put off your trip, or instead lead you to inner speculations about whether you are going too fast in a certain direction for your own good at this time. But you will get the dream’s message.» — Jane Roberts remata el ejemplo: sin recordar el sueño, la situación hace revisar las llantas, aplazar el viaje o preguntarse si se va demasiado rápido en cierta dirección, y el mensaje llega
«Man thinks of acts, for example, and acting and doing, but he does not identify himself with those inner processes that make acting and doing possible. He identifies with what he thinks of as his logical thought, and the abilities of reasoning. These seem to suggest that he possesses an elegant, cool separation from nature, that the animals for example do not. He does not identify, again, with the processes that make his logical thinking possible. Those processes are spontaneous and ‘unconscious,’ so it appears that anything outside of his conscious control must be undisciplined or chaotic, and lacking in all logic.» — Seth, según Roberts, señala que el hombre se identifica con el pensar lógico y no con los procesos espontáneos que lo hacen posible, y de ahí que cuanto escape a su control consciente le parezca caótico
«Both religion and science are based upon such beliefs. Anything that happens spontaneously is looked upon with suspicion. The word seems to suggest elements out of control, or motion that goes from one extreme to another. Only the reasoning mind, it seems, has any idea of order, discipline, or control.» — Seth, según Roberts, funda a la religión y a la ciencia en esas creencias, con lo espontáneo bajo sospecha y solo la mente razonadora con idea de orden y disciplina
«Man is therefore set against his nature in his own mind, and he thinks he must control it. The fact is that man’s consciousness can indeed become aware of — aware of — those spontaneous processes. But he himself has largely closed the door of comprehension, so that he only identifies with what he thinks of as his rational mind, and tries to forget as best he can those spontaneous processes upon which the mind rides so triumphantly.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe al hombre puesto contra su propia naturaleza en su mente, tratando de olvidar los procesos espontáneos sobre los que la mente cabalga triunfante
«He has often become frightened of his own creativity, then, since he has not trusted its source.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de eso el miedo del hombre a su propia creatividad, por no confiar en su fuente
«You are indeed correct, of course, and you are also dealing with the behavior of cults in both circumstances, each concerned with a closed system of belief, rigid attitudes, intense emotionally-charged states, and also with what amounts to compulsive behavior.» — Seth, según Roberts, da por buena la comparación de Butts entre Jonestown y Three Mile Island y la extiende a la conducta de culto en los dos casos: sistema cerrado de creencias, actitudes rígidas, estados cargados y conducta compulsiva
«To some extent (underlined) — a qualified statement, now — the scientists have become somewhat contemptuous of all who do not understand their language: the non-elite. They resent having to get money from the government, from men who are not scientists, and they build up a false sense of comparative omnipotence in response — and that makes them less careful than they should be. They feel misunderstood by the public now.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota su propia afirmación y describe a los científicos desdeñosos de quien no entiende su lengua, resentidos de tener que pedir dinero a no científicos y con un falso sentido de omnipotencia que los vuelve menos cuidadosos
«None of them want any disaster, and yet some of them think it would serve the people right — for then the people might realize that politicians do not understand science, and that the scientists should after all be put in control: “We must have enough money, or who knows what can go wrong?» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que ninguno de ellos quiere un desastre y añade que algunos piensan que le serviría a la gente de escarmiento, para que los científicos quedaran al mando y con dinero suficiente
«He identifies primarily with what I call a limited portion of his consciousness. That portion he equates with mind or intelligence. He identifies with events over which he is aware (underlined) of having some control.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que el hombre se identifique con una porción limitada de su consciencia, la que equipara con mente o inteligencia, y con los sucesos sobre los que se sabe con algún control
«The Jonestown people thought that the world was against them, particularly the establishment, and the government of the country. They displayed paranoiac tendencies.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a la gente de Jonestown la creencia de que el mundo, el establecimiento y el gobierno estaban contra ellos, y les adjudica tendencias paranoides
«The scientific elite could of course present a probability in which a world was created [where] the common man could have little knowledge of its workings. You actually have an excellent set of guards and balances in your country. Now your TV dramas, again, systematically show your old Frankenstein movies just when your scientists are contemplating all kinds of experiments supposed to bring forth life. Hardly a coincidence, for the mass minds of the people are able to make certain joint statements, and those statements are heard.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la probabilidad de un mundo donde el hombre común sepa poco de sus mecanismos, y halla el contrapeso en que las televisoras pasen las viejas películas de Frankenstein justo cuando los científicos planean crear vida
«In the same way the scientific community speaks of grandiose ideals, of man’s triumph over the planet and nature. At the same time these ideals further divorce the scientists from daily practical experience with their fellowman; and since they see animals as objects, they’re bound to see human life in somewhat the same fashion. The sacrifice of, say, thousands of lives in a nuclear accident almost becomes justified in their minds if it is a means toward the grandiose goal of learning how to ‘triumph over nature.’ Again, this intent automatically turns them into mechanics.» — Jane Roberts empareja los ideales grandiosos del culto religioso con los de la comunidad científica, y sostiene que al ver a los animales como objetos terminan viendo así también la vida humana
«The Jonestown and Harrisburg incidents are indeed classic examples of the meeting places between private and public realities. I intend to deal with them in depth in The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events, where the background, particularly for Frameworks 1 and 2, has already been established.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 846 del 4 de abril de 1979, llama ejemplos clásicos del encuentro entre lo privado y lo público a Jonestown y Harrisburg y anuncia tratarlos a fondo en este libro
«Now in my other books I have rarely commented upon public events of any nature. This manuscript, however, is devoted to the interplay that occurs between individual and mass experience, and so we must deal with your national dreams and fears, and their materializations in private and public life.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara desde dentro la excepción que hace este libro: rara vez comentó sucesos públicos en los otros, y aquí tiene que tratar los sueños y los miedos nacionales y sus materializaciones
«In scientific terms there was no fallout involved in the disaster at Jonestown. Yet there was of course a psychological fallout, and effects that will be felt throughout the land by people in all walks of life.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega lluvia radiactiva en Jonestown y afirma en cambio una lluvia psicológica con efectos que se sentirán por todo el país
«The Jonestown situation definitely involved all of the characteristics that I have ascribed as belonging to a cult. There was fanaticism, a closed mental environment, the rousing of hopes toward an ideal that seemed unachievable because of the concentration upon all of the barriers that seemed to stand in its way.» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera los rasgos de culto en Jonestown: fanatismo, ambiente mental cerrado y esperanzas puestas en un ideal que parecía inalcanzable por la atención a las barreras
«Most cults have their own specialized language of one kind of another — particular phrases used repetitiously — and this special language further serves to divorce the devotees from the rest of the world.» — Seth, según Roberts, señala la lengua especializada de los cultos, con frases repetidas, como el mecanismo que divorcia a los devotos del resto del mundo
«Loyalty to friends and family was discouraged, and so those in Jonestown had left strong bonds of intimacy behind. They felt threatened by the world, which was painted by their beliefs so that it presented a picture of unmitigated evil and corruption. (Pause.) All of this should be fairly well recognized by now. The situation led to the deaths of hundreds.» — Seth, según Roberts, consigna el desaliento de la lealtad a amigos y familia en Jonestown y el cuadro del mundo pintado por sus creencias como mal y corrupción sin paliativo
«The idea is that the scientists’ system of beliefs is bound to result in some» — Jane Roberts, en el material que ella anotó tras la sesión 845 y que Butts imprime en la nota 3, sostiene que el sistema de creencias de los científicos ha de dar en acción destructiva; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«destructive action; that is, the implied attitudes of today’s scientists lead them to be less careful of life than they should be, and separate them from nature in a way that leads to some contempt on their parts of individual living things.» — Jane Roberts completa esa frase en la plana siguiente: las actitudes implícitas de los científicos los vuelven menos cuidadosos de la vida y los separan de la naturaleza hasta cierto desprecio por los seres vivos individuales
«The scientist carries the burden of this alienation, and in his heart he must hope that his mission fails — for if it succeeds he will have effectively separated man from man’s nature in the world of beliefs, philosophically casting man adrift as meaningless psychological debris.» — Jane Roberts atribuye al científico el peso de esa alienación y la esperanza secreta de que su misión fracase, porque el éxito dejaría al hombre a la deriva como desecho psicológico sin sentido
«The Harrisburg situation potentially threatened the lives of many thousands, and in» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa en Harrisburg una amenaza potencial para muchos miles; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«that circle of events the characteristics of a cult are less easy to discern. Yet they are present. You have scientific cults as well as religious ones.» — Seth, según Roberts, halla los rasgos de culto menos visibles en el círculo de Harrisburg y afirma que hay cultos científicos igual que religiosos
«Religion and science both loudly proclaim their search for truth, although they are seemingly involved in completely opposing systems. They both treat their beliefs as truths (underlined), with which no one should tamper. They search for beginnings and endings.» — Seth, según Roberts, empareja religión y ciencia por el modo: las dos proclaman buscar la verdad, tratan sus creencias como verdades intocables y buscan comienzos y finales
«The scientists have their own vocabulary, which is used to reinforce the exclusive nature of science. Now I am speaking of the body of science in general terms here, for there is in a way a body of science that exists as a result of each individual scientist’s participation.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del vocabulario propio de los científicos el refuerzo del carácter excluyente de la ciencia, y acota que ese cuerpo existe por la participación de cada científico individual
«A given scientist may act quite differently in his family life and as a scientist. He may love his family dog, for example, while at the same time think nothing of injecting other animals with diseased tissue in his professional capacity.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone el ejemplo del científico que ama al perro de la familia y no tiene reparo en inyectar tejido enfermo a otros animales en su capacidad profesional
«Right now your cultish religions exist in response to the cultish behavior of science. Science insists it does not deal with values, but leaves those to philosophers.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace existir a las religiones de culto en respuesta a la conducta de culto de la ciencia, que insiste en no tratar con valores y deja esos a los filósofos
«In stating that the universe is an accidental creation, however, a meaningless chance conglomeration formed by an unfeeling cosmos, it states quite clearly its belief that the universe and man’s existence has no value. All that remains is what pleasure or accomplishment can somehow be wrested from man’s individual biological processes.» — Seth, según Roberts, objeta que al declarar accidental el universo la ciencia declara con toda claridad que la existencia del hombre no tiene valor, y deja solo el placer o el logro arrancados a los procesos biológicos
«A recent article in a national magazine speaks “glowingly” about the latest direction of progress in the field of psychology, saying that man will realize that his moods, thoughts, and feelings are the result of the melody of chemicals that swirl in his brain. That statement devalues man’s subjective world.» — Seth, según Roberts, cita el artículo de revista que celebra que los estados de ánimo, los pensamientos y los sentimientos sean la melodía de químicos del cerebro, y dice que esa declaración devalúa el mundo subjetivo del hombre
«The scientists claim a great idealism. They claim to have the way toward truth. Their “truth” is to be found by studying the objective world, the world of objects, including animals and stars, galaxies and mice — but by viewing these objects as if they are themselves without intrinsic value, as if their existences have no meaning (intently).» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el idealismo que los científicos reclaman y el modo de su verdad: estudiar el mundo de los objetos, animales y galaxias incluidos, como si su existencia no tuviera sentido
«It cannot value life, and so in its search for the ideal it can indeed justify in its philosophy the possibility of an accident that might kill many many people through direct or indirect means, and kill the unborn as well.2» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de esa incapacidad de valorar la vida que la ciencia pueda justificar en su filosofía la posibilidad de un accidente que mate a mucha gente y también a los no nacidos; el *2* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«The scientists have long stood on the side of “intelligence and reason,” logical thought, and objectivity. They are trained to be unemotional, to stand apart from their experience, to separate themselves from nature, and to view any emotional characteristics of their own with an ironical eye. Again, they have stated that they are neutral in the world of values. They became, until recently, the new priests. All problems, it seemed, could be solved scientifically. This applied to every avenue of life: to health matters, social disorders, economics, even to war and peace.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la formación del científico —no emocionarse, apartarse de la experiencia y de la naturaleza— y los llama los nuevos sacerdotes, con toda solución por venir de la ciencia
«Now those beliefs separate man from his own nature.1» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de esas creencias la separación del hombre de su propia naturaleza; el ancla se cortó en la llamada de nota de Butts
«He cannot trust himself — for who can rely upon the accidental bubblings of hormones and chemicals that somehow form a stew called consciousness (louder and quite ironic) — an unsavory brew at best, so the field of science will forever escape opening up into any great vision of the meaning of life.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que quepa confiar en uno mismo si se cree en un burbujeo accidental de hormonas y químicos, y de ahí que la ciencia no se abra a una visión del sentido de la vida; las acotaciones son de Butts
«As a group the scientists rigorously oppose the existence of telepathy or clairvoyance, or of any philosophy that brings these into focus. Only lately have some begun to think in terms of mind affecting» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye al gremio científico una oposición rigurosa a la telepatía y a la clarividencia; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo y la frase sigue con la mente afectando a la materia
«How did such scientific gentlemen, with all of their precise paraphernalia, with all of their objective and reasonable viewpoints, end up with a nuclear plant that ran askew, that threatened present and future life? And what about the people who live nearby?» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra el capítulo 6 con la pregunta que abre el siguiente: cómo unos señores científicos con toda su parafernalia precisa acabaron con una planta nuclear descarriada
«The American experiment with democracy is heroic, bold, and innovative. In historic terms as you understand them, this is the first time that all of the inhabitants of a country were to be legally considered equal citizens one with the other.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre el capítulo 7 en la sesión 848 del 11 de abril de 1979 llamando heroico, audaz e innovador al experimento americano con la democracia
«In practical terms, of course, there often are inequalities. Treatment in the marketplace, or in society, often shows great divergence from that stated national ideal. Yet the dream is a vital portion of American national life, and even those who are unscrupulous must pay it at least lip service, or cast their plans in its light.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota el ideal con la práctica: hay desigualdades y divergencias en el trato, y a la vez el sueño es parte vital de la vida nacional y hasta los inescrupulosos le rinden tributo de palabra
«In this century several issues came to the forefront of American culture: the exteriorization of organized religion, which became more of a social rather than a spiritual entity, and the joining of science with technology and moneyed interests. Ruburt’s book on [William] James would be good background material here, particularly the sections dealing with democracy and spiritualism.» — Seth, según Roberts, nombra los dos asuntos que a su juicio pasaron al frente de la cultura americana en ese siglo, la exteriorización de la religión organizada y la unión de la ciencia con la tecnología y el dinero, y remite al libro de ella sobre William James por sus secciones sobre la democracia y el espiritualismo
«In any case, on the one hand each individual was to be equal with each other person. Marriages, for example, were no longer arranged. A man no longer need follow his father’s vocational footsteps. Young adults found themselves faced with a multitudinous number of personal decisions that in other cultures were made more or less automatically. The development of transportation opened up the country, so that an individual was no longer bound to his or her native town or region.» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera lo que trajo esa igualdad legal: matrimonios ya no arreglados, oficios ya no heredados, decisiones personales multiplicadas y el transporte que soltó al individuo de su pueblo
«All of this meant that man’s conscious mind was about to expand its strengths, its abilities, and its reach. The country was — and still is — brimming with idealism.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de eso la expansión de las fuerzas y el alcance de la mente consciente, y declara al país rebosante de idealismo entonces y aún
«That idealism, however, ran smack into the dark clouds of Freudian and Darwinian thought. How could a country be governed effectively by individuals who were after all chemicals run amok in images, with neuroticism built-in from childhood — children of a tainted species, thrown adrift by a meaningless cosmos in which no meaning could be found (very intently)?» — Seth, según Roberts, hace chocar ese idealismo con las nubes oscuras del pensamiento freudiano y darwiniano, y formula la objeción que resulta: cómo gobernar un país con individuos tenidos por químicos desbocados y neuróticos de fábrica
«Organized religion felt threatened; and if it could not prove that man had a soul, it could at least see to it that the needs of the body were taken care of through suitable social work, and so it abandoned many of the principles that might have added to its strength. Instead it settled for platitudes that equated cleanliness (pause) with virtue — hence, of course, your deodorant advertisements, and many other aspects of the marketplace» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a la religión organizada amenazada, atendiendo las necesidades del cuerpo por obra social y cambiando principios por perogrulladas que igualan la limpieza con la virtud
«Idealism is tough, and it is enduring, and no matter how many times it is seemingly slain, it comes back in a different form. So those who felt that religion had failed them looked anew to science, which promised — promised to — provide the closest approximation to heaven on earth: mass production of goods, two cars in every garage, potions for every ailment, solutions for every problem.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara duro y perdurable el idealismo, que renace en otra forma, y describe el traspaso de la esperanza de la religión a la ciencia con su promesa de un cielo en la tierra
«There was, however, no doubt about it: Exterior conditions had improved (underlined), yet the individual did not seem any happier.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede la mejora de las condiciones exteriores por obra de la ciencia y acota que el individuo no pareció más feliz
«Life’s exterior conveniences would hardly matter if science’s knowledge was used to undermine the very foundations of life itself.» — Seth, según Roberts, mide el valor de las conveniencias exteriores contra el uso del saber científico para socavar los cimientos mismos de la vida
«The various potions taken faithfully by the public were now often found to have very unfortunate side effects. The chemicals used to protect agriculture had harmful effects upon people. Such situations bothered the individual far more than the threat of nuclear disaster, for they involved his contact with daily life: the products that he bought, the medicines that he took.» — Seth, según Roberts, observa que los efectos secundarios de los remedios y los químicos agrícolas inquietaban al individuo más que la amenaza nuclear, porque tocaban su vida diaria
«Some people looked, and are looking, for some authority — any authority — to make their decisions for them, for the world seems increasingly dangerous, and they, because of their beliefs, feel increasingly powerless. They yearn toward old ways, when the decisions of marriage were made for them, when they could safely follow in their father’s footsteps, when they were unaware of the lure of different places, and forced to remain at home. They have become caught between science and religion. Their idealism finds no particular outlet. Their dreams seem betrayed.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a quienes buscan una autoridad que decida por ellos, atrapados entre la ciencia y la religión, con el idealismo sin salida y los sueños traicionados
«Those people look to cults of various kinds, where decisions are made for them, where they are relieved of the burden of an individuality that has been robbed of its sense of power by conflicting beliefs.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace mirar a esas personas hacia los cultos, donde se les releva de la carga de una individualidad a la que las creencias en conflicto robaron el sentido de poder
«In the public mind, it made little difference whether the devil or tainted genes» — Seth, según Roberts, iguala en su efecto público al diablo y a los genes contaminados; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«condemned the individual to a life in which it seemed he could have little control. He began to feel powerless. He began to feel that social action itself was of little value, for if man’s evil were built-in, for whatever reasons, then where was there any hope?» — Seth, según Roberts, completa esa frase en la plana siguiente: el individuo sin control, sin valor para la acción social y sin esperanza si el mal le viene de fábrica
«In the past also, even in your country, there were convents and monasteries for those who did not want to live in the world as other people did. They might pursue other goals, but the decisions of where to live, what to do, where to go, how to live, would be made for them. Usually such people were joined by common interests, a sense of honor, and there was no retaliation to be feared in this century.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone los conventos y monasterios del pasado como el lugar donde las decisiones se tomaban por uno, con gente unida por intereses comunes y sentido del honor
«Those who died in Guyana, for example, were suicidally inclined. They had no cause to live for, because their idealism became so separated from any particular actualization that they were left only with its ashes.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace suicidas por inclinación a los muertos de Guyana, sin causa por la que vivir porque su idealismo se separó de toda actualización y les dejó solo las cenizas
«The leader of Jonestown was at heart an idealist. When does an idealist turn into a fanatic? (Long pause.) When can the search for the good have catastrophic results, and how can the idealism of science be equated with the near-disaster at Three Mile Island, and with the potential disasters that in your terms exist in the storage of nuclear wastes, or in the production of nuclear bombs?» — Seth, según Roberts, llama idealista de corazón al líder de Jonestown y formula la pregunta del capítulo: cuándo un idealista se vuelve fanático, y cómo se empareja ese idealismo con el de la ciencia en Three Mile Island y en los desechos y las bombas
«People who live in tornado country carry the reality of a tornado in their minds and hearts as a psychological background. To one extent or another, all of the events of their lives happen punctuated or accented by the possibility of disaster. They feel that at any time they might be caused to face the greatest challenge, to rely upon their strongest resources, their greatest forbearance, and faced by a test of endurance.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a la gente de la zona de tornados llevando la realidad del tornado como fondo psicológico, con todos sus sucesos acentuados por la posibilidad del desastre
«They use — or they often use — such a psychological and physical backdrop to keep those qualities alive within themselves, for they are the kind of people who like to feel pitted against a challenge.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de ese trasfondo un modo de mantener vivas ciertas cualidades en quienes gustan de sentirse enfrentados a un desafío
«The crisis is met in the exterior situation, and as the people deal with that situation they symbolically deal with their own inner crises. In a way (underlined) those people trust such exterior confrontations, and even count upon a series of them (intently), of varying degrees of severity, that can be used throughout a lifetime for such purposes.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la crisis exterior el símbolo de la crisis interior, y describe a esas personas contando con una serie de ellas a lo largo de la vida
«Those who survive feel that they have been given a new lease on life, regardless of their circumstances: They could have been killed and were not. Others use the same circumstances as excuses for no longer hanging on to a wish for life, and so it seems that while saving face they fall prey to the exterior circumstances.» — Seth, según Roberts, reparte los desenlaces del sobreviviente: unos sienten haber recibido una prórroga de vida, otros usan las mismas circunstancias como excusa para soltarla salvando la cara
«If you are idealists, and if you feel relatively powerless in the world at the same time, and if your idealism is general and grandiose, unrelated to any practical plans for its expression, then you can find yourself in difficulties indeed.» — Seth, según Roberts, fija la combinación que trae dificultades: idealismo general y grandioso, sin planes prácticos de expresión, en alguien que se siente relativamente impotente
«Cults, however, deal primarily with fear, using it as a stimulus. They further erode» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del miedo el estímulo principal de los cultos; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«the power of the individual, so that he is frightened to leave. The group has power. The individual has none, except that the power of the group is vested in its leader.» — Seth, según Roberts, completa esa frase: el culto erosiona el poder del individuo hasta que teme irse, y deposita el poder del grupo en su líder
«Let us look at the many forms idealism can take. Sometimes it is difficult to identify idealists, because they wear such pessimistic clothing that all you can see are the patterns of a sardonic nature, or of irony.» — Seth, según Roberts, advierte que los idealistas pueden vestir ropas pesimistas y verse solo como sardónicos o irónicos; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«One visitor, a man from another part of the country, began to speak about the state of the nation, largely condemning all of his countrymen and women for their greed and stupidity. People would do anything at all for money, he said, and as his monologue continued, he expressed his opinion that the species itself would almost inevitably bring about its own destruction.» — Seth, según Roberts, cuenta el caso del visitante que condenaba a sus compatriotas por codiciosos y estúpidos y daba a la especie por destinada a destruirse
«Roger, let us call him, is an idealist at heart, but he believes that the individual has little power in the world, and so he did not pursue his personal idealism in the events of his own life. “Everyone is a slave to the system.” That is his line of belief. He took a routine job in a local business and stayed with it for over 20 years, all of the time hating to go to work, or saying that he did, and at the same time refusing to try other areas of activity that were open to him — because he was afraid to try.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a ese hombre, al que llama Roger, como idealista de corazón que cree que el individuo no tiene poder, y que aguantó veinte años un trabajo que odiaba por miedo a probar otra cosa
«He feels he has betrayed himself, and he projects that betrayal outward until betrayal is all that he sees in the socio-political world.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace a ese hombre proyectar hacia afuera su propia traición hasta que la traición es todo lo que ve en el mundo sociopolítico
«The expression of ideals brings about satisfaction, which then of course promotes the further expression of practical idealism.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la expresión de los ideales una satisfacción que promueve más idealismo práctico
«I do not want to define his existence by those attitudes alone, however, for when he forgets the great gulf between his idealism and practical life, and speaks about other activities, then he is full of charming energy.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota su propio retrato y niega definir a ese hombre por esas actitudes: al hablar de otras cosas está lleno de energía encantadora
«If you want to change the world for the better, then you are an idealist. If you want to change the world for the better, but you believe it cannot be changed one whit, then you are a pessimist, and your idealism will only haunt you. If you want to change the world for the better, but you believe that it will grow worse, despite everyone’s efforts, then you are a truly despondent, perhaps misguided idealist. If you want to change the world for the better, and if you are determined to do so, no matter at what cost to yourself or others, no matter what the risk, and if you believe that those ends justify any means at your disposal, then you are a fanatic.» — Seth, según Roberts, gradúa las cuatro posiciones por la creencia que acompaña al mismo deseo: idealista, pesimista, idealista despondente y fanático, este último cuando se cree que el fin justifica cualquier medio
«They demand immediate action. They want to make the world over in their own images (louder). They cannot bear the expression of tolerance or opposing ideas. They are the most self-righteous of the self-righteous, and they will sacrifice almost anything — their own lives or the lives of others. They will justify almost any crime for the pursuit of those ends.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe al fanático exigiendo acción inmediata, incapaz de tolerar ideas opuestas, el más santurrón de los santurrones y dispuesto a justificar casi cualquier crimen
«There is nothing more stimulating, more worthy of actualization, than the desire to change the world for the better. That is indeed each person’s mission (intently). You begin by working in that area of activity that is your own unique one, with your own life and activities. You begin in the corner of an office, or on the assembly line, or in the advertising agency, or in the kitchen. You begin where you are.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara el deseo de cambiar el mundo lo más digno de actualizarse y la misión de cada quien, y sitúa el comienzo en el rincón de una oficina, en la línea de montaje o en la cocina
«Fanatics are inverted idealists. Usually they are vague grandiose dreamers, whose plans almost completely ignore the full dimensions of normal living.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama al fanático idealista invertido, soñador vago y grandioso cuyos planes ignoran casi por completo las dimensiones de la vida normal
«Two young women visited Ruburt lately. They were exuberant, energetic, and filled with youthful idealism. They want to change the world. Working with the Ouija board, they received messages telling them that they could indeed have a part in a great mission. One young lady wanted to quit her job, stay at home, and immerse herself in “psychic work,” hoping that her part in changing the world could be accomplished in that manner. The other was an office worker.» — Seth, según Roberts, cuenta el caso de las dos jóvenes que querían cambiar el mundo y que recibieron por el tablero Ouija mensajes sobre una gran misión, una de ellas dispuesta a dejar su trabajo para dedicarse al trabajo psíquico
«When you fulfill your own abilities, when you express your personal idealism through acting it out to the best of your ability in your daily life, then you are changing the world for the better.» — Seth, según Roberts, define el cambio del mundo por lo que se hace a diario: cumplir las propias capacidades y actuar el idealismo personal lo mejor que se pueda
«Sarah has abilities, and she is banking on them, developing them in a practical way. She believes that she forms her own reality. She quenched doubts that she was not good enough to succeed, or that it was too difficult to get ahead in show business.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone el caso contrario en la actriz que llama Sarah, que apuesta por sus capacidades y las desarrolla de manera práctica, y que apagó las dudas sobre no ser bastante buena
«The satisfaction of performance leads [her] to more expansive creativity, and to her natural sense of personal power. Through developing those abilities personally, she will contribute to the enjoyment of others. She is an idealist. She will try to bring a greater sense of values to the screen, for example, and she is willing to do the work necessary.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el circuito de esa mujer: la satisfacción del trabajo lleva a más creatividad y al sentido natural del poder personal, con el que contribuye al gozo de otros; los corchetes son de Butts
«A young man from a nearby town came here recently — a highly gifted, intelligent young person. He had not gone to college. He attended a training school, however, and has a fairly technical position in a nearby factory. He is an idealist, given to great plans for developing novel mathematical and scientific systems, and he is highly gifted in that area. He wants to change the world for the better.» — Seth, según Roberts, cuenta el caso del joven técnico dotado de un pueblo cercano, idealista con grandes planes matemáticos y científicos, que quiere cambiar el mundo
«He doesn’t believe that he can change the world by beginning where he is, and yet he is afraid to count upon his own abilities by giving them a practical form of expression.» — Seth, según Roberts, resume el nudo de ese joven: no cree poder cambiar el mundo empezando donde está y teme apoyarse en sus propias capacidades dándoles forma práctica
«Idealism also presupposes “the good” as opposed to “the bad,” so how can the pursuit of “the good” often lead to the expression of “the bad?” For that, we will have to look further.» — Seth, según Roberts, formula la pregunta que queda abierta: cómo la busca del bien lleva a menudo a la expresión del mal
«There is one commandment above all, in practical terms — a Christian commandment that can be used as a yardstick. It is good because it is something you can understand practically: “Thou shalt not kill.” That is clear enough. Under most conditions you know when you have killed.» — Seth, según Roberts, elige un mandamiento como medida práctica por encima de los demás, el de no matar, porque se entiende y porque casi siempre se sabe cuándo se ha matado
«That [commandment] is a much better road to follow, for example than: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” for many of you do not love yourselves to begin with, and can scarcely love your neighbor as well. The idea is that if you love your neighbor you will not treat him poorly, much less kill him — but the commandment: “Thou shalt not kill,” says you shall not kill your neighbor no matter how you feel about him.» — Seth, según Roberts, prefiere ese mandamiento al de amar al prójimo como a uno mismo, porque muchos no se aman a sí mismos, y porque el primero obliga con independencia de lo que se sienta; los corchetes son de Butts
«So let us say in a new commandment: “Thou shalt not kill even in the pursuit of your ideals.”2» — Seth, según Roberts, formula un mandamiento nuevo: no matarás ni siquiera en la busca de tus ideales; el *2* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«What does that mean? In practical terms it would mean that you would not wage war for the sake of peace. It would mean that you did not kill animals in experiments, taking their lives in order to protect the sacredness of human life.» — Seth, según Roberts, traduce ese mandamiento a dos consecuencias prácticas: no hacer la guerra por la paz y no matar animales en experimentos para proteger lo sagrado de la vida humana
«That would be a prime directive: “Thou shalt not kill even in the pursuit of your ideals” — for man has killed for the sake of his ideals as much as he has ever killed for greed, or lust, or even the pursuit of power on its own merits.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de esa fórmula una directiva primera y sostiene que el hombre ha matado tanto por sus ideales como por codicia, lujuria o poder
«You are a fanatic if you consider (underlined) possible killing for the pursuit of your ideal. For example, your ideal may be — for ideals differ — the production of endless energy for the uses of mankind, and you may believe so fervently in that ideal — this added convenience to life — that you considered the hypothetical possibility of that convenience being achieved at the risk of losing some lives along the way. That is fanaticism.» — Seth, según Roberts, define el fanatismo por la sola consideración de matar en busca del ideal, y pone el ejemplo de la energía sin fin obtenida al riesgo de perder algunas vidas
«It means that you are not willing to take the actual steps in physical reality to achieve the ideal, but that you believe that the end justifies the means: “Certainly some lives may be lost along the way, but overall, mankind will benefit.” That is the usual argument.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el fondo del argumento: no estar dispuesto a dar los pasos reales y creer en cambio que el fin justifica los medios y que el conjunto de la humanidad saldrá ganando
«The sacredness of life cannot be sacrificed for life’s convenience, or the quality of life itself will suffer.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone el límite: lo sagrado de la vida no se sacrifica por la conveniencia de la vida, o la calidad misma de la vida sufre
«In the same manner, say, the ideal is to protect human life, and in the pursuit of that ideal you give generations of various animals deadly diseases, and sacrifice their lives.3» — Seth, según Roberts, aplica el mismo criterio a los animales enfermados en el laboratorio para proteger la vida humana; el *3* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«The ends do not justify the means» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra el argumento con la fórmula contraria a la del fanático; la acotación de énfasis es de Butts
«Your justification may be that people have souls and animals do not, or that the quality of life is less in the animals, but» — Seth, según Roberts, rechaza las justificaciones usuales de ese sacrificio, el alma exclusiva del hombre o la calidad menor de la vida animal; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«regardless of those arguments this is fanaticism — and the quality of human life itself suffers as a result, for those who sacrifice any kind of life along the way lose some respect for all life, human life included.» — Seth, según Roberts, remata el argumento en la plana siguiente: quien sacrifica cualquier vida pierde algo de respeto por toda vida, la humana incluida
«When you are discussing the nature of good and bad, you are on tricky ground indeed, for many — or most — of man’s atrocities to man have been committed in misguided pursuit of “the good.”» — Seth, según Roberts, abre la sesión 852 del 9 de mayo de 1979 llamando terreno resbaloso la discusión del bien y el mal, porque casi todas las atrocidades se cometieron en busca mal orientada del bien
«Whose good (question mark)? Is “good” an absolute (question mark)? In your arena of events, obviously, one man’s good can be another’s disaster. [Adolf] Hitler pursued his version of “the good” with undeviating fanatical intent.» — Seth, según Roberts, pregunta de quién es el bien y si es absoluto, y responde que en la arena de los sucesos el bien de uno puede ser el desastre de otro, con Hitler persiguiendo su versión con intención fanática
«He believed in heroic characteristics, and became blinded by an idealized superman version of an Aryan strong in mind and body. To attain that end, Hitler was quite willing to sacrifice the rest of humanity. “The evil must be plucked out.” That unfortunate chant is behind the beliefs of many cults — scientific and religious — and Hitler’s Aryan kingdom was a curious interlocking of the worst aspects of religion and science alike, in which their cultish tendencies were encouraged and abetted.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a Hitler cegado por una versión idealizada del superhombre ario y dispuesto a sacrificar al resto de la humanidad, y llama a su reino ario un entrelazamiento de los peores aspectos de la religión y de la ciencia
«How did Hitler’s initially wishy-washy undefined ideals of nationalistic goodness turn into such a world catastrophe? The steps were the ones mentioned earlier (in a number of sessions in Part 3), as those involved with any cult. Hitler’s daydreams became more and more grandiose, and in their light, the plight of his country seemed worsened with each day’s events. He counted its humiliations over and over in his mind, until his mind became an almost completely closed environment, in which only certain ideas were allowed entry.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe los pasos: los ensueños de Hitler cada vez más grandiosos, la humillación del país contada una y otra vez, y la mente vuelta ambiente casi cerrado
«All that was not Aryan, really, became the enemy. The Jews took the brunt largely because of their financial successes and their cohesiveness, their devotion to a culture that was not basically Aryan. They would become the victims of Hitler’s fanatical ideal of Germany’s good.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica por qué los judíos llevaron el peso —su éxito financiero, su cohesión, su devoción a una cultura no aria— y los hace víctimas del ideal fanático de Hitler del bien de Alemania
«Hitler preached on the great value of social action as opposed to individual action. He turned children into informers against their own parents. He behaved nationalistically, as any minor cult leader does in a smaller context.» — Seth, según Roberts, subraya la prédica de Hitler sobre el valor de la acción social frente a la individual, los niños vueltos delatores de sus padres, y su conducta como la de cualquier líder de culto menor
«I do not want to oversimplify here, and certainly I am nowhere justifying the cruelties the Jews encountered in Germany. You do each create your own reality, however (intently), and en masse you create the realities of your nationalities and your countries — so at that time the Germans saw themselves as victors, and the Jews saw themselves as victims.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota expresamente que no justifica las crueldades sufridas por los judíos en Alemania, y sostiene a la vez que las realidades de las nacionalidades se crean en masa: los alemanes se vieron vencedores y los judíos víctimas
«Both reacted as groups, rather than as individuals, generally speaking now. For all of their idealisms, both basically believed in a pessimistic view of the self.» — Seth, según Roberts, halla lo común a los dos grupos por debajo de sus idealismos: una visión pesimista del yo
«It was because Hitler was so convinced of the existence of evil in the individual psyche, that he set up all of his rules and regulations to build up and preserve “Aryan purity.” The Jews’ idea was also a dark one, in which their own rules and regulations were set to preserve the soul’s purity against the forces of evil.» — Seth, según Roberts, empareja las dos reglamentaciones: la de Hitler para preservar la pureza aria y la judía para preservar la pureza del alma contra las fuerzas del mal, las dos nacidas de la convicción del mal en la psique
«Despite himself, and despite his followers, Hitler brought to flower (long pause) a very important idea, and one that changed your history. (Pause.) All of the most morbid of nationalistic fantasies that had been growing for centuries, all of the most grandiose celebrations of war as a nation’s inalienable right to seek domination, focused finally in Hitler’s Germany.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace a Hitler dar flor a pesar suyo a una idea importante que cambió la historia, con todas las fantasías nacionalistas morbosas de siglos enfocadas al fin en su Alemania
«The nations of the world saw their own worst tendencies personified in Hitler’s Germany, ready to attack them. The Jews, for various reasons — and again, this is not the full story — the Jews acted as all of the victims of the world, both the Germans and the Jews basically agreeing upon “man’s nefarious nature.” For the first time the modern world realized its vulnerability to political events, and technology and communication accelerated all of war’s dangers.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace ver a las naciones sus peores tendencias personificadas en la Alemania de Hitler, y sitúa ahí la primera conciencia moderna de la vulnerabilidad ante los sucesos políticos
«For the first time, again, the species understood that might alone did not mean right, and that in larger terms a world war could have no real victors.» — Seth, según Roberts, cifra lo aprendido: que la fuerza sola no da la razón y que en términos mayores una guerra mundial no puede tener vencedores
«In a strange fashion, however, Hitler knew that he was doomed from the very beginning, and so did Germany as far as Hitler’s hopes for it were concerned. He yearned for destruction, for in saner moments even he recognized the twisted distortions of his earlier ideals. This meant that he often sabotaged his own efforts, and several important Allied victories were the result of such sabotaging.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a Hitler el saber de estar condenado desde el principio y el anhelo de destrucción, con un sabotaje de sus propios esfuerzos que dio a los Aliados varias victorias
«Now, however, we come to Hiroshima, where this highly destructive bomb was exploded (on August 6, 1945) — and for what reason? To save life, to save American lives. The intent to save American lives was certainly “good” — at the expense of the Japanese this time. In that regard, America’s good was not Japan’s, and an act taken to “save life” was also designed to take individual lives.» — Seth, según Roberts, lleva el mismo criterio a Hiroshima: la intención de salvar vidas americanas era buena a costa de las japonesas, y el acto de salvar vidas estaba hecho para quitarlas
«Politically, many today believe that Russia is “the enemy,” and that therefore any means may be taken to destroy that country. Some people within the United States believe fervently that “the establishment” is rotten to the core, and that any means is justified to destroy it. Some people believe that homosexuals and lesbians are “evil,” that somehow they lack the true qualities of humanness [and therefore need not be treated with normal respect]. These are all value judgments involving your ideas of the good.» — Seth, según Roberts, alinea los juicios de valor de su presente —Rusia como enemigo, el establecimiento podrido, homosexuales y lesbianas tenidos por malvados— y los remite todos a las ideas del bien; los corchetes son de Butts
«Very few people start out trying to be as bad as possible. At least some (underlined) criminals feel that in stealing they are simply righting society’s wrongs. I am not saying that is their only motive, but in one way or another they manage to justify their activities by seeing them in their own version of the good and the right.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que casi nadie empiece intentando ser lo peor posible, y hace que hasta algunos criminales justifiquen sus actos en su propia versión del bien
«You must realize that fanatics always deal with grandiose ideals, while at the same time they believe in man’s sinful nature, and the individual’s lack of power. They cannot trust the expression of the self, for they are convinced of its duplicity. Their ideals then seem even more remote.» — Seth, según Roberts, reúne los rasgos del fanático: ideales grandiosos junto con la creencia en la naturaleza pecaminosa del hombre y en la impotencia del individuo, y de ahí la desconfianza en el propio yo
«Fanatics call others to social action. Since they do not believe that the individual is ever effective, their groups are not assemblies of private individuals come reasonably together, pooling individual resources. They are instead congregations of people who are afraid to assert their individuality, who hope to find it in the group, or hope to establish a joint individuality — and that is an impossibility (emphatically).» — Seth, según Roberts, describe los grupos del fanático no como asambleas de individuos que juntan recursos sino como congregaciones de quienes temen su individualidad y esperan hallarla en el grupo
«True individuals can do much through social action, and the species is a social one, but people who are afraid of their individuality will never find it in a group, but only a caricature of their own powerlessness.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede mucho a la acción social de individuos verdaderos y niega que quien teme su individualidad la halle en un grupo, donde solo encuentra la caricatura de su propia impotencia
«The nation served as an example of what could happen in any country if the most» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de esa nación un ejemplo de lo que puede pasar en cualquier país; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo
«fanatical nationalism was allowed to go unchecked, if the ideas of right were aligned with might, if any nation was justified in contemplating the destruction of others.» — Seth, según Roberts, completa la frase: el nacionalismo fanático sin freno, el derecho alineado con la fuerza y la destrucción de otros dada por justificada
«At what expense is “the good” to be achieved — and whose idea of the good is to be the criterion? Man’s pursuit of the good, to some extent now, fathered» — Seth, según Roberts, pregunta a qué costa y según quién se alcanza el bien; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase remata con la Inquisición y las cacerías de brujas de Salem
«Generally speaking, creativity has feminine connotations in your society, while power has masculine connotations, and is largely thought of as destructive.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 853 del 14 de mayo de 1979, reparte las connotaciones de la sociedad: la creatividad como femenina y el poder como masculino y tenido por destructivo
«Your scientists are, generally now, intellectually oriented, believing in reason above the intuitions, taking it for granted that those qualities are opposites. They cannot imagine (pause) life’s “initial” creative source, for in their terms it would remind them of creativity’s feminine basis.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a los científicos poner la razón por encima de la intuición como opuestos, y no poder imaginar la fuente creativa de la vida porque les recordaría una base femenina
«You must understand, I know, that the terms “male” and “female” here are being used as they are generally understood, and have nothing to do with the basic characteristics of either sex.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota expresamente que usa los términos masculino y femenino como se los entiende comúnmente y que nada tienen que ver con las características básicas de ninguno de los dos sexos
«In those terms, the male-oriented intellect wants to order the universe, name its parts, and so forth. It wants to ignore the creative aspects of the universe, however, which are everywhere apparent, and it first of all believes that it must divorce itself from any evidence of feeling.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe al intelecto de orientación masculina queriendo ordenar el universo y nombrar sus partes, ignorando sus aspectos creativos y divorciándose de toda evidencia de sentimiento
«You have in your history then a male god of power and vengeance, who killed your enemies for you. You have a prejudiced god, who will, for example, slay the Egyptians and half of the Jews to retaliate against previous Egyptian cruelty. The male god is a god of power. He is not a god of creativity.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de esa orientación el dios masculino de poder y de venganza, prejuicioso, que mataba a los enemigos, y le niega ser un dios de creatividad
«Now, creativity has always been the species’ closest connection with its own source, with the nature of its own being. Through creativity the species senses All That Is.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la creatividad la conexión más cercana de la especie con su propia fuente y el modo en que percibe Todo Lo Que Es
«Creativity goes by a different set of rules, however. It defies categories, and it insists upon the evidence of feeling. It is a source of revelation and inspiration — yet initially revelation and inspiration do not deal with power, but with knowing.» — Seth, según Roberts, da a la creatividad otras reglas: desafía las categorías, insiste en la evidencia del sentimiento y es fuente de revelación e inspiración, que no tratan con poder sino con saber
«The Catholic Church taught that revelation was dangerous. Intellectual and psychic obedience was much the safer road, and even the saints were slightly suspect. Women were inferiors, and in matters of religion and philosophy most of all, for there their creativity could be most disruptive. Women were considered hysterics, aliens to the world of intellectual thought, swayed instead by incomprehensible womanish emotions. Women were to be handled by wearing down their energies through childbirth.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a la Iglesia Católica la enseñanza de que la revelación era peligrosa y la obediencia el camino seguro, con las mujeres tenidas por inferiores e histéricas y manejadas por el desgaste de los partos
«Ruburt (Jane) was highly creative, and so following the beliefs of his time, he believed that he must watch his creativity most carefully, for he was determined to use it. He decided early to have no children — but more, to fight any evidence of femininity that might taint his work, or jumble up his dedication to it.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica sus decisiones por las creencias de su tiempo: vigilar la propia creatividad, no tener hijos y combatir toda evidencia de feminidad que tiñera su trabajo; el paréntesis con el nombre es de Butts
«He was creative, and is. Yet he felt that women were inferior, and that his very abilities made him vulnerable, that he would be ridiculed by others, that women were not taken seriously as profound thinkers, or innovators in philosophical matters.» — Seth, según Roberts, consigna la creencia de ella misma en la inferioridad de las mujeres y su temor al ridículo por ser mujer y hacer trabajo filosófico
«The trance itself had feminine connotations, though he conveniently forgot [several excellent male mediums]. And yet at the same time he was afraid of exerting power, for fear it would be thought that he was usurping male prerogatives.» — Seth, según Roberts, da connotaciones femeninas al trance mismo —aunque ella olvidara convenientemente a varios médiums varones— y le atribuye miedo a ejercer poder por parecer que usurpaba prerrogativas masculinas; los corchetes son de Butts
«You are creative, but you are a male — and one part of you considered creativity a feminine-like characteristic. If it were tied to moneymaking, as it once was, then painting became also powermaking, and hence acceptable to your» — Seth, según Roberts, dice a Butts que una parte de él tuvo la creatividad por característica femenina, aceptable para su hombría americana solo si se ataba a hacer dinero; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«You would not take your art to the marketplace after you left commercial work, because then, in a manner of speaking, now, understand, you considered that the act of a prostitute — for your “feminine feelings” that you felt produced the paintings would then be sold for the sake of “the male’s role as provider and bringer of power.”» — Seth, según Roberts, explica por qué Butts no llevó su arte al mercado tras dejar el trabajo comercial: lo habría tenido por acto de prostituta, vendiendo los sentimientos femeninos que producían los cuadros al papel masculino de proveedor
«The art of the old masters escaped such connotations, largely because it involved so much physical labor — the making of colors, canvases, and so forth. That work, providing the artist’s preparation, now belongs to the male-world manufacturer, you see, so as a male in your society the artist is often left with what he thinks of as art’s feminine basis, where it must be confronted, of course.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica que el arte de los viejos maestros escapara a esas connotaciones por su trabajo físico —hacer colores y lienzos—, trabajo que hoy pasó al fabricante y dejó al artista varón con lo que él tiene por la base femenina del arte
«Much of this is involved with the unfortunate myths about the creative person, who is not supposed to be able to deal with the world as well as others, whose idiosyncrasies are exaggerated, and whose very creativity, it is sometimes said, leads to suicide or depression.» — Seth, según Roberts, nombra los mitos desafortunados sobre la persona creativa: incapaz de tratar con el mundo, con idiosincrasias exageradas, y con una creatividad que lleva al suicidio o a la depresión
«Indeed, these are some of the reasons why Ruburt distrusted the spontaneous self: because it was feminine, he believed, and therefore more flawed than the spontaneous self of the male.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de ahí la desconfianza de ella en el yo espontáneo, por tenerlo femenino y por eso más defectuoso que el del varón
«You run into many contradictions. God is supposed to be male. The soul is sometimes considered female. The angels are male.» — Seth, según Roberts, alinea las contradicciones del reparto: Dios se supone masculino, el alma se considera a veces femenina y los ángeles son masculinos
«Now let us look at the Garden of Eden. The story says that Eve tempted the male, having him eat of the tree of good and evil, or the tree of knowledge. (Pause.) This represented a state of consciousness, the point at which the species began to think and feel for itself, when it approached a certain state of consciousness in which it dared exert its own creativity.» — Seth, según Roberts, lee el relato del Edén como un estado de consciencia: el punto en que la especie empezó a pensar y a sentir por sí misma y se atrevió a ejercer su creatividad
«It was a state when the species became aware of its own thoughts as its own thoughts, and became conscious of the self who thinks. That point released man’s creativity.» — Seth, según Roberts, precisa ese estado: la especie consciente de sus pensamientos como suyos y del yo que piensa, y ese punto como el que soltó la creatividad del hombre
«I want to make it plain that such ideas are rampant in society, and are at the basis of many personal and national problems. They are behind large issues,» — Seth, según Roberts, declara esas ideas extendidas por la sociedad y en la base de muchos problemas personales y nacionales; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo
«In your terms, it was the product of the feminine intuitions (though, as you know, such intuitions belong to both sexes). When the [Biblical] passages were written, the species had come to various states of order, achieving certain powers and organizations, and it wanted to maintain the status quo. No more intuitive visions, no more changes, were wanted. Creativity was to follow certain definite roads, so the woman became the villain.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye ese estado a las intuiciones femeninas —que acota pertenecientes a los dos sexos— y explica que, escritos los pasajes cuando la especie quería mantener el statu quo, la mujer quedara de villana; los corchetes son de Butts
«To some extent, Ruburt became afraid of his own creativity, and so did you. In Ruburt’s case the fear was greater, until it seemed sometimes that if he succeeded in his work he would do so at some peril: You might be put in an unpleasant light, or he might become a fanatic, displaying those despicable, feminine hysterical qualities.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el miedo de ella a su propia creatividad y el temor de que su éxito pusiera a Butts en mala luz o la volviera fanática con las cualidades histéricas femeninas que despreciaba
«Basically (pause), a fanatic believes that he is powerless. He does not trust his own self-structure, or his ability to act effectively. Joint action seems the only course, but a joint action in which each individual must actually be forced to act, driven by frenzy, or fear or hatred, incensed and provoked, for otherwise the fanatic fears that no action at all will be taken toward “the ideal.”» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 854 del 16 de mayo de 1979, funda el fanatismo en la creencia de la propia impotencia y en la desconfianza en la propia estructura, con la acción conjunta como único curso y movida por frenesí, miedo u odio
«Through such methods, and through such group hysteria, the responsibility for separate acts is divorced from the individual, and rests instead upon the group, where it becomes generalized and dispersed. The cause, whatever it is, can then cover any number of crimes, and no particular individual need bear the blame alone.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el mecanismo de la histeria de grupo: la responsabilidad de los actos separados se divorcia del individuo y se dispersa en el grupo, con lo que la causa cubre cualquier número de crímenes
«Fanatics have tunnel vision, so that any beliefs not fitting their purposes are ignored. Those that challenge their own purposes, however, become instant targets of scorn and attack.» — Seth, según Roberts, da al fanático visión de túnel: ignora las creencias que no sirven a sus propósitos y ataca al instante las que los desafían
«Generally speaking in your society, power is considered a male attribute. Cult leaders are more often male than female, and females are more often than not followers, because they have been taught that it is wrong for them to use power, and right for them to follow the powerful.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica por qué los líderes de culto suelen ser varones y las seguidoras mujeres: a ellas se les enseñó que está mal usar poder y bien seguir al poderoso
«The male scientist considers the rocket his private symbol of sexual power. (Pause.) He feels he has the prerogative to use power in any way he chooses. Now many scientists are “idealists.” (Pause.) They believe that their search for answers, however, justifies almost any means, or sacrifices, not only on their parts but on the parts of others.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del cohete el símbolo privado de poder sexual del científico varón y describe al idealista que cree que su busca de respuestas justifica casi cualquier medio o sacrificio; la acotación de humor es de Butts
«They become fanatics when they ignore the rights of others, and when they defile life in a misguided attempt to understand it» — Seth, según Roberts, fija el punto en que esos idealistas se vuelven fanáticos: cuando ignoran los derechos de otros y profanan la vida en un intento mal orientado de entenderla
«Women make a grave error when they try to prove their “equality” with men by showing that they can enter the armed forces, or go into combat as well as any man (with more amusement). War always makes you less as a species than you could be.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama grave error el probar la igualdad entrando en las fuerzas armadas o en el combate, porque la guerra siempre vuelve a la especie menos de lo que podría ser; la acotación de humor es de Butts
«I am quite aware that often war seems to be your only practical course, because of the set of beliefs that are, relatively speaking, worldwide. Until you change those beliefs, war will seem to have some practical value — a value which is highly deceptive, and quite false.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede que la guerra parezca a menudo el único curso práctico por el juego de creencias mundial, y declara ese valor práctico engañoso y falso
«Fanatics always use ringing rhetoric, and speak in the highest terms of truth, good and evil, and particularly of retribution. To some extent capital punishment is the act of a fanatical society: The taking of the murderer’s life does not bring back the victim’s, and it does not prevent other men from» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la retórica resonante del fanático y llama en cierta medida fanática a la sociedad que aplica la pena capital, porque no devuelve la vida de la víctima; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo
«Criminals act out those beliefs to perfection. Their “tendencies” are those that each of you fears you possess. Science and religion each tell you that left alone you will spontaneously be primitive creatures, filled with uncontrolled lust and avarice. Both Freud and Jehovah gave you that message.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace a los criminales actuar a la perfección las creencias comunes, con tendencias que cada quien teme tener, y adjudica el mismo mensaje a Freud y a Jehová
«Fanatics cannot stand tolerance. They expect obedience. A democratic society offers the greatest challenges and possibilities of achievement for the individual and the species, for it allows for the free intercourse of ideas. It demands much more of its people, however, for in a large manner each must pick and choose from amid a variety of life-styles and beliefs his and her own platform for daily life and action.» — Seth, según Roberts, opone a la intolerancia del fanático la sociedad democrática, que ofrece el desafío mayor porque exige de cada quien escoger su propia plataforma entre creencias y estilos de vida
«Women have shown uncommon good sense in not going to war, and uncommon bad» — Seth, según Roberts, concede a las mujeres buen sentido poco común por no ir a la guerra; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase remata con el mal sentido de mandar a ella a sus hijos y a sus amantes
«There are periods in which it certainly seems to some that all standards vanish, and so they yearn for old authorities. And there are always fanatics there to stand for ultimate truth, and to lift from the individual the challenge and “burden” of personal achievement and responsibility.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe los periodos en que parece que todos los criterios se desvanecen y se añora la vieja autoridad, con fanáticos listos para levantar de cada quien la carga del logro y la responsabilidad
«Individuals can — they can — survive without organizations. Organizations cannot survive without individuals, and the most effective organizations are assemblies of individuals who assert their own private power in a group, and do not seek to hide within it» — Seth, según Roberts, invierte la dependencia entre individuos y organizaciones, y declara más efectivas las que reúnen a individuos que ejercen su propio poder y no buscan esconderse en el grupo
«Organized action is an excellent method of exerting influence, but only when each member is self-activating; only when he or she extends individuality through group action, and does not mindlessly seek to follow the dictates of others.» — Seth, según Roberts, acepta la acción organizada como excelente método de influencia solo cuando cada miembro se activa por sí mismo y extiende en ella su individualidad
«Fanatics exist because of the great gap between an idealized good and an exaggerated version of its opposite. The idealized good is projected into the future, while its exaggerated opposite is seen to pervade the present. The individual is seen as powerless to work alone toward that ideal with any sureness of success. Because of his belief in his powerlessness [the fanatic] feels that any means to an end is justified.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica la existencia del fanático por la brecha entre un bien idealizado proyectado al futuro y su opuesto exagerado que llena el presente, con el individuo tenido por impotente para trabajar solo
«Behind all this is the belief that spontaneously the ideal will never be achieved, and that, indeed, on his own man is getting worse and worse in every aspect: How can flawed selves ever hope to spontaneously achieve any good?» — Seth, según Roberts, pone detrás de todo eso la creencia de que el ideal nunca se alcanzará espontáneamente y de que el hombre solo empeora, con la pregunta de cómo unos yoes defectuosos alcanzarían el bien
«Earlier today, Ruburt wondered if I might dictate more in reply to your scientist’s letter. As he wondered, I very briefly responded to the effect that since we come from such different perspectives, it is actually quite difficult to give your scientist what I would consider a full response. I could dictate a reply that would satisfy him well enough, but it would (pause) perhaps be the more distorted the more it was geared for his understanding.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 855 del 21 de mayo de 1979, explica la dificultad de responder al físico que escribió: podría dar una respuesta satisfactoria, y sería más distorsionada cuanto más se ajustara a su entendimiento
«It is no coincidence that Ruburt does not possess a scientific vocabulary, though he does possess a scientific as well as intuitive mind. The very attempt to describe reality in scientific terms, as they are currently understood, pays, my dear friend, undue tribute to a vocabulary that automatically scales down greater concepts to fit its rigors.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que sea coincidencia que ella carezca de vocabulario científico teniendo mente científica e intuitiva, porque ese vocabulario rebaja automáticamente los conceptos mayores a su medida
«The universe is — and you can pick your terms — a spiritual or mental or psychological manifestation, and not, in your usual vocabulary, an objective manifestation.» — Seth, según Roberts, deja al lector escoger el término —espiritual, mental o psicológico— y niega que el universo sea una manifestación objetiva
«There is presently no science, religion, or psychology that comes close to even approaching a conceptual framework that could explain, or even indirectly describe, the dimensions of that kind of universe.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara que ninguna ciencia, religión ni psicología de su tiempo se acerca a un marco conceptual capaz de describir siquiera indirectamente esa clase de universo
«Its properties are psychological, following the logic of the psyche, and all of the physical properties that you understand are reflections of those deeper issues.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace psicológicas las propiedades de ese universo, siguiendo la lógica de la psique, y reflejos de esos asuntos más hondos todas las propiedades físicas
«Again, each atom and molecule — and any particle that you can imagine — possesses, and would possess, a consciousness. Unless you accept that statement at least as a theory upon which to build, then much of my material would appear meaningless.» — Seth, según Roberts, repite que todo átomo, molécula o partícula posee consciencia y pone esa afirmación como condición para que su material signifique algo
«Since I must use [an] objective vocabulary I am always seeking for analogies. By objective I refer to the use of language, the English language, that automatically sets up its own screens of perception — as of course any language must do to some extent.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara su método: buscar analogías porque debe usar un vocabulario objetivo, el inglés, que levanta sus propias pantallas de percepción; los corchetes son de Butts
«The universe expands, as I have said before, as an idea expands; and as sentences are built upon words, in your terms, and paragraphs upon sentences, and as each retains its own logic and continuity and evidence within that framework, so do all the portions of the universe appear to you also with the same cohesiveness (dash) — meaning continuity and order.» — Seth, según Roberts, repite que el universo se expande como una idea y compara la cohesión de sus partes con la de las palabras en la frase y las frases en el párrafo
«It makes sense, however, not only because of the letters or vowels or syllables that are used within it, but because of all of the letters or vowels or syllables that it excludes.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace significar a una frase no solo por las letras y sílabas que usa sino por todas las que excluye
«The same applies to your universe. It has meaning, coherence and order not only because of those realities that are obvious to you, and that appear, but also because of those inner realities that are “unspoken,” or hidden.» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende esa figura al universo, cuyo orden viene también de las realidades interiores no dichas u ocultas
«I am not speaking merely of hidden variables, in scientific terms, nor am I saying that the universe is an illusion, but a psychological reality in which “objectivity” is the result of psychological creativity.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que no habla de variables ocultas en el sentido científico ni declara ilusorio el universo, sino realidad psicológica donde la objetividad es resultado de creatividad psicológica
«It is not just that your view of reality is relative to your position within the universe, but that the universe itself is different according to your position within it, and that spiritual or psychological rules apply.» — Seth, según Roberts, va más allá de la relatividad del punto de vista: el universo mismo es distinto según la posición que se ocupe en él, y rigen reglas espirituales o psicológicas
«In your realm of reality, there is no real freedom but the freedom of ideas, and there is no real bondage except for the bondage of ideas (intently), for your ideas form your private and mass reality.» — Seth, según Roberts, reduce toda libertad y toda servidumbre a las ideas, porque las ideas forman la realidad privada y la de masa
«You want to examine the universe from the outside, to examine your societies from the outside. You still think that the interior world is somehow symbolic and the exterior world is real — that wars, for example, are fought by themselves or with bombs. All of the time, the psychological reality is the primary one, that forms all of your events.» — Seth, según Roberts, señala el hábito de examinar el universo y la sociedad desde fuera y de creer que las guerras se pelean con bombas, cuando la realidad psicológica es la primaria y forma todos los sucesos
«It is not to say that you cannot understand the nature of the universe to some extent, but the answers lie in the natures of your own minds, in the processes of individual creativity» — Seth, según Roberts, concede que la naturaleza del universo se pueda entender hasta cierto punto y sitúa las respuestas en la propia mente y en los procesos de la creatividad individual
«Where did this thought come from? Where does it go? What effect does it have upon myself or others? How do I know how to dream, when I have never been taught to do so? How do I speak without understanding the mechanisms? Why do I feel that I have an eternal reality, when it is obvious that I was physically born and will physically die?» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera las preguntas que propone como estudio: de dónde viene un pensamiento y adónde va, cómo se sabe soñar sin que nadie lo enseñe, cómo se habla sin entender el mecanismo, y por qué se siente una realidad eterna si se nace y se muere
«Unscientific questions? I tell you that these are the most scientific of all. To some extent the attempt on the part of science to consider such material may possibly bring about those qualities of true scientific intuition that will help science bridge the gap between such divergent views as its own and ours.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara esas preguntas las más científicas de todas y ve en el intento de considerarlas la intuición científica que podría tender el puente entre las dos posiciones
«Before we end this particular section of the book, dealing with frightened people, idealism, and interpretations of good and evil, there is another instance that I would like to mention. It is the Watergate affair.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre el capítulo 8 en la sesión 856 del 24 de mayo de 1979 y anuncia un último caso para la sección, el asunto de Watergate
«The President at the time, and through all of his life before (pause), was at heart a stern, repressed idealist of a rather conventionally religious kind. He believed in an idealized good, while believing most firmly and simultaneously that man was fatally flawed (loudly), filled with evil, more naturally given to bad rather than good intent.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe al presidente de Watergate como idealista severo y reprimido de corte religioso convencional, que creía a la vez en un bien idealizado y en un hombre fatalmente defectuoso
«He believed in the absolute necessity of power, while convinced at the same time that he did not possess it; and further, he believed that in the most basic terms the individual was powerless to alter the devastating march of evil and corruption that he saw within the country, and in all the other countries of the world. No matter how much power he achieved, it seemed to him that others had more — other people, other groups, other countries — but their power he saw as evil. For while he believed in the existence of an idealized good, he felt that the wicked were powerful and the good were weak and without vigor.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la creencia doble de ese presidente: la necesidad absoluta del poder y la convicción de no tenerlo, con los malvados poderosos y los buenos débiles
«He concentrated upon the vast gulf that seemed to separate the idealized good and the practical, ever-pervading corruption that in his eyes grew by leaps and bounds. He saw himself as just. Those who did not agree with him, he saw as moral enemies. Eventually it seemed to him that he was surrounded by the corrupt, and that any means at his disposal was justified to bring down those who would threaten the presidency or the state.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la concentración de ese presidente en el abismo entre el bien idealizado y la corrupción que veía crecer, con los que discrepaban vueltos enemigos morales y cualquier medio justificado
«He was as paranoid as any poor deluded man or woman is who feels, without evidence, that he or she is being pursued by creatures from space, earthly or terrestrial enemies, or evil psychic powers. Those poor people will build up for themselves a logical sequence of events, in which the most innocent encounter is turned into a frightening threat. They will project that fear outward until they seem to meet it in each person they encounter.» — Seth, según Roberts, empareja esa paranoia con la de quien se cree perseguido por seres del espacio o por poderes psíquicos, con encuentros inocentes vueltos amenaza por una secuencia lógica de sucesos
«Your President at that time, however, had at his command vast information, so that he was aware of many groups and organizations that did not agree with his policies. He used those as in other circumstances a paranoid might use the sight of a police car to convince himself that he was being pursued by the police, or the FBI or whatever. The President felt threatened — and not only personally threatened, for he felt that the good for which he stood in his own mind was in peril (intently). And again, since the idealized good seemed too remote and difficult to achieve, any means was justified. Those who followed him, in the Cabinet and so forth, possessed the same kinds of characteristics» — Seth, según Roberts, señala la diferencia del caso presidencial: tenía a la mano información vasta sobre grupos que discrepaban de sus políticas, y la usó como otro paranoico usaría la vista de una patrulla
«No one is as fanatical, and no one can be more cruel, than the self-righteous. It is very easy for such persons “to become [religiously] converted” after such episodes (as Watergate), lining themselves up once more on the side of good, searching for “the power of fellowship,” turning to church rather than government, hearing in one way or another the voice of God.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara a nadie más fanático ni más cruel que el santurrón, y describe la conversión religiosa posterior a esos episodios como un volver a alinearse del lado del bien
«Look at it this way: If someone tells you that pleasure is wrong and tolerance is weakness, and that you must follow this or that dogma blindly in obedience, and if you are told this is the only right road toward the idealized good, then most likely you are dealing with a fanatic.» — Seth, según Roberts, da tres señales prácticas del fanático: que llame débil a la tolerancia y prohíba el placer, que mande matar por la paz, y que pida renunciar al libre albedrío
«Both men and molecules dwell in a field of probabilities, and their paths are not determined. The vast reality of probabilities makes the existence of free will possible.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa a hombres y moléculas en un campo de probabilidades con caminos no determinados, y hace de esa vastedad lo que hace posible el libre albedrío
«If probabilities did not exist, and if you were not to some degree aware of probable actions and events, not only could you not choose between them, but you would not of course have any feelings of choice (intently). You would be unaware of the entire issue.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace depender el sentimiento mismo de elección de la conciencia de los sucesos probables: sin ellos ni se elegiría ni se sabría que hay algo que elegir
«Through your mundane conscious choices, you affect all of the events of your world, so that the mass world is the result of multitudinous individual choices. You could not make choices at all if you did not feel impulses to do this or that, so that choices usually involve you in making decisions between various impulses.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del mundo de masa el resultado de innumerables elecciones individuales, y de la elección una decisión entre impulsos
«Impulses are urges toward action. Some are conscious and some are not. Each cell of your body feels (underlined) the impulse toward action, response, and communication.» — Seth, según Roberts, define los impulsos como urgencias hacia la acción, conscientes o no, y los atribuye a cada célula del cuerpo
«You have been taught not to trust your impulses. Now impulses, however, help you to develop events of natural power. Impulses in children teach them to develop their muscles and minds [each] in their own unique manner.» — Seth, según Roberts, opone a la desconfianza enseñada el uso del impulso para desarrollar sucesos de poder natural, como el niño desarrolla sus músculos y su mente a su manera única
«If you are told to kill for the sake of peace, you are dealing with someone who does not understand peace or justice. If you are told to give up your free will, you are dealing with a fanatic.» — Seth, según Roberts, da las otras dos señales del fanático: mandar matar por la paz, que delata a quien no entiende la paz ni la justicia, y pedir la renuncia al libre albedrío
«And as you will see, those impulses of a private nature are nevertheless also based upon the greater situation of the species and the planet, so that “ideally” the fulfillment of the individual would automatically lead to the better good of the species.» — Seth, según Roberts, funda los impulsos privados en la situación mayor de la especie y del planeta, de modo que idealmente el cumplimiento del individuo llevaría al bien de la especie
«As you learn to trust your natural impulses, they introduce you to your individual sense of power, so that you realize that your own actions do have meaning, that you do affect events, and that you can see some definite signs that you are achieving good ends. The idealized goal isn’t as remote, then, because it is being expressed. Even if that expression is by means of steps, you can point toward it as an accomplishment. Previously we distrusted our own impulses to such an extent that they often appeared in very distorted form.» — Jane Roberts, en el estado alterado propio que siguió a la sesión 856, hace de los impulsos naturales la introducción al propio sentido de poder, con el ideal ya no remoto porque se expresa por pasos
«Impulses, therefore, provide impetus toward motion, coaxing the physical body and the mental person toward utilization of physical and mental power. (Pause.) They help the individual impress the world — that is, to act upon it and within it effectively.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 857 del 30 de mayo de 1979, hace de los impulsos el ímpetu hacia el movimiento, que coaxan al cuerpo y a la persona mental hacia el uso del poder físico y mental
«The universe and everything within it is composed of “information,” but this information is aware-ized containing — I am sorry: information concerning the entire universe is always latent within each and any part of it.» — Seth, según Roberts, compone el universo de información y la declara latente en cada parte suya; el troceo conserva la interrupción con que él mismo se corrige, *I am sorry*
«The motive power of the universe and of each particle or wave or person within it is the magnificent thrust toward creative probabilities, and the tension that exists, the exuberant tension, that exists “between” probable choices and probable events.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa la potencia motriz del universo en el empuje hacia probabilidades creativas y en la tensión exuberante entre elecciones y sucesos probables
«In more mundane terms, impulses often come from unconscious knowledge, then. This knowledge is spontaneously and automatically received by the energy that composes your body, and then it is processed so that pertinent information applying to you can be taken advantage of. Ideally (underlined), your impulses are always in response to your own best interests — and, again, to the best interests of your world as well.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace venir los impulsos del conocimiento inconsciente que la energía del cuerpo recibe y procesa, y los declara idealmente en favor de los intereses propios y de los del mundo
«Impulses are spontaneous, and you have been taught not to trust the spontaneous portions of your being, but to rely upon your reason and your intellect — which (amused) both operate, incidentally, quite spontaneously, by the way.» — Seth, según Roberts, observa con humor que se enseña a confiar en la razón y el intelecto contra lo espontáneo, cuando esos dos también operan espontáneamente; la acotación es de Butts
«Psychologically, your impulses are as vital to your being as your physical organs are. They are as altruistic, or unselfish, as your physical organs are (intently), and I would like that sentence read several times.» — Seth, según Roberts, iguala los impulsos a los órganos físicos en vitalidad y en altruismo, y pide que esa frase se lea varias veces; la acotación de énfasis es de Butts
«Ideally (underlined), by following your impulses you would feel the shape, the impulsive shape (as Ruburt says) of your life. You would not spend time wondering what your purpose was, for it would make itself known to you, as you perceived the direction in which your natural impulses led, and felt yourself exert power in the world through such actions. Again, impulses are doorways to action, satisfaction, the exertion of natural mental and physical power, the avenue for your private expression — the avenue where your private expression intersects the physical world and impresses it.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe lo que daría seguir los impulsos: sentir la forma impulsiva de la propia vida, no preguntarse por el propósito, y hallar la avenida donde la expresión privada toca el mundo físico
«Many cults of one kind or another, and many fanatics, seek to divide you from your natural impulses, to impede their expression. They seek to sabotage your belief in your spontaneous being, so that the great power of impulses becomes damned up. Avenues of probabilities are closed bit by bit until you do indeed live — if you follow such precepts — in a closed mental environment, in which it seems you are powerless. It seems you cannot impress the world as you wish, that your ideals must always be stillborn.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a cultos y fanáticos el intento de separar a la persona de sus impulsos naturales y de sabotear la creencia en el propio ser espontáneo, hasta dejar un ambiente mental cerrado
«When you let yourselves alone, you are spontaneously reasonable, but because of» — Seth, según Roberts, declara que dejado en paz uno es espontáneamente razonable; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase remata con que las creencias hacen parecer mal avenidas a la razón y la espontaneidad
«In the case of the Jonestown tragedy, for example, all doors toward probable effective action seemed closed. Followers had been taught to act against their natural impulses with members of their families. They had been taught not to trust the outside world, and little by little the gap between misguided idealism and an exaggerated version of the world’s evil blocked all doors through which power could be exerted — all doors save one.» — Seth, según Roberts, aplica ese mecanismo a Jonestown: seguidores enseñados a actuar contra sus impulsos naturales con sus familias y a desconfiar del mundo, con todas las puertas de la acción cerradas salvo una
«The desire for suicide is often the last recourse left to frightened people whose natural impulses toward action have been damned up — intensified on the one hand, and yet denied any practical expression.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del deseo de suicidio el último recurso de la gente asustada cuyos impulsos hacia la acción quedaron represados e intensificados y sin expresión práctica
«I always want to emphasize the importance of individual action, for only the individual can help form organizations that become physical vehicles (intently) for the effective expression of ideals. Only people who trust their spontaneous beings and the altruistic nature of their impulses can be consciously wise enough to choose from a myriad of probable futures the most promising events» — Seth, según Roberts, insiste en la importancia de la acción individual y hace de la organización el vehículo físico de los ideales, con la sabiduría de elegir entre futuros probables reservada a quien confía en su ser espontáneo
«I am using the term “impulses” for the understanding of the general public, and in those terms molecules and protons have impulses. No consciousness simply reacts to stimuli, but has its own impulse toward growth and value fulfillment.» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende la palabra impulso a moléculas y protones y niega que ninguna consciencia reaccione simplemente a estímulos: cada una tiene su propio impulso hacia el crecimiento y el cumplimiento de valor
«Often the insecticide kills more than the mosquito, and its effects can be far-reaching, and possibly have disastrous consequences. However, to consider impulses as chaotic, meaningless — or worse, detrimental to an ordered life — represents a very dangerous attitude indeed; an attempt that causes many of your other problems, an attempt that does often distort the nature of impulses.» — Seth, según Roberts, devuelve la figura: el insecticida mata más que al mosquito, y tener los impulsos por caóticos es una actitud peligrosa que causa otros problemas y distorsiona su naturaleza
«Each person is fired by the desire to act, and to act beneficially, altruistically (intently), to practically put his stamp, or her stamp, upon the world. When such natural impulses toward action are constantly denied over a period of time, when they are distrusted, when an individual feels in battle with his or her own impulses and shuts down the doors toward probable actions, then that intensity can explode into whatever avenue of escape is still left open.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone en cada persona el deseo de actuar con beneficio y de dejar su marca en el mundo, y describe la explosión de esa intensidad por la única vía de escape que quede abierta
«I am not speaking of anything (pause) like “repression,” as it is used by psychologists, but a far deeper issue: one in which the very self is so distrusted that natural impulses of any kind become suspect. You try to inoculate yourselves against yourselves — a nearly impossible situation» — Seth, según Roberts, distingue lo que describe de la represión de los psicólogos y lo llama asunto más hondo: un yo tan desconfiado de sí que todo impulso natural se vuelve sospechoso, con el intento imposible de inocularse contra uno mismo
«You expect your motives to be selfish because you have been told that they are, and so when you catch yourselves with unkind motives you are almost comforted, because you think that at least you are behaving normally.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el consuelo perverso de descubrirse motivos poco amables: uno se tranquiliza porque al menos está comportándose normalmente
«When you find yourself with good motives, you distrust them. “Surely,” you think, “beneath this seeming altruism, there must indeed be some nefarious, or at best selfish, motives that escape me.” As a people you are always examining your impulses, and yet you rarely examine the fruits of your intellects.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la sospecha con que se reciben los buenos motivos y observa que se examinan sin cesar los impulsos y casi nunca los frutos del intelecto
«It may seem that (underlined) impulsive actions run rampant in society, in cultish behavior, for example, or in the behavior of criminals, or on the part of youth, but such activities show instead the power of impulses denied their natural expression, intensified and focused on the one hand into highly ritualized patterns of behavior, and in other areas denied expression.» — Seth, según Roberts, invierte la lectura de la conducta de cultos, criminales y jóvenes: no muestran impulsos desbocados sino la fuerza de impulsos a los que se negó la expresión natural
«It seems to many of you that impulses are unpredictable, contradictory, without reason, the result of erratic mixtures of body chemicals, and» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la visión común de los impulsos como impredecibles y contradictorios, mezcla errática de químicos del cuerpo; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«A particular idealist believes that the world is headed for disaster, and [that] he is powerless to prevent it. Having denied his impulses, believing them wrong, and having impeded his expression of his own power to affect others, he might, for example, “hear the voice of God.” That voice might tell him to commit any of a number of nefarious actions — to assassinate the enemies that stand in the way of his great ideal — and it might seem to him and to others that he has a natural impulse to kill, and indeed an inner decree from God to do so.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe al idealista que, negados sus impulsos e impedida su expresión, oye la voz de Dios mandándole asesinar a los enemigos de su ideal, con lo que parece tener impulso natural de matar
«According to conditions, such a person could be a member of a small cult or the head of a nation, a criminal or a national hero, who claims to act with the authority of God.» — Seth, según Roberts, iguala en el mecanismo al miembro de un culto pequeño y al jefe de una nación, al criminal y al héroe nacional que dice actuar con autoridad de Dios
«Again, the desire and motivation to act is so strong within each person that it will not be denied, and when it is denied then it can be expressed in a perverted form. Man must not only act, but he must act constructively, and he must feel that he acts for good ends.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace tan fuerte el deseo de actuar que no se deja negar y se expresa de forma pervertida, y exige al hombre no solo actuar sino actuar constructivamente y sentir que actúa para buenos fines
«Only when the natural impulse (to act constructively) is denied consistently does the idealist turn into a fanatic. Each person in his or her own way is an idealist.» — Seth, según Roberts, fija la condición de la conversión del idealista en fanático —la negación consistente del impulso natural— y declara idealista a cada quien a su manera; los paréntesis son de Butts
«Power is natural. It is the force, the power of the muscle to move, or the eye to see, of the mind to think, the power of the emotions — these represent true power, and no accumulation of wealth or acclaim can substitute for that natural sense of power if it is lacking.» — Seth, según Roberts, define el poder verdadero por la fuerza del músculo, del ojo, de la mente y de las emociones, y niega que riqueza o aclamación sustituyan ese sentido natural de poder
«Power always rests with the individual, and from the individual all political power must flow.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace descansar todo poder en el individuo y de él hace fluir todo poder político
«A democracy is a highly interesting form of government, highly significant because it demands so much of individual consciousness, and because it must rest primarily upon a belief in the powers of the individual. It is a tribute to that belief that it has lingered in your country, and operated with such vitality in the face of quite opposing beliefs officially held by both science and religion.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama significativa a la democracia porque exige mucho de la consciencia individual y descansa en la creencia en los poderes del individuo, y le reconoce vitalidad pese a las creencias contrarias de la ciencia y de la religión
«The idea [of democracy] expresses the existence of a high idealism — one that demands political and social organizations that are effective to some degree in providing some practical expression of those ideals (emphatically). When those organizations fail and a gulf between idealism and actualized good becomes too great, then such conditions help turn some idealists into fanatics.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la democracia la expresión de un idealismo alto que exige organizaciones efectivas, y sitúa en su fracaso el ensanchamiento de la brecha que vuelve fanáticos a algunos idealistas; los corchetes son de Butts
«Those who follow with great strictness the dictates of either science or religion can switch sides in a moment. The scientist begins tipping tables or whatever, and suddenly disgusted by the limits of scientific knowledge, he turns all of his dedication to what he thinks of as its opposite, or pure intuitive knowledge. Thus, he blocks his reason as fanatically as earlier he blocked his intuitions.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el cambio de bando del que sigue con estrictez a la ciencia o a la religión: el científico decepcionado vuelca su dedicación al saber intuitivo puro y bloquea la razón con el mismo fanatismo
«Again, you have been taught to believe that impulses are wrong, generally speaking, or at best that they represent messages from a nefarious subconscious, giving voice to dark moods and desires.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 859 del 6 de junio de 1979, repite la enseñanza que combate: que los impulsos son malos o mensajes de un subconsciente nefario que da voz a humores y deseos oscuros
«Many of you believe in the basis of Freudian psychology — that the son naturally wants to displace the father in his mother’s attentions, and that beneath the son’s love for his father, there rages the murderous intent to kill. Ridiculous idiocy!» — Seth, según Roberts, cita como ejemplo la base de la psicología freudiana, con el hijo queriendo desplazar al padre y con intención asesina bajo su amor, y la descalifica como idiotez ridícula
«Ruburt has been reading old poetry of his own, and he was appalled to find such beliefs in rather brutal, concentrated form. Until our sessions began, he followed the official line of consciousness, and though he railed against those precepts he could find no other solution.» — Seth, según Roberts, consigna que ella se horrorizó al hallar esas creencias en forma brutal y concentrada en su propia poesía anterior a las sesiones, cuando seguía la línea oficial de la consciencia
«You cannot begin to have a true psychology, again, unless you see the living self in a greater context, with greater motives, purposes and meanings than you now assign to it, or for that matter than you assign to nature and its creatures.» — Seth, según Roberts, condiciona toda psicología verdadera a ver el yo vivo en un contexto mayor, con más motivos, propósitos y sentidos de los que se le asignan a él y a la naturaleza
«If any of you do (underlined) still believe in the Freudian or Darwinian selves, then you will be leery about impulses to examine your own consciousness, afraid of what murderous debris might be uncovered.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva de esas creencias el recelo a examinar la propia consciencia, por miedo a los escombros asesinos que pudieran aparecer
«Actually the woman’s condition hid her primary impulse: to communicate better with her husband, to ask him for definite expressions of love.» — Seth, según Roberts, invierte el diagnóstico del caso de la mujer con sobrepeso: su condición escondía el impulso primario de comunicarse mejor con su marido y de pedirle expresiones definidas de amor
«He could not express his love for her in the terms she wished for he believed that women would, if allowed to, destroy the man’s freedom, and he interpreted the natural need for love as an unfortunate emotional demand. Both of them believed that women were inferior, and quite unknowingly they followed a Freudian dogma.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica al marido por sus creencias: que las mujeres destruirían la libertad del hombre y que la necesidad de amor es una demanda emocional desafortunada, con los dos siguiendo sin saberlo un dogma freudiano
«In those areas where you cut down on your impulses, upon their very recognition, you close down probabilities, and prevent new beneficial acts that of themselves would lead you out of your difficulty. You prevent change.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que recortar los impulsos cierre probabilidades e impida los actos nuevos que sacarían de la dificultad
«But many people fear that any change is detrimental, since they have been taught, after all, that left alone their bodies or their minds or their relationships are bound to deteriorate. Often, therefore, people react to events as if they themselves possessed no impetus to alter them. They live their lives as if they are indeed limited in experience not only to a brief lifetime, but a lifetime in which they are the victims of their chemistry — accidental members of a blighted species that is murderous to its very core.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye el miedo al cambio a la enseñanza de que cuerpo, mente y relaciones se deterioran solos, y describe a quien se vive víctima de su química en una especie asesina hasta el tuétano
«Another woman [friend] found a small sore spot on her breast. Remembering well the barrage of negative suggestions that passes for preventative medicine — the public service announcements about cancer — she was filled with foreboding. She went to the doctor, who told her he did not believe there was anything wrong. He suggested X-rays, however, “just to be on the safe side,” and so her body was treated to a basically unnecessary dose of radiation in the name of preventative medicine.» — Seth, según Roberts, cuenta el caso de la mujer con un punto dolorido en el pecho que, cargada de las sugestiones negativas de la medicina preventiva, recibió una dosis básicamente innecesaria de radiación; los corchetes son de Butts
«I am not suggesting that you do not visit doctors under such situations, because the weight of your negative beliefs about your bodies usually makes it too difficult for you to bear such uncertainties alone. Nevertheless, such actions speak only too loudly of your mass beliefs involving the vulnerability of the self and its flesh.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota expresamente que no sugiere dejar de ir al médico, porque el peso de las creencias negativas vuelve la incertidumbre insoportable, y lee esos actos como signo de las creencias de masa
«To me, it is almost inconceivable that, from your position, any of you seriously consider that the existence of your exquisite consciousness can possibly be the result of a conglomeration of chemicals and elements thrown together by a universe accidentally formed, and soon to vanish.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara casi inconcebible que se tome la existencia de la consciencia por resultado de un conglomerado de químicos lanzados por un universo accidental y pronto a desvanecerse
«So much more evidence is available to you: the order of nature; the creative drama of your dreams, that project your consciousness into other times and places; the very precision with which you spontaneously grow, without knowing how, from a fetus into an adult; the existence of heroic themes and quests and ideals that pervade the life of even the worst scoundrel — these all give evidence of the greater context in which you have your being.» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera la evidencia contraria: el orden de la naturaleza, el drama creativo de los sueños, la precisión del crecimiento y los temas heroicos que hay hasta en el peor canalla
«If the universe existed as you have been told it does, then I would not be writing this book.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de su propia existencia un argumento: si el universo fuera como se enseña, él no estaría escribiendo este libro
«The mass world is formed as the result of individual impulses. They meet and merge, and form platforms for action.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del mundo de masa el resultado de impulsos individuales que se encuentran, se funden y forman plataformas para la acción
«You live surrounded by impulses. You must make innumerable decisions in your lives — must choose careers, mates, cities of residence. Experience can help you make decisions, but you make decisions long before you have years of» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 860 del 13 de junio de 1979, rodea la vida de impulsos y de decisiones —carrera, pareja, ciudad— que se toman mucho antes de tener experiencia; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«Your personal impulses provide those guidelines by showing you how best to use probabilities so that you fulfill your own potential to greatest advantage — and [in] so doing, provide constructive help to the society at large.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de los impulsos personales las guías que muestran cómo usar las probabilidades para cumplir el propio potencial y de paso ayudar a la sociedad
«When you are taught not to trust your impulses you begin to lose your powers of decision, and to whatever extent involved in the circumstances, you begin to lose your sense of power because you are afraid to act.» — Seth, según Roberts, liga la desconfianza enseñada en los impulsos a la pérdida del poder de decisión y del sentido de poder, por miedo a actuar
«Such a person is afraid to trust any one impulse enough to act upon it. All remain equally probable activities. Meditation must be followed by action — and true meditation is action (underlined). Such people are afraid of making decisions, because they are afraid of their own impulses — and some of them can use meditation to dull their impulses, and actually prevent constructive action.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a quien no se atreve a confiar en un impulso y queda con todas las actividades igualmente probables, y advierte que la meditación puede usarse para embotar los impulsos
«Impulses arise in a natural, spontaneous, constructive response to the abilities, potentials, and needs of the personality. They are meant as directing forces.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace surgir los impulsos como respuesta natural y constructiva a las capacidades, los potenciales y las necesidades de la personalidad, y los declara fuerzas directrices
«Luckily, the child usually walks before it is old enough to be taught that impulses are wrong, and luckily the child’s natural impulses toward exploration, growth, fulfillment, action and power are strong enough to give it the necessary springboard before your belief systems begin to erode its confidence.» — Seth, según Roberts, halla suerte en que el niño camine antes de que se le enseñe que los impulsos están mal, y en que sus impulsos hacia la exploración y el crecimiento le den trampolín antes de que las creencias erosionen su confianza
«If the universe were structured as you have been told, the probability of my existence would be zero as far as you are concerned. There would have been no unofficial roads for Ruburt to follow, to lead him from the official beliefs of his time. He would never have acknowledged the original impulse to speak for me, and my voice would have been unheard in your world.» — Seth, según Roberts, remata: con el universo así estructurado la probabilidad de su existencia sería cero, ella no habría tenido caminos no oficiales y su voz no se habría oído
«What tiny, spindly, threadlike, weak legs you all once had in your mother’s wombs! Those legs now climb mountains, stride gigantic boulevards, because they followed their own impulsive shapes.» — Seth, según Roberts, usa las piernas del feto, ahora capaces de escalar montañas, como prueba de que siguieron su propia forma impulsiva
«And in terms that you do not understand, even those atoms and molecules made their own decisions as the result of recognizing and following those impulsive sparks toward action that are inherent in all consciousness, whatever their statuses in your terms» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye decisiones también a los átomos y las moléculas, que siguen las chispas impulsivas hacia la acción inherentes a toda consciencia
«Consciousness attempts to grow toward its own ideal development, which also promotes the ideal development of all organizations in which it takes part.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que la consciencia crezca hacia su propio desarrollo ideal y que con eso promueva el desarrollo ideal de toda organización en que participe
«What is the law? Why do you have law?» — Seth, según Roberts, abre el capítulo 9 con la pregunta por la ley; Butts interviene entre paréntesis para preguntar si es la ley o las leyes, y el dictado sigue con el plural
«Are laws made to protect life, to protect property, to establish order, to punish transgressors? Are laws made to protect man from his own cunning and chicanery? In short, are laws made to protect man from his own “basically criminal nature”?» — Seth, según Roberts, formula las hipótesis sobre para qué existen las leyes y remata con la que a su juicio está detrás: proteger al hombre de su naturaleza básicamente criminal
«If you were all “perfect beings,” would you need laws at all? Do laws define what is unacceptable, or do they hint of some perhaps undifferentiated, barely sensed, more positive issues? Are laws an attempt to limit impulses? Do they represent society’s mass definitions of what behavior is acceptable and what is not?» — Seth, según Roberts, alinea las preguntas restantes sobre la ley: si los seres perfectos la necesitarían, si define lo inaceptable o insinúa algo más positivo, si limita impulsos o define lo que la sociedad tiene por aceptable
«What is the difference between a crime and a sin, as most of you think of those terms? Can the state punish you for a sin? It certainly can punish you for a crime. Is the law a reflection of something else — a reflection of man’s inherent search toward the ideal, and its actualization? When does the law act as a practical idealist? Why do you sneer so when politicians show their feet of clay?» — Seth, según Roberts, distingue el crimen del pecado por lo que el estado puede castigar, y pregunta si la ley refleja la busca del hombre hacia el ideal y por qué se ríe uno de los pies de barro de los políticos
«Each individual is innately driven by a good intent, however distorted that intent may become, or however twisted the means that may be taken to achieve it.» — Seth, según Roberts, empieza por el individuo y lo declara movido innatamente por una buena intención, por distorsionada que quede o por torcidos que sean los medios
«As the body wants to grow from childhood on, so all of the personality’s abilities want to grow and develop. Each person has his [or her] own ideals, and impulses direct those ideals naturally into their own specific avenues of development — avenues meant to fulfill both the individual and his society.» — Seth, según Roberts, empareja el crecimiento del cuerpo con el de las capacidades de la personalidad, y hace de los impulsos lo que dirige los ideales de cada quien por avenidas que cumplen al individuo y a su sociedad
«There would be no psychological avenues to connect my world and yours.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que sin esas avenidas psicológicas hubiera conexión entre su mundo y el del lector; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«Are laws made to protect man from the self as it is generally outlined by Freud and Darwin? Man had laws, however, far earlier.» — Seth, según Roberts, pregunta si las leyes protegen del yo que describen Freud y Darwin y objeta que el hombre tenía leyes mucho antes
«Impulses provide specifications, methods, meanings, definitions. They point toward definite avenues of expression, avenues that will provide the individual with a sense of actualization, natural power, and that will automatically provide feedback, so that the person knows he is impressing his environment for the better.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de los impulsos las especificaciones, los métodos y las definiciones que apuntan a avenidas de expresión y dan al individuo un sentido de actualización y de poder natural
«When you are taught to block your impulses, and to distrust them, then your organizations become clogged. You are left with vague idealized feelings of wanting to change the world for the better, for example — but you are denied the personal power of your own impulses that would otherwise help direct that idealism by developing your personal abilities. You are left with an undefined, persisting, even tormenting desire to do good, to change events, but without having any means at your disposal to do so. This leads to lingering frustration, and if your ideals are strong the situation can cause you to feel quite desperate.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el atasco: organizaciones tapadas, un deseo generalizado de mejorar el mundo sin el poder personal que lo dirigiría, y una frustración que puede volverse desesperación
«You may begin to exaggerate the gulf between this generalized idedal and the specific evidences of man’s “greed and corruption” that you see so obviously about you. You may begin to concentrate upon your own lacks, and in your growing sense of dissatisfaction it may seem to you that most men are driven by a complete lack of good intent.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la exageración de esa brecha y la conclusión de que casi nadie tiene buena intención; el troceo imprime *idedal*, corrupción de la capa de texto por *ideal*
«You may become outraged, scandalized — or worse, filled with self-righteousness, so that you begin to attack all those with whom you do not agree, because you do not know how else to respond to your own ideals, or to your own good intent» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el desemboque en indignación y santurronería, con ataques a todos los que no piensan igual por no saber cómo responder a los propios ideales
«The job of trying to make the world better seems impossible, for it appears that you have no power, and any small private beneficial actions that you can (underlined) take seem so puny in contrast to this generalized ideal that you dismiss them sardonically, and so you do not try to use your power constructively. You do not begin with your own life, with your own job, or with your own associates. (Louder:) What difference can it make to the world if you are a better salesperson, or plumber, or office worker, or car salesman, for Christ’s sake? What can one person do?» — Seth, según Roberts, pone en boca del lector la objeción práctica: qué diferencia hace ser mejor vendedor, plomero u oficinista, y qué puede hacer una sola persona
«Yet that is precisely where first of all you must begin to exert yourselves. There, on your jobs and in your associations, are the places where you intersect with the world. Your impulses directly affect the world in those relationships» — Seth, según Roberts, responde que ahí es justamente donde hay que empezar, porque el trabajo y las relaciones son el sitio donde uno interseca el mundo y los impulsos lo afectan directamente
«Many of you are convinced that you are not important — and while [each of] you feels that way it will seem that your actions have no effect upon the world. You will purposefully keep your ideals generalized, thus saving yourself from the necessity of acting upon them in the one way open to you: by trusting yourself and your impulses, and impressing those that you meet in daily life with the full validity that is your own.» — Seth, según Roberts, liga la convicción de no ser importante al mantener los ideales generalizados, lo que ahorra la necesidad de actuarlos por la única vía abierta: confiar en uno y en los propios impulsos; los corchetes son de Butts
«Most criminals act out of a sense of despair. Many have high ideals, but ideals that have never been trusted or acted upon. They feel powerless, so that many strike out in self-righteous anger or vengeance against a world that they see as cynical, greedy, perverted.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace obrar a casi todos los criminales desde la desesperación, con ideales altos nunca actuados y un golpe de cólera santurrona contra un mundo que ven cínico, codicioso y pervertido
«On the one hand, they believe that the self is evil, and on the other they are convinced that the self should not be so. They react extravagantly. They often see society as the “enemy” of good.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa al criminal entre dos creencias, la del yo malvado y la de que no debería serlo, con una reacción extravagante que hace de la sociedad el enemigo del bien
«Those natural impulses, followed, will automatically lead to political» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que los impulsos naturales seguidos lleven automáticamente a lo político; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase remata con las organizaciones que sirven al individuo y a la sociedad
«I do not want to romanticize criminals, or justify their actions. I do want to point out that few crimes are committed for “evil’s sake,” but in a distorted response to the failure of the actualization of a sensed ideal.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota expresamente que no romantiza a los criminales ni justifica sus actos, y sostiene que pocos crímenes se cometen por el mal mismo y casi todos en respuesta distorsionada al fracaso de un ideal
«So, in that moment, I named that part of me the God of Jane, and that designation makes sense to me, at least. In those terms, we each have our personal ‘God,’ and I am convinced that the universe knows us no matter who or where — or what — we are. I think there is a God of Mitzi, and a God of Billy, for each of our cats, and that each consciousness, regardless of its status, possesses this intimate connection with the universe» — Jane Roberts, en el texto suyo que Butts imprime, nombra God of Jane a esa parte de sí y sostiene que cada quien tiene su Dios personal, y que hay un Dios de cada uno de sus gatos, porque toda consciencia guarda esa conexión íntima con el universo
«The law in your country says that you are innocent until proven guilty. In the eyes of that law, then, you are each innocent until a crime is proven against you. There usually must also be witnesses. There are other considerations. Often a spouse cannot testify against the other. Opportunity and motive must also be established.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 862 del 25 de junio de 1979, expone la ley del país: inocente hasta que se pruebe lo contrario, con testigos, oportunidad y motivo por establecer
«In the world of religion, however, you are already tainted by original sin: “The mark of Cain” is symbolically upon your foreheads. You come from a species that sinned against God. Automatically condemned, you must do good works, or be baptized, or believe in Christ, or perform other acts in order to be saved or redeemed.» — Seth, según Roberts, opone a esa ley el mundo de la religión, donde se está manchado de antemano por el pecado original y hay que obrar, bautizarse o creer para ser salvado
«According to other religions, you may be “earthbound” by the “gross desires” of your nature, “bound to the wheel of life,” condemned to endless reincarnations until you are “purified.” As I have said before, according to psychology and science, you are a living conglomeration of elements and chemicals, spawned by a universe without purpose, itself accidentally formed, and you are given a life in which all the “primitive and animalistic” drives of your evolutionary past ever lurk within you, awaiting expression and undermining your control.» — Seth, según Roberts, alinea las otras condenas: la atadura a la rueda de la vida y las reencarnaciones sin fin de otras religiones, y el conglomerado de químicos de la psicología y la ciencia con sus impulsos primitivos al acecho
«So, dear reader, look at the law as it stands in this country with somewhat more kindly eyes than you have before — for it at least legally establishes a belief in your innocence, and for all of its failings, it protects you from the far more fanatical aspects, say, of any religion’s laws.» — Seth, según Roberts, pide mirar con ojos más amables la ley del país, porque al menos establece legalmente una creencia en la inocencia y protege de los aspectos más fanáticos de las leyes religiosas
«Religious laws deal with sin, whether or not a crime is committed (pause), and religious concepts usually take it for granted that the individual is guilty until proven innocent. And if you have not committed a crime in fact, then you have at least sinned in your heart — for which, of course, you must be punished. A sin can be anything from playing cards to having a sexual fantasy. You are sinful creatures. How many of you believe that?» — Seth, según Roberts, distingue la ley religiosa por tratar el pecado con crimen o sin él, y por dar al individuo por culpable hasta probarse inocente, con el pecado de corazón siempre disponible para el castigo
«You were born with an in-built recognition of your own goodness. You were born with an inner recognition of your rightness in the universe. You were born with a desire to fulfill your abilities, to move and act in the world.» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera lo que declara reconocimientos de nacimiento: la propia bondad, la propia rectitud en el universo y el deseo de cumplir las propias capacidades y actuar en el mundo
«You are born loving. You are born compassionate. You are born curious about yourself and your world. Those attributes also belong to natural law.» — Seth, según Roberts, suma a esa ley natural el nacer amoroso, compasivo y curioso de uno mismo y del mundo
«You are born knowing that you possess a unique, intimate sense of being that is itself, and that seeks its own fulfillment, and the fulfillment of others. You are born seeking the actualization of the ideal. You are born seeking to add value to the quality of life, to add characteristics, energies, abilities to life that only you can individually contribute to the world, and to attain a state of being that is uniquely yours, while adding to the value fulfillment of the world.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a cada quien de nacimiento un sentido único de ser que busca su cumplimiento y el de los demás, y el impulso de añadir al valor de la vida lo que solo él puede aportar
«All of these qualities and attributes are given you by natural law. You are a cooperative species, and you are a loving one. Your misunderstandings, your crimes, and your atrocities, real as they are, are seldom committed out of any intent to be evil, but because of severe misinterpretations about the nature of good, and the means that can be taken toward its actualization.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara cooperativa y amorosa a la especie y atribuye los crímenes y las atrocidades, reales como son, no a intención de mal sino a malentendidos severos sobre la naturaleza del bien y sobre los medios de alcanzarlo
«assumptions are the basis of what I will call natural law.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de esos supuestos la base de lo que llama ley natural; el tramo arranca en la plana siguiente al corte
«Your societies, governments, educational systems, are all built around a firm belief in the unreliability of human nature. “You cannot change human nature.” Such a statement takes it for granted that man’s nature is to be greedy, a predator, a murderer at heart.» — Seth, según Roberts, funda sociedades, gobiernos y sistemas educativos en la creencia firme de que la naturaleza humana no es de fiar, con la frase de que no se puede cambiar la naturaleza humana dando por sentado que es codiciosa y asesina
«You act in accordance with your own beliefs. You become the selves that you think you are. Your individual beliefs become the beliefs of your society, but that is always a give-and-take.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que uno se vuelva el yo que cree ser, y que las creencias individuales se vuelvan las de la sociedad en un toma y daca
«Shortly we will begin to discuss the formation of a better kind of mass reality — a reality that can happen as more and more individuals begin to come in contact with the true nature of the self. Then we will have less frightened people, and fewer fanatics, and each person involved can to some extent begin to see the “ideal” come into practical actualization. The means never justify the ends.» — Seth, según Roberts, anuncia el giro del libro hacia la formación de una realidad de masa mejor conforme más gente entre en contacto con la naturaleza verdadera del yo, y repite que los medios nunca justifican los fines
«The therapy of value fulfillment will attempt to put individuals in touch with their basic instincts, to allow them to sense the impulsive shapes of their lives, to define their own versions of the ideal through the recognition of it as it exists in their own impulses and feelings and abilities, and to help them find acceptable and practical methods of exerting their natural power in the practical actualization of those ideals.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 861 que Butts cita en nota, describe la terapia del cumplimiento de valor: poner a la persona en contacto con sus instintos básicos, hacerle sentir la forma impulsiva de su vida y ayudarle a hallar métodos prácticos de ejercer su poder natural
«When I speak of natural law, I am not referring to the scientists’ laws of nature, such as the law of gravity, for example — which is not a law at all, but a manifestation appearing from the viewpoint of a certain level of consciousness as a result of perceptive apparatus. Your “prejudiced perception” is also built into your instruments in that regard.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 863 del 27 de junio de 1979, distingue su ley natural de las leyes científicas y niega a la gravedad el rango de ley, llamándola manifestación desde cierto nivel de consciencia y del aparato perceptivo
«I am speaking of the inner laws of nature, that pervade existence. What you call nature refers of course to your particular experience with reality, but quite different kinds of manifestations are also “natural” outside of that context. The laws of nature that I am in the process of explaining underlie all realities, then, and form a firm basis for multitudinous kinds of “natures.”» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa sus leyes bajo todas las realidades y hace de ellas la base de muchas clases de naturalezas, con lo llamado naturaleza como la experiencia particular del lector
«Each being experiences life as if it were at life’s center. This applies to a spider in a closet as well as to any man or woman. This principle applies to each atom as well. Each manifestation of consciousness comes into being feeling secure at life’s center — experiencing life through itself,1 aware of life through its own nature.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que cada ser viva la vida como si estuviera en su centro, de la araña del armario a cualquier hombre o mujer, y también cada átomo
«It comes into being with an inner impetus toward value fulfillment. It is equipped with a feeling of safety, of security within its own environment with which it is fit to deal. It is given the impetus toward growth and action, and filled with the desire to impress its world.» — Seth, según Roberts, dota a cada consciencia al nacer de un ímpetu hacia el cumplimiento de valor, de un sentimiento de seguridad en su ambiente y del deseo de imprimir su mundo
«In those terms, animals have values, and if the quality of their lives disintegrates beyond a certain point, the species dwindles. We are not speaking of survival of the fittest, but the survival of life with meaning (intently). Life is meaning for animals. The two are indistinguishable.» — Seth, según Roberts, da valores a los animales y hace mermar a la especie si la calidad de su vida se desintegra; no habla de supervivencia del más apto sino de supervivencia de la vida con sentido
«The term “value fulfillment” is very difficult to explain, but it is very important. Obviously it deals with the development of values — not moral values, however, but values for which you really have no adequate words.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota la dificultad del término cumplimiento de valor y lo separa de los valores morales, que no tienen palabras adecuadas
«The web, however, in its way represents an actualized ideal on the spider’s part — and if you will forgive the term, an artistic one as well. (Louder:) It amazes the spiders that flies so kindly fall into those webs. You might say that the spider wonders that art can be so practical.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la telaraña un ideal actualizado y aun artístico de la araña, y bromea con que a la araña la asombre que el arte resulte tan práctico
«For one thing, you are dealing with different kinds of consciousness than your own. They are focused consciousnesses, surely, each one feeling itself at life’s center. While this is the case, however, these other forms of consciousness also identify then with the source of nature from which they emerge.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe esas otras consciencias enfocadas, cada una sintiéndose en el centro de la vida y a la vez identificada con la fuente de la naturaleza de que emerge
«In a way impossible to explain, the fly and the spider are connected, and aware of the connection. Not as hunter and prey, but as individual participants in deeper processes. Together they work toward a joint kind of value fulfillment, in which both are fulfilled.» — Seth, según Roberts, conecta a la mosca y a la araña no como cazador y presa sino como participantes de procesos más hondos, en un cumplimiento de valor conjunto
«There are communions of consciousness of which you are unaware. While you believe in theories like the survival of the fittest, however, and the grand fantasies of evolution, then you put together your perceptions of the world so that they seem to bear out those theories. You will see no value in the life of a mouse sacrificed in the laboratory, for example, and you will project claw-and-fang battles in nature, completely missing the great cooperative venture that is (underlined) involved.» — Seth, según Roberts, habla de comuniones de consciencia que pasan desapercibidas, y sostiene que la teoría de la supervivencia del más apto hace ver garra y colmillo donde hay una empresa cooperativa
«Men can become deranged if they believe life has no meaning. Religion has made gross errors. At least it held out an afterlife, a hope of salvation, and preserved — sometimes despite itself — the tradition of the heroic soul.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede a la religión, con sus errores groseros, haber sostenido una vida después de la muerte, una esperanza de salvación y la tradición del alma heroica
«Science, including psychology, by what it has said, and by what it has neglected to say, has come close to a declaration that life itself is meaningless. This is a direct contradiction of deep biological knowledge, to say nothing of spiritual truth.» — Seth, según Roberts, acusa a la ciencia y a la psicología de acercarse, por lo dicho y por lo callado, a declarar la vida sin sentido, en contradicción directa con el saber biológico hondo
«It denies the meaning of biological integrity. It denies man the practical use of those very elements that he needs as a biological creature: the feeling that he is at life’s center, that he can act safely in his environment, that he can trust himself, and that his being and his actions have meaning.» — Seth, según Roberts, cifra lo que esa declaración le niega al hombre en la práctica: sentirse en el centro de la vida, actuar seguro en su ambiente, confiar en sí y tener sus actos por significativos
«Impulses provide life’s guide to action. If you are taught that you cannot trust your impulses, then you are set against your very physical integrity.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de los impulsos la guía de la vida hacia la acción y sostiene que desconfiar de ellos pone a uno contra su propia integridad física
«If you believe that your life has no meaning, then you will do anything to provide meaning, all the while acting like a mouse in one of science’s mazes — for your prime directive, so to speak, has been tampered with.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a quien cree su vida sin sentido haciendo cualquier cosa por darle sentido, como un ratón en el laberinto de la ciencia, con su directiva primera manipulada
«Quite simply, these values have to do with increasing the quality of whatever life the being feels at» — Seth, según Roberts, define esos valores por el aumento de la calidad de la vida que el ser siente en su centro; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo
«its center. The quality of that life is not simply to be handed down or experienced, for example, but is to be creatively added to, multiplied, in a way that has nothing to do with quantity.» — Seth, según Roberts, completa la definición: esa calidad no se hereda ni se experimenta nada más, sino que se añade y se multiplica creativamente, sin relación con la cantidad
«You say little, for example, if you note that spiders make webs instinctively because spiders must eat insects, and that the best web-maker will be the fittest kind of spider to survive. (Long pause, then with humor:) It is very difficult for me to escape the sticky web of your beliefs.» — Seth, según Roberts, desestima la explicación de la telaraña por el instinto y la supervivencia del mejor tejedor, y bromea con lo difícil que le resulta escapar de la telaraña pegajosa de las creencias del lector
«I am trying to temper my statements here, but your psychology of the past 50 years has helped create insanities by trying to reduce the great individual thrust of life that lies within each person, to a generalized mass of chaotic impulses and chemicals — a mixture, again, of Freudian and Darwinian thought, misapplied.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que templa sus afirmaciones y acusa a la psicología de los últimos cincuenta años de haber creado locuras al reducir el empuje individual de la vida a una masa caótica de impulsos y químicos
«The most private agonies of the soul were assigned a more or less common source in man’s primitive “unconscious” drives. The private unquelled thrusts toward creativity were seen as the unbalanced conglomeration of chemicals within a person’s most private being — a twist of perversity. Genius was seen as a mistake of chromosomes, or the fortunate result of a man’s hatred for his father. The meaning of life was reduced to the accidental nature of genes.» — Seth, según Roberts, enumera las reducciones que imputa a esa psicología: las agonías privadas a impulsos primitivos comunes, el genio a un error de cromosomas o al odio al padre, y el sentido de la vida a lo accidental de los genes
«To some extent, this also applies to religion in the same time period. Churches wanted sinners galore, but shied away from saints, or any extravagant behavior that did not speak of man’s duplicity.» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende el cargo a la religión de ese periodo, que quería pecadores a montones y rehuía a los santos y a toda conducta extravagante que no hablara de la duplicidad del hombre
«A person who feels that life has no meaning, and that his or her life in particular has no meaning, would rather be pursued than ignored. Even the weight of guilt is better than no feeling at all.» — Seth, según Roberts, sostiene que quien tiene su vida por sin sentido prefiere ser perseguido a ser ignorado, y que aun el peso de la culpa es mejor que no sentir nada
«If the paranoid might feel that he [or she] is pursued, by the government or “ungodly powers,” then at least he feels that his life must be important: otherwise, why would others seek to destroy it? If voices tell him he is to be destroyed, then these at least are comforting voices, for they convince him that his life must have value.» — Seth, según Roberts, lee la persecución imaginada del paranoico como prueba de importancia: si lo buscan para destruirlo, su vida tiene que importar, y las voces que lo amenazan resultan consoladoras; los corchetes son de Butts
«At the same time, the paranoid person can use his creative abilities in fantasies that seemingly boggle the minds of the sane — and those creative abilities have a meaning, for the fantasies, again, serve to reassure the paranoid of his worth.» — Seth, según Roberts, da un uso a las fantasías del paranoico: reasegurarle su propia valía, con las capacidades creativas empleadas donde no podrían emplearse si estuviera cuerdo
«If in your terms he were sane, he could not use his creative abilities, for they are always connected with life’s meaning; and sane, the paranoid is convinced that life is meaningless.» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra ese razonamiento: cuerdo, el paranoico no podría usar sus capacidades creativas, porque están ligadas al sentido de la vida y él está convencido de que la vida no tiene ninguno
«Often the person labeled schizophrenic is so frightened of his or her own energy, impulses, and feelings that these are fragmented, objectified, and seen to come from outside rather than from within.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a la persona etiquetada de esquizofrénica tan asustada de su propia energía y de sus impulsos que los fragmenta, los objetiva y los ve venir de fuera
«Ideas of good and evil are exaggerated, cut off from each other. Yet here again the creative abilities are allowed some expression. The person does not feel able to express them otherwise. Such people are afraid of the brunt of their own personalities. They have been taught that energy is wrong, that power is disastrous, and that the impulses of the self are to be feared.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe en esos casos las ideas de bien y mal exageradas y separadas, con las capacidades creativas expresándose así en quien aprendió que la energía está mal y el poder es desastroso
«What protection, then, but to effectively project these outside of the self — impulses of good as well as evil — and hence effectively block organized action?» — Seth, según Roberts, explica la proyección de los impulsos, buenos y malos, fuera del yo como una protección que bloquea de paso la acción organizada
«The term schizophrenia, with the authority of psychology, becomes a mass coverall in which the integrity of personal meaning is given a mass, generalized explanation.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama a la palabra esquizofrenia, con la autoridad de la psicología, un manto de masa que da explicación generalizada a la integridad del sentido personal
«Those who are paranoid are, unfortunately, those who most firmly believe the worst idiocies of science and religion. The paranoid and the schizophrenic are trying to find meaning in a world they have been taught is meaningless, and their tendencies appear in lesser form throughout society.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del paranoico y del esquizofrénico los que más firmemente creen las peores idioteces de la ciencia y de la religión, buscando sentido en un mundo que se les enseñó sin sentido
«Creativity is an in-built impetus in man, far more important than, say, what science calls the satisfaction of basic needs. In those terms, creativity is the most basic need of all.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la creatividad un ímpetu incorporado y la necesidad más básica de todas, por encima de la satisfacción de las necesidades que la ciencia llama básicas
«I am not speaking here of any obsessive need to find order — in which case, for example, a person might narrow his or her mental and physical environment — but of a powerful drive within the species for creativity, and for the fulfillment of values that are emotional and spiritual. And if man does not find these (louder), then the so-called basic drives toward food or shelter will not sustain him.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que no habla de una necesidad obsesiva de orden sino de un impulso poderoso hacia la creatividad y el cumplimiento de valores emocionales y espirituales, sin los cuales los impulsos hacia la comida o el techo no sostienen
«I am not simply saying that man does not live for bread alone. I am saying that if man does not find meaning in life he will not live, bread or no. He will not have the energy to seek bread, nor trust his impulse to do so.» — Seth, según Roberts, va más allá del refrán: si el hombre no halla sentido no vivirá, con pan o sin él, porque no tendrá energía para buscarlo ni confiará en el impulso de hacerlo
«There are natural laws, then, that guide all kinds of life, and all realities — laws of love and cooperation — and those are the basic needs of which I am speaking.» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra la sesión 863 nombrando las leyes naturales que guían toda vida y toda realidad, leyes de amor y de cooperación, y las declara las necesidades básicas de que habla
«No matter where I look, I seem to be at the center of a world that forms perfectly around me. No lopsided vision ever shows the world spread only to my left, with my image on the last right edge, nor has the world ever appeared just ahead, while nothingness began just behind my back.» — Jane Roberts, en el poema del 31 de mayo de 1979 que Butts imprime en la nota 1 de la sesión 863, describe el mundo formándose perfectamente en torno a ella sin visión ladeada ni nada que empiece a sus espaldas
«Fortunately, the power of constructive action and thought is indeed paramount in nature and in your world. Otherwise, you would simply not exist. The cooperative ventures that crisscross this community of Elmira, in biological, social, spiritual, economic, political and artistic ways are staggering. That cooperation goes unnoticed, largely, yet it rests firmly upon the stability that is characteristic within all life.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 865 que Butts cita al abrir la 866, declara paramount el poder de la acción y el pensamiento constructivos y llama abrumadoras las empresas cooperativas que cruzan la comunidad de Elmira en lo biológico, social, espiritual, económico, político y artístico
«Each species is endowed with emotional feelings, immersed in an interior system of value fulfillment. Each species, again, then, is not only concerned with physical survival and the multiplication of its members, but [with] an intensification and fulfillment of those particular qualities that are characteristic of it.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 866 del 18 de julio de 1979, dota a cada especie de sentimientos y la sumerge en un sistema interior de cumplimiento de valor, con la intensificación de sus cualidades propias junto a la supervivencia
«Your official views effectively close you off from the true evidence you might perceive of the cooperation that exists among the species, for example. Nor am I speaking of an enforced cooperation — the result of “instinct” that somehow arranges the social habits of the animals; for their habits are indeed social and cooperative.» — Seth, según Roberts, achaca a las visiones oficiales el cierre a la evidencia de la cooperación entre especies, y se desmarca de una cooperación forzada por el instinto
«Ruburt was recently scandalized upon reading that orthodox science still does not grant man with volition. According to its tenets, any such feeling of conscious choice is instead the reflection of the brain’s attitude at any given time. Yet I am saying that man has free will within the framework of his existence, and that all other species do also within the frameworks of their existences» — Seth, según Roberts, consigna el escándalo de ella al leer que la ciencia ortodoxa aún no concede volición al hombre, y afirma libre albedrío para el hombre y para todas las especies dentro del marco de su existencia
«The chicken cannot read a book. It cannot choose to read. The plant cannot choose to walk down the street. The chicken and the plant can choose to live or die, however — rather important issues in the existence of any entity. They can choose to like or dislike their environment, and to change it according to their individual circumstances.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota el alcance de ese libre albedrío: la gallina no puede elegir leer ni la planta caminar, pero las dos pueden elegir vivir o morir y gustar o no de su ambiente
«But you quite studiously ignore that feeling exists on microscopic levels, that there can be psychological particles, much less come to the conclusion that all particles are psychological particles, with their own impetuses for development and value fulfillment. That is why atoms join together to form matter. They seek the fulfillment of themselves through form. They cooperatively choose the forms that they take.» — Seth, según Roberts, objeta que se ignore el sentimiento en el nivel microscópico y declara psicológicas a todas las partículas, con átomos que se unen en materia por buscar su propio cumplimiento en la forma
«If the simplest particle is so endowed with impetus, with hidden ideals that seek fulfillment, then what about the human being? You have the propensity to search for meaning, for love, for cooperative ventures. You have the propensity to form dazzling mental and psychological creations, such as your arts and sciences and religions and civilizations.» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende del ímpetu de la partícula más simple a la propensión humana a buscar sentido, amor y empresas cooperativas, y a formar artes, ciencias, religiones y civilizaciones
«Any scientist who believes that life has no meaning has simply provided himself with what he thinks of as an unfailing support against life’s vicissitudes. If he says: “Life has no meaning,” he cannot be disappointed if such is the case, for he is ensconced in a self-created cocoon that has meaning (underlined), because it provides a cushion against his deepest fears» — Seth, según Roberts, lee la creencia en un mundo sin sentido como un capullo autocreado que sí tiene sentido, porque amortigua los miedos más hondos de quien lo teje
«When a civilization does not support creativity it begins to falter. When it distrusts its gifted people, rather than encouraging them, a nation is at least in trouble. Your psychologies, stressing “the norm,” made people frightened of their individual characteristics and abilities» — Seth, según Roberts, hace tambalear a la civilización que no sostiene la creatividad y desconfía de sus dotados, y acusa a las psicologías de la norma de haber asustado a la gente de sus propias características
«Gifted children do not fit psychology’s picture. Gifted children do not fit the portrait of children that is sold to parents. The fact is that for many reasons gifted children merely show the latent quickness, mental agility, and curiosity and learning capacity, that is inherent in the species. They are not eccentric versions of humanity at all, but instead provide a hint of mankind’s true capacities.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que los niños dotados sean versiones excéntricas de la humanidad y los hace indicio de las capacidades verdaderas de la especie: rapidez mental, curiosidad y capacidad de aprender latentes en todos
«Whatever errors that you have made, or gross distortions, even those exist because of your need to find meaning [in] your private existence and» — Seth, según Roberts, hace nacer aun los errores y las distorsiones groseras de la necesidad de hallar sentido; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana; los corchetes son de Butts
«Your brains are not empty, but well-oiled machines ready to whirl into activity at your births. They are provided with a propensity to learn — and the rudiments of knowledge as you understand it exits within the brain (intently). In those terms, now, the brain thinks before birth.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega el cerebro vacío al nacer y lo describe como máquina bien aceitada con propensión a aprender y con los rudimentos del conocimiento dentro, que piensa antes del nacimiento
«Parents, however, often half-disapprove of their children if they show unusual gifts. They are afraid their children will not get along with others. They are upset because the children do not fit the norm — but no child ever fits “the norm.”» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a los padres desaprobando a medias las dotes inusuales de sus hijos por miedo a que no se lleven con los demás, y niega que ningún niño encaje nunca en la norma
«Many adults, sensing their own abilities in one field or another, deliberately play down those abilities because they are afraid of standing out from “the masses” — or they are afraid they will be attacked by their peers. They have been taught by religion and science alike that any kind of greatness is suspect. Yet each person alive contains an element of greatness; and more, a desire to fulfill those inner abilities.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a los adultos disimulando sus capacidades por miedo a destacar, enseñados por la religión y la ciencia a sospechar de toda grandeza, y pone en cada persona un elemento de grandeza
«I am not speaking of greatness in terms of fame, or in terms of usually understood artistic or intellectual abilities alone, but also of people whose lives have the capacity for great emotional content. I am speaking also of other natural abilities — that of dream communication, the conscious utilization of dreams and creativity in daily life.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota su palabra grandeza: no la fama ni las capacidades artísticas o intelectuales usuales, sino también las vidas de gran contenido emocional y la comunicación por el sueño
«Many children, for that matter, who are regarded as retarded by their teachers, are instead highly gifted. The same also applies to disruptive children, who are overactive and put on drugs. Their rebellion is quite natural.» — Seth, según Roberts, sostiene que muchos niños tenidos por retrasados están en cambio muy dotados, y llama natural la rebelión de los niños disruptivos a los que se medica
«Autistic children, in many cases, now, are those who have picked up the idea that the world is so unsafe that it is better not to communicate with it at all, as long as their demands or needs are being met.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica el autismo en muchos casos por la idea captada de que el mundo es tan inseguro que conviene no comunicarse con él mientras las necesidades queden cubiertas; el tramo cruza el cambio de plana
«Autistic children are afraid of making choices. Some of this is often picked up from parents, so that the child expresses their own unacknowledged fears. The autistic child [can be] highly intelligent, however.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye al niño autista miedo a elegir y recogida a menudo de los miedos no reconocidos de los padres, y lo declara con todo muy inteligente; los corchetes son de Butts
«To some extent, such a child symbolizes what happens when an individual believes that he or she is unworthy, that he or she cannot trust impulses, that choices present more problems than advantages. That it is safer to hide abilities than it is to use them. Life is expression.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de ese niño el símbolo de lo que pasa cuando alguien se cree indigno, no puede confiar en sus impulsos y ve más problemas que ventajas en elegir; y remata que la vida es expresión
«First of all, if (underlined) a sperm carrying cancer entered a woman’s uterus, and if she had no intentions of getting the disease, her body’s own system would make the cancer completely ineffective.» — Seth, según Roberts, responde a la pregunta de Butts sobre el virus del cáncer: si la mujer no tuviera intención de enfermar, su propio sistema volvería el cáncer completamente inefectivo
«Though scientists might find “cancer cells,” and though it might seem that cancer is caused by a virus, cancer instead involves a relationship, say, between what you might think of as a host and parasite, in those terms — and to some extent the same applies to any disease, including smallpox, though the diseases themselves may appear to have different causes completely.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el cáncer como una relación entre algo así como huésped y parásito y no como un simple ataque, y extiende eso a cualquier enfermedad, incluida la viruela
«A host cell, say, is not simply attacked. It invites attack, though I am not pleased at all with the connotations of the word “attack.”» — Seth, según Roberts, invierte la figura del ataque: la célula huésped lo invita, y él mismo declara no estar contento con las connotaciones de la palabra ataque
«A cell mirrors a psychological state. A cell exists by itself, as its own entity, but also in context with all of the other cells in the body. There are literally uncountable psychological states mixing and interchanging constantly, with the overall psychological stance being one of biological integrity (colon): The organism holds together, maintains its functions, and so forth.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la célula el espejo de un estado psicológico, existente por sí y en contexto con todas las demás, con la postura de conjunto de la integridad biológica
«Your body is the physical mirror of your psychological state (quietly intent). It is powered by the energy of the universe. It actually springs into being in each moment.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara el cuerpo espejo físico del estado psicológico, alimentado por la energía del universo y naciendo de nuevo en cada momento
«Your mind and your body come from the same source, from universal energy. You are powered with vitality. You must seek meaning in your lives. When you lose the sense of life’s meaning, for whatever reason, this is reflected in your body.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace venir mente y cuerpo de la misma fuente y exige buscar sentido en la vida, porque perderlo se refleja en el cuerpo
«I have mentioned before that many people have had cancer and recovered without knowing it. In your belief system, however, it is almost imperative to see a doctor in such circumstances (as Jane wrote in Note 2 for Session 805), for many fears are unsubstantiated, and the fear alone, found groundless, gives the person new life symbolically and physically.» — Seth, según Roberts, repite que muchos tuvieron cáncer y se recuperaron sin saberlo, y concede que en este sistema de creencias sea casi imperativo ver a un médico, porque hallar infundado el miedo da vida nueva
«In the case of your article, a woman’s cells would already have had to prepare themselves for the guest — granted that guest was cancerous, and was a sperm. There is not an attack. There is an acceptance, and a preparation for certain changes.» — Seth, según Roberts, aplica su tesis al artículo de Butts: las células de la mujer ya se habrían preparado para el huésped, y no hay ataque sino aceptación y preparación para ciertos cambios
«A life crisis is formed. The “parasite,” or virus, plays its part in setting up such a psychologically-desired position. It is an emotionally-charged position, an imminent crisis.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del virus una pieza en la formación de una crisis de vida deseada psicológicamente y cargada emocionalmente
«I am aware of the tormenting questions involved in such issues, and also of the gap between my explanations and the daily experiences of many people. The fact is that when death comes it is wanted; it has been chosen.» — Seth, según Roberts, reconoce las preguntas atormentadoras que su explicación levanta y la distancia con la experiencia diaria de mucha gente, y sostiene que cuando la muerte llega es querida y elegida
«The fact is that death in its way is the culmination of life, leading toward a new birth and new experience. The cells know this. So does the heart. People cannot admit that they want to die at certain times. If they could accept the fact of their own wishes, some could even change their minds. Many do: The psychological condition changes for the better, and the body cells are no longer amiable to the cancerous condition.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la muerte la culminación de la vida hacia un nacimiento nuevo, y sostiene que quien admitiera su propio deseo podría cambiar de parecer y que entonces las células dejan de ser amables con la condición cancerosa
«Cervical cancer can involve — can involve — distortions of the growth process itself, because of the complicated distortions of belief on the woman’s part. In a way the very pain of cancer — of some cancers — often acts through its intensity as a reflection of the person’s belief that life is painful, tormenting. At the same time, the pain is a reminder of feeling and sensation.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota dos veces su propia afirmación sobre el cáncer cervical y lee la intensidad del dolor como reflejo de la creencia de que la vida es dolorosa y a la vez como recordatorio de sensación
«I can be perplexed (wryly), and it was my perplexity that Ruburt felt, for there is indeed much information that I want to give you along certain lines. And yet I must contend with modes of thought that are habitual to you, and those modes make it difficult for you to combine various elements of speculation.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 867 del 23 de julio de 1979, se declara capaz de perplejidad y atribuye a ella lo que Roberts sintió, por tener que contender con modos de pensar habituales del lector
«I will, therefore, combine the idea of a disease with the idea of creativity, for the two are intimately connected.» — Seth, según Roberts, anuncia combinar la idea de enfermedad con la de creatividad y declara las dos íntimamente conectadas
«It is a disease that people have when they want to die — when they are ashamed to admit that they want to die, because death seems to fly against sane behavior. If the species struggles to survive, then how can individuals want to die?» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del cáncer la enfermedad de quien quiere morir y se avergüenza de admitirlo, porque morir parece contrario a la conducta cuerda de una especie que lucha por sobrevivir
«Briefly, remember analogies I have made in the past, comparing the landscape of physical experience to the painter’s landscape — which may be dark, gloomy, filled with portents of disaster, and yet still be a work of art.» — Seth, según Roberts, recuerda su analogía del paisaje físico con el paisaje del pintor, que puede ser sombrío y lleno de presagios y ser obra de arte
«In that regard, every person paints his or her own portrait in living color — a portrait that does not simply sit in a tranquil pose at a table, but one that has the full capacity for action.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que cada quien pinte su propio retrato en color vivo, no un retrato en pose tranquila sino uno con plena capacidad de acción
«Those of you now living, say, are in the same life class. You look about to see how your contemporaries are getting along with their portraits, and you find multitudinous varieties: tragic self-portraits, heroic self-portraits, comic self-portraits. And all of these portraits are alive and interacting, and as they interact they form the planetary, mass social and political events of your world.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone a los vivos en una misma clase de dibujo del natural, con autorretratos trágicos, heroicos y cómicos que interactúan y forman los sucesos planetarios, sociales y políticos
«These portraits obviously have a biological reality. In a manner of speaking, now, each person dips into the same supplies of paint, and so forth — which are the elements out of which your likenesses emerge. There must be great creative leeway allowed for such portraits. Each one interacting with each other one helps form the psychological and physical reality of the species, so you are somehow involved in the formation of a multitudinous number of portraits.» — Seth, según Roberts, da realidad biológica a esos retratos, con todos mojando en el mismo suministro de pintura y cada uno tomando parte en la formación de innumerables retratos ajenos
«These portraits, however, are the result of creativity so inborn and miraculous that they are created automatically — an automatic art. At certain levels the species is always creatively embarked upon alternate versions of itself. The overall patterns will remain. Biological integrity is [everywhere] sustained.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace esa creatividad tan innata y milagrosa que se ejerce automáticamente, con la especie embarcada siempre en versiones alternas de sí misma y la integridad biológica sostenida; los corchetes son de Butts
«What you think of as diseases, however, are quite creative elements working at different levels, and at many levels at once.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara elementos creativos, operando en muchos niveles a la vez, a lo que se tiene por enfermedades
«Certain diseases can actually strengthen the body from a prior weaker state, by calling upon the body’s full defenses. Under certain conditions, some so-called disease states could insure the species’ survival.» — Seth, según Roberts, sostiene que ciertas enfermedades fortalecen un cuerpo antes débil al llamar a sus defensas plenas, y que algunos estados de enfermedad podrían asegurar la supervivencia de la especie
«In a way, some disease states help to insure the survival of the species — not by weeding out the sickly but by introducing into large numbers of individuals the conditions needed to stabilize other strains within the species that need to be checked, or to “naturally inoculate” the species against a sensed greater danger.» — Seth, según Roberts, precisa ese mecanismo: no se trata de descartar a los enfermizos sino de estabilizar otras cepas de la especie o de inocularla naturalmente contra un peligro mayor presentido
«At the minute levels — microscopic levels — there are always some biological experiments being carried out, in a creative effort to give the species as much leeway as possible for effective action. Your body is changed biologically by your thoughts.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe experimentos biológicos en curso en el nivel microscópico, hechos para dar a la especie el mayor margen de acción, y declara el cuerpo cambiado biológicamente por los pensamientos
«If you were thinking in old terms of evolution, then I would be saying that your cultures and civilizations actually alter the chromosomal messages. Your thoughts affect your cells, again, and they can change what are thought of as hereditary factors.» — Seth, según Roberts, traduce su tesis a los términos viejos de la evolución: las culturas y las civilizaciones alterarían los mensajes cromosómicos, y los pensamientos pueden cambiar lo que se tiene por factores hereditarios
«In a way, illness is a tool used on behalf of life, for people have given it social, economic, psychological, and religious connotations. It becomes another area of activity and of expression.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la enfermedad una herramienta al servicio de la vida, cargada de connotaciones sociales, económicas, psicológicas y religiosas, y vuelta otra área de actividad y de expresión
«I have told you that at microscopic levels there is no rigid (underlined) self-structure like your own. There is identity. A cell does not fear its own death. Its identity has traveled back and forth from physical to nonphysical reality too often as a matter of course.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega en el nivel microscópico una estructura rígida del yo y afirma en cambio identidad, y dice que la célula no teme su propia muerte porque su identidad ha ido y venido demasiadas veces entre lo físico y lo no físico
«It “sings” with the quality of its own life. It cooperates with other cells. It affiliates itself with the body of which it is part, but in a way it lends itself to that formation.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace cantar a la célula con la cualidad de su propia vida y describe su afiliación al cuerpo como un prestarse a esa formación
«The dreams of the species are highly important to its survival — not just because dreaming is a biological necessity, but because in dreams the species is immersed in deeper levels of creativity, so that those actions, inventions, ideas that will be needed in the future will appear in their proper times and places. In the old terms of evolution. I am saying that man’s evolutionary progress was also dependent upon his dreams.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace importantes para la supervivencia los sueños de la especie, donde aparecen a su tiempo las acciones, invenciones e ideas que harán falta, y liga el progreso evolutivo del hombre a sus sueños
«Now many of the characteristics you consider human — in fact, most of them — appear to one extent or another in all other species. It was the nature of man’s dreams, however, that was largely responsible for what you like to think of as the evolution of your species. (Intently:) You learned to dream differently than other creatures. I thought you would like that quotation.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede a las demás especies casi todas las características tenidas por humanas y atribuye la diferencia a la naturaleza de los sueños del hombre, con una frase que él mismo señala como cita
«You would not have had any way of imagining yourselves in novel situations. You would not have had any overall picture of the seasons, for dreaming educated the memory and lengthened man’s attention span. It reinforced the lessons of daily life, and was highly important in man’s progress.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye al sueño el imaginarse en situaciones nuevas, el cuadro de las estaciones, la educación de la memoria y el alargamiento de la atención
«Using the intellect alone, man did not simply learn through daily experience over the generations, say, that one season followed the other. He lived too much in the moment for that. In one season he dreamed of the others, however, and in dreams he saw himself spreading the seeds of fruits as he had seen the wind do in daily life. His dreams reminded him that a cold season had come, and would come again.» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que el hombre aprendiera la sucesión de las estaciones por experiencia diaria, porque vivía demasiado en el momento, y lo hace verlas en sueños y ver ahí la siembra que había visto hacer al viento
«You dreamed you spoke languages before their physical invention, of course. It was the nature of your dreams, and your dreams’ creativity, that made you what you are, for otherwise you would have developed a mechanical-like language — had you» — Seth, según Roberts, hace soñar al hombre que hablaba lenguas antes de inventarlas y atribuye a la creatividad de sus sueños lo que la especie es; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«Most of your inventions came in dreams, and, again, it is the nature of your dreams that makes you so different from other species.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace venir de los sueños casi todas las invenciones y vuelve a poner en la naturaleza de esos sueños lo que separa a la especie de las demás
«The creativity of the species is also the result of your particular kind of dream specialization. It amounts to — amounts to — a unique state of existence by itself, in which you combine the elements of physical and nonphysical reality.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la especialización onírica humana un estado de existencia propio, donde se combinan los elementos de la realidad física y la no física
«Animals, as a rule (underlined) are less physically-oriented in their dreaming states. They do dream of physical reality, but much more briefly than you.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace a los animales menos orientados a lo físico en el sueño: sueñan con la realidad física pero mucho más brevemente
«Most readers of this book can be considered idealists in one way or another by themselves or others. Yet certainly in these pages we have presented several pictures of social and political realities that are far from ideal. We have tried to outline for you many beliefs that undermine your private integrity as individuals, and contribute to the very definite troubles current in the mass world.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre el capítulo 10 en la sesión 868 del 25 de julio de 1979 contando idealistas a casi todos sus lectores y recordando los cuadros nada ideales que el libro ha presentado
«Very few people really act, again, from an evil intent. Any unfortunate situations in the fields of medicine, science, or religion result not from any determined effort to sabotage the “idea,” but instead happen because men often believe that any means is justified in the pursuit of the ideal.» — Seth, según Roberts, repite que casi nadie obra por intención de mal y atribuye las situaciones desafortunadas de la medicina, la ciencia y la religión a creer que cualquier medio se justifica en la busca del ideal
«When science seems to betray you, in your society, it does so because its methods are unworthy of its intent — so unworthy and so out of line with science’s prime purpose that the methods themselves almost amount to an insidious antiscientific attitude that goes all unrecognized.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica la traición aparente de la ciencia por métodos indignos de su intención, tan fuera de línea con su propósito que casi equivalen a una actitud anticientífica no reconocida
«On the surface level, such methods appear sometimes regrettable but necessary, but the deeper implications far outdo any temporary benefits, for through such methods men lose sight of life’s sacredness, and begin to treat it contemptuously.» — Seth, según Roberts, pesa las implicaciones hondas de esos métodos por encima de sus beneficios temporales: por ellos se pierde de vista lo sagrado de la vida y se empieza a tratarla con desprecio
«You will often condone quite reprehensible acts if you think they were committed for the sake of a greater good. You have a tendency to look for outright evil, to think in terms of “the powers of good and evil,” and I am quite sure that many of my readers are convinced of evil’s force. Evil does not exist in those terms, and that is why so many seemingly idealistic people can be partners in quite reprehensible actions, while telling themselves that such acts are justified, since they are methods toward a good end.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica por qué se disculpan actos reprensibles cometidos por un bien mayor, y niega que el mal exista en los términos de la contienda entre poderes del bien y del mal
«When you indulge in such black-and-white thinking, you treat your ideals shabbily. Each act that is not in keeping with that ideal begins to unravel the ideal at its very core.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del pensamiento en blanco y negro un maltrato del propio ideal, con cada acto que no le corresponde deshilándolo desde el centro
«It is almost a threshold between the two realities, and you learned to hold your physical intent long enough at that threshold so that you have a kind of brief attention» — Seth, según Roberts, describe ese umbral entre las dos realidades y la intención física sostenida ahí; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo
«The same applies to medicine, of course, when in its worthy purpose to save life, its methods often lead to quite unworthy experimentation (see Note 3 for Session 850), so that life is destroyed for the sake of» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende el cargo a la medicina, cuyo propósito digno lleva a experimentación indigna; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase remata con el número mayor de vidas
«As I have stated [several times], if you feel unworthy, or powerless to act, and if you are idealistic, you may begin to feel that the ideal exists so far in the future that it is necessary to take steps you might not otherwise take to achieve it. And when this happens, the ideal is always eroded.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el mecanismo de la erosión: el idealista que se siente indigno o impotente proyecta el ideal tan lejos que se cree autorizado a tomar pasos que de otro modo no tomaría; los corchetes son de Butts
«If you want to be a true practicing idealist, then each step that you take along the way must be worthy of your goal.» — Seth, según Roberts, da la regla que da título a la parte cuarta: para ser idealista practicante, cada paso del camino tiene que ser digno de la meta
«In your country, the free enterprise system originated — change the word to “immersed” — is immersed in strange origins. It is based upon the democratic belief in each individual’s right to pursue a worthy and equitable life.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace nacer el sistema de libre empresa del país de orígenes extraños y lo funda en la creencia democrática en el derecho de cada quien a una vida digna y equitativa; él mismo corrige su palabra dentro del dictado
«But that also [became] bound up with Darwinian ideas of the survival of the fittest, and with the belief, then, that each individual must seek his or her own good at the expense of others, and by the quite erroneous conception that all of the members of a given species are in competition with each other, and that each species is in further competition with each other species.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el enlace de esa creencia con las ideas darwinianas de la supervivencia del más apto y con la concepción errónea de una competencia entre los miembros de una especie y entre especies; los corchetes son de Butts
«The “laws” of supply and demand are misconceptions based upon a quite uncomplimentary belief in man’s basic greedy nature. In the past you treated the land in your country as if your species, being the “fittest,” had the right to survive at the expense of all other species, and at the expense of the land itself.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama concepciones erróneas a las leyes de la oferta y la demanda por fundarse en una idea poco halagüeña de la naturaleza codiciosa del hombre, y liga eso al trato dado a la tierra del país
«The ideal of the country was and is an excellent one: the right of each individual to pursue an equitable, worthy existence, with dignity. The means, however, have helped erode that ideal, and the public interpretation of Darwin’s principles was, quite unfortunately, transferred to the economic area, and to the image of man as a political animal.» — Seth, según Roberts, llama excelente el ideal del país y sitúa la erosión en los medios, con la interpretación pública de los principios de Darwin trasladada a lo económico y a la imagen del hombre como animal político
«Religion and science alike denied other species any real consciousness. When man spoke of the sacredness of life — in his more expansive moods — he referred to human life alone. You are not in competition with other species, nor are you in any natural competition with yourselves. Nor is the natural world in any way the result of competitiveness among species. If that were the case you would have no world at all.» — Seth, según Roberts, achaca a religión y ciencia la negación de consciencia real a las demás especies, y niega la competencia entre especies y dentro de ellas, porque de ser así no habría mundo
«Value fulfillment is a psychological and physical propensity that exists in each unit of consciousness, propelling it toward its own greatest fulfillment in such a way that its individual fulfillment also adds to the best possible development on the part of each other such unit of consciousness.» — Seth, según Roberts, define el cumplimiento de valor como propensión que impulsa a cada unidad de consciencia hacia su mayor cumplimiento de modo que ese cumplimiento sume al mejor desarrollo posible de cada otra unidad
«Individually, you exist physically because of the unsurpassed cooperation that exists just biologically between your species and all others, and on deeper levels» — Seth, según Roberts, hace descansar la existencia física de cada quien en la cooperación insuperada entre su especie y todas las demás; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«While you believed in competition, then competition became not only a reality but an ideal. Children are taught to compete against each other. The child naturally “competes” against herself or himself (amused) in an urge to outdo old performance with new.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la competencia a la vez realidad e ideal por creerse en ella, y distingue el competir natural del niño, que quiere superar su propia marca anterior; la acotación de humor es de Butts
«Competition, however, has been promoted as the ideal at all levels of activity. It is as if you must look at others to see how you are doing — and when you are taught not to trust your own abilities, then of course you need the opinions of others overmuch.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la competencia promovida como ideal en todos los niveles, con la mirada puesta en los demás para saber cómo va uno y una necesidad excesiva de su opinión
«I am not speaking of any playful competition, obviously, but of a determined, rigorous, desperate, sometimes almost deadly competition, in which a person’s value is determined according to the number of individuals he or she has shunted aside.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que no habla de la competencia juguetona sino de una desesperada y a veces casi mortal, donde el valor de una persona se mide por cuántos apartó del camino
«This is carried through in economics, politics, medicine, the sciences, and even the religions. So I would like to reinforce the fact that life is indeed a cooperative venture, and that all the steps taken toward the ideal must of themselves be life-promoting.» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende esa competencia a la economía, la política, la medicina, las ciencias y las religiones, y reafirma que la vida es una empresa cooperativa y que todos los pasos hacia el ideal deben promover la vida
«All biological organisms know that physical life depends upon a constant transformation of consciousness and form. In your terms I am saying, of course, that physically death gives life. This biological knowledge is intimately acknowledged at microscopic levels. Even your c-e-l-l-s (spelled) know that their deaths are necessary for the continuation of your physical form.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 869 del 30 de julio de 1979, hace depender la vida física de una transformación constante de consciencia y forma, con las células sabiendo que su muerte continúa la forma física
«In one way or another, most people are aware of a desire for death before they die — a desire they usually do not consciously acknowledge.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a casi todos, de un modo u otro, la conciencia de un deseo de muerte antes de morir que no se reconoce conscientemente
«To a large measure, the sensations of pain are also the results of your beliefs, so that even diseases that are indeed accompanied, now, by great pain, need not be.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de las sensaciones de dolor, en buena medida, resultado de las creencias, de modo que aun las enfermedades hoy acompañadas de gran dolor no tendrían por qué serlo
«In the greater sphere of spiritual and biological activity, the viruses are protecting life at their level, and in the capacity given them.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace a los virus protectores de la vida en su nivel y dentro de la capacidad que se les dio
«In one way or another, they are always invited (underlined) — again, always invited — in response to that greater rhythm of existence in which physical life is dependent upon constant transformation of consciousness and form.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara siempre invitados a los virus, en respuesta al ritmo mayor en que la vida física depende de la transformación constante de consciencia y forma; la acotación es de Butts
«The phase of death is, then, a part of life’s cycle. I mentioned evolutionary experiments,2 as you think of evolution. There is a disease you read about recently, where the skin turns leathery after intense itching — a fascinating development in which the human body tries to form a leathery-like skin that would, if the experiment continued, be flexible enough for, say, sweat pores and normal locomotion, yet tough enough to protect itself in jungle environments from the bites of many “still more dangerous” insects and snakes.3» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la muerte una fase del ciclo de la vida y lee como experimento evolutivo la enfermedad en que la piel se vuelve coriácea, ensayo de una piel flexible y a la vez dura contra las mordeduras de la selva; el *3* es llamada de una nota de Butts
«Obviously, I am saying that “deadly” viruses do not “think of themselves” as killers, any more than a cat does» — Seth, según Roberts, niega que los virus mortíferos se piensen a sí mismos como asesinos; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la comparación con el gato que se come al ratón sigue en la siguiente
«Many such experiments appear in certain stages as diseases, since the conditions are obviously not normal physical ones. To some extent (underlined twice), cancer also represents a kind of evolutionary experiment.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace aparecer muchos de esos experimentos como enfermedades por no ser normales sus condiciones, y cuenta en cierta medida al cáncer entre ellos; la acotación de énfasis es de Butts
«Abnormalities of any kind in birth always represent probable versions of the species itself — and they are kept in the gene pool to provide a never-ending bank of alternates.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de toda anormalidad de nacimiento una versión probable de la especie, guardada en el acervo genético como banco interminable de alternativas
«So-called Mongoloid children, for example, are reminders of man’s purely emotional heritage, as separate from his intellectual achievements. They often appear more numerously in industrialized civilizations for that reason» — Seth, según Roberts, lee a los niños llamados mongólicos como recordatorios de la herencia puramente emocional del hombre, separada de sus logros intelectuales, y por eso más numerosos en las civilizaciones industrializadas; el término es el que imprime el volumen
«In our next book, we will try to acquaint people with the picture of their true nature as a species, as they exist independently of their belief systems. We will hope to show man’s origin as existing in an inner environment, and emphasize the importance of dreams in “evolutionary advancement,” and as the main origin of man’s most creative achievements.» — Seth, según Roberts, anuncia el libro siguiente, que mostraría la naturaleza verdadera de la especie al margen de sus sistemas de creencias, su origen en un ambiente interior y la importancia de los sueños en el avance evolutivo
«The blueprints for “ideal” developments exist within the pool of genetic knowledge, providing the species with multitudinous avenues for fulfillment. Those blueprints exist mentally as ideals. They express themselves through the impulses and creativity of the species’ individual members.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 870 del 1 de agosto de 1979, sitúa los planos de los desarrollos ideales en el acervo genético, existentes mentalmente como ideales y expresados por los impulsos de los miembros individuales
«I believe that man runs the mile much quicker now (by about 12 seconds) than he did, say, thirty years ago. Has the body’s effective speed suddenly quickened? Hardly. Instead, mental beliefs about the body’s performance have changed, and increased physical speed resulted.» — Seth, según Roberts, usa la mejora de la milla para mostrar que lo que cambió no fue la velocidad efectiva del cuerpo sino las creencias sobre su desempeño; los paréntesis con las cifras son de Butts
«All people do not want to be expert runners, however. Their creativity and their ideals may lie in quite different fields of endeavor, but individual performance always adds to the knowledge of the species.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que no todos quieren ser corredores expertos y hace que el desempeño individual, sea cual sea el campo, sume al saber de la especie
«Your civilizations are your splendid, creative, exterior renditions of the inner social groupings of the cells of the body, and the cooperative processes of nature that give you physical life.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de las civilizaciones la versión exterior de las agrupaciones sociales de las células del cuerpo y de los procesos cooperativos de la naturaleza
«This does not mean that the intellect is any less, but that it uses its abilities to help you form physical civilizations that are the reflections of mental, spiritual, and biological inner civilizations. You learn from nature always, and you are a part of it always.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que eso no rebaja al intelecto, que usa sus capacidades para formar civilizaciones físicas que reflejan las civilizaciones interiores; y remata que siempre se aprende de la naturaleza y siempre se es parte de ella
«You do this by accepting the rightness of your own personhood. You do this by discarding ideas of unworthiness and powerlessness, no matter what their sources. You do this by beginning to observe your own impulses, by trusting your own direction. You start wherever you are, today.» — Seth, según Roberts, da los pasos para cambiar las condiciones: aceptar la rectitud de la propia persona, descartar las ideas de indignidad e impotencia, observar los propios impulsos y confiar en la propia dirección, empezando donde uno esté
«You do not dwell upon the unfortunate conditions in your environment, but you do take steps in your own life to express your ideals in whatever way is given. Those ways are multitudinous.» — Seth, según Roberts, pide no morar en las condiciones desafortunadas del ambiente sino dar en la propia vida los pasos que expresen el ideal, de las muchísimas maneras que haya
«Do the exercises in my book, The Nature of Personal Reality, to discover what» — Seth, según Roberts, manda hacer los ejercicios de The Nature of Personal Reality; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«Instead of taking an aspirin for a headache, sit down, breathe quietly, and remind yourself that you are an integral part of the universe. Allow yourself to feel a sense of belonging with nature. Such an exercise can often relieve a headache in no time.» — Seth, según Roberts, propone en lugar de la aspirina sentarse, respirar con calma y recordarse parte integral del universo, con un sentido de pertenencia a la naturaleza que dice aliviar el dolor de cabeza en poco tiempo
«Examine the literature that you read, the television programs that you watch, and tell yourself to ignore those indications given of the body’s weaknesses. Tell yourself to ignore literature or programs that speak authoritatively about the species’ “killer instincts.” Make an effort to free your intellect of such hampering beliefs.» — Seth, según Roberts, manda examinar lo que se lee y se ve y desatender las indicaciones sobre las debilidades del cuerpo y los instintos asesinos de la especie, para liberar el intelecto de creencias que estorban
«If you learn to trust your basic integrity as a person, then you will be able to assess your abilities clearly, neither exaggerating them or underassessing them.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de la confianza en la propia integridad la condición para evaluar con claridad las propias capacidades, sin exagerarlas ni rebajarlas
«On the other hand, there are many highly gifted people who continually put down their abilities, and are afraid to take one small step toward their expression. If you accept the rightness of your life in the universe, then your ideals will be those in keeping with your nature. They will be fairly easily given expression, so that they add to your own fulfillment and to the development of the society as well.» — Seth, según Roberts, consigna a los muy dotados que rebajan sus capacidades y temen dar un paso hacia su expresión, y liga la aceptación de la propia rectitud a unos ideales acordes con la propia naturaleza
«Your impulses are your closest communication with your inner self, because in the waking state they are the spontaneous urgings toward action, rising from that deep inner knowledge of yourself that you have in dreams.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de los impulsos la comunicación más cercana con el yo interior, urgencias espontáneas hacia la acción que suben del saber que se tiene en sueños
«You were born because you had the impulse to be. The universe exists because it had the impulse to be. There was no exterior cosmic Pied Piper, singing magical notes or playing a magical tune, urging the universe into being.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace nacer al individuo y al universo por su propio impulso de ser, y niega un flautista cósmico exterior que los llamara a la existencia
«Any animal knows better than to distrust the nature of its own life, and so does any infant. Nature exists by virtue of faith. The squirrels gather nuts in the faith that they will have provisions, in the faith that the next season will come, and that spring will follow winter.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a cualquier animal y a cualquier infante el no desconfiar de su propia vida, y hace existir la naturaleza en virtud de la fe, con la ardilla juntando nueces en la fe de que la próxima estación vendrá
«Your impulses are immersed in the quality called faith, for they urge you into action in the faith [that] the moment for action exists. Your beliefs must interact with your impulses, however, and often they can erode that great natural beneficial spontaneity that impulses can provide.» — Seth, según Roberts, sumerge los impulsos en la fe de que el momento de actuar existe, y advierte que las creencias pueden erosionar esa espontaneidad benéfica
«But your impulses reflect the basic impulse of your life. Even if they appear contradictory at any given time, overall they will be seen to form constructive patterns toward action that point more clearly towards your own clear path for fulfillment and development.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que los impulsos reflejen el impulso básico de la propia vida y que, aun contradictorios en un momento dado, formen en conjunto patrones constructivos que apuntan al propio camino
«The urge to be came from within, and that urge is repeated to some extent in each impulse, each urge toward» — Seth, según Roberts, hace venir de dentro el impulso de ser y lo repite en cada impulso; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo
«You have every right to question your impulses, to choose among them, to assess them, but you must be» — Seth, según Roberts, concede el derecho a cuestionar los impulsos, a escoger entre ellos y a evaluarlos; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase remata con la exigencia de reconocerlos
«Natural attributes show themselves quite clearly in early childhood, for example, when you are allowed greater freedom to do what you want to do. As children, some people love to work with words, some with images, some with objects. Some show great ability in dealing with their contemporaries, while others naturally lean toward solitude and private meditations.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace visibles los atributos naturales en la infancia temprana, con unos que aman las palabras, otros las imágenes, otros los objetos, unos las relaciones y otros la soledad
«Look back toward the impulsive behavior of your childhood, toward those activities that mostly pleased you.» — Seth, según Roberts, manda mirar atrás hacia la conducta impulsiva de la propia infancia y hacia las actividades que más placían
«If you painted pictures, this does not mean that you necessarily should be an artist. Only you know the strength of those impulses — but if they are intense and consistent, then pursue them. If you end up simply painting as a hobby, that will still enrich your life and understanding.» — Seth, según Roberts, acota que pintar de niño no obliga a ser artista y deja la medida al propio impulso, con la pintura como afición enriqueciendo igual la vida y la comprensión
«It is very important that you express your idealism actively, to whatever extent you can, for this increases your sense of worth and power.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace muy importante expresar activamente el idealismo en la medida que se pueda, porque eso aumenta el sentido de valía y de poder
«Many people want to change the world for the better, but that ideal seems so awe-inspiring that they think they can make no headway unless they perform some great acts of daring or heroism, or envision themselves in some political or religious place of power, or promote an uprising or rebellion. The ideal seems so remote and unreachable that, again, sometimes any means, however reprehensible, eventually can seem justified» — Seth, según Roberts, describe a quienes creen que solo grandes actos de audacia o un puesto de poder cambiarían el mundo, y de ahí que el ideal remoto acabe justificando cualquier medio
«To change the world for the better, you must begin by changing your own life. There is no other way.» — Seth, según Roberts, formula la regla práctica del libro: para cambiar el mundo hay que empezar por cambiar la propia vida, y no hay otra manera
«You begin by accepting your own worth as a part of the universe, and by granting every other being that same recognition. You begin by honoring life in all of its forms. You begin by changing your thoughts toward your contemporaries, your country, your family, your working companions.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el comienzo: aceptar el propio valor como parte del universo, conceder a cada ser ese reconocimiento, honrar la vida en todas sus formas y cambiar los propios pensamientos hacia los contemporáneos, el país, la familia y los compañeros de trabajo
«If the ideal of loving your neighbor like yourself seems remote, you will at least absolutely refrain from killing your neighbor — and your neighbor is any other person on the face of the planet» — Seth, según Roberts, rebaja el ideal a un mínimo practicable si amar al prójimo parece remoto: abstenerse en absoluto de matarlo, con el prójimo definido como cualquier persona sobre la faz del planeta
«You cannot love your neighbor, in fact, until you love yourself, and if you believe that it is wrong to love yourself, then you are indeed unable to love anyone else.» — Seth, según Roberts, condiciona el amor al prójimo al amor a uno mismo, y hace incapaz de amar a nadie a quien crea que amarse a sí es incorrecto
«Every time you affirm the rightness of your own existence, you help others. Your mental states are part of the planet’s psychic atmosphere.» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra el capítulo haciendo de cada afirmación de la rectitud de la propia existencia una ayuda para otros, porque los estados mentales son parte de la atmósfera psíquica del planeta
«For a start you will acknowledge your existence in the framework of nature, and to do that you must recognize the vast cooperative processes that connect each species with each other one. If you truly use your prerogatives as an individual in your country, then you can exert far more power in normal daily living than you do now.» — Seth, según Roberts, pide reconocer la propia existencia en el marco de la naturaleza y los procesos cooperativos que ligan a las especies, y promete más poder en la vida diaria a quien use de veras sus prerrogativas de individuo
«Your exterior civilizations do indeed mirror and reflect the great cellular civilizations, so that you try to exteriorize that kind of order and creativity.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de las civilizaciones exteriores un espejo de las grandes civilizaciones celulares, cuyo orden y creatividad se intenta exteriorizar
«Many of your technological advances — all of them, for that matter — are rather interpretations of the inner mechanisms of nature: sonar, radar, and so forth, as you attempt to physically or objectively reproduce the inner realities of nature.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace de los avances tecnológicos, el sonar y el radar entre ellos, interpretaciones de los mecanismos interiores de la naturaleza
«But it is sometimes almost impossible to verbally describe civilizations of scent, civilizations built upon temperature variations, alphabets of color, pressure gradations — all of these highly intimate and organized, but quite outside of verbal representation.» — Seth, según Roberts, nombra civilizaciones imposibles de describir con palabras: de olor, de variaciones de temperatura, con alfabetos de color y gradaciones de presión
«In your lives, anything you want is possible within the contours of your natures, if only you understand that this is so.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara posible cuanto se quiera dentro de los contornos de la propia naturaleza, con la condición de entender que así es
«It may seem to some readers that the subject matter of this book (pause) is far divorced from any discussion of the specific development of psychic abilities. Many people write requesting that I outline the proper methods for achieving astral projection, for example, or psychic advancement, or spiritual understanding.» — Seth, según Roberts, en la sesión 872 del 8 de agosto de 1979, anticipa la objeción del lector que esperaba métodos para la proyección astral o el avance psíquico
«In its fashion, however, this book is geared to bring about the development of such abilities, for it is not a lack of methods that inhibits such activities. Instead, “psychic progress” is hampered by those very negative beliefs that we have tried to bring to your attention.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara el libro orientado a desarrollar esas capacidades, porque lo que las inhibe no es la falta de métodos sino las creencias negativas que ha señalado
«Many of you keep searching for some seemingly remote spiritual inner self that you can trust and look to for help and support, but all the while you distrust the familiar self with which you have such intimate contact. You set up divisions between portions of the self that are unnecessary.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la busca de un yo interior remoto en quien confiar mientras se desconfía del yo familiar, y llama innecesarias las divisiones que así se levantan
«There are many schools for spiritual advancement that teach you to “get rid of the clutter of your impulses and desires,” to shove aside the self that you are in search of a greater» — Seth, según Roberts, consigna las escuelas que enseñan a barrer los impulsos y deseos y a hacer a un lado el yo en busca de una versión idealizada; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«There is an inner self in the terms of those definitions, but that inner self, which is the source of your present being, speaks through your impulses. They provide in-built spiritual and biological impetuses toward your most ideal development (underlined). You must trust the self that you are, now.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede un yo interior en esos términos y lo hace hablar por los impulsos, que dan el impulso espiritual y biológico hacia el desarrollo más ideal; y remata que hay que confiar en el yo que se es ahora
«If you would know yourself in deepest terms, you must start with your own feelings, emotions, desires, intents and impulses. Spiritual knowledge and psychic wisdom are the natural result of a sense of self-unity.» — Seth, según Roberts, manda empezar por los propios sentimientos, emociones, deseos, intenciones e impulsos, y hace del saber espiritual y la sabiduría psíquica el resultado natural de un sentido de unidad del yo
«Again, impulses are inherently good, both spiritually and biologically. They emerge from Framework 2, from the inner self, and they are based on the great inner webwork of communication that exists among all species on your planet.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara los impulsos inherentemente buenos en lo espiritual y en lo biológico, emergidos del Marco 2 y fundados en la red interior de comunicación entre todas las especies del planeta
«Impulses also provide the natural impetus toward those patterns of behavior that serve you best, so that while certain impulses may bunch up toward physical activity, say, others, seemingly contradictory, will lead toward quiet contemplation, so that overall certain balances are maintained.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica la aparente contradicción entre impulsos: unos empujan a la actividad física y otros a la contemplación quieta, y entre todos mantienen ciertos equilibrios
«Some people are only aware of — or largely aware of — impulses toward anger, because they have inhibited those natural impulses toward love that would otherwise temper what seemed to be aggressive desires.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica la conciencia exclusiva de los impulsos de cólera por la inhibición de los impulsos de amor que los templarían
«When you begin trusting yourselves, you start by taking it for granted that to some extent at least you have not trusted yourself or your impulses in the past: You have thought that impulses were dangerous, disruptive, or even evil. So as you begin to learn self-trust, you acknowledge your impulses. You try them on for size. You see where they lead you by allowing them some freedom. You do not follow urges through that would hurt others physically, or that seem in direct contradiction to your present beliefs — but you do acknowledge them. You do try to discover their source.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe el método de la confianza en uno mismo: reconocer los impulsos, probarlos, darles algo de libertad sin seguir los que dañarían a otros, y buscar su fuente
«Behind them you will almost always find an inhibited impulse — or many of them — that motivated you to move in some ideal direction, to seek a love or understanding so idealized in your mind that it seemed impossible to achieve. You are left with the impulse to strike out.» — Seth, según Roberts, halla casi siempre detrás del impulso violento un impulso inhibido hacia un amor o una comprensión tan idealizados que parecían inalcanzables
«If you examine such troublesome stimuli, you will always find that they originally rose after a long process, a process in which you were afraid to take small positive steps toward some ideal. Your own impulses naturally lead you to seek creative fulfillment, the expansion of your consciousness, psychic excursions, and the conscious knowledge and manipulation of your dreams.» — Seth, según Roberts, remonta esos estímulos molestos al miedo a dar pasos pequeños y positivos hacia un ideal, y hace que los impulsos propios lleven al cumplimiento creativo y al manejo consciente de los sueños
«No methods will work if you are afraid of your own impulses, or of the nature of your own being. Most of you understand that All That Is is within you, that God is within creation, within physical matter, and that “He” does not simply operate as some cosmic director on the outside of reality.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara inútil cualquier método si se teme a los propios impulsos, y sitúa a Todo Lo Que Es dentro de cada quien y dentro de la materia física, no como director cósmico desde fuera
«You must understand that the spiritual self also exists within the physical self in the same fashion. The inner self is not remote, either — not divorced from your most intimate desires and affairs, but instead communicates through your own smallest gesture, through your smallest ideal.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa al yo espiritual dentro del yo físico y niega que el yo interior sea remoto: comunica por el gesto más pequeño y por el ideal más pequeño
«This sense of division within the self forces you to think that there is a remote, spiritual, wise, intuitive inner self, and a bewildered, put-upon, spiritually ignorant, inferior physical self, which happens to be the one you identify with.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la división que hace pensar en un yo interior remoto y sabio y en un yo físico desconcertado e inferior, que es con el que uno se identifica; el tramo cruza el cambio de plana
«You must, therefore, begin to celebrate your own beings, to look to your own impulses as being the natural connectors between the physical and the nonphysical self. Children trusting their impulses learn to walk, and trusting your impulses, you can find yourselves again.» — Seth, según Roberts, manda celebrar el propio ser y mirar a los impulsos como los conectores naturales entre el yo físico y el no físico, como el niño que aprende a caminar confiando en ellos
«Consciousness predates physical forms. Consciousness predates the physical universe. (Long pause.) Consciousness predates all of its manifestations.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone la consciencia antes de las formas físicas, antes del universo físico y antes de todas sus manifestaciones
«The impulse to be, in any terms that you can understand, is without beginning or end. What you have in your physical species are the manifestations of inner species of being, or creative groupings originated by consciousness as material patterns into which consciousness then flows.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara el impulso de ser sin principio ni fin, y hace de las especies físicas manifestaciones de agrupamientos creativos originados por la consciencia como patrones materiales en que luego fluye
«In those terms, the world came into being and the species appeared in a completely different framework of activity than is imagined, and one that cannot be scientifically established — particularly within those boundaries with which science has protected itself.» — Seth, según Roberts, sitúa la venida del mundo y la aparición de las especies en un marco de actividad completamente distinto del imaginado, imposible de establecer científicamente dentro de los límites con que la ciencia se protege
«The patterns for the earth and for its creatures were as real before their physical appearances, and far more real than, say, the plan for a painting that you might have in your mind. The universe always was innately (underlined) objective in your terms, with its planets and creatures. The patterns for all of the species always existed without any before or after arrangement.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara los patrones de la tierra y de sus criaturas tan reales y más que el plan de un cuadro en la mente, con el universo innatamente objetivo y sin arreglo de antes y después
«It is as if, then, the earth, with all of its species, existed in complete form as a fully dimensioned cosmic underpainting, which gradually came alive all at once. Birds did not come from reptiles. They were always birds. They expressed a certain kind of consciousness that sought a certain kind of form» — Seth, según Roberts, compara la tierra con una subpintura cósmica plenamente dimensionada que cobró vida toda a la vez, y niega que los pájaros vinieran de los reptiles: siempre fueron pájaros, expresión de una consciencia que buscó cierta forma
«Physically the species appeared — all species appeared — in the same way that you might imagine all of the elements of a highly complicated dream suddenly coming alive with physical properties. Mental images — in those terms, now — existed that “in a flash of cosmic inspiration” were suddenly endowed with full physical manifestation.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace aparecer a todas las especies a la vez, como los elementos de un sueño complicado que de pronto cobran propiedades físicas, con imágenes mentales dotadas en un destello de manifestación física plena
«To that extent, the Bible’s interpretation is correct. Life was given, was free to develop according to its characteristic conditions. The planet was prepared, and endowed with life. Consciousness built the forms, so life existed within consciousness for all eternity. There was no point in which chemicals or atoms suddenly acquired life, for they always possessed consciousness, which is life’s requirement.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede en esa medida la interpretación de la Biblia, con la vida dada y libre de desarrollarse, y niega un punto en que los átomos adquirieran vida, porque siempre tuvieron consciencia
«I understand that it appears that species have vanished, but again you must remember probabilities, and that those species simply “developed” along the patterns of probable earths.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede la apariencia de especies desaparecidas y las hace desarrollarse en cambio por los patrones de tierras probables
«You are not just dealing with a one-line development of matter, but of an unimaginable creativity, in which all versions of your physical world exist, each one quite convinced of its physical nature. There are ramifications quite unspeakable, although in certain states of trance, or with the aid of educated dreaming, you might be able to glimpse the inner complications, the webworks of communications that connect your official earth with other probable ones.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe una creatividad inimaginable donde todas las versiones del mundo físico existen convencidas de su propia fisicidad, con redes de comunicación entrevistas en el trance o en el sueño educado
«In the terms that you can understand (underlined), all species that you are aware of (underlined) appeared more or less at once, because the mental patterns had peaked» — Seth, según Roberts, hace aparecer todas las especies conocidas más o menos a la vez, cuando los patrones mentales llegaron a su punto más alto; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«Even the c-e-l-l-s (spelled) are free enough of time and space to hold an intimate framework of being within the present, while being surrounded by this greater knowledge of what you think of as the earth’s past. In greater terms, the earth and all of its species are created in each moment.» — Seth, según Roberts, da a las células libertad bastante frente al tiempo y el espacio para estar en el presente y rodeadas del saber del pasado de la tierra, y declara la tierra y todas sus especies creadas en cada momento; el deletreo es acotación de Butts
«But what gives life to the egg or the seed now, keeps it going, provides that energy? Imagining some great big-bang theory (to explain the creation of the universe) gives you an immense explosion of energy, that somehow turns into life but must wear out somewhere along the line — and if that were the case, life would be getting weaker all the time, but it is not. The child is as new and fresh today as a child was 5,000 years ago, and each spring is as new.» — Seth, según Roberts, desplaza la pregunta por el origen de la vida a la pregunta por lo que la sostiene ahora, y objeta a la gran explosión que la vida iría debilitándose, cuando el niño de hoy es tan nuevo como el de hace cinco mil años
«What gives life to chemicals now? That is the more proper question. All energy is (underlined) not only aware-ized but the source of all organizations of consciousness, and all physical forms.» — Seth, según Roberts, formula la pregunta que tiene por más propia y declara toda energía no solo consciente sino fuente de todas las organizaciones de consciencia y de todas las formas físicas
«There was a day when the dreaming world, in your terms, suddenly awakened to full reality as far as physical materialization is concerned. The planet was visited by desire. There were ghost excursions there — mental buildings, dream civilizations which then became actualized.» — Seth, según Roberts, data un día en que el mundo soñado despertó a la realidad física, con el planeta visitado por el deseo y con excursiones fantasmas, edificios mentales y civilizaciones de sueño que se actualizaron
«In a manner of speaking, you must be a practicing (underlined) idealist if you are to remain a true idealist for long. You must take small practical steps, often when you would prefer to take giant ones — but you must move (underlined) in the direction of your ideals through action.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre la sesión 873 del 15 de agosto de 1979 exigiendo al idealista pasos pequeños y prácticos, aunque prefiera darlos gigantes, porque hay que moverse por la acción hacia los propios ideales
«Life at all levels of activity is propelled to seek ideals, whether of a biological or mental nature. That pursuit automatically gives life its zest and natural sense of excitement and drama.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace a la vida en todos sus niveles impelida a buscar ideales, biológicos o mentales, y de esa busca saca su brío y su sentido de drama
«It is not enough to meditate, or to imagine in your mind some desired goal being accomplished, if you are afraid to act upon the very impulses to which your meditations and imaginings give rise. When you do not take any steps toward an ideal position, then your life does lack excitement.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara insuficiente meditar o imaginar la meta si se teme actuar sobre los impulsos que esa meditación levanta, porque entonces la vida sí carece de brío
«You might become an idealist in reverse, so that you find a certain excitement in contemplating the occurrence of natural disasters, such as earthquakes. (Pause.) You may begin to concentrate your attention on such activities. You may contemplate the end of the world instead, but in either case you are propelled by a sense of personal frustration, and perhaps by some degree of vengeance, seeing in your mind the destruction of a world that fell so far beneath your idealized expectations.» — Seth, según Roberts, nombra al idealista al revés, que halla cierta excitación en contemplar terremotos o el fin del mundo, movido por frustración personal y por la venganza de ver destruido un mundo que no llegó a sus expectativas
«Otherwise you will feel disillusioned, or powerless, or sure, again, that only drastic, highly unideal methods will ever bring about the» — Seth, según Roberts, describe lo que sobreviene si no se dan esos pasos: desilusión, impotencia y la certeza de que solo métodos drásticos y nada ideales servirán; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«None of the unfortunate situations discussed in this book have any power over you, however, if you understand that events do not exist by themselves. All events and situations exist first within the mind.» — Seth, según Roberts, quita todo poder sobre el lector a las situaciones desafortunadas del libro si se entiende que los sucesos no existen por sí y que todo suceso y toda situación existen primero en la mente
«Your thoughts and beliefs and desires form the events that you view on television. If you want to change your world, you must first change your thoughts, expectations, and beliefs. If every reader of this book changed his or her attitudes, even though not one law was rewritten, tomorrow the world would have changed for the better. The new laws would follow.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que los pensamientos formen los sucesos que se ven en televisión, y sostiene que si cada lector cambiara sus actitudes el mundo habría cambiado mañana sin que se reescribiera una sola ley
«Any new law always follows the change in belief. It is not the other way around.» — Seth, según Roberts, pone siempre el cambio de creencia antes de la ley nueva, y no al revés
«There is no civilization, no system of science, art, or philosophy, that did not originate in the mind. When you give lip service to ideas with which you do not agree, you are betraying your own ideals, harming yourself to some extent, and society as well, insofar as you are denying yourself and society the benefit of your own understanding.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace nacer en la mente toda civilización y todo sistema de ciencia, arte o filosofía, y llama traición a los propios ideales el dar servicio de labios a ideas con que no se está de acuerdo
«Each person is an idealist. I simply want to help you practice your idealism in the acts of your daily life.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara idealista a cada persona y reduce su propósito a ayudar a practicar ese idealismo en los actos de la vida diaria
«Each person alive helps paint the living picture of civilization as it exists at any given time, in your terms. Be your own best artist. Your thoughts, feelings and expectations are like the living brush strokes with which you paint your corner of life’s landscape.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace pintar a cada vivo el cuadro vivo de la civilización y pide a cada quien ser su mejor artista, con los pensamientos y las expectativas como pinceladas en su rincón del paisaje
«Your thoughts are as real as snowflakes or raindrops or clouds. They mix and merge with the thoughts of others, to form man’s livingscape, providing the vast mental elements from which physical events will be formed.» — Seth, según Roberts, declara los pensamientos tan reales como los copos, las gotas o las nubes, y los hace mezclarse con los de los demás para formar el paisaje vivo del hombre del que saldrán los sucesos físicos
«As you learn to allow your impulses some freedom, you will discover their connection with your own idealized version of what life should be. You will begin to discover that [those spontaneous urges] are as basically good and life-giving as the physical elements of the earth, that provide the impetus for all biological life.» — Seth, según Roberts, promete que al dar libertad a los impulsos se descubre su conexión con la propia versión idealizada de la vida y su bondad, tan dadora de vida como los elementos físicos de la tierra
«Beyond that, however, those impulses, again, connect you with the original impulse from which all life emerges.» — Seth, según Roberts, conecta esos impulsos con el impulso original del que emerge toda vida
«believe, moreover, that the physical self’s very nature is evil, that its impulses, left alone, will run in direct opposition to the good of the physical world and society, and fly in the face of the deeper spiritual truths of inner reality. The inner self then becomes so idealized and so remote that by contrast the physical self seems only the more ignorant and flawed.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe la creencia de que la naturaleza del yo físico sea mala y que sus impulsos se opongan al bien del mundo y a las verdades espirituales, con el yo interior tan idealizado que el físico queda más ignorante y defectuoso; el tramo arranca en la plana siguiente al corte
«In the face of such beliefs the ideal of psychic development, or astral travel, or spiritual knowledge, or even of sane living, seems so remote as to be impossible.» — Seth, según Roberts, cifra el efecto de esas creencias: el ideal del desarrollo psíquico, del viaje astral, del saber espiritual y aun del vivir cuerdo queda tan remoto que parece imposible
«achievement of a given ideal state or situation.» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra en la plana siguiente la frase sobre los métodos drásticos con el logro del estado ideal que se busca
«exploring and expanding your experience of selfhood, gives life a sense of purpose, meaning, and creative excitement — and also adds to the understanding and development of the society and the species.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace que explorar y expandir la experiencia del yo dé sentido y excitación creativa a la vida y sume al desarrollo de la sociedad y de la especie; el tramo arranca en la plana siguiente al corte
«At deeper levels, the impulsive portion of the personality is aware of all actions upon the earth’s surface. You are involved in a cooperative venture, in which your slightest impulse has a greater meaning, and is intimately connected with all other actions.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace consciente a la porción impulsiva de la personalidad de todas las acciones sobre la superficie de la tierra, en una empresa cooperativa donde el impulso más leve tiene un sentido mayor
«You have the power to change your life and the world for the better, but in doing so you must, again, reevaluate what your ideals are, and the methods that are worthy of them. Science and religion have each contributed much to man’s development. They must also reevaluate their ideals and methods, however.» — Seth, según Roberts, concede el poder de cambiar la propia vida y el mundo con la condición de reevaluar los ideales y los métodos dignos de ellos, y pide lo mismo a la ciencia y a la religión
«In larger terms, there are really only scientific and religious men and women, however, and fields of science and religion would be meaningless without those individuals who believe in their positions. As those men and women enlarge their definitions of reality, the fields of science and religion must expand.» — Seth, según Roberts, reduce la ciencia y la religión a los hombres y mujeres que creen en sus posiciones, de modo que esos campos se ensanchan al ensancharse las definiciones de realidad de esas personas
«You must be reckless in pursuit of the ideal — reckless enough to insist that each step you take along the way is worthy of that ideal.» — Seth, según Roberts, pide temeridad en la busca del ideal, bastante temeridad para insistir en que cada paso del camino sea digno de él
«You will understand, if you are a practicing idealist, that you cannot kill in the name of peace, for if you do so your methods will automatically undermine your ideal.» — Seth, según Roberts, deriva del idealismo practicante la imposibilidad de matar en nombre de la paz, porque los métodos socavan automáticamente el ideal
«The sacredness of life and spirit are one and the same. You cannot condemn the body without ultimately condemning the soul. You cannot condemn the soul without ultimately condemning the body.» — Seth, según Roberts, iguala lo sagrado de la vida y lo del espíritu y hace imposible condenar el cuerpo sin condenar el alma, y el alma sin condenar el cuerpo
«I would like each of my readers to be a practicing idealist, and, if you are then you will automatically be tolerant of the beliefs of others. You will not be unkind in the pursuit of your own ideals. You will look upon the world with a sane compassion, with some humor, and you will look for man’s basic good intent. You will find it. It has always been there.» — Seth, según Roberts, describe al idealista practicante: tolerante con las creencias ajenas, nada cruel en la busca de las propias, mirando el mundo con compasión cuerda y con humor, y buscando la buena intención básica del hombre
«You will discover your own basic good intent, and see that it has always been behind all of your actions — even in those least fitted to the pursuit of your private ideals» — Seth, según Roberts, promete a cada quien el descubrimiento de su propia buena intención básica, presente aun detrás de los actos menos ajustados a sus ideales privados; la acotación de ironía es de Butts
«The end does not justify the means. If you learn that lesson, then your good intent will allow you to act effectively and creatively in your private experience, and in your relationships with others. Your changed beliefs will affect the mental atmosphere of your nation and of the world.» — Seth, según Roberts, repite que el fin no justifica los medios y hace de esa lección la condición para actuar con eficacia en lo privado y para cambiar la atmósfera mental de la nación y del mundo
«You must encounter the selves that you are now. Acknowledge your impulses. Explore their meanings. Rely upon yourselves. You will find far greater power, achievement, and virtue than you suppose.» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra el capítulo 10 con cuatro imperativos —encontrar los yoes que se es ahora, reconocer los impulsos, explorar su sentido y apoyarse en uno mismo— y promete más poder, logro y virtud de lo que se supone
«Conclusion: You are individuals, yet each of you forms a part of the world’s reality. Consciously, you are usually aware only of your own thoughts, but those thoughts merge with the thoughts of all others in the world.» — Seth, según Roberts, abre la conclusión del libro haciendo a cada quien individuo y parte de la realidad del mundo, con los pensamientos propios fundiéndose con los de todos los demás
«At other levels, however, you carry a picture of the world’s news, [one] that is “picked up” by signals transmitted by the c-e-l-l-s (spelled) that compose all living matter.» — Seth, según Roberts, atribuye a cada quien un cuadro de las noticias del mundo recogido por señales que transmiten las células de toda materia viva; el deletreo es acotación de Butts
«You can become involved now in a new exploration, one in which man’s civilizations and organizations change their course, reflecting his good intents and his ideals. You can do this by seeing to it that each step you personally take is “ideally suited” to the ends you hope to achieve. You will see to it that your methods are ideal.» — Seth, según Roberts, propone una exploración nueva en que las civilizaciones y las organizaciones cambien de rumbo reflejando la buena intención y los ideales, con cada paso personal idealmente ajustado al fin
«If you do this, your life will automatically be provided with excitement, natural zest and creativity, and those characteristics will be reflected outward into the social, political, economic, and scientific worlds.» — Seth, según Roberts, promete que con ese método la vida queda provista de brío, de gusto natural y de creatividad, y que esas características se reflejan hacia afuera en lo social, lo político, lo económico y lo científico
«This is a challenge more than worth the effort. It is a challenge that I hope each reader will accept. (Pause.) The practical idealist (pause) … Give us a moment … When all is said and done, there is no other kind.» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra el libro llamando a ese desafío más que digno del esfuerzo y declarando que, a fin de cuentas, no hay otra clase de idealista que el practicante
«You will discover the natural, cooperative nature of» — Seth, según Roberts, promete el descubrimiento de la naturaleza cooperativa de los impulsos; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«your impulses, and you will no longer believe that they exist as contradictory or disruptive influences. Your impulses are part of the great multi-action of being.» — Seth, según Roberts, remata esa frase en la plana siguiente negando que los impulsos sean contradictorios o disruptivos y haciéndolos parte de la gran multiacción del ser
«When you have an impulse to act, it is your own impulse, yet it is also a part of the world’s action. In those terms, there are inner» — Seth, según Roberts, hace del impulso propio también parte de la acción del mundo; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase sigue con los sistemas interiores de tipo neurológico
«If you accept the fact that man is basically a good creature, then you allow free, natural motions of your own psychic nature — and that nature springs from your impulses, and not in opposition to them.» — Seth, según Roberts, condiciona los movimientos libres de la propia naturaleza psíquica a aceptar que el hombre es básicamente una criatura buena, con esa naturaleza brotando de los impulsos y no en contra de ellos
«There is no event upon the face of the earth in which each of you has not played some part, however minute, because of the nature of your thoughts, beliefs, and expectations. There is no public act in which you are not in that same manner involved. You are intimately connected with all of the historic events of your time.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace a cada quien partícipe, por mínimo que sea, de todo suceso sobre la faz de la tierra y de todo acto público, por sus pensamientos, creencias y expectativas
«To some extent you participated in putting a man on the moon, whether or not you had any connection at all with the physical occurrence itself. Your thoughts put a man on the moon as surely as any rocket did.» — Seth, según Roberts, extiende esa participación al hombre puesto en la luna y hace que los pensamientos lo pusieran ahí tan seguramente como el cohete
«while the traffic stopped and started, precise as a ceremony of animals, almost formal, engines thundering then purring, wheels pausing, headlights hypnotized in sun. You walked into the bank, making an exchange as ancient as any tribal dance.» — Jane Roberts, en el segundo poema de cumpleaños para Butts que él imprime en la nota 2 de la sesión 806, compara el tráfico con una ceremonia de animales y el trámite del banco con una danza tribal
«Boy, I really felt different while that was going on,” Jane said as soon as she was out of trance. “I had a sense of power that I usually don’t get. I’m glad I waited. I guess I feel like I’ve been someplace else, or something like that. I have a feeling there’s something new in the session, but I’ll have to figure it out» — Jane Roberts, al salir del trance de la sesión 818, describe un sentido de poder que no suele tener y la sensación de haber estado en otra parte
«Right now my right temple, my right knee and my right foot are all going whooosh, whooosh, whooosh….» — Jane Roberts, al salir del trance de la sesión 835, describe su estado de relajación con la sensación que le recorre la sien, la rodilla y el pie derechos; el troceo conserva la onomatopeya tal como Butts la escribe
«Chapter 7: “The Good, the Bad, and the Catastrophic. Jonestown, Harrisburg, and When Is an Idealist a Fanatic?» — Seth, según Roberts, dicta el título del capítulo 7 al cerrar la sesión 846
«I didn’t know he was going to go into all of that,” Jane said, after I’d told her she’d given an excellent session. “Maybe that’s why I felt so uncomfortable before the session: Part of me knew Seth was going to talk about us. Now I feel exhausted. I could go right to bed, but I won’t» — Jane Roberts, al salir del trance de la sesión 853, dice no haber sabido que Seth trataría todo eso y atribuye a esa anticipación su incomodidad previa
«You’re so strange. Here you won’t go to the marketplace, but you think of saving all of these private sessions for posterity, to give them to the world some day. You’re very close-mouthed: You don’t blab our personal business, but you’d do that … Instead, I see us when I’m 80 and you’re 90, out in the back yard, burning it all.» — Jane Roberts reprocha con humor a Butts la contradicción entre no llevar su arte al mercado y guardar las sesiones privadas para la posteridad, y se los imagina a los dos quemándolas en el patio de viejos
«You never should have [worried], and neither should he (Jane). The book sessions will cover everything that needs to be covered.» — Seth, según Roberts, vuelve al final de la sesión 854 para decirle a Butts que ninguno de los dos debió preocuparse y que las sesiones del libro cubrirán todo lo que haga falta; los corchetes y el paréntesis son de Butts
«The real question, for example, isn’t one of planetary pollution, or nuclear wastes, but the beliefs that make such questions even arise, and the attitudes that see an idealized good worth such risks. That is, people aren’t polluting the world out of greed alone, but for the economic good of all. It’s just that the means they often choose aren’t justified by those ends» — Jane Roberts, en el material que recogió tras la sesión 856, desplaza la pregunta de la contaminación y los desechos nucleares a las creencias que la hacen surgir, y observa que no se contamina solo por codicia sino por el bien económico de todos
«We are back, then, to the matter of the ideal and its actualization. When and how do your impulses affect the world? Again, what is the ideal, the good impulse, and why does it seem that your experience is so far from that ideal that it appears to be evil?» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra el capítulo 8 volviendo a la cuestión del ideal y su actualización, y preguntando por qué la experiencia parece tan lejos del ideal que aparenta ser el mal
«I wish you hadn’t said that. As soon as you did, I felt a circle of information open up — a lot of it — about when ancient man had a series of mass dreams in which he learned how to speak. The dreams were like glossolalia — you know, speaking in unintelligible speech sounds — yet they made sense, and man began to speak» — Jane Roberts, tras la sesión 867, describe el círculo de información que se le abrió sobre una serie de sueños de masa en que el hombre antiguo aprendió a hablar, con sueños parecidos a la glosolalia que sin embargo tenían sentido
«Another thing I just got was that when man was with other men in the physical world, he could point to stuff to share descriptions with others, but that he learned to really speak when he tried to describe dreams. It was the only way — speech — by which he could share data that couldn’t be seen. He could point to a tree and grunt, but there wasn’t anything in a dream he could point to. He had to have a method of expression to describe invisible things. Inventions could have come about when he tried to tell others what he saw in his dreams, too.» — Jane Roberts añade que el hombre aprendió a hablar de veras al intentar describir sus sueños, porque en un sueño no hay nada que señalar, y que las invenciones pudieron venir de contar a otros lo visto ahí
«PART ONE THE EVENTS OF “NATURE.” EPIDEMICS AND NATURAL DISASTERS» — Seth, según Roberts, titula así la primera parte; el volumen la imprime en portadilla, plana que no lleva más texto
«PART TWO FRAMEWORK 1 AND FRAMEWORK 2» — Seth, según Roberts, titula así la segunda parte; el volumen la imprime en portadilla, plana que no lleva más texto
«PART THREE PEOPLE WHO ARE FRIGHTENED OF THEMSELVES» — Seth, según Roberts, titula así la tercera parte; el volumen la imprime en portadilla, plana que no lleva más texto
«PART FOUR THE PRACTICING IDEALIST» — Seth, según Roberts, titula así la cuarta parte; el volumen la imprime en portadilla, plana que no lleva más texto
«I’ve got that empty feeling again, because of the suspense» — Jane Roberts, al cerrar la sesión 831, dice sentir de nuevo el vacío de la incertidumbre sobre la calidad de lo dictado; es el único texto de esa plana
«Do you have questions? (“No, I guess not.”) Then I bid you a fond good evening.» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra la sesión 834 preguntando por preguntas y despidiéndose; Butts imprime entre paréntesis las respuestas de él, y es el único texto de esa plana
Sobre la obra
186 entradas — lo que el aparato y la investigación dicen de ella«Opinions and statements on health and medical matters expressed in this book are those of the author and are not necessarily those of or endorsed by the publisher.» — descargo del editor Amber-Allen, que atribuye a la autora y no a la casa las opiniones sobre salud y medicina del volumen
«All rights reserved. This e-book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.» — reserva de derechos del editor, con la excepción del reseñista; el texto dice *e-book*, de modo que el ejemplar troceado es el electrónico
«A note by R.F.B.: Seth was often pretty outspoken in Mass Events when he discussed our medical beliefs and practices, and the unfortunate results they sometimes bring about. At the same time he tempered his ideas with passages like this one, from the 870th session for Chapter 10:» — Robert F. Butts, firmando con sus iniciales, advierte de entrada que Seth habla sin miramientos de las creencias médicas y anuncia el pasaje de la sesión 870 con que él mismo tempera esa lectura
«A note by R.F.B.: This is the first verse of a long poem Jane wrote late in July 1979, as Seth was finishing his work on Mass Events. Among other things, the poem is a passionate declaration of psychic independence, written in response to Seth’s ideas in this book.» — Butts data el poema a fines de julio de 1979, cuando Seth terminaba el libro, y lo presenta como declaración de independencia psíquica escrita en respuesta a las ideas del dictado
«Cover Art: Robert F. Butts Cover Design: Beth Hansen Editorial: Janet Mills» — el aparato de producción va firmado por tres nombres, y el arte de cubierta lo firma Robert F. Butts, el mismo que anota las sesiones
«PART ONE: THE EVENTS OF “NATURE.” EPIDEMICS AND NATURAL DISASTERS Chapter 1: The Natural Body and Its Defenses Chapter 2:» — el índice reparte el volumen en cuatro partes y diez capítulos; la primera parte anuncia epidemias y desastres naturales, y sus dos capítulos, el cuerpo y sus defensas y las meditaciones de masa
«PART TWO: FRAMEWORK 1 AND FRAMEWORK 2 Chapter 3: Myths and Physical Events. The Interior Medium in Which Society Exists Chapter 4: The Characteristics of Framework 2. A Creative Analysis of the Medium in Which Physically-Oriented Consciousness Resides, and the Source of Events Chapter 5: The Mechanics of Experience» — la segunda parte del índice enuncia los dos marcos y sus tres capítulos, con los mitos, las características del segundo marco y la mecánica de la experiencia
«PART THREE: PEOPLE WHO ARE FRIGHTENED OF THEMSELVES Chapter 6: Controlled Environments, and Positive and Negative Mass Behavior. Religious and Scientific Cults, and Private Paranoias Chapter 7: The Good, the Bad, and the Catastrophic. Jonestown, Harrisburg, and When Is an Idealist a Fanatic? Chapter 8: Men, Molecules, Power, and Free Will Chapter 9: The Ideal, the Individual, Religion, Science, and the Law» — la tercera parte del índice nombra en sus títulos los casos que el libro trata: Jonestown, Harrisburg y la pregunta por cuándo un idealista es un fanático
«PART FOUR: THE PRACTICING IDEALIST Chapter 10: The Good, the Better, and the Best. Value Fulfillment Versus Competition About the Author» — la cuarta parte del índice se reduce a un capítulo sobre el cumplimiento de valor frente a la competencia, y cierra con la nota biográfica
«If it hadn’t been for his encouragement and active participation, I doubt that the Seth sessions would exist in their present form.» — Roberts declara que sin el aliento y la participación activa de Butts duda que las sesiones de Seth existieran en su forma presente
«For that reason he examines the public arena, and devotes a good deal of material to Three Mile Island and to the Jonestown mass suicides as well. Both situations occurred as Seth was dictating this book, and while they are contemporary, both cases are classic in their implications.» — Roberts anuncia los dos casos públicos a que el libro dedica más material, Three Mile Island y los suicidios de masa de Jonestown, y dice que los dos ocurrieron mientras Seth dictaba
«Elmira, New York September 22, 1979» — Roberts firma su introducción con lugar y fecha, Elmira, Nueva York, el 22 de septiembre de 1979, un mes después del final del dictado
«This Introduction represents my only conscious contribution to this entire book, for» — Roberts declara el alcance de su propia mano en el volumen: la introducción es su única contribución consciente al libro entero; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase sigue con el ejemplo en la siguiente
«Rob’s notes provide the necessary exterior orientation for this present volume, as they do for the previous Seth books, and hint at the framework of normal life in which Seth so gallantly “appears” twice weekly, tossing off my glasses and thereby signaling the beginning of my trance.» — Roberts describe la función de las notas de Butts: dan la orientación exterior del volumen, como en los libros anteriores, y apuntan al marco de vida normal en que Seth aparece dos veces por semana quitándole los anteojos
«My daily life is lived with the knowledge of that association, of course, and my normal routine now includes “turning into Seth” twice weekly, and has for years.» — Roberts consigna la rutina: su vida diaria incluye desde hace años convertirse en Seth dos veces por semana
«Mass Events is the sixth1 book that Seth has produced — all of them with Jane’s active cooperation, obviously, as well as my own, since I write down his material verbatim, then add my own notes.» — Butts cifra el lugar del volumen en la serie y describe el reparto del trabajo: él escribe el material verbatim y luego añade sus notas; el *1* pegado a *sixth* es la llamada de una nota suya
«Seth is a highly creative “energy personality essence,” as he calls himself, who speaks through Jane while she’s in a trance or dissociated state.» — Butts presenta a Seth con la fórmula con que Seth se nombra a sí mismo, esencia de personalidad energética, que habla a través de Jane en trance o en estado disociado
«We usually hold two “sessions,” or meetings with Seth each week, totaling three or four hours, but we think that actually Seth could talk 24 hours a day for the rest of our lives, and still not cover all of the material he’s capable of tuning in to for us.» — Butts da el ritmo de trabajo, dos sesiones semanales de tres o cuatro horas, y estima que Seth podría hablar el día entero sin agotar lo que puede sintonizar
«Often Jane has little memory of the information she delivers as, or for, Seth. She began speaking for him in December 1963, and shows no signs of slackening her output.» — Butts consigna que Jane suele recordar poco de lo que entrega como Seth, data el comienzo en diciembre de 1963 y dice que la producción no afloja
«At times her Seth voice can be very powerful indeed, with an accent I have yet to succeed in describing. When she’s really into her trance state, her blue-gray eyes become much darker, much more luminous and penetrating.» — Butts describe los signos físicos del trance: la voz de Seth muy poderosa, con un acento que él no logra describir, y los ojos de ella más oscuros, luminosos y penetrantes
«And now for the notes I wrote in April 1977, opening the first session for Mass Events. Although I’ve added to my notes for Seth’s book since he finished dictating it, I’ve done so very briefly in order to keep them as contemporary as possible.» — Butts declara la fecha y el método de sus notas: las escribió en abril de 1977 al abrir la primera sesión y desde entonces solo añadió muy poco, para conservarlas contemporáneas del dictado
«One might say that Mass Events had its origins two Seth books ago — way back in Volume I of “Unknown” Reality, which Seth finished dictating in June 1974. At 10:14 in the 697th session for that work, he made this statement: “I will have more to say concerning illnesses, epidemics, and mass disorders in this book.» — Butts data el origen del libro en el primer tomo de The *Unknown* Reality, y lo prueba citando la promesa de Seth en la sesión 697, a las 10:14, de decir más sobre enfermedades, epidemias y desórdenes de masa
«It wasn’t until I was checking the page [or printer’s] proofs for Volume 1 last week that I realized Seth hadn’t followed through on his promise. I’d also forgotten to remind him to do so. I asked Jane if Seth could devote the next session to that subject matter so that I could insert it in Volume 2 of “Unknown” Reality as a note or an» — Butts cuenta el origen práctico del volumen: al corregir las pruebas del primer tomo notó que Seth no había cumplido la promesa, y pidió una sesión sobre el asunto para meterla como nota o apéndice; el tramo se corta en el borde de trozo y sigue con la palabra *appendix*
«We also thought it was a good time to pose questions for Seth — for just two weeks ago, in the 800th session, he’d finished dictating his own fifth book, The Nature of the Psyche: Its Human Expression.2» — Butts fecha el arranque de este libro dos semanas después de que Seth terminara el quinto, The Nature of the Psyche, en la sesión 800; el *2* pegado es la llamada de una nota suya
«I sat opposite Jane in our quiet, softly-lit living room, working on these notes while I waited for her to take off her glasses and go easily into trance. I felt a familiar sense of anticipation as I thought of recording the excellent session to come. And that’s when Seth surprised us.» — Butts describe la escena de la sesión primera: él enfrente, tomando notas, esperando a que ella se quite los anteojos y entre en trance, y el remate en que Seth los sorprendió
«Our young tiger cat, Billy, had been sleeping on a nearby chair. Now he woke up, stretched, jumped down and walked over to Jane as she spoke for Seth. Billy crouched to jump up into her lap. I picked him up and headed for the cellar door. Jane remained in trance.» — Butts anota entre paréntesis, a media sesión, lo que pasa en la sala: el gato se despierta y él lo lleva al sótano mientras Jane sigue en trance; es el tipo de acotación que el volumen imprime dentro del dictado y que es siempre de él
«Jane came out of her trance in a sort of amazed silence — which meant that she had some idea of what Seth had been talking about, as sometimes happens.» — Butts anota la salida del trance de Roberts con silencio asombrado, y consigna que a veces ella tiene alguna idea de lo que Seth estuvo diciendo
«Jane had started doing some typing on the final manuscript for Seth’s The Nature of the Psyche: Its Human Expression a couple of days ago. She was also working on her own The Afterdeath Journal of an American Philosopher: The World View of William James.» — Butts sitúa en qué trabajaba Roberts al arrancar este libro: el manuscrito final de The Nature of the Psyche y su propio libro sobre William James
«“But I’m really surprised. I had no idea of this tonight,” Jane said as soon as she was Jane again — thereupon emphasizing anew some of our endless questions about» — Roberts declara su sorpresa al salir del trance; Butts convierte eso en preguntas sin respuesta sobre qué porción de la personalidad de ella había planeado el libro, y el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«I don’t know yet how I’ll go about producing my part of Mass Events, of course, but the reader, picking up the finished work, will be able to tell at a glance all the decisions I made: whether the session notes are long or short, numerous or scarce, how often I referred to the other Seth books, and whether or not I added any appendix material.» — Butts declara en la primera sesión que aún no sabe cómo hará su parte del libro, y enumera las decisiones que el lector podrá leer de un vistazo en el volumen terminado
«In the order of their publication the five previous Seth books are: Seth Speaks: The Eternal Validity of the Soul; The Nature of Personal Reality: A Seth Book; Volumes 1 and 2 of the “Unknown” Reality: A Seth Book; and The Nature of the Psyche: Its Human Expression.» — Butts, en la nota 1 de la sesión 801, enumera por orden de publicación los cinco libros de Seth anteriores a este
«That is, we have yet to manage to work on just one book of any kind at a time; that would be too simple! There’s always a long slow rate of turnover in our labors, it seems: As one book or project is finished, another rises almost effortlessly to take its place, and everything rolls along together until the next large change comes about.» — Butts describe el modo de trabajo de la casa: nunca un solo libro a la vez, con un proyecto que releva a otro casi sin esfuerzo
«Another purpose is involved in presenting Mass Events in context, though: I plan to use current professional and personal events from our lives as a sort of background or framework for the book as Jane delivers it for Seth.» — Butts declara el criterio con que arma su aparato: usar los sucesos profesionales y personales de ellos como marco del libro que Roberts entrega para Seth
«This reconstruction of the past can be both fascinating and frustrating as I compare dates, session numbers, and our daily activities. Somehow, immersed in all of that minutiae of the past, I revive it so that it becomes part of the present once more — and that coexistence then reminds me of Seth’s idea of simultaneous time; perhaps, outside of dreaming, it’s the best approximation I can make of the paradoxical notion that all exists at once, and that all changes together, for each time I regard one of my past moments from the present, I change both that past and the present.» — Butts describe el efecto que le produce reconstruir fechas y sesiones, y lo empareja con la idea de tiempo simultáneo de Seth: cada vez que mira un momento pasado desde el presente cambia los dos
«In January we obtained an unlisted telephone number, because we could no longer handle the 600-or-so calls a month that were coming in.» — Butts data en enero de 1977 el cambio a teléfono no listado, porque no daban abasto con unas seiscientas llamadas al mes
«Seth’s delivery is remarkably clear and unambiguous, but once in a while he’ll come through with an awkward sentence (as we all do), or one that combines the singular and the plural when one or the other should be used throughout, or he’ll repeat a certain word too often. On such occasions Jane and I may recast the sentence slightly while maintaining the syntax, or add a clarifying word or phrase in brackets [like this].» — Butts, en la nota 3 de la sesión 801, declara qué mano mete en el dictado: recomponer una frase torpe manteniendo la sintaxis o añadir una palabra aclaratoria entre corchetes
«But except for such minor alterations, or in the case of personal information, which we may delete, Seth’s material is presented as received, and we never arbitrarily eliminate any of it — occasionally to the pain of others, I’m afraid.» — Butts declara el límite de esa intervención: fuera de esos retoques menores y de la información personal que borran, el material se presenta como se recibe y nunca se elimina nada arbitrariamente
«We think it important that these sessions be given just as Jane delivers them, for after all the manner of that presentation, and its organization, are vital parts of the whole Seth phenomenon. So is the speed of delivery, for that matter. I want to remind the reader that the Seth books are spoken books rather than written ones, and that ordinarily Seth has no chance to revise his copy.» — Butts justifica esa política por la forma misma del fenómeno: la manera de presentar y la organización son parte de él, y los libros de Seth son hablados, no escritos, sin oportunidad de revisar
«I’m especially interested in Seth’s material on inoculations, since on two separate occasions I underwent severe physical reactions after receiving them. Jane has also had some unfavorable experiences with inoculations.» — Butts declara su propio interés en el asunto de las inoculaciones por dos reacciones físicas severas propias, y consigna que Roberts también tuvo malas experiencias
«As for myself, I took both preventative “treatments” before Jane began speaking for Seth in 1963. One led to a strong serum reaction that incapacitated me for two weeks; the other resulted in a partial paralysis lasting several days. I accepted the vaccines because I yielded (if somewhat reluctantly) to conventional parental and medical pressures, as well as my own beliefs of the time: I was “supposed” to take the inoculations; they would be “good” for me.» — Butts data sus dos reacciones antes de 1963, describe una reacción de suero que lo incapacitó dos semanas y una parálisis parcial de varios días, y atribuye su aceptación a la presión parental y médica y a sus propias creencias de entonces
«Still, it would seem to be almost impossible to do without inoculation programs in our society — they’re such a strong part of our national and private medical belief systems.» — Butts acota su propia postura y concede que los programas de inoculación son parte fuerte de los sistemas de creencias médicas nacionales y privadas
«Occasionally, instead of calling for a particular word or phrase to be underlined for emphasis, Seth delivers it louder — sometimes much louder. I often underline such material so the reader will know just what’s been stressed. On the printed page the results look pretty much like those words Seth himself wants underlined, but during the session they come through quite differently.» — Butts, en la nota 2, explica una convención de la transcripción: subraya también lo que Seth dice más fuerte, de modo que en la página impresa el énfasis de volumen y el subrayado pedido se ven igual
«Jane has great energy and power at her disposal when speaking for Seth, and I can often feel those qualities as though they form a collective palpable entity in itself.» — Butts describe la energía de Roberts al hablar por Seth como algo que él siente a veces formar una entidad palpable colectiva
«The Seth voice can be stunning in volume and rapidity of delivery, however, and can seemingly continue in those modes indefinitely: I’ve witnessed some truly remarkable demonstrations, lasting several hours.» — Butts consigna que la voz de Seth puede ser asombrosa en volumen y rapidez y sostenerse horas, y que eso casi nunca se lleva tan lejos en las sesiones regulares
«Nor is Jane ever exhausted by speaking for Seth — rather, she reports an infusion of energy, both subjectively and objectively. As she’s often said, she “rides” the Seth voice, or the energy behind or within it.» — Butts niega que hablar por Seth agote a Roberts y consigna en cambio una infusión de energía; ella dice cabalgar la voz de Seth o la energía que está detrás o dentro de ella
«For all of the disadvantages of vaccination and inoculation programs, then, Seth obviously doesn’t recommend that we abandon them at present, since most of us believe in their efficiency. It may be some time before private beliefs are strong enough to sustain us, without the use of those medical “crutches.” Still, we can try to minimize such dependency (as Jane and I do now), and to avoid taking shots simply because they’re “in vogue.”» — Butts, en la nota 3, resume la postura práctica de la casa: Seth no recomienda abandonar las vacunas mientras la mayoría crea en ellas, y él y Roberts se limitan a minimizar la dependencia
«Still, Jane and I do have our cats inoculated against feline distemper and respiratory viruses; pets acquired at humane societies (as ours often are) have already shared an infected environment. We suppose that if we had young children we’d see to their receiving the immunizations they “should” have, or are required to have by a school board, for example. It’s very difficult in our society to rely upon beliefs alone where other people are involved,» — Butts declara la incoherencia práctica que asume: vacunan a sus gatos y vacunarían a sus hijos, porque en la sociedad es difícil apoyarse solo en las creencias cuando hay terceros de por medio
«The English naturalist, Charles Darwin (1809–1882), maintained in his theory of organic evolution that all plants and animals develop from their own previous forms by inheriting minute variations through succeeding generations, with those forms best fitted to the environment being the ones most likely to survive.» — Butts, en la nota 4, resume la teoría de Darwin para el lector, con las fechas del naturalista, la variación mínima heredada y la supervivencia de las formas mejor ajustadas al ambiente
«Amazingly, another English naturalist, Alfred Wallace (1823–1913), independently developed a similar theory, and the two men had their work presented to science in the same paper in 1858. The next year Darwin published his On the Origin of Species. I’m sure Seth would say that the whole affair was hardly a coincidence, since he’s commented several times that new ideas often separately arise more than once in a given historical period.» — Butts consigna que Alfred Wallace desarrolló una teoría similar por separado, que los dos la presentaron en un mismo artículo en 1858 y que Darwin publicó On the Origin of Species al año siguiente, y lo enlaza con lo que Seth dice de las ideas que surgen más de una vez en un mismo periodo
«In ordinary terms, various kinds of plague, including the bubonic and the infamous “Black Death,” were (and still are) spread to man by fleas carrying a bacterium from infected rats. Other forms of the affliction are carried by other rodents.» — Butts, en la nota 1 de la sesión 802, da el relato ordinario de la peste: pulgas que llevan una bacteria de ratas infectadas, y otras formas llevadas por otros roedores
«In Seth’s terms, through the complicated interactions and communications involving all forms of life, man’s deep dissatisfactions would have periodically helped trigger the resurgence of scourges like the plagues: In 3rd-century Rome, for instance, several thousand people were said to have died each day; estimates are that over a 20-year period in the 14th century, three-quarters of the population of Europe and Asia perished; there was the great plague of London in 1665, and so forth.» — Butts contrapone a ese relato el de Seth, donde la insatisfacción honda del hombre dispararía periódicamente los azotes, y da las cifras: varios miles de muertos al día en la Roma del siglo III, tres cuartos de la población de Europa y Asia en veinte años del siglo XIV, la gran peste de Londres de 1665
«Seth’s material on dying and the nature of consciousness immediately reminded me of what he’d said at 11:20 in the 801st session: “Dying is a biological necessity … Inherently, each individual knows that he or she must die physically in order to survive spiritually and psychically … The self outgrows the flesh.” I’d been thinking about those passages, and when Seth returned to the subject tonight I decided to have some fun with our accepted social and scientific establishments by writing this note.» — Butts declara el motivo de su nota 1 de la sesión 803: divertirse con los establecimientos social y científico aceptados a propósito de lo que Seth dice del morir
«What grandiose claims these are, however — at least at this time — for Jane and I also read that in the last three-quarters of a century science has managed to bring about an increase of only four years in the life expectancy of the adult white male: from 69 to 73 years.» — Butts objeta a esas promesas la cifra que él mismo leyó: en tres cuartos de siglo la ciencia añadió cuatro años a la esperanza de vida del varón blanco adulto, de 69 a 73
«Right now I’d bet that man will most certainly try with all of his might every technique he can devise in order to prolong physical life as long as possible — so great is his conscious fear of death as the consummate extinction for all time to come.» — Butts pronostica que el hombre intentará toda técnica para prolongar la vida física, y lo atribuye a su miedo consciente a la muerte como extinción definitiva
«Seth’s ideas about the true nature — the necessity — of dying directly contradict more and more of what we read these days. Now a number of scientists tell us that long before the end of this century we’ll have the ability to prolong our physical lives forever — or at least indefinitely, to be more “practical” about it.» — Butts contrapone lo dictado a lo que él y Roberts leen por esos años, con científicos que prometen prolongar la vida física para siempre antes de que acabe el siglo
«We’re told again and again that technically we’re on the verge of producing artificial versions of many bodily parts, as well as microcomputers that will be implanted within the body to regulate its performance; these advances, plus our “conquering” of disease, pain, and suffering, plus genetic engineering, will soon make it possible for human beings to live indefinitely. Those in the know maintain that if you are fortunate enough to be a younger person, you may never have to die.» — Butts enumera las promesas: partes corporales artificiales, microcomputadoras implantadas, la conquista de la enfermedad y el dolor, la ingeniería genética, y para los jóvenes la de no tener que morir nunca
«But nowhere do we see anything about any spiritual dilemmas that may be involved with all of this, or about the enormous social problems — challenges, to be sure — that could soon begin to manifest themselves if anything even approaching “eternal life” comes within the reach of numbers of people. Think of the legalities alone involved.» — Butts objeta que en esas promesas no se vea nada del dilema espiritual ni de los problemas sociales que traería una vida eterna al alcance de muchos
«What about population control? What about those who want to live on, but can’t afford to? How will decisions be made about who receives the favored treatment and who doesn’t? Will families qualify, or just individuals? Geniuses or dolts? If the services necessary to extend life are free — paid for by the government, that is — will government decide that certain families simply cannot be allowed to have children, that they’ll be left to die out?» — Butts alinea las preguntas prácticas que la promesa deja abiertas: control de población, quién puede pagarla, cómo se decide quién la recibe, y si el gobierno decidiría que ciertas familias no tengan hijos
«And what about animals and other forms of life? Perhaps in their own collective wisdom the animals will look upon us as though we’ve altogether given up our powers of intuitive understanding.» — Butts cierra su nota poniendo a los animales como testigos, que en su sabiduría colectiva podrían vernos como quienes renunciaron a su comprensión intuitiva
«There’s much irony involved in the whole idea of living indefinitely. If such a possibility is ever achieved, I think that on conscious levels the members of the species will come to fear the chance of accidental death more than anything else, and that this powerful concern may seriously circumscribe behavior. For who, knowing that for all practical purposes he or she is “immortal,” will want to risk that most precious gift of all — life — by doing anything that could rudely take it away?» — Butts prevé la ironía de una vida indefinida: el miedo al accidente sustituiría al miedo a la muerte y circunscribiría la conducta
«As for Jane and me, we really don’t think it necessary that we live forever physically, or even to be 200 years old — an attitude that may be no more than a sign of our own conditioning.» — Butts declara la postura de los dos sobre el asunto y la acota en la misma frase como posible signo de su propio condicionamiento
«Jane added that the suicide rate would rise considerably after the many implications associated with extended lifetimes began to penetrate human consciousness. People, she said, at last openly recognizing the great necessity and desirability of biological death, would in many instances simply “turn themselves off.”» — Roberts, citada por Butts, pronostica que la tasa de suicidios subiría al calar las implicaciones de la vida extendida, y que la gente se apagaría a sí misma al reconocer la necesidad de la muerte biológica
«Albert Einstein, in his special theory of relativity, demonstrated that nothing else in the universe can quite reach — let alone surpass — the speed of light. Some physicists have theorized about certain faster-than-light “particles,” however, that by some unknown process are created traveling at such enormous velocities; thus in that way they try to get around the limits set by Einstein.» — Butts, en la nota 2 de la sesión 803, resume la relatividad especial de Einstein y las partículas más rápidas que la luz con que algunos físicos intentan rodear ese límite
«Jane explained that when I did this she was “already three or four sentences ahead” in the material, and the question forced her to look back at what she’d just said. Then, knowing it was late even though she was in trance, she suddenly decided to close out the session.» — Butts consigna por qué se cortó la sesión: al pedirle que repitiera una palabra, Roberts, que iba tres o cuatro frases adelante en el material, tuvo que mirar atrás y decidió cerrarla
«Seth is certainly right when he says that “senility is a mental and physical epidemic,” considering the many millions of people who have suffered — and perished — from it in the past. I watched my father go through the ravages of senility; he died in November 1971, at the age of 81.» — Butts, en la nota 2 de la sesión 804, suscribe lo dicho de la senilidad desde su propio caso y data la muerte de su padre en noviembre de 1971 a los ochenta y un años
«As I watched my father grow older, with an accompanying progressive loss of memory and function, I used to wonder why he didn’t consciously revise his response to life — and why I never saw any indication that he wanted to.» — Butts cuenta que se preguntaba por qué su padre no revisaba conscientemente su respuesta a la vida, y que nunca vio indicio de que quisiera hacerlo
«Now, there’s very recent discussion in medical circles that many cases of senility are caused by a “slow virus infection,” rather than just heredity or the traditional aging and oxygen starvation of the brain. The hope, and the unproven speculation, are that eventually such an infection might be treatable medically.» — Butts consigna la discusión médica de entonces, que atribuía muchos casos de senilidad a una infección viral lenta en vez de a la herencia o al envejecimiento
«When Seth came through with “You get what you concentrate upon,” I remembered that he’d first spoken that sentence some years ago — and that soon afterward I’d made a little paper sign bearing those words and taped it to a wall in one of the two apartments we occupied in Elmira, New York. Had I dated the excerpt? I knew that a few years later the sign had accompanied us on our move to the hill house just outside the city, where we live now. After tonight’s session I found it — again upon a wall — with the date: February 26, 1972.» — Butts, en la nota 1 de la sesión 805, data la frase en una sesión personal anterior y cuenta que hizo con ella un letrero de papel que sigue pegado en la pared, fechado el 26 de febrero de 1972
«The session had been an impromptu one, and developed on our last night in Marathon because we’d been worrying about our goals in life, and how significant a part the Seth material might play in our affairs.» — Butts sitúa el origen de esa frase en una sesión improvisada en Marathon, en los Cayos de Florida, motivada por la preocupación de los dos por sus metas en la vida y por el papel del material de Seth
«The Seth Material had been published in mid-1970, but sales were slow, and Seth Speaks wasn’t out yet; we’d just finished correcting the page proofs for that work. I’d given up my commercial art job before we went on vacation, and didn’t know what I’d end up doing, besides helping Jane as much as I could.» — Butts consigna la situación económica de entonces: The Seth Material publicado a mediados de 1970 con ventas lentas, Seth Speaks aún sin salir, y él sin trabajo tras dejar el de arte comercial
«All of our possessions were in Elmira. To convert to trailer living meant that we’d have to dispose of most of what we owned, including paintings and manuscripts, furniture, files, books, and many written records — something we probably couldn’t have brought ourselves to do.» — Butts explica por qué no se mudaron a Florida: habrían tenido que deshacerse de casi todo lo que tenían, pinturas, manuscritos, muebles, archivos, libros y registros escritos
«Seth didn’t mention it in the session tonight, but Jane and I find it extremely interesting that just last week much national publicity was given to the ongoing two-year-old controversy among cancer specialists over whether women — especially those under 50 years of age — should be given routine mammograms (X-ray examinations) in efforts to detect breast cancer in its early stages.» — Butts data la controversia contemporánea sobre las mamografías de rutina en mujeres menores de cincuenta años y la trae al lado de lo dictado esa noche
«Scientific advisers to the government’s National Cancer Institute, which is conducting elaborate studies of many thousands of women of varying ages, have called for a halt to the routine screening of younger women. These scientists are on record as stating that such X-raying may cause more breast cancer than it cures.» — Butts consigna que los asesores científicos del National Cancer Institute pidieron detener el tamizaje de rutina en mujeres jóvenes, y que constan como diciendo que ese rayo X puede causar más cáncer del que cura
«It will be difficult to alter those studies because of entrenched belief systems. Even the economic factors become important: Beside the great sums involved in the “official” programs, for instance, many private radiologists have also found mammography screening to be quite profitable.» — Butts añade el factor económico a la inercia de los sistemas de creencias: los radiólogos privados hallan rentable el tamizaje por mamografía
«A controversy related to that over mammograms, but one that hasn’t been nearly as well publicized, concerns “prophylactic subcutaneous mastectomy” — the process by which some women elect to have their breasts removed before they actually develop cancer in one or both of them.» — Butts describe la controversia menos publicitada sobre la mastectomía subcutánea profiláctica, en que se extirpa el pecho antes de que aparezca el cáncer
«At this time many more doctors disagree than agree with the need for prophylactic mastectomies. Those against the procedure cite the errors possible in diagnosis, including the misinterpretation of mammographic patterns. Once again, negative suggestion rules in the present and is projected into the future, for the individual is told that she is at the mercy of her own bodily processes, which might go awry at any moment.» — Butts consigna que la mayoría de los médicos discrepaba de esa operación por los errores de diagnóstico, y lee el procedimiento como sugestión negativa proyectada al futuro
«The third point is that with his views, Seth is simply trying to open our eyes to a much wider understanding of human capacities.» — Butts resume el papel que atribuye a lo dictado: abrir los ojos a una comprensión más ancha de las capacidades humanas, no otra cosa
«The second is that Jane and I are perfectly aware of all the good things that medical science has contributed to our worldwide civilization; given our species’ present collective beliefs about the vulnerability of the individual to outside forces» — Butts acota expresamente la postura de la casa y reconoce lo que la ciencia médica aportó a la civilización; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«This 806th session is such an example. Strictly speaking, it isn’t dictation for Mass Events, but Jane and I are presenting portions of it here because Seth discussed events and memory with a different emphasis, and touched upon aspects of reincarnation2 — all subjects that spring out of that ineffable, really undefinable quality he calls simultaneous time.» — Butts declara por qué imprime una sesión que no es dictado del libro: porque trata los sucesos y la memoria con otro énfasis y toca la reencarnación, todo lo cual sale del tiempo simultáneo
«Sue Watkins has been mentioned, and at times quoted, in a number of Jane’s books: The Seth Material, Seth Speaks, Adventures in Consciousness, Psychic Politics, and both volumes of “Unknown” Reality. Jane started her ESP class in September 1967. We met Sue in September 1968; she began attending class a month later, and did so more or less regularly until the end of class in February 1975.» — Butts, en la nota 1 de la sesión 806, presenta a Sue Watkins, la data en la clase de ESP de Roberts desde octubre de 1968 hasta el fin de la clase en febrero de 1975
«Then, in a private session held on the evening of September 17, 1977, Seth came through with a very exciting concept called “Framework 1 and Framework 2.” Jane and I were so struck by the practical, far-reaching implications of this proposition that we began a concerted effort to put it to use in daily life. Briefly and very simply, Seth maintains that Framework 2, or inner reality, contains the creative source from which we form all events, and that by the proper focusing of attention we can draw from that vast subjective medium everything we need for a constructive, positive life in Framework 1, or physical reality.» — Butts data el 17 de septiembre de 1977 la sesión privada donde aparecen los Marcos 1 y 2, y resume la propuesta: el Marco 2 es la realidad interior de la que se forman todos los sucesos y de la que se puede extraer lo necesario para la vida en el Marco 1
«Now for the “one exception” I referred to at the beginning of this note. It’s the 812th session for October 1, and at least some of it is book dictation. It was triggered by a visit we had recently from a reader who obviously had strong tendencies toward paranoia. Seth gave a session on paranoia in response to that encounter [but not for the individual concerned, although Jane later wrote to him], then instructed us to lay the session aside for inclusion in a later chapter of Mass Events.» — Butts explica el origen de la sesión 812 sobre la paranoia: la visita de un lector con tendencias paranoides, y la instrucción de Seth de apartar esa sesión para un capítulo posterior
«But Seth apparently just delivers his material verbally, and that’s it,” Jane wrote after reading my first draft of this note. “Even in a long book, he doesn’t go through any of those cognitive processes Rob mentions. I do when I’m writing, editing, or rewriting my own work. If I do any of that work as Seth, it’s so unconscious and fast that I’m not aware of it. And Seth’s ‘writing’ needs hardly any changes.» — Roberts, citada por Butts en la nota 1 de la sesión 814, distingue su trabajo de escritora del dictado: ella pasa por procesos cognitivos al escribir y editar, y como Seth eso ocurre tan rápido e inconscientemente que no lo advierte
«Seth referred to the paralyzing Guillain-Barre syndrome, which struck a tiny proportion of those receiving shots in the 1976 swine flu program in this country. For many reasons, the federal government suddenly ended the very expensive and controversial program last December. Then in May of this year a number of scientists, working both in and outside of government, agreed that the flu shots triggered the Guillain-Barre syndrome, but that the reasons for such reactions in certain individuals are unknown. Jane and I didn’t take the shots.» — Butts, en la nota 4, identifica la enfermedad aludida como el síndrome de Guillain-Barré, data el programa de gripe porcina de 1976 y su cancelación en diciembre, y consigna que ni él ni Roberts se vacunaron
«Second, if one keeps in mind Seth’s ideas about simultaneous time, that basically all happens at once» — Butts razona los largos intervalos entre sesiones desde el tiempo simultáneo de Seth, que hace ocurrir todo a la vez; el tramo se corta antes del inciso entre corchetes con que él cita a Seth
«The basic simultaneity of time is the most fascinating of all of Seth’s ideas, I think. That “spacious present” holds all events side by side, ready to be interpreted in cause-and-effect fashion by the organizational abilities of our more limited physical senses.» — Butts declara cuál de las ideas de Seth le parece la más fascinante, la simultaneidad del tiempo, y describe el presente espacioso que sostiene todos los sucesos lado a lado
«Since introducing them in the deleted, or nonbook session for September 17, Seth has at least mentioned the two frameworks in 17 of the 23 deleted sessions he’s given us since then.» — Butts cifra la presencia de los dos Marcos en las sesiones no publicadas: mencionados en diecisiete de las veintitrés sesiones borradas desde el 17 de septiembre
«He’d dealt with Frameworks 1 and 2 in only seven sessions, however, when I wrote a paragraph of suggestions about them on October 26. This spontaneous creation not only summarized what I’d learned from his new material so far, but gave me something I could read daily. I’ve pinned copies to walls in both my painting and writing rooms.» — Butts data el 26 de octubre el párrafo de sugerencias que él mismo escribió sobre los Marcos, y dice haberlo clavado en las paredes de sus cuartos de pintura y de escritura
«My piece is naturally tailored to my own beliefs and needs, of course, and some of its implications may become clearer to readers as Seth continues with his framework material in Mass Events. But I’m presenting my effort as close as possible to its time of conception so that each interested person can keep it in mind, and eventually write his or her own version of it for personal use. Jane has done this; we find that a daily casual reading of our respective “credos” concerning Frameworks 1 and 2 is valuable indeed.» — Butts acota que su texto está hecho a la medida de sus propias creencias, invita a cada lector a escribir el suyo, y consigna que Roberts escribió el de ella y que leer esos credos a diario les resulta valioso
«I have the simple, profound faith that anything I desire in this life can come to me from Framework 2. There are no impediments in Framework 2. Framework 2 can creatively produce everything I desire to have in Framework 1 — my excellent health, painting, and writing, my excellent relationship with Jane, Jane’s own spontaneous and glowing physical health and creativity, the greater and greater sales of all her books. I know that all of these positive goals are worked out in Framework 2, regardless of their seeming complexity, and that they can then show themselves in Framework 1. I have the simple, profound faith that everything I desire in life can come to me from the miraculous workings of Framework 2. I do not need to be concerned with details of any kind, knowing that Framework 2 possesses the infinite creative capacity to handle and produce everything I can possibly ask of it. My simple, profound faith in the creative goodness of Framework 2 is all that is necessary.» — Butts imprime entero el credo que él escribió el 26 de octubre sobre el Marco 2, con sus metas nombradas —salud, pintura, escritura, la relación con Roberts, las ventas de los libros de ella— y la declaración de que no necesita ocuparse de los detalles; tramo largo releído entero en el crudo y con la guarda anticosido apagada
«And those strange feelings of Jane’s are precisely why we’re presenting this session in Mass Events, even though it isn’t book dictation. Seth came through with some very interesting material on the relationship involving the three of us, as well as the communication between his reality and ours. The session contains just the kind of insights we’re always looking for as we seek to understand the whole ambience of the Seth experience, and when we receive such information we want others to know about it too.» — Butts declara por qué imprime una sesión que no es dictado del libro: porque trae material sobre la relación de los tres y sobre la comunicación entre la realidad de Seth y la suya
«We waited for the session to begin for an hour and four minutes — something neither of us could recall having done in the past.» — Butts consigna que esa noche esperaron una hora y cuatro minutos a que empezara la sesión, algo que ninguno de los dos recordaba haber hecho antes
«I underlined the word story (like this) in Seth’s material just to remind the reader that the Christ figure symbolizes our idea of God and his relationships. According to Seth, the man we call Jesus Christ was actually composed of three individuals who were the physical manifestations of the same nonphysical entity: John the Baptist, St. Paul, and a man historically known as Christ. None of these were crucified. Their roles became blended and distorted in history.» — Butts, en la nota 2 de la sesión 821, explica su subrayado y resume lo que Seth dice de la figura de Cristo: tres individuos, Juan el Bautista, san Pablo y un hombre conocido históricamente como Cristo, manifestaciones de una misma entidad no física, ninguno crucificado
«Seth referred to the latest scientific ideas concerning “selfish genes” — a subject Jane and I had been talking about today. (Genes are units found on the chromosomes of the cell nucleus; they carry hereditary characteristics, and consist mainly of protein and DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid.» — Butts, en la nota 3, identifica la alusión de Seth con las ideas entonces recientes sobre los genes egoístas y define los genes para el lector
«The idea of the ether, or something like it, had been around since the time of the ancient Greeks. By the last decades of the 19th century, and in line with Newtonian physics, the ether was postulated as an invisible, tasteless, odorless substance that pervaded all unoccupied space, and served as the medium for the passage of electromagnetic waves of light and other kinds of radiant energy, like heat — just as the earth itself serves as the medium for the transmission of seismic waves, for instance.» — Butts, en la nota 1 de la sesión 822, resume la teoría del éter tal como la postuló la física del siglo XIX: sustancia invisible, insípida e inodora que llenaba el espacio y servía de medio a la luz y al calor
«Late in the last century some very ingenious experiments failed to scientifically prove the existence of the ether, however, and the theory was finally dispensed with for good following Albert Einstein’s publication of his special theory of relativity in 1905.» — Butts data el abandono de la teoría del éter tras los experimentos fallidos de fin de siglo y la relatividad especial de Einstein de 1905
«I think the idea of the ether is an excellent example of how man has always attempted to posit or visualize in physical reality his innate knowledge of Framework 2.» — Butts lee la historia del éter como ejemplo de cómo el hombre intenta situar en la realidad física su saber innato del Marco 2
«The uncertainty principle, or the principle of indeterminacy (advanced by Heisenberg in 1927, and part of the theory of quantum mechanics), sets definite limits to the accuracy possible in measuring both the motion and position of atoms and elementary particles simultaneously; more importantly to my mind, for the purposes of this note, the uncertainty principle maintains that there is an interaction between the observer (with his instruments) and the object or quality being measured.» — Butts, en la nota 2 de la sesión 823, resume el principio de indeterminación de Heisenberg y subraya lo que más le importa: que hay interacción entre el observador con sus instrumentos y lo medido
«The complementarity principle (stated by Bohr in 1928) resolves the seeming paradox posed by contradictory experiments that show how light, for example, can be regarded as consisting of either waves or particles. Both experiments and conclusions are right — and mutually exclusive; whichever result is obtained is due to the nature of the particular experiment.» — Butts resume el principio de complementariedad de Bohr y la paradoja que resuelve: la luz como ondas o como partículas según el experimento, con los dos resultados correctos y mutuamente excluyentes
«I doubt if physicists in the 1920s were concerned about the psychological activity of atoms, molecules, or particles, although it seems that Heisenberg came close to Seth’s idea when he considered the free behavior of an electron emitted by a light ray.» — Butts acerca la idea de Seth sobre la actividad psicológica de las partículas al Heisenberg que consideró el comportamiento libre de un electrón emitido por un rayo de luz
«Albert Einstein, whose own work was rooted in strict causality, found a notion like the free will of an electron untenable, even though much earlier (in 1905) he had laid the foundation for quantum mechanics in his special theory of relativity.» — Butts consigna que Einstein, con su obra arraigada en la causalidad estricta, halló insostenible la noción de libre albedrío de un electrón, pese a haber puesto él mismo el cimiento de la mecánica cuántica
«At first Jane and I thought Seth was in error when he said “chariot” instead of “coach” or “carriage.” But from the dictionary we learned that in archaic terms a chariot could be a four-wheeled lightweight carriage, used either for pleasure or on certain affairs of state.» — Butts, en la nota 1 de la sesión 824, consigna que él y Roberts creyeron a Seth equivocado al decir *chariot* y que el diccionario les dio la acepción arcaica de carruaje ligero de cuatro ruedas
«The Cinderella tale reaches back to China in the 9th century, and exists in hundreds of versions around the world.» — Butts, en la nota 2, data el cuento de la Cenicienta en la China del siglo IX y cuenta cientos de versiones por el mundo
«Even with all of the help Jane has given me lately on Psyche and Volume 2 of “Unknown” Reality (see the opening notes for sessions 821 and 823, respectively), I’m still only too conscious of the work I have to do to finish the notes and other material for both books, and put together their manuscripts for the publisher.» — Butts, en la nota 1 de la sesión 827, consigna el trabajo que le queda pese a la ayuda de Roberts y la presión que siente hacia el cumplimiento de esos proyectos largos
«But naturally, I told Jane recently — again — I chose to become involved with the whole Seth phenomenon in the most intimate ways. I did so because I knew from its very beginning (in late 1963) that this process of discovery with Seth was more than worth it. I still think so. I added that I’d certainly choose to do the same thing again, and that I hoped to stay involved with the Seth books indefinitely.» — Butts declara su propia elección: haberse metido del modo más íntimo en el fenómeno Seth desde 1963, y que volvería a hacerlo y espera seguir en los libros indefinidamente
«Granted that Seth’s material may “only” be bringing into our conscious awareness knowledge we already possess and use on other levels, still it’s a fine thing that his material makes us aware of that inner comprehension — and so new dimensions of consciousness become available to us.» — Butts concede la lectura mínima de lo dictado —que solo traiga a la consciencia un saber que ya se tiene en otros niveles— y sostiene que aun así abre dimensiones nuevas de consciencia
«Here Seth seemed to telescope the two events into one, “Jane wrote, “or refer to them together, as if the distinction didn’t exist for him … Seth may be implying that the ascension was the main issue in the Christ story, rather than the resurrection, or telling us that the two events are so intertwined thematically as to be treated as one.» — Roberts, citada por Butts en la nota 1 de la sesión 829, consigna que Seth parece telescopar resurrección y ascensión, y propone dos lecturas sin decidir entre ellas
«Since we do not arbitrarily change Seth’s copy, his reference here to the ascension rather than the resurrection, and a similar one that soon follows, stand as they were given.» — Butts declara la política de la casa ante esa discrepancia: no se cambia arbitrariamente lo dictado, de modo que la referencia queda como se dio y solo se añade la nota
«At the same time, Jane and I checked a number of biblical references on the New Testament — and discovered that Seth’s passage seems to be a case where he shows a knowledge we don’t consciously possess. For we learned that of the four Gospels (according to Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John, in that order), some scholars believe that Luke and John can be read as stating that Christ’s resurrection and ascension took place on the same day.» — Butts consigna lo que él y Roberts hallaron al cotejar la Biblia: que algunos estudiosos leen a Lucas y a Juan como si resurrección y ascensión hubieran ocurrido el mismo día, y lo presenta como un saber que ellos no tenían conscientemente
«Christ himself left no written records, nor are there any eyewitness or contemporary accounts of his life.» — Butts consigna que Cristo no dejó registros escritos y que no hay relatos contemporáneos ni de testigos de su vida
«So far, we’ve done nothing about producing The Christ Book, except to talk about it once in a while.» — Butts consigna la deuda editorial con el prometido The Christ Book, del que solo han hablado de vez en cuando
«Well, it’s true that I have ambiguous feelings about doing a book on religion,” Jane said as we discussed this note. “But for all that, if Seth started dictating it tomorrow, I’d do it. Many issues would be involved — maybe even current national events. I guess I think Seth would know the best time for such a book to be done and publicly introduced.» — Roberts declara sus sentimientos ambiguos ante un libro de religión y a la vez su disposición a hacerlo si Seth empezara a dictarlo mañana, dejándole a él el mejor momento
«Neither of us has any doubt that The Christ Book would be controversial indeed.» — Butts da el proyecto por polémico sin lugar a dudas para los dos
«He’d initially given us the material on Frameworks 1 and 2 in private sessions not long after starting Mass Events, as Rob explained in his notes for Session 814. Yet even though Seth also discussed those psychic frameworks to some degree in a dozen sessions for the book, still he finally took that break in dictation to ‘re-educate’ us, looking at our own previous beliefs and those of the world at large in the light of Frameworks 1 and 2.» — Roberts, en el texto que Butts imprime firmado por ella al abrir la sesión 831, explica la interrupción de cuarenta y dos semanas: Seth tomó la pausa del dictado para reeducarlos a los dos mirando sus creencias previas y las del mundo a la luz de los dos Marcos
«We have our hassles like everyone else, of course. Seth ‘never promised us a rose garden,’ and we have our good days and our bad days as we encounter life’s daily challenges, joys, adventures, and misadventures. In this large group of sessions, Seth addressed himself to several of our individual problems: Rob’s occasional bouts of indisposition when he felt ‘under the weather’ generally, or was bothered by a variety of minor but annoying symptoms; and my own long-standing troubles with severe stiffness. If Seth didn’t give us a rose garden, he certainly did — and does — try to tell us where the weeds come from!» — Roberts, en el texto que Butts imprime firmado por ella, consigna los padecimientos de los dos que Seth trató en esas sesiones privadas: las indisposiciones de Butts y la rigidez severa de ella
«The thing is, often we’re so busy getting the material and preparing it for publication that we don’t have the time to really study it as our readers do. Perhaps Seth was trying to compensate for that in those private sessions, by taking time out from dictation to help us put the material to greater personal use.» — Roberts declara la paradoja de la casa: por estar ocupados en obtener el material y prepararlo para publicarlo, no tienen tiempo de estudiarlo como lo estudian sus lectores
«In Volume 2 of “Unknown” Reality Seth began developing his theory of counterparts — that the larger psychological self, or entity, of each of us manifests not just one physical life in any given century, say, but several, so as to gain that much more experience in a variety of roles involving different ages, nationalities and languages, sexual orientations, family roles, and so forth.» — Butts, en la nota 1 de la sesión 834, resume la teoría de las contrapartes: la entidad de cada quien manifiesta varias vidas físicas en un mismo siglo, en edades, nacionalidades, lenguas, orientaciones y papeles familiares distintos
«When he originally gave us the 812th session some 16 months ago, Seth told us it would “be part of a chapter later in the book….” [See my opening notes for Session 814.] The 812th session was held following an encounter Jane and I had with an unexpected visitor, although these excerpts aren’t personal at all. They fit in well with material in Mass Events, however — indeed, as soon as Seth confirmed Jane’s headings for Part 3 and Chapter 6, we knew that we’d found the place to present this material. We made our decision without consulting Seth, by the way.» — Butts explica la colocación de la sesión 812 dieciséis meses después de haberse dado, por instrucción del propio Seth, y declara que él y Roberts decidieron el sitio sin consultarlo
«Seth cited the same famous autosuggestion from the work of the French psychotherapist, Emile Coué (1857–1926), in Chapter 4 of Personal Reality, and then as now, he was correct except for the first two words. He should have said: “Day by day, in every way, I am getting better and better.» — Butts, en la nota 1 de la sesión 835, atribuye la autosugestión al psicoterapeuta francés Émile Coué y enmienda las dos primeras palabras del dictado, que debieron decir *Day by day*
«After this session, I was rather surprised when Jane told me that the Jonestown tragedy was an emotionally charged subject for her, and that Seth knew it. I should have known it, too. She explained that it was disturbing for her “because the whole thing is an example of how a mad visionary can lead his people to destruction in the name of religion.» — Butts consigna que el asunto de Jonestown estaba cargado emocionalmente para Roberts, por ser un ejemplo de cómo un visionario loco lleva a su gente a la destrucción en nombre de la religión
«Involved in her feelings, of course, are her own youthful conflicts with the Roman Catholic Church; these led to her abandoning organized religion by the time she was 18.» — Butts liga esos sentimientos de Roberts a sus conflictos juveniles con la Iglesia Católica Romana, que la llevaron a abandonar la religión organizada a los dieciocho años
«Involved also are her adamant feelings against having the Seth material used as the basis for any kind of cult, with herself as its leader. Hence, she’s continually examining Seth’s revelatory material — and her own — with very critical eyes to make sure she isn’t “a self-deluded nut leading people astray.» — Butts consigna la oposición firme de Roberts a que el material de Seth sirva de base a un culto con ella de líder, y su examen crítico continuo de ese material para no ser una loca autoengañada que descarríe a la gente
«Religious fanaticism frightens her because she regards it as being but a short step beyond fundamentalism, which is on the upsurge in this country.» — Butts explica el temor de Roberts al fanatismo religioso por tenerlo a un paso del fundamentalismo, entonces en alza en su país
«Now she told me that Seth introduced the subject in that manner so that later she’d be more at ease dealing with it for Mass Events.» — Butts consigna la razón que Roberts atribuye a Seth para tratar Jonestown antes en el material privado: que ella estuviera luego más a gusto tratándolo para el libro
«Actually, the session might better be called a Jane/Seth session, in that Jane’s own consciousness was often uppermost, riding upon Seth’s underlying and steadying influence. This rather unusual situation came about because after lunch today she wrote excellent analyses of two dreams I’d had recently. As we sat at the kitchen table discussing her work, Jane felt that she could go into a trance state that was her own for a change, instead of being in “just” a Seth trance.» — Butts declara la sesión 844 del 1 de abril de 1979 una sesión de Roberts y Seth juntos, con la consciencia de ella arriba y la influencia de él sosteniéndola por debajo; es la única del volumen que se presenta así
«Jane and I try to understand both the advocates of nuclear power and those who are against it. At the moment we’re sure of but one thing: A nuclear reactor meltdown, like that threatened at Three Mile Island, is just not acceptable in our society under any circumstances.» — Butts, en la nota 2 de la sesión 845, declara la postura de los dos: entienden a los partidarios y a los contrarios de la energía nuclear, y tienen por inaceptable una fusión del núcleo bajo cualquier circunstancia
«Jane and I passionately believe that instead of concentrating primarily upon nuclear power the United States should be making massive efforts to utilize many other sources of energy — at least until the risks and technologies involved with generating nuclear power are understood much more thoroughly.» — Butts declara lo que los dos creen apasionadamente: que en vez de concentrarse en la energía nuclear habría que hacer esfuerzos masivos por usar otras fuentes mientras los riesgos no se entiendan mejor
«Coupled with our reservations about the uncertain state of the art concerning nuclear power, Jane and I deeply mourn the shameful fact that for some 30 years now our country’s government and industry have neglected to develop safe methods for the transportation and permanent storage of radioactive waste materials; some of these will remain highly toxic for hundreds of thousands of years, and thus pose potential threats to many many generations.» — Butts consigna el segundo reparo de los dos: que en treinta años no se hayan desarrollado métodos seguros de transporte y almacenamiento permanente de desechos radiactivos tóxicos por cientos de miles de años
«To coin a phrase, then, we see “fantastically great” lessons in the examples given us by Jonestown and Three Mile Island. We want our country and the world to benefit from those lessons, but at the same time we’re terribly afraid and concerned that our species won’t learn quickly enough. Jane and I want a sane world, in ordinary terms, and we want the freedom to explore every internal and external facet of that world.» — Butts cierra su nota con lo que los dos quieren: que el país y el mundo aprendan de Jonestown y de Three Mile Island, con el temor de que la especie no aprenda a tiempo, y un mundo cuerdo con libertad para explorarlo por dentro y por fuera
«One remark: As far as your participation as of now in our books, it might be better, Joseph (as Seth calls me), if you do not think in terms of notes so much, but instead in terms of your writing contribution. Do you follow me?» — Seth, según Roberts, aconseja a Butts pensar su parte en los libros no en términos de notas sino de contribución de escritura
«It should be obvious to you that your own characteristics, interests, attributes, and directions also are partially responsible for the form the material takes.» — Seth, según Roberts, hace a las características, los intereses y las direcciones de Butts parcialmente responsables de la forma que el material toma
«Jane was quite upset before the session this evening, and I’m the one who was responsible for her state. Somehow, after supper, we got on the subject of Seth doing a “quick book” about Jonestown and Three Mile Island, something that could be offered to the public very soon» — Butts consigna que él alteró a Roberts esa noche al proponerle un libro rápido de Seth sobre Jonestown y Three Mile Island, ofrecido pronto al público en vez de esperar un libro regular
«But I think the main portion of my enthusiasm stemmed from the frustration I often feel because much of Seth’s material will go unpublished at this time.» — Butts atribuye su entusiasmo a la frustración de que mucho material de Seth quede sin publicar
«This year alone, for instance, he’s already given a good amount of excellent information upon a number of nonbook topics — among them the interpretation of dreams; human, animal, and plant consciousness, and the interactions among them; human sexuality; viruses and inoculation; other realities he himself inhabits, and so forth.» — Butts enumera los asuntos no librescos que Seth trató solo ese año: interpretación de sueños, consciencia humana, animal y vegetal, sexualidad, virus e inoculación, y otras realidades que él mismo habita
«We’re sorry to think that such material will be shelved indefinitely, but there’s no room for most of it in Mass Events, and there probably won’t be in future books either. I do try to give hints and clues to some of it in this book, though, as I’ve done recently in sessions 841 and 844–45.» — Butts declara su método para no perder del todo ese material: dar pistas de él en las notas del libro, como hizo en las sesiones 841 y 844 a 845
«Seth referred to the way mice, rats, rabbits, and other animals are raised in laboratory captivity, to be sold to scientific researchers who conduct experiments with them that would be considered “unethical” to do in human beings. Mice, for example, are inbred in a sanitized environment for many generations until genetically “pure” strains are obtained; these ideal “models” for research into human defects may be born with — or develop — obesity, various cancers (including leukemia), epilepsy, different anemias, muscular dystrophy, and so forth. Some are born as dwarfs, or hairless, or with deformed or missing limbs.» — Butts, en la nota 3 de la sesión 850, describe la cría de ratones y conejos de laboratorio para la investigación, con cepas puras que nacen obesas, cancerosas, epilépticas, anémicas, distróficas, enanas, lampiñas o con miembros deformes
«Although this is a private session that Jane and I are filing separately from “regular” material, we’re also presenting it in Mass Events because of the many insights Seth offers into individual and mass events in general, and into our personal realities in particular. In fact, without those qualities of ours that Seth touches upon this evening, I doubt that the Seth books — indeed, even the sessions themselves — would exist.» — Butts declara por qué imprime una sesión privada en el libro: por las intuiciones que trae sobre los sucesos individuales y de masa y sobre la realidad de los dos, sin las cuales duda que los libros o las sesiones existieran
«Hitler’s espousal of a German-Aryan superrace is an excellent example of how a leader can subvert history to his own ends. Anthropologists do not assign any validity to “Aryan” as a racial term. In Nazi eyes, Aryans were the non-Jewish, Caucasian, “Nordic” descendants of the prehistoric peoples who originally spoke the hypothetical parent language of the Indo-European language family. The Aryans flooded into India, the Middle East, and Europe from southern Russia and Turkestan. Hitler idealized their waves of conquest in his own racist philosophy, attempting to trace German origins back to Aryan ancestors.» — Butts, en la nota 1 de la sesión 852, consigna que los antropólogos no dan validez racial al término ario y describe cómo los nazis lo tomaron de los hablantes prehistóricos del indoeuropeo para trazar un origen alemán
«Here Seth probably referred to material that Jane and I recently came across concerning the views of a “radical” philosophy of change: Violence is permissible in order to bring about a revolution which, in turn, would lead to a new age.» — Butts, en la nota 2 de la sesión 850, identifica la alusión con una filosofía radical del cambio según la cual la violencia es permisible para traer una revolución que llevaría a una era nueva
«We speculated about the inevitable contradictions that would emerge should man ever manage to achieve such an “ideal” state, or society — for, given, his always restless and creative nature, he’d immediately start changing his supposed utopia.» — Butts consigna la especulación de los dos sobre las contradicciones de tal utopía: dada su naturaleza inquieta y creadora, el hombre empezaría de inmediato a cambiarla
«I put the concluding statements separate, since I thought they would be more effective that way.» — Seth, según Roberts, explica dentro del dictado por qué puso aparte las declaraciones de conclusión: por creerlas más efectivas así
«Jane plans to write an introduction for Mass Events next month, as summer draws to a close.» — Butts consigna al cerrar el volumen que Roberts planea escribir la introducción del libro el mes siguiente, al final del verano
«Now she reminded me that “a lot of God of Jane is written as my own response to stuff Seth gives in Mass Events.» — Roberts, citada por Butts, declara que buena parte de God of Jane está escrito como su propia respuesta a lo que Seth da en este libro
«In the meantime she’s occupied with her own latest book, The God of Jane: A Psychic» — Butts consigna el libro en que ella trabajaba entonces, The God of Jane: A Psychic Manifesto, empezado en mayo bajo el título Heroics; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«Through all of our personal activities, Jane and I are intensely conscious of the cultural, scientific, artistic, and economic aspects of the world we’ve chosen to live and work in. Each other individual is just as focused in his or her own unique reality, also.» — Butts declara la conciencia que los dos tienen de los aspectos culturales, científicos, artísticos y económicos del mundo que eligieron para vivir y trabajar, con cada individuo enfocado en su propia realidad única
«Through the geese I want to associate Jane’s and my activities with nature rather than technology, for in nature I sense a great, sublime, ultimate peacefulness and creativity that far surpasses technology, can we but ever manage to approach an understanding of what nature really means for us physical creatures.» — Butts declara su intención de asociar las actividades de los dos con la naturaleza y no con la tecnología, porque en la naturaleza percibe una paz y una creatividad que superan con mucho a la técnica
«And my personal, symbolic way of trying to grasp a bit of nature’s ultimate mystery lies in my admiration for the twice-yearly flights of the geese. (I can’t think of a better way to bring Mass Events to an end.» — Butts cierra el volumen con su modo simbólico de asir algo del misterio de la naturaleza, la admiración por los vuelos semestrales de los gansos, y dice no hallar mejor manera de terminar el libro
«Jane Roberts (May 8, 1929 – September 5, 1984) grew up in Saratoga Springs, New York where she attended Skidmore College. Jane was a prolific writer in a variety of genres including poetry, short stories, children’s literature, fiction, and non-fiction.» — la nota biográfica del editor da las fechas de nacimiento y muerte de Jane Roberts, su crianza en Saratoga Springs y su paso por Skidmore College, y la llama escritora prolífica en varios géneros
«Her international bestselling non-fiction books include Seth Speaks, The Nature of Personal Reality, the Nature of The Psyche, and The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events. Her enormously popular novels include The Education of Oversoul Seven, The Further Education of Oversoul Seven, and Oversoul Seven and the Museum of Time (now published as The Oversoul Seven Trilogy). Yale University Library maintains a collection of Jane’s writings, journals, poetry, and audio and video recordings that were donated after her death by her husband, Robert F. Butts.» — la nota biográfica enumera los libros de no ficción y las novelas de Roberts y consigna que la Biblioteca de la Universidad de Yale guarda una colección de sus escritos, diarios, poesía y grabaciones, donada tras su muerte por Butts
«“The Early Sessions” are the first 510 sessions dictated by Seth during the first six years of his relationship with Jane Roberts and her husband, Robert F. Butts. Published in nine volumes, these new Seth books offer fresh insights from Seth on a vast array of topics.» — el catálogo del editor describe The Early Sessions como las primeras quinientas diez sesiones dictadas por Seth en los seis primeros años de su relación con Roberts y Butts, publicadas en nueve volúmenes
«“The Personal Sessions,” originally referred to as “the deleted sessions,” are Seth-dictated sessions that Jane Roberts and Robert F. Butts considered to be of a highly personal nature, and therefore kept separate from the main body of the Seth material.» — el catálogo del editor describe The Personal Sessions, antes llamadas las sesiones borradas, que Roberts y Butts tuvieron por de naturaleza muy personal y guardaron aparte del cuerpo principal del material
«These audios consist of rare recordings of Seth speaking through Jane Roberts during her classes in Elmira, New York in the 1970s, and recorded by her student, Rick Stack. This collection represents the best of Seth’s comments gleaned from over 120 class sessions.» — el catálogo del editor describe The Seth Audio Collection, grabaciones raras de Seth hablando por Roberts en sus clases de Elmira en los años setenta, recogidas por su alumno Rick Stack
«Dreams, “Evolution,” and Value Fulfillment, Volumes One and Two by Jane Roberts. These books answer crucial questions about the entire significance of Seth’s system of thought, as he takes us on an odyssey to identify the origins of our universe and our species.» — el catálogo del editor describe el libro siguiente de la serie, que Seth anuncia dentro de este volumen, como respuesta a las preguntas sobre el significado entero de su sistema de pensamiento y sobre los orígenes del universo y de la especie
«The Way Toward Health by Jane Roberts. In this final “Seth Book,” Jane channels the teachings of Seth from her hospital bed as her husband shares the intimate story of her final days. Includes Seth speaking about self-healing and the mind’s effect upon physical health.» — el catálogo del editor describe el último libro de Seth, dictado por Roberts desde su cama de hospital, con el relato de Butts sobre sus días finales
«I left my thoughts about Three Mile Island, and began to consider a closing» — Butts describe el remate que buscaba para el volumen; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana
«statement about Seth finishing Mass Events as summer passed its zenith and prepared to blend into fall. Then I had it. Of course: The change of seasons meant that while I would be doing my own work on the book, the geese would be flying south.» — Butts fija el cierre en el paso del verano al otoño, con él trabajando en el libro y los gansos volando al sur; el tramo arranca en la plana siguiente al corte
«Yet even producing the Seth books — along with a great amount of unpublished Seth material — doesn’t call upon all of Jane’s abilities, for she’s also written 10 books “on her own.” These include works of poetry, fiction, and psychic matters as experienced from her own conscious viewpoint. She has several more books in progress. It’s safe to note, however, that now all of her work bears upon that unique, still-growing view of consciousness expressed by Seth and herself. And so does mine.» — Butts consigna que producir los libros de Seth no agota las capacidades de Roberts, que escribió diez libros por su cuenta, y que toda su obra se apoya en esa visión de la consciencia
«For now, let’s postulate that Jane and I think we understand better than we used to that our consciousnesses have no limitations except those we’ve imposed upon them through our individual perceptions and understandings. Consciousness creates all, or all that we know reflects the particularized creations of consciousness, then, and potentially those sublime mental and physical achievements are without end.» — Butts postula que las consciencias de los dos no tienen más límites que los impuestos por sus propias percepciones, y que los logros mentales y físicos son por eso sin fin
«Actually, I think that what I’ve learned has saved me from bitterness and disillusionment in later life. Jane has also been helped a great deal.» — Butts declara que lo aprendido lo salvó de la amargura y de la desilusión en su vida tardía y que a Roberts le ayudó mucho
«So our aim with the Seth books is to let Seth have his say, to add some thoughts of our own, and to trust that the feelings and meanings in all of this will evoke beneficial responses in each reader. It’s all we can do.» — Butts enuncia el propósito de la casa con los libros de Seth: dejar que Seth diga lo suyo, añadir algunas ideas propias y confiar en que los sentidos evoquen respuestas benéficas en cada lector
«Ruburt’s own development triggers certain psychic activity that then triggers further growth. He has been participating in his library, for example, whether or not he is always aware of it.» — Seth, según Roberts, cierra la sesión 818 diciendo que el desarrollo de ella dispara actividad psíquica que a su vez dispara más crecimiento, y que participa en su biblioteca lo sepa o no
«In Psychic Politics Jane thoroughly described her discovery and use of her nonphysical library.» — Butts, en la nota 1 de la sesión 818, remite a Psychic Politics por la descripción que Roberts hace ahí de su biblioteca no física
«When Volume 2 of “Unknown” Reality is published a year or so from now (early in 1979), the reader can refer to certain notes I wrote for sessions 715–16. In them I described a series of episodes during which I saw myself as a captain in a Roman military force, early in the first century A.D.» — Butts, en la nota 4 de la sesión 818, remite a las notas donde describió los episodios en que se vio a sí mismo como capitán de una fuerza militar romana de comienzos del siglo I
«At lunch today I suggested to Jane that she put together a short book on the Frameworks 1 and 2 material Seth has given us since he introduced that concept in a private session last September 17, 1977. We’ve had 31 private or nonbook sessions since then, and a number of them contain information on Frameworks 1 and 2 — much of it relevant to that presented in Mass Events. I thought Jane might consider such a book project along with her other work.» — Butts consigna su propuesta a Roberts de armar un libro corto con el material de los Marcos 1 y 2 dado en sesiones privadas desde septiembre de 1977
«In a way the suggestion was my idea of trying to do something about Seth producing books within books, as I discussed in my opening notes for the 814th session; but Seth is so prolific that it seems we’ll never get all of his material published at this time.» — Butts explica el motivo de esa propuesta: hacer algo con los libros dentro de libros que Seth produce, siendo tan prolífico que no todo se publicará
«Jane’s delivery for Seth had become even slower toward the end of the session.» — Butts consigna que la entrega de Roberts para Seth se había hecho aún más lenta hacia el final de la sesión 821
«Now another event took place in October 1978 that is most important to Jane and me: Sue Watkins received the go-ahead from Tam Mossman to write a book on the ESP classes that Jane had conducted for some seven and a half years, from the fall of 1967 to February 1975. It’s to be called Conversations With Seth. This is great news for the three of us, of course. It’s a project that Jane herself never figured she’d do, but wanted done — and Sue, who was a class member, is talented psychically herself, has a newspaper and reporting background, and is ideally qualified for the job.1» — Butts data en octubre de 1978 la luz verde a Sue Watkins para escribir un libro sobre las clases de ESP de Roberts, Conversations With Seth, proyecto que Roberts nunca pensó hacer y sí quería hecho
«Conversations, we think, is sure to be published before Mass Events, since Tam is supposed to have Sue’s manuscript in hand by January 1980, for publication in the fall of that year. Even assuming that Seth will finish dictating Mass Events later this year [1979], Jane and I will still have too much work to do on it for publication in 1980.» — Butts prevé que el libro de Watkins salga antes que este, porque el manuscrito debía estar en manos del editor en enero de 1980 y aún quedaba mucho trabajo por hacer en el suyo
«The doctor had left the office to make a call. When he returned he found Billy dead in his cage. He didn’t know why the cat had died…. We felt badly indeed — yet that night Jane insisted upon holding the 837th session.2» — Butts cuenta la muerte del gato en la jaula del veterinario, sin que el médico supiera por qué, y consigna que esa misma noche Roberts insistió en tener sesión
«When I arose early on the 26th so that I could wrap the proofs for mailing, however, I noticed that Billy didn’t appear to feel well. Jane watched him while I went to the post office. He was no better when I returned, and as the morning passed we came to realize that he had a urinary problem.» — Butts cuenta la enfermedad urinaria del gato Billy la mañana en que él iba a enviar las pruebas por correo
«Jane and I both wondered: Why Billy? Why should such a seemingly perfect young creature suddenly become that sick, for no observable reason?» — Butts formula la pregunta que él y Roberts se hicieron ante la enfermedad del gato: por qué una criatura joven y en apariencia perfecta enfermaba de pronto sin razón observable
«I was curious about the relationship between the host — whether human, animal, or plant — and a disease it might contract, one that was “caused,” say, by a virus.» — Butts declara la pregunta de fondo que le planteó a Seth: la relación entre el huésped, humano, animal o vegetal, y la enfermedad que pudiera contraer, causada por un virus
«See sessions 825, 829 (especially at 10:10), and 832, among others. 2. Review the last session, along with Note 3, which Jane wrote.» — Butts, en las dos notas de la sesión 846, remite a sesiones anteriores del libro y a la nota escrita por Roberts, y son las dos únicas líneas de esa plana
«Through all of the mass and personal events referred to in the sessions and notes since she gave the 832nd session on January 29, Jane has occasionally written poetry and painted — and worked steadily at her third Seven novel: Oversoul Seven and the Museum of Time.» — Butts consigna que a través de todos los sucesos de masa y personales del libro Roberts siguió escribiendo poesía, pintando y trabajando en su tercera novela de Oversoul Seven
«Yet she easily agreed that this evening’s session, whether private or not, cast much light on the Seth material as a whole, adding depths of understanding and background information. And, incidentally, in spite of my feelings about the marketplace, I’ve sold a number of paintings over the years» — Butts consigna que Roberts concedió que esa sesión privada alumbraba el material de Seth en conjunto, y añade que pese a sus reparos ha vendido varios cuadros con los años
«Last Thursday, Jane and I received from Prentice-Hall our first copies of the German translation of Seth Speaks. Prentice-Hall authorized this venture by a foreign publisher well over a year ago, but we didn’t know just when we’d see books within the two-year limit set for publication. This occasion signals the first appearance of the Seth material in another language, and we’re happy to note that the translator, with whom Jane exchanged just a couple of letters, did an excellent, painstaking job.» — Butts data la primera aparición del material de Seth en otra lengua con los ejemplares de la traducción alemana de Seth Speaks, y elogia el trabajo del traductor
«Almost two full months have passed since Unit No. 2, one the two reactors at Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island nuclear power generating plant, overheated and came close to a catastrophic meltdown of its uranium fuel. The situation at TMI is as enigmatic as ever, with the damaged reactor’s massive containment building sealed and holding within it large amounts of highly radioactive gasses, solids, and water. The contaminated water, some 600,000 gallons of it, floods the building’s basement in a pool at least six feet deep.» — Butts, en la nota 1 de la sesión 856, cifra el estado de Three Mile Island casi dos meses después: el edificio de contención sellado con gases, sólidos y agua muy radiactivos, y unos seiscientos mil galones de agua contaminada en el sótano
«And in all of this concern for safety there’s much irony: for Three Mile Island, and the people of eastern Pennsylvania, were saved not by the plant’s emergency cooling systems, but by nonsafety-related equipment that plant operators finally used to improvise cooling of the reactor’s overheated core.» — Butts señala la ironía del asunto: la planta y la población no se salvaron por los sistemas de emergencia sino por equipo no relacionado con la seguridad, improvisado por los operadores
«Beneath all of the frustrations and upsets we may feel at their surface manifestations, Jane and I are caught up in the deeper meanings of events like those at Jonestown and TMI, for they represent great challenges that our species has set for itself, through this century and beyond. Science and religion must ultimately be reconciled if we are to progress.» — Butts declara lo que él y Roberts ven bajo las frustraciones: desafíos que la especie se puso para este siglo y los que sigan, con la ciencia y la religión por reconciliar si se quiere progresar
«usually ends up hospitalized because of the severity of symptoms, which can include motor malfunctions, perceptual distortions involving hallucinations and delusions, strange behavior, and a withdrawal from reality. Yet the schizophrenic can also keep the use of his or her primary intellectual capacities.» — Butts, en la nota 2 de la sesión 863, describe los síntomas por los que el esquizofrénico suele acabar hospitalizado y consigna que puede conservar el uso de sus capacidades intelectuales primarias
«The Voice of Knowledge by don Miguel Ruiz with Janet Mills. In this life-altering book, don Miguel Ruiz reminds us of a profound and simple truth: the only way to end our emotional suffering and restore our joy in living is to stop believing in lies — mainly about ourselves.» — el catálogo del editor, en la última plana del troceo, describe un libro de don Miguel Ruiz ajeno a la serie de Seth; la plana entera es catálogo comercial de Amber-Allen
«For the last five weeks Jane has been intrigued by ideas about Seth’s next book, which, she said, would concern “the therapy of value fulfillment.”» — Butts consigna que Roberts llevaba cinco semanas intrigada por el libro siguiente de Seth, que trataría de la terapia del cumplimiento de valor; el ancla se cortó antes de la llamada de nota
«Now it appears that he’s settled upon a formal title for his book — one that Jane has received from him several times lately: Dreams, “Evolution,” and Value Fulfillment.» — Butts consigna el título formal que Seth parece haber fijado para su libro siguiente, recibido varias veces por Roberts
«12:08 A.M. Jane was out of an excellent trance before I finished writing» — Butts cierra la sesión 803 consignando que Roberts salió de un trance excelente antes de que él terminara de escribir; es el único texto de esa plana
«11:13. After presenting some material for both Jane and a friend of ours, Seth ended the session at 11:42 P.M.» — Butts cierra la sesión 822 consignando el material dado para Roberts y para un amigo de los dos y la hora del cierre; es el único texto de esa plana
«“Thank you. The same to you, Seth. Good night.” (12:17 A.M. See Jane’s material on her “own condition” in her Introduction for this book. She’s enjoyed a number of heartening improvements lately.» — Butts cierra la sesión 801 remitiendo a lo que Roberts cuenta de su propia condición en la introducción, y consigna sus mejorías recientes; es el único texto de esa plana
Conceptos tratados
Imaginación (phantasia) — Es el concepto que vertebra el volumen. Seth, según Roberts, hace del mito la matriz por la que el hecho tiene que pasar y de la creación de mitos una característica psíquica natural; declara imaginativo el constructo de la teoría de la evolución y también el del universo sin sentido; atribuye al hombre temprano la percepción de los productos de la imaginación como datos sensoriales y las curaciones imaginadas que entonces funcionaban; funda en principios imaginativos los gobiernos y las organizaciones sociales; y lee el cuento de la Cenicienta como personificación del ego interior. Roberts, por su parte, se mide con el papel del poeta que abre territorio místico nuevo, y Butts objeta a la ciencia que reduzca la mente a química.
Ocultismo (occultisme) — La palabra aparece una sola vez en el volumen y en boca de Seth, según Roberts, que reprocha a las escuelas ocultas resucitadas recomendar la muerte del deseo y la aniquilación del ego para transmutar los elementos físicos a niveles más finos, con perjuicio de la integridad espiritual y biológica del individuo.
Crítica de fuentes (criterios de inclusión y descarte) — Butts declara qué mano mete en el dictado y cuál es su límite: recomponer una frase torpe manteniendo la sintaxis, añadir una palabra entre corchetes, subrayar también lo que Seth dice más fuerte, y nada más, porque el material se presenta como se recibe y no se elimina nada arbitrariamente. Consigna además la política de la casa ante una discrepancia del dictado con la tradición bíblica: no se cambia arbitrariamente lo dictado, se añade la nota. Y declara el criterio con que decide qué sesiones no librescas entran en el volumen.