What are the different spheres of the psyche?
To clear up some confusion about the different “levels”, or better, “spheres” of the Psyche, consider the following helpful distinctions. (By the way, psyche in Greek means ‘soul’, so the two are synonymous.) These are all aspects of the psyche, although difficult to describe, because in more general terms there is no real separation between the ‘levels’ – unity reigns – but similar to the astral plane, they are instead like different ‘frequencies’ that interpenetrate. and they are related to each other. As far as words can describe, here it goes.
The ‘unconscious’ does not exist as such. It is a contradiction in terms. Consciousness is always focused somewhere. The so-called “collective unconscious” is quite conscious. As popular as the term is, it was first used as a description from a strictly physical perspective, but in such a case, ‘Not aware-here’ would be more accurate. Perhaps its most appropriate use is a description of those hypnotized by a particular plane to the exclusion of everything else (whether awake or dreaming!) But it is still a rather misnomer.
“The true ‘unconscious’ is not unconscious. Instead, it is so deeply and unmistakably conscious that it bubbles.”
– Seth, Seth Speaks p.225
Body consciousness is the combined consciousness of your cells, including the atoms and molecules that make it up. There is much greater activity on the part of the physical body than is generally assumed. When you consider how many embedded systems we need to live and function, it is almost unimaginable. However, our body consciousness takes care of everything for us. Your breathing, heartbeat, muscle coordination, and all other bodily processes are automatic. For example, it is not necessary to think about speech processes to be able to speak. This topic is really too broad to cover here.
The intellect is the outwardly focused part of your mind that deals directly with all the necessary tasks of physical existence. If you like, it is similar to a computer interface in that it is the interface between you and the world around you. Great confusion occurs when this is considered to be the extension of identity, since the intellect is only the “residence” of the Outer Ego, the “tip of the iceberg” that emerges into physical life. (Is it really a coincidence that we use only 10% of our brains and that 10% of an iceberg is above water?) The largest chunks of identity are always under any exterior facade and provide the potential and reserve infinities from which the temporal ego draws. as its source.
“The ego of man makes him interpret everything else in the light of himself. He loses a lot in this way. The ego can be compared to the bark of a tree. The bark is flexible, vibrant and grows with the growth underneath. It is a The contact of the tree with the outside world, the interpreter of the tree and, to some extent, the companion of the tree. So the ego of man should be … The purpose of the ego is protective. The ego is also a device that allows the inner self to inhabit the plane. “
– Seth, Seth, Dreams and projections in consciousness p.114
The Conscious Mind is behind the intellect and links it to even deeper portions of the Psyche. This is the greater You that you identify with when you know that you are not ‘just a body’, a Central Ego, of all the thoughts, feelings and beliefs of which you are aware. It interacts with the ‘inner self’ and the ‘outer self’ and, in that sense, is concerned both with translating inner inspirations and impulses into outer actions, as well as interpreting outer events as understandings for the benefit of the inner self and thus So much, ultimately, for the self. benefit of all.
The subconscious is directly concerned with the automation of the mind and body and serves to link the two. If you want, it is similar to a computer processor, but with much more capacity and memory. It also sets your beliefs in motion. Repeated belief patterns can form ‘grooves’ of experience in the subconscious that take root and need to be ‘removed’ when they are no longer desirable. Left unattended, these behavioral and perceptual “addictions” impede the free flow of new experiences through a kind of tunnel vision that prevents the acceptance of new information. On the other hand, being able to harness the power of the subconscious is a very valuable skill.
The Superconscious Mind is that part of your individuality that goes far beyond what you consciously know. You could say that this is truly your Soul or Inner Ego. It is difficult to describe such breadth in words, although many have tried. In certain terms, you could say that it is the combination of everything that you ever knew and has been, with everything that you will always know and will be, throughout all of your lives: past, present, future and parallel. If you can start to understand that then you are doing it right, because it can take a long time to really fully understand it!
The Universal Soul or Spirit or Deity is the universal gestalt consciousness that contains and unifies all Psyches of all levels everywhere and at all times. In one of those classic theological and philosophical paradoxes, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, as it is both the driving force and the “moving matter” in an ever-expanding and growing universe. This God Consciousness or Supreme Consciousness permeates all of existence. Like another paradox, it is not possible to live without its presence, but it is possible to experience life as if it were not present.
As we can see, having some better distinctions available will allow us to use practical methods much more effectively when it comes to astral projection and lucid dreaming. All of these are “spheres” of the Psyche in the sense that they permeate one within the other. However, depending on our perspective, we could consider either polarity to have the smallest or largest ‘sphere’.
If we look at it from the perspective of focus or identity, Intellect would be the narrower central sphere gradually increasing towards Deity as the more expansive Consciousness. On the other hand, if we look at it from the perspective of form or exteriority, Deity would be the central inner sphere as the United Source, gradually diversifying into the infinite number of points in the outermost sphere.
There we leave the analogy, its use has been served, because in broader terms there are no such ‘divisions’! In other words, and to finish with an earlier analogy as well, it’s still an iceberg! To summarize, we can see that our surface awareness deepens and widens the further we go, and if we remember this, perhaps we will be better equipped to explore those exciting and welcoming depths.