Root Assumptions

[jbseth]

Hi All,

One of the issues that has popped up here, from time to time, has been a discussion of Seth's comment that "there is no time" or that "all time is simultaneous".  Sometimes when this happen, someone here points out that this doesn't appear to be true because here in our physical world reality, time seems to work like a series of sequential moments, one after the other. Furthermore, if you have an appointment with someone important, say, next Tuesday at 9 am, and you don't make this appointment, then there could be unpleasant consequences that result because of this, all of which seems to be true.

On the other hand, in many different places across the Seth information, Seth stresses in many different ways that there is not time or that all time is simultaneous.

So, what gives here?





Recently, it has occurred to me that, in the past, when we have discussed time in just this manner, we have also generally failed to mention what Seth has had to say about "Root Assumptions".  Seth didn't talk about this term "root assumptions" very often, but what he has to say about it, seems to hold the answer to this question about what gives here.


In TES7, S284 through S287 (primarily in sessions S284 and S285) Seth has quite a bit to say about root assumptions.

Seth tells us that root assumptions are the basic ground rules that are used for a given existence-system. He tells us that the root assumptions that we use for physical reality include:

1) space and time, (SS, Ch9, S519, and NOPR, Ch 1, S613)

2) cause and effect (NOPR, Ch 9, S636) 

3) physical objects have a reality that's independent of any subjective cause
    (TES7, S284). 

4) physical objects, within limitations, are permanent (TES7, S284). 


These are just 4 of the root assumptions that describe physical reality.  In summarizing much of what Seth says about root assumptions, he seems to be telling us the following.  The root assumptions that are used to describe physical reality:

1) are valid for physical reality.

2) aren't valid for other realities or inner experience
   (dreams, meditative states, OBE's, NDE's, etc.).



This is something that we sometimes don't realize. Sometimes when we experience these other realities, they seem meaningless and chaotic to us.  Part of the problem we have, is that we don't understand that some, many, or all of the root assumptions that apply to physical reality don't necessarily apply to these other realities. 

These realities ARE different.  Space and time, for example, work differently there.  This doesn't mean that these realities aren't valid.   In S285, Seth says the following, which as to do with this.

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Along with this, in TES7, S284, Seth also has some very interesting things to say about root assumptions and the inner universe. He tells us that there is a cohesiveness to the inner universe and this cohesiveness is based upon a different set of root assumptions. Then he tells us that these root assumptions alone will allow us to manipulate within and understand "other systems".  Then he lists 8 of these root assumptions. Here's his list of these 8 root assumptions.

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Given all of this, here's what I've come to believe that Seth is trying to tell us when he says that all time is simultaneous.


Root assumptions are the basic ground rules that are used to describe various realities. The root assumptions that are used to describe physical reality do not necessary apply to other realities.

The idea that time is a sequence of moments that appear to occur one after the other is a root assumption of physical reality. In physical reality, time appears to work this way. Furthermore, in physical reality, we can depend upon time to work this way. In physical reality Seth's idea that all time is simultaneous, does not apply.


On the other hand, outside of physical reality, such as in other realities and in inner experience, (dream states, OBE states, NDE states, etc.)  the root assumptions of physical realities don't necessarily apply.

In some of these other realities, space and time don't necessarily work the same way that they do in physical reality. In some of these other realities, all time is simultaneous.



I think that what Seth was trying to tell us here is this. When we start to investigate these other realities, we need to recognize these root assumption issues and the nature of how they may or may not apply to some of these other realities. We need to understand this issue, if we want to understand what's actually going on in some of these other realities, when we explore them.


- jbseth