The ego expands! (which contradicts Eastern religions' preaching of ego killing)

[inavalan]

"Now I will say more concerning the changes worked in the ego as a result of our sessions, and from the psychedelic experience in general.  The ego structure as such remains, of course.  The responsibility of dealing with manipulation within the physical universe remains, but in some respects the nature of this manipulation changes.  It becomes more direct: Physical properties are manipulated more and more on the mental level.

Many actual physical intervening steps are cut out.  The ego becomes more similar to the inner ego than to its old self, comparatively speaking.  This altered ego is aware of large portions of inner reality that were previously denied.  Structurally it remains intact, and yet it has changed chemically, and electromagnetically.  It is able to open up so that inner experience can be received.

In the past, for example, the ego accepted only knowledge that came through the senses through the physical surroundings.  Now it is open to inner data to a large degree.  Granted, certain interpretations must be made.  Nevertheless, once this freedom is achieved, the ego can never return to its former state.

The personality is more integrated, yet through its acceptance of inner data, the ego, to use the term lightly, has expanded.  It has not shrunk.  It is now composed of various elements from the whole personality.  Retaining its own consciousness of reality it can now afford to step out of itself momentarily in order to gain further experience."

—TES7 Session 309 December 14, 1966

[Deb]

Good one! From what I've read from Seth readers, some view the ego as something unenlightened and even bad, the inner self as good, with a need to shrink or eliminate the ego. Seth, in his typical objective style, is saying the ego does not need to be eliminated but simply opened. Inner knowledge and ego will eventually balance.

It's encouraging that Seth felt that process has already begun for us (third paragraph) and also encouraging there's no turning back. It's like the saying, you "can't unsee what you have seen." I especially love the fourth paragraph.

I can say I am certainly more open to my inner senses now, especially since being introduced Seth.

Thanks for that quote.

[inavalan]

some view the ego as something unenlightened and even bad, the inner self as good, with a need to shrink or eliminate the ego

I believe that this opinion about the ego was a misunderstanding, a distortion, that was perpetuated and become dogma.

In Session #305 there is another example of widely spread belief that is contradicted in the Seth material:

"Electromagnetically all living things are connected, yet each retains individuality.  There is no nirvana in those terms, in which individuality will be vanquished.

Individual selves will retain identity.  They will be able to participate at a high level of awareness with the whole of which they are part.  The whole is far more infinite than you can conceive.  In a basic sense, the whole is aware of all of its parts, and in a basic sense all of its parts are aware of the whole.  But each self must go its own way and develop its own abilities and explore the possibilities which it creates itself, otherwise the whole would stagnate.

The whole gains vivid experience through the life of its parts.  The whole needs its segments.  The vitality must constantly create itself in new patterns and each new pattern, of course, brings forth new possibilities of development."