Theos-Talk Archives (October 1998 Message tt00168)

>Dear Jerry:
>
>On the matter of "continuous consciousness"
>
>I base my opinion on the concept that SPIRIT is endless and
>interminable.
>

What do see as the relationship between spirit and consciousness?
What does spirit have to do with continuous consciousness?


>If so and if our "Real consciousness," (not the personal
>consciousness of this life and body), is a part of the Spirit,
>then it "does not die" but continues on its own plane.
>

Ah! Here is the problem we are having. Terminology again.
There is no such thing as "real" consciousness as opposed
to "false" consciousess, as I understand the word. We are
always conscious of something. Consciousness per se is
always continuous through space and time and never dies.
But what we are conscious of changes all the time, as does
our memory and sense of identity.


>That is why I refer to the statements made by HPB in SD II 167
>275  I 210 295fn which to me imply there are TWO EGOS in man:  1.
>The Eternal EGO, and 2.  The Personal and transitory Ego of this
>lifetime.
>

There is, I believe, a difference between ego and consciousness.
When consciousness works or focuses through the human mind,
it developes several "complexes" one of which tends to unify
the others, and this is called the ego. The ego is a social fiction,
a necessity of our culture, but only a changing collection of parts
just like the physical body is.

>How does this Ego in the personality of this life arise ?  where
>does it come from ?  where does it go ?  what is its purpose ?
>

You can find answers to these questions in most modern psychology
books.

Jerry S.