Seth Speaks, Chapter 8

This series begins here.

Chapter Eight:

This chapter begins by saying each individual needs varying amounts of sleep, and that no pill will ever replace sleep because too much work is accomplished in the sleep state. That being said, people vary in the amounts of sleep they need. But in all cases people would be better off with two periods of sleep rather than one long period. Ten hours of sleep, for example, is actually a disadvantage because it leaves the person sluggish, both in mind and body, simply because spirit has been away from the body too long, resulting in a loss of musculature flexibility. Two, rather than one long sleep period, is actually better for the mind and body. Two periods of three hours is usually enough for most people if the proper suggestions were given before sleep - suggestions that insure the body's complete recuperation. (I'm not sure what these suggestions actually are - I'm hoping this information will come in a later chapter.)

Animals sleep when they are tired and awaken in a much more natural fashion than we do. There are many variations to how you could design this new sleep system, with ideally having five hours at a time in the sleep mode would gain the maximum benefit. Those who require more sleep could take a two-hour nap, for others a four-hour block with two naps would be best. Six to eight hours of sleep would be sufficient with naps included and those that think they need more sleep would find that they did not. The entire system would benefit - physical, mental and psychic.

He goes on to say that many light snacks would also be more beneficial rather than stuffing ourselves three times a day and then starving for ten hours. The benefits of this new sleeping and eating schedule would include, but not limited to, physical and mental work being easier, creative abilities would be quickened, better understanding of the nature of self, the functions of hormones, chemicals and adrenal processes would function with far greater effectiveness, wear and tear on the body would be minimized, psychic centers would be activated more frequently, increased conscious concentration, and fatigue levels would always remain below danger points.

One of the more interesting points he made about being in the sleep state too long had to do with people who are extremely ill. Often they are given sleep medication in the hospital, meant to give them a good night's sleep, yet these sleep aids hinder certain necessary dream cycles that help the body recuperate and leaving their consciousness highly disoriented. On the other hand, too much wakefulness is also detrimental as chemicals build up in the blood that are discharged in the sleep state.

In some cases we literally force ourselves to go to bed when our consciousness is in a maximum state - which is in the pre-dawn hours, incidentally. A clear, uncluttered, consciousness that is powered up needs frequent rest periods if its efficiency is to be maintained. Otherwise it distorts the reality it perceives. (Anyone who has been dead tired can relate to this last sentence.)

In the spirit of being as brief in this posts as possible, I will stop here. For those of you reading this book I think the additional information on how consciousness operates outside the body is of significant importance.

Up Next: Part Two - The "Death" Experience