“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Suggestions are usually statements directed toward a particular action or hypothesis. To a large extent, suggestions are tied into conscious thought processes, following the dictates of reason. For example: “If thus and thus be so, then thus and thus must follow.” There is no magic connected with suggestions — but repeated often enough, and believed in fervently, such suggestions do indeed take on a deeply habitual nature. They are no longer examined, but taken for literal truth.

These suggestions may be remarkably long-standing, therefore, and consist of beliefs received in childhood. Period. Accepted now in the present, noncritically, they may still affect health and well-being. Such suggestions can be beneficial and supportive, or negative and detrimental. Here are some examples that should be quite familiar to many people. They consist of suggestions given to children:

These suggestions and others like them are often given to children by their parents with the best of intentions. When they are young, the offspring will accept some such suggestions uncritically, coming as they do from a revered adult, so that the suggestions are almost interpreted as commands.

A suggestion like: “If you go swimming too soon after lunch, you will drown,” is extremely dangerous, for it predicts behavior of a disastrous nature that would follow almost automatically after the first act is performed. Obviously, children who go into the water right after eating do not all drown. The suggestion itself can lead to all kinds of nervous symptoms, however — panics, or stomach cramps — that can persist well into adulthood.

Your daily conversation over the years has carried a steady stream of suggestion, in which your time must be protected almost at any cost. [...] Suggestion has served you both well in many ways. Years ago you learned how potent suggestion could be when Ruburt used hypnosis with you, and you promptly dropped it. [...]

[...] Suggestion operates as an organizer, bringing you from Framework 2 exactly what you want. [...] You must alter the suggestion, then, that Ruburt primarily, and you secondarily, have been giving. I will have more to say about suggestion Saturday. [...]

Objects have suggestive value. For example, I would like one of your badminton rackets, and a birdie, around in sight, for its suggestive value. [...] I will have some remarks Saturday also about the psychic horror story in the Enquirer, stressing the power of suggestion in another area.

(This afternoon, as Seth suggested I do in the last session, I gave Jane beneficial suggestions for 15 minutes or so at naptime, until my voice became tired. [...]

(Jane wanted to know about the delayed reaction she experienced to my suggestions last Monday, after our first such episode, following Seth’s instructions. [...] I’ve given Jane suggestions twice since then, the last one being at naptime yesterday. as far as we can tell, her reactions to the first suggestion episode have been the deepest so far. Jane has also given herself one such period of suggestion.

[...] You reminded Ruburt of suggestions you gave yourself once. [...] Your remarks, however, and his use of them, became an example of creative suggestive behavior, for he seized upon the idea of the luxury of motion, and realized that relaxation is motion. This should be stressed also in your suggestion sessions.

[...] She’d also noticed similar effects after our first suggestion period. [...] Jane doesn’t know which suggestion session —or all of them, say —brought about what effects. [...]

Watch the suggestions you give yourself about your own writing and “Unknown”. Simply be conscious and aware of your own thoughts, for they serve as suggestion.

[...] I am not suggesting that you pretend the symptom does not exist, but that you quite deliberately give yourself constructive suggestion, and turn your attention immediately away quickly to other matters.

In all cases emphasis on suggestions must be upon health and vitality. To concentrate upon a hand for example to see whether or not a suggestion has taken hold, is hardly beneficial. [...]

You may, along with your dream suggestions, suggest that you see me on a dream projection, and I will tell you that I am I so you will know me.

Again do not ignore them, but do not let your comments act as a negative suggestion that already might reinforce those that he has inadvertently given himself. Comfort him when this is necessary, but the comforting should follow the lines of constructive suggestions: “You will feel better soon.”

The seascape automatically suggests the energy that moves the ocean. Now, the tree does not suggest the energy that forms trees. It does not suggest the universe. The tree does not for others suggest more than you have literally put into the painting.

[...] Each of the great masters’ paintings somehow suggest the existence of far greater realities, of which the paintings were a part. They saw the objects within their paintings as portions of a greater whole that was suggested by the painting.

Now the energy can be best suggested by transparents, rather than opaques, for the opaques are too ponderous. The opaques can be used effectively to suggest the form, superimposed lightly over the transparent energy, but never with a heavy hand.

[...] Opaques are excellent to suggest a heavy or dark mood. In portraits, while the inner skeletal structure must be hinted at, and while the figure should be well done, still there should be the suggestion of the personality going beyond the image, and of the personality’s energy radiating outward.

You did not give the suggestions from a standpoint of assurance. [...] You gave the suggestions out of fear then, not from a strong framework of assurance. [...]

[...] You must not be propelled to give your suggestions by fear of what will happen, or might happen, or could happen otherwise. In your suggestions tell yourself in whatever way you choose that your hand can be steady under any and all conditions.

The understanding that the artistic self was not being threatened should allow you to relax sufficiently for the suggestions to take effect more. You were as a result distrustful of the subconscious, and this hampered the suggestions. [...]

[...] A few remarks having to do with the main reason that your suggestions were not as effective as you would have liked.

Suggestion would of course play a part in the development of these abilities. It is difficult, even though we are so far into our sessions, to give you any full understanding yet of what is involved in the basic nature of suggestion, but as we go deeper into the subject there will be experiments that you both can try.

[...] The word suggestion is in itself so bound in your minds with other matters that even I find it difficult not to let the subject matter become suggestive of matters that do not really belong under discussion.

You think for example in terms of good and bad suggestions, and I have on occasion used the terms myself, in order to make a point clear. However what you call suggestion, left alone, is a part of the inner impetus of action, which is translated in all areas of consciousness outward.

What interrupts this inner impetus could be compared to what you call poor suggestion. [...] The break occurs first, and it is for this reason that what you call negative suggestions therefore are acted upon.

Suggestions given by an individual on any kind of a conscious basis have to be given with the cooperation of the ego. Many suggestions bypass the ego entirely. Suggestion however, as you think of it, operates both ways. [...] Suggestions may come therefore from the physical world, to act upon the personality. Suggestions may also come from within the personality to act upon the physical environment.

[...] What you call negative suggestions are often judgments of the ego, for suggestion works from the ego to the subconscious, as well as it works the other way around. Such suggestions made by the ego can indeed be caught, and positive or constructive suggestions given to replace them.

You can indeed to a large measure train yourself to react to constructive rather than impeding suggestions. [...] This also implies that some part of the personality does the choosing, and is capable of distinguishing a constructive suggestion from an impeding one. And here it is necessary that we discuss more thoroughly the nature or characteristics of constructive suggestions versus impeding ones, for one may turn into the other.

Suggestion is therefore one of the characteristics of action. The term suggestion is a poor one. [...]

I mentioned in the past those suggestions given by Ruburt to himself, concerning the continued health of the physical organism. [...] In our dream material we will go deeply into the nature of health suggestions given in connection with the dream situation, and such suggestions may be considered a part of this evening’s list. [...] Therefore they apply, the dietary suggestions and the exercise suggestions, to you only.

(I was glad to hear this, and had been wondering whether Seth would give me this suggestion without my asking. He had done likewise in the unscheduled 184th session last Friday, and the suggestion had worked well for me. [...]

[...] I would here suggest very few fried foods. [...] I would suggest less heavy foods. [...]

I will give you the suggestions, and then I will give you the reasons behind them. [...] I am mainly suggesting a change in the way food is prepared, and whenever possible a reliance upon fresh vegetables and fruits. [...]

These mass suggestions include not only those given to him by others, both verbally and telepathically, but also those suggestions that he has given to himself while in the waking or dream states. If individual A is in a period of despondency, then this is because he has already become prey to negative suggestions of his own and others. If now you see him and think that he looks miserable—or that he is an incurable drunk—then indeed these suggestions are picked up by him subconsciously though you have not spoken a word, and in his already weakened condition, they will be accepted and acted upon.

[...] If you continually expect any individual to behave in a particular manner, then you are constantly sending him telepathic suggestions that he will do so. Every individual reacts to suggestion. According then to the specific conditions existing at the time, such an individual will to some extent or another act according the mass suggestions he has received.

If you think, “I have a headache,” and if you do not replace this suggestion by a positive one, then you are automatically suggesting that the body set up those conditions that will result in the continuation of the malady. [...]

[...] I suggest you read it. [...]

In poor periods he is almost completely vulnerable to negative suggestion, so that it operates through his own psychic and physical system. He should then often give himself the following suggestion: “I will only react to constructive suggestions.” [...]

[...] Here, however, he has abandoned it, for he succumbs easily to negative suggestions. Because he is sensitive to various elements, he also soaks up atmosphere and suggestions like a sponge, and he has not learned to protect himself.

[...] If he is highly susceptible to suggestion, he will carry out the suggestions that you have given.

I told you to tell yourself: I will only react to constructive suggestions. If however, you find yourself harboring a negative suggestion, then instantly counter it by replacing it with a constructive one.

The change of environment, out of the apartment, was partially suggested to break any suggestions that might be arising simply from the length, in your terms, of his difficulties. [...]

[...] But I have good reason for giving these suggestions. As an example only, I will give you two reasons for my suggestion that the windows be thrown open and the apartment aired.

When Ruburt replaces the bedsheets, I suggest colored ones. [...] He should remember to give frequent suggestions pertaining to relaxation. [...]

[...] Ruburt has been using this part of the self automatically in the pendulum sessions, and in giving suggestions. [...]

[...] You can be sure of adequate protection if you daily suggest that you will be open to constructive and healthful suggestions and influences. Also suggest that you will be automatically protected against negative suggestions and influences.

Your hay fever situation will be greatly benefited if you particularly suggest that you be free of past (underlined) negative influences and suggestions. [...]

[...] It was also the result of negative suggestion given by your chiropractor. [...]

[...] I have given you important and practical suggestions concerning health measures, and I take it for granted that you use them.

I will have more to say about suggestion, how it operates personally, and how it affects political beliefs and even economic conditions, for it causes your daily reality. In your lives you see the results of the suggestions you have given yourselves—some extraordinarily excellent, bringing about superior understanding, growth of character, achievements on both of your parts, and a comfortable living in financial terms. [...] Your small suggestion about last night—because he was ready and open—altered the evening. Because you are less affected obviously by the negative suggestion, you can catch him, and he will now respond beneficially.

[...] It is responding, however, to suggestions almost automatically applied. [...] There, you are confident enough to forget the body entirely, as you work with the nature of suggestion, and with the changing of mental patterns. There, you are so confident of the truth that your beliefs form reality that you need not check the body at every point to see how it is reacting, for you know it will respond as completely to the new suggestions as it did to the old, even though you recognize that practically speaking some time might be involved in Framework 2’s time.

[...] The practical value, for example, of good suggestion finally does accelerate into improved behavior, though some periods of time may be involved. Finally, however, the suggestions accumulate, so to speak, in the realm or level we are speaking of.

I simply want to remind you of that other level, so that you can begin—gently, now, gently—to alter your emphasis, to begin to emphasize the use of suggestion in a new creative way. [...] What I was actually doing was trying to point you toward Framework 2, where you do each have faith in the nature of ideas, suggestions, and achievement. [...]

Suggestions always imply an impetus directing action. Your entire household is a suggestive structure. Your writing room, Joseph, is a physical reminder of your intents, filled with not only books and papers, but the implied suggestion that gives them reality. [...]

Ruburt would either read himself suggestions that he had thoughtfully written out earlier, or listen to a cassette that he had made. Another alternative is for you to give the suggestions in the role of hypnotist. [...] This involves accelerated suggestion.

[...] You did not question how your house was to be more calm, and indeed the suggestion itself was rather innocuous in its way, yet highly effective. The suggestions took hold, uniting Frameworks 1 and 2.

He should use large, general suggestions of a positive nature that do not concentrate upon details that do not automatically give rise to contradictions with present behavior. I would like such suggestions inserted when he is already in a Framework 2 situation, for they will have double benefit there.

All practical healing deals with the insertion of positive suggestions and the removal of negative ones. [...] In other words, they are literally implanted with positive suggestions, biologically nurtured, so to that extent it is true to say that in a certain fashion negative suggestions are unnatural, leading away from life’s primary goals. Negative suggestions could be compared to static sounding on an otherwise clear program.

People are not simply swung willy-nilly by one negative suggestion or another, however. Each person has an entire body of beliefs and suggestions — and these are quite literally reflected in the physical body itself.

The suggestions we have given so far are predictives; they actually predict dire events of one kind or another, following a given original action.

The people who have accepted the suggestion uncritically that they will inherit such a malady do then seem to inherit it: they experience the symptoms. [...]

[...] Yet you yourself often said in the past that suggestion could not be that important. Suggestion causes your reality. The suggestions you give are given as a result of your beliefs.

Suggestions can change beliefs, for beliefs are only accepted habitual suggestions. When you use so-called positive suggestions you must implement them through action, but gently. [...]

[...] You utilized suggestion together. You began the morning together, using suggestions consciously decided upon. [...]

[...] You roused yourselves, believing that suggestions meant something, and they worked. Good suggestions are not bandages to cover up, unless you believe they are. [...]

[...] A sufferer has adopted an illness into his own self-image, through suggestion, which to a large degree he himself has given. He has caused the illness, whether it be organic or otherwise, and only suggestion will rid him of it.

Our material concerning the construction of the physical universe and of physical matter in general may now, perhaps, give you an idea of how important suggestion is. Also consider our material on expectation, for indeed expectation comes closer, as a term, than does suggestion.

I will suggest a brief break, and with your consent we will speak a while longer on this particular matter.

(I was a little tired, however, from the extensive typing involved from the last session, and reminded Jane that some of her comments regarding this were not good suggestions. [...]

Suggestions should also be given so that a harmonious relationship be maintained among all levels of the personality structure. Suggestions should be given that constructive tendencies are given free reign. Perhaps more important, suggestions should be given that only constructive suggestions will be reacted to. These suggestions give you a leeway.

Because suggestions are formed of the same stuff that forms your physical reality, suggestions can indeed change the framework within which you operate. [...] My suggestions, if followed, will be fair enough proof of the validity of our material.

As we have suggested in the past, the dream state can indeed work for your benefit in a more efficient manner, if proper suggestions are given before sleep. [...]

Such suggestions will serve to protect the integrity of the physical organism, for these suggestions also have an electrical reality and a chemical reality, as your fear of cats has a chemical and an electrical reality that forces you to act within that framework.

[...] The only suggestions she gives herself now are to the effect that she is completely relaxed, and free of space and time. She used to use many more suggestions.

(Since Seth began discoursing on dream suggestion and health in the 172nd session, both Jane and I have been experimenting with these ideas. Jane has had quite a few interesting dreams since then, as a result of her suggestions.)

This is one of the reasons why health suggestions given immediately before sleep are so effective. [...] In this case suggestions should be given leading to dreams in which a desired situation is accomplished. [...]

(It will be remembered that in the 140th session Seth suggested Jane avoid psychological time for a while, after she had unwittingly gone too far, too fast. [...]