“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

She was quite upset after our nap this afternoon because we’d overslept; she regretted the lost time. We had to eat supper later than usual. This evening, however, Seth used my interest in the question of protection beautifully as he discussed a facet of Jane’s abilities that’s strongly related to his concept of value fulfillment. Because of that relationship, this session fits very well into Dreams even though it’s not book dictation.)

(Pause.) Some years ago, Ruburt had an experience in which he glimpsed in the center of the living room a strange form. He sensed that the form was composed of energy that was definitely predisposed to come to his assistance, or to do his bidding.

The very idea of protection, however, as you know, implies a threat—so if you believe in threats you had better have protection. It was not necessary for Ruburt to see the form again—merely to sense the reality of that powerful energy, and realize that it worked on his behalf. In a fashion the form also represented the innocent and powerful inner self, or spontaneous self, or naturally magical self—the terms are synonymous.

(9:50. I was surprised that Seth suggested a break—a rarity in the sessions these days. Then Jane said that she had called for the break because she was out of cigarettes. She was giving the session while sitting in her wheeled office chair. At that time of night she wasn’t about to use her typing table as a support while she “walked” from the living room, where we were having the session, around the room divider and out into the kitchen to get her smokes; instead she remained in her chair and maneuvered herself along with her feet. I told her the session is excellent. “I see it led to something after all,” she called out.

Jane was interested in our talk—mine, mostly—but finally she revealed that it was better for her when Seth didn’t take a break: “I like it when he zooms right through to the end.” I replied that my questions carried no hints for material from Seth. “Yes,” she said, “I guess if no one had anything to say, we’d sit here like dummies.”

Various tribes in different parts of the earth would suddenly begin using new tools, say, not because there might be any physical communication among them, or cultural exchanges, but because separate conditions in their own environments triggered mental processes that activated the particular images of the tools required for a given job at hand. The information, which was nonphysical, was then transformed into practical knowledge either from inner visual imagery by itself, or through the state of dreaming.

Dreams have always served as such a connective. You know more about your life than you think you do—and far more about your life and society than you are intellectually aware of. Early man was in that same position, and his inventions—his tools, his artistry, and so forth—came into being from the inner, ever-present realm of the mind, triggered by his unconscious but quite real estimation of his position within the universe at large, and in regard to his own environment.

Man automatically began to form culture. He did not start with the rudiments of culture, as is thought. He did not learn (pause) through trial and error to think clear thoughts. He thought quite clearly from the beginning. He did learn through trial and error various ways of best translating those thoughts into physical action. The first cultures were as rich as your own. In your terms, reading and writing are great advantages, but it is also true that in the past the mind was also used to record information, and transmit it with an artistry that you do not now use.

Memory was so perfected that men at one time were indeed living histories, and carried within their minds their genealogies and backgrounds and the knowledge of their peoples, which were then passed on to their children. It is true that reading and writing have certain advantages over such procedures, but it is also true that knowledge possessed in that old fashion became a part of a man, and a society, in a much more personal, meaningful manner. It was, of course, a different kind of knowing. At its best it did not lead to rote renditions of remembered material, but to dramatic renderings of it through music, poetry, dancing. In other words, its rendition was accompanied by creative physical expression. It is true that, practically speaking, a man’s mind, or a woman’s, could not hold all of the information available now in your world—but much of that information does not deal with basic knowledge about the universe or man’s place within it. It is a kind of secondary information—interesting, but not life-giving.

10:40 P.M. “Well,” Jane laughed, as soon as she was out of trance, “you did get something out of break….”

1. See Chapter 6 of Adventures in Consciousness for Jane’s description of how she became aware of “Helper” early in November 1971—a little over nine years ago. She’s sent Helper on journeys to many who have requested aid of various kinds. She still does. Numerous people have written of beneficial events taking place in their lives when Jane did her thing for them, but she’s kept no formal records. We’ve often speculated that just knowing Jane cared enough to send out an emissary like Helper was (and is) of psychological benefit to at least some of those in need, helping them generate positive actions on their own.