“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(In Chapter Eight, Seth had said this was my way of trying to see models for my paintings. I hoped to see something really good this evening now that I was prepared, but nothing developed. The only aftereffect was a slight headache, as before, and this soon passed.

(Maybe, I thought, the experience was a delayed reaction to the projection suggestions. Just before the session I asked my pendulum a few questions — keeping in mind that I wasn’t so sure this technique should be used to explore other than physically oriented data. Usually I get excellent results with the pendulum; I learned now that the visual-interference effects had been caused by my unsuccessful attempts to perceive a thought-form sent out by a survival personality. This backed up the reasons given by Seth, then, for the eye phenomenon. Usually we use the pendulum to reach information that is just below normal waking consciousness.

Now, I bid you an early good evening.

(To me, now, at 9:02): You, for example, did not operate within a cycle in those terms. Now: There are personal cycles of course, in which families may reincarnate, taking different relationships to each other, and you have been involved in several of these.

(Not long after these sessions began, several years ago, Seth told Jane and me that the three of us had experienced lives in Denmark in the 1600’s. Ever since then I’ve thought my interest in the art of Western Europe for that same period, embracing the work of Rembrandt and Vermeer, Van Dyke, and Rubens, et al., more than coincidental. I mentioned to Jane now my curiosity as to whether my artistic career had any connection with my Denmark life. I wanted to know my life span then, also.

Now: Dictation. In one way or another you are all travelers before you begin even your first reincarnational cycle. To make it as simple as I can, I will say that you do not have the same backgrounds, necessarily, when you enter the physical system of reality. As mentioned earlier, earthly existence is a training period; and yet as far as possible I would like you to forget your ordinary ideas of progression.

Now many personalities have extraordinary talents along specific lines, and these may show up again and again in succeeding existences. They may be tempered, used in various combinations, and yet overall still remain a personality’s strongest mark of individuality and uniqueness. While most people adopt different trades, occupations, and interests, for example, throughout the reincarnational cycle, with some there will be a very noticeable line of continuity. It may be broken occasionally, but it is always there. They may be priests or teachers, for example, almost exclusively.

The probable system, therefore, is as complicated as the reincarnational one. Now I have told you that all action is simultaneous; therefore, on the one hand, you exist in both systems at once. However, to explain to you that decisions are involved, and to separate these events, I must simplify them to some degree. Put it this way: A portion of the whole self focuses in reincarnational cycles and handles developments there. Another portion focuses in probabilities and handles developments there.

Now for those who choose to recombine, “mix or match,” events from the immediately past life — to try it over in new ways for example, lessons must also be given. In many of these cases there is a severe problem and a certain rigidity coupled with the perfectionist characteristics mentioned earlier.

Now you may take your break.

Now: Under these conditions the personality manipulates events consciously of course, and studies the various effects. The focus demanded is quite intensive.

Now in this time of choosing all of these matters are considered, and suitable preparations made, but the planning itself is all a part of experience and of development. The in-between existence, therefore, is every bit as important as the period that is chosen. You learn to plan your existences, in other words. You also make friends and acquaintances in these rest periods whom you meet again and again — and only, perhaps, during in-between existences.

Now give us a moment. End of dictation. (Pause, at 10:27.)

Then give us a moment…. We have two broken-up periods for you. One very brief, 1611 to 1635. This is Denmark. Then 1638 to 1674. In one of these the information is as I gave it (several years ago). I was a spice merchant, and well traveled. I also carried paint pigments, or what ended up as paint pigments. Now give us time. (Pause.)

Woods and charcoal. Coal fires. You, I believe, now working on the floor of a hut, involved in the final process of making charcoal. (Long pause.)

(Jane, as Seth, smiled and leaned forward.) Now, you were a minor artist of that nature for a period. Not, therefore, during your entire life. You did better than room and board, and purchased land where you determined to settle down.

You thought you would settle down and paint on your fine farm, but instead you turned into a farmer, and a lecherous one at that. There is some connection here with your ambiguous feelings about money now, you see, and possessions.

And now I wish you a fond good evening.