“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(“Can you tell us why Jane became so nervous that night a few years ago, when we stopped at that roadside picnic area in Texas?”

(It had been a very windy night in late summer or early fall. We could tell there was a railroad nearby, but it was so dark we could see nothing. The trees thrashed over our heads, and Jane’s nervousness finally infected me. We ate a quick supper, then drove on. It was some hours before we could find another place to stop. We had our dog Mischa with us. Until otherwise noted, the answers came through the board.)

Forest, Denmark. (Pause.) Jane shouted but no one was near. Railroad reminded her of a river, very narrow, that ran nearby.

(“Was Jane a male or female then?”)

(Here Jane, who had begun to hear the answers within before the board spelled them out, once again began to dictate the rest of the answer.)

Died last time when a small child. A boy, lived in England. Three brothers and two sisters. Died of diphtheria, 1871 (See page 59 where I wrote 1671. Did Jane say the two dates? Or my error re one of them—or both?) 9 years old. (Jane dictates:) Lived in the third house before the end of a dead-end lane. Died in a front upstairs bedroom. His present mother was a very jealous older sister. The doctor charged 3 shillings for his final call.

(Jane received the answer within.)

(Jane dictates:) Richard Grayson. Father’s name was Throckmorton. They had French relatives. The sister, who is your present mother, married one of the cousins and moved to France. She had many children. Many of her generation women were so wearied by drudgery in past lives that they wanted no children or responsibilities in this life, and may felt subconsciously cheated when children were born. She was drowned in a flood in another country, not France. Her fear and panic weighed her down.

(“If Jane and I had subconsciously accepted the images we projected at York Beach, [they were older] would we have been able to return to our present home, where we are known?”

(Jane dictates:) Of course. The images represented a culmination of many years experience of a negative trend. If you had accepted them you would end up as an exact replica, as you transferred into the images. If you had, then what creativity and constructiveness were still in you would have softened the faces of the images, really to an amazing degree. You would be recognizable to friends, but nevertheless changes would be noted. The remark would be made that perhaps you didn’t seem the same, and for good reason.

(Jane dictates:) There was an afternoon in a small park when you were a boy, about eleven. You sat on a bench, eating ice cream piled into a cone. It was, I believe, in late summer or early fall. You thought you were alone. You had visited your father in his shop of machines of some sort. It was close to five, September 17th, but on a day when there was no school.

(The answer came through the board as Jane sat down.)

(Break at 9:55. Giving this answer seemed to tire Jane considerably. She said that receiving the material direct instead of through the board was much more exhausting. At the same time she is definitely aware of a feeling of impatience on Seth’s part. The board, she states, is much too slow a medium to use at times; and even my writing, fast as it is, is sometimes too slow.

(Jane is developing the habit of pacing back and forth as she dictates. Her eyes seem half shut [and darker somehow], though I can see she is watching my progress writing. Usually her enunciation is good, though at times I have to ask her to repeat a word.

(Since Jane was tired, we decided to wind up this session with one more question. Resume at 10:00.

(Jane dictates:) However, you had no way of knowing what had happened, and your abilities at that time would not give any permanence to the image. Subconsciously, there is no limit, really, to what mind can accomplish.

(We rested for perhaps ten minutes. Since Jane was so tired, we decided, again, to end the session. As we sat at the board Jane received the following:)

Jane is very tired. For this type of session we really need three nights between. I could go into more on the English life of your brother, but don’t believe I could reach Jane clearly enough. Her participation is exhausting. This sort of psychic maneuver uses many reserves of energy.

(Through the board:) No. (Jane dictates:) She needs time to recuperate.

(Jane dictates:) Monday 9 PM. if possible. I understand you will have holiday plans. Too bad I can’t be with you for Christmas.