“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

SESSION 22

(This session was unscheduled. Jane had received a letter from her publisher today. We had been talking about Seth, also. Alone in the kitchen after supper, she wondered about a “little” session tonight, and received this:)

(I laughed. But Jane asked me to get pen and paper, so the session got under way in our living room. For the first time we did not use the Ouija board. The curtains were open, it was still light out, we could hear people talking downstairs and in the hall outside our door. Nothing seemed to interfere. During the session we observed no voice phenomena to speak of. There was a moderate darkening of Jane’s eyes.)

I am not necessarily in favor of sessions outside a regular schedule, for reasons having to do with your natures rather than mine.

(Earlier this evening we had discussed whether I was really necessary to the sessions. I had wondered why Jane, rather than dictating to me, could not just sit down and write out the messages from Seth.)

This is but a brief session. I do not intend to keep you very long, but I am pleased with the letter from Ace; and Jane is right, you have them hooked. And why not? My name was in the book. In any case the two of you are needed, as I mentioned earlier. For one thing we three have much in common. More in fact than you know thus far.

This is just a short private little session. I have never completely trusted the written word half as much as I trust the spoken word, and on your plane it is difficult to trust either. But I do not feel that I could be myself as easily if you tried automatic writing, for example. I do not mind speaking through Ruburt’s mouth. Somehow the sound of the words is rather pleasant. But seeing myself transformed more or less into plain black and white words on a page of paper seems dull and uninteresting. And I have always enjoyed conversation, which is the liveliest of all arts. And I am speaking now of the social arts, dear Joseph. Already I can see you yelling foul. I did not mean that conversation was on an equal par with painting.

This is a very pleasant little session and very enjoyable for a change. For heaven’s sake, Ruburt, get yourself a match. The suspension and suspense is killing me. Will she or won’t she light that cigarette? Please find a match.

As you like. Take a short break or end the session. You see I do give you some choice.

There, you two chickadees, good night for now. If you want, I’ll subtract an hour from tomorrow’s session, but I hope you won’t be that picayune.

If they every do, save them. I don’t care about how long I communicate, but I don’t want to be blamed for fatigue or missed sleep or anything of that sort. I can tell you, though, that any unscheduled sessions will be the exception and not the rule. Too much of a good thing, you know—ha ha.

(End at 7:55.”Every once in a while,” Jane said, “he gets warm and emotional, and it always throws me. I never know quite what to do. And it does take something out of you. I’m amazed…” I could see that even after an hour Jane had tired somewhat, so I said good night to Seth aloud and ended the session. Jane had shown no voice or hand phenomena, nor had she any feeling of nervousness before the session began.

(After the session she took a nap, since we were expecting company later in the evening.)