“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(The letter Seth referred to was one from Jane’s publisher, received today, concerning her book on ESP. Jane had thought the project dead, but it seems the publisher is still interested.)

Free will as I mentioned earlier certainly does operate, but you must remember that while it does operate, personalities on your plane are extremely limited as to choice. They can only choose between alternatives with which they are familiar. They can only choose to operate within their own camouflage pattern framework.

A mistake for example in notes would not apply here. However, my dear distortive and naughty Ruburt here not only put words into my mouth, unconsciously of course, but then said sweetly that they were not distortions.

I have mentioned a test and I will go into this in a moment, also to me the rather obvious cause of the glaring distortion. However, and I have emphasized this at times, because of our materials and methods of communication such distortions will almost of necessity occur now and then. We can only hope for their gradual disappearance, but we cannot force their disappearance. That is, you cannot. Outside of putting Ruburt in a deep trance, there is nothing that I can do along this line. And there you have it.

Your Ruburt saw a car, was expecting your friend, had imagined my comment, and leaped to the lightning fast conclusion, along with a rather flattering desire to prove me supposedly right in an instance that could be checked. Dear Ruburt, sometimes you are like a dumbskull if not a numbskull, and I will give my own proof in my own good time, and without such flattering but ineffectual help as this.

Just don’t be anxious, Ruburt. Also on checking wait for a few minutes, Joseph, and then ask the doubtful question again, or rephrase the statement into a question. Wait a good five minutes, but no more than fifteen minutes.

And now my two wounded pigeons, bandage yourselves up in a short period of rest. You will fly away yet. I hope these few remarks have been crumbs for your flagging confidence. But humor aside, you cannot start out without expecting some difficulties along the way, and in this most difficult area of communication particularly. Mark my words.

(Break at 10:00. Jane was dissociated as usual toward the end of the above monologue. We were both disappointed at Bill’s failure to appear. For my part I tried to snap out of it by making some jokes, but Jane did not join in. She resumed dictating at 10:05.)

I am quite certain, Joseph, that for once Ruburt does not appreciate your humorous remarks made during break. Quite innocently and oh so exuberantly he leaped upon the chance to show in the record how right I was and how wrong he was, but there you have it.

A quick review. Free will exists on a limited scale on your plane, but it does exist, and the very limitations themselves are the result of free will choices made on another plane by the various entities.

Theoretically an animal has free choice, and this will do very well as an example of what I mean by limitations. An animal is free enough to travel to, say, California from New York. There is nothing in his physical makeup to prevent the physical journey, but the point, if you’ll excuse the pun, is pointless. Even a pointer would have difficulty. The dog’s legs could easily make the trip with planned or unplanned rests, but the animal is simply not aware that such a place or destination exists to begin with.

Nor could he purposely set out for such a journey as a rule. Animals, many times using their own inner senses, have made such journeys, but their conscious apparatus alone would not permit it. In like manner such choice possibilities exist for human personalities, but to all intents and purposes they do not exist because the personality is too limited to take advantage of them.

Many limitations are set upon personalities by their own entities for karmic reasons. I want to make it plain that free will does exist, but that it is limited through use of a more extended free will on the part of the entity. Also, the inner ego is aware of so-called future decisions not because he forces such decisions upon the outer ego but simply because the future as such does not exist to the inner ego, and therefore he can perceive where the outer ego cannot.

Although someone begins reading this material on page one, for example, this does not mean that page four hundred does not already exist. Your outer ego is forced into what could be called successive action, but the inner ego is not so bound. This should make the point more clear. I mentioned earlier that cause and effect operates in various manners, and what seems to be cause and effect is often merely a result of your necessary disposition to view actions in a successive manner.

I do not mean that Ruburt should not read the material, but he should not read it immediately before a session. It overawes him. I do use much of his subconscious knowledge. I do draw upon the knowledge of his own inner ego. He is helping me very much as it is, but please, Ruburt, do not meddle. Tonight with your overhasty pronouncements on my part you meddled, however innocently.

Your intellect is a good one but we need more than your intellect in these sessions. You become intellectually involved when you read the material directly before sessions, and it could hamper the session itself. I leave your intellectual writing life alone, though you are free to use what you have learned, so kindly keep your sometimes meddling intellect out of the sessions themselves. Your intellect is a good one, again, but darling it is no match for mine.

Your intuitions, believe it or not, are almost a match for mine. When you are on my plane you’ll probably set earth’s skies thundering. You can pursue the material intellectually if you choose at other times; but not, please, just before a session, and please give your intuitions freedom during sessions.

I had intended this evening to go into our third inner sense and instead ended up with other materials. We still have very much on the inner senses to cover. Not only will they be named but you will be given exercises in their separate use. Again, this is difficult, because for me they operate in a more coordinated and organized pattern.

(Break at 11:05. Jane was dissociated as usual. The ache in her shoulder had let up somewhat, but she was not too surprised now to develop a pain in a foot. During break she hopped about until it too eased up. Discussing distortions during break, we recalled that once or twice Seth had mentioned using the deep trance state. Neither of us cared much for the idea. Jane resumed at 11:12.)

Others are watching. There is some friendly disagreement; we are all here what you would call educators, and I sometimes fear that we become too concerned with methods. I much prefer personally an active, fairly alert personality student rather than a deep trance subject who passively receives and transmits spoon-fed knowledge. I thrive on flexible give and take. Ruburt is dissociated but all the connections are left open.

With deep trance the conscious outer state is completely switched off. Knowledge is forcibly poured down the imaginary gullet, and I can’t feel very enthusiastic over such a method. What we are doing may be slower on your terms, but the effects are more durable and the whole self is aware of any knowledge thus received.

There are other methods also, but they are lesser in importance and not relied upon generally. Someday we will have to have some tests, and for my pride among my associates I hope you come through. My method does involve the strong possibility of some distortions and the active cooperation of my students, but this presents a challenge to me rather than a detriment. I imagine that I myself will be the brunt of a few jokes because of tonight’s little misfortune.

Also, I do not agree that it is beneficial for the personality to become used to dispensing so entirely with his camouflage pattern. It is necessary that the camouflage pattern be recognized for what it is, but on your plane it still must be manipulated, and the efficiency of manipulation is extremely necessary.