“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

I am of course pleased about Ruburt’s letter. As I mentioned earlier I am extremely leery about trying to get predictions through to you, and therefore at this point I do not try. I do not want to be blamed for any distortions that might arise, though at a later time Ruburt will be able to get this sort of material through without such distortion.

So choices between various alternatives are narrow on your level because of other limitations set by the entity itself. In other words, the entity, using its own— mark the Mark: Mark has arrived. This is a little instance in which Ruburt did not block me. Let your friend in and request that he be seated.

If you are ready I will explain the situation, if Ruburt will kindly allow me. It is regrettable, and yet I can give you a checking method that should be used in the future, to check any material in which you find distortions of any kind.

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.

The reason is rather simple and in fact quite understandable; and the point here is that Ruburt cannot use conscious caution in these matters in any manner. I am even, and this is quite unusual for me, hesitant at bringing him to discipline here, since he is usually so concerned about subconscious distortion that I do not want to imprint the suggestion in his mind.

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.

For personality reasons neither of you would be happy, I’m afraid, were Ruburt to go into deep trances at my instigation during sessions. And you, Joseph, would be much less enthusiastic even than Ruburt. So we must simply work as we are and make the best of it for now.

You must however remember that this whole experience is new for Ruburt, and that necessary purity of perception and communication needs to develop. Now as for the cause of the glaring distortion. It is ridiculously simple. Indeed you must already know what it is.

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.

You should not, and I repeat this, grow panicky at the thought of distortions occurring, simply because to expect no distortions is just as unrealistic, and would send you flying headlong against an eventual wall of disillusion. We are not dealing with rigidities. Ruburt will improve. I do not want to set up a fear that is an exaggerated fear of distortions, since this might well make him so rigid that he would block perfectly valid material, fearing he was adding distortion.

This will not happen today or tomorrow. I do not want the fear of distortion to undermine Ruburt’s confidence or your own, for it is the very basis of our communication. Much better to let some distortive material through than to let no material through at all.

I realize that the distortions bother you more than they bother me. However, to be truthful I anticipated more distortions than we have been getting, and my cronies have been amazed, particularly since Ruburt is not in a deep trance. It was unfortunate that your friend did not arrive on time. It was this extra element of anticipation that kept Ruburt from the usual excellent state of dissociation in the beginning of the session.

Had the visitor arrived on time Ruburt would have been able to handle the situation. It was the extra conscious and subconscious element of anticipation that got him into trouble.

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.

We were discussing free will, and if I may say so Ruburt’s little distortion was a beautiful example in kind.

The ache in Ruburt’s shoulder for example was an indication of nervousness; although consciously he was not bothered, unconsciously he knew that your friend would not arrive on time, and this disturbed him to some degree.

The ache was the physical and nervous construction of his subconscious irritation. I would like to make another note, and I believe I may have mentioned this. I know Ruburt at one time or another was aware of it. I have nothing against Ruburt’s reading of the material of course. I strongly suggest, however, that he does not in the future read the material on the night of a session. It only makes him apprehensive and nervous.

This also aggravated the ache in his shoulder. The help I need from you, Ruburt, is on another level entirely. I do not want you to become overly involved with the material, which is why it has worked out so that Joseph does the recording.

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.

Ruburt uses dissociation in order to free his abilities so that they may be used more effectively. The telepathy occurrence with your witness is an example. However it is also true that this opening allows me entry. Joseph, you will find that your experiences with the inner senses occur often at split moments of dissociation.

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.

You have no idea of the temptation on my part to cram you as full as I possibly can, and this is the temptation to which my enthusiastic colleagues often fall prey. Especially when they leave their student powerless to resist, though this is somewhat of an exaggeration. In any case bear up, you two grumbly bears. I wish you both, even Ruburt, a fond, merry and undistorted good evening.