“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(This afternoon John Bradley, who was our witness for the 26th session, stopped in to ask if he could be a witness for the session tonight. He also wanted to borrow my studio for an hour to make up a chart for one of his medical displays. He thought he might miss the beginning of the session while working in the studio, but the informality of the idea seemed good. Jane agreed when I picked her up after work.

You find difficulty in escaping from time, as a rule, and therefore you are also imprisoned by past, present and future, in such a way that they appear to be walls which never can be climbed. Not only is it difficult for you to conceive of a large concept for these reasons, but also it is well nigh impossible to communicate such a concept to you.

(Now John had finished his chart in the studio. While Jane continued to pace about the room, dictating in her clear strong voice, John entered, poured himself a glass of wine and lit a cigarette. I pointed to a pad and pen I had laid out in case he wanted to take his own notes. But John shook his head and settled down on the couch. Jane continued without a break.)

Unless you use the inner senses in the manner that I have and will prescribe, you will always receive but a glimmering of any true concept, regardless of its simplicity.

The third inner sense, as I have told you, will enable you to some extent to free yourselves from the constructions of past, present and future, and will permit in theory instant cognition. As far as practice is concerned you will never achieve such instant cognition, but you will be able to set aside now and then the boundaries of time, and you will be able at least to glimmer the reality and the concepts of which I speak.

I am sorry that I cannot give him a review. However, I held up much material the past few sessions, as I dealt with fluttery Ruburt’s ego. I trust we have that sort of thing under control. The best thing when you are standing on a diving board is just to plunge in, Ruburt. This teetering back and forth, shall I jump or shan’t I, is done with, I hope. He jumps, so to speak, in the water— but he jumps, no one else. The element is different, and that is all.

No concepts can be boxed in. The reality with which we are concerned flows through your camouflage world, forms the material with which you build your constructions, permeates every atom and molecule in your world, but does not originate in your world. That is, it does not originate in your camouflage world.

It does originate in the inner self that exists in your world, but is not of your world. The inner self-conscious ego as I have said—and this is for Philip’s edification—the inner self-conscious ego can be compared to another face, looking out upon a different world. And yet it is the driving personality and force in your world, and you use its energy as you construct your camouflage patterns.

This inner ego knows the outer ego well. The outer ego is but a counterfeit image of the inner ego. The outer ego as a rule is not aware of what you may think of for now as the thoughts or communications of the inner ego; but the inner ego knows every step you take, every particle of air you breathe, every dream you have; and it is the source of your own personality and is the representative of the entity of which it is part.

(Break at 9:30. Jane was dissociated as usual. She said that the presence of a witness apparently made no difference at all. John of course was not familiar with much of the material. Jane and I both tried to fill him in rapidly on the inner senses, but surprisingly between us we had trouble explaining them. We did not appear to be mentally sharp. John said he felt somewhat the same way. And yet, as Jane observed, sometimes under these conditions the material that comes through from Seth is excellent.

Ideas and use of the inner senses can form a shaft of understanding through camouflage pattern, by which you will receive a dismally small burst of light; but even that is extremely important.

The fact remains that the inner senses are equipped to let you perceive inner reality. You can use them; and for Philip’s information the evidence of the inner senses is immediate, and vivid, and direct—much more vivid, Philip, than for example your camouflage experience of the color red. Everyone sees red differently. There is no absolute objective red but only gradations of the idea red.

Concepts have what we will term for now electrical and chemical composition. Nothing exists in any universe or on any plane that does not have form of one sort or another. You may not be able to perceive the form but it always exists. Direct experience of a concept therefore involves the transformation of one pattern into another.

(Break at 10:00. Jane was dissociated as usual. During break I attempted to explain to John something about my sensations, my feeling of sound as Seth calls it, when the tree fell, etc. I asked John to look over this portion of the notes, but he said that he felt it would only be confusing without more background knowledge.

This is not meant to deny the importance or the value of the particular hallucinary universe in any way. It has a definite purpose. But the analogy holds, and is more valid than you might think. Complete concentration and focus is your answer.

Also in the long run your salesman’s ability, which was partially developed in another life, would play you false under the circumstances which you contemplate. Drugs are definitely your field, but I tell you again that two men in particular, within the company, will be out of favor, and if you join their league you will also be out within two years.

Practicality is what works, if you will forgive the colloquialism. I will not attempt to tell you what to do. Make your own decision. But a man operates to capacity, and operates in a most practical manner within your own camouflage system when he is himself.

The manipulation of camouflage material depends to a large degree upon the outside ego’s confidence, and the outside ego’s confidence is only strong when it follows the inner ego’s pattern. You can for a while fake the sort of disbelieving belief required, but your ability to sell is based upon your own confidence as an integrated and principled personality. Practically you would find your ability minimized, and do you speak to me about practicality?

You are in no danger however as long as you pursue your present course, but you are in peril as soon as you change it. You will find that these loose predictions will come to pass. You understand that free will always operates, this being a foregone conclusion. I also am practical in my way. And speaking of practicality, you would find it most beneficial even in dealing with your precious camouflage patterns if you would develop the use of your inner senses.

Such resulting knowledge would be practical. I am not only speaking in terms of your limited sense of what is practical, but what is truly practical for your personality is the full use of your abilities, and not stunting them through studied hypocrisies.