“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(This evening after supper, while busy with other material, Jane received the thought that it was time to begin work on Book One of The Seth Material, a project we had discussed sometime before vacation. She thought the title should be The Physical Universe as Idea Construction. She came to the studio to tell me this, and that she also received the thought, evidently from Seth, that Donald Wollheim, her editor at Ace Books, could or would write the introduction for Book One.

Usually we stick close to schedule, as we should. Nevertheless there are times that do not fall within schedule, and opportunities could be lost by denying them.

The basis and firm groundwork of the material, and its primary contribution, lies in the concept that consciousness itself indeed creates matter, that consciousness is not imprisoned by matter but forms it, and that consciousness is not limited or bound by time or space; time and space in your terms being necessary distortions, or adopted conditions, forming a strata for physical existence.

Once this is understood, all the rest of our material can be seen in the light of both logic and intuition. It is, indeed, time that such a book be compiled, and I do suggest that when it is compiled you ask Mr. Wollheim to write an introduction. We will go into this more thoroughly as we progress.

When man realizes that he creates his own image now, he will not find it so startling to believe that he creates other images in other times. Only after such a basis will the idea of reincarnation achieve its natural validity, and only when it is understood that the subconscious, certain layers of it, is a link between the present personality and past ones, will the theory of reincarnation be accepted as fact.

(Jane had coughed but a few times. She resumed in a normal voice at 8:34.)

I cannot clear your way. I can only help you. You will understand the reasons for this at a later time but it is necessary, I will not say unfortunately, that you work, and that you give much to this material and to these ideas.

If you do not have faith in them, who else shall be expected to? Ruburt, in fear of being thought of as an hysterical woman, does hold back at times, as is somewhat natural, and within limits necessary.

I do not want you to take any time from your own painting to work on Book One of the Seth sessions, nor do I want anyone else to record the sessions.

The book is not something that can be done in between times, as there should be a grouping of subject matter, rather than a strict page by page rendition. I did say however that whenever possible, and as a rule, my words should be exactly quoted. The suggestion I have just given you is the one way which will give you the swiftest and most advantageous progress; and also when the book is ready under this schedule the time would be ripe.

There will be other times that will also be ripe later. I have spoken to Philip about practicalities, and indeed you have both agreed. Now I speak to you both about practicalities.

Had he left the gallery when his novel was published, he would by now have one and a half times his present income from writing. That is, his yearly income would exceed what it is now.

(The only comment I had to make on the above material during break was that Jane would have but a limited time in which to start bringing in money from writing, since our bank account would not last forever. Jane resumed in a determined voice, staring at me, at 9:10.)

(First, after some thought and figuring of dates, Bill states that the date, 7/29, is correct for the situations described below. By this time he had been in Provincetown long enough to meet various people.

(It might also be noted that Bill was a witness to the 68th session, but not of course the 75th. At the 68th session, Bill, Jane and I made tentative plans to experiment at set times for telepathic communication while Bill was at the Cape, but these plans did not materialize.)