“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(Jane received her first intimation that something new might develop in the sessions when she was reading over last Wednesday’s session after supper tonight. She came up with the idea that she might give part of tonight’s session while lying down. Her first thought was one of acquiescence. Her second thought was one of panic, in that she wouldn’t know the passage of time as usual, etc.

(It might be interesting to note that at the time Jane received this idea, I was working on an index for the 35th session, of March 16, 1964. In this session Seth talked of having us try various experiments involving the use of the inner senses; tonight’s session was of course in the nature of an experiment. Jane did not know what session I was working on, and we were also separated by two rooms at the time.

(Then, lying down at 8:15 this evening, Jane felt that she went into a deeper trance state, one that was experimental and yet controlled. She was not particularly trying psychological time, yet she felt that she was familiarizing herself for a new development. She did not “see” or “hear” anything. She did not feel Seth around. She was, however, worried somewhat about what control she would have over the material if, in the prone position, she was in a deeper trance.

(Jane had no idea of the material for the session as the time for it approached, although she said her arms felt a “little light” from the state she had achieved at 8:15 and later. Nor had she been thinking recently along the lines outlined above.

We are merely now experimenting. If at any time Joseph, you do not agree with any particular procedure or condition or situation, you may immediately speak the words that I have given you, and the situation or condition will become the normal one.

This procedure, and your consent, will give Ruburt a feeling of trust without which I do not believe he would otherwise proceed. In other words, the situations and conditions will not be out of your hands at any time. Nor shall we necessarily keep to any one procedure. I believe that certain experiments will allow us to get more complete data through censorship.

Clock time is one prop that even in our usual sessions Ruburt is accustomed to rely upon, though not of course to the extent that he relies upon it in the periods of more ordinary consciousness.

(I gave this answer almost as a matter of routine. It is now quite a few days later as I type this material, and Jane and I have had time to think it over. She has not shown outright opposition to experimenting, but from various remarks of hers I know she is still not enthusiastic about giving up any of the props she has become accustomed to—the pacing, the open eyes, etc. This is quite understandable. Jane’s hesitancy here reminds me of her hesitancy in the beginning sessions, when it early became apparent that she was receiving the answers to questions mentally, even though we were using the Ouija board. She did not want to dispense with the board for some time.

(Jane’s delivery of the above material had been somewhat slow and hesitant, but clear. It gave me the feeling of being uneven, but I note that the typewritten copy reads as well as any of the other material. Her head was down much of the time, as though she might fall asleep. Her voice did not lose volume. She appeared to be restless now, shifting about on her chair. Some of the pauses between phrases were indeed quite long.)

(Break at 9:45. Jane’s eyes immediately opened as her head came up. She looked sleepy, and reached for her glasses. She did not smoke or drink during delivery. She said her state of dissociation was deeper, that she was “way out.” She heard her voice however, and my answers. She was surprised at the amount of time that had passed. She remembered the pauses, but had thought they were “nothing.”

(Jane was not frightened at the new development, but still felt uneasy about relinquishing control, as she put it, during a session. For instance, she worried about not knowing the time, yet once the session began she thought nothing of it. She did feel she had given consent for the experiment. She did not think Seth would try “pushing through” any startling information tonight.

Ruburt’s idea of writing down his daily predictions is an excellent one, and will help him develop his abilities. Within a short time Ruburt will give me more freedom, I believe. That is, he will, I hope, allow me to speak with more freedom.

(End at 10:16. Jane was fully dissociated as before, and again looked sleepy when the session ended. This time she was not aware of anything except her voice. She was not aware of the darkness. Her attention was elsewhere.

(The following data are from Jane’s psy-time notebook: