“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(Jane felt quite lethargic and sleepy as the day wore on, but did not believe this state had anything to do with our active weekend. She worked well at her writing this morning, but grew increasingly drowsy as the day wore on. She has been reading the book The Self in Transformation, by Herbert Fingarette, Basic Books, 1963, NY and London. She considers it excellent.

(After supper Jane took a nap. After the nap she still felt drowsy. She mentioned this to me, but I had no real intimation that she was in anything but a very relaxed state. I suggested she have coffee, which she did. Jane also wanted to hold the session. She had no idea of the material to be covered.

The slight but perceivable feeling of lightness in his hands could have given him notice of this fact. The situation began as he completed his psychological time experiment this morning, and has continued. He was neither wholly oriented to the inner world nor to the outer, and therefore was not efficient in either.

The state into which Ruburt fell as a rule allows no such focus in either reality, but a suspension. It is necessary only as a transition. I will again suggest that for the present psychological time experiments be carried on once a day. There is no reason to give further time to it, in the evening, at this time. This is aimed at Ruburt. We want contrast. (Pause.) This transitionary stage is rather difficult to perceive. He was beginning to wonder himself, and since it is his first real experience with it as an isolated state, it is understandable that he did not recognize it for what it is.

The outer senses are dulled, but the inner senses have not yet been turned on. The state is an unhappy one, where sharpness of perception is extremely limited. I am speaking at length about it because its lethargy could be harmful under certain circumstances. All the more so since the obvious, more noticeable symptoms of the trance state itself are absent; and therefore the state could pass unnoticed for some time.

(She told me that after taking her nap after supper she began to get “suspicious,” especially so when she became aware of her light hands. She was going to tell me about it, but then decided she didn’t know what to say. But she felt “disconnected,” and recalled her psychological time experience of the morning, in which she felt “separated.” See page 248.

It has often been said that the subconscious has a generalized focus, but the subconscious and inner senses have as strong and vital and intensified a focus as the focus of the conscious mind. The phenomena perceived is merely of a different nature, and in this state of which I have spoken no real intensification is possible.

I do not believe that any future difficulty will occur. (Long pause.) What we would like is the ability to fully perceive both the inner world and the outer world, to alternate between them. But we should be in one, and know it, and know ourselves in it. Or we should be in the other and know ourselves in it; and finally, while we are in one reality, we should be able, even in it, to hold our knowledge of the other. In this way our whole selves achieve a freedom.

The semitrance state does not allow a clear awareness in either world. It is passed through very quickly as a rule, both on the way into a trance and on the way out of one. It is of course a part of both realities. This goes without saying. It is true that there is much this evening that could be added to our previous discussions, but Ruburt, particularly after last night’s session, should rest. And I would also suggest that he forget his psychological time experiments until next Monday.

(End at 9:48. Jane was dissociated as usual. She was surprised at the quick ending to the session; she had hoped Seth would discuss other material also. She now felt much better, but did not care about going for a walk. However we went for one together, and before the evening was through she was her old self.)