“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

I suggest your break.

The regular typewriter should be used. There is no use for me upon this occasion to do anything more than state the circumstances, except of course to suggest that Ruburt does not dwell upon the irritation.

I would state furthermore that indeed Ruburt did have occasion to be angry at the chiropractor, since with an emotional fear unthinking suggestions such as his, made with only the flimsiest of evidence, can be most harmful and destructive. And in an unwary, emotionally upset personality, particularly if under stress, such a suggestion could cause a harmless and protective nodule to be changed by the strong powers of adverse expectation, or rather expectation poorly used, into the form of what is feared; as a slight but harmless irregularity of heartbeat, with the unthinking suggestion of a doctor, can become through the patient’s fears an actual functional disorder, so could suggestion turn a relatively harmless formation like Ruburt’s into an arthritic condition.

Now obviously the unthinking suggestion alone is not responsible, or would not be responsible, for such circumstances. They would have to fall upon fertile ground; and given great enough emotional and subconscious fear an individual would need no outside suggestion. But those in position within healing professions have great authority, and any suggestions that they may make for good or ill are granted almost mystical validity by those individuals who visit them.

Nevertheless, because the patient is in a condition where he is most susceptible to suggestions, a great responsibility lies upon the shoulders of those who would treat illness. The chiropractor’s suggestion that the irritation was an arthritic one was made positively; that is, without thinking he stated “Oh yes, that is not normal at all, it is an arthritic nodule.” Later, realizing that the suggestion had been a poor one, and moreover one of which he was not certain, he amended the statement, adding that such a formation could also be the result of injury or simple irritation to the joint.

I will suggest your break.

I will also go into these matters more thoroughly, but Ruburt’s situation gave us an excellent occasion. It is always wise to take heed, in your own speech, of remarks made pertaining to health or physical appearance, for the higher in esteem you are held by others, the more authority will be given to your suggestions.