“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Now, putting these two statements together, you see that an individual will perceive basic reality, in the main, only from his own reference point, and through his outer sense apparatus. His perception of basic reality in one way does not change the nature of that reality or of that action, as it exists independently of his field of reference. However, the very distortions that occur in his attempt to perceive this reality results in a new reality. What he perceives then is legitimate, for his very perception of it is the basis for its existence.

Any individual reacts to a reality as he perceives it to be, and he perceives it to be since he has himself created it from basic reality. The very distortions therefore form many of the characteristic differences which for him gives his reality its peculiar nature. Those whose actions set them apart drastically from others within your system, and who seem in one way or another mentally unbalanced, are often told that they must relate themselves more clearly with reality as it exists.

This however is not their problem, for like all other individuals they perceive a reality that they have created. Their problem therefore is a distortive one. It is not related to their attitude toward reality as a whole, but it is intimately connected with the reality which they have created. They are indeed relating to that reality very well. The reality, however, is much more distorted than usual, and this is one of the main problems.

We have discussed the ways in which telepathy operates in this respect, and we have to some extent discussed the ways in which the appearance of cohesiveness is maintained. In many cases the individual who is called mentally unbalanced is simply one whose individual reality is so composed that it is impossible for others to find in his expression of it any similarity with their own. The error is one of inadequate idea construction.

What you have been in danger of doing is using too much energy oriented toward the past, and this will also show itself in your physical reactions. Your trouble of yesterday and today does indeed originate because you have not been painting, but one of the reasons that you have not been painting is that energy has been used as a searchlight into the past, searching for certain origins.

The quest is a good one. You have simply concentrated upon it too deeply. You have learned much, both in relating yourself to inner reality and to outer relationships, and the error is understandable. The outer relationships are serving you well, for you are already storing up many ideas for your work, for your painting, that have at least partially come as a result of your perception of others.

At a later time, you see, the difficulty will automatically be passed, there will be a freer flow of energy, and a quicker release of it. Even in your desire to discover such original causes of physical ills, a part of you sets up resistances, new ones, which take additional energy.

The event is not assimilated. It becomes to all intents and purposes a dead end, isolated from the acceptance of the whole ego, and the most advantageous solution here is, of course, that the ego in one manner or another is made to accept this particular portion of its own past.

(End at 10:55. Jane was well dissociated. She wasn’t sure she wanted me to put this down, but she felt that one of Seth’s experiments might involve her opening her eyes while she was sitting down in a deep trance—so that Seth might look out of them.)