“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(During this paragraph Jane’s voice really grew in strength and volume, although it was to become stronger later on. She began to approach the volume of the voice used in the 158th session. When these effects came on, Jane usually stood upright, with her head back to some degree; this made me think of a trumpet. Strangely enough however her mouth did not open more than an inch. And of course during these effects she displayed no evidence of strain. This voice is not a shouting voice, but simply an innately stronger voice.

(The massive voice effects continued from now on in greater or lesser degree; they will not all be listed. One will have to listen to the tape of this session to really achieve any idea of the voice range Jane displayed.)

You are not so gullible, nor am I, to suppose that those who do not want to accept evidence will ever accept the strongest evidence imaginable. Those who will not see, will not see. And those who will not listen, they will not listen. You wanted a voice display, and so indeed shall you have it. And what indeed will such a display show? That Ruburt has lungs?

I may not know what is right for it, but I certainly know what is wrong. What is wrong is your limited perception. What is wrong are the arbitrary limitations which you have set upon reality; and these limitations, while set by you, nevertheless operate as if they were absolute. I say again, if any small and simple treats of voice (louder again) will serve to make supposedly sane men stand up and listen (louder, strong, very strong; Jane’s head was thrown back as though to let the great voice out unimpeded) then so I will speak out in loud and hearty tones. (If possible, even stronger here. Then the voice began to soften. Jane displayed no strain or fatigue.)

I am also quite aware of the cruelty that would be involved if I led you on in this endeavor without due consideration. I can only tell you that I appreciate both your objectivity and your beliefs. I will do my best, my dear doctor, to satisfy you in both respects. You may call it chance. You may call it if you choose coincidence. You may name it in whatever way pleases you: nevertheless, it is because of my personal rapport with you that I will bother with any displays at all.

(Jane stood up once more before her chair. Her eyes were closed. She was smiling and gesturing. Now as she spoke she leaned forward some of the time, as though getting restless at merely standing upright in one spot. And again her voice began to display pyrotechnics, first loud, then soft; partially indicated in the following paragraphs.)

(Break at 11:18. Jane was dissociated as usual, and was not displaying any undue fatigue from the long session. She remained standing until break, her eyes closed all the while. Her voice had been good, yet quieter than the really strong display of the earlier delivery, and I had been able to keep up in my notetaking. Peggy had no trouble either. Footage at 686, Mono One, Side Two.

(I did not know exactly how many feet of tape were left on our recorder, due to inexperience, yet saw that the session would have to end before too long or we would run out of tape first. Although Seth/Jane started out in a relatively quiet manner on this last delivery, another voice display, perhaps even better, began to develop. Jane resumed the session while sitting down and with her eyes closed. Her pace was faster, and after a few sentences she rose to her feet once more. Resume at 11:29.)

(Jane’s voice had been slowly growing in volume since last break. Seth now pulled out more stops than ever before, I believe. The voice display now became deafening. My ears rang, off and on, for the next few paragraphs. I saw Peggy and Bill blinking. Jane merely stood in front of her chair, head thrown back. As stated before she exhibited no strain in producing these stunning effects. The electric eye on the recorder closed, meaning that it was recording, as far as I know, at maximum volume.)

Now. Because I have been called upon to give a voice display, so shall you see that I can do so. (Very loud and strong.) You will also find at the end of this session that Ruburt’s vocal chords are in no way fatigued; and I can so speak here for hours, nor would this bother Ruburt in the slightest degree. If such a display serves to convince you of my validity then so shall it be. I find it difficult to imagine that you need such childish play to convince you of that which you already know. (Loud and strong.)

Let it not be said that I do not cooperate; and before twenty psychologists, my dear friend, we shall be most willing to comply. But we have our conditions, and if your conditions shall be met (very loud here, to slowly subside) my dear friend, then so shall mine. (Loud again.) We will give and take. I shall not give and give. If you consider this display a childish one, then let me remind you that I consider your requests in the same manner.

(End at 11:45. Jane had been dissociated as usual. She remained standing in her accustomed spot until the end of the session. Her eyes had remained closed, her voice had been good all the way, with some very strong and vibrant passages. In my opinion these exceeded the loud passages in the 158th session. Jane had cleared her throat a few times toward the end of the session, but now displayed no strain, or unusual fatigue.

([RB:] “This is Robert Butts again, speaking two days later on July 21st. I would like to add that the 170th session, which you have just heard, and which formally ended at 11:45 PM last Monday, July 19, resumed that night at midnight. It involved an informal exchange between Jane, Seth, Bill and Peggy Gallagher and myself, and lasted until about 1:30 AM. Our tape was almost exhausted and so it was not recorded. Seth also stated he did not care particularly to have it on tape, or have notes taken. During this exchange Seth was in an excellent good humor. I joked with him about the voice display, and he responded with another which was both stronger and longer-lasting than the one on tape here. Our ears rang, really, before it was over. And when it was over at last, and we were all weary, Seth, or Jane, was as capable as ever. Jane had no voice strain or fatigue that we could detect. Seth said he could continue until dawn, and I believe it quite possible. Jane just threw her head back and let the sound come out.”

(I joked with Seth about the great voice effects, and Seth agreed that he had not yet reached the peak in voice effects, at least as far as volume went. Whereupon Jane rose to her feet again and treated us to a voice display that in my opinion exceeded to some small degree the voice effects we had taped this evening. This was a prolonged display that lasted more or less for the balance of the session, and seemingly could have continued until dawn without effort on Jane’s part, just as Seth said. The volume of sound hurt my ears at times.