“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(As I had for the 179th session, I prepared a test envelope in case we had a chance to use it during the session. This time the double envelopes contained a black and white photo I took of Jane at York Beach, ME, a little over a year ago this month. I thought this would have an extra emotional content, as did the symbol I used in the first test. [This is to be our second such test.]

(I took care that Jane did not see me preparing the envelopes this evening, although she was well aware a test might take place. We had discussed the matter earlier in the day but she had not given me an unequivocal yes or no answer, as to whether we should make such tests an everyday procedure during sessions. See Seth’s comments on this in the last session.

(Tonight’s session was held in our back room. My writing table is beside a bookcase, and before the session I slipped the test envelope between a couple of books without Jane being present. Thus I could easily reach it during the session.

I see you have no tests for me this evening. Soon perhaps I shall have some for you.

(This was a perfect opportunity for me to slip the test envelope out of its hiding place on the bookshelf, reach across my small writing table and drop the envelope into Jane’s lap. It was 9:10. Her eyes remained closed and she did not touch the envelope.

(Jane now smiled again. She picked up the test envelope and held it in both hands, lightly fingering it briefly without heavily bending it, twisting it, etc. It was 9:14. Her eyes remained closed. She paused rather briefly, then delivered the following material in a quiet voice, with gentle emphasis at times, and with average pauses.)

We will see now what we can do with your own little test, and with our friend Ruburt.

(Break at 9:18. Jane was dissociated as usual for a first delivery. She was greatly pleased at the results of the test, and so was I. Neither of us regard these tests as scientific but we do consider them a beginning toward scientific tests.

(Jane said she felt it when I dropped the test envelope into her lap. This did not make her nervous however; she was “already Seth,” she said. In the first test she had the envelope in her possession before the session began, and could not but help know that a test was in the offing.

(Also, while she was giving the data Jane experienced a concept. She had the mental picture of a border, of something square, as the photograph is, with a border around it. She had no indication of size; the photograph is 4” x 4”. And also again, at this time Jane had a “distant” thought or impression of the error she made in the first test regarding a license, but felt content that she was keeping herself in the background.

He has learned much however since our last session, and you can see that it was much better that we allowed the distortions to come through in our first test, since it allowed him to learn more about the simultaneous existence of our consciousnesses during a session.

These informal tests are an excellent method of building up his self-confidence. And his self-confidence is absolutely necessary to us.

It is best that we work in this manner to begin with, in his home territory. Later it will make no difference if he progresses, as I believe that he will. For the immediate present, and for the immediate present only, such tests should be conducted here. He is concerned too much about the object which your friends are using for the other test, and for now I am afraid that he will unwittingly distort this material in this respect.

(Peggy has had the object here in our apartment on a couple of visits not connected with the Seth sessions, and of course told Jane about it. Peggy began to carry it about with her a week or so ago after Jane and I had asked if Peggy and Bill, her husband, would cooperate with us in some future tests.

In a very short time, as his confidence is built up, we will not have the difficulty. I believe however that he will be able to take part in such tests when your friends are present and the object is concealed. But he should not be forewarned.

It is important that these affairs be spontaneous, at least for a while. When he feels under test conditions he will not do well until his confidence is strengthened; and we shall see that it is.

We will build up Ruburt’s confidence until he will be sure enough of himself in relationship to me, so that he will be able to let undistorted material come through where tests are concerned.

We will try to arrange my tests for you as far as clairvoyant dreams and suggestion are concerned, so that these tests also add definite objective knowledge to the nature of clairvoyance in general.

(“Was there any element of telepathy involved between you and me, in the test this evening?”)

In tonight’s test?

Tonight’s test dealt with clairvoyance. Although I happened to pick up my information in that way, and it could have just as easily been obtained through telepathic communication. In the future I imagine that tests will be worked out in whatever manner is needed.

(“How about in the first test?”

The first test was the same.

I myself operate well in that way. In many instances however data can be received in either manner, and telepathy may well be involved in other tests. I, for my own reasons and peculiarities, usually obtain such information clairvoyantly; and we will have much to say concerning the ways in which such information is received and interpreted, as this is very important.