“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(The photo is of a winter scene, with brilliant contrasts of light and shadow. I have indicated the colors crudely in my tracing on page 242 . The group of four sit on the edge of a concrete patio at the back of Bill’s house. I did not mention a test to Jane, but she is well aware that they are in the offing now; earlier in the day she casually mentioned tests, without asking specifically whether I had one planned for tonight.

(The session was held in our small back room. The window was closed, for my hay fever bothered me most of the day. In spite of this however, I believe I have been helping myself to some extent through suggestion. Jane began speaking while sitting down as usual, with her eyes closed. Her voice was quiet. She began rather slowly, but soon picked up her pace considerably.)

The term mechanism may be a poor one, but I use it now to emphasize the physical aspects of its nature. When the ego is resilient this mechanism works automatically and well. It is the ego in many cases who clogs the works, so to speak.

There are ways in which this natural ability can be strengthened, and it may be of benefit that we discuss them. These ways will not only be helpful in facilitating these automatic health correction tendencies, but will also be generally beneficial as far as all inner abilities are concerned.

It goes without saying that you must bring to all your experiences more than a mere wish to be different, more than a mere curiosity. In order for you to operate effectively in any area there must be in your makeup a strong, positive and definite desire to benefit the race of man. Intellectual knowledge is important, but the desire to benefit your fellow human beings must be emotional as well as intellectual.

They demand a certain discipline it is true, and according to your desire you will find the discipline easy or difficult. I could have given you all of these suggestions at an earlier date, but you would not have been ready for them. In giving them to you, I take into consideration your own backgrounds, and I have made concessions accordingly.

Your meals could be somewhat simpler. I would here suggest very few fried foods. You have too many of these. I would suggest less heavy foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables are excellent. Meat, but not fatty meats, and not an overabundance of meats. You will enjoy your meals more and you will savor the individual tastes with more discrimination.

(Seth’s comments on our meals rather surprised us, since we are quite careful about our diet as it is. We do eat fried foods, of course, but decided we could cut down on these.

(I thought my head was a little better, following Seth’s suggestion; but the difference was slight and I hoped for more improvement. It was a relief not to be sneezing however. During break I mentioned that each new tack the material takes usually leaves some other subject dangling. I expressed concern because Jane was interested in receiving all the material on dreams that she could get. She thought her next book might deal with dreams.

(Jane’s eyes opened again after a few sentences following break. She looked at me but casually as she spoke, and at times let her eyes close. I would say her eyes were open about half of the time until next break. Her voice remained quiet. Resume at 9:35.)

Ruburt should drink no more than five cups of coffee daily at the most. If he is not giving up his cigarettes, then as you suggested moderation should be used. The present fifteen a day will do for now, but this should be reduced to ten when it is feasible.

We can and will give a general list, but it is always better if this list be implemented by personal consultation. You have done much better in the overall in health maintenance than you did in the past; since you are both in excellent organic condition you can say that you have both done well. However there is a large difference between a general state that is free of disease and a state of exuberant health, in which the inner and outer selves are perfectly attuned.

(Break at 9:56. Jane was well dissociated. Although her voice had been rather average this evening, she said now that she felt it to be strong subjectively. Jane told me it is hard to explain, but at times she feels she is more a part of the voice than at other times.

(Break at 10:15. Jane had been dissociated as usual. Her eyes had remained closed, her voice quiet. She delivered the test data without hesitation or fumbling. She told me she had felt the envelope drop into her lap but that it had not bothered her.

(Jane told me that in the past she would have given her own interpretation of the photograph she had in mind along with Seth’s information. On one level she had a distinct impression of her own photograph. But now she allowed Seth to separate the two impressions.

The children that I perceived, he projected into this picture of his, a photograph in which children were indeed involved. The photograph used in the test was taken in the afternoon. The chimney was not in the picture. I saw the chimney of the other house in the test photograph, but this does not show there.