“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

The scientist of whom you have read, in his experiments attempts to deprive the individual of sleep.

Dr. Instream might find such a study would bring him much satisfaction. Through hypnosis you can get complete dream recall, with a good operator. You can suggest ordinary sleep, and then suggest that the subject, in his sleep and without waking, give a verbal description of his dream or dreams.

For the investigator himself, through his actions, inadvertently brings about, in specific instances, those results for which he looks. The particular experiment may then seem to suggest conditions which are by no means general ones, but which may appear so. In hypnosis the subject is not as much on guard as a subject of an experiment when the subject knows in advance that he will be awakened by the experimenter, when electrodes are attached to the physical organism, when the conditions of the sleep laboratory are substituted for his ordinary nightly environment. It is impossible to study dreams when an attempt is made to isolate the dreamer from his own personality, to treat dreams as if they were physical or mechanical. The only laboratory for a study of dreams is the laboratory of the personality.

(Pause at 10:09.) Impressions again, perhaps a round object in his hand. He thinks of papers on a desk, or in a briefcase, that seem to have to do with a particular plan.

I believe he has been irritated by a particular person, a male. I do not know... There is a connection, something to do with lights. Perhaps in connection with the man. Does he perhaps live on Light Street? Or his name (Jane gestured, her eyes still closed) Light Man—Lightman, or something of that sort. (Pause.)

Also something to do with a federal matter. Dr. Instream is thinking philosophically now. Perhaps the round object in his hands has something to do with lights, as a bulb. (Gesture, and pause at 10:15.)

He has worked at this several hours daily. This is not his job, and it will work against our results. His job is to remain as spontaneous as possible. His work in attempting to tabulize the test results thus far, will only hamper our results. He should be in no way connected with that endeavor.

I cannot repeat this too strongly. He should dismiss the tests entirely from his mind. The tests in the sessions have not bothered him at all to any important degree, except for a natural initial nervousness, and all in all we have been coming along well enough. But at this stage he simply should leave the grading and so forth to you. Of course he may make suggestions as he reads the sessions, but that is all.

I suggest that you hold this question until our next session, as Ruburt is tired this evening because of his concentration upon the work which I have mentioned. There is nothing serious here, or I would discuss it this evening in any case, since you asked. I will answer specifically at our next session.