“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(It will be remembered that on two past occasions Seth has taken credit for making a candle flame grow noticeably in height. See my notes prior to the 206th session, pages 57-58. Both of these sessions were witnessed. Seth told us he was able to do such things when Ruburt’s attention was elsewhere, but that as soon as “he”, or Ruburt, became conscious of the possibility of such effects they were usually unattainable.

(Before the session this evening I wondered what effects Seth might be able to demonstrate, on a consistent basis, if a candle were lit just before each session, as a matter of routine, and then ignored as much as possible. The idea being that if it became part of the regular session routine Jane would forget about it, thus allowing any possible effects to come through without worrying about them. At first I was joking about the idea, but when Jane said it was all right to go ahead with the idea, I took her up on it. When we were set up for the session, I placed a lighted candle on the shelf beside me, behind some books so that Jane could not see it. Since the room was well lighted the candle flame would make no noticeable difference, in the event it flared up while her eyes were open.

(The session was held in our small back room. No windows were open, and by measurement I determined that the candle flame burned at a remarkably consistent 3/4-inch height. Jane began speaking while sitting down and with her eyes closed. Her pace was rather slow, with many pauses, yet her voice was somewhat stronger than usual. She sat much of the time with a hand raised to her face. She was not smoking. She began speaking at 9:01.)

(It was now 9:09. I had been glancing occasionally at the candle flame as I wrote. It burned within a foot of my left hand. The flame had now increased perhaps a quarter of an inch in height, and burned steadily at that level; this meant an increase from 3/4 of an inch to one inch.

(I was not sure of what I was observing. Jane gave no sign of any kind, and Seth had not even mentioned the candle; I had thought he might smile at the idea. The increase in the flame’s height had not been as sudden and dramatic as in the two previous instances noted on page 117. But the candle flame now burned at this new height just as steadily as it had before the increase, and continued to do so.)

(The candle flame had maintained its increased height very steadily until close to break time, when I thought it began to fluctuate a bit. At break I thought it was mainly at its original lower height. Jane could not see it, and did not ask about its behavior. We agreed not to mention it during sessions, no matter what took place. I had wondered if the increased height of the flame had resulted from the body of the candle “warming up,” since it was a thick one, perhaps five inches tall. When the flame subsided however at break, I did not know what to think, and decided to merely record what I saw without being concerned.

(This bit of data was also given to Peggy on Friday, December 3, during the unscheduled session preceding her Washington trip. By now, also, I saw that the candle flame had climbed back up to its one-inch height; it continued to burn steadily at that height. Jane’s voice had lost its heavier edge.)

(The candle flame subsided to its beginning 3/4-inch height for a few minutes, then climbed back up again.)

(Break at 9:45. Jane had been dissociated as usual, and her eyes had remained closed. The candle flame once more subsided to its original lower level. At either the 3/4 or the one-inch level, the flame burned very steadily, for there was no draft. Nor did it seek out intermediate levels.

(It was now time for the 24th Dr. Instream test. As before, Jane sat quietly with her eyes closed, her right hand raised to her face. The candle flame remained at its original 3/4-inch level. Resume at 10:01.)

(Break at 10:23. Jane was dissociated as usual. Her eyes had remained closed, her pace had been interrupted by many short pauses. The candle flame had remained subdued.

(“Do you want to say something about the candle-flame test?”

(The candle flame had been burning quite steadily at its original 3/4-inch level since break at 9:45. Jane now smiled.)

(As soon as I realized that Jane or Seth might be attempting something, I sat very quietly myself so as not to stir the air, and breathed shallowly through my nose with my head somewhat averted. I did not even move my hand to write until close to a minute had passed. The air in the room was very still. Yet soon after this strange interlude began, the candle flame grew quite definitely back to its one-inch height, and remained there steadily.

(End at 10:36. Jane was dissociated as usual The candle flame remained high, but was not as steady as it had been. Jane said that while she sat silently she felt as though Seth was somehow focusing “sideways” on the candle.

(Jane was relaxing on the bed, as she often does after a session, with her head propped up on one hand. She was smoking as we discussed the candle experiment. Both of us stared at the flame. It was now a little higher, and bright and steady, reaching the highest level of the evening. We stared at it for perhaps a minute. Seth then came through again, briefly; Jane was still smoking, and her eyes were closed. Resume at 10:45.)