“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

SESSION 221

(On Saturday January 8 Jane and I received a letter from Dr. Instream, asking that Seth do his best to give data on but one object during tests. Dr. Instream also mentioned his difficulty in attempting to repeat an experiment with ESP cards, involving odds of a million-and-a-half to one. Jane and I mentioned that we would like Seth to say something on both points in tonight’s session.

(Over the weekend Bill and Peggy Gallagher agreed to try mutual concentration upon a single object in their home at session times. They would keep a record of the chosen objects for a month, without telling us what they were, then we would compare the list with Seth’s data after the experiment ended. We have thought of trying this before.

(We had some reservations however about trying it now, but decided to see what Seth would say. We didn’t want to give rise to a feeling of pressure on Jane during sessions, and wondered whether it was wise to try three regular tests. We want room for other material also. For this reason we had let the candle-flame tests go for the moment, even though they appear promising.

(Ann Diebler has heard Seth speak twice during unscheduled sessions, and had read some of the early material. See the notes for the 206th and the 214th sessions.

(The session was held in our large front room. Jane said she was somewhat sleepy before the session began. She began speaking while sitting down and with her eyes closed, but halfway to first break her eyes began to open occasionally. Her pace was good, her voice average.)

Now. First of all, I advise Ruburt along these lines: it is best if he not work at his own writing or records up until the last moment or so before a session.

He should relax, in any way he chooses, the hour preceding a session.

(Seth dealt with the expanding universe theory in sessions 42-45, saying among other things that our physical universe is not expanding as is currently thought; he had much to say on the distortive data furnished us by our instruments.)

(Seth has referred to the ability of suggestion to change experience which has already passed. See the 187th and 202nd sessions.)

(See the 60-73rd sessions in Volume 2.)

Even within a given system however all individuals are not at the same point. Now, in our sessions I am sure that by now you are at least to some extent aware of what would seem to be something quite strange: the emergence of a self that observes the self of which you have been ordinarily aware; a self with a slightly different time system, a slightly different viewpoint of reality, a self with greater control over the physical material that composes your physical image, a self with some quite effective control over your personal future.

(The white coat connection referred to the fact that Jane wore it last Saturday evening, when it was bitter cold. Now the test object contains a poem referring to shivering pigeons and snow—hence the connection. I thought the November reference might be legitimate, since the originator of the test object, Ann Diebler, could have visited our apartment during that month. A check showed this to be so—Ann witnessing the unscheduled session for November 5,1965.

Now, I was prepared to go into some other material this evening. However since it is growing late perhaps we should save it for the next session.

This is all a process of learning. Relaxation in the hour before sessions will help. We are trying to work on two levels here. We want success of course, but we also want to know how success is achieved, and so we shall.

Now unless you have any particular questions we shall close the session.

(Copy of the letter used in the 27th envelope test, in the 222nd session for January 12,1966.)