“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(Bill and Peggy Gallagher visited us this evening, and Seth held a rather short unscheduled session. The Gallaghers sat in on the first part of the session. After they left Seth and I had a discussion of moderate length. I made a few brief notes, not verbatim except for the names, which Seth spelled out.

(Bill Gallagher doubted that warships were used by merchantmen but Seth told us this was common in those days; all ships had to be armed anyhow as a protection against piracy. The Brotzanin II had not been in very good shape when Seth acquired her. The conversation led to some of the voyages the ship made. Seth quite emphatically reminded us that most of the time he “kept his feet on dry land,” but he did talk about a few voyages he made. He stressed that he was a merchant rather than a sailor.

(After the Gallaghers left Seth and I continued to talk. Seth told me I would become a very well-known painter; Ruburt, he said, knew nothing about artists’ agents or their locations in New York City, he said for the record, adding that there is an agent on 62nd street who can be of great help to me. This is the correct neighborhood, I can attest from past experience. He did not give me the agent’s name. Seth told me I have been working to free my intuitions; I already have enough discipline. With Jane it has been the other way around. Both of us are making good progress. Seth also said that my work would become known partly because of the source of inspiration for some of it—the visions I have that grow out of these sessions.

(In the 221st session Seth suggested we postpone our series of object tests with the Gallaghers. At the same time he described the object the Gallaghers were focusing upon in their home outside of Elmira at session time. Jane learned from Peggy Gallagher later in the week that the object was a miniature teapot. At tonight’s visit I had Bill draw an actual-size version of the teapot for inclusion in the record, and it is found on page 211.

(Seth’s data on this test was this: “... we shall give the impression of a rock or stone that can be held in the hand, that has a connection with the water, that is speckled, and gray, with an indentation on it... the word nondescript as applying to the Gallagher object.”

(Without indulging in wishful thinking, Jane and I thought we saw some points of similarity in the above data and a miniature teapot, namely the fact that the test object could be held in the hand, had a connection with water, and an indentation. Since this was Jane’s first such attempt with the Gallaghers, I was curious as to what Seth would say. He now told me that the rock or stone impression was his error, and not Jane’s, or Ruburt’s.

(Seth said he was not careful enough in sorting out his own impressions. He picked up accurately enough that the test object could be held in the hand, had a connection with water and an indentation—the opening in the teapot—but erred in the rock or stone terminology, the color and the word nondescript. Bill indicated the color of the teapot in his sketch, saying the object is anything but nondescript. Seth said Ruburt transmitted accurately enough the data he gave. He also said that we would conduct a series of tests with the Gallaghers, involving objects, and that they would be successful.)