“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(See the tracing on page 211. For the test object I used a wallet identification card that I picked up two years ago in an empty house that Jane and I nearly purchased. Both of us had met the owner of the house, Jim Birch, a few times. He had changed jobs and left Elmira at the time we were interested in his house, in June 1964, however. Seth dealt with the purchase of this house in several sessions, saying it would be a good one for us psychically. See these sessions among others: 65, 67, 69, 71, 74, 76, 77, 79, 82. See Volume 2.

(The test object was among other papers that we cleaned up at the house, with the intention of mailing them to Mr. Birch’s new address in North Carolina; later we learned this wasn’t necessary and the papers lay forgotten in my file until I came across them the other day. As far as I know Jane never did see this specific item among the papers. I sealed it in the usual double envelope after placing it between two pieces of board.

(It was now time for the 31st Dr. Instream test. As usual Jane sat quietly with her head down and her hands raised to her closed eyes. She used many short pauses, but her pace overall was fairly good. Resume at 10:11.)

Do you have a test for me, Joseph?

(It was 10:22. I handed Jane the sealed double envelope for our 28th test; she took it without opening her eyes, then for several minutes held it against her forehead. She spoke at a somewhat slower rate than she had in giving the Dr. Instream material.)

(As will be noted most of the data in connection with the envelope test cannot be checked by us. I expected this when I picked the object. The idea in choosing it was to simulate a test in which an object chosen by a third party was used; then this third party would interpret the data, leaving Jane and me free, so to speak. I got the idea for this approach from the 24th envelope test in the 219th session. The object was chosen by Lorraine Shafer, and to some extent she helped us interpret the resulting data.

(It will be remembered that Jane and Seth noted many valid emotional connections pertaining to the test object in the 219th session. We feel that with practice Jane and Seth will be able to pick such charges up regardless of what individuals they are attached to, or directed at.

(While giving tonight’s test data, Jane said she had a few mental impressions, and that she believed she could vouch for a few items in the test.

As a matter of fact, our own test was a fairly good one. Unfortunately you cannot check up on the impressions with the owner of the card, and there is little reason for me to go into the various episodes connected with the card.

(Tracing of my dental appointment card, used in the 29th envelope test, in the 225th session for January 19,1966.)