“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(The 37th envelope experiment was held during the session. See the tracing of the envelope object on page 327. It is a print of my right hand, made with black stamping ink on paper. I made it on February 27,1966. Jane had picked up a book on hands at the library recently, and this got us interested in making such prints.

(Jane of course saw this particular print, along with perhaps twenty others I made at the same time. There is nothing about this one to distinguish it from many of the others. Following the instructions in the book, I traced the outline of my hand in pencil while pressing the inked surface against the white paper. The print was sealed in the usual double envelope between the usual two pieces of Bristol.

(The session was held in our front room. Jane spoke while sitting down and with her eyes closed, and once again her pace was slow; at times during this first delivery it was as slow as I can remember during any session. Jane was not smoking. She sat for some time with her head down, her hands raised to her temples. Begin at 9:02.)

(These sessions began when we contacted the Frank Watts personality through the Ouija board, in December 1963. The Frank Watts personality was replaced in the 4th session by Seth. Seth has dealt with Frank Watts to some degree in the following sessions: 4, 8, 11, 14, 15, 16, 21, 25, 29, 31, 51, 85, 88, 173, 184, 189, 224. See Volumes 1 through 5.)

(Jane’s pace was now very slow, as slow as it has ever been, I believe. Some of her pauses lasted well over a minute. Yet at times her eyes opened briefly.)

(Break at 9:32. Jane was dissociated as usual for a first delivery. She knew Seth was being deliberate, she said, but was not aware that half an hour had passed. Her pace had been very slow, and she did not have too good an idea of what she had said.

(Jane still used pauses, but her pace was much faster when she resumed. She was not smoking. Her eyes remained closed. She sat quite still for at least a minute after closing them, before resuming at 9:44.)

(Jane paused at 9:56. Seth dispensed with the usual break before our experimental material. When break finally did arrive Jane said Seth was going to give a break at this time but decided to go ahead because she was in a good state. Usually, Jane said, she reaches a better state as time passes.

(Jane took a longish pause at 10:00. Her pace was broken by many short pauses, but was still good.)

(Jane paused at 10:14. Her eyes were still closed and she still held the envelope to her forehead. This was my first opportunity to ask a question during such experiments; I picked what I thought was a safe one, meaning that I didn’t think it would give Jane any clues.

(Break at 10:16. Jane was dissociated as usual, she said, and her eyes had remained closed. My question had not upset her. It will be recalled that this asking of questions during experimental material, or immediately afterward, has been led up to gradually in very recent sessions. As will be seen, the question bore fruit.

(“Something for a consideration.” The print was made to be read, or considered, after the manner outlined in the book on hands.

(“A connection with many people, and with something like a basement—low, that is. This leads Ruburt to think of your Myhalyk’s, his impression.” Jane believes her impression here is correct. Myhalyk’s is our favorite dancing establishment in Elmira. On Saturday, February 19, Jane and I met Marilyn and Don Wilbur and some others at Myhalyk’s for an evening of dancing. This was shortly after we had obtained the book on hands, and during the evening Jane asked the Wilburs if they would cooperate in having handprints made. The Wilburs, who have witnessed several unscheduled sessions, consented. Arrangements were made to obtain their prints on Friday, February 25, but were not carried out because of the difficulty in getting good prints. My print, made on February 27, was an experiment in an effort to learn just how to make a good print.

(“and a connection with a man who wears glasses. Not you, Joseph.” Don Wilbur wears glasses. I do also. So does Bill Gallagher. Peggy Gallagher was visiting Jane on the evening I made the print used as the envelope object, on Sunday, February 27. After I was through with my efforts Bill arrived. As we recall he was not wearing his glasses on that particular evening. Don Wilbur wears his all the time, as I do.

(“A violet. Red, and a grading to yellow.” This is very interesting to me personally; Jane also recalls these details. After spending a couple of hours trying to make a good handprint, I gave up and began cleaning the ink from my hand. This proved to be a job. As I applied scouring powder I was surprised to see the black ink on the palm turn what might be termed a red with violet undertones. This effect at once reminded me of reading that the quality of a black ink can be judged by its behavior when diluted: If a red color develops it means the ink is of inferior quality. The ink I had used was stamp-pad ink purchased at a 5-and-10 downtown.

(The ink might have been of poor quality but it was difficult to remove. The red color was pronounced and I called Jane’s attention to it. She too had had the experience, since she had tried prints of her own a few days earlier. A lot of scrubbing reduced the red stain to a yellowish cast finally, but here I had to let it wear off. This took several days. Thus we have a progression here from black to violet to red to yellow.

(“The darks horizontal,” Note the fold marks on the copy of the envelope object on page 327. When the object was folded and then held in a roughly horizontal position in the rectangular double envelope, the dark patterns of the fingers would be horizontal within the envelopes.

(“Also let me add initials, or symbols.” As indicated on the copy on page 327, my initials, right hand designation, and the date were noted by me when I made the print. This was in black pen.

(When she began speaking Jane used short pauses often. Her eyes remained closed. Much of the time she cradled her cheek on her crossed arms, supported by the table. She was not smoking. Resume at 10:32.)

It was in a similar period in the past that the test data were very poor. The improvement will show itself more clearly as he becomes psychically more active again. My best regards to you both. If you have no questions I will end the session.

I was being cagey. I merely said their attendance was possible. My time elements were simply off here, unfortunately.

(End at 10:40. Jane was dissociated as usual. See page 326 for the data on the expected witnesses for this evening’s session.)