“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(The 51st envelope experiment was held during the session. The object was placed as usual between two pieces of Bristol and sealed in double envelopes. It was a newspaper article by Peggy Gallagher, published in the Elmira Star-Gazette and Advertiser on May 4,1966; today. The photo of Mrs. Bessie Berry was not included in the test envelopes. It appeared on the same page of the newspaper, just above the center column of the object itself, but was attched to another article about Mrs. Berry.

Do you have an envelope for me?

(Jane paused at 10:14. Without opening her eyes she took the envelope for our 51st experiment from me and pressed it to her forehead.)

(Jane had of course seen the article used as object in this evening’s paper. We had discussed it at supper, and also noted that Peggy Gallagher had written it. As stated the photo of Mrs. Berry was not used in the experimental envelope. This photo was included in another article; the photo was centered above the middle column of the object. At the time I prepared the envelopes I thought of including the photo with Peggy’s article, but decided against it at the last minute.

(Once again we could not expect to know enough details about the envelope object to make all the connections. We made those we could, but did not ask Seth to clear up any after break. Instead I requested that he say something about the question I had raised during second break.

(“A picture of a woman.” As stated a photo of Mrs. Berry was included in the other article about her, printed just above Peggy Gallagher’s story. I had considered enclosing the photo in the envelopes with the article but decided not to at the last moment. See the session’s opening notes.

(“Someone or something tall.” Jane and I haven’t met Mrs. Berry and do not know if she is tall. The headline on the envelope object contains the word top. Jane may have associated top with tall, as she did quick with first in the opening impression.

(“Only what I have said. picture in terms of a photograph connection.” Seth answered thus to my first question. I sought elaboration on the picture of a woman data interpreted on page 138. Here Seth connects the picture with photograph. This eliminates the drawings of two women on back of the envelope object, and we think refers to the photo of Mrs. Berry already described.

(“Fairly small. Dark colors and white. Perhaps writing on the back.” This came through in answer to my second question, concerning the shape of the object. The data can fit either the envelope object itself, or the picture of the dead priest referred to above under “cross shape,” etc. I am inclined to think it refers to the latter. The envelope object was folded three times so that it measured about 4 3/4” x 3”. Even with this the photo of the priest measures 3 3/4” x 2 1/2”, or still smaller. Neither the object or the priest’s picture have writing on the back, but both contain printed type. The problem of semantics here, involving printing, writing and lettering, has arisen before.

(“There are also others, or at least one more.” At the risk of repetition: There were two articles concerning Mrs. Berry in the paper. One was by Peggy Gallagher and this is the one used as envelope object. Just above Peggy’s article the other article was printed. This second one included the photo of Mrs. Berry. The second article also included another photo—this one of a man who was also elected with Mrs. Berry. The two photos ran side by side.

(During second break I had wondered if there was much similarity between the various manifestations of the Eve egos, and the relationship between Jane and Seth, when Seth was temporarily dominant. I now asked Jane if Seth might not talk about this, rather than deal with our interpretations of the envelope data. Jane resumed at a good pace, smoking, her eyes opening often, at 10:51.)

(Reduced copy of the manuscript page from Jane’s book on dreams, used as the envelope object in the 52nd experiment, in the 257th session for May 9,1966.)