“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(The object for the 77th envelope experiment was a copy of an article from The Saratogian, the daily newspaper of Saratoga Springs, NY; it was printed in September, 1950 and was saved by Jane as a souvenir, and also because she wrote it. It describes her election as president of the Day Students Council for Skidmore College, in Saratoga. See the rough copies on pages 168 and 169.

(I have indicated the highlights of both sides of the object by typewriter; actually it was printed in two columns, instead of the one I have indicated. Jane saw the object about three weeks ago when she was sorting out some papers. I picked this item after finding it lost among some newspapers, and about to be thrown out. I placed it between the usual two pieces of Bristol, then sealed it in the regular double envelopes.

It is not generated from the objective world. The objective world is the end result of inner action. You can indeed manipulate the objective world from within, for this is the means and the definition of manipulation.

You do this in the dream state. You do it in the waking state. There must be therefore definite connections between inner energy and the world of objects. There are methods and means, hidden to the ego, whereby the physical universe as you know it is constantly created and maintained. Underline as you know it.

Chemicals are released through the body through the skin and pore systems, in an invisible but definite pseudophysical formation. The intensity of a thought or image largely determines the immediacy of its physical materialization. There is no object about you that you have not created. There is nothing about your physical image that you have not made.

The physical environment is as much a part of you, then, basically you see, as the physical image. Your control over it is quite effective, for you create it as you create your fingertip. You are not consciously aware, consciously underlined, of your control over the physical object that may be touched by that fingertip.

The physical objects are made or constructed of the same pseudomaterial that radiates outward from the physical image, only the higher intensity mass is different. When it builds up enough, you recognize it as an object. At low intensity mass it is not apparent to you.

The physical image is a part of objective reality. This should not be overlooked, when speaking of the self. In one respect the physical image and physical objects go flying out in all directions from the inner core of the whole self. There is always impetus, action, and motion; that is, of intensities and not of space.

(“What color is the object?”)

(“Do you want to name the object?”)

On a larger object.

(“What’s the shape of the object?”)

(See the rough copy of the envelope object on pages 168 and 169, and the notes on page 170. Seth did not return after the break, so Jane and I were left to make our own connections between the object and the data. In fact, we cut the session short because I was not feeling well. But we feel Jane did well.

(As stated, the object is an article taken from The Saratogian of September 1950. Jane wrote it, since she had a part-time job with the newspaper while attending Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. The object concerns the election of Jane as president of the Day Students Council in her junior year, and the photo at the top of the article shows Jane and the other three female members of the council. They wear the “uniform" in style then—blue jeans.

(The typing below the photo and on the back sums up the content of the news stories on the object. Jane last saw the object about three weeks ago, but did not know it was in my possession particularly, when I decided to use it as an object. I folded it once as indicated on page 168 before inserting it in the usual double envelopes.

(“Seven.” See the copy below the photo of the object, page 168. There is a seven in the address of one of the four council members, Orlyn Barron,.. daughter of… etc., 78 Court, Saratoga.

(“A connection with many small colored squares. This reminding Ruburt however of your op painting.” As stated, Jane had images of small colored squares. We cannot connect them with the object however; although it is easy to connect them with my optical painting of last year, which hangs here in the apartment. The painting is made up of many three-quarter-inch squares of brilliant color.

(“A circumvention.” My interpretation involves the article on the back of the object. See page 169, and my insert, originally omitted and added with this typing. The news article concerns the Feinberg Law, which spells out the intent of the New York State Legislature in the Education Law, concerning the removal of any school employees for treasonable or seditious acts. The pertinent lines in the story being: “This law in no way violates the constitutional rights of freedom of speech, press or assembly. The Constitution was meant to preserve our gov’t., not to serve as a protecting screen for those who would seek to destroy it…”

(Jane believes circumvention can also relate to these interpretations: the circular effect obtained in the photo on the object, by the placement of the four girls, as shown on page 168; and the word GLOBE in caps in the ad in the lower left corner on the back of the object.

(“To do with a particular week. Or a seven or fourteen-day period.” Jane said this data is Seth’s attempt to get at the “day" references which are prominent on the front of the object. Note the headline indicated on page 168: “Skidmore Day Students Elect Council members," plus other day students and council references in the article.

(“A note.” The object, being a newspaper item, contains printing and consequently is closely related to a note.

(“Four events, closely related. Perhaps mentioned in the note. Or four people connected with one event, mentioned in a note.” Seth is very close indeed here, since the article on the front of the object deals with the election of four women to the Skidmore College Day Students Council.

(Omitted as a possible interpretation of the Mountain, or high peak data, above: Jane noted that on the front of the object one of the girl’s names is Patricia McFarland. Jane’s thought being that McFarland could be broken into “far land" and the idea of a mountain.

(“With a bear. I do not know to what this refers.” Jane pointed out that, as in the case of McFarland, bear could be derived from the name of one of the girls mentioned on the front of the object: Orlyn Barron. She also appears in the photograph.

(“Connection with a barrister or lawyer.” The whole of the news story indicated on the back of the object, as shown on page 169 concerns law, statues, the Constitution, overthrow, rights, government, etc., plus the mention of two names: Feinberg, and Aronowitz. Feinberg sponsored a law bearing his name, and possibly is, or was, a New York State legislator. We do not know the profession of Mr. Aronowitz, who is quoted in the article via a lecture delivered about the law. Evidently he is connected to New York State in some official capacity.

(On the front of the object, the article about the Day Students Council also concerns law and government, connected with Skidmore, etc.

(“An initial attempt, followed by others.” Jane was a bit dubious here, but said the photo heading up the article on the front of the object pictured the first meeting of the newly-elected Day Students Council; this meeting of course was followed by others.

(“A light or wall switch.” See the photo indicated on the object on page 168. A table lamp is visible directly in back of Jane. On the back of the object—page 169—in the lower left corner, see again the ad for Globe electrical fixtures, etc.

(“Mention of a time, perhaps 2 or 12.” No connections as far as time goes on the object. The number 2 is shown in the address of one of the women council,members on the front of the object: “…daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James W. McFarland, 2 Glenbrook Rd…” etc.

(“With civil, or civil rights.” Again see the article on the back of the object, shown on page 169. The whole tone of the news story about the Feinberg law and the Education Law of New York State concerns the protection of civil rights, and protection by the Constitution; but without using the constitution as a hiding place for subversives, etc. We regard this as excellent data.

(“Distant connection with a train.” We are not sure. If train means travel, the article on the front of the object mentions that one of the newly-elected council members, Frances Donahue, has returned to Skidmore after two years practice nursing in New York City.

(“and also with a serial number.” Again not sure. On the back of the object, in the Globe electrical ad, there are two series of numbers: 449 Broadway, and phone 1505. In the news article above, is a mention of section 3021 of the New York education law.

(1st Question: What color is the object? “Connection with an orange yellow white. With something inept perhaps. Not formalized. Perhaps poorly done, though I do not believe this impression should be carried precisely that far. More ill-defined perhaps.” Again, we made no connections as far as colors go with the object. However, the rest of this data can refer to the last paragraph of the news story on the back of the object. See page 169. “There was also a dispute over whether or not a secondary school teacher would have the freedom to teach even the concepts of Communism, without being afraid of misinterpretation.This seemed to involve interpretation, and the final answer is left to the people.” Something ill-defined, not formalized, etc., applies here.

(2nd Question: Can you give us some more on the 7 or 14-day period? “Strongly connected with, or mentioned, on the item.” Again, Jane says this refers to the day concept, in the article on the front of the object, concerning the election of Jane and others to the Skidmore Day Students Council, etc.

(3rd Question: What’s that lawyer connection? “I am not sure. Laws or edicts.” As stated earlier, both the news items on the front and back of the object concerns laws, edicts, etc.

(4th Question: Can you say more about the four people? “Two males and two females, I believe.” The four people indicated in the photo—see page 168—are female. Jane speculated that two of the first names mentioned in the article on the front of the object, could be taken as male names by some: Frances, and Orlyn.

(5th Question: What’s that about a triangle? “I was after the mountain shape, which seemed to be triangular. A triangle with a feeling of height, or the apex or high point of an episode.” As stated, Jane felt this referred to her election as president of the Day Students Council—the high point of her college tenure as far as honors went. It was, Jane said, a big deal. This election is the subject of the article on the front of the object.

(6th Question: Do you want to name the object? “It seems like a note, with something else on it—like a note in combination with something else. Pictures or symbols on a note.” This is excellent data and Seth is very close. See pages 168 and 169.The object, as stated, bears many of the characteristics of a note, since it contains news stories. It also bears pictures and/or symbols, on both the front and the back.

(7th Question: What is that name or place beginning with D? “Ruburt here of course would think of Delmer. I can say no more on the D.” As stated on page 174, possibly the D refers to Day Students Council, or the name Donahue; both references on the front of the object.

(8th Question: Can you say anything more about the colored squares? “Purples and yellows—many colors. Orange and red.” As stated, no connections unless Jane refers to my op painting. It contains all of these colors; and no connections with the object as far as we know.

(9th Question: What are they? “On a larger object.” Yes, but ????

(10th Question: What’s the shape of the object? “I believe rectangular.” Here I meant the shape of the envelope object; Seth could have referred to the larger object containing the colored squares, however, because I did not make any distinction. As it happens, both the object and the op painting which contains the small colored squares are rectangular.

(11th Question: Can you say anything about the two females? “An apparent misdeed, connected with one or them. Younger rather than older.” This can be a reference to Jane herself. She appears in the photo on the front of the envelope object, and the news story thereon concerns her election as president of the Skidmore College Day Students Council. See page 168.

(12th Question: Any initials? “B or C.” Again I put the question poorly since I was thinking of the initials of one of the two females. The actual phrasing of the question allowed too much latitude. Even so, there is no personal name on the object, front or back, with a C, initial. There is a B, for Orlyn Barron.