“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(The 78th envelope object was a shopping list I had written out earlier today for Jane, but which Jane did not see. On a sheet of white paper torn from a pad, same color ink as the tracing on page 189, folded as indicated, placed between two pieces of Bristol and then sealed in double envelopes. Results were not particularly good. See Jane’s supplementary list, this page also.)

(The 303rd session, held Saturday evening, November 26, with Eugene and Sarah Bernard, was a long and active one. The whole week had been a very busy one for Jane and me, and we were left somewhat short of sleep.

(Jane began speaking in trance this evening at a rather slow pace; her eyes opened at times; she was smoking; voice average.)

(Break at 9:25. Jane was dissociated as usual. She resumed at the same rather slow pace, eyes again opening at times, at 9:31.)

(Break at 9:45. Jane out as usual. Pace slow, eyes open at times. Resume with eyes closed at 9:53.)

(Her eyes closed, Jane took the envelope from me for our 78th experiment at 9:55. She held it to her forehead in a horizontal position.)

(Eyes closed, Jane drew in the air a sign like this:)

(My next quick sketch as Jane continued speaking for Seth: Is this sign, +, a reference to the string wrapped around the Bernard package? Thus: )

(“Well, it’s more likely to be transportation on your part. As Jane, that is.”)

(Break at 10:14. Jane out as usual. Eyes remained closed, pace okay with short pauses.

(See the tracing on page 189. The envelope object was a shopping list I made out with the intention of giving it to Jane earlier today, but did not do so. She never saw it before the test. It was written in a dark pen on white paper torn from a pad the same size, and was folded once before insertion into the double envelopes. The back was blank.

(The list represented numerous small things we had needed for some days, but Jane had been prevented from picking them up because of steady rain while I was at work. The list grew and indeed Jane was to get some items and perform some chores I had forgotten to put on the list. These too play a part in test results, since she had these equally strongly in mind this evening. She was to do all the chores tomorrow, Tuesday. See Jane’s list on page 190.)

(I tried something a little different during the experiment and Jane said now that she didn’t know whether it helped or not. The idea being simply to offer Seth encouragement when he was right, or close, or to ask a question at the moment to develop a bit of data further. She was aware that the approach was different. With the exception of an image of a photo of her schoolday friend, Marie Tubbs, Jane said she did not know if she had any images or not.

(Seth didn’t comment specifically on the experimental results and Jane and I made our own connections.

(“A scramble as of events.” This is good data. The object, the shopping list, represented quite a scramble on Jane’s part. She walked downtown Tuesday after the items, and these along with others made up a load that was all she could carry home.

(“Blues and yellows, strong colors.” Later Seth links these with paintings. The object contains items I use to do artwork with, although no paint. Jane did visit the art shop where I buy my paints. I thought another connection might apply also. Not on the list, but bought by Jane Tuesday were four transistor radio batteries. I had forgotten them but she remembered. The batteries are covered with a strong red, blue, and yellow design, very bulky. See Jane’s list, page 190, also.

(“An oval, the shape of an oval rug, for example.” See page 189. There are several ovals on the shopping list. The most prominent is the one I drew after the line “small tacks", with the size of the tack I needed indicated within the oval. Jane: I think rug is a literal interpretation of “matte" finish—see object.

(One of Jane’s chores Tuesday, not on the list but performed along with the listed items, was to mail a package to Sarah Bernard, who along with her husband visited us from North Carolina over last weekend. See the last session. The package contained a sweater Sarah forgot. The Bernards had visited Florida a few weeks ago. Jane had made her own list of errands to run Tuesday, and this included a visit to the post office to buy stamps, as well as mail the package. See Jane’s list, page 190 also.

(“Smaller shapes, fairly dark, perhaps like leaves in shadow. A connection with a note or letter. At least a connection with writing that is not on the object itself. That is, other writing, either in a note or beneath these images which I believe are on the object.” This is good data, and refers to the list Jane made out herself to supplement my list. See page 190. Jane made her list out Tuesday morning, November 29, after I had given her a copy of the list used as envelope object Monday, November 28.

(The two lists were linked in Jane’s mind of course by images, common goals, etc, of many kinds. One item of similarity showing up on both lists is the “cash check" data, referring to a check I had received for a painting recently….The mail package data on Jane’s list refers to the errand package discussed on page 195 under the Florida data. I had forgotten to add this item to my list.

(2nd Question: Any others? “These are further impressions. A turn up or tune-up.” Possibly a reference to the sweater left behind by Sarah Bernard, turning up after the Bernards had driven away. This is referred to on Jane’s list under the mail package data; Jane did this on the same trip downtown during which she ran the errands listed on my list, used as envelope objects.

(“Connection with a book. Perhaps mention of Ruburt’s book.” This links the Bernards with Janet’s list through the package data, and in turn with the object itself. The Bernards had a copy of Jane’s ESP book with them; we had mailed it to them some weeks ago.

(“A T S and perhaps L.” Jane felt subjectively that here she tried to get at the word Alexis on the object.

(“I believe the object has images on it of people.” When I told Seth the object did not, Jane said it bothered her but not Seth. She said she thought it a good idea to continue the experiments in this vein however. I was trying to see what answers along the way would do to help spur Seth on towards more data, when I noted that he was off the track.

(“I have the image of people. Let us see. Of four adults.” It can of course be said that Jane and I and the Bernards are linked rather strongly to the list used as object, and through that to Jane’s list, as already explained.

(3rd Question: How about that scramble? “I do not know if it refers to a scramble of lines, events or perhaps eggs. The term scramble is my impression.” I told Seth it referred to events. See also page 195. A scrambled-egg connection also enters in, somewhat removed, since the Bernards and Jane and I had scrambled eggs for breakfast Sunday, November 27.

(I then asked Seth to elaborate on the strong color impression about the blues and yellows. See also page 195. “To do with paintings.” This has been explained. A more distant connection might arise from the fact that Jane’s shopping list, shown on page 190, was written on yellow paper with a dark blue pen. The battery interpretation is listed on Jane’s list; and my own list, which was used as object, contained items to be purchased having to do with art.

(“Also the impression of something divided into four divisions fairly equally. This way you see.” At the time Jane made a sign like this:

(Later I wondered whether Seth had been trying to get at the idea of string crossing itself around a package. A package of course is mentioned on Jane’s list, page 190. The cross effect can be easily found in the way I habitually wrap packages with strings and in the way I specifically wrapped the package to be mailed to the Bernards, thus:

(“An inadequate or unfinished circumstance also.” A reference to the list used as object. The shopping list reflected a list of undone or unfinished chores which Jane performed Tuesday, November 29. She had intended doing them Monday but had been stopped from doing so by a heavy rain. Her own list can also enter in here.

(“And a connection with transportation. [4th Question: Transportation on whose part?] “On the part of guests.” I had told Seth it might more likely be transportation on Jane’s part, making the rounds to do the list of errands. There are links with the Bernards and transportation also of course, since they visited us over the weekend from North Carolina, then headed for a TV program in Philadelphia. The package data on Jane’s list is also connected to them.

(Jane regarded the experiment as a poor one, although there were good points in it. She resumed briefly at 10:43.)