“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

When you concentrate on a symptom you reinforce it. Ruburt should know this. I am not suggesting that you pretend the symptom does not exist, but that you quite deliberately give yourself constructive suggestion, and turn your attention immediately away quickly to other matters.

We want him now too busy and joyful to accept symptoms. This will involve some work on his part, but all effort must be made. He is to make an effort to remember his dreams, get up and record them, and anticipate projection dreams. Now spring is approaching. His energy can and must be used to good purpose. Additional energy is usually available to him during spring season, and it must be used to facilitate a complete cure.

These suggestions of mine may sound simple but they are not.

Concentration must be taken away from the symptoms. Periods of peaceful quiet are excellent. Periods of fearful quiet such as those of last weekend must not be indulged in. The moods may be recognized of course, but their destructive nature must also be recognized, and concentration then directed to other stimuli.

I suggest that you change your environment and leave the apartment at times simply because there is such recognition of the symptoms within the apartment, and the change is beneficial. The breaking of habit patterns is beneficial, but this should involve a spontaneous, pleasant adventure.

Praise him, without of course overdoing it (smile) but praise him when he is doing well and showing improvement, and encourage him. Do not comment overmuch about symptoms when they occur.

Again do not ignore them, but do not let your comments act as a negative suggestion that already might reinforce those that he has inadvertently given himself. Comfort him when this is necessary, but the comforting should follow the lines of constructive suggestions: “You will feel better soon.”

Your attitude is also important, of course. It should not involve pity, for this reinforces the symptoms, but should involve a confident assurance, particularly when he is fearful—an encouragement on your part, of constructive activities, a comforting but not overindulgent attitude, you see.

It is quite beneficial to suggest you will awake at once afterward, to write the experience down. This helps to isolate it from other dream experience, and to alert you. You have sleep to consider of course, but this method is the best one of all.