“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(There are no verbatim quotes here from Seth, since Jane obtained her information from him in a different way. The session began after we had had some time for an informative, get-acquainted talk, on parapsychology in general, methods of conducting tests, personalities, Seth’s particular philosophy, etc. Mr. Van Over had much interesting information to impart; and also, much of what he had to say about the way mediums operate struck responsive notes within us, since we had seen the same things transpiring within, and in connection with, Jane.

(As in Frederick Fell’s office that morning, Jane now announced that Seth was about and that she was capable of holding a session. But we sat in a public place and she did not want a display. We discussed going to our hotel room. Jane then said she thought she might be able to give Seth’s data in a different way than she usually did. She felt Seth’s presence “just below consciousness”, she said, and thought she might be able to speak for him in a natural manner without attracting the attention of others. There was a constant stream of people passing our table in the coffee shop, but no one paid us any attention.

(Jane was also encouraged when Ray Van Over told her that many mediums operated in the fashion she contemplated. This new departure was not particularly easy for Jane, and none of us wanted her to overdo it, but it was quite successful. Note also that Seth didn’t make his presence felt, nor was he asked to, until a convivial atmosphere had been established between the three of us present. The same kind of atmosphere had been set that morning at F. Fell’s office.

(Ray Van Over is leaving the Parapsychology Foundation sometime soon to launch his own business, which involves publishing. He was naturally concerned about the success of this venture, in which he was involved with others. Seth told Jane to tell him that the venture should be a successful one. There was some related data here that I did not make notes on. Then Jane, speaking for Seth, gave the initials W C, as those of a person very involved in Ray Van Over’s publishing venture.

(Ray Van Over said that this data was “quite correct”, the initials belonging to a person he proceeded to name. I did not write down the full name at the time, and so lost it. Seth also mentioned other initials: a J and a letter toward the end of the alphabet; this was not definite enough.

(During this time I was watching Jane in an attempt to determine whether we should call a halt to the session. It was apparent that her control with this new method was somewhat unsure; she paused often while speaking, and appeared to have to make quite an effort to maintain just the right balance between being herself while allowing Seth to hover just below, or within her range of consciousness, so that she could pass along his data. Her eyes blinked often. I thought she could slip into a deep trance from this state, and she later agreed. She did not want to, however, in our location, and just as I was on the point of suggesting that she end the session, she called a halt to it herself. In a few moments she was out of the trance.

(This had indeed been a new experience for Jane, and she called it a new state of consciousness for her. She said that she had felt sensations of “freezing cold” at her forehead and a few other parts of her body. She also felt an internal “buzzing” which wasn’t physical, and a sudden desire for urination at the end of the session. She was left with a general feeling of being shaky inside, and this lasted for a while. Jane said she could very easily have gone into a deep trance, and had to work to keep everything in balance—herself, Seth, etc. If memory serves me correctly Ray Van Over said some of the effects she described were effects experienced by other mediums also.

(After reading these notes Jane reminded me that during the session Seth also told R. Van Over that one of the sponsors or members of his new research society would pull out—that this person was somewhat of a disrupting influence, etc. When Jane mentioned this I too recalled it.