“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Your inner perceptions will often come in this manner then. The information must impress the nervous system, and it will take the most highly developed physical channel. Ruburt’s inner perceptions often take the auditory, you see. His hearing is exceptionally keen. Therefore inner data is directed, often, into that channel, for it will impress him vividly.

Ruburt should read more in his Maltz book, definitely, and concentrate on achieving relaxation, not only in periods set aside, but in his normal daily hours at work or whatever.

He did very well with his class, not only by holding our session (see the last session, Jane’s first without my presence), but by releasing and vocalizing his deep inner convictions. This helped his students immeasurably. He was helped, for part of himself was another student, listening.

His success practice is coming along exceptionally well, much better than the relaxation exercises. These have a strong therapeutic effect also, and will increase the benefits of all else that he has learned.

Another point here on Ruburt. The relaxation exercises will help short-circuit his tendency toward overreaction. Maltz’s telephone episode should be imagined by him in place of all unpleasant stimulus. Let him—again and again I say this— focus toward his work and classes, and pleasant daily activities, and away from symptoms.

Maltz is quite correct, in that an overly conscious (underlined) attempt is harmful. There has been improvement in his attitude since Wednesday’s session (385th, December 6), and with you I recommend that he reread it several times a week for a while.

Pleasant relaxation is the key, as opposed to a retreating, drugged-like mood, or an overly tense, overly conscious worry, as to the degree of his improvement. (Pause.)

The success exercises are also teaching him how to focus his energy without strong conscious deliberation. Often he tries too hard to relax. Now give us a moment here. (Pause.)

The man who threw in his burden ahead of time was your father. (Smile.) He did this years ago in effect, hence you passed him by, while recognizing his gesture and deciding against it. The packs represented abilities as well as burdens, you see. He was afraid of his abilities and his burdens. He could not go along with them on his back. He was afraid they would drown him. He leaped into life, denying himself the use of his abilities because of the responsibilities they entailed, hence the separation.

You saw that she still carried, as Jane, the abilities and responsibilities while in the middle of the stream. Had the dream not ended you would have made your way across to him, in time (smile), to help him up when he fell—this symbolic of his difficulties in the past year. The others were individuals that you have known.

Exercises so far have been too intensely entered into. He was so intent upon performing all given, either exercise or posture, that he became discouraged and pessimistic. The dancing, you see, he considers pleasurable. Its exercise function is secondary. He forgets himself, uses his body, and at least creates the climate in which muscular relaxation can occur.

Housework is in the same category usually. (Pause.) The exercises you see should have a joyful, gamelike atmosphere, or a nonchalance. He makes them a combat zone: his will versus his symptoms, and this defeats his purpose.

He did this even in the mental exercises I suggested. I now recommend all endeavors that combine enjoyment and exercise, where the exercise at least to his mind is incidental, or at least secondary.

Again, massage on your part will help. In this case pleasure on his part supersedes the purpose, and therefore reinforces it. He enjoys your touch, regardless, and therefore allows himself to relax. This is of paramount importance right now.

In the same way that he has lately caught himself tensing his jaw, so has he tensed his neck and shoulder muscles for some time. We want him to be able to recognize tension in the shoulders, as he can now, but could not earlier, recognize the tension in the jaw.

I will at least counteract some of the muscular tension and dissipate it. The activity itself will encourage him. Fifteen minutes at the least. Some exercises where he can see his own progress. These not to be picked up and dropped, but continued. They need not be the same.