“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(Tam Mossman and his fiancée Eve had been our guests over the past weekend, May 2—4; he had heartily approved the work Jane has completed on the Seth book and we thought that this belief might have something to do with Jane’s very relaxed state. Jane said no conscious suggestions, that she was aware of, had been involved today or this evening. Tam is Jane’s editor at Prentice-Hall, Inc.

(Jane experienced a remarkable release from symptoms, but even so her neck was not fully released, as she determined by testing. She had done some yoga this afternoon, but she didn’t think this had anything to do with the present state.

I suggest however that you continue your own prayer periods, as you have been doing them. Ruburt during his period should imagine feelings of exuberance, energy, and inspiration, general feelings of release and freedom. Let him play a game with himself however as to how long he can honestly forget (underlined) his symptoms in daily activity. Do not give them extra energy through concentration.

(“Have the prayer sessions been doing any good?”)

They have indeed. Now give me a moment, (pause), and a long moment. (Pause.) Concentration should not be upon feeling well enough in the morning to do something he wants to do. It should be upon the thing he wants to do, and away from the physical condition. When he feels his full enthusiasm bubbling up in his work he will not need to give himself suggestions that he will feel well in the morning.

He should put into the bedroom objects that have particular value for him. I do not mean furniture necessarily. But the bedroom is devoid of the favorite objects he keeps about him in this room. (The living room.) He feels that such objects are protective, and since he is without these he feels more vulnerable.

(My question had to do with the various kinds of experience sought by the inner self. I wondered, with some apparent irritation, why Jane’s inner self would permit such a detriment as the symptoms to continue for so long. Once the experience of the illness had been gained, it seemed to me, it made better sense for the inner self to terminate the particular experience and move on to others. I thought there were many more valuable kinds of experiences to be had in many kinds of healthier, more creative endeavors, instead of letting the symptoms interfere with Jane’s attempts to perform such creative endeavors.

(More irritation on my part. I felt, and still do as this is written, that Seth gave only a partial answer to the original question, concerning the purposes and awarenesses of the inner self; I intend to press for a more complete answer.)

It is exactly what you must avoid, and what you tell Ruburt he must avoid, for it does reinforce the present condition. You both have a tendency to concentrate upon remaining symptoms, or intensified ones, and to give little attention to the improvements. It is as if the improvements did not exist, and they do.

That is an important sentence. You are both concentrating on the remaining symptoms, and the improvements escape you. You do not give energy to them, nor look for them. You look for the remaining symptoms. You do not add reality, physical reality then, to improvements as they first show—you do not nurse them expectantly as you would a seed. You concentrate on the part of the plant that is not doing as well.

(“What are you supposed to do in a case like Tuesday morning?”

As far as the Tuesday episode, in such a case recognize that negative attitudes entered in. Take it for granted they are already dissolving, and the impediment was temporary. Do not let such an episode throw you into panic. Ruburt is aware of certain thoughts that helped cause the episode, and he will tell you.

You have told him not to concentrate upon his symptoms, and yet you also have a tendency to do so. There is nothing that can work against your desires more. This leads to a sense of desperation, and undermines your confidence.

I cannot stress this too strongly. If you find yourselves doing this you would be better to drop any emphasis on health specifically. Do you follow me?