“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

We will begin with the material that is pertinent, and work through it to other data still more pertinent. A simple statement of fact, regardless of the reasons: Ruburt has a great but not neurotic need of expressions of love. A child does not always understand that concern for its welfare is the same thing as love. Sometimes it may be. Sometimes concern is a result of something else.

Ruburt is not a child, but you often do think that your concern automatically expresses your love, and take it for granted that to Ruburt that is clear. While he tells himself that your concern is based on love, and knows it, he felt that love for example last night through feel and touch.

Now: While Ruburt is not a child he operates emotionally with a child’s simplicity, and is at his best in direct personal encounter with you or with his friends, for example. With the same directness he does not want anything to do with people he dislikes, for whatever reason.

These feelings were also based upon youthful feelings, that a woman’s biology could be a threat to a writer, so there was a base there that made a certain sense to Ruburt.

Now there are reasons—you have stated them well—for ambiguities of feeling on your part about Ruburt’s condition. They are understandable. You make an effort to tell him he looks well on occasion, but stroking his body tells him you love it—frowning at him does not.

If you both continue these sessions will continue. (?) If you let the personal sessions go then there are reasons why you each let them go. Again, it is because of the strength of your particular alliance, yours and Ruburt’s, that your reactions to each other are so charged and interbound. There is only so much I can give you in an evening, but I have much in mind.

Now: Ruburt’s work therefore became more and more important. It had to justify the lack of spontaneity in personal areas, and the same always applied to you. For a while at least he felt you met only in your work, and in the sessions.

Spontaneity, except in work, has been largely closed out of your lives, but it is to him unnatural. Spontaneous trips are in the same category, regardless now of the physical difficulty. Your way of life has been more natural to you than to Ruburt. The classes afford him some spontaneity.

Ruburt is learning to understand the nature of the mind in a way he could not understand it second-handed, playing games, and in condensed form you are learning about the human condition. What you said today is true: You must learn to understand the creativity and responsibility of consciousness. Yet you yourself often said in the past that suggestion could not be that important. Suggestion causes your reality. The suggestions you give are given as a result of your beliefs.

The reasons why Ruburt improved to a large degree the summer you took this place (Apartment 4) were important. You worked together. You utilized suggestion together. You began the morning together, using suggestions consciously decided upon. You had a plan and you followed it. Besides, you took what were at times timely measures in physical terms—direct terms—to better your environment. (Moving into Apartment 4.)

Suggestions can change beliefs, for beliefs are only accepted habitual suggestions. When you use so-called positive suggestions you must implement them through action, but gently. You have each been structuring your experience largely through Ruburt’s symptoms—both of you, so that when Ruburt might momentarily feel free you would remind him of his limitations, and when you might forget them Ruburt would remind you.

Both of you concentrate upon the symptoms and Ruburt’s dire circumstances, which reinforces them. If you do this without feeling the symptoms, then at least understand how Ruburt so easily does the same thing.

1. For both of you, you must turn your concentration into other areas; and this applies to you for you are a part of it, as much as to Ruburt. I will give you directions to facilitate.

2. A definite approach that I will initiate, for you both to follow. You are in your own reality. You have chosen this one, even as Ruburt has. An ill wife in not inflicted upon you.

Now. I want Ruburt to keep a pendulum by the bed. In the morning suggestions given with the pendulum, and both of you participating. He is not to feel ashamed of his body in your eyes, regardless of its condition. Again, in one night I can only give you so much, but he grew afraid, and you helped him today to combat that fear: He was frightened that the body could not change, and your belief that it could was of great help.

There will be questions you have then that are not answered this evening. In the meantime follow the few suggestions given, and in whatever way you can, express your own spontaneous feelings toward Ruburt.... On his part, he must make an effort to rise above the reinforced feelings of despair, and to assure himself that his body can perform adequately with time, and following these suggestions.