“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Some of this has to do with the fact that both of you think in terms of absolutes, but often in different ways. Ruburt feels free enough to go to Florida, if he feels he does not have to face what he thinks of as your idea of absolute freedom, in which he is performing as normally as anyone else, or nearly so. If that is expected of him in line with both of your current beliefs in the body’s poor performance then he does not feel free to go at all.

A third of that energy on either of your parts spent on the realization that the effects are caused by beliefs, and an effort to change the beliefs, will work wonders. Ruburt did this with the shoe episode, and with the arm to an important degree. You cannot encourage him, saying “I know you can do it, honey, don’t worry about it, you’ll do better next time,” when you are quite firmly convinced of the opposite.

Now: the walking most clearly shows Ruburt’s beliefs and yours. The inner conditions are being righted, but Ruburt must see himself in his mind walking better—not perfectly but better for now, and he has begun in point of power to learn how to do that.

Give us a moment.... In such circumstances you do not encourage each other, but each add to the problem. There is no reason why such a journey cannot be enjoyable, creative, healing, and bring you each great pleasure. If you each structure that experience ahead of time, however, and see it focused entirely on and through negative beliefs, then it simply becomes another hassle.

Ruburt’s body can perform far better, and is in the process of so doing. You would each do it a great service if you would simply leave it alone, stop negative projections upon it, if you cannot manage to send it positive help through being willing to change your beliefs about it.

You do not need to imagine him arising with your flexibility, nor should he at this point, but you should each expect continued improvement, and gradations of ever-growing freedom of mobility. Above all, you are from this point to stop structuring your lives upon the bedrock reality of Ruburt’s condition. For that “condition” is not a permanent thing, but a changing reality, an improving condition.

You said earlier yourself that you probably hardly realized how your own viewpoint has altered. You said it passively. That viewpoint should be considered as part of the past. You can no longer use it as an excuse any more than Ruburt can use his symptoms as an excuse any more. You form your reality. If you want to sit back and say “My worry prevents me from enjoyment, creativity and fulfillment,” then do so. It would be better if you said that entire sentence and then put it in the past, and added, “I shall no longer do so.”

Then you will be free to release your own energy for yourself, and to actively and joyfully encourage Ruburt to do the same. There are many things, including this trip, that you both can actively enjoy—but not while you are insisting upon absolute freedom, while at the same time concentrating upon those elements in your experience that seem to keep you from it. Then your main concentration is not upon freedom at all but upon the lack of it, so that the freedoms that are available, even physically to Ruburt in his condition now, become minimized, and both of you suffer.

Do not hit yourselves over the head because of this session, wondering how you could be so stupid, for example. You know little, regardless of the mail, about the personal situation of others and the emotional climate in which they live.

You do not realize often the extent of your own triumphs or the models that you are for others, or the light that you are to them. Therefore your accomplishments are considerable, and will be greater. These challenges were chosen, and you are in the process of triumphing over them. If I am forceful this evening it is only because I want you to understand exactly in what areas work is needed. The results are, I tell you now, assured, as given in our late sessions—which means of course that your understanding of this session has already been taken for granted. So I bid you then a fond good evening, knowing already from my viewpoint that it was followed long ago in your time.

Some night later when this is over, I will give you some important information that will catch up with you, so to speak. So do not be downhearted. See yourselves in a future in which this session has long ago been given and followed with excellent results.