“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(A fourth category—publishing/advertising—developed shortly before the session began. I happened to discover a full-page ad of Prentice-Hall’s in the New York Times book section for April 27, 1975. Four books were featured, but none of Jane’s. I showed it to her, and it got as negative a reaction from her as it did me. Such instances always make me angry, almost at once.

Castaneda’s books, for all their seeming unconventionality, had a niche to fall into, for here was the quite conventional scholar exploring a culture, even of the mind; not his own—but safely, within an academic framework to which he then returned, and to which academic readers could identify. Castaneda had his society’s credentials ahead of time. That society could then accept his journeys, and the individuals could allow themselves to follow his adventures, and forgive him for his cultural transgression because he brought home goodies.

(Pause at 9:49.) It would have been highly impractical, then, to expect Prentice to advertise the book. Times are changing. There is a so-called occult climate, yet we do not fall precisely into that category for them, the publishers, either; and Ruburt refuses to take advantage of “the trappings.” At least then they could say they had an occult personality who played the new part. It might be farce, from the publisher’s viewpoint, but they could sell it, and they would know how to advertise it.

You need not have stiff muscles if you sit for a long period—but you will indeed if you believe that you will. The body literally changes instantaneously, but if, you believe that time must be involved to whatever degree, then, it will of course happen that way. The muscles will need time to readjust.

Now Ruburt is moving more since you moved here, and to a greater degree than either of you realize. The original reasons behind the condition have largely been taken care of, but he is left with physical beliefs about his body. Habits have an important function in your lives. They enable you to act in a certain fashion that you consider necessary, without involving you in constant decisions. At one time Ruburt thought he should restrain himself. He learned to do this habitually. The reasons for such behavior are now leaving him. He set up a bodily behavior pattern, however, and it had to be based on body beliefs.

In the old frame of reference he had to convince himself that his body could not move well, or fast. Then he did not need to deal with what he thought of as distracting elements—to leave his desk. Also, he could not travel too far inward without being drawn back to the body’s discomfort. This gave him a feeling of safety. He found, in time, that the symptoms however were far more limiting than he had counted upon, and as his experience grew he found he needed less so-called “safeguards.”

Then however he was faced with habitual behavior. It took time from daily life to break the pattern even when he understood it, so often he went along on the one hand, while making half-assed efforts to free himself on the other.

So it seems, even to you at times, easier to go along with the old pattern than to break it. You can shop faster alone than with Ruburt, so that “chores” take less time. It is easier for you to comb Ruburt’s hair in the back. It looks better, and you are helping him. It would help him more if you actively and lovingly encouraged him to comb his own hair, and told him that he could do it better each time.