“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

You doubted that your own good work would bring any financial success at all, while you believed that commercial work would; but you do not like commercial work. Somewhat like George (Rhoads), you believed that your best work would not be appreciated. It would not sell, while “inferior” work, by contrast, would.

Ruburt is satisfied with the financial pace, knowing it is accelerating on its own. This is an example however of the way in which your private and joint beliefs operate in a given area. Ruburt does not think in terms of details. He knows the books will bring added financial success, and that ad campaigns, etc., will come. This does not mean he is not annoyed on occasion, for he is, but overall he is in that regard certain.

(For the record: This last material may have come through because I got angry yesterday when I discovered that Prentice-Hall had run a two-page ad in the NY Times Book Section, for Sunday, December 2, without mentioning any of the Seth books. Tam has recently told Jane that the Seth books outsell all P/H’s books except the Ozzie Nelson. So the Nelson book was pictured in the ad, along with a lot of others, but nary a Seth book.)

There is more here but it is not pertinent to tonight’s discussion. In that area however Ruburt’s positive beliefs and your supportive ones acquiesced in the area where you each were free. Now you feel that your own best writing efforts will bring you some appreciation and financial success, while you still doubt your best painting will.

The fact that you did do our notes gave you confidence, while you did not feel threatened by failure as an artist. There is a lot here not pertinent tonight, but interesting in the interweaving of your beliefs. If you would forget such ideas as selling your paintings and simply do them, you could clear some barriers.

You believe you can make money. A simple declarative belief, but it is qualified. You believe you can make money—if you are a commercial artist, or if you take a job, or if you do almost anything else but your best work as an artist. You believe you are a good artist—a simple declarative belief. Between the two beliefs however there is some conflict, since you believe you also need money for your self-respect, but that you cannot get it by being an artist, which you feel is your focus of identity, and highly concerned with self-respect.

I am not solving dilemmas for you this evening, but giving you a head start with your beliefs (humorously). Beliefs can be challenged, examined, changed, with resulting alterations in your experience.

Now: beginning my book as I suggested in the last session, Ruburt has begun to encounter, recognize and timidly begun to challenge body beliefs just in the last few days. This will help break the connection in conditioning, and is a first step, and a necessary one. He is so used to automatically negative suggestions that to say nothing to himself leaves a vacuum. But here he can say now instead: “It is not necessarily so. Perhaps I can move easier. I’ll try it,” which allows a breathing space and a slight weakening of previous conditioning, in which he is no longer taking negative beliefs as fact, but looking at them as beliefs.

The spending splurge, and changes here, are important. Particularly important was your discussion with him the other evening. You recall the one I mean. (About Jane and me being essentially alone in that world now after my mother’s death, etc.) In the inner order of events he is walking nearly normally, but the challenge to beliefs must take place on that outer level, and this is now occurring. It is important because of his literal-mindedness.

Now: because of your background you also feel that there is something slightly shameful about going abroad in the day, when a man should be taken up with dutiful work. Your mother was ashamed of your father’s being home, for example. You used to comment to Ruburt about all the people on the streets in working hours. He picked that idea up from you. Your own list of beliefs should be quite illuminating as you continue it. But the real realizations will come as the exercises and their personal comprehension merge with what is written in my book.

The very fact that you work together at the book brings your private and joint beliefs together for examination. Ruburt’s improvements will begin anew as he now feels safe within his environment; but also as he feels safe to improve that environment.

The Florida trip would have had some excellent benefits. This present course will also however, but for now I suggest that you remain within this context.

This brought forth a turmoil in beliefs, and a creative one that is only now being used and assimilated. His idea of challenging body beliefs is important. Today’s mixture of walking, stimulation and facing the public (while shopping) is highly advantageous, but he should compare his condition not with others but with his reality.

Now I realize that you see Ruburt limping about quite as clearly as you see his good complexion. He is the one who must challenge his body beliefs, but whenever you notice any improvement mention it, for you are also dealing with a situation in which you become hypnotized by effects.

The beliefs cause the effects—most important—and you must each follow me here: for the following week continue with my book as given, but concentrate upon your work, each of you, your daily joys. Above all do not concentrate upon the problem, and in your minds to whatever extent possible, minimize it.

The money in the bank is real. It is the result of beliefs. Ruburt did not concentrate upon the problem of, say, possible poverty. Ruburt’s flexibility and health is as real in the inner world as that money is. More than that, it is ready to manifest physically, but you must not concentrate upon its “seeming lack.”

Ruburt gets over here quicker in the morning. Both of you believe it. Now: take any one, any one simple area, like rising from a chair, and using the point of power see Ruburt performing better in that area, whatever you choose. Do nothing else. Do not tell yourself, “He will do better,” but see it being done in the point of power. Then forget about it.