“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Through his art, Ruburt never had that sense of fitting with the times, or of receiving its ordinary recognition. In any of these discussions, however, remember I am specifying certain important points, for there are, again, many realities. In terms of mental, philosophic, esthetic, and artistic terms, however, you each decided to go ahead even if it meant leaving your times behind.

(10:15.) They do not trust themselves. They do not have the stamina, or the resoluteness, however, yet, to face a reality in which they are the creators of their circumstances. They no longer trust religion or science in organizational terms. If they read Ruburt’s books, they must accept the fact that Ruburt, as a woman, without the world’s credentials, will dare to follow the dictates of the inner self, and this makes the entire affair more frightening to them, to a degree.

They are afraid of vulnerability. They are between the comic book world and your own. They yearn for an authority they can trust. Ruburt’s books show that it is not all that easy, in their terms. They want to believe that he depends upon me to make all his decisions, and they do not want to hear about his independent thinking. They are between dependence and independence, at the level of which I am speaking.

Give us a moment.... My work is in a way more direct than Ruburt’s. It appeals to many levels of the psyche at once. It can be interpreted at many depths. From the comic book reader to the scholar, each will find a point of contact within my work. The comic book reader will interpret it in his own way, and perhaps I will emerge as a supersoul instead of a superman (with humor).

You have to be fairly intellectual to read Ruburt’s books. You think my books require much effort, and people often say so—yet you get letters from people who are nearly illiterate. This is nothing against Ruburt’s books, for they are excellent—but people become frightened sometimes because they do not want to compare themselves to Ruburt. They want to think that I spring automatically into your lives, as Superman. They did not question Superman. Only a simple change of clothing was required for our hero, Mr. Kent. They want to endow me with an authority that will make up for the authority they are trying to be free of. They do not want Ruburt’s inquiring mind to intrude.

They want to keep Clark Kent and Superman entirely separate on a mental, psychical, and physical basis, and only in the terms of our analogy, and in line with our discussion, I become a supersoul rather than superman. They do not want my authority questioned. For one thing, they are tired of questioning. They think that if they had their own supersoul they would have far better sense than Ruburt, and they would use me as if I were a magic genie. They are afraid Ruburt might go too far, and question me out of existence, for they do not understand that Ruburt’s questions, and your own, your sense of integrity, are partially responsible for a “superman” rather than a supermouse.

(10:42.) Because of my source. I can appeal to many levels at once. To some extent also, people do not want to be told by one of their own kind of their failures, even if these are only implied. They would much prefer to think of him (Ruburt) as a sweet, passive, and spiritual channel—the figurative phone booth. Some people purposely will not read his works. They do not want his comments, where yours are acceptable.

Ruburt’s performance is in direct opposition to the “spiritualistic tradition” of women as mediums, who simply took down or spoke “the sacred words.”

At the same time I work with a level of Ruburt’s personality that is his, that to some extent uses his knowledge of the world and its people, but I am far freer in my overall understanding and comprehension of people. I bear no human rancor, you see (with a smile), as Ruburt to some extent must.

Now: I have said this before, but it is of the utmost importance. Part of your stomach difficulty, and part of Ruburt’s troubles, result from poor habits.

I repeat what I said about Ruburt’s eyes. I suggest the hot towels be utilized. It does not help when you both reinforce your feelings of apartness from your society. It does not help when you make mental lists of society’s stupidities, and repeat them to each other.

Any improvements Ruburt shows are considered insignificant, unimportant—or worse, deceptive. They are not trusted. They become lost. It is not that they are considered unimportant so much as they are considered to be not trustworthy. You are so afraid to trust them, either of you. Not only are they not taken advantage of then, but when they do not continue this is taken as proof that they are deceptive.

(11:25.) Give us a moment.... The improvements, then, rouse anxiety. Ruburt is afraid of disappointing himself and you as well if they do not continue. One or the other of you reinforce the idea of threat, the extraordinary energy is available. (This from Jane’s reading of William James lately.) You have been afraid of really structuring the improvements, of really making an important effort, for fear that effort will fail.

I will have more to say in that regard. On several occasions however in the past, you did learn to trust improvements, and Ruburt made important strides. He is almost afraid of mentioning it when something works better, for example. I want this changed: I will have much more to say at our next session.

Your ideas, individually and jointly, are innovative and daring. When Ruburt shows an improvement of any kind, you both become cringing. You take it for granted that the improvement will not last, and is deceptive. You remember the past history of improvements that vanished. You are not daring, you are not innovative, you are not creative—either of you (emphatically)—in that area.

You look for the improvement to disappear, each of you. You become anxious at its onset. Sometimes Ruburt feels guilty at any improvement he feels on any given day because it seems too obvious that this is only a setup for a future disappointment. Better not mention it, and only disappoint himself.

Obviously your relationships with your bodies are highly vital, intimate. Those relationships also represent, however, the most natural aspects, in certain regards, in which the self must rely upon that source that initially gave it life. The division of beliefs is therefore corporally written. It is of utmost importance that you do not consider Ruburt’s physical condition in terms of “absolute ideals.”

Without my books, Ruburt’s books would not be the same. He would not have written them. It is impossible to say what he would have written. His books would not have shown the ability that they do now, however. “Unknown” will do well. Most likely it will be put out as one volume sometime in the future. It will be considered a textbook, however, and somewhat of a collector’s item.

And take my suggestions, both of you, to heart. Tell Ruburt to trust the physician within and the body’s ancient wisdom.