“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Now: when you are painting a picture and you have a good start, you do not think to yourself “I have a good start, but I will most likely ruin what I have begun.” When Ruburt is writing, and has a good page, he does not think “This is fine and good, but the next page will likely be lousy, and I will never have a book.”

Your attitudes before—and after—our last session, about Ruburt’s condition, can be equated however with precisely such uncreative and cowed frames of mind. To some extent those attitudes have been habitual. Carried to extremes, such a would-be artist or writer would never complete a painting or a book—not because of any lack of ability but because of lack of confidence and poor mental attitudes.

When either of you do good work you compliment each other. You do not say “But will that be followed up tomorrow by work as good or better?” You do not say “That is fine, but most likely tomorrow you will ruin what you did today.” Yet such uncreative attitudes have often, now, hampered you in that direction of Ruburt’s condition, so that you programmed yourselves to expect disappointment.

We had come along far enough, however, so that your confidence managed to straddle your momentary lapses of confidence. Ruburt’s lapses are far more significant, of course, than your own in the entire picture. He has not noted down his improvements daily, or any encouraging sensations, still because of those old fears.

He has made efforts, now, but the daily notes help reprogram his frame of mind. You do not always feel, say, “down” at the same time, so learn to encourage each other when possible. The changes in Ruburt’s body continue to be those exactly required, and in response to his intent and desire to be responsive.

(10:50.) When I constantly say the same things, they are important. Therefore, whenever Ruburt is upset, I want him to return to the present natural data. This particularly applies to times when he is worrying about what might happen, or how he might perform in the future.

Give us a moment.... Make an effort, Joseph—more of an effort—to compliment Ruburt on his appearance, when it strikes you that he does look good. This will help reinforce his confidence. Complimentary lies do not work as a rule, and certainly I would not suggest them. When someone has been worried about their appearance, however, as Ruburt has, then honest compliments, when appropriate, operate most strongly as positive suggestion.

You deal in this area, as in all areas, with probabilities. Ruburt’s body is changing into a more or less normally flexible one. He is pulling that probability toward him. When he is beginning a book, however, he does not think “This is a probable book.” It becomes his book, period. That is because he does not dwell upon possible impediments, and is relatively self-confident.

James was serious and concerned. Seven was poking fun at religious conventions. All Ruburt has to do is to tell himself again to trust the thrust of his own creativity, and let himself go along with it, and there will be no problem.