“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

To some extent or another you chose abilities ahead of time that would at least partially meet conflict with the society in which you were born. Your abilities as an artist, for example, were not those relished by mothers in their male offspring. They were not considered beneficial in themselves—but only if they could be practically used as a way of making a living. The creativity implied was beside the point.

The same applied to Ruburt. You chose challenges, then, because despite it all your personalities are the kind that set up such life situations to begin with. Your abilities would meet some conflict in terms of religious, sexual, and social beliefs. This conflict would in a certain fashion sharpen the issues. To meet with these, Ruburt for example adopted certain beliefs that at various times would be helpful.

He developed the idea of being an outsider, as you did, setting up certain barriers against the world. This gave necessary periods of solitude, and helped at one time to channel his abilities. The same applies to you.

There is more in this session than you realize, if you put it together, for the creative abilities are themselves creative, spontaneous, exuberant, by their nature unpredictable.

When you tie these abilities to feelings of strong responsibility, serious work, too much, you limit them to whatever degree, and you limit your own expression of them. Ruburt’s held-over feelings about femininity make him try to be overly respectable in his work. The playful abilities find themselves in straightjackets. He becomes afraid of being ostracized. Your own seriousness about work in the past, your own attitudes, linger on in his. He took you too literally.

3.) You have to initiate some policy in the near future of meeting people. I will have suggestions. It does not matter if you think that any given contacts are “useless,” or that you do not reap intellectual benefits. The fact is that each of you need that contact. If you allow it, your own rhythms will become clear. Ruburt needs solitude, as you do, but also a format of an informal nature, for the emotions of others stimulate his abilities.

(11:26.) Give us a moment.... Have him begin a dream notebook (7). I want him to think in terms of using his abilities. I want you to think of using yours, rather than either of you concentrating upon what cannot be practically done. It would be of help if your bed had a north-to-south orientation, decorating problems to the contrary (8?). Particularly in your location, this has added benefit. Let Ruburt try one out-of-body this week—simply try.