“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

We are doing certain kinds of work that can be done by no others, as others are doing work we cannot do—but rest assured that you are adding your voices to those of history, making your contributions. So is the man who wrote the book (Powers of Mind)—Adam Smith—interpreting in the only way he could for others who will later be led to read other books—that is, he helps awaken hunger.

(Seth mentioned Powers of Mind here, I think, because I got mad just before the session when I found a full-page ad for it in yesterday’s [Sunday’s] New York Times Book Section. The book has just come out and we’ve seen reviews for it in many publications; the contrast between the reception accorded the book, and Jane’s, reminded me of my poor opinion of Prentice-Hall’s handling of Jane’s books. As I told Jane after the session, I realized that Prentice-Hall’s treatment of our books reflects our own ambiguous attitudes-—we want her books to be well known, but don’t want to get involved in the process personally—but, perversely, that doesn’t stop me from getting mad at Prentice-Hall, even if they are doing what we want them to. I suppose what bothers me about the whole thing is a sneaking feeling I have that Prentice-Hall’s attitude would be the same no matter what we thought; that they aren’t on the ball in that department.

When man objectified energy he became frightened of it. You think of nuclear destruction as energy uncontrolled, rampant. That exteriorized concept is a symbol for man’s fear of his own inner energy. The nuclear reality is instead a practical example of what can happen when the elements of the intellect do not understand their secure basis in nature, but see themselves as apart from it —alienated. Then the misunderstood intellect and the misunderstanding intellect rails out against nature in envy, trying to destroy a unity in which it feels it has no part.

To whatever extent, each of you in your way grew up in the belief system of your times. Ruburt is doing a complete turnabout. After years of relating to his body in one way, he is changing that relationship. You have been taught to follow certain rules. These said that you ate at certain times, slept at certain times, followed certain patterns because these were important. You were not taught to stress individual inclinations or leanings or characteristics, but to view any deviations as alarming. It seems highly impractical in that system of belief to tell an individual that he or she knows the best patterns of behavior to follow, to suggest that each person knows how much sleep he or she needs, or that left alone you will pick a correct diet—a diet geared to you. Instead it seems that there must be an overall diet suited for human beings in general, or a sleep pattern best for the race at large.

Your ideas about the psyche are at the basis of your civilization. If you cannot trust the self, then you will see social and civic organizations primarily as ways of directing the self in certain areas, prohibiting its full power. Any work, even inconsequential work, will be seen as beneficial, to “take up the self’s time.” Your governments are set up because you do not trust the self. This does not mean that governments in the future cannot exist for the fulfillment of the self and the society.

You cannot equivocate: you trust the self or you do not.

There are developments in the offing, then Ruburt will know what to do. That is, impetuses will arise in certain directions—but these directions will probably not involve tours as such.