“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(The next day, before I began typing this session, Jane outlined material she’d picked up about her eye condition this morning, evidently in response to the question of the night before. I don’t know it well enough to quote it here, but suggest that she write it up and add it to this session, for it sounded very good.)

The poetry provided a direct expression of his ideas, and a protective coating as well. He lived by those ideas, however. As stated, this brought conflict with the church—a painful-enough period for Ruburt, but he was sure in his convictions. At the same time, poetry was and is creative play, and it sprang from the depths of his being. You do not have to try and make poetry practical.

The truth, as he interprets it, is no longer the joyful, curious, creative, free search for truth, let it lead where it will; but the idea of a life’s work makes him think “Who’s following me? My truth must be the real truth, for I do not want to lead others astray.”

He did not want me to tell you this—but your seriousness, much as it is well-intended in “Unknown” 2 and its notes, bothered him. They inclined him further to think in terms of his life’s work as a highly serious, no-nonsense endeavor, a body of work to be set against the world’s other great works.

It was important that Ruburt state his position, for example, by saying clearly that the symptoms threatened him, and that they threatened him more than any scorn, and important also that he state that the symptoms inhibited his writing. Once the pendulum shows you that the subconscious does understand, however, it is all right to check now and then,but those statements can act as negative suggestions otherwise. Each session should be thought of with its questions in consecutive terms, so that later questions follow the reasoning pattern already given.

(10:40.) Rest your fingers.... The most important thing, of course, is that you have set up communication, so that Ruburt’s fears are no longer being inhibited. But those fears must be considered in the light of the material given this evening. Remember, I am speaking of an overemphasis upon the idea of work, not about a normal concern about book publications, or career concerns, those are certainly reasonable. The overemphasis brings up the public image idea, so that Ruburt compares himself personally against some composite image that he imagines other people have of him. First of all, truly creative “work” is timeless. It must appear in time, but its nourishment is not like that of a baker’s loaf, and its “practicality” cannot be reduced to such terms. Ruburt’s lifework so far has been produced—again, so far—because despite such erroneous beliefs he has still allowed himself a creative spontaneity. But in the recent past that spontaneity has had to emerge against those resistances.

You asked the question about the subconscious this evening, before the session, and Ruburt immediately interpreted it in the light of the following: the weight of the responsibility it carried for all those psychologists, and all of their patients, and his responsibility to obtain, in capitals, the answer, not only for himself but for all those other people. The idea behind the question does of course spring partially from your private, practical concerns right now, and yet it also springs from Ruburt’s and your great natural curiosity.

The overemphasis, again, upon the work alone triggers the old fears about poverty, and toeing the mark and so forth, for it arouses worries about “making the work pay.” Remember, when Ruburt wrote short stories he slanted them for the market. The woman could not win out in tales for Playboy, so when Ruburt thinks in that fashion about work, he thinks he is not only not slanting his material for the market, but often telling people precisely what they may not want to hear at all—hence this would arouse worries about the sale of the books.

That is enough for this evening, but the session, again, can be most beneficial if it is taken to heart. You have been highly active with Ruburt, though you do not remember it, both of you in Framework 2 clearing up old issues, forming closer communications with each other, and dropping old beliefs.