“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

The circulation has increased considerably in Ruburt’s legs, knees, and feet as a direct result of the increased activity. Today the knees were activated almost constantly, relatively speaking, because he did follow his impulses. Since he is moving more, just about every portion of the body takes new positions. It is natural enough when he begins such activity if ambiguous feelings emerge. They should be accepted, for they often show conflicting beliefs that are then out in the open and more easily contended with, because a specific incident will usually be involved.

Each such incident is like, now, a small morality play, with a lesson to be learned, and therefore each such incident is a step ahead in terms of progress and understanding. Almost immediately after your chair suggestion, and with the work you are both doing, Ruburt’s mind and body began to respond. Mentally he began to think of doing things that previously he had simply put aside. The definite improvements are therefore the result of Ruburt’s determination, and your support, but also of the body’s resiliency when it is allowed to follow its natural impulses.

Ruburt’s lapses have become quite noticeable to him, in contrast with the renewed air of freedom that he has indeed felt lately. He has also, however, begun to project, in small ways, in a quite positive manner, and felt impulses that before he denied.

He at least wished he could go into the yard this afternoon, once he imagined that he could make that step out. He wanted to pick his daffodils. He could not give in to that impulse yet, but before he would not have allowed it, because his position would then seem so hopeless in contrast. There are then several other such instances that he has forgotten, that are at least as important as the lapses that seem to loom so large. Such activity increases his sense of power, minimizes his physical hesitancy, and mobilizes physical activity.

The arms have been exercised in new ways. He has felt like performing some physical activities—getting the meal today. (Jane’s first in many many months.) The impulse automatically led him to perform physical acts that before he simply would not have done, so desire and impulse mobilize the body.

I have mentioned this before, but your environment is a symbol of your inner life and beliefs; one appears physical to you while the inner life does not. The physical body responds to stimulus from outside and from within. Ruburt’s newer activity enlarges the physical stimulation possible—the different view of your house and grounds, for example; or preparing one meal automatically reminds him of others that he will want to prepare.

He takes new interest in what food is in your cupboard or refrigerator. The interest propels him to look. Today through such activities he found himself, if in a simple fashion, taking a few steps without his table to get where he wanted to go. I am going into this material because it shows how desire works in any area. His thoughts were on what he wanted to do, though he very definitely had to consider the means, the getting about.

(10:15.) To him, it seems like the kitchen is suddenly a room, because he has opened a room up in his mind. You cannot exactly say that each object is a symbol of a belief that specifically, and yet any alterations that you willfully make in your behavior with the objects of your intimate environment represent alterations of beliefs. There is a constant give-and-take between the two. In mundane terms each piece of furniture is a symbol—you have conscious feelings about it. When you change a room around you are altering beliefs in an observable way.

Now many beliefs that are unfortunate, in your terms, are worked out through creativity at other levels, so that dreams, intuitions, and mental processes work together with bodily expression toward a resolution. Some of Ruburt’s exaggerated fears, for example, become minimized automatically as he realizes that he can do some activities that he had given up.

Following his natural impulses automatically brings issues out into the open, so that today he worried about not writing, and so was consciously aware of the conflict and of its reasons. He therefore reminded himself that he could and must trust his own individuality and rhythms.

You had a period of acceptance under your belt, in comics, that you left. Ruburt did not. (An important point to remember.) He was determined to go his own way. His being demanded expression through the use of its abilities, and despite his need to be accepted by others he began to exaggerate the threat of their disapproval into scorn. When he began to sell his work, he felt to some degree, now, dependent upon the acceptance of the others in the world—for if they did not accept him at all they would not buy his books. Your own feelings about the world did not help in that regard.

He took excessive means, as he said today, to avoid going to excess.

The two of you exaggerated your position. You saw yourselves in opposition to the world. Ruburt was afraid his need for the world’s acceptance might lead him out into it again, where he would necessarily meet scorn, for he thought in absolutes.

It is important that he used to promise himself that he would go on tours or television if he became well. This was actually a threat he held over his own head. You must both realize that he can indeed recover completely—and you must both want him to. Do not forget Framework 2. Ruburt need not go abroad in the world to promote our ideas, nor have I ever suggested it. The ideas are best promoted through these sessions, and books—and not by hasty encounters on television, where answers must be simplified and ideas diluted, but in the reasoned writings that build in their own way, tell Ruburt, resting upon the great framework of the intuitions’ knowledge. And remind him that spontaneity knows it own order.

He is afraid, of course, that if he “gives into” impulses other than writing for a day or so that he is lax, yet the exercise and relaxation of the body refreshes the soul and allows the intuitions their clear vision. If he can stand it, I would like him to take until Monday to follow his impulses, whether or not writing is involved. Then, as of Monday, he can begin to correlate the new physical activity with his writing, gently, by settling upon three hours a day of the basic “time put in”—but with the stress upon creativity, ideas, and free creative play that may or may not include Seven on any given day.

(11:07.) His creative abilities will see to it that Seven is finished. He enjoys doing it, for that matter. Thoughts of work, however, do not work. You are not to compare yourselves with people who have jobs, or to say “They put in so many hours”—for you set up comparisons that do not apply, and that hamper your creativity.

The eyeglass dream portion: the old black frames of the glasses represented old beliefs. They were dropped into the water, the realm of Ruburt’s fears, by a young man who represented an earlier self who thought success was a male prerogative. The glasses came up cleansed, but together again, and the frames were updated—so that Ruburt’s fears, encountered as he is doing of late, actually allow him to see better and clear his vision. For they dissolve, and vision is restored.

He was afraid that they were lost. Then he thought only one lens was saved. This shows that he was worried for his vision, and thought that only the one right eye would operate properly. He discovers the glasses intact, however, better than before, and no longer curved outward and thick.

This portion of the dream represents his realization that his eyes are clearing. The fears are being washed away. Before, he was afraid to go down into the fears, represented by the water. The fears dissolving, however, turn into cleansing agents. The part of the self responsible for the fears was the part that thought success a male prerogative, so that the woman had to exert extra discipline. That was also one of the reasons behind Ruburt’s fear of the world’s scorn.