“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(For the record: “Uknown,” it seems, appears to be one of those jobs that won’t go too smoothly, even though now we’re reaching the end of its cycle. Even today, the day after this deleted session was held, I received a call from Tam at Prentice-Hall, wanting to know about cutting the length of the book. Both Jane and I refused. However, the call evidently helped trigger a “panic” attack, as I call them, on my part, involving palpitations in the chest. The pendulum agreed. Naturally this is brought about by my own reactions to whatever the trigger happens to be, but still “Unknown,” and other creative endeavors have often been involved, when conflicts between what I think of as useful creative work run into doing things like shoveling snow, or other household items that I seem to think of as “chores.” None of this is new, although I have improved greatly in my reactions during the last year. The long working time—perhaps three years—spent on “Unknown” evidently allowed that project to accumulate strong psychic charges on my part; when doubts or challenges arise in conflict with the work on the book, I would react in uncomfortable ways occasionally.

(Jane is still faithfully doing her exercises twice a day, and walking more than ever; I am starting a chart. She is making her own list of things to do for 1979, including the point of power. I am still concerned deeply about her condition, and for the most part we seem to move along from day to do as we always do. In the holiday interim the sessions seemed to fade far away into the background. When we reach that state, I personally find myself thinking that the sessions make little difference one way or the other. Then when we resume, it seems that a key unlocks doors. I’m afraid that Seth has spent years encouraging us to do things that for whatever reasons we either don’t do or can’t do, simple as they appear to be.)

Now if I were you two, making a list of resolutions, my list would include feelings and attitudes. Things to do are well and good—very good indeed—but the feelings and attitudes are, shall we say, at least as important. I would not presume to make a list of resolutions for you, but in an imaginative endeavor this is what I pretend I would list if I were you—meaning you both. Though this is a new year, there is nothing really new about the list.

Four: I will realize that the future is a probability. In terms of ordinary experience, nothing exists there yet. It is virgin territory, planted by my feelings and thoughts in the present. Therefore I will plant accomplishments and successes, and I will do this by remembering that nothing can exist in the future that I do not want to be there.

A certain Mr. Butts, I believe, spoke earlier today about his parents, and mentioned the accomplishments that were present but not appreciated. The list I just gave you is important because if you do not value your abilities or approve of yourself, then you cut yourself off from using your own abilities. You deny yourself their help and aid because you do not recognize your own abilities as such in the true sense of the word.

You question your own characteristics, and so your accomplishments fade in your eyes. I do not want to be severe, and yet you do indeed show ingratitude when you “wish you were like other people.” People of ordinary ways wish deeply “that they were different,” that they possessed qualities that you both possess.

Do not be so severe in your dealings with yourselves, but be more indulgent. The both of you do know the meaning of the word.

Do you have questions?

Then Wednesday we will begin our usual sessions, and I do bid you a productive and enjoyable new year—