“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(As we began to reread Monday’s session this morning, Jane said something that triggered a reaction on my part that I felt was based on material Seth gave in that session: “I tell my body every day that I trust it, that it can bear my weight when I go to the john, for example,” or words closely to that effect. Suddenly it came to me that she had it backwards—that her body didn’t need any additional trust, that it was perfectly willing to do her bidding at any time, including healing itself. What she should be stressing, I said, was that she trusted her spontaneous self—then the body would automatically react to the release of tension, to her trust in that spontaneous self. Put another way, the intellect then must learn to cooperate in that trusting by relaxing its near-paranoid protective cover.

(All of this is a simplification, of course, for we had a rather lengthy discussion about it. Yet I could see that I confused Jane somewhat: for she’d used that typical suggestion about trusting her body for years, and I had agreed with it, at least tacitly, besides using similar suggestions myself at times.

(Now Jane agreed with all of this at the time, but later while painting I wondered whether I’d been too vehement in what I’d said. I didn’t want her to feel bad. And I learned during the day that our talk had upset her considerably, even though I’d told her I felt that there was “a lot of hope” in the ideas expressed in our discussion. Jane further echoed my concern when she said later that she didn’t know what suggestions to give herself when she went to the john, and later got onto the bed. Yet I felt that I was on to something good, and asked Jane pretty definitely to see that Seth discussed the subject tonight. I also wanted him to talk about the subject we’d mentioned for Monday night’s session, but which hadn’t been covered: the reasons for her sore backside, and what she could do to help ease her hip and leg discomfort. Somehow we got totally off that subject when Seth went into the interesting topic of PKMB, or psychokinetic metal bending. But at this time in these sessions we’ve got to get all the new data we can to help in our own hassles.

(At lunchtime Frank Longwell dropped off a medical device that’s used to transfer moist heat to the body. After lunch I fussed with transplanting a cutting of Swedish ivy while Jane slept. I also wanted to try to make up some of the painting time I’d lost this morning. As I finished cleaning up the planter I came up with another of the “insights” I’ve been getting since we started this series of private sessions on February 4, 1981; see my notes at the end of the session for February 11.

(“The insight also reminds me of one of my questions for Seth: I plan to ask him for hints about what sort of ideas he would advance if he’s given the freedom to do so by Jane. He’s already alluded to this notion through a rather recent reference to the fact that he “toned down” some of his material for Mass Events in order to make it more acceptable. I now wish I’d asked him at the time, acceptable to whom? Jane and me, Prentice-Hall, the world, critics, the post office?”

(Jane called me for the session at 8:25. “I don’t feel Seth around and I don’t feel like a session,” she said, “but I guess I’d better....” We sat waiting for some time. I showed her my rough notes on the latest insight, and took pains to explain to her that it wasn’t a negative statement, but one that I saw as having only beneficial connotations. “What I think would happen if Seth were free to do anything he wanted to, would be great,” I said. “Whether it was ever published or not. We can talk about it later.” We agreed the insight represented something of a new idea.

(“I might have bitten off more than I can chew,” Jane said at 8:43. “But I assume Seth would have said a lot more about things like UFO’s, Atlantis and reincarnation if I’d let him.... I replied that it hardly mattered, that the time element entered in, that we’d still want material on the subjects we were interested in, that Atlantis was “way down the list.”

(Finally, as Jane sat quite upright in her chair, she began feeling Seth around. At the same time she talked about how upset she was at sleeping during the day; and added to her upset now was the question of what suggestions to use. She talked about having a “breakthrough” session to clear up her hassles. Then:)

It often seems to him that to relax is to be lax, to let down, do nothing, achieve nothing, as if spontaneously left alone he would be lazy, unambitious, and again lax. He has those feelings and fears. (Pause.) At the same time there are feelings that to relax would be to let go too much (louder)—slide into overly spontaneous behavior, to lack control over one’s life, to lose the observer’s fine focus. As his body begins to relax—as indeed it has—those feelings become more prominent than before. Under the circumstances he is handling them rather well.

They do present difficulties, however, and are the cause of the panicky emotions he feels at times. The body’s relaxation is as of now uneven. Certain muscles relax for the first time in recent times, while others might momentarily contract so that balance is maintained—so the body is in a state of constant change.

(9:20.) Ruburt, far more than other people, is involved in a life that utilizes conscious and unconscious activity, so that any dilemmas in that regard are certainly physically reflected. (Pause.) Anything that I may say in a session is relatively agreeable to him, though its publication in book form may at times cause difficulty as he wonders how the material will be interpreted by others.

As far as physical therapy is concerned, if you gave hot water packs—plain towels, or Frank’s gadget—either one—the same or even half the attention you gave the cold water baths, this would now be of excellent immediate benefit. There are reasons why the body might at one time respond to the cold, then the hot water.

(Pause at 9:32.) The particular paper of suggestions—he will know what I mean—does contain a good variety of suggestions for him, couched in terms that are highly beneficial. Again, certain suggestions couched one way will work at one time, according to the circumstances, while the same group may be rather adverse to fit other circumstances. Overall suggestions do of course give excellent leeway, so that the pressure can be taken off any specific areas of overconcern.

It is very important that Framework 2 be remembered, that overall suggestions be creative while open (intently), rather say than at this time too closed-ended. Talking with you is highly important now, many of the feelings that the rigidity hid, you see, now come into consciousness—an excellent situation because they can be and are being encountered. The entire arena of public endeavor brings up questions about the differences between spontaneous and controlled behavior, of course (long pause)—an issue we will go into another time, but thoroughly.

I am trying to hit all important points. (Pause.) I will in time, along with your questions, give some material, again, on Ruburt’s attitudes toward both of his parents as these relate to his difficulties. For now, however, I will bring the session to a close, though he may hold brief spontaneous sessions, you know, at other nights than our usual ones. I bid you a fond good evening.

(Actually it’s Friday night as I finish this typing, and I read the untyped portions of the session to Jane each morning as I had it in progress. It has been a lot of help. She’s sleeping better, and yet is still uncomfortable on her bottom and legs. The fears continue to surface. I’d say she’s doing very well, and it seems that this time we are really making progress. Another brief insight came to me yesterday, which I told her about: simply that she’d given up her own volition to one part of her personality. I mentioned it because she discussed the question of volition in God of Jane; she thought the insight made sense.)