“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(Jane was angered by this material [the second batch; I’d already sent Tam the first communication, asking for his help], and decided to call the medium, Thomas Massari, since a number was listed. She thought I didn’t want her to call, but I told her to do as she pleased. Jane talked to Carole, the medium’s wife who works with him, and stated clearly that she didn’t want others claiming to speak for her Seth—who, incidentally, had told us years ago that he spoke through no one else but Jane. [It would be interesting to get material from you-know-who on this whole question of others claiming to speak for Seth.] No shouting or anger was involved in the call. I’d been concerned lest Jane become involved in an unpleasant situation that would have repercussions via symptoms —the idea of publicity, of public display, which she doesn’t want—just when we were trying to learn more about the subject as she reacted to it.

(Sometimes I’m slow, and other times even slower. I discussed these notes with Jane when I wrote them—Thursday, July 30—and our individual attitudes toward the mail in general, which is steadily increasing in volume. Then it came to me: The two events described here certainly did speak well for some kind of accomplishment on Jane’s part—and one greater than any she’d given herself credit for. For both events obviously involved effects her work was having in that outside world we shied away from: Seth, it seemed, had even managed to make his way into a court of law, the very fabric of our society; and regardless of whether he was praised or knocked, his ideas were “officially” discussed. And the medium, Thomas Massari, was basically spreading Seth’s ideas among the so-called leaders of at least segments of our society: M.D.’s, psychotherapists, and others in the medical field. Even if, as we thought likely, all was not strictly honest on the medium’s part.

(August 7, 1981. Last night Jane was faced with a little dilemma: She felt Seth around after supper, but also had the idea that we go to bed at 8:30 and get up at 4 AM to “work.” I agreed. We started out with the best intentions, but ended up sidetracked—for Jane was so restless she couldn’t sleep at all. I got her up at 11 PM, made her something to eat and drink, got her situated in the writing room, and went back to bed. She wheeled herself back into the bedroom at about 4 AM, and went to bed with my help. I got up at 7 to paint and she slept until 10:30. She’d enjoyed her nighttime hours alone, though.

Thus far, however, the old habits have returned, and for all of your joint good intents the idea of bringing things to a crisis point is still far less beneficial than it might appear This does not mean such a method cannot work at times. It does mean that on the whole it is a difficult method, and in utmost honesty and clarity in that regard, I can only tell you what I have said before: regardless of how ill-founded it may seem on certain occasions, that basically speaking the situation becomes less as you pare it down in your mind, rid it of significance in your mind, say things like “Well after all, it is not that bad yet,” or in other ways turn your attention otherwise.

(9:25 PM. Jane had done well this evening, I told her. Seth’s material above is certainly excellent—the latest version of what he’s been telling us for years. I for one will try to reassure myself that “things aren’t that bad yet.” What can one lose? For little else seems to work.

(Lest some hypothetical readers of this material in the future regard Jane and me as idiots, incapable of learning, I’d like to note in our own defense that we’ve made many efforts to put the symptom situation out of mind as much as we’re capable of, yet it doesn’t leave us. My own idea about holding off on Seth’s latest book, Dreams, is not that it will force any solution, but merely, hopefully, prevent things from getting worse. As I asked Jane the other day when she talked of resuming work on that project: “Can you stand any more complications?” I meant of course, that after 17 books, we’re at our present situation, so I have difficulty understanding how doing another book will suddenly, magically, turn anything around for us as long as we stay on the same old course.