“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Seth’s personality was expressing itself much more freely now that it was released from the board, particularly after the surprising fourteenth session. I don’t think Rob will ever forget it. We were still astonished by the fact of the sessions themselves. I was nervous before we started, wondering whether Seth would come through or not. In those days I was always afraid that I’d go into trance, open my mouth, and—nothing! Or worse, gibberish. Besides, I wasn’t even aware of how I knew when Seth was ready. We began sessions at 9 P.M. Five minutes before nine, I’d get that feeling again, that I was going to leap from a high diving board into a deep pool—and without knowing for sure whether or not I could swim.

Actually this material went on for several pages. As usual, Rob was writing as quickly as he could to keep up with the delivery.

Rob asked for a break, but then he urged me to end the session before my voice gave out. I knew that he was concerned about me, but also tremendously interested in the material Seth had been giving. Besides this, as Seth, I had been extremely active, making funny remarks now and then to break up pages of serious monologue. The sense of another independent personality was stronger than it had ever been, and so I decided to continue. By now it was after 10:30. While we were talking, Rob had wondered aloud about the meaning of time; when we resumed, Seth started discussing this question.

Here, as Seth, I pounded on the desk for emphasis, and suddenly began speaking in a stronger voice. At the same time the hoarseness disappeared. Word by word the voice grew deeper, more formal, louder. As Rob looked down to take his notes, he realized that a vocal metamorphosis of some kind was taking place. He wrote as fast as he could, so he could also look up now and then to see what was going on. Now I stood almost in front of him, the un-Jane-like open eyes staring at him as if to make sure he understood what was being said.

During the last passage the voice became louder and louder, as though it were trying to fill a good-sized hall. I’m reading that session, of course, as I write this chapter, and I’ve just come across Rob’s original notes, scribbled in between this passage and the next. They show his reaction rather clearly:

Rob had little time to make extra notes, though, as the passage continued without pause. “The motion of the apparently solidified vitality gives the illusion of time. The counteraction involved in this case is counteraction within the core of vitality itself, in much the same manner that we spoke of a closed mental enclosure earlier. … The action and counteraction is the time trigger. On some other planes motion is simultaneous and time unknown. To me your time can be manipulated; it is one of the several vehicles by which I can enter your awareness. …

Instantly my voice returned to normal. The hoarseness had long since disappeared. Now it was almost impossible for us to end the session. We were too intrigued. Despite Seth’s parting words, I could “feel” him still present, along with a tremendous sense of vitality and goodwill. Rob told me about the heavy masculine voice with its astonishing volume, and all around me I felt this high energy and great humor as if an invisible Seth were sitting there, smiling, ready to start a friendly chat.

As soon as we decided to continue, that deep voice boomed out of me again, and as Seth, I began walking about the room, pausing to speak directly to Rob or to look out the window. I really felt that someone else was settling down inside my body, getting used to moving it about and glowing with satisfaction at the achievement.

As Seth I paused, smiling, looking Rob directly in the eye. Rob was newly surprised at the deep voice that had started up again, and it took him a minute to think of something to ask. Besides, he was still laughing at Seth’s jovial manner, and the humorous gestures and voice inflections that were so unlike mine.

Rob asked several other questions, and the two of them, Rob and Seth, chatted back and forth for three quarters of an hour. About the voice, Seth said: “Ruburt’s voice is an experiment. The immediacy of our sessions would be enhanced if more of my personality could come through. I could go on happily, you might say blithely, for hours, but I shall not. I am not some old fogy. Now and then old Frank Withers comes through simply because he was the latest independent materialization and is used to taking things upon himself. I have not assimilated him completely, but you can believe me, I intend to.”

Here Rob started laughing again. Seth had spoken jovially but not maliciously about Frank Withers. The tone of his voice and broad smile softened the actual words spoken. Rob made a comment about Seth’s attitude and Seth said, “I’m afraid I haven’t learned humility yet. On the other hand, you knew me before I knew Frank Withers, and my vanity then was astounding. You were quite vain yourself, and as a woman, you certainly put your present wife to shame as far as vanity is concerned.”

He was referring, of course, to some reincarnational data he had given earlier. Eventually we learned that Seth, Rob, and I were part of an ancient entity; this will be discussed in chapters 14 and 15. Seth was also to say later that this past relationship was partially responsible for our communications.

As the give and take between Rob and Seth continued, Rob got used to the voice and really enjoyed himself, there being no doubt in his mind now that Seth was Seth, someone entirely different and independent.

The impression Rob got from the voice, gestures, and manner was that of an energetic, educated gentleman of the “old school,” in his sixties perhaps, extraordinarily intelligent but aware of his own foibles—a man with a highly developed yet old-fashioned sense of humor. As Seth I touched a begonia plant (one of my favorites) and said, “I like Jane’s plant. Green things are a touchstone of your existence. You notice that earlier I used the term ‘plane’ rather than ‘planet,’ because you do not have the whole kettle to yourself. …

I don’t recall any of this, but according to Rob I then got a cigarette and sipped a glass of wine. “If I could have a glass of wine with you and enjoy it, I would. If you want to talk for a few moments without the necessity of taking notes, do so. I’ll certainly last as long as Ruburt will, and a lot longer. And if ever your wife’s features change some night as we talk, I suggest you do not mention it to her until the end of the session.”