“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

“It did have reality, therefore. Ruburt leapt back to safety and normal consciousness. The thing then dissipated [as far as Ruburt was concerned]. For when Ruburt ‘ran home’ he automatically withdrew the energy [of his attention] from it. … Ruburt tried to separate from himself all those elements he considers negative, and fight them at once, almost as if in so doing he could remove evil from the universe.

“He tried to destroy the ‘animal of evil,’ and it bit him back. Now, evil does not exist in those terms, and even illness or fear are not necessarily enemies, as much as aids to understanding and means to a greater end. …”

Seth went on to say: “The evil that Ruburt imagined he was projecting outward does not exist, but because he believed it did, he formed the materialization from his fears. It was the shape of his recent depression. In larger terms, there is no evil, only your own lack of perception, but I know this is difficult for you to accept.

This episode was an out-of-body experience from the dream state, though, and it will serve to make one point: dream reality is as valid and real as waking reality. Dreams definitely affect daily life. They can improve our health or help deepen a mood of depression. There are ways to use dreams purposefully, however, to improve our existence, even though I admit that the last instance was not a very good example.

Over and over Seth says that a dream or imaginative experience is as real as any waking event. If you have a period of depression, you are apt to have depressing dreams during the same period. But Seth suggests the following exercise as a dream therapy: before sleep, suggest to yourself that you will have a pleasant or joyful dream that will completely restore your good spirits and vitality. Unless the depression is very deep-seated, it will be broken or greatly weakened when you awaken.

I’ve used this method often, with excellent results. Sometimes I’ve remembered the dreams, sometimes not, but I’ve always awakened refreshed and renewed, and the effects last. The dreams I’ve recalled during such instances have been inspirational: strong enough not only to conquer a period of the blues but to restore me to exceptionally good spirits.

“You just aren’t that good at it yet,” one of them said. And I really got angry. Whether I was astral-traveling or whatever, these people were really having a good laugh at my expense.

The books caught my eye again. “Go ahead,” he said, “memorize the titles. I’m sorry, but it won’t do you any good. You won’t remember.” Now all of them smiled more sympathetically.

Then, without any warning, I felt myself pulled away. There was a terrific whooshing sound and I was back in my body. I really felt tricked. Usually its quite difficult to go right back to the same location, but I was so angry that I willed myself back. Not that it did me much good. I “landed” on the same corner, but the young man was nowhere to be found. Then I set out to find the hotel, and while I swear I walked the block three times and recognized the other buildings, I just couldn’t find the hotel. Finally I returned to my body.