(By “the other day,” Jane actually referred to the half hour just before the 686th session last Wednesday night, when she produced the dictation given in Appendix 5 [but also see Appendix 4, for the 685th session].

(Portions of the article in yesterday’s newspaper, I should add, dealt with the recent discoveries of skeletal fragments in East Africa that indicate the coexistence of several varieties of ancient man and preman; the latter being creatures who looked rather human but whose brains, it is believed, remained apelike. This part of the article is approximately in line with the material Jane came through with some hours later. Her material, however, wasn’t influenced by the news story, for just about a year ago Seth-Jane delivered a session for Personal Reality on the mixing of animal and man: the 648th for March 14, 1973, in Chapter 12. I’d say that this evening Jane elaborated upon that session — especially upon the impressions she gave then during the 11:30 break, on “animal doctors … a bridge between animals and human beings.” But then, for some years Seth has been reiterating that even in our terms there is no well-defined evolutionary path leading from our ancient state to our present one.)

(FOR SESSION 687)

(While watching television last night we periodically discussed the trite thinking embodied in the article. Then, as we made ready to retire, Jane announced that she was “getting” information on the subject of ancient man — but not necessarily from Seth. She asked me if I wanted her to continue doing so. We were both tired, but I wondered if this could turn out to be an episode like the one she’d experienced before the last session, when she dictated material on the various neurological actions, or speeds, that she sensed. [See Appendix 5] Tonight’s opportunity, concerning a subject of such interest to us, implied something too good to pass by without investigation. I found a pen and some paper in Jane’s desk. We sat down at 12:10 A.M.

For material on mental and psychic expansions in old age, and the hemispheres of the brain, see the 650th session in Chapter 13 of Personal Reality. [...] See the 586th session at 11:02.

7. In Personal Reality, see Session 638, bridging chapters 9 and 10, then Session 639. [...]

(Louder:) End of session —

NOTES: SESSION 687

(We’d waited for the session to begin since 9:20. [...]

[...] As mentioned (in Session 682), this was extremely important while it learned the art of specialized focus. [...]

Now — that is the end of Section 1, to be composed of the sessions as given, except with the Preface first. [...]

SESSION 687