“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

Scientifically, with all of your instruments, you are thus far able to perceive the atom’s presence only in the field of your own system of probability. Since you perceive physically through the body, which is atomically structured, then of course your sense perceptions lead you to block out recognition of other probable stimuli or reactions. In his book Adventures in Consciousness, Ruburt mentions what he calls “prejudiced perception.’’¹ It is an excellent term in this regard.

The atoms, while behaving properly within the system, and seeming to adhere to its rules and assumptions, nevertheless actually straddle probabilities. Your time structures, then, are intimately connected with probable action and fields of actuality. In your terms, for example, it would seem as if Joseph could not have seen that house for sale until after a given series of events had occurred. It would seem as if all of this was dependent upon earlier events: his mother’s prior meeting with Mr. Markle years ago, when both were young; her daydreams and fantasies in later years; her own death; Mr. Markle’s old age, and his own abandonment of the home.

(“Go ahead. I can write it out later.” And Seth proceeded to deal with the question in his own way.)

When she sensed any strong feelings that Joseph also wanted such a home, then — in your terms now — she began, from her different framework after death, to bring that opportunity into his experience. This is not manipulation. It does show, however, that one portion of Joseph’s mother, the portion connected to her son, still relates to him in a certain fashion. It also shows that his desires for a house in Sayre (deeper and stronger) helped bring about certain events: He could have such a house if he wanted one.

The episode also mirrored his beliefs, for to his way of thinking he would have to relinquish certain freedoms, and this he was not ready to do. The events basically exist at once, though at your level you have to perceive them in time. As your intimate daily reality can be involved with and colored by probabilities, brought into your experience by your own desires and beliefs, so is your mass culture, world history, and species orientation colored by probable events that do not fit into your officially recognized idea of physical reality.

Joseph’s mother is not only alive in another level of reality, but still learning. She is quite aware, therefore, of his decision not to buy the [Markle] house.⁵ In her level of reality, she was aware of the fact that Joseph wanted the house strongly; that one portion of him thought of possessing a large home, even though this would require upkeep and attention that another part of him did not want to provide because he felt it would take too much time from his painting and our work.

The portion that momentarily desired the house immediately attracted the same kind of desire always felt on the part of Joseph’s mother. This, on another level of activity than physical, reactivated old conflicts between them. For a while their desires united them. Now, however, Stella Butts is better able to understand her son’s reactions. Through his decision in this reality, she is finally beginning to glimpse the reasons for his actions in the past, that before were incomprehensible to her.

Try to understand that all of these reactions are really happening at once … Joseph’s desire at this end attracted his mother’s like desire. (Pause.) In your terms, however, the reactions continue.