“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

It seldom occurs to you that you might be fulfilling your purposes quite beautifully despite all of your convictions—for they are indeed convictions—that you are not doing so, or that in some way or another each of you should be different in important ways than you are.

Almost in every instance, when you are upset in any way, this is a reflection of your feeling that you should be different than you are—your conviction that you have gone wrong in an important area. That conviction closes off your understanding, so that your own rightness is not apparent, so that a vital dimension is lost, practically speaking.

(10:32.) Your young man, your visitor, does indeed suffer torments because he is so thoroughly convinced he is in the wrong place at the wrong time, and all of his unfortunate experiences follow that conviction, which so far he has refused to give up. Incidentally, you both handled that affair very well. You avoided the kind of direct confrontation that would have resulted had you said, for example “I do not believe your spirit,” or “I do not believe he could do thus and so.” Your whole attitude showed the young man, however, that he was the one who must examine his own beliefs, and without immediately panicking him you showed by inference your own belief that his delusion was doing him considerable harm.

When you hold such a conviction you are always convinced that something is wrong, and your belief brings about a condition which gives you justification for feeling that. Ruburt can say “Of course there is something wrong with me. Look at my condition.” But the condition began when he began to believe that he should be different than he is.

[...] This would represent a personal belief or interpretation of the events—not any scientific evidence at all—but personal conviction cannot be ignored—personality can’t be scientifically established with living personalities. [...]

[...] On basic levels your convictions will be quite similar, but one will see himself as the victim and one as the aggressor — that is, each of you will react differently to the same set of beliefs. [...]

[...] When you try to change your convictions in order to change your experience, you also have to first stop the momentum that you have already built up, so to speak. [...]

[...] Your present convictions will act like a magnet, activating all such past issues, happy or sad. [...]

[...] You must in one way or another modify that conviction, or preferably change it entirely — or you will never escape from its effects. [...]

[...] This simply means that you have consciously accepted them, focused upon them, excluded data to the contrary, narrowed your interests to those specific points, and accordingly activated the unconscious mechanisms that then materialize those convictions through physical experience.

[...] The entire framework of a prison — with its bars — is a constant reminder to the convict of his situation, and reinforces his original difficulty.

[...] This may bring such aspects into your personal life, so that you yourself meet with violence — hence deepening your conviction. [...]

There are many subsidiary beliefs connected to these convictions. [...]

[...] My real conviction is now setting free the majesty and glory of my subconscious mind. [...]

Again, Ruburt’s body is indeed preparing itself so that he can sit and walk with some assurance and conviction. [...]

[...] This has resulted at times in a lack of conviction.

[...] Whenever distortions appear in the material it is indeed a tip-off of a given area that is particularly touchy to Ruburt personally, or represents an area in which he is not sure; a lack of conviction.

[...] Your convictions help you sift out probable actions appearing as dreams, of course — from others that do not concern you.

[...] They were perfectly sincere people, and I found it arresting to listen to them as they spoke of Jesus Christ, the afterlife, and so forth, with such utter sincerity and conviction. [...]

[...] Understanding this is necessary, but if possible in small ways show him that this is not true; for it can amount to an emotional conviction on his part, and an emotional assurance from you will work far faster than the use of words, though both are necessary.

[...] Grown into adolescent years, the same offspring are then shocked to discover their parents to be quite human and fallible, and another conviction often takes over: a belief in the inadequacy and inferiority of the older generations, and in the rigidity and callousness of those who run the world.

[...] As stated, this brought conflict with the church—a painful-enough period for Ruburt, but he was sure in his convictions. [...]

[...] In many ways he was shoved aside because he did not have the courage of his convictions earlier. [...]

[...] All the more since you have no particular conviction, anymore than Ruburt has, concerning the historic existence of a Christ.

He did very well with his class, not only by holding our session (see the last session, Jane’s first without my presence), but by releasing and vocalizing his deep inner convictions. [...]

[...] In addition, Jane holds deeply felt convictions about giving material on survival personalities; the information in Appendix 10 has a bearing here. [...]

[...] If you want to be healthy and continually contrast what you want with the present conviction in your poor health, then the belief itself, set up against the desire, will cause added difficulties. [...]

[...] You are not at the mercy of the past, or of previous convictions, unless you believe that you are. [...]

[...] I don’t remember what he said that well, but I just felt that terrific conviction. [...]