“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

The refusal of particular foods, therefore, became a symbol for the avoidance of certain beliefs, so that for a while the beliefs were not faced while the foods were not eaten. This is done with many such methods on a consistent basis by people all the time. In your friend’s case, the realization that he can eat those foods means that he understands that he can encounter those beliefs in himself, as he is now beginning to do.

In this book, I will have more to say regarding health foods. The less contaminated your food, for example, the better off you are, but not if you believe that the body in its wisdom cannot handle the ordinary foods with which you are provided. Natural massage is of great value, particularly when done by another with healing intent. It will not solve inner problems. It is not an answer in itself, but it can help in promoting relaxation momentarily.

If certain foods are good then other foods must be bad. If he had a symptom after eating specific items, then he avoided those. Before he read the book the idea would not have occurred to him in that context.

His rejection of the foods for this length of time persisted as a symbol that he was still not facing his beliefs. With each “triumph,” now — and there have been several with your help and Ruburt’s — he shows himself that beliefs and not food are important, and reinforces his independence and freedom.

This is a good place to bring up again some extreme food practices, such as overfasting, and an obsession with so-called natural foods.

[...] This is often carried so far that no food seems perfectly satisfying, and the concentration becomes focused upon the fear of food, rather than upon its benefits.

[...] It is far better to eat moderate amounts of food in all of the food ranges, and to consume smaller portions more often. [...]

These food ideas are important, since they are passed on from parents to children, and parents often use food as a way of rewarding a child’s good behavior, thus starting the youngster out toward conditions of overweight.

(It will be remembered that Seth has mentioned allergies re Jane and food on occasion in a mild way. I thought a detailed report of what foods Jane should avoid would help alleviate her symptoms, if there was any relationship. [...]

[...] Summary of my pendulum question-and-answer session about Jane’s food allergies. [...]

1) Any fried foods, no matter what cooked in, even their own juices. [...]

(Here, Jane’s pendulum said it was okay for her to use the dry malt mixes recently introduced in food stores, because these contained no emotional charge for her. [...]

Moral values become attached to food, with some seen as good and some as bad. Symptoms appear, and are quite directly considered to be the natural result of ingesting foods on the forbidden list. [...] Beyond that the whole problem of health and illness becomes simplistically applied, and here food is scrutinized. [...]

Now: Generally speaking, those who advocate health foods or natural foods subscribe to some of the same overall beliefs held by your physicians.

[...] Often though, some strong suggestions of a very negative character are given, so that all foods except certain accepted ones are seen as bad for the body, and the cause of diseases. People become afraid of the food they eat, and the field of eating then becomes the arena.

[...] But when a man’s ulcers bother him every time he eats certain foods, it is more difficult to perceive the fact that this behavior is also compulsive and repetitive.

You are as empty, symbolically, open and vacant, as a newborn child, ready now only to partake of God’s pure foods, determined to avoid technology’s poisonous effects. [...] You accept dietary limitations—say a limited environment of food—rather than the limitations earlier felt in motion. [...] Oftentimes the previously withheld normal aggression now can be legitimately expressed—against the food companies, the technological environment, the medical profession, and so forth.

(Intently, and with humor:) I am somewhat familiar with food before canning and refrigeration, and there were maggots everywhere, and feces and dirt, and sanitation was largely unknown. So in certain terms God’s fruits and vegetables are not entirely pure in spiritual terms, as many food faddists imply.

You tell your body what to do with the food you eat—and when you are in a technological civilization, it is rather foolhardy to convince yourselves that your food is poisoned. [...]

[...] Unhealthy foods become the villain.

The idea of comfort foods, however—foods which bring comfort, favorites from childhood or whenever, can be excellent aids. They are like a reward food, while many of the health-food foods come somewhat closer—somewhat closer (much louder)—to a kind of punishment syndrome, though I do not want to stress the point. [...]

[...] There are times, you see, when certain foods are of great benefit, and times when they are not. A few “natural” milkshakes with ice cream, or sodas, such as you purchase in any American drugstore (with much amusement), can be quite beneficial at times, even though they would be considered quite antinatural by the natural-food organizations. The body at times needs certain kinds of fats, and at other times does not—so when you make too many food laws (pause), then there are at least indications of the old Jewish dietary habits. [...]

[...] Cutting out the foods however will not cure a condition alone. [...] Then the foods will no longer be a grave matter of concern.

Avoiding the foods during periods of stress is indeed a benefit however. The whole problem, discussed this evening and in the last session, is indeed the major thorn behind the difficulties, and all symptoms, and caused the food reactions you see.

(I spent the afternoon using the pendulum and compiling a list of foods Jane shouldn’t eat, according to my own subconscious ideas. [...]

Now, unless you have further questions on this specific material, we will discuss the foods.

[...] The word tempt is important, for it implies on you part a willingness to have him taste and share with you both through food and sexual enjoyment. Telling him to eat without understanding your own emotional attitude is useless, for he picks up and exaggerates the Puritan-like feelings toward food. Your preparing food for him now and then as a counterpoint can help.

[...] The preparation of food is a waste of time. [...] Food must be kept as simple as possible, as unobtrusive.

[...] Your combined emotional feelings toward food have been exaggerated by him. He thinks you disapprove for example of the very foods you tell him to eat, the sugars and starches. [...]

Ruburt considers it in very poor taste (humorously) to ‘oh’ and ‘ah’ over food. [...]

The more he does physically also the more his body needs and will ask for food. [...] You have tried to watch your comments concerning food to some degree. [...]

In Ruburt’s case more normal food is sufficient as far as diet itself is concerned. [...]

[...] I also suggest an addition of vitamins, and have him make out a list of foods he particularly likes.

[...] The food preparation centers should always be separate, and you do have room for those facilities in one place. [...] You do not understand pollution or growth well enough yet, but food simply should not be allowed in this room. [...]

[...] Had I realized that your food center was not in one place I would certainly have made this suggestion earlier. [...]

The fact is that regardless, Ruburt, of the smallness of your kitchen, it simply is not physically sanitary or even psychically healthful to keep food in a bathroom. [...]

[...] It seems to you that the female always tended to the offspring, for example, nursing them, that she was forced to remain close to home while the male fought off enemies or hunted for food. [...]

[...] When women were near birth, they performed those chores that could be done in the cave dwellings, or nearby, and also watched other young children; while the women who were not pregnant were off with the males, hunting or gathering food.

[...] After a woman bore, she nursed the child, taking it with her on food-gathering excursions, or sometimes letting other women in the group nurse the child. [...]

(Slowly:) Children began food gathering and hunting as soon as they were able to — females as well as males — led by the older children, going farther away as they progressed in strength. [...]

Ruburt should fix foods that he knows he likes. [...] Think of food and its preparation in creative terms, tell him. Food comes last. [...] Have him think more in terms of the creative preparation of pleasant foods he likes, an emphasis on an old forgotten pattern. [...]

Let him coax himself with pleasant foods. [...]

The body is now utilizing nutriments in a constructive fashion, and does feel a greater need for food. He should follow any inclinations toward certain foods at this time. [...]

[...] When you bring food and drink with you, you do two things. [...] You do not overeat simply any food, but you surround eating itself with taboos, so that it must be “pure food,” “good food,” to your way of thinking. And there are foods that you will eat and foods that you will not eat, and you project moral implications upon the foods. Some foods are “good,” to your way of thinking, and some foods are “bad.” [...] So that beneath the whole attitude is the idea: “This is an evil food,” and be shunned as you would shun an evil person, within that framework of thought.

(The staff had a party this noon for Susie, an aide who goes into surgery Friday for a kneecap problem, and I found plenty of food waiting for me in 330. When lunch came Jane couldn’t eat some of the food on the tray, but, surprisingly, did well with the pizza the kids had saved for me. [...]

[...] When she brought it, it contained enough different kinds of food and soup so that Jane was able to eat her fill, though the omelet eluded her efforts to chew it. [...]

[...] Everyone reacts to food differently. [...]

[...] Or they must become more and more rigorous in following it, or they may discover that more and more foods seem to cause their distress. [...]

Man cannot assign his own psychology to the food that he partakes. [...]

[...] If you believe that the body is evil, the purest health-food diet will or may do you little good at all, while if you have a healthy desire and respect for your physical body, a diet of TV dinners, and even of fast foods, may well keep you healthy and nourished.

[...] They are often food faddists of one kind or another, but because they do fear spontaneity to such a degree they will often become afflicted with diseases or maladies associated with the body’s unconscious processes.

[...] If he believes that the health food will help, then the health food will help. [...]

([Janice:] “That brings to mind the health food supplements my husband wants our family to start using. [...]

[...] Try the foods. [...]

Then that is not a matter of health foods, but of honesty, and that you must deal with yourself, but tell yourself you will know the answer and make the reasons for your objections clear. [...]

He is particularly appreciative, and feels that with the food he eats he also receives other benefits, as indeed he does. This is a point aside, yet an important one: Food is indeed sacred. [...] The preparer of food puts more into it than spices. A food can be contaminated, poisoned, by a cook, with no physical elements involved at all. When ten people are poisoned for example by a food, it is no coincidence, and more is involved than mayonnaise left in the sun. [...]

In many households steady small illnesses often result because the preparer of foods has an unhealthy psychic nature. [...]

Before conscious projection I would therefore recommend you take a small amount of starchy or sugar food. [...]

Your food should be divided within the twenty-four hour period, and not just during the times of wakefulness — that is, if the sleep patterns were changed as I suggest, you would also be eating during some night hours. [...] Small amounts of food much more frequently taken would be much more beneficial than your present practice in physical, mental, and psychic terms.

[...] He also crept out to seek food when he hoped his predators were sleeping.

[...] Along these lines, for example, you do literally starve your bodies at night, and add to the aging of your bodies by denying them food throughout those long hours. [...]