“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

[...] Just as we took our break the routine visits in regard to Jane’s daily vitals began: eye drops, temperature, pulse, blood pressure [120 over 70], taken by LuAnn, Carol, and Lorrie. Jane had a cigarette as the people trooped in and out. [...] I told Jane that if ever we were interrupted during a session not to worry, for I didn’t think anyone would even know what was going on. [...] Jane agreed. [...]

(From my own notes as the afternoon progressed: Seth’s material on Jane’s dreams was just what I hoped it would be—another sign that her body is awakening, and that it knows what to do and how to do it. [...] “If I get improvements this time, I’ll never let them go like I used to do,” Jane said vehemently. [...]

(At 2:45 PM Jane tried to read the typed session from yesterday, but couldn’t, in spite of her struggles. [...]

(Today he told me that he’d found out Jane was in a hospital from someone he writes to in one of the Carolinas, so he called our area hospitals until he learned which one Jane was in. [...]

(I also ended up with familiar feelings — to the effect that it’s impossible for Jane and I to ever live up to the fantasy pictures others may build up of us. I’m quite aware of the contradictions in our own behavior, too, as I told Jane after the half-hour conversation was over: We put our work out into the arena where it’s available to anyone, and hope they’ll pay attention to it. [...]

[...] “What’s Miss Bowman sending us money for?” I asked Jane. [...] I told Jane I didn’t know whether to attach any significance to the two Helen Parks or not. [...]

[...] We thought the J B might refer to Jane’s initials, but in this case couldn’t account for the A since Jane has no middle name.

(This connection is not as remote as it might seem: Jane spent some time in Baltimore before we were married 12 years ago. [...] Both of us have been to Los Angeles, CA, several times, but Jane has not been to San Francisco.

[...] We think this data stems partly from the image Jane had of herself earlier, and that two ideas are mixed up here. There is a Baltimore connection, in that Baltimore is mentioned on the pepper can, as explained; also, Jane has a photo of herself taken on a set of the typical white Baltimore stone steps, with her dog, Mischa, now dead.

(Jane grew up in an Irish neighborhood in Saratoga Springs, NY, and Father Trainor was an Irish priest of the old school. He exerted considerable influence on Jane in her formative years. His girth was extensive, and he read poetry to Jane and her mother, Marie, every Sunday after dinner, with a booming voice and a dramatic flourish. Jane herself is one-quarter Irish, although as she has often said, she grew up thinking she was Irish, period.

(Seth repeated several times that we wouldn’t regret this burst of psychic energy, or the time involved, because it meant an increase in Jane’s ability to focus energy. [...] Seth stated that such gatherings increased Jane’s ability to utilize energy on different levels. [...] Seth uses witnesses as “practice” for Jane. [...] I believe he implied here that Jane would be speaking before larger groups, perhaps soon, and that possibly many in such groups would be strangers.

(Seth took care to see that Jane did not overdo it. [...] There would also be times when Jane’s energies would be at a lower ebb. There is much about energy and cycles and Jane’s abilities that he hasn’t explained to us yet. [...]

[...] I had wondered if it was a reference to Jane herself. During break Jane said she believed it referred to a brother of Maxine’s. The brother is the same approximate age as Jane, and lived in upstate New York near Saratoga; hence Jane got to know the members of Maxine’s family fairly well even though she seldom saw Maxine herself. Jane said she liked the brother quite well; he is the member of Maxine’s family who made an impression on her.

(Briefly, the object is a black-and-white photo of Jane’s father Del, and his deceased second wife Maxine. [...] Her death took place in California just at the time I met Jane in Saratoga Springs, NY, in 1954 in January. Jane hadn’t seen Maxine for a couple of years and I had never met her.

[...] The object was a black and white photo of Jane’s father and his deceased second wife, Maxine, taken sometime prior to 1954. Jane hadn’t seen the photo in recent months. [...]

(Jane and I had visited the Wilburs at their trailer in Wellsburg last Friday evening, January 14, 1966, and met for the first time their 2-year old son, Scotty. When we left Jane forgot her pocketbook and Marilyn returned it Saturday morning; she had her son with her and Jane had more time to observe him. After Marilyn left Jane and I discovered that both of us had been alarmed by the child in some vague way; his actions had been quite overtly strong, we thought, involving such things as pretending to kill our cat Willy, taking swings at Jane and me, etc. [...]

(When I act this way it affects Jane deeply, frightening her. I am now aware of this however, and Seth told me I saved the situation last Saturday evening at Mihalyk’s by asking Jane to dance.)

(Toward the end of the session as Seth, Jane and I sat talking alone, after the departure of the Gallaghers, Seth volunteered the information that Scotty was a greedy child. [...]

[...] Jane hasn’t heard about any results from the blood tests of a couple of days ago. [...] Judy said the latest now is that six patients—including Jane—are to stay where they are in Surgical 3. “Thank God,” Jane said. [...]

(When we were alone I asked Jane if she planned to have a session. [...] “I do sort of feel Seth around,” Jane said a little later. [...]

[...] Jane was sort of blue as she lay on her left side. [...]

(Hal Williams’ treatment of Jane helped her considerably. It’s interesting to note that after last June’s session Rusty and Hal had also visited us, and he had done the same thing for Jane then. [...] [I should note that they returned on Sunday afternoon, as planned, and that Hal demonstrated upon my own body how to treat Jane. [...] It also helped Jane. Jane’s hands and knees have, I think, showed considerable improvement since we began the vitamin therapy, even with all the interruptions that treatment has had. [...]

(“Well, you’d better come over here [to the card table] and let me take a stab at it before I fall asleep,” Jane said at 8:07. [...] I’ve just reread the last session, as has Jane, and will merely note here that I agree with much of it, especially with what I said in the notes —yet, rereading them, I can see how our attitudes brought about that material and its consequences. [...]

[...] That has passed, but Jane is in poor shape; her decubiti are much more aggravated, and have been for some time. [...] As I said to Jane this morning during our long discussion, I still want to know why one portion of the personality would want to drive all of the rest before it, even to the point of destruction, and perhaps even beyond. [...]

[...] As Jane did last time she visited Dr. Colucci in May 1965, I put myself in a trance state as an experiment, and was very comfortable. I also used Jane’s appointment card of May 5,1965 as the test object for the 15th envelope test in the 199th session. I picked the card for tonight’s session because I thought it would be loaded with strong emotional charges of a personal nature, whereas the identification card used in the last test belonged to a person almost unknown to Jane and me.

[...] Jane said she thought this referred to an episode when she should have visited the dentist, Dr. Colucci, but did not. [...] At this time, not having practiced self-hypnosis consciously, Jane had a great fear of dentists. [...] The pendulum told Jane the swelling was psychosomatic and not a tooth; the doctor agreed, eventually, and Seth did too, in the 59th session for June 3,1964. [...]

[...] Jane said Seth gave this bit of test data because we ourselves had had trouble making a nearby steep hill in our own car, also this month. [...] Jane said she thought the association between these two episodes was legitimate.

(Jane’s relations with this man became so acerbic that she left his employ in the fall of 1964. At the time Seth said it was a wise move, and that from that point on Jane would do well with her writing. [...] Seth also dealt rather extensively with the conflict between Jane and the director of the Arnot in the following sessions: 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 84 and 85. [...]

(Jane and I encountered her ex-employer at the reception at Bill’s gallery last winter. Jane was acting as an unofficial hostess. In introducing this man to another couple, or trying to rather, Jane discovered in mid-sentence that she had forgotten his name.)

(Jane talked with Peggy Gallagher briefly on the telephone this morning and learned that the Gallaghers returned to Elmira yesterday, Tuesday, from vacation in Puerto Rico. Jane learned little about their trip other than that the Gallaghers took many notes to use in checking against Seth’s notes; and that Bill found himself involved in a “strange experience” with a piano player and what he thought was telepathy. [...]

[...] “You’re a celebrity,” she said, pointing to Jane. Diana had found an article about Jane, with picture, in a book on the history of Chemung County and Elmira. We’d forgotten about it, but an older retired individual had contacted Jane years ago about doing such a project. [...]

(Jane was singing to herself when I got to 330 today. [...] Jane went to hydro this morning. [...]

(The above is a partial list of staff members who have had serious medical problems that we know about since Jane came into the hospital last April 20. [...]

[...] Jane’s first attempt at Lilliard was distorted. The Lilliard trio used to play at the art gallery when Jane worked there a couple of years ago. The connection, Jane believes, while far-out, was an attempt to get at Marilyn studying music. [...]

[...] Jane told me tonight that she didn’t remember seeing Don make it. [...] Jane ended up physically ill after this session, which saw very strong voice effects. [...]

[...] Jane and I are reasonably sure a candle was burned on the coffee table that evening, Friday, April 15. [...] Jane, being a smoker, lights matches often. [...]

(Jane and I went dancing as usual this evening. [...] Jane said she felt Seth “buzzing around”, but since I had just caught up on my notes for the three other sessions this week, I begged off. Jane agreed. [...]

[...] Jane was well dissociated, she said. [...] Both he and Peggy verified Seth’s information about the changes in silting on the lake bottom; Jane was highly gratified to learn that Seth was correct. As far as I know neither Jane or I have come across such specific information; certainly we have never discussed it with the Gallaghers.

(Jane said she had been really dissociated. All of this material about the strange underwater world was new to both of us, and Jane felt particularly good about having it verified so enthusiastically by Bill. [...] It will be remembered that in that one, which the Gallaghers also witnessed, Seth delivered facts about Bill’s deceased mother that neither Jane or I were familiar with.

(I brought in to show Jane the two paintings that had been involved in my enlarged-perception experience yesterday—The Girl with The Violet Eyes and the head of the man. Jane remembered them when she saw them. [...] Jane liked the man so much I put it up on the bulletin board—not easy, since it isn’t framed.

(During lunch Jane’s broken right leg and right foot were bothering her considerably after I’d turned her on her back. [...] Jane was making noises of pain and discomfort, though after a while she stopped this while she ate. [...]

[...] Sharon Poley brought Jane Darvoset at 2:40. [...]

(Remember that at the beginning of this data Jane is quoted as saying that she had strong impressions of something connected with both music and photographs. [...] Jane knows Loren and Betts well, of course, and the transparencies were of Jane and me. [...]

[...] Both Jane and I read the letter yesterday; it was written to my parents. I wondered whether Seth would pick up any impressions connected with Linda, but he confined himself to impressions that originated yesterday as far as Jane and I were concerned. [...]

(Before she opened the envelope, Jane told me that while giving the data she had a most definite impression of something connected with photographs and music. [...] Jane said she had “two lines of consciousness,” and that Seth wanted to lead her very carefully between them. [...]

(Jane had this experience on April 30, 1964, at 11:30 AM. [...] Checking over my account of Jane’s experience on that date, I notice that I did state that this experience began with a feeling of “a blow on the head.” It is included in Jane’s dated version. On April 28, 1964, Jane also underwent this rather unpleasant sensation; perhaps in preparation for the Saratoga Springs journey two days later. And the sensation of rushing out through the head that she experienced this morning was, Jane said, very similar to those earlier “bumpings.”)

(Concerning Jane making sale of her writing soon, the last statement of the session above now makes four times that this bit of information has come to us, either through sessions or Jane’s psychological time. [...] In writing out the last line of the session from Jane’s dictation, I took it for granted the information referred to one sale. Jane then told me, as soon as the session ended, that it referred to two sales; one now accomplished, and other future sales. While we were discussing this point, Jane suddenly resumed her feet and began dictating again. [...]

(Naturally, after Jane’s experience with psychological time earlier in the day, we wondered whether there would be a session at all tonight. As the day wore on however Jane appeared to feel all right. We made plans to hold the session as usual, provided Seth himself did not eliminate it or Jane had a change of heart. Jane had no idea of what material the session might cover, as far as foreknowledge went.

[...] I wrote this as fur, rather than fir, when Jane gave it, not knowing which she meant. I saw no connection, but as soon as she saw the scene on the postcard used as object, Jane said fur had been a reference to the white foamy water spray and surf. [...] As soon as Jane mentioned this resemblance I agreed with her.

(Although this interpretation seems obvious, Jane said that J B also reminded her of our friend John Bradley, who had witnessed some sessions. [...] Jane thinks she could have also thought of John Bradley as well as Jane Butts, and not wanting to commit herself spoke aloud the initials instead of one or the other full name.

[...] In giving the data Jane gestured often with the envelope, her eyes closed; she would then return it to her forehead in mainly a horizontal position. [...] Perhaps Jane perceived this while the envelope was in a vertical position, or the data is simply somewhat distorted.

(The regularly scheduled session for last Wednesday, July 27,1966, was not held because Jane was ill for several days. [...] Jane hadn’t been working or sleeping well for some days prior to her illness.

[...] Jane said then that the connection referred to Enfield Glen, which we visited three times during our vacation from July 9-17. [...] Jane recalled that she had wanted to visit the Glen instead of drive to Wellsburg. [...]

(Jane however had an image of a large capital M, she said, in which case the first interpretation applies above. [...] Jane was aware of no color in her image; she saw the M alone.

I also felt that the chronology of presentation for both Seth’s and Jane’s books was being distorted: Because I was so slow in finishing my work on Volume 2 of “Unknown” Reality, Jane published her Psychic Politics first, for example, when the reverse order should have prevailed. After all, I told myself innumerable times, these were Seth’s and Jane’s books, not mine. I wasn’t hesitant about recognizing my own role in helping Jane’s psychic abilities show themselves in a consistent way (as, say, in intuitively devising the session format for the presentation of the Seth material). [...]

After I touch upon the contents of Volume 1, I’ll have the freedom to move into some other topics that occurred to Jane and me as I put Volume 2 together — subjects regarding the Seth phenomenon itself, for example. I also want to present a few passages from both regular and private (or “deleted”) sessions that were held before, during, or after Seth-Jane’s actual production of “Unknown” Reality in its entirety. At least some of Jane’s other books will be mentioned occasionally.

In important ways, Jane’s work is outside of society’s accepted frameworks — scientific, “occult,” philosophical, or whatever. [...] And I know that Jane sometimes misses the kind of camaraderie enjoyed by professionals who fit more comfortably into accepted structures. Actually, though, we consider many of our correspondents as friends, even though we never meet most of them, and despite the fact that Jane can only reply to their cheering communications with Seth’s dictated letter (as well as our own), or with notes scribbled quickly on postcards. [...]

(When I got to 330 today I found that the call light in Jane’s room hadn’t been working properly this morning, and now saw that it hung out of its fixture, half dismantled. [...] I tried to read the session for April 30 to Jane after lunch, and it seemed we were interrupted every few lines. In addition, a nurse had unintentionally gotten Jane’s medications mixed up this morning.

(4:35 p.m. “I’m telling you, I didn’t know whether I could have it or not,” Jane said. [...] Then, I said, “You can write your own book about all of this, like God of Jane.”

(“The mountains have fallen fathoms into the sea, and still I am I,” wrote Jane in a poem when she’d been quite young.