“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

[...] I am suspicious of it if it prevents you from painting, because of notes, but this does not bother me when you are painting also.

[...] My purpose is to protect and direct your energies specifically in the areas of writing and painting. [...]

[...] I believe that you both must write and paint a reasonable amount of time daily. [...]

[...] The purpose twofold: to see that he worked creatively himself, and could not have a job, and to have money so that you could paint full time.

[...] He wanted you free to do your painting. [...]

He saw the two of you writing and painting together. [...]

[...] The obvious to him was to quit your job (Jane, as Seth, almost laughed), paint, and have the time you needed. [...]

(I didn’t understand whether Jane considered the last five years wasted or not, however, including the books, the psychic work, the painting, etc. [...]

Work on painting AM. [...]

[...] I thought about doing another painting of the scene; I hadn’t done any painting in months. Then I thought of asking Rob to take a snapshot of the table area, so that I could paint it later. [...]

5. See Rob’s painting of Jane on the following page.

[...] Your interest in painting and your abilities do not only spring from the Denmark life, for example, but also arose out of your quite legitimate life as Nebene, when you were focused upon the visual symbols and their correct inscription. The slightest error in copying a symbol could change its meaning completely, hence your concern over details, and hence now your great trust in objective painting, and your occasional distrust of work that seems to come too easily.

[...] It is for that reason that you gave up painting in that life.

You also understand the nature of “truth” (in quotes) better than you did, and are beginning to allow it its mobility and ever-changing grace in your paintings and in our work.

In the face of the belief that the painting or the book would be miserable if produced, each good sentence or artistic stroke would be the opportunity not for rejoicing but for dismay: “Aha, what a fine stroke to be wasted, for the painting will surely go astray.” [...]

Now: when you are painting a picture and you have a good start, you do not think to yourself “I have a good start, but I will most likely ruin what I have begun.” [...]

[...] Carried to extremes, such a would-be artist or writer would never complete a painting or a book—not because of any lack of ability but because of lack of confidence and poor mental attitudes.

[...] It was not, for example, precognitive, but it did inform you — using images and feelings — of the picture that was sometimes painted in different terms by your conscious thoughts. [...]

[...] Because is was so vivid, it would make a great series of paintings. [...]

[...] The creative abilities join the creator and created (long pause) in a behavior in which for example, now, the painting that is to be affects the creator of it before its inception and before its form, so that the two are connected in a kind of behavior in which at deeper levels the ideas of cause and effect can have no meaning. The painting-to-be pushes against the awareness of its creator (all intently). [...]

[...] Each painting is but one materialization, one focused presentation, of an endless variety of probable paintings. [...]

[...] The artist utilizes training and mixes his colors in order to give artistic flesh to his painting. [...]

[...] It was about some limiting attitudes I had concerning painting and age; it was very perceptive, and I was somewhat surprised to realize that the ideas had been right there before me all along. [...]

“These sessions themselves involve the highest levels of creative productivity, at many levels, so he should refresh himself painting or doing whatever he likes, for that refreshment adds to his creativity, of course. [...] For a while, again, have him write three hours of free writing, and paint or whatever. [...]

[...] Your creative abilities do not simply allow you to paint pictures, to tell or write stories, to create sculpture or architecture. [...]

“When you mentioned his ink sketches he instantly wanted to play at painting again, but felt, guiltily, that he should not. [...]

[...] The work, however, would not have been right for you, but upside down in a fashion, because with your knowledge before, say, our sessions, your particular blend of psychic abilities and writing abilities would not have developed; your painting would have lacked, in a way that would be quite noticeable to you. [...]

[...] Your paintings now, and your best ones, you see, will evolve as a result of the psychic understanding you are learning. [...]

The consciousnesses is composed of the individual consciousnesses that make up the material that is within the painting, and yet there is also a gestalt consciousness that is the result of the artist’s overall conception. Anything that an observer learns from looking at the painting is always living knowledge, that alters his own makeup.

[...] The painting of a tree, while a symbol for the tree, nevertheless has its own consciousness and reality.

(I added that I thought I was already doing, at least to some extent, what Seth advocated in the session—throwing away any sense of responsibility or financial reward in painting, at this time at least. I trusted that whatever might result from the painting would be beneficial in various ways, possibly including the financial if the need arose. I explained to Jane that I’d reached the point in the last year where I just couldn’t let anything interfere with the act of painting itself—and that I thought she needed an attitude like that in regard to her own work very badly. [...]

[...] You paint because it gives you pleasure initially. [...]

[...] It takes time to paint or write, but the great inspirations of painting and writing transcend time, and the feeling of freedom and exuberance can give you in a few hours creative inspirations that have nothing to do with the time involved.

[...] Your own are obviously not limited to art, per se, or art would have satisfied you so completely, and taken your attention so completely, that you would not have looked in other areas at all, so there is a place meant for you, in which your artistic—meaning painting—writing, and intellectual capacities form a synthesis in which all those abilities take part, and are fulfilled. [...]

[...] A problem in a painting or in a book might be solved through an hour’s lovemaking, for often what might seem to be a problem of technique is, as you are beginning to understand, an emotional equation instead. [...]

[...] Jane at break asked me to take down an oil painting of hers that, she said, represented her childhood home on Middle Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York. She had painted it several years ago, in very dark and gloomy tones.

He keeps minute by minute count of you when you are working—all unaware, yet he makes it a point not to ask you about your painting a good deal of the time. [...] The charge had so built up that if you had one bad afternoon painting, he saw this as a sign of complete failure on your part; and he did the same with his own work.

You paint because you want to paint, and you set aside certain hours for your painting to insure that you will have sufficient time to do what you want to do; and this should be the reason for the regularity of our sessions.

[...] It should hold some of your current paintings — but in some way it should be tied in with your lives more.

[...] You need your painting time, as you have discovered. [...]

1. From my dream notebook: (See my painting at end of Session 4.)

[...] He looked something like the blue male I’m painting from a recent dream, although that one is in civilian clothes. [...]

[...] You do not think of any paintings that you did not succeed at. [...]

[...] In your painting, remind yourself of reincarnational selves, for there are more portraits ready, and in your nap time, beside rest, both of you give such suggestions:

[...] Do painting. [...]

When an artist paints a painting, you can look at the painting and say, “Ah, the artist was in a certain frame of mind” or: “Look at the dull colors and the dreary landscape” or: “Look at the wild colors and the fantastic forms” or: “See, there is no form and yet there is marvelous vitality.” [...] And when you look at the world you know you can say, “Look, this is what I have created!” And if you do not like what you see, then there is no point in ripping apart the painting or ripping apart the framework of your life. [...] And then you change your painting. [...]