“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

[...] It was not some breeze playfully passing by. Now I am a big wind playfully passing by. [...]

I can play whether or not your toy is playing. [...]

[...] The teachers squabble over their methods and the cats will play. [...]

[...] I will not come playing hopscotch, jumping through the window like Peter Pan. [...]

[...] In its own way hypnosis involves a psychic kind of play—meditation involves a psychic kind of play and lovemaking involves a psychic kind of play. [...]

[...] The same thing in meditation—let your inner self play in your meditation and let your body play in your lovemaking.

Use your own initiative for variations—think in terms of play—of a playful encounter, rather than serious encounter. [...]

When his lips touch your hand—if you do it in the sense of play and allow your native awareness to function.

They do not come to you necessarily in church or when you are playing the fine banker’s role; or when you (Brad) are playing the failure’s role, for you play the role of the failure as beautifully as he plays the role of the banker, and with as much finesse if that makes you feel any better. [...]

The answers come to you when you play at being yourself. Play that game now and then. Play at being yourself; you will be surprised at what you discover. [...]

[...] When you play that game, you are playing a poor game. [...]

[...] They come to you in your moments of play and spontaneity and art. [...]

If in your waking hours you playfully make up a dream for yourself, and then playfully interpret it without worrying about implications, but for itself only, you will unwittingly touch upon the nature of your own nightly dreaming. [...]

[...] In its great exuberant physical energy it chases its own tail, scales the furniture, tires itself out — and man’s mind exuberantly plays with itself in somewhat the same fashion. [...] It uses itself fully in mental activity in the same way that the kitten does in physical play.

The playfulness and creativity of dreams are vastly underrated in most dream studies. [...]

Do not try to bring “dream interpretation” — and kindly, now — down to your level, but instead try to playfully enter that reality imaginatively, and allow your own waking consciousness to rise into a freer kind of interpretation of events, in which energy is not bounded by space, time, or limitations.

(The session came about after Jane had played portions of the tape of the 170th session for the group. [...] Playing the tape was an attempt to answer some of their questions, and in this Jane and I were following Seth’s advice of the 246th session. [...]

(Jane later said that she was sure she hadn’t had too much to drink, and that she had become very upset over company behavior while the tape was being played, etc. [...] She is concerned that unscheduled sessions can be construed as exhibitionism; we think that this plays some part in certain unscheduled sessions. [...]

[...] Seth came through after some of the stronger voice effects on the tape had been played. [...]

(To Bette) Now I do not play favorites and you know that very well and when  you need help you get it and when others need help they get it. [...]

[...] I just said I do not play favorites. [...]

[...] Some Sumari play games. [...]

[...] So be even playful with your ideas and what you believe, for no idea is worth killing for in your terms. [...]

[...] Along with them, however, again, Ruburt should remember the playful, spontaneous attributes of the creative self. Preparing Oversoul Seven gives him a good point of concentration, yet beyond that he should allow himself the leisure and pleasure of playing with concepts, with poetry, and even with painting. [...]

[...] He enjoys it when you play with ideas, and this also stimulates his own activity. [...]

[...] He equates it with vacations and the world’s playful activity—that is my answer.

[...] As he played, it was obvious that any given composition “grew” from the first note, and had always been latent within it. An infinite number of other “alternate” compositions were also latent within the same note, however, but were not played last night. They were quite as legitimate as the compositions that were played. [...]

When I speak in terms of counterparts, then, or of reincarnational selves and probable selves, I am saying that in the true symphony of your being you are violins, oboes, cymbals, harps — in other words, you are a living instrument through which you play yourself. You are not an instrument upon which you are played. [...] You play ballads, classical pieces, lyrics, operas. [...]

[...] The particular variations that one person might play are endless. [...] It is not inevitable, nor is it the only tune that you can play.

[...] The playful, creative elements of personality can then be released. [...]

[...] If you can, playfully, playfully together, imagine you and Ruburt chasing each other up and down the stairs, or dancing beautifully, or whatever comes into your mind, as long as it is not serious, and you do not expect instant results.

[...] An actor throwing himself or herself into a role, even momentarily lost in the part, is still alive and functioning as himself or herself in a context that is larger than the play. The character in the play is seemingly alive (creatively) for the play’s duration, perception being limited to that framework, yet to play that role the actor draws upon the experience of his own life. He brings to bear his own understanding, compassion, artistry, and if he is a good actor, or if she is, then when the play is over the actor is a better person for having played the role.

[...] This psychological face of our analogy has certain formal, ceremonial features, so that you mentally and psychologically tend to perceive only those data that are available within the play’s formal structure. [...]

Once the session was over, Billy and Mitzi came out to play.)

(Long pause.) Pleasure implies play as well, of course, and art involves a kind of high free play—an extension of it that cannot be tied to personal or to mass need. High play of that nature opens doors of excellence that responsibility alone can never touch, and results in far more valuable help to the world as a natural by-product than any self-determined behavior can, so these are the ideas that we want to stress, both in bodily terms and in psychic and creative ones, and Ruburt is beginning to understand some of that now. The idea of creative play—and in those terms of a certain kind of abandonment—should be encouraged; the kind of abandonment a child feels when playing a game, in which it identifies with pleasurable activity. [...]

To some extent you convinced yourselves that such creative activity was indeed in some respects more work certainly than play. [...]

[...] (Long pause.) Pretend that you are a fine actor, playing in a multidimensional theater, so that each role you take attains a vitality far surpassing the creative powers of any ordinary play.

You say: “I must maintain my individuality after death,” as if after the play the actor playing Hamlet stayed in that role, refused to study other parts or go on in his career, and said: “I am Hamlet, forever bound to follow the dilemmas and the challenges of my way. [...]

[...] You are also involved in a kind of creative dilemma, since in a manner of speaking you confuse yourself as the actor with the character you play so convincingly that you are fooled.

In the dream state the actors become aware to some extent of the parts they play, and sense the true personal identity that is behind the artist’s craft. [...]

[...] Try the library playfully —or even paint. [...] Do help encourage him in a more playful attitude.

[...] Think of your painting as a spontaneous play of the godlike self, who paints or plays for the pure joy of doing so, without effort, without questions, and without plans. [...] When it does not, when an idea does not come, then walk, play with your cat, do anything you want to do.

[...] You capture as much as possible and in whatever way you choose, a careless, childlike, playing attitude.

The idea, again, art as a spontaneous play of the godlike self. [...]

[...] In the second approach you become completely immersed in the idea of spontaneous play, which is true blessedness and creativity and there is no focus upon subject. [...]

[...] I must play upon them as a painter plays with color or a musician plays with notes and keys, and he (Ruburt) must acquiesce and join in this creative activity. [...]

[...] And we have played question and answer games. [...]

1. Seth’s idea that in their play children “try to imagine what death is like” certainly adds an intuitive dimension to my own activities as a child. [...] We had great fun, and used to play such games to the point of exhaustion.

[...] “We might have played dead now and then—you know, lain down and closed our eyes, but that would be all.” [...] “I used to play being her all by myself,” she said. [...]

Children play at getting killed. [...]

Children play and believe it or not the gods play, and they have a merry game. [...]

[...] It does not want to play. [...]

Now, there is no reason why truth should not be joyful, there is no reason why truth cannot play tricks, even with noses. [...]

Now I am glad that you have all had such a jolly evening, and in the table’s energy I hope that you saw a reflection of your own (to Ron), and I hope that you realize, not looking at anyone in particular, that a playful answer will be given and long faces will get you nowhere. [...]

Now if you all want to play games some night, we will have some fun with the table. [...]

[...] The sudden easy improvements you noted, however, as with the speed (in walking), came when he allowed himself some playful rest, and when he kept his spirits up. [...] He has determined not to backtrack, for example; but both of you must remember that creativity is playful—that is, that you must not try too hard, that you mentally look the other way now and then, and not watch the pot boil all of the time.

(To me:) You needed some rest, but you do not really approve of it, the idea of playful free time seems to you somehow unvirtuous. [...]

Let Ruburt write something—anything—as a creative playful exercise daily, without caring whether or not it will develop into a book.

(Besides helping Jane go over Seven Two I am going to make a chart for her to keep records of her walking, exercising, and “free, playful, creative writing,” as Seth put it.)

We have a much stronger sense of play and relaxation than you have, and much more enjoyable. We can play as a child plays, having however full conscious appreciation—the I am principle—which the child lacks in his fanciful games.

[...] You forget also that because of your makeup all your experiences are translated into your work, and work becomes play and play becomes work.

[...] As I have said, feeling is action, and in my communications to you feeling plays a strong part.

[...] If I sound ponderous it is only because these necessary explanations cannot be given to you in a playful manner. [...]