“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

[...] The arthritis symptoms as such have largely vanished. What you have now is a stiff condition, you see, and all arthritis symptoms have been cut off from any actual development, in your terms. There was never any arthritis, but now those adopted symptoms are disappearing.

The change of schedule will help break up the symptoms, old C U E (spelled) points being scattered. [...] While it is completely possible for the mental state to express itself at once, nevertheless within your system, under most circumstances, there is a lapse, as the symptoms themselves did not immediately appear, although the mental state was in dire circumstance.

[...] The change of schedule is a good idea this week, because it will get Ruburt used to the idea of using freedom again, before your vacation starts, and will therefore offset possible symptoms. [...]

In the beginning of this recovery they were used to maintain the status quo, and prevent any further worsening of symptoms. [...]

[...] Too often he has identified himself with his symptoms. He has in his mind seen himself not as a woman who had certain symptoms, along with many excellent good points and abilities, but he has identified himself primarily at times with the symptoms alone. [...]

[...] The identification of self with symptoms alone is very dangerous. Always distorted, the symptoms themselves are a representation of certain distortions. [...]

[...] Looking at him, you can see that the condition, the problem, is a repressed one —the physical symptoms make this obvious. [...]

So in the beginning particularly you may be the one to take the initiative at times, for he may be reluctant, you see—a symptom of the habit. [...]

Now you both thought that Ruburt’s symptoms were a solution. [...] Ruburt’s symptoms you thought gave you both time. [...]

[...] Now you are both afraid of making a move, but it is much easier for Ruburt to adopt the physical symptoms of immobility, because of his own background. [...]

I told you in our last session that one member of a family could accept the symptoms for the whole family. [...]

[...] He thought, or felt, that by taking on the symptoms of your joint problem, he could free you creatively, and was bewildered when it did not.

Ruburt’s morning symptoms were also connected with you. You did not like to face morning at the Artistic Card Company, but Ruburt had the symptoms, you see. [...]

He felt that you begrudged him the food he ate, hence the shopping symptoms. As your attitude changed these symptoms began to vanish. [...]

(On July 3 and July 5th, I held long pendulum sessions, trying to learn what subconscious role I have been playing in Jane’s symptoms. [...]

[...] While you asked Ruburt to let me give you help for Ruburt’s condition, for some time the symptoms’ continuation was important to you for the reasons you now understand.

[...] If Ruburt’s symptoms represent the seemingly negative aspects of his life, then your dissatisfactions about work represent the same in your private experience. You say to Ruburt “You are using the symptoms as a framework of a sort, in which you feel it safe to progress, though, slowly.” [...]

(10:05.) Now: it is obvious to you that Ruburt uses his symptoms to control his spontaneity, to mete it out, so to speak. You would never take on such symptoms. [...]

[...] He did use the symptoms as a framework. [...] You concentrate upon the distractions in the same way that Ruburt does upon his symptoms.

[...] When I say to Ruburt “Do not concentrate upon the symptoms because you reinforce them,” then you agree, Joseph, and it makes perfect sense. [...]

[...] But you must understand that in your mind—now, you, Joseph—have thought of the symptoms as the reason why the answer (in the negative) would be given—and that is using the symptoms as an excuse. [...]

[...] I also want you each to consciously know what you think, secretly, about the ways in which Ruburt’s symptoms keep you from doing certain things, both of you.

If you do not want to do these things, and you are sure you do not, then admit it, without relying upon the symptoms as a handy excuse.

[...] Jane and I began a discussion about symptoms, then Seth returned.)

He should also imagine the future when present symptoms have vanished like the others. [...] It may be better not to mention specific past symptoms, while still dwelling on the improved condition. [...]

[...] When the symptom hangs on this is usually the case. [...]

If the local symptom does not disappear or subside within a day, then there are hidden or repressed elements connected with it, to which he is still reacting. [...]

[...] Your apartment hunting, because of its novelty, and his interest in decoration and arrangement, stirred his imagination in new way so took energy away from symptoms. [...]

The symptoms then began as he began to think in terms of job hunting. Your remarks concerning the benefits of a regular job would bring the symptoms to a pitch, and did so as recently as a week or so ago.

He felt his own respect and yours, he must take a job, and a regular one— and for the reasons given this had highly unpleasant repercussions that led to symptoms of immobility. These symptoms further aggravated his fears of dependence, and in his worse moments he feared that he would become a cripple and you would leave him. [...]

There would have been no overwhelming conflict for him, hence no such physical symptoms as he has encountered, if he was content, you see, basically to let you carry the financial ball—in other words, if he were truly a dependent personality.

In that case, the symptoms, whatever they were, would most likely have been yours.

(A carbon of the first part of the session is attached here, however, since the whole session applies to the question of Jane’s symptoms, etc.

[...] I was only floundering around trying to find ways of relieving the symptoms, even if this meant suspending ESP classes, or the sessions, or whatever, while we tackled the problems at hand.

The symptoms were the result of strain, then. [...]

(“Do ESP classes aggravate his symptoms?”)

(There is more on the symptoms and related material in the session than is included below.

[...] (In my art.) Ruburt should be open about the symptoms (etc.).

You know, I know, that your compliments quite go to his head, when they are real ones, and this also sends his symptoms running.

Once physical symptoms actually appear within this system however, they are to some extent accepted as any other established pattern, at least by a portion of the personality. In some cases physical symptoms can actually make up a somewhat independent supersonality structure. [...]

[...] Once the symptoms become physical however, then they follow physical patterns, and it takes the physical system some time to heal usually, (underlined). In terms of intensity alone, both the foot and the hip symptoms were highly charged, representing of course degrees of immobility and withdrawal—learned, you see, from the mother: a memory reaction adopted without conscious thought.

At the very latest however, with these recommendations faithfully followed, all symptoms should leave the foot at the end of a two-week period, completely. The hip symptom is gone for good, if the recommendations are followed. [...]

The symptoms are being reduced, and are vanishing in reverse order. [...]

The charge alone you see is not sufficient enough to initiate such symptoms, but it is strong enough to feed a steadily diminishing continuance of them unless changes are made, and you are making them. The vacation would have automatically given you freedom from these daily charged items of environment, allowing the symptoms to break up completely without the added resistance.

[...] The suggested vacation would have broken up the last of Ruburt’s symptoms more quickly than your present course.

(Before tonight’s session I had emphasized to Jane that I was very much interested to learn whether we had uncovered all the reasons for her symptoms through the various means we have tried—our pendulums, dreams, these sessions, etc. [...]

His symptoms were adopted in place of such a move. [...]

[...] It had been Leonard’s illness that had triggered a set of symptoms of my own, which Seth has been treating in these recent deleted sessions. Indeed, today was the first day in some time—at least a number of days—when I hadn’t noticed some sort of chest symptoms of some degree, light or stronger. [...]

[...] Under usual circumstances, those “symptoms” would be interpreted as signs of difficulty. You discovered instead that the so-called symptoms are signs that your glasses have become too strong because your eyesight has not simply held its own, but most remarkably improved, and in a way that is medically demonstrable. [...]

He became very alarmed over your own symptoms, though he did well enough in maintaining his own there. [...]

[...] The symptoms, rather strong at times, bothered me through the afternoon, and prevented me from napping comfortably. [...]

You will have to let me handle this in my own way—the matter of your symptoms and Ruburt’s knees, but for a starter we will begin with you. The pain in your side was a reaction against the first group of symptoms—they gave you a pain in the side. [...]

[...] According to my own troubles, my pendulum insisted that I did not have a cold, even though I had all the symptoms. [...]

The earlier group of symptoms resulted from several causes. [...]

Now it was on the one hand feigned behavior, but the symptoms had to be bothersome enough or they would not have served their purpose. [...]

[...] Ordinarily these foods responsible for about 15 percent of any physical symptoms Jane may have, including sinus. Now when she is sensitized, they account for about 80 percent of physical symptoms. Energy is at present being diverted from the sinus condition to other physical symptoms. [...]

[...] I thought a detailed report of what foods Jane should avoid would help alleviate her symptoms, if there was any relationship. [...]

[...] The belief prevented him from following through, so that the symptoms became a symbol, in a way, because he still did not trust himself sufficiently. [...]

[...] His symptoms represent for him the one point of vacuum, comparatively speaking, where the acceleration that has otherwise occurred has not as yet clearly penetrated; and jointly they represent the area in which your combined beliefs have not caught up to your knowledge.

I bid you a fond good evening—but I want each of you to sense your own power, and the weakness of the beliefs behind the symptoms. [...]

[...] It represents the invisible area, where Ruburt’s symptoms are visible. [...]

[...] You can minimize pain or discomfort through drugs, cutting down on the “cry” of any symptoms. The cry of symptoms, however, is meant to bring about a new condition, to trigger healing aspects, so drugs can often impede the healing process.

Now Ruburt mentally cut down upon the discomfort of his symptoms, so that the body did not feel its own discomfort strongly enough to trigger healing processes to the degree necessary. [...] Instead you remove the impetus for improvement by minimizing the symptoms, which, ideally now, would activate psychological, spiritual, mental, and physical centers, bringing about necessary adjustments.

[...] If you have faith in that, then doubts will vanish, and Ruburt’s symptoms also will wither away more quickly than you imagine. [...]

(This morning Jane and I embarked on a new program in an effort to track down the origin of her symptoms. [...]

He did of course care deeply, (and had) his interpretation of your feelings: he believed that the symptoms served you both, that you would on the one hand object, give lip service against his methods, but that underneath they provided you service.

[...] The symptoms cut the need for decisions in that area.

His symptoms were meant, in a way, now, in regard to you, to make you feel better, for by contrast you became the success and he the failure. [...]

Now and again, do not overemphasize this next exercise, for the condition with the penis is after all but a symptom. [...] The overall concentrations should not be on ridding yourself of any particular symptom, but on directing yourself properly toward your goals, for this direction and proper focusing will automatically result in the disappearance of symptoms.

While the exercises having to do with symptoms are good, they should not be overly emphasized, for your purpose must be much larger than the disappearance of any symptoms. [...]

Your own symptoms have been caused also by an inner indecision, a refusal to come to terms with yourself and your work.

(“They deal with symptoms, so maybe we’d better forget them now... [...]

The symptoms became intensified. The tooth symptoms however brought up a system of beliefs through his writing, and he faced some of them quite directly in a crisis situation. [...]

The reason that he could not get rid of the symptoms was simply that he believed them necessary requirements to his work. The symptoms and curtailment of activities were invisibly combined, so that he did not realize you could consciously set up a system in which you could work freely without distractions, and be perfectly free to do whatever else you wanted otherwise.

You are to some degree, both of you, using the symptoms as excuses. [...] Any project the two of you are attracted to but think will be distracting, you blame on the symptoms. [...]

(Jane had obtained excellent material on her own today, working with beliefs about her writing, symptoms, and movement about the house. [...]