“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(Once again I planned an envelope test for the session, should the opportunity arise. [...] For the test I used a color photograph of my brother Bill, his wife and two young children, taken in Webster, NY, in 1959. [...]

[...] I did not mention a test to Jane, but she is well aware that they are in the offing now; earlier in the day she casually mentioned tests, without asking specifically whether I had one planned for tonight.

[...] Reaching over, I dropped the test envelope in Jane’s lap as she spoke. [...] I had taken care to see that Jane had not seen the test envelope during breaks, or before the session.)

[...] Now she paused again, then picked up the test envelope. [...] As during her previous four tests she held the double envelope lightly in both hands. [...]

[...] (Pause at 10:20.) I will ask you, Joseph, for our test, and I will then have a few general remarks to make concerning our tests at this point.

[...] She held the test envelope to the top of her head the whole time. She didn’t think she had done well in the test, whereas actually the results were very good.

We work in our tests almost as one organism, as a gestalt, and you also have a part here Joseph. We were certainly specific with this last test, but there must be freedom first.

(This afternoon while doing Yoga exercises Jane gave herself suggestions to the effect that she would do better in the envelope test tonight, than she had done last session. As will be seen, she did do much better.

[...] Ruburt has himself gained some confidence as a result of our own tests, and also as a result of tests that he has tried on his own. [...]

(No envelope test was held during the session.

We have been progressing, actually at a good consistent rate, considering the fact that no tests of any kind have ever been attempted before we became acquainted with Dr. Instream.

In our tests with the Jesuit and the cat lover, we hit on several specific points. [...]

(The 20th envelope test was held during this session. [...] For the test object I used part of one of the paper napkins Jane and I were given when we varied our routine prior to the 213th session, and visited a local discotheque for a beer. [...] The results of tonight’s test were very interesting. While we were in the discotheque ultraviolet lights were turned on when the entertainment began; this means the test object was viewed by us in this unusual light, and this fact shows in tonight’s test data.

[...] She did not mention the bar in the test data, and indeed had forgotten it until our discussion of the test brought it back to her mind.

(A somewhat similar question arises concerning a dream Jane had on November 30th, and a few lines of the data given for the 22nd Dr. Instream test; see the following lines on page 104 of the 213th session: “He received a book by mail today, a biography sort of book, having to do with a personality of the late 1800’s. A medium.” [...]

(It was now time for the 23rd Dr. Instream test. [...]

(As will be noted most of the data in connection with the envelope test cannot be checked by us. [...] The idea in choosing it was to simulate a test in which an object chosen by a third party was used; then this third party would interpret the data, leaving Jane and me free, so to speak. I got the idea for this approach from the 24th envelope test in the 219th session. [...]

(While giving tonight’s test data, Jane said she had a few mental impressions, and that she believed she could vouch for a few items in the test.

[...] For the test object I used a wallet identification card that I picked up two years ago in an empty house that Jane and I nearly purchased. Both of us had met the owner of the house, Jim Birch, a few times. [...]

(The test object was among other papers that we cleaned up at the house, with the intention of mailing them to Mr. Birch’s new address in North Carolina; later we learned this wasn’t necessary and the papers lay forgotten in my file until I came across them the other day. [...]

[...] He picked up accurately enough that the test object could be held in the hand, had a connection with water and an indentation—the opening in the teapot—but erred in the rock or stone terminology, the color and the word nondescript. [...] He also said that we would conduct a series of tests with the Gallaghers, involving objects, and that they would be successful.)

(Reduced-size copies of the identification card used as test object in the 28th envelope test, in the 224th session for January 17,1966.)

(In the 221st session Seth suggested we postpone our series of object tests with the Gallaghers. [...]

(Seth’s data on this test was this: “... [...]

(For the envelope test I used a pair of name cards made by our friend Bill Macdonnel for his art studio, the Cameron Gallery. [...] More than anything else, I was interested in seeing if Jane could distinguish that the test involved two objects. [...]

(It was 10:24, and too late for an envelope test in my opinion. In the 197th session, Seth had suggested I give Jane these tests unannounced during the middle of the session. [...]

(We discussed the test results and made some connections. [...] This I regretted, though thinking the test was a good one. [...]

[...] This is the 12th Dr. Instream clairvoyant test. [...]

(For the envelope test tonight I used my appointment card for my visit to the dentist earlier this month. [...] 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.

(It was now time for the 32nd Dr. Instream test. [...]

Do you have a test for me?

[...] She had no special thoughts about the evening’s test data except to say that none of the impressions she heard herself giving made any sense to her.

(See page 277 for a tracing of the money order used in tonight’s 9th envelope test. [...] On the spur of the moment today I decided to use it for the test, and enclosed it in the usual double envelopes. [...]

It is unfortunate that the idea of tests often disturbs the flexibility that is necessary in order to achieve results. [...]

Do you have a test for me?

(I handed Jane the test envelope at 10:20. [...]

[...] [No results in yet of blood tests taken a week ago at St. Joe’s. Tests sent to Rochester.] Jane got more and more depressed and scared as Dr. K. talked, I could see it, in spite of suggestions we’d agreed on before her visit. [...] Dr. K. wants Dr. Sobel from Ithaca to examine Jane Friday even if blood tests aren’t in yet: “I can give him the results over the phone later.” I wanted to postpone visit to emergency room “till test results were in,” but Dr. S. won’t be at St. Joe’s next week. [...]

The medical tests along the way proved that I did not have some of those most frightening conditions. Other tests that I recall made it clear that my heart and liver and internal organs were in good shape—but Doctor Kardon had seen them newly threatened by the vasculitis, and I felt, “My God, what a merry-go-round of disastrous expectations must everywhere color the medical profession and its practitioners and patients.” [...]

[...] No blood test results had really come through yet (from St. Joe’s last week). [...]

[...] Then we were to get together when the blood tests results came, to discuss treatment, even if the vasculitis showed no further appearance, she disclaimed, it very well could invisibly attack the body, affecting internal organs in the most disastrous fashion. [...]

(As usual, some of the test material obviously applied, and other statements seemingly did not. By now however we have learned that material in the latter category is not necessarily distorted; it could merely be another example of the sometimes far-reaching impressions that attach themselves to test objects. [...] So we were now curious to learn what application, if any, such statements as four, a masterpiece, a voice, etc., had to the test object. [...]

(Peggy said that she watched me rather than Jane during the test, and that I did not betray by facial movement anything about whether Jane was doing well on the test, or not well.

(Earlier in the day I prepared the 7th envelope test for the session tonight. [...]

Do you have a test for me this evening?

[...] Reading over the last session, she had been surprised to learn that she had held the test envelope to her forehead for a few minutes, since she didn’t remember doing this. Now, she once again pressed the test envelope to her forehead, this time more deliberately, and with both hands. [...] This is the 23rd envelope test.)

(See the tracing of the test object on page 140. It is of the front of an envelope addressed to Jane and me by my mother on December 1. The letter contained in this envelope figures in the test results, and will be kept on file with the envelope. [...] It is of course available however to anyone seriously considering these tests, should they be that interested.

(The 23rd envelope test was held this evening during the session. For the test object I used the front of an envelope addressed to Jane and me by my mother. [...]

[...] Her eyes had remained closed for both tests. She sat with the test envelope pressed to her forehead the whole time. [...]

(It was 10:23, and this was our 25th envelope test. As usual Jane took the test envelope from me without opening her eyes. [...]

[...] The data contain references to both slips, although Seth or Jane did not identify them as such, or refer to the fact that there were two test objects, as I had hoped. Jane said that during the test she was not sure of the source of information, Seth or herself.

(For this evening’s envelope test I used two sales slips stemming from Christmas shopping Jane and I did. [...]

[...] She said Seth could have continued in this vein, but stopped because the usual tests were due. [...]

(Jane said at 8 PM this evening that she did not mind if we had an envelope test. I remarked that it was going to be a busy session, what with the material on the Gallaghers and Dr. Instream, a possible envelope test, and the chance that Seth might discuss two very long, vivid, and complicated dreams Jane had while taking a short nap last Friday morning. [...]

[...] I had decided to forget the envelope test unless Seth asked for it, for it would make three tests in a row.

(For the envelope test object I used the appointment card for Jane’s visit to the dentist last May 5,1965. [...]

I am happy to see that Ruburt tried out the material that I gave on the matter, and that he put it to the test. [...]

If you are interested in any kind of evidential material, it is good to hold tests fairly regularly. [...] But because of his peculiar makeup the first, or first few tests after resumption are apt to be poor now, at this time, because he is apt to try too hard. [...]

(The 30th envelope test was held during the session. [...]

[...] This includes the two usual tests plus the material delivered by Seth concerning our landlord. [...]

[...] Most of the time Jane sat with her head down and her hands raised to her face, as during the Instream and envelope tests.

[...] Ruburt was upset because of the failure of our last test. Nevertheless, if you have a test for us this evening then we shall do what we can, since it is not good particularly for him to refrain through fear. The tests in the overall will take care of themselves in any case. [...] Therefore, if you have a test for us we shall see what we can do.

(I planned no envelope test for this session. Not because of the poor results of the last test in the 194th session, but to vary the steady test diet. [...]

[...] The fact that he was willing enough to allow me to request a test is however a point in our favor.

[...] I then had the accompanying thought that when I told Seth I had no envelope test, he would suggest that he try something else.)

[...] Two of these at least made the difference between hits and failures, and they are noted in the test results.

MY EVALUATION OF GALLAGHER NASSAU TESTS

[...] Of course we had no idea of what all those tests would cost, and weren’t billed when she was discharged, since test results weren’t in. [...]

[...] We regard the overnight affair at the hospital, and the enormous cost of it and the tests, as largely a waste. [...]

[...] Jane said that while I was shopping today she’d dreamed or felt herself walking around the card table—not perfectly straight, but as though testing her weight upon her legs. [...]

I just wasn’t ready, apparently, to put Seth or myself under any kind of test. [...] I thought of “testing” Seth in a highly rigid, uncompromising manner. [...]

“You’re afraid of putting this stuff to the test,” Rob said. [...]

[...] Even though he expressed interest in “testing” Seth for ESP, and suggested again that we try the clairvoyant experiment, I was put off by the letter. [...]

The idea of ESP tests still frightened me, but I felt that they were inevitable and necessary.

[...] “If you were anyone else I’d have you at the emergency room at St. Joe’s for more blood tests,” Dr. K had told Jane at the house. [...] She suggested we go to the emergency room for blood tests, and we agreed. [...]

[...] She’d suspected vasculitis when Jane had been first admitted to Arnot Ogden early in February, but tests had ruled it out. [...]

[...] Two of them were taking blood for some nine separate tests almost before we knew what was happening. [...]

(Early the next morning Jane had more blood taken for more tests. [...]