“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(10:26. Jane left trance easily. As Seth left, Jane said, she got from him that the particular trance he was discussing tonight could, or would, be used in sessions; it would let Seth come through “stronger,” though Jane then questioned the use of this word, and said “immediate” might be a better one.

(4:35. Jane came out of trance quickly. I was yawning, and Seth came through briefly and humorously:)

In the past, you see, it would have been highly improbable that Ruburt could have received that kind of information. He would not have allowed himself the highly focused sort of trance necessary, for rather specialized data. Now, some of it may not make sense to mathematicians as yet in any case, but portions will.

[...] I thought back to all of those unremembered trance hours, looking at them from a different standpoint — and almost startled by a simple thought that just hadn’t occurred to me in quite that way before: Those trance hours were productive. [...] That trance consciousness, by whatever name, knew what it was doing. [...] I’m sure there is a kind of trance memory, but my ordinary memory records very little of those trance hours.

As I write this Introduction, I’ve already forgotten those many anonymous nights during which Seth, my trance personality, dictated this book. [...] One thing is certain: On session nights I went into trance and, as Seth, dictated these chapters. [...]

Is Seth actually my trance personality, though — a native of timeless psychological realms, who sends his messages to our time-tinted world? Or am I Seth’s trance personality, living in space and time, nearly forgetful of my heritage? [...]

(She began speaking in trance as usual however; her start was late because of her lethargy; she “hung around” a bit waiting to see if a session would be held. But once begun the trance was good, eyes opening as usual, pauses as usual.)

[...] This receiving of more data as she comes out of trance is a sign, a recent one, that Jane’s trance was deep.

[...] Jane’s eyes were open and dark, and I had visions of her continuing to speak in trance while I competed in trying to bring her out of it. [...] I repeated the procedure and thought I saw signs that Jane was leaving trance.

That is, trance work you feel requires a safe framework and stresses a private stance even though its messages can be shared. Even then the question arises of public response to trance messages when they contradict official thought—and your questions about how the material might be misused as you explained in God of Jane very well, and—How “responsible” is the conscious mind for trance messages?—How responsible are you for Seth’s messages? [...]

[...] In a world in which women are considered passive and the trance largely feminine, you feel that the performance of a session could be too easily misread. [...]

NATURAL HYPNOSIS:  A TRANCE IS A TRANCE IS A TRANCE

(Smiling, and progressively louder and deeper:) Sixteen, entitled: “Natural Hypnosis: A Trance Is a Trance Is a Trance.” [...]

[...] Her trance, Jane said, was quite different than the usual Seth trance, and a few times, particularly during the crying attempt, Jane felt she might be approaching an unpleasant experience, as has happened a few times in the past. [...]

[...] Jane then suggested that I speak to Seth, since I was used to doing so; her hope being that by going into trance on her own she might contact a survival personality—namely, Blanche Price.

[...] Her eyes were closed, and remained so once trance began to show itself. [...]

[...] I talked with Claire Crittendon and her friend Bob, in Fredonia, NY, incidentally answering their questions about trances, etc. Jane herself remained in trance for a few minutes but then came out by the time I hung up at 10:20.

(She had put her glasses on after leaving trance, and now left them on when she resumed, as Seth. [...] I knew she was in a trance however, but doubted if a casual observer would be so sure. [...]

[...] Jane began speaking in trance in a voice a bit stronger and more forceful then usual; her eyes opened a good deal of the time.)

(By 9:55 we thought she was out of trance, but this proved to be an over-estimation. Seth, or the trance state, lingered. Jane showed definite tendencies to go back into trance, notably a rolling up of the eyes, and I continually talked her out of it, gave her tea, etc.)

[...] Jane came out of trance quickly, but said that the trance had been a good one. [...]

[...] It took Jane awhile to come out of trance. [...]

(Times noted indicate when Jane was in trance and when she came out of the state. When she remained in trance while Dr. Instream was speaking she listened to him intently, sitting with her eyes closed and her head cocked forward. [...]

[...] the waking state, as I have said often, is as much a trance state as any other state. [...] consider merely that all types of awareness are trance states... [...]

(At 2:03 Jane came out of the trance state and opened her eyes. [...] Jane went back into trance and resumed as Seth at 2:25.)

(Usually Jane goes in and out of trance with remarkable speed. [...] She smokes in trance and sips a little wine, beer, or coffee. Sometimes, when her trance has been very deep, it takes her a few minutes “to really come out of it,” as she puts it. [...]

(In beginning these notes, let me mention that there are certain definite changes in Jane when she is in trance and speaking for Seth.

(Jane’s voice in trance can be almost conversational in tone, volume, and pace, but is subject to a wide range of these qualities. [...]

[...] Jane was slow coming out of trance. [...] Then her trance had been deep, though she remembered the cat episode.

(Jane sat quietly in trance while I left my seat to turn on the air cooler set into one of our living-room windows. [...]

[...] In the living room Jane sat still in trance. [...]

[...] Jane’s mathematical knowledge and vocabulary [and mine] is so limited that any valid [or invalid?] data obtained in trance by Jane, on this subject, is of interest to us; the more we learn about these two sessions, the easier it will be for us to interpret another facet of trance experience.

[...] A more personal and emotional atmosphere began to enter in that was revealing to us; in these situations Jane is learning control even while she is in trance.

[...] Carl studied math for two years in college; reading the first session, he said that the ideas presented by Jane in trance made sense to him; he cited some examples to us and worked out some figures, especially concerning quadrants, and drew some diagrams. [...]

[...] Seth doesn’t answer mail though, or do any typing, and so as a result of those trance hours Rob and I spend a good deal of our conscious energy dealing one way or another with the effects of that trance life.

[...] In those trance hours I ‘turn into someone else.’ At least I am not myself to myself; I become Seth, or a part of what Seth is. [...] Instead it’s as if I’m practicing some precise psychological art, one that is ancient and poorly understood in our culture; or as if I’m learning a psychological science that helps me map the contours of consciousness itself … after all this time, I’m finally examining the trance view of reality and comparing it to the official views of science and religion. [...]

Twice a week when evening comes (as most of my readers know) while our neighbors go to movies, or shopping plazas, or just have friends in to watch television, I go into a trance,¹ “become” Seth, and take on a kind of a second life, or a life within a life. [...]

[...] Jane came out of trance quickly, but said the trance had been a good one. [...]

[...] Seth, or the trance state, lingered for some time. Jane showed definite tendencies to go back into trance, notably a rolling up of the eyes, and I continually talked her out of it, made her tea, etc.

[...] It took Jane a while to come out of trance this time. [...]

[...] Although her trances had varied somewhat tonight, the only “additional strain” she’d been aware of, really, was some trouble going back into trance after breaks.

[...] Finally it began to rain hard, with thunder and lightning, at about 9. We wondered whether a session would be held, since Seth had told us some time ago that electrical displays interfered with trance states. [...]

[...] I expected all the racket to break Jane’s trance, but it didn’t; she paused for a few moments and then continued.)

[...] Suppose the lights bothered me or the trance wasn’t deep enough? [...] Going into trance on television was something else again. [...]

[...] For another thing, because of the program format the trance was cut short, and this gave me the opportunity to study the trance phenomenon from a different angle.

[...] Actually, since I hadn’t gone into trance on any other programs, I doubted I would now. [...]

[...] By the time this first change happened in my trance states, I’d already had my first out-of-body experience, and following Seth’s instructions I was having clairvoyant experiences during daily exercise periods. [...] I agreed to the new trance procedure, but it was still some time before it became the rule rather than the exception. The trance was a deeper one, though, and the material launched into more complicated subjects. [...]

(It would be January 1966 before the next change in my trance behavior. After having sessions for a year with my eyes closed, I suddenly began opening them again, though the trance was even deeper than before. [...]

[...] The waking state, as I have often said, is as much a trance state as any other. [...] Consider all types of awareness as trance states. [...]

Now, in a deep trance the subject, though fully aware of what is happening in the trance, may remember nothing of it afterward. The awareness of plant life is also somewhat like that of the subject in deep trance. [...] But like the trance subject, our plant is aware. [...]

If you remember what you know of the trance state — in a light trance, you are able to maintain awareness of self, your environment and your place in it. [...]

Deep is the sleep
Of the moss and the pebble.
Long is the trance
Of the grass and the meadow.
Footfalls come and footfalls pass,
But no sounds can break
That green-eyed trance.

[...] Jane had a time coming out of the trance. [...] Jane agreed with my idea that Seth put her into deeper trance in order to allow the material to come through [since it is emotional, related to friends and so forth. [...]

[...] After finally coming out of the trance—this took awhile —she felt good. [...] I rather think that Seth put her in a deep trance for this highly charged material to protect her from the sort of thing she went through with Barbara when he wasn’t around.)

[...] Obviously she was going into a deeper trance and continued to do so as this material was delivered.)

Benefits received by personalities who are in deep trance are not nearly as long-lasting as they are in my method. It is true that in the trance state the subconscious learns. [...]

[...] Outside of putting Ruburt in a deep trance, there is nothing that I can do along this line. [...]

For personality reasons neither of you would be happy, I’m afraid, were Ruburt to go into deep trances at my instigation during sessions. [...]