“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(I reminded Jane that since she belonged to no religion now [having left the Roman Catholic Church when she was 19 years old], her mystical nature would choose other avenues of expression than religious ones; as in these sessions, for instance. Perhaps, I suggested, it would turn out that one of her main endeavors would be to enlarge the boundaries of “ordinary” mystical experience itself, to show it operating outside of accepted religious frameworks. I added that within those religious boundaries, mystics across the centuries and throughout the world have given voice to the same ideas in almost the same words, and that as an “independent” mystic Jane was in a position to approach the situation from a freer; more individual standpoint: She would be able to add fresh insights to what is certainly one of the species’ all-pervasive, unifying states. For the mystical way surely speaks about our origins. ²

(I asked her about her childhood feelings, in line with Seth’s description of her mystical nature in the 679th session. Jane told me that during those years she’d had no idea that she might be anything so esoteric as a “mystic.” She was simply herself, and her sense of self, with her individual abilities and appreciation of the world she created and reacted to, grew in a very natural manner as she matured. Through her involvement with the Catholic church, she became aware of the quality called “mysticism” in connection with the saints of that church — but still she had no idea of attributing such a quality to herself. Her desire, her drive, was to write.

(The night before I’d been working on these notes, and we talked about mysticism, among other things. Because of our discussion, Jane rose early that morning and produced several pages of material. When I got up I found within her output the paragraphs presented below. They make an excellent ending for this appendix. Although she begins by once again expressing doubts, or at least qualifications, about her mystical status, I think her comprehension that she’s part of the day, of the earth, and of time, is surely a description of her independent pursuit of the mystical way. Jane wrote:)

[...] The child’s mystical nature, while strong, was not strong enough to defy the church framework, to leave it or to rise above its provided symbolism. It [the mysticism] was to be expressed, if curtailed, relatively speaking. [...] That child (in the photo) joined a nunnery, where she learned to regulate mystical experience according to acceptable precepts — but to express it nevertheless with some regularity, continuously, in a way of life that at least recognized its existence.

[...] Mystical experience became acceptable only through poetry or art, where it was accepted as creative, but not real enough to get him into trouble, or to upset the “new” framework. [...] The mind would be harnessed, and art became the acceptable translator of mystical experience, and a cushion between that experience and the self. [...]

The mystical went underground, reappearing as science fiction.⁶ Again, in the social and religious background of the child, unconventional mental or physical actions could bring penalties. For a while the child could interpret mystical experience within the church — but even then, there was always conflict with church authorities.

1. In Volume 1 of “Unknown” Reality, see the material on Jane, mysticism, and religion in the Introductory Notes, the 679th session, and Appendix 1 for that session. In that first appendix, the notes on Jane as an “independent mystic” (despite her denial that she even thinks of herself as a mystic), are especially appropriate here.

[...] Jane’s quick and impassioned response through her own writing, as presented below, reflects feelings deeply rooted within her mystical nature, and also illuminates important aspects of the body and direction of the Seth material as a whole. [...]

(Being individualists, then, as I wrote in the Introductory Notes for Volume 1, we don’t concentrate upon whatever parallels exist between Seth’s concepts on the one hand and those of Eastern religious, philosophical, and mystical doctrines on the other; while we know of such similarities, we’re just as aware of how different from them Seth’s viewpoint can be, too. [...]

Ruburt’s creativity not only involves that kind of behavior, but the mystic elements of the personality, meaning that the inner activity is very intense, so that Ruburt learned from a young age to develop a certain kind of secrecy. His poetry was largely mystical poetry, and though he did not dwell upon the fact, he realized that this vast inner reality of his was quite beside the point of living as far as other people were concerned.

[...] He has great powers of concentration, as indeed all mystics do, and everything in his environment becomes charged and important.

The mystic is primarily concerned with a one-point relationship to the universe. [...]

(1. Does Jane’s inherently mystical nature give rise to conflicts with the non-mystical world she finds herself in this time around? [...] Jane said that she never thinks of mysticism, herself, yet I think such factors could operate easily enough in our world. [...]

Mysticism itself involves, basically, encounters with the art of being—a kind of creativity that in usual terms may produce no product at all, creative or otherwise. [...]

(She did remember that Milumet represented many mystics, then added rather humorously that she didn’t think the name fit the activity — she thought Zuli a much better mystical appellation. All of this, of course, while Jane herself is a Sumari mystic.³ But some mystical differences began to emerge when Seth resumed dictation at 10:40.)

[...] Many of them also have a mystical sense of connection with nature. [...]

Now: Dictation: The next family (Milumet) is composed of mystics.

(11:02.) Give us a moment … I told you (in the last session) that in one probability Ruburt was a nun, expressing mysticism in a highly disciplined context, where it must be watched so that it does not get out of hand. [...] There were three offshoots: one, the nun, with mysticism conventionally expressed, but under guarded circumstances; one, the writer who veiled mystical experience through art; and one, the Ruburt you know, who experienced mystical experience directly, teaches others to do the same, and forms through writing a wedding of the two aspects. [...]

[...] Ruburt’s mystical nature was such a strong portion of the entire identity that in his present reality, and in the probable reality chosen — as mentioned when I discussed this picture (of Jane) — the mystic impulses and expressions were given play. [...]

[...] Intuitively and as a woman he would naturally have longer hair, wear earrings and jangly jewelry, which fits the inner feminine image, and also the inner mystical, psychic image of the seeress, the prophetess, and in your own relationship, the mistress.

[...] Do not be alarmed by my wild mystical self, for it is well under control.”

[...] I am not feminine, mystical, wild, given to fancies that will take you far from the world you know into unknown territory. [...]

[...] You are strongly inclined, as you know, toward mystical matters. At the same time, because of your background, you also distrust mystical matters to some extent. [...]

[...] You have been involved as a mystic and you were a mystic when you were an abbess, regardless of your extracurricular activities. [...]

[...] Even in this immature work, which she produced 11 years before she was to initiate the Seth material, her mystical nature was asserting its innate knowledge.)

[...] And emphasize also the connection between emotional and mystic love that you share.

[...] A submerged mixture of mysticism and sex.

[...] Therefore a mystical import, a magical import, was given to your every word.

[...] He is a great mystic. Naturally, that is, a great mystic. [...]

[...] The main one concerned whether Jane’s natural mystical nature had helped her in her times of need; I was most curious to know if this help had been given. [...]

In the first essay I referred to Jane’s unique combination of stubbornness, innocence, and mysticism, and in that respect nothing has changed. [...]

[...] It’s easy to see how, in Jane’s case at least, the church’s teachings about sin began to grow as the innocent child started protecting her spontaneous natural mysticism—that prime attribute she’d chosen for exploration in this life. [...]

[...] If she could tune into the world views of the philosopher and psychologist William James, and the artist Paul Cézanne, why couldn’t she do it for the writer and mystic Jane Roberts? [...]

[...] Although she’s not entirely in agreement with me on this point, I think that essentially Jane is a mystic—not an easy thing to be in our extroverted, materialistic society, for it represents a way of life that’s little understood these days. [...] Mysticism is still overwhelmingly regarded as a profoundly religious expression, and one that’s hardly practical, but in my opinion neither of those situations applies to Jane. Her “mystical way” is reinforced by a strongly secretive characteristic that’s usually belied by her seemingly outgoing character and behavior. [...] I also had to learn that her literal cast of mind grows directly out of her mysticism, and that because it does, she can be quite impulsive. [...]

[...] They have to do with the way Jane reacts to the world through her mystical nature —something we seldom consider, if ever; and any possible inhibiting factors in her behavior that might have been set up after the psychic business started. [...]

(Later in the day, Jane said she’d received some very interesting insights—possibly from Seth—about her mystical nature as it reacted to and with our world. [...]

The Catholic church, incidentally, as he knew it, while admitting the mystic experience, was highly suspicious of him in that regard. He was recognized as the too intent, emotional and mystical personality, and to some extent distrusted.

[...] He was a mystic, but a mystic given to great discipline, denial, restraint. [...]

He saw in his time how so-called mysticism and even dedication, without discipline, could divert energy, distort truths and pervert causes. [...]

[...] The dark side of the mystic, I am afraid.

[...] These two warring elements are deeply bound up in psychic work because they were deeply bound up early in religious and mystic connotations in Catholic upbringing.

[...] Ruburt’s early mystic life was also bound up with priests who were males, with whom one could not have any sexual relationship. [...]

(9:55.) I am making a distinction here between such conversion experience and genuine mystic understanding,¹ which may also come in a flash of time. Mystic enlightenment does not see an enemy, however, and there is no need for arrogance, attack, or self-justification.

[...] For they intuitively recognize the need to be free, and they sense the lack of the mystic communion with the earth that has been denied them. [...]