Seth Speaks: The Eternal Validity of the Soul [Paperback]

TO THOSE WHO THINK THAT THE BOOKS ARE A HOAX DESIGNED TO GENERATE CASH FOR JANE ROBERTS AND ROBERT BUTTS: There are few who apparently agree with you in these reviews. Furthermore, I sincerely doubt if these fine people ever made any significant money from writing these books. Frankly, I'm glad they made enough of a living to spend time generating the material.

THE PROOF IS IN THE PRACTICE OF THE CONCEPTS: Only by practicing the concepts in these books, begining with the concept that consciosness precedes form ("You - you as a multidimensional personality - create your own reality" as so many herein have mentioned), can you find out if these ideas are suited for you. If they are not, you will know. If they are, you will also know.

THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ FOR YOU: Not many books can be read by many people and turn out to be their favorite book of all time. This book is my favorite book of all time (though I have to admit I've read "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen nine times - which is more times than I've read Seth Speaks - wasn't it Balzac who read P&P 17 times?). I'm glad to see that so many other people give it a high ranking in the personal cannon. If you think you might be interested in this book, I suggest you try it.

THE DANGER IN THIS BOOK. I'm always amused when people suggest that a book is dangerous. Yes, if you believe it is dangerous, it may be to you. Ideas are dangerous. Don't read stuff that threatens your comfortable and happy existence. Now, if you're not comfortable and happy with the way things are, and you sort of think that there is source of power and energy that underlies our existence, you might find this book very reassuring. For in the conceptual framework of the Seth material, the world as we know it is stripped of most of its rules (and dogma) and a rather simple code replaces them: namely that we are responsible for the world as it is and that we should think twice before harming other beings and things. That's a hearty dose of self-respect.

RE-READING "SETH SPEAKS": Like many other reviewers, I found that this book always provides me fresh insight when I return to it. By the same token, I'm not afraid to tell you that I, at one time, threw all volumes in my possession of the Seth material in the garbage, not because I thought it was evil or stupid, but because I thought I needed a complete break from my absorption in it. I have wondered if this is why Jane Roberts passed away in her 50s (I think it was) - perhaps she was getting too intertwined with the Seth material - and it seems that in the final volume - "The Way Towards Health" - Seth is reluctant to let her go. In a way, Jane had become synonymous with Seth, and I expect that her own work has never gained the popularity that the Seth material achieved -- but who am I to comment on this? She seemed to have been a very vital and unique personality. I wish I'd have known her personally. In any case, there are few books that people find worth re-reading, and I can see I'm not alone in finding "Seth Speaks" to be one of those books.

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT: I've seen some reviewers have attempted to explain the book and even give it a sort-of literary review by comparing it to other literature in the metaphysical and religious genres. This books is a highly personal book, and must be read and absorbed by you and you alone. It is both a difficult and easy read; difficult in that the concepts presented will not immediately make sense to you (you will have endless questions) and easy in that you can read it without stopping to contemplate it. Read it as you wish, at whatever pace you wish. Put it away (or throw it away!) and come back to it later. YOU WILL KNOW IF IT'S FOR YOU OR NOT -- IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR AN EXPLANATION FOR WHY THINGS ARE THE WAY THEY ARE, I SUGGEST YOU READ THIS BOOK.

HOW YOU MIGHT KNOW IF THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU. This book may be for you if you often wonder how it is that God (or whoever) created this existence, or if you wonder why God has been so cruel, or if you have a background in belief systems, or scientific evidence that espoused or theorized the idea that "mind" creates or has an influence over "matter." If you like metaphysics, read it. If you don't think science has alll the answers (like any good scientist), then consider this book as an alternative - or possible quantum leap forward in scientific thinking.

Thank you for reading this. I appreciate it.

By comparison, the five "Bartholomew" books are cogent and dynamic, the effect of choosing certain selections of certain "sharings" that are designed to give the effect of being present. Every word tells.

I will finish the last few pages of this Seth book, and I have Seth's "The Nature of Pesonal Reality" in the wings. But it is unlikely that any of the other 23 books by Ms. Roberts will find a place on my bookshelf.