Influential people who take Seth seriously

[Deb]

I've been working on this post for a very long time. Then, recently I was talking with someone about Seth. This question came up: Why aren't more smart, highly educated people interested in the Seth materials? (I'm probably paraphrasing here, I'm good at that. ) While being really smart and highly educated does not in itself mean a person is not "eccentric," my first reaction was, what about all of the smart credible people that are into the Seth materials?

That inspired me to finally post this topic, since for years I've been collecting books and papers written about the Jane/Seth. Some of the people who consulted with Jane/Seth were scientists, physicists, engineers, psychiatrists, or celebrities of some sort. I may be able to come up with a few more names as I get through Mary's files and Jane's journals, but here's a start. This has been updated on 10/18/21 to include suggestions from the comments below. Thanks to those who contributed. This remains a work-in-progress.

Please add anyone or anything I've missed! And I don't mean people who seem similar or aligned to the Seth materials, what I'm looking for are people who actually acknowledge they were influenced by and appreciate and respect the Seth materials.

These are people who may have consulted with Seth, associated with Seth/Jane
or mention Jane/Seth materials in their books, lectures or interviews.

Richard Bach, who had a session with Seth (his publisher also attended) to discuss the "source" of his Jonathan Livingston Seagull book, and had his first OBE while spending the night on Jane/Rob's couch on Water Street. You can download a transcript of him talking about the experience here.

Thomas W. Campbell PhD (retired NASA physicist), Monroe's lab partner, who happens to have his own discussion forum! Check this out, "Are there other physicists influenced by Jane Roberts work?"

Mike Dooley, author, speaker, writes books and has workshops that he admits were strongly influenced by the Seth materials, mentions them quit often in his books, and is essentially teaching the Seth materials in his own style of communication.

Norman Friedman, PhD: Bridging Science and Spirit: Common Elements in David Bohm's Physics, The Perennial Philosophy and Seth and The Hidden Domain: Home of the Quantum Wave Function, Nature's Creative Source (Comparisons of the Seth material to quantum physics).

Jim Henson (creator of The Muppets), ESP class, as mentioned in his biography, and unpublished ESP Class Session July 30, 1974. From a 1976 letter from Jim to Jane: "I have continued to be an enthusiastic student of Seth and I believe I have read almost everything so far. He and you have been a great influence on my life, and I have turned on a number of friends to your books."

Jon Klimo PhD, Channeling: Investigations on Receiving Information from Paranormal Sources (1988), Jane and Seth are mentioned in 19 different locations in the book, longest material on pages 28-34. "The resulting material not only became the stuff of which best sellers are made, but constitutes a rich and intellectually demanding body of literature."

Robert Monroe (Author, OBE studies, sound technology, The Monroe Institute), met with Jane/Seth/Rob, Seth helped design a dream machine for the institute. He recorded his meeting but never shared a transcript with Jane and Rob. Here's a post that tells a little about that. And a 14 minute audio of Monroe talking about Jane.

Tam Mossman, Editor for Prentice Hall, original publisher of Seth books. Also attended some private sessions with his father. Tam channeled James, and wrote a James book Answers from a Grander Self (1993, out of print), in which Seth and Jane are mentioned. He also wrote and/or edited several other books on various subjects.

Sheri Perl, ESP class student (called Charlene Pine in the books) author of a book on self-healing and the power of thought. She mentions her experiences with Jane and Seth in her book, and basically that Seth taught her everything she knows.

Phoebe Snow, singer songwriter. Met with Jane and Rob in 1974 per Jane's journals and correspondence (will update this with more info later).

Michael Talbot, author The Holographic Universe and Beyond the Quantum "To my great surprise—and slight annoyance—I found that Seth eloquently and lucidly articulated a view of reality that I had arrived at only after great effort and an extensive study of both paranormal phenomena and quantum physics..."

Robert Waggoner and David Cielak present the SethCenter "Online Seth, Dream & Lucid Dream Course." Robert Waggoner has written several books about lucid dreaming.

People who have written entire books, papers, college dissertations
and theses about the Seth Material and Jane

Nancy Ashley wrote a series of "Create Your Own Reality" workbooks. I have an OLD copy of Create Your Own Reality: A Seth Workbook (©1984/published by Prentice Hall 1987), with a very charming 5 page Afterword by Tam Mossman. Nancy was a college professor at the time she found out about Seth from a student and at the time she thought it was pure nonsense. After a few years of life changes, she came across the Seth books again, bought and read all that was available at the time, and then had a strong impulse to write the first workbook. She wrote to Jane, who thought it was a good idea and the rest is history. Nancy is now also an editor at SethCenter (Dr. Hsu books).

Paul Cunningham, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Rivier U, "The Problem of Seth's Origins," "The Biology of Belief," "An Experimental Investigation of Past-Life Experiences" (all mentioning Jane Roberts/Seth) and More

Lynda Madden Dahl, author, creator of the now defunct Seth Network International which was a fantastic Seth "factory"—books, magazines, videos, tapes, workshops galore. She has written the Safe Universe book series, explaining the Seth materials. She is very active and has a large following on Facebook.

Barrie Gellis, ESP class student (one of the NY Boys, called "our poet" by Seth). Has given presentations, interviews, and wrote Seth Material Q&A: The Spiritual Inner Journey of Seth Awareness (2019). He also wrote a poetry book, outside is a secret key (2006). Barrie has a Seth Group on Facebook

Paul Helfrich, PhD, Book, Seth the Ultimate Guide (2010, out of print); Articles, essays and resources related to Seth

Dr. Tien Sheng Hsu, a medical doctor and psychiatrist in Taiwan who has embraced the Seth materials and has written several books on Seth-based healing. His bio can be found on the SethCenter site.

Richard Kendall, ESP class student (one of the NY Boys). Has given presentations, interview, and wrote:
The Road to Elmira (2011);
A Creative Journey: Seth Inspired (2019)
A Seth-Inspired Potpourri (2020, published posthumously)

Joyce Kilmartin, PhD, Transpersonal Counselor, had a Seth blog (sethsays.org) and wrote a 334 page thesis, "Worldviews in Transition: Applying Three Models of Human Development to the Seth Texts" (2012) I've saved her blog posts via Wayback machine, will add a link to those when I have a chance.

Anna Preston, thesis for MA, Univ of Amsterdam, New Age 'Channeling' and Theories of Dissociation: Applying a 'Structural Dissociation of the Personality' Model to the Case of Jane Roberts (2015)

Adrian James Shaw, thesis for MA, Montana State University, Mediumship and Literary Studies in the Age of Jane (2016)

Peter W. Skafish, PhD, Sr Director of Studies at EDEEU Berkeley, 248 page dissertation: "From Another Psyche: The Other Consciousness of a Speculative American Mystic (The Life and Work of Jane Roberts)" 2011; New: Rough Metaphysics: The Speculative Thought and Mediumship of Jane Roberts, April 25, 2023

Rick Stack ESP class student (one of the NY Boys). Creator of the SethCenter, publisher of many Seth books, offers online Seth Conferences, the Seth Intensive course and ongoing online classes, Seth books for sale and the Seth Audio Collection which are recordings from the classes. He also wrote Out-of-Body Adventures 30 Days to the Most Exciting Experience of  Your Life (1988) plus a related audio program.

Bob Terrio, film maker, produced the videos "The Seth Phenomena, An Interview with Robert F. Butts" (1993) and "Jane Roberts & Robert Butts, A Family Album Tour (2014)

Susan Watkins Class member, personal friend of Jane and Rob. Sue wrote: Conversations with Seth (2 volumes 1980/1981 or combined volume 1999, also available in 2 volumes 25th Anniversary Edition, 2005/2006);
Speaking of Jane Roberts: Remembering the Author of the Seth Material (2001);
Dreaming Myself, Dreaming a Town: Field Notes from the Land of Dreams (1989);
What A Coincidence!: The wow! factor in synchronicity and what it means in everyday life (2005)

Blurbs on the back of Jane/Seth Books

Authors and spiritual coaches Marianne Williamson, Sanaya Roman, Deepak Chopra, Gerald G. Jampolsky MD, Louise Hay, Shakti Gawain, Dan Millman, Fred Alan Wolf PhD, Kenneth Ring PhD

Miscellaneous

Mary Dillman A Seth follower, Mary decided to pursue her calling of researching the Jane Roberts/Seth collection at Yale University's Sterling Library. In 1998 she quit her job, packed her bags, and moved from the mid-West to New Haven, Connecticut. Mary became known internationally for researching, organizing, detailing, cross-referencing and coordinating a vast amount of the material. I have committed to getting her research into Yale's archives once they are again accepting submissions, and hopefully getting quite a bit of unpublished material out to the public. Visit the Seth Research Project website for more information about the project, download free resources, and purchase merchandise or donate. 100% of proceeds go directly to helping with expenses incurred for furthering Mary's research and maintaining and growing the Seth Research Project repository.

Griffiss Air Force Base, Rome, New York contacted Jane to locate a missing pilot in 1974. Jane gave enough accurate information about the pilot's personal life and the crash location that it made them suspicious of Jane. Full story can be found in Rich Kendall's Potpourri book. Update: I've attached the story below.

Sterling Library, Yale University, New Haven CT houses the Jane Roberts Papers Collection. 501 Boxes!

[strangerthings]

This is a great informative post and yes there are and were many people who were "highly educated" that learned who Jane and Seth were. So glad you posted this! Some gave me a good chuckle like Mr. Talbot and some ... like the airforce one I want to know more. Quite a few more I am interested in thank you so much!

I honestly love Sue's book! I highly recommend it to others if you have not read it. Conversations with Seth It is very funny imo.

Compiling this in-between all that you are currently doing is very much appreciated!

Once again thank you !

[LarryH]

I would add scientist Dean Radin, Robert Waggoner, PhD, and Dr. Tien-Sheng Hsu (author of Spiritual Prescriptions for Healing 10 Diseases and Challenges).

There are probably several members here who are "highly educated". My ex, who is a member, has two Masters and a PhD. Her work as a psychologist and professor is strongly influenced by Seth.

[Deb]

... like the airforce one I want to know more.

I attached it to my top post. I'm sure Rich doesn't mind, and no one is buying his Potpourri book anyway.

I would add scientist Dean Radin, Robert Waggoner, PhD, and Dr. Tien-Sheng Hsu

Thanks, I totally spaced Drs Waggoner and Hsu, duh. I wasn't sure if Radin was a Seth reader, I have Entangled Minds but didn't find Seth or Jane in the index. I need to do a little more research, I'm sure I've missed others.

[strangerthings]

@Deb
Wow!!!!!

Thank you so much!!! When i get to my comp im downloading it

Yayyyy

[strangerthings]

Wow that was great! tysm for that download!

[barrie]

Hi, Nice list...I think perhaps that my book could be on your list as well?
"Seth Material Q&A: The : Original Seth Class Member Answers Your Questions" (503 pages)
by Barrie Gellis

What are your thoughts?

You cannot view this attachment.

[Deb]

Yes! You were listed under class students, but I didn't specifically name books written by students. I should and I will. That book of yours is definitely on my favorites list.

I'll update my original post as these suggestions come in, this topic is definitely a work in progress.

And I will add now that I've been gathering questions for you (Barrie) during my proofreading of Mary's interviews, for the time when we can talk and then I can add your interview to Mary's collection.

Thanks for checking in!

[barrie]

Thanks, Deb. Keep me updated...

[Sena]

"Seth Material Q&A: The : Original Seth Class Member Answers Your Questions" (503 pages)
by Barrie Gellis

Barrie, thanks for making this  available on Kindle Unlimited in the UK. I have downloaded it.

[barrie]

Hi Sena, Great...let me know what you think along the way reading it and feel free to pass on any comments or questions. Enjoy...

[chasman]

this is so awesome, thank you for posting all of this Deb.

how about Helen Wambach?

and David Ceilak, Seth Dream teacher, works with Rick Stack and Robert Waggoner.

and not sure, but maybe, Bruce Lipton, and Greg Braden.

(and if Wambach and Richard Bach would have got married, she would have been
Helen Wambach Bach. oh the things that amuse my simple mind.   

and how about Ian Stevenson?
really guessing.

[Deb]

Thanks @chasman, all good recommendations. I was actually working this morning on adding new people to my list, there are so many people (and their books and stuff) that it becomes overwhelming.

I don't know if Lipton and Braden know of Seth, but I'll do some research. And yes to Celiak and Waggoner and Stack, and Wambach!

[chasman]

thanks Deb.
there is so much amazing to read in your posts.
all the links to theses.
wow, fantastic, amazing so vunderbar.
thank you again.

[barrie]

Yes! You were listed under class students, but I didn't specifically name books written by students. I should and I will. That book of yours is definitely on my favorites list.

Deb. This is why I think my book should be added to this first list called "People who have written entire books, papers, college dissertations and theses about the Seth Material and Jane."

Yes, I am an original class member—but I am more as well...

Yes, I have been studying Seth since 1972 and I am also one of the original Seth class members in Elmira, one of the NY Boys. But I've also held weekly and bi-weekly online Seth chats for about 10 years, have had various Seth boards on line, and currently have my Seth FB page -- https://www.facebook.com/groups/177996360825 -- I have have written between 10,000-20,000 Seth-related posts, responses and comments--for the last 24 years that I've been active online. By far, I am probably the most prolific online Seth class writer on the Seth material--and perhaps of all people.

Additionally, I actively give many Seth presentations and Seth-related interviews both on and off line and as you know, I have written a 500-page book called "Seth Material Q&A: The Spiritual Inner Journey of Self-Awareness: Original Seth Class Member Answers Your Questions."

Also, I am working on my Q&A Seth book all about Seth class.

Seth also referred to me as "our poet" and I have written more than 4000+ poems—some of which Sue Watkins used in her books on Seth Class, "Conversations With Seth,"

I have also written a poetry book of 100 poems called "Outside Is a Secret Key" – and I plan to publish at least 10 more.

And when I lived in Elmira, I attended some of Jane's poetry workshops and she spoke highly of my poetry.

So, for all these reasons I'd like to be on this list--and not just have all my work simply be "limited" to just being a former member of Seth Class in Elmira--which of course I was.

[strangerthings]

All these people on FB and I will never see them *L*

I want to finish my Seth book collection before I buy more books or add more people to read.
Getting through Seth and Neville is quite a chunk to grasp as it is.

--

Barrie I really did enjoy your 2021 presentation though!  It was one of my favs

[barrie]

Barrie I really did enjoy your 2021 presentation though!  It was one of my favs

Thanks...it's always great to hear. If you have any follow-up comments and/or questions--please say or ask. Be well.

[Deb]

OK peeps, I took the above recommendations and edited my first post here. I also added a few more resources, what a monster post it has become!

Of course, it's currently a work-in-progress so if you see any mistakes, or have more recommendations, please let me know.

[Mark M]

Great list!

I learned of Seth when listening to a Phoebe Snow radio interview in 1976 and she brought up Speaks and Material.

Wikipedia indicates she may have ended up "forsaking" Seth:

"...in her later years she embraced Buddhism."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebe_Snow#Personal_life_and_death

[Deb]

Jane mentioned somewhere, in one of the books, that Phoebe was a fan and maybe had a personal session. Yeah, other people like Richard Bach, Tam Mossman, possibly Bob Monroe went turncoat on Jane and Seth.

I'd love to be able to find out why. Tam is gone, Monroe is gone, and Bach won't answer my emails.

[Mark M]

My impression from some correspondence with Tam was not that it was full turncoat, more a sour attitude.

Sheesh, Bach and maybe Monroe!

[Mark M]

Marianne Faithfull made passing mention of Seth Speaks in her autobio, I think her reading it in the 1970s.

[LarryH]

Yeah, other people like Richard Bach, Tam Mossman, possibly Bob Monroe went turncoat on Jane and Seth.

Based on what evidence? What were your sources? I especially have a hard time believing that Tam soured on Seth, but it's hard to believe that any of them would have had any fundamental philosophical differences with the material. In my memory, their own works are entirely consistent with Seth. 

[Mark M]

I don't know as Tam soured directly on Seth, but took a sour attitude.

For instance, I understand he refused to be interviewed by Mary Dillman.

[Deb]

Based on what evidence? What were your sources?

My direct access to emails between Mary Dillman, Sue Watkins, Tam, Bach and others. Yes @Mark M Tam detached. I have not been able to find out out why, I can only surmise. Tam declined to be interviewed by Mary and Bach did as well. Bach made a comment about not wanting to be associated with someone as controversial as Jane/Seth. When Mary asked him what he meant he did backstroke a little but still did not want to be associated.

Monroe was more a matter of disengaging with Jane after his session with her because She/Seth helped design dream machinery. It was suggested by an insider that he was protecting his invention and not wanting to credit Jane/Seth. He agreed to send a transcript of his recorded session with Seth to Jane and Rob, and never did.

Just my two cents, but I think all of them backed out for purely personal issues unrelated to their Seth experiences.

[steff74]

Serge Kahili King.

https://www.huna.org/html/4symbols.html

Some years ago, while reading a short statement by Seth in the book Seth Speaks, which said, "I communicate with your dimension, for example, not by willing myself to your reality, but by imagining myself there," I felt a light go on in my mind. This initiated a whole string of ideas which culminated in the fact that I hadn't yet developed an instant healing technique based on simple imagery that anyone could apply without a lot of thought.

(...)

In other words, to archieve all your desires, keep your focus on what you want, and not on what you don't want, a version of the secret expressed frequently in the Seth Books by Jane Roberts.

He also mentioned Jane Roberts in an interview.

https://www.goodreads.com/interviews/show/320.Serge_Kahili_King

SS: Who are your favorite authors?

SK: Robert E Howard, Ian Fleming, Stephen King, Jane Roberts, Richard Bach, Alexandre Dumas, Philip Pullman, Robert Heinlein


SS: What are your 5 favorite books of all time?

SK: The Three Musketeers, Dr. No, The Nature of Personal Reality, Think and Grow Rich, The Bible.

[inavalan]

Serge Kahili King.

https://www.huna.org/html/4symbols.html

Some years ago, while reading a short statement by Seth in the book Seth Speaks, which said, "I communicate with your dimension, for example, not by willing myself to your reality, but by imagining myself there," I felt a light go on in my mind. This initiated a whole string of ideas which culminated in the fact that I hadn't yet developed an instant healing technique based on simple imagery that anyone could apply without a lot of thought.

(...)

In other words, to achieve all your desires, keep your focus on what you want, and not on what you don't want, a version of the secret expressed frequently in the Seth Books by Jane Roberts.

Great tips! Especially the "focus on what you want, and not on what you don't want".

The "I communicate with your dimension .. not by willing myself to your reality, but by imagining myself there" makes sense when "communicating", but not when "exploring" something new. If you start imagining, you create, hence distort your perception.

[Deb]

Serge Kahili King.

Thank you, I'd never heard of this person before.

[Helen S]

Please add Louise Hay, Deepak Chopra, and Esther and Jerry Hicks to the list of influential people acknowledging the impact of the Seth material on their life and work.

[RodMPeters]

Richard Bach, author of "Jonathan Livingstone Seagull" even sat in one of Seth's sessions. I would only add that one would not necesarily "get" the Seth Material just by being smart or well educated. I know "smart" and "well-educated" fellows that are immediately turned off by the sole mention of the term "channeled material", and in most cases I also immediately realise the futility of trying to explain.

[Mark M]

Jonathan Richman is into Seth.

I know this cos I directly asked him in a letter.

(His original line-up of the Modern Lovers had Jerry Harrison who became a Talking Head and David Robinson who became a Car.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Richman

[Mark M]

I may have posted this excerpt from Time before:

SETH QUOTED IN MONDAY, NOV. 13, 1972 TIME MAGAZINE

 ...However he feels about marriage, [Richard] Bach is wedded to Jonathan [Livingston Seagull] and to its source of inspiration. Several times while flying, Bach has heard a voice give him a sharp command which he followed on instinct; it saved his life, he insists. Yet he admits to being nervous about acting as a vehicle for what he long thought of as the alien force that gave him Jonathan. Because he believes in most of what the book illustrates he has also been a bit worried that readers would refuse to take it seriously once they knew about its "kooky" origin.

One result has been a soft flirtation with the world of the occult. Bach began by skulking into occult bookstores and sampling the fare. "It took nerve," he recalls, "just to go in one of those places." Since then he has tried a few mediums, but found "all that crystal-ball stuff, spirit guides, music and the darkened rooms" hard to take. Recently, though, he discovered Jane Roberts, a poet and science-fiction writer, who since 1963 has been a conduit for the spoken words of a personality called Seth. "It's all done in daylight," says Bach. "There's just this one small, middle-aged woman in a rocking chair. When Seth speaks, her voice deepens and even the planes of her face seem to change."

Seth, in fact, sounds rather like the former Indian Defense Minister, crotchety Krishna Menon. He proved a great help to Bach. For one thing, he advised Bach not to worry about religions that claim Jonathan is preaching their doctrine. ("The seagull is free. How they think about him you cannot dictate.") He also told Bach that every individual consciousness has many aspects that move freely through time and space. Jonathan was not alien but came from one of Bach's aspects. "Information, then, becomes new and is reborn as it is interpreted through a new consciousness," Seth continued.

Jane Roberts and her husband Robert have recorded 6,800 pages of Seth's talk. Much of it has been put together into two Prentice-Hall books, The Seth Material (1970) and, this fall, Seth Speaks. Whoever he is or is not, Seth speaks with more cogency than most of the troubled spirits that find their way into print. To Bach's relief, the two Seth books outline a cosmology that coincides a good deal with his own way of viewing life and death. Though Bach would hate the labels, the final result, like Jonathan, seems to be a blend of Jung, Christian Science and theosophy. It assumes individuals exist as multidimensional personalities who do not die but simply change consciousness. Explicit too, are the great powers that reside in the individual, if he will only tap them, to evolve and to triumph over matter (and sickness) through thought control. Or, as Jonathan Livingston Seagull puts it: "A seagull is an unlimited idea of freedom, an image of the Great Gull, and your whole body, from wingtip to wingtip, is nothing more than your thought itself."...

https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,910460-7,00.html

Dictation. (Pause. Then humorously:) An aside to you: Now, you see, I can speak in Time or out of it. Underline "Time."

--Seth, NoPR Part One: Chapter 5: Session 626, November 8, 1972