A recluse living in the Rocky Mountains with his dog, Shawnee, White Feather tells stories that lead us back to the primal joy of our existence. His philosophical and metaphysical essays push the envelope of our perspectives while grounding us to the feelings that connect us with our source. With insight and feeling, White Feather shares his journey through the shift in consciousness the world is going through, compelling us to look at our own journey. To discuss White Feather's writings and other philosophical and metaphysical subjects with others, visit White Feather Forum.
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Speaking of Jane Roberts
by White Feather
Jane Roberts was both ahead of her time and firmly planted within her time. She was channeling long before it became popular. She produced an incredibly huge body of teaching. The Seth material laid the groundwork for the huge wave of channelings and teachings that came through in the Eighties and Nineties. The word channeling was not even being used when she started doing it back in the Sixties.
Although she helped define the modern channeling phenomenon, she was also confined by it. Jane Roberts was an extraordinary person with extraordinary talents and an extraordinary mind. She was a highly skilled and prodigious writer in her own right. As a poet and novelist, Roberts was talented, but she never received the recognition because of her huge "channeler" image. She played second fiddle to Seth, whom she channeled, but her life deserves a study in its own right apart from Seth.
Speaking of Jane Roberts: Remembering the Author of the Seth Material, by Susan M. Watkins, is a book that presents the life of Jane Roberts the person as opposed to Jane Roberts the channeler. But it is not so much a biography as it is a memoir by Susan M. Watkins. Watkins was probably closer to Jane than anyone but Jane's husband. She worked with Jane conducting her famous ESP classes, she wrote the book, Conversations With Seth, and she was a personal friend of Jane and Rob for almost twenty years at the time of Jane's death. Seth said of Jane and Susan's relationship that they were soul counterparts--a type of soulmate. They enjoyed a very psychic relationship and often dreamed together. Their relationship had its ups and downs, for both women were dealing with their own issues--issues that defined their relationship.
This book is as much a study of Susan M. Watkins' own life as it is a study of Jane Roberts. At first, I wasn't sure if this was going to work for me, but as I read on I was thoroughly captivated not only by Ms. Watkins' very smart insights, but by her substantial writing abilities. It was not long before I longed to know more about Watkins, just as I longed to know more about Roberts. Although Watkins is capable of integrating esoteric metaphysical concepts into her story, she can also easily portray things from a strictly non-metaphysical perspective. She is as human as her subject.
For years it has puzzled me why Jane Roberts died such a slow and agonizing death, why she lived through a painful disease, and why she ignored the advice Seth channeled through her. It reminds me of Edgar Cayce whose health deteriorated while he refused to listen to the advice of the readings. And Linda Goodman, too. Now having read Susan M Watkins book, I am beginning to understand. I am not going to give anything away, though, for this is truly one of the masterful aspects of this book, and makes this a very important book.
Jane Roberts is not glossed over in this book--not at all! Watkins reveals Roberts without any makeup, and it is not always pretty. She talks about her constant smoking, her drinking, her bizarre idiosyncracies, her eating habits, her phsycial problems, her disdain of rich people, her maniacal work ethics, her relationship with her mother, her relationship with her husband, and her infamous sailor's mouth. (Apparently, Roberts rarely finished a sentence without at least one cuss word.) It is the complexity of genius that Watkins is trying to make sense of and she does an inspiring job. She shows all sides to the many-faceted gem that was Jane Roberts. (She also talks about Jane's relationship with author Richard Bach.)
By the way, Watkins reveals in this book that the Seth material that has been published is only a small fraction of the entire work. This is mind-blowing considering that there are over 20 books published! She also reveals that at one time Jane was considering burning all the Seth material and not publishing it at all. We are all lucky that she did not.
I cannot close without commenting on Susan M Watkins' delicious sense of humor. There were a few times that I had to put the book down because I was laughing so hard. This is a very informative and pleasurable book to read even if one has not studied the Seth material. For those who have studied it, this book is a must-read.
Copyright © 2000-2004, by White Feather. All Rights Reserved. Books By White Feather
Jane Roberts was both ahead of her time and firmly planted within her time. She was channeling long before it became popular. She produced an incredibly huge body of teaching. The Seth material laid the groundwork for the huge wave of channelings and teachings that came through in the Eighties and Nineties. The word channeling was not even being used when she started doing it back in the Sixties. Although she helped define the modern channeling phenomenon, she was also confined by it. Jane Roberts was an extraordinary person with extraordinary talents and an extraordinary mind. She was a highly skilled and prodigious writer in her own right. As a poet and novelist, Roberts was talented, but she never received the recognition because of her huge "channeler" image. She played second fiddle to Seth, whom she channeled, but her life deserves a study in its own right apart from Seth.
Speaking of Jane Roberts: Remembering the Author of the Seth Material, by Susan M. Watkins, is a book that presents the life of Jane Roberts the person as opposed to Jane Roberts the channeler. But it is not so much a biography as it is a memoir by Susan M. Watkins. Watkins was probably closer to Jane than anyone but Jane's husband. She worked with Jane conducting her famous ESP classes, she wrote the book, Conversations With Seth, and she was a personal friend of Jane and Rob for almost twenty years at the time of Jane's death. Seth said of Jane and Susan's relationship that they were soul counterparts--a type of soulmate. They enjoyed a very psychic relationship and often dreamed together. Their relationship had its ups and downs, for both women were dealing with their own issues--issues that defined their relationship.
This book is as much a study of Susan M. Watkins' own life as it is a study of Jane Roberts. At first, I wasn't sure if this was going to work for me, but as I read on I was thoroughly captivated not only by Ms. Watkins' very smart insights, but by her substantial writing abilities. It was not long before I longed to know more about Watkins, just as I longed to know more about Roberts. Although Watkins is capable of integrating esoteric metaphysical concepts into her story, she can also easily portray things from a strictly non-metaphysical perspective. She is as human as her subject.
For years it has puzzled me why Jane Roberts died such a slow and agonizing death, why she lived through a painful disease, and why she ignored the advice Seth channeled through her. It reminds me of Edgar Cayce whose health deteriorated while he refused to listen to the advice of the readings. And Linda Goodman, too. Now having read Susan M Watkins book, I am beginning to understand. I am not going to give anything away, though, for this is truly one of the masterful aspects of this book, and makes this a very important book.
Jane Roberts is not glossed over in this book--not at all! Watkins reveals Roberts without any makeup, and it is not always pretty. She talks about her constant smoking, her drinking, her bizarre idiosyncracies, her eating habits, her phsycial problems, her disdain of rich people, her maniacal work ethics, her relationship with her mother, her relationship with her husband, and her infamous sailor's mouth. (Apparently, Roberts rarely finished a sentence without at least one cuss word.) It is the complexity of genius that Watkins is trying to make sense of and she does an inspiring job. She shows all sides to the many-faceted gem that was Jane Roberts. (She also talks about Jane's relationship with author Richard Bach.)
By the way, Watkins reveals in this book that the Seth material that has been published is only a small fraction of the entire work. This is mind-blowing considering that there are over 20 books published! She also reveals that at one time Jane was considering burning all the Seth material and not publishing it at all. We are all lucky that she did not.
I cannot close without commenting on Susan M Watkins' delicious sense of humor. There were a few times that I had to put the book down because I was laughing so hard. This is a very informative and pleasurable book to read even if one has not studied the Seth material. For those who have studied it, this book is a must-read.
Copyright © 2000-2004, by White Feather. All Rights Reserved. Books By White Feather
