1. Have you ever had an OOBE? Were you one of the ones that attempted them with Seth? Did it work?

Barrie: Everyone constantly has out-of-body experiences in the dream state, its as normal as sleeping and dreaming, and apple pie. I have had a few OOBE which I was consciously aware of and "awake" in, but they never seem to have lasted too long according to my conscious mind. I'm not sure to what Seth-attempt-thing you refer to. In class, if anyone had what they considered an OOB they would bring it up. There were exercises or experiments given to participate in if you chose to, but I don't remember any OOBE ones, but I'm sure there must have been.

2. Who was the person that had the experience of being a civil war captain and found that he couldn't agree with what his reincarnation self was doing. I'm interested because I think I had a similar experience and found it fascinating, but I've never been able to hook up again with the girl who's eyes I was looking through on that night.

Larry Davidson is the guy who had the "civil war" experience in the mirror. Perhaps if he looked a little deeper or longer he would have found more connections between the civil war soldier and his current 20th century life.

3. Does anyone from the group that you are aware of ever get in contact with Seth now? Was Rob ever able to do so? What a nice man he is. I've corresponded with Rob a few times.

No. I would highly doubt anyone who says they have a Jane-type interaction with Seth. They would have to prove it to me personally. Someone actually published a book claiming to channel Seth, but if you read any of the book, it is clear that her "Seth" is not Jane's Seth. It's an embarrassing book. Yes, Rob is a great guy. I don't know if he ever even tried to contact Seth via a "medium." I'm sure in his own way, through the dream state and other experiences, he has been in contact with both Jane and Seth.

4a. In the case of your son--has his death opened up or healed something that needed attention?

My son was (is) named Dande. I always had the feeling, fear, paranoia or awareness--choose which label you like best--that he would die young. He died a few months short of 25. I "knew" he could also have died much much earlier than that. This awareness, or the awareness of this possibility, affected my life. His mom and I have been divorced since he was 3, but I saw him all the time and we were always very close. One year, he lived with me the whole year. Anyway, I always spoke to him knowing it may be our last conversation and this made it easy to express a great deal of love.

Whenever we spoke on the phone or in person and were saying good-bye, I said good-bye knowing it could be the "last" time. But this was not a depressing thing. It was just a possibility I was aware of. It made it much more easy to express love, give love, be close, share, etc. But I am these ways anyway. Anyway, what his death did was to refocus me to take a more active role in Sethian type ideas and things. I always intellectually believed Seth's ideas and enjoyed the interplay with the possibilities. Dande's death filled in the emotional side. I discovered that I emotionally also believe in Seth's ideas. It makes the ideas real, not just ideas.

4b. Since we move in our own sphere, what are your perceptions of why he chose to leave at that time?

I don't yet consciously know why he chose to leave at that time (Nov. 6, 1996). My wife, Debby, has some psychic abilities and we have had some communications with Dande, but the answer to this question hasn't come. But what did come was that if it wasn't this way--hit and run while crossing the street--or this time it would have just been another way at some other time.

I once wrote down a quote from Dande when he was about 7; and he said that dying in a car accident was a natural way to die. He also loved cars, not like a "male" knowing all about cars, etc. but he used to love riding in cars and playing with the steering wheel while it was parked. He never did get a driver's license though. At 18 months of age he was in a car accident that could've easily killed him. He was in the front seat and his head hit the rear-view mirror which, in turn, went through the windshield. He needed 20 stitches and went into intensive care overnight. If his head went into the windshield, not protected and slowed down by the rear-view mirror, he most likely would have died.

4c. Did he ever discuss Seth with you?

I often discussed Seth and Seth's ideas with Dande. It was an active part of my life's philosophies and outlooks and so, as a matter of course, became a part of our conversations. I was always very open and desirous of communication so we discussed Seth and everything else like baseball, TV, death, and ice cream a great deal. I also used to read to him from Seth Speaks at night like a bedtime book. Although he believed in Seth's ideas, he was not too concerned with that "realm" of life. He was more concerned with baseball, cartoons, friends, etc. He, like me, was considered a very compassionate person by his friends and someone they could talk to.

4d. Did his death facilitate a coming together of anyone who was estranged with you or someone close to you?

I'm from a neighborhood in Queens called Clearview. Born in 1950, my friends and I were teens in the whole hippie-era 1960s. My whole group of friends became involved with Seth's classes and ideas, etc. We became the "New York" boys (and girls) from the books written about the classes. We were in our early 20s in the early 1970s. Dande was born Jan. 24, 1971 so he was around in those early days of Seth awareness. We all hung out as a neighborhood group, as well as individual friends. There is actually a web site of all these people and others as well named after one of our hangouts--Jerry's Candy Store. Check out this site: http://home.earthlink.net/~rperlst/

There you will see some old photos of the 60s as well as some recent photos and other things.

Anyway, Dande was the first kid any of us had and so, was like raised by the group, so to speak, as well as by his parents. That's why Jerry's site was dedicated to Dande's memory. He was a special kid, raised by special people, and meant something special to everyone. Over the years, I had grown apart from many of these people although I would see them once in a while. We all had grown apart in various different ways. Dande's death brought all of us emotionally together again. Some people I see more often than before, others I still see as rarely as I did, but the emotions are stronger, the feelings of closeness are stronger in all cases. It affected all of us. Many of these people now have kids 2-18 years old and you can imagine how it may affect them, too, from that angle.

4e. Did his death cause a change in something in your town--like a stop light being put into place, or additional attention being paid to drunk drivers?

I live in Queens, NY. Dande was "killed" in Buffalo, NY, where he had been attending SUNY and from where he had just graduated in June 1996. He and his girl friend were planning on leaving Buffalo within the next year and a half. So, his death made no changes in Queens. I doubt it made any changes in Buffalo. I saw a show recently that said Buffalo is the worst city in America for drunk driving accidents. I don't know if the drivers involved in the 2 cars that hit him were drunk or not. The police never found the second car which actually "killed" him. The first car, which knocked him down, stopped to help, or so I was told, and I don't think this driver was drunk.

4f. My cousin lost her 18 year old daughter the day my mother died in a drunken driving incident. I gave her as much comfort and support as I could, but it's very difficult to explain to someone who has lost a child so tragically that there are no accidents. How do you tell a parent that?

This was one of the questions raised by myself after Dande's "event." What is death? What are accidents? The answers to those two questions affect the way you tell someone. I've asked people how they deal with it, and the general answer I received is that "Seth" people try to be aware of what the belief system is of those grieving people and then they tailor their communications with these grieving people accordingly. They don't try to hoist Seth's ideas onto these people but try to use Seth's ideas as best as they can and as delicately as they can to try to help these people. Things must be said in such a way as not to deny or minimize the pain these people are feeling even though you know; that they need not be feeling these things if they believed Seth's ideas.

5. Have any of the members of your group met with each other recently? If so, what do you do together?

My group of friends consists of smaller groups of friends and then individual friends within those groups. The main group of all my friends meet at a yearly reunion. It is the only "neighborhood hang-out" reunion I've ever heard of. I've heard of high school reunions and college reunions, but not neighborhood hangout reunions. When we get together we kill cats, burn witches, and run around the neighborhood trying to put out fires by peeing on them. No, actually, we just do what everybody or anybody else does when we get together. The only difference may be that the awareness of Seth's ideas is mostly-present in the background or foreground of any particular conversation and may be brought up from time to time. There are no formal Seth gatherings that I'm aware of by any New York Sethites. But when we meet, we don't have to "inform" anyone of Seth's ideas--we all know them for the most part. It is interesting to see how people's lives develop, grow and change and how they react to things with their Seth backgrounds.

Barrie: You may always wonder why his life ended at 23. But remember, not only does his personality--that you know and love--still live, but also so do all his other incarnations --both past and present. Since his death, in the dream state, you have probably had a great many conversations and experiences with your son some of which may help explain the reasons behind his choice of disease and death. The dreams certainly do attest to the fact the he is not "dead" in the "gone" sense of the word. He has simply transformed his energy into a form which has discarded the physical camouflage and cannot be perceived under normal circumstances by our physical bodies. Both 23 years and 56 years are short in the grand scheme of things and time as we know it does not exist anyway. The reasons for his disease and death, as well as the reasons why you both chose to have the loving son/mother relationship in this lifetime are tied to why's and reasons which go beyond this current lifetime--into directions both past and future. On some level, you already know the answer to your questions...or else you would not pose them. Yet, remember that even on the every-day level of things your son is as alive as you or I and he visits you. He's just not physical as we know it.

Your purpose in this life is to do and be exactly what and where you are. Whatever questions you have now or have had in the past, your purpose is to answer them or follow where attempting to answer them leads you. Whatever you are feeling at this moment, and whatever you have ever felt, is another purpose of your life--to feel those things, and follow wherever your reactions to those feelings take you. One good bit of advice to always follow and give while on your quest is remember to have fun. The universe is as playful as a kitten with a string.

Ask yourself any questions you have concerning your son's death or your "purpose" before you go to sleep. Keep a notebook by your bed and write down any dreams you have --regardless if you think they pertain to your questions.

Perhaps the answers you seek will be revealed to you in this manner.

Irene: How do you know when you're "stepping on another soul's toes?" How can I know where what I want to happen ends, and where what my brother, Mike, needs to happen, begins? Is this clear? I see my sister-in-law struggling with what's going on, but I don't know if this is the path they should be taking. I've also explained to my brother that, if he chooses to be healthy, he has to examine why he may have gotten sick - a hard process when you are unfamiliar with creating, framework 2, etc. Good Lord, even Jane had her human moments!

Barrie: We are always stepping on each other's toes. It's part of the nature of our interactions with each other. The place where what you solely want to happen ends --whenever and wherever anyone else is involved with you. Then, whatever happens is the creation of what both of you (the more the merrier) wish to happen. Whatever is happening to your brother Mike is your brother Mike's doing and creation. You may try to advise and guide him, and it is his choice to listen or not. And you must allow that.

The only advice I can give you is to talk to these people as kindly as you can--in a language that doesn't insult them and that they can understand. Work with your understanding of their belief systems, and try to gently move them in the direction you believe will be helpful. Once you give your advice, the results or their reactions are out of your control. One of the most difficult things to do is to stand by and watch others make what you consider mistakes, but they must learn in their fashion and with your support. Others have, or should have, given you support while they had to stand back and watch you make and learn from what they considered mistakes. All of this is just a joyful blink, and all roads lead to the same place of peace and laughter and wisdom, all it takes is non-existent time.

It's not for you to say what path your brother and sister-in-law should be taking; and the reverse is true. It is not for them to say what path you should be taking. Whatever path they are taking is the path they are supposed to be taking. You are both taking the same path anyway regardless of what path you think you're taking.

Regardless of conscious awareness, everyone is working out the reasons why they got sick in the first place and how they may find the road to recovery. So, after you have explained yourself as best you can, leave your brother be, and try to help within his framework of viewing life. And if it actually becomes intolerable to you, if he is involved in such a belief system that you find revolting then you just have to let things run their course--and get out of his life for your own sanity. I don't believe things have gotten to this state. So relax. Ask and answer some of the questions you put to your brother, but put them to yourself. And if you have done so, and you like your answers, then enjoy life. Smell the roses and give your brother a big kiss on the cheek to support him through his struggles.

Dagfinn Nordaas: (Five questions from a 20-year-old student going to the Narvik Institute of Technology in Norway.)

Q1: Seth states that under "no" circumstances should you kill anybody. But let us look at a hypothetical example. If you were in a concentration camp, and you were ordered to kill one of your buddies; and if you did not, 10 other people, including your buddy would be killed…what would you do? If you shot your buddy, you would have killed somebody; and if you didn't, you would indirectly have been responsible for 9 other people's lives, which could otherwise have survived.

Barrie: There's the Sethian-multidemensional level "right" thing to do and there is the every-day-conscious-three-dimension level "right" things that seem should be done. Ultimately, it doesn't matter which one you do. Death is not what we think it is. No one dies without making the agreement beforehand. Yet, there is always free choice up to the moment. But moments exist in time, and time does not exist. The question cannot be boxed into a simple meat-and-potatoes-eyesight perspective.

Seth's position is that it is never justified to kill...even to kill in self-defense. He's coming from the position that we are all as dead right now as we'll ever be. If you kill someone in a "conspiracy" with another person...that is, if you agree with a person to murder one person in order to not have that person choose to kill ten people...you are still murdering one person. It is the Nazi killer's choice to coerce you to kill one person...as it is his choice to kill ten people if you do not. It is your choice to decide what you should do. All of you...the Nazi, the 10 people to possibly be killed, and you...have all agreed to play out this drama...knowing that you have all lived countless lives in all simultaneous times and multiple-dimensions, not to mention probable lives, alternate realities, etc.

Whatever is done in the situation eventually leads to growth and learning for all...and no death actually occurs in the traditional sense of the word. Those who are killed simply transform into energy forms that cannot be seen by the physical eye...but no personalities get lost or destroyed. Whatever choice you make and the Nazi makes...will all be looked at by each person's current life in all its dimensions--its higher selves, souls, oversouls, etc. Then, emotions will be experienced and decisions will be made that will effect the remaining "time" of this lifetime as well as the choices of future and past lifetimes.

If you kill the one person, you are responsible for killing that one person. But what does "responsible" mean? If you don't kill that one person, you are not responsible for the Nazi choosing to kill ten people. He's responsible for that. But what does "responsible" mean?

A more interesting question is...if you know that this Nazi will kill ten people in a few minutes...and you have the opportunity to kill him before he does it...should you kill him? Or, better yet, if you had the opportunity to kill Hitler before he became the leader of Germany...knowing that he would soon be responsible for the Holocaust and the deaths of more than 11 million people...should you kill him?

I would still say no. We know what happened in the Holocaust--how horrific, shameful, brutal and cruel and (unfortunately) human it was. We don't know what would have or may have happened if Hitler never came to power. He showed the world the extreme insanity of nationalism carried out to its extreme. Perhaps if this lesson wasn't given and learned then, and after nuclear weapons were created, maybe this crucial lesson about nationalism would have played itself out using a nuclear war as the example of extreme nationalism. We don't consciously know what does not occur after something happens, only what did and does occur.

Also, as disgusting as it sometimes feels and sounds there are no victims, as there is no death. All those who died in the Holocaust agreed to it on levels of reality we only are consciously aware of in the spiritual, timeless and dream-side realm of our lives--where we know death is not what we think it is in the 3-D world. Once again, there is always free choice and compassion is of utmost importance. But how else to experience, learn and feel the importance of compassion and brotherhood and sisterhood if not for acting out these dramas; and how else to act out these dramas but with these "evil" people acting out their blindness and cruelty? We are all here in our splendor and stupidity for a reason.

I would observe about all of these "players" in all our scenarios: Just some more silly human, physical nonsense that creates so much terror, fear, tears and misery. Why don't they just find themselves a cat, take out a string and play, and then go out for beers or Pepsis later on. Get laid or play scrabble. Eat, make jokes, and go to sleep after going to the bathroom and brushing their teeth.

Q2: Why didn't Seth come up with some mathematical formulas? In one of his books he said that Jane was not experienced enough in the mathematical language to do this, or at least it would be difficult. But if he could only come up with one formula, or how to make antigravity, he would have almost proved that he was an entity, expressing himself trough Jane Roberts.

Barrie: Perhaps he should have grown a beard. Anyway, I hated math myself in high school--with its night after night, week after week and month after month of homework for four years; even when there was a holiday or a three-day weekend. Those math teachers always had their homeworks planned out in advance in their mathematical/logical way.

Seth explained and experienced worlds that went far beyond math. Magic is always one step ahead of math. And magic is what the typical person trapped in the world on the cross of his/her five senses would call Seth's philosophies and the actual powers the mind/soul has in both the 3-D world and the "invisible" world. For example, the idea of reality being thought made physical is a magical idea. It doesn't matter if its true it's still magical and wonderful. Where does math really fit in? Math is a creation of consciousness trapped in the camouflage of physical reality. It may be fun to play with but it only goes as far as the eye, microscope or telescope can see, and not as far as the heart nor the soul nor the personality actually lives and dreams.

Q3: Seth says that each one of us is part of an entity. Would I then, after death, experience life as that entity? Or would I experience life as a part of that entity? Could it then be that we are just like the cells in our bodies, and the entity is like the person in that body?

Barrie: Yes, yes, yes, no, no and yes. There is not really any separation between our selves and entities; nor any separation between our before-life and after-life communications with our life-life personalities. Right now, today, listening to the radio in the morning, eating ice cream, worrying about the girl or boy down the block who you like or hate…you are experiencing interactions with and life as a part of your oversoul, your entity--as well as with your other lifetimes both past and present (from our point of view). We all are…it is unavoidable…for it is what life is.

We simply cannot consciously recall all we experience and for good reason. If we had all the memories and feelings of just a few other lifetimes and their dreams this life would become very confusing. If you throw in the memories of the experiences and dreams of just a few probable selves for each of those lifetimes you can imagine how much more confusing life would become. Did I kill mother? Did I win Lotto? Is there a bear with two heads coming out of the wall? What year is it today? How many times have I died this week? It could get quite confusing.

You get the idea that even going to the bathroom would become quite an ordeal if we had full recollection and recognition of true multidimensional reality. So we are here in our physical forms--focused on the physical world--while we dance, sing, talk, play, and learn in the multidimensional reality, except we don't consciously remember. But there is no separation from these invisible realms; so there is no return to them when we disrobe ourselves from physical reality at our so-called death in the way your question postulates. And even right now (or yesterday or tomorrow) while you or I sit there, numb, staring at the TV and cursing it for its damned commercials and their higher volume, we are simultaneously elsewhere also…learning as well as laughing at ourselves and with ourselves. Enjoy it.

Q4: Seth said that Jane Roberts was a part of him, and he was a part of Seth 2. Would then Seth 2 be a part of Seth 3 and so on until you reach up to Seth unlimited which would then be "All That Is"?

Barrie: I see your bet, and raise you three Seth 5's, up an eighth and down a third, and my king to your bishop 4 and Cardinal Spellman to boot also takes the Seth Unlimited Red-Eye Express up the train tracks to heaven, skip a beat, name that tune and see you real soon.

The many universes aren't boxed in the way our minds must envision them in our 3-D world and 3-D thinking. You can only reach limits when there is a wall at the end of the room…be that room an attic, a basement, or a universe. Basically, they are all the same within the scope of the physical camouflage. And none actually exist in the realm of true reality, or whatever you wish to call the "Sethian" realm or vantage-point or perspective. All That Is is all that is, and Seth 1 to Seth 80-Trillion would just be a small part of All That Is. Multiply that by the highest numbers your mathematics will give you and it will still be a small part… The whole idea of "part" and "whole" does not exist. But yet we all are capable of having orgasms, laughing at a good joke, and cursing the grapefruit which squirts in our eyes.

Q5: Seth says that there have lived many technological races on earth before us. Some of them were even more developed than us. Why haven't we then found any traces after them, like a spaceship or a little electronic gizmo, when we have found spears from human ancestors from 500,000 years ago, and skulls from 100 million years old dinosaurs?

Barrie: I'm not sure about all your numbers as they remind me of playing pick-up-sticks. In any case, you keep forgetting what physical reality is. Physical reality is a current and constant creation of our thoughts (en-masse & individually) made physical. We see, find and discover what we create to see, find and discover. If enough people created a little electronic gizmo from another civilization on earth 5 zillion years ago then we would find it. Remember, time does not exist. Five zillion years ago does not exist. Five zillion years from now does not exist. We find what we have created to look for. We are surprised to find what we have created to be surprised to find. Perhaps, your TV set is a zillion years old--or a zillionth-of-a-second old--or both; for they are all the same. By the way, where is that pen your mother bought you seven years ago?

---

Crosa: Barrie writes "Sex is good" the same as saying drugs are good also. I'm not saying sex is bad either. I do enjoy sex by the way. But everything has some kind of limit or balance if we will. Drinking a little bit of wine or beer with meals seems to be good for you, but there are limits there also. My point - let's not simplify, generalize or misinterpret Seth's ideas.

Barrie: When I say "sex is good" I am not saying that limitless or excessive sex is healthy for the psyche. I'm not talking about excessive anything. Excessive anything isn't healthy. Actually, I'm not talking at all about the amount of sex someone has. I'm talking about the idea of sex or the experience of the sex act. "Sex is good" actually means that there is nothing wrong with the flesh, with the body, as some religions would like us to believe. To the contrary, we are not intrinsically bad. Sex opens up the mind and body to join with the spirit so all three together may experience the sexual pleasures we fine-tuned our bodies to experience and enjoy.

There is nothing wrong with pleasure or feeling good or feeling loved. I'm not discussing obsessive behavior in any way. The soul has created the flesh to experience the unique qualities of physical existence. It is couched in the flesh. It is one with the flesh and both are holy and special and fun. Fun is not a frivilous concept, fun is joy and joy is the substance of the universe left alone by the woes and fears of people.

Someone with obsessive behavior has a problem and misuses things to feel the love or self-esteem they otherwise feel they lack. They are in emotional pain, and the abuse of drugs or sex or people make them feel in control or at least not in pain for a while. This, of course, wears away soon because inside they still feel the same negative ways about themselves. Sex is good means that you are good, the body is good, the desire for pleasure and love is good.

All of these concepts can be misused by a person who needs to misuse them. For example, a landscape may be beautiful; looking out over a grand, lush and green canyon...yet this does not discount the fact that someone can leap from this very-some ledge and committ suicide, thus misusing the beautiful landscape. Yet, the landscape is still beautiful.

Suzanna M:

1. To your knowledge, has anyone condensed Seth's practical exercises for experiencing the nature of the self and reality in one volume or "workbook" if you will?

Barrie: I don't know. You should address that question to either Seth Network at http://www.efn.org/~sethweb/index.html; or Ricky Stack's Seth Bookstore at http://www.sethcenter.com Get an email address from one of those sites and ask someone there. Good luck in exercising your fingers through the web pages.

2. Have you ever consistently practiced any of Seth's suggested exercises?

BARRIE: I have never consistently practiced any of Seth's suggested exercises...except for breathing perhaps. I have tried various exersizes from time to time, some longer times than others. I have often written down my dreams. I've tried concentrating on what I want for five minutes, altho its difficult to stop. I have never tried, for the sake of an exercize...sleeping only 4, 5 or 6 hours...and then taking naps...or eating a bunch of smaller meals...instead of fewer larger ones. I've done these things as a matter of course during a particular day or week...but not as a concerted, conscious effort.

This I do do tho: I have made a consistent, conscious effort to keep many of Seth's ideas and principles consciously in my mind as I go thru my day...ideas such as the universe is safe and playful; people are good, worthy and deserving of happiness; time is simultaneious; reality is our thoughts made physical; you create your own reality; violence is never justified; the "occult" world is as secret and mysterious as a flower, kitten, baseball game, or walk in the park; sex and the body are good; no personality ever dies nor gets swallowed up by anything; we're as dead right now as we'll ever be; there are an infinite number of probable realities constantly being created from which we choose what to actualize; there is no kind of "pre-ordained" punishment for things done in any lifetime; we choose our life's circumstances to learn and experience things for our various selves and oversouls to experience too; the body couches the soul and both are "holy"; the present is the point of power--meaning we can always change things; people are aware of their deaths and deaths of others long before they happen and the same with "accidents" (but yet these things can be changed if it is so desired); the dream state is but one realm where all our various selves (and "spirits") all intermingle and communicate; everybody is a hero in progress; everything has consciousness; and there are no accidents...

3. What, if anything, has been the single greatest effect on your life of your experiences with the Seth Material?

To have inside me...knowledgeable, joyful, humor-filled and fun-filled peace of mind and a sense of control over circumstances of my life and lives...even when I am crying, drooling and cursing, when I hate everything and everybody,and when I scream with my human, self-centered and self-righteous arrogance...things like, "Why the fuck do these things always happen!" -- There is always a part of me which knows better, which really believes deep down inside that the universe is good; that I am good, worthy, and deserve to be happy; that things happen for a reason; that our beliefs and thoughts create reality; that there are no accidents, and thus we cannot be victims of random violence or random anything (unless we set ourselves up for that experience); and that death as is feared or revered by most does not exist, and we are as dead right now as we'll ever be...never to be lost or swallowed up by some great vastness or nothingness...and stir in ultimate respect and compassion for others which intrinsically goes along with all of these ideas.

"Deep down inside, everything you do is right," Seth once said. I second that whoeheatedly...altho on our daily sweat & fart level of life...the concept may make one desire to puke every now and then.

Imagine being a candy maker, and as ingredients you have combined all of the above words to create a bagful of Hershey's Candy Kisses...having the chance to eat from that bag has been Seth's greatest affect on my life.