Seth: Many illnesses have to do with guilt

SESSION 851 7. MAY 1979

9:39 PM, MONDAY

 

Illness as a means of expression of the body; the body as

mirror personal attitudes; illnesses and feelings of harm;

the body's innate self-healing ability

 

(Last week, Jane received a message from an avid reader named Essie Gills in Erie, PA; Jane had heard from her before and had recently responded to her. Now Ms. Gills had sent Jane some quotes that she probably used in a college literature class had noticed: “I thought you would be interested to hear that today I heard someone describe you as 'one of the outstanding thinkers of the 20th century' -- and that in a literature class. And: "...what the As far as the 'authenticity' of its sources is concerned, their reality is irrelevant compared to the uniqueness and originality of the spirit of this Erau.”

Jane laughed as she read the menu at the lunch table. "But it's true," I said emphatically and with a little humor -- and Jane simply laughed again.

The evening was very warm -- almost 24 degrees. We had our front and back doors open and listened to the concert of the nocturnal insects on the first of May this spring.

Recently, as we were sitting on the couch watching television over lunch one Sunday afternoon, we came across a Bible missionary program with Ernest Angley. We had never heard of him before. He has a character all his own and an extraordinary way of conveying his message, which is quite fundamentalist in tone and content. He loves to talk and seems to be completely absorbed in his faith in Jesus and God.

At first we were put off by it -- especially Jane -- but after watching a few shows with him, we agree that Ernest Angley, in his own way, manages to convey a strong, simple feeling, thought and belief . He dresses impeccably in the latest fashions and performs throughout the United States and Canada. He always ends his program with a parade of people waiting for him.

change to the scene to report on their healing from a variety of physical ailments, from childhood deafness to cancer. The denials come from people who took part in his previous services. Sometimes he treats the sick on stage, for example by removing air from a boy's ears so that the seemingly deaf person can suddenly hear again. These little dramas are often accompanied on stage by tears of awe and relief, and Ernest Angley refuses any recognition. "God did it," he says again and again, in different variations of the phrase.

Afterwards, Ernest Angley appears alone to present his current travel plan to television viewers. He also promotes his books and brochures and asks for donations for his work. There has to be a well-coordinated organization behind him so that he can perform so efficiently in front of a large audience two or three times a week.

“How do you explain that?” I asked Jane as we watched the believers who claimed to have been healed stand on stage in front of Ernest Angley and eagerly recount their individual experiences. “If only If the beauty of these people is really healed, as they say, then some of these nobles are actually miraculous. How come the doctor's shaji didn't notice this man? What does he really offer? Anyone who can bring so many people together at once must have something to say...")

Good evening.

(“Good evening, Seth.”)

On Wednesday there is another dictation on the program -- a book dictation.

So. Animals have accidents or starve -- but within the natural circumstances of their lives, which you cannot possibly fathom, they generally do not get sick in the same way that humans do. Although it is very difficult to explain major health issues based on your own experiences with health and illness in your world, I will try.

Of course, people experience good health as positive and bad health as negative, and your society is full of hospitals and various healing centers that supposedly all

are aimed at restoring the health of the individual.

The body strives for health on its own if you let it. But you are also psychological creatures, social creatures, and illnesses undoubtedly serve psychological purposes -- social purposes as well as, let's say, exclusively personal purposes. Poor health can excuse you from certain activities that you do not want to do but believe you should do. He can focus the experience on specific areas. He can provide a bolster against the world if you feel you need one. Illness can serve as a protest, a plea for help, or—strangely—even a declaration of independence. It can be a barrier or a bridge.

(Emphatically:) The body is a means of expression -- and illness is one of its means of expression.

If everyone who went to the hospital wanted to be cured, doctors would have much more success. Your body reflects your personal attitudes towards yourself, and it is your direct contact with the world around you, and therefore you use it as a means of expression.

The medical professions contribute to some extent to perpetuating disease for many reasons, and religions contribute to perpetuating a sense of guilt for many reasons. Remember that when you see your healing preacher on television, you also see many people who, generally speaking, have been thrown out of a particular form of faith, and for many of them religion was originally a thorn. They are either fundamentalist religious followers or those who rebel against such beliefs but are secretly drawn to them. They believe in black and white, good and evil, God and the devil.

This dense, intense belief system, although woefully distorted, can actually heal its own people. The God who is invoked and who blesses them through the preacher absolves them of the sins they believe they have committed, and many

their illnesses have to do with guilt. The deepest feelings are invoked. An incredible exchange of energy begins. This can even happen to people who are seized by a preacher who is actually an impostor.

Social expectations of healing also play a role here -- social expectations of health on the part of the gathered crowd. This is very important because they can break mental patterns that have become established on the part of those who are ill in some way. Some of the healings will be permanent. Others, of course, are only temporary, and the belief system itself must be strictly followed. Social conditions are important. In your society, it is considered natural to have one type of illness or another, and such communities are able to briefly overturn such notions.

(10 p.m.) The body is literally capable. to reverse a medical condition overnight, regardless of the type of condition. When this happens, you consider it a miracle simply because none of you know how often this happens in the course of your life in a normal body. All kinds of conditions that could be fatal under certain circumstances exist in the body all the time and are part of its health mechanisms. This is extremely important. Only when exaggerated reactions occur and the balance is disturbed do what you would call illness situations arise.

Diseases can serve one or more purposes. The Fleiler, who speaks so glowingly of his healing abilities in other situations, can actually help an illness to break out through the feelings of guilt suggested in his writings. If a person feels unworthy, he can become ill to stop God from punishing him because he will then see that he is already suffering.

(10:06 p.m. Now Seth has received personal material for us which has been left out of the regular session. However, I suggest we read it along with the first part of the session as it follows naturally. The material is very informative .especially for Jane.

The meeting ends at 10:30 p.m.)