This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at 1867 Kalorama Road, Washington, D.C., this 28th day of January, 1935, in accordance with request made by the self - Miss [696], Active Member of the Ass''n for Research & Enlightenment, Inc.
P R E S E N T
Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Miss [696].
R E A D I N G
Time of Reading 11:30 to 12:05 A. M. Eastern Standard Time.
1. GC: You will have before you the body and enquiring mind of [696] present in this room, who seeks information, counsel and guidance as to her best mental and spiritual development. You will give that which will be of most help to her at this time, answering the questions she submits as I ask them.
2. EC: Yes, we have the body, the enquiring mind, the SOUL mind, of the entity known as or called [696].
3. In giving that which may be helpful at this time, consider that which is necessary for the soul development. While the mind, as it is commonly spoken of, is the builder, it - as the personality and individuality of an entity - has two phases. The mind functions irrespective of the body. Hence that which is builded for the development of the soul body is for expression of the soul mind, or superconscious mind - that is as the mental mind, or that may be trained in a physical body as to care for same. Hence more and more that the mind in its activity is of the soul's development, the less and less of self is expressed and more and more the consciousness, the awareness, of a condition, an event, a feeling, an emotion, an expression that deals with the attributes of the soul-body. So does the soul become aware of the presence of the creative conscience, the oneness of self in that which is the essence of life itself. When there is less and less of the personal desires, more and more does PATIENCE become a portion of the whole being - and the awareness of the soul's longings, the soul's desires, the soul's expressions of Him in TRUE, pure love. When those things of the mental mind - that have to do with the body - come as distresses, anxieties, hurts, pains, these are of the body-conscience, and are the self, the ego, of that which is the expression of the soul. For as may be given in material surroundings, when an individual has a friend that is lovely to Him, to make other friendships does not lessen the love for the other. Should there enter
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jealousy, doubt, fear as to the place in the individual's own heart or mind being supplanted, these are physical; these are selfishness in their manifestations. For when the soul is in its manifestations it is as God so loved the world, even those that hated Him, even those that put Him oft to shame, even those that called on other gods, even those that made a companion of Satan - the emissaries that are in direct opposition to the Christ Consciousness, even these - God so loved that He gave Himself, His Son, that we, His children, His brethren of the Christ, might - through the Christ - have the greater access to the Father. So, in thy seeking let thy soul - that is in Him - ever, day by day, find the greater expression. And in this expression does there come the more and more awareness of what hope is, as the expectancy of the inner self. For, as expressed by Him, there is JOY in heaven, in the presence of the Father, when individuals within their inner selves open their souls to the Father, that He may - as the sacrifice was given - know the beauty of that sacrifice was not in vain. So, by this opening of the soul, the entity may find the essence of faith in Him to keep His promises. Even though the heavens fall, even though the earth and all the pleasures and the joy of earth be rolled up, His promises shall not fail. And those in faith are righteousness, and the hope becomes glorified and the soul becomes more and more aware; and less do the things of earth cause fear or trembling, or even wonderment save at the joys that are preserved in the promises of the Son, of the Father, to those that love Him.
4. The more, then, that thy soul is in expression as ye give to thy fellow man in word, in act, in association, that which arouses hope and faith such that it takes hold upon the superconscious mind, the more is there the oneness of the soul in Him. For when ye worry about this or that activity of individuals in the earth, and their words, their deeds, their acts, even of those that ye in your body-mind may love, may worship, these may become as lepers to thy soul. Put thy trust, thy faith, thy hope, in thy soul!
5. Ready for questions.
6. (Q) The thought of what others consider right will enter in even when one knows deep within that he is gaining great soul development from actions whose high motives are not seen and understood from the outside world. When one's inner self repeatedly dictates a course which the world perhaps would misunderstand, how can one bravely follow that inner dictate and be free from the fear of misunderstanding. Give me a passage of scripture or a message to strengthen me. (A) The passage is, "My Spirit - (thy soul) - beareth
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witness with thy spirit as to whether ye be truly the sons and daughters of God or not." Not merely conscience, but DO all things for conscience's sake, that there may be harmony in thine inner self. Or, would that all would learn that He, the Christ Consciousness, is the Giver, the Maker, the Creator of the world and all that be therein! And ye are His, for ye are bought with a price, even that of passing through flesh as thou that He might experience and know all thy thoughts, thy fears, thy shortcomings, thy desires, the dictates of the physical consciousness, the longings of the physical body. Yet He is at the right hand, IS the right hand, IS the intercessor for ye all. Hence thy destinies lie in Him. And again, as the scripture hath said, "God hath not willed that any soul should perish, or that any should be cut off from His face, but hath with the temptation prepared a way of escape." Hence the NECESSITY of patience, of living in the soul, seeing all time as ONE time, that ye may know whereunto thou hast been called. And though thy brother, thy friend, thy dearest one finds fault or becomes discouraged because he is going his own way, if thou wilt call - His promise has been, "Though ye wander far afield, though ye be forsaken, though ye be misunderstood, if ye will call I will hear!" And if ye be on the Lord's side, WHO can be against you?
7. (Q) What is my specific work with the Ass'n for Research & Enlightenment, and how can I best carry it out? (A) Presenting the spiritual truths to thy fellow man, to the world, that are presented through its lessons, its messages, individual and collective, that others may take hope. For, as thou hast from thine own experiences in the earth known the more oft the seeking to present the law, the love (for law and love must be in their essence of the same source), and as thou hast DEFENDED - as thou hast presented such to thy self-centered, wayward brethren here and there, then present them again and again. How oft shall I forgive my brother? Seven times? Yea, seventy times seven! How oft shall ye present the lessons? Seven? Yea, seventy times seven, that His way may be had among men! His GLORY is PRESENT. SEE the Savior as He is!
8. (Q) Convinced that my present life's work is inspirational writing, I desire to know what specific course I should follow in life in order to gain more experience which will give me further deep insight into my fellowman's needs. (A) As illustrated by that given, the power comes in giving the expression of the inner self, letting the soul manifest, letting the self - the personality of self - become less and less in its desires, letting His desire be the ruling force.
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As He gave out, so was the power, the ability, the experience His that He IS, He WAS, He EVER WILL BE the expression, the CONCRETE expression of LOVE in the minds, the hearts, the souls of men. Then, broaden thy field of activity. Fear not to approach thy observations in columns even of the secular world; as the Christian Herald or Christian Advocate, or the Sunday School Times. For the more and more that ye have the body of many giving praises and thanks for the hope that ye create in their minds and their hearts, greater is the experience and the ABILITY of expression. For the law, the love holds as He gave; one may cry aloud and long for SELF and yet NEVER be heard, but where two or three are gathered in His name there is He in the midst of them. So, as ye give out is the power received. Do not understand that ye may not enter into thine own closet and there meet thy Savior within, but - as given - when ye cry for SELF, and SELF alone, ye close the door, ye stand as a shadow before the altar of thy god within thyself. Give, then, in broader fields of activity, in EVERY channel where those that are seeking may find; that are wandering, that are lame in body, lame in mind, halt in their manner of expression, that are blind to the beauties in their own household, their own hearts, their own minds. These thou may awaken in all thy fields. And as ye do, greater is thy vision - and He will guide thee, for He hath given His angels charge concerning those that seek to be a channel of blessing to their fellowman; that purge their hearts, their bodies, of every selfish motive and give the Christ - CRUCIFIED, GLORIFIED - a place in its stead.
9. (Q) Is Washington the best location for me? (A) In the present. And as it is in the present the center, the hope as it were of the present civilization, so may it radiate to all portions even of the earth in that thou may be the representative of the Father-Son IN that hope to many peoples everywhere!
10. (Q) Are my present living conditions such as will promote this insight and further my own soul growth? (A) These, as we find, clarify themselves OF themselves as the better self puts that it comprehends and understands INTO operative forces IN the minds and hearts of others. This situation, then, purifies itself - even as running, living water. The debris, the harmful things, the conditions that would hinder are brushed aside as the life, the expressions of self are given out.
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11. (Q) What is my spiritual duty toward Marvin and how can I best discharge it? Are we thrown into contact because of past karmic conditions? How can I further his spiritual awakening? (A) As the magnet draws the compass that would direct or diverge the paths of those that sail upon life's seas. There are those individuals whose lives and thine own have made and do make for those things that are as whettingstones for the keenness of expression, the sharpness of the drawing of the perspective, or the dulling of the aches and pains that come from the shocks of contact with materiality in thine study into spiritual realms. These have their place. So has this association its place. But let it ever be as a HELP for self. For, as has been given by the poet, when thou are true to that which calls and answers within thee to thine own soul's best expression, thou wilt not be false to any, in any need which a soul may have! For ye are - are ye not all children of the one God! Are ye not brethren with the one purpose! And who shall gainsay that thou may not save a soul from stumbling over itself? Keep thy head erect, thine purpose set, the Christ thy pilot, the magnet that draws thee His love!
12. We are through for the present. Copy to Self " " Ass'n file