This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at his home on Arctic Crescent, Virginia Beach, Va., this 20th day of July, 1935, in accordance with request made by the self, through Miss [357], sponsored by Study Group #2 of the Ass''n for Research & Enlightenment, Inc.
P R E S E N T
Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. [956], Margaret Fentress, Miss [357], Miss [307], L. B. and Hugh Lynn Cayce.
R E A D I N G
Born December 15, 1911, in Norfolk, Virginia. Time of Reading 3:50 to 4:40 P. M. Eastern Standard Time. ..., Virginia. (Life Reading Suggestion)
1. EC: Yes, we have the entity here, now known as or called [956].
2. In entering the present experience we find from the astrological aspects, or records here as made by the entity (the entity comprising the activities of the soul-body, with its mental attributes, the physical body with its mental attributes, in their varied spheres of activity), through the astrological sojourns in those environs about or within this solar system:
3. The entity entered under those influences of Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus and Mars. So, without the application of the will in a material manifestation, these are the innate personalities or individualities of this entity, now known as or called [956].
4. One with high mental EXPERIENCE, making for those urges for wide or varied experiences in the associations with individuals, groups or masses; and seeking oft expressions of the activity of self in these directions.
5. The natural attribute of one entering at that period, from former appearances or experiences in the Atlantean activity, makes for a natural extremist in its expressions; whether in association with things, conditions or activities of individuals or groups. Not to the point of exaggerations at times, though at times accused of such - in its expression.
6. One that may use those very influences from the sojourns in Atlantis, where there were the expressions in the high mental application of spiritual or metaphysical laws, for weal or for woe; dependent upon the will - and MORE upon the IDEAL as the entity sets before self in its relationships with WHATEVER form of activity the mental body or the mental attributes may use as the channel of expression in the
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present.
7. One with high mental abilities.
8. One, with the Venus or love influence, associations and relations, making for periods when there is an outward show of sentimentality, or sentiment, and yet at other times in the same relationships, or among the same groups or individuals, there is a sense of coldness or aloofness appearing from the very reasonings that may have occurred to the body in its weighing of the associations in those relationships. Yet it is one that, from these same experiences or sojourns, holds its obligations, its duties, its relationships to friends or to home or to a cause, or to a country, as very high. Yet it questions in self the advantageous conditions that may accrue or arise from the very activity, which may - as indicated from its associations and relations from Uranus - become a stumblingblock to itself and its own soul development.
9. For unless that as may be given or shown for the application by the entity makes for soul development, then the way that is pointed may become as naught in its experience.
10. The influences from Mars, as we find, make for one who may OFT show its anger, its resentment, in ASSOCIATIONS, in those things that lie very close to the inner man. Yet there has been, through the sojourns in Venus and Jupiter, brought to the attention of the inner self that fact: He without a temper or without resentment or without care may manifest very little. And he that does not control resentment, he that does not control anger, he that does not control that urge for the egotism in self, is indeed worse than he that has none; for such may make for stumblingblocks and experiences that bring distraughtness and disturbances, not only of self as to the THOUGHTS of self but to the fellow man.
11. For, as has oft been said in the experiences in the earth, unless the high ideal is set, or unless the ideal of self is set in the spiritual attributes that partake of the creative forces or energies that may manifest in or through men in their material activity, little of value or of worth may come - and less of growth of the soul for its return to its former state with and in the creative energies that may manifest in the spiritual, the mental or the material world. Unless the activities are founded in spirit of the creative forces, they must eventually come to naught.
12. Set first, then, thine mind, thine body, thine inner self, in attune and in accord with the highest ideal that may be attained in thine meditative self.
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13. For God IS, and would have each soul to manifest in such a manner that the expressions of that soul in materiality may be a channel to show others the way to the indwelling with the eternal forces that are of the creative energies.
14. Know, then, as ye do it unto the least of thy brethren ye do it unto Him. Keep THAT before thee, lest thou stumblest over thine own judgments.
15. As to the appearances in the earth and those that have to do with the present experience, we find that many have been the activities of the entity in the earth in various forces and influences, under varied environs. Hence we find what are often called hereditary and environmental influences altered by the entity, as it has in the present experience thus far altered much of that as was thought or contemplated for the entity and by self during its formative years. For it has in the present taken hold on that which deals with the PHYSICAL education, or that wherein unless the body is physically fit the mental may not give its greater expression in its activities in its associations with its fellow man. And these have made for experiences that are opening, as it were, to the entity a vista of possibilities that has yet little been dreamed of by many.
16. Before this, then, we find the entity was in that land near unto the nativity in the present experience, in and about Roanoke Island; when there were the settlements being formed in that land.
17. The entity then, in the name Fleetwood, was among those first settlers, making for the activities during those periods of the settlements of the establishments of permanency on the mainland.
18. In its activities the entity made for the associations not only with the natives and the settlements in the various portions of the land, but acted rather in the capacity of what would be termed the JUDGE in those particular experiences.
19. Hence oft has there been and will there be in the experience of the entity in the present when the entity must act in the capacity of the peacemaker, or in that of bringing the better relationships between individuals and groups and associates that have found their judgments at crosses in their relationships.
20. Then these activities as related to law and order have ever been a portion of the entity's experience in the present. ORDERLY, then, is the nature of the tendency in self and in its counsel to those in the walks of life who may be associated with the entity.
21. And oft has the entity found cause to wonder what the
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rooms of its associates or others have looked like when left of mornings, of evenings.
22. ORDERLINESS, then, is an attribute of the entity in the present; that goes well with that in keeping with the higher ideals to lead on and on.
23. For when we look about ourselves, considering nature and the expressions of creative energy in same, we realize that orderliness is the great factor and great lesson to be learned by all.
24. The experience then before that we find was in the Roman period, when there were those of the Roman soldiery who were set in order or to keep order under the various groups and in the various ones that were being subdued by the activities of the Roman power during those periods when Pontius Pilate, when Herod, and when those ruled in that land during the period when the Master of men walked in the earth.
25. The entity then was among those stationed in the land, not in Jerusalem during the trial but in Caesarea, when there were the turmoils; and much that transpired among the questionings of the soldiery in Rome following same did the entity hear and harken to, which made for an activity in the experience of the entity then, as Pamphylus.
26. For there has been innate and manifested in the experience of the entity in the present a special interest in the happenings of that land during that day. And as the entity has read, and as the entity has heard, and as the entity has experienced in its contemplations of the activities, much has not rung true to that as has been thought in the experience. Yet there is a drawing to those lessons that may be gained by the adherence to that as He gave, "The meek shall inherit the earth - As ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them - I go to the Father, and ye abiding in me, ye abide in me and I in the Father, we will abide in you also." These and such have become and do become as REAL experiences to the entity from those activities during that sojourn then in the Palestine land.
27. MUCH might be given as respecting the entity's activities during that entire sojourn.
28. In the experience the entity gained almost throughout; for in the present the orderliness, obeying orders, giving commands and having same obeyed, arise from much of the entity's experience physically and materially during that sojourn.
29. In the latter days of the entity's experience in that activity great disturbances arose, yet the entity became one
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to whom many came for counsel during the latter experience.
30. As to the application of that experience in the present, hold fast to that thou hearest from WITHIN as respecting the tenets of Him who became the Savior of men!
31. Before that we find the entity was in that experience of the city in the hills and plains, in what is now known as the Arabian or Persian land and a portion of same.
32. The entity then was among the princes of what is now known as the Mongoloid or Mongolian land. And as there began during that experience to be these exchanges and the interchange of activities with that teacher in the city of the hills and plains, the Prince came for counsel with the leaders in that place about what is now known as Shustar, Arabia, or Persia.
33. The entity remained long as a councillor with those who came from many lands, and gave of self in the expressions of the training of the youth in the care of the body-physical; and in the return made for many changes in its own kingdom - as it came into power or into authority in the land.
34. The entity gained and lost; gained in the ministry and service to others, lost in the self-aggrandizement of the powers when opposition arose.
35. Many an individual is as the entity was then. And that to be warned of in the present experience is that when the greater power is within thine gift or thine ministry, then the greatest care must be exercised in thy judgments to and of thy fellow man.
36. Many an individual may stand adversity that prosperity or authority spoils. So with the entity, as in power there arisest in the present those activities that will come to thine own experience, hold fast to those judgments that are of the Creative Forces. Know that only in Him is there truth and light AND authority. For ALL power is of HIS giving, and is lent to the sons of men as OPPORTUNITIES for expressions of the Creative Forces.
37. Then the entity was in the name Helmui.
38. Before that we find the entity was in the Atlantean land, during those periods when there were the uses being made of the energies that had been gathered through the activities of those of the Law of One and those of Belial.
39. THESE made for the periods when, as the entity's activity was again as one in authority, the desires and the expressions of the entity, as Helam, made for the use of same to DESTROY those that had withdrawn, or made attempts to induce the people to become adherents to the desires of the material forces in their activities.
40. Yet as the entity labored with those of the common
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peoples to aid them in their understandings of the desires of the peoples or the rulers of the Law of One, to make for the unification of their activity, great were the powers and development of the entity.
41. As to the abilities of the entity in the present and that to which it may attain, and how:
42. First, as has been given, find and know thy ideal; and know that the ideal cannot be of man made things or man made experiences, but must have its root, its import, in the spiritual attributes of the Creative Forces that find expressions in man's activity.
43. And then apply self in these directions, that in the few years to come may take on the greater form in the WRITING of that as may be helpful to those in the physical training of the body FOR the expressions in their varied activities.
44. And as there comes those activities, the entity may aid others in CHOOSING that mode of activity or expression that will be best suited to the temperament and to the turn of expressions of individuals in their relationships to their fellow man.
45. In these fields of activity may the entity find, as it holds to an ideal, soul development, contentment and harmony.
46. For unless the experience or the expression is harmonious in all its attributes, confusion must come in the end.
47. Ready for questions.
48. (Q) What is my true life work? (A) As indicated; in the physical training, and - as the development comes - in vocational guidances.
49. (Q) When may I expect to enter upon it? (A) When preparations are made! That ye prepare yourself for, that ye become! As one prepares for the indwelling with the Creative Forces, then one may expect to enter into the joys of the Lord. So as ye prepare thyself, as may be indicated by the lessons the entity may give those in physical training as well as these in the vocational guidances, as the PREPARATIONS are made, then ye may enter in. But as WE find, as a determined life work, it would be within the next two and a half to three years.
50. (Q) Am I pursuing the course in Duke University that is best for me? (A) It is in preparation in the correct direction.
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51. (Q) How much longer should I go to school in preparation for my life's work? (A) Two and a half to three years.
52. (Q) Whom should I seek to contact in order to better my financial condition? (A) FIRST contact self from within! And then, as there is the application of self, those CHANNELS may be opened for self. For, as is or should be known, those that are in the earth in the form of material expressions or possessions are LENT! And if ye are in accord with the divine influences, and apply thyself, the way is opened; rather than to say seek John Smith or John Henry.
53. (Q) Have I in other lives contacted my friend Margaret Fentress? (A) Twice. In the Palestine land and in the Mongoloid land. In the one they were helpmeets one to another; in the other the downfall. There is much to be worked out together here.
54. (Q) What will convince me of reincarnation? (A) An experience.
55. (Q) Should I take up journalism? If so, how should I proceed? (A) This may be, as indicated, a portion of the work; but it should be rather an OUTGROWTH of the development than taking it up for direct activity, as we find.
56. (Q) Should I study religion? (A) Study Varieties of Religious Experience, and the correlating of the varied religions - not for their differences but for their accordings one with another, as WAS the experience of the entity in Atlantis.
57. (Q) Should I prepare for the ministry, then? (A) Rather in the capacity as indicated would be the greater service. But ALL should be ministers or teachers. What greater ministry may there be than in giving the counsel and guidance to those in choosing their life's work in all the varied temperaments, all the varied activities; and most of all the necessity of the proper character of the body and mind for that preparation! Find self first. KNOW the Lord is within, and as He hath given thee, "When ye abide in me I will bring to thy remembrance all things from the beginning of the world."
58. We are through for the present. Copy to Self " " Ass'n file (See Norfolk Study Group lessons, especially KNOW THYSELF
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and WHAT IS THY IDEAL? See William James' VARIETIES OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE. See Rdg. 5753-1 [which was enclosed] on Reincarnation. See Hume's NATURAL HISTORY OF RELIGION, etc. If there are any other parallel papers you would wish to see, or suggestions as to books on Religion, etc., let us know. GD.)