The following is Lesson Number 2 in KNOW THYSELF, compiled by
the NORFOLK STUDY GROUP NO. 1 of the ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARCH
AND ENLIGHTENMENT, INC., Virginia Beach, Virginia.
"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."
(I Cor. 12:27)
KNOW THYSELF
When the question is asked, "Do we know ourselves?" why is
it that we cannot answer "Yes"? Within us there are
certainly great storehouses of abilities and capacities
which we have never used. If they were manifested we would
see ourselves in a much different light. We would understand
the real functions of our physical bodies. Until we ARE
better acquainted with ourselves, we are barriers to our own
development.
THE PHYSICAL BODY
To know self is not only to be cognizant of the acts of the
physical body, but to know self as an entity, a complete
factor capable of knowing all that goes on within and self
without self. This spring of knowledge is tapped only by
those who are willing to pay the price. THE PRICE IS A
COMPLETE SURRENDER OF SELF WITH A PURIFICATION AND A
DEDICATION THAT COMES ONLY THROUGH PRAYER, MEDITATION AND
SERVICE. While it is along the straight and narrow way, it
is open to all and freely is the water of life offered to
all.
As an entity we are miniature copies of the universe,
possessing a physical body, a mental body and a spiritual
body. These bodies are so closely associated and related
that the vibrations of one affect the other two. The mental,
especially, partakes of the other two, in the physical as the
conscious mind and in the spiritual as the subconscious mind.
OUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD. It has pleased
God to manifest Himself through this medium to the world.
The physical body is a composite unit of Creative Force
manifesting in the material world. The parts of the body
must all work in unison, for should one war against the
other, discord naturally follows. EACH PART HAS ITS FUNCTION
AND SO IMPORTANT IS IT THAT NO OTHER PART CAN TAKE ITS PLACE;
NEITHER CAN IT BE COUNTED INSIGNIFICANT AND USELESS.
EACH ORGAN HAS ITS INDIVIDUAL OFFICE AND DESIRES WHICH ARE
IN THEMSELVES HOLY. Let us keep them so. The senses make
known to the physical body those magnified desires or natures
of the physical body. These are registered in the activities
of the physical body in such a way and manner as to stamp
upon the very face of the body that which has been magnified
through its physical senses. These senses are but
attunements with the physical, each vibrating according to
the training of, or elements of, concentration by the
physical forces of the body, as pertaining to attunements of
development of that of which the physical body is a material
representation.
For not only do these show forth that which is magnified in
a single appearance or experience of the entity, but the
whole impression that has been received through the varied
experiences of the entity; the registering being in the soul
of the entity, the same as in the material sense it is
registered in the physiognomy of the individual.
THE MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL BODIES
In the same manner the desires of the mental and spiritual
bodies build the individuality of each. This process of
building up the entity has been going on for ages. The great
factors of heredity, environment, karma, thought vibration,
and the action of universal law in the planes beyond the
physical, all have their influence, just as the desires and
vibrations of the physical organs attract and build the
composition of the physical body. WE ARE THE RESULT, NOT
ONLY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RACE BEFORE US, BUT ALSO OF
OUR INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE OUR
CREATION AS AN INDIVIDUAL SOUL.
WE ARE WHAT WE HAVE BUILDED IN OUR CONSCIENCE! While in
this body temple we are building by thoughts and acts not
only the physical body, but the mental and spiritual bodies
as well. Christ, the Master, said: "Not that which goeth
into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out out
of the mouth, this defileth a man." One who lives to gratify
only the fleshly body may be beautiful without, but has so
starved the soul that it is able to give out only that which
makes for discord and corruption. In speaking to the scribes
and Pharisees, He said: "for ye are like unto whitened
sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are
within full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness. Even
so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye
are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."
The soul will seek that which it has builded, not only in
the material plane, but in the universal, for, "As a tree
falls, so will it lie." This is well understood if we know
and study our own incarnations, for we will realize that each
experience was a lesson to help bring the knowledge of the
Whole, for "The Father and I are ONE."
How we may view ourselves is rather well shown by a dream of
a student of Truth, who relates:
"I saw myself pass out of my body and become three bodies,
physical, mental and spiritual. At first the physical was
the largest, but as the other two grew it gradually became
smaller, until it finally faded into the dust. The others
then grew larger and moved around fourth-dimensionally."
When each act and each thought is measured by the standard
of Christ, or when we reach the place that we desire only to
be a channel of blessings to others and self is lost sight
of, then we have attained to the Christ-Consciousness. For
HE CAME NOT TO BE MINISTERED TO, BUT TO MINISTER, AND GAVE
HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY.
SELF IN RELATION TO OTHERS
Let neither flattery nor criticism, nor opinions of others,
turn us aside from those vital things for which we stand -
those things that are lifting us upward and building within
us that which will endure until the end. Let us turn within
to see if we are being true to ourselves when the temptations
arise, as we would appear to the other fellow. We know that
we cannot be true to another unless we are first true to
self.
As we cultivate the ability to discriminate between right
and wrong, good and evil, we are reaching the plane where we
may be masters of our destiny. It is found in the keeping of
the whole law: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself." It is purely
spiritual, for, 'The carnal mind lusteth to envy, but the
spirit maketh alive.'
There is in every man that still voice that teaches
sacrifice, love and service, that warns of every catastrophe
and protects from all danger. When listened to and followed,
no mistakes are made, no wars are fought, no homes are broken
up, for every man seeks the good of his neighbor and all seek
the will of the Creator, His glory and dominion.
Let us dare to see ourselves as others see us. It is well to
stand aside and see self go by, and in our daily mediations
to take a few minutes for introspection. Think back over the
words and acts of the day. Ask self, "Why did I do this or
that? Would I have acted before my God in the manner I acted
before my brother? Am I expressing my concept of God in my
life to those I contact?" It is indeed true that, "No man
liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself."
It is well to know what the other fellow thinks of us, and
we must without any feeling of shame or humiliation be
willing to be measured by the standard that we have impressed
upon him that we are. It is our duty to study and discipline
ourselves that each word and action may reflect just what we
would be and not let them be so different that they are not
recognized as children of the same family.
While we are seeking to know self through meditation or by
taking an inventory of self, we are passing, as it were,
signposts; seeing a little light day by day, or catching a
word here, an idea there, from those we contact, which causes
us to realize that all are closely related and are traveling
somewhere along the same road. Truly knowing self is knowing
the other fellow, for all are parts of the same MIND.
Does it not make us more tolerant of our brother as we view
him as we are, or as we have been? As service is the means
of fulfilling our mission here, the question will naturally
arise, "Who is this brother that I should serve?" It is he
who is in need of help, whether he be friend or foe,
regardless of race or creed. When Jesus defined this
question, He said: "Behold my mother and my brethren; for
whoseover will do the will of the Father, the same is my
brother, my sister, and my mother." If we measure the
activities in the daily walks of life by that standard - the
Christ - there will never be a regret. It is following the
teaching of the Master that will lead more and more in the
way toward the perfect day.
"Be what thou seemeth, live thy creed,
Hold Up to earth the torch divine,
Be what thou prayeth to be made,
Let the great MASTER'S steps be thine." [E.W.?]
SELF IN RELATION TO CREATIVE FORCE
By keeping in touch with the Creative Force, we rise above
the state where the blind lead the blind. Let us know with
the Psalmist, "If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there;
if I make my bed in hell, behold Thou art there; if I take
the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of
the sea, even there shall Thy hand lead me." Let us awake
and know that God is speaking to us, leading us, protecting
us - that His Spirit is even now bearing witness with our
spirit that we are Sons of God. Then as the urge for more
light comes and the desire to serve becomes uppermost, let
our daily prayer be:
FATHER, AS WE SEEK TO SEE AND KNOW THY FACE, MAY WE, AS A
GROUP AND AS INDIVIDUALS, COME TO KNOW OURSELVES AS WE ARE
KNOWN, THAT WE, AS LIGHTS IN THEE, MAY GIVE A BETTER CONCEPT
OF THY SPIRIT IN THIS WORLD. [
262-5]
As the voice of the soul cries out to its Creator, doubt not
that "He that hungers and thirsts after righteousness shall
be filled." It is a birth - the birth of the spirit. It may
come as the wind, we may not know from whence, but all will
know the name is "I AM THAT I AM" who is speaking in HIS HOLY
TEMPLE. It is the true resurrection of the bodies. There
is, indeed, a physical body, a mental body, and a spiritual
body, and they are ONE - one in love, one in truth, one in
service, and one in HIM.
KNOW THYSELF - Review
QUESTIONS Lesson No. II
1. Why are we often barriers to our own development?
2. What does knowing self comprise?
3. What is the price to be paid in order to know self?
4. To whom is the way to know self open?
5. Mention our different bodies and show how they are
related?
6. What is the physical body?
7. How has God honored our bodies?
8. What is the relation of all parts of the physical Body?
9. What influence have the senses upon the body?
10. Where do the influences of the senses register?
11. Discuss the desires of the mental and spiritual bodies.
12. Of what are we the result?
13. What are the effects of our thoughts and acts?
14. What will our soul seek?
15. Give the significance of the dream of the Truth student
given in the lesson.
16. Give ways by which we may see ourselves in our relation
to others.
17. What is the good way by which we may know ourselves as
others see us?
18. Why have we no right to feel humiliated when others form
opinions of us?
19. What should make us tolerant of others?
20. Give the quotation, "Be what thou seemeth," etc.
21. What is self's relationship to the Creative Force?
22. As we desire to be more in touch with God, upon what
should we meditate?
23. What promise is made for those who hunger and thirst for
for the birth of the Spirit.
2/09/32 EC's reply to Mr. [
165]'s letter of
2/04/32:
We all indeed appreciate yours of the 4th, and realize that
you - as the rest of us - have been feeling the effects of
the strenuous times. No doubt we all often feel that our
situation has been, or is, worse than the other fellow's.
Apparently, however, there are some who have taken advantage
of the situations financially to embarrass us. Whether this
has been purposely, or is the necessary trial for us to go
through in order to test our mental and our understanding,
sometimes is a bit hard to judge. I have been, however,
personally, VERY MUCH gratified at the way and manner many
of our friends in Norfolk have taken hold of the work. It
seems to me that they are preparing some of the very first
real understandings of the phenomena that have been
presented. In fact, it seems to me the first real
undertaking to understand the work in its proper light. I
refer to the Norfolk Study Group of the Association for
Research & Enlightenment, Inc. There are nineteen in this
group - local people; that is, Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
Four men and fifteen women. These are from all stations, we
might say, in life. Most of the women have been students in
various groups for years. Some of them are very well known
in religious and business circles, a few fairly well known
in social circles. They are studying the information
firsthand - and FROM the information, as a GROUP, are
contributing - each one some part - to LESSONS that may be
studied by other groups. In fact, it is putting into actual
practice some such attempts that were understood would be
done when Mr. Blumenthal came to Chicago to form or interest
a group. Please understand, we are not studying or making
such lessons as he attempted to present. I am merely telling
you about this, that you may know that there are some people
really studying the work. There are also associated with
this group a few out of town members - one in Long Island,
one in Staten Island, one in Syracuse, one in Lewisburg,
W. Va., and a couple in Pittsburgh - who are following the
information from week to week, with the view of forming
study groups when we have enough lessons completed for them
to begin. If you are interested in seeing just what we are
compiling, I would be glad to send you one on these for your
comment - and I mean your real COMMENT. I really believe
the spirituality and spiritual side should be, and should
have been, the more greatly stressed. This, also, is not
one individual trying to give their interpretation of some
phenomena, or the like, but a cooperative group presenting
their combined efforts on one subject - that they have
studied, lived and found to be true. In fact, I believe it
is one of the first undertakings of a GROUP of so great a
number, and - as you may readily suspect - of different
temperments, different developments, different minds, to be
of one opinion sufficiently to make a LESSON that would be
worth while is very unusual.
I hope that we may be of some help, Mr. [
165], to you.
Don't hesitate to drop us a line with your questions whenever
you feel that we might be of help with a reading.
Hugh Lynn, since he left the school (that was closed, as you
no doubt know), has been devoting his time to the study of
the data already in hand. We have sent our first article to
a magazine. Of course, we do not know that it will be
accepted by the first one. He is also a leader of the Study
Group. While some people may feel that he is wasting some
good time that possibly he should be using in getting more
practical application in a commercial world, it does seem to
me that the WORLD is in dire need of a spiritual leader with
some SPIRITUAL vision. I understand it must be practical,
but our lessons APPEAR to be just practical business religion
- and if there is truth to be obtained through these
channels, he should be able to get a training that is worth
while, and assist someone else in making their lives and
their efforts more helpful, more definite.
So, we are struggling along. [
257] recently interested a
gentleman in New York who apparently has gotten a vision of
the work being helpful to others, and he has interested quite
a number of his friends in securing information. Reports
from all of these, without exception, have been wonderful.
So we feel that we are carrying on. [Mr. [
437]]
We trust that sometime in the near future you will have the
opportunity to drop in on us, and have a heart-to-heart chat.
Again thanking you for your letter, and with all good wishes
to you and yours, I am
Sincerely,
EC:GD
P.S. Mr. [
165], our Group is arranging for Mr. Cayce to
lecture in Norfolk once a month. This one on Present World
Conditions we had in January. The next one will be on
The Lost Continent of Atlantis. I thought you would like to
have a copy. Kindest regards. GD.
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation