This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at the Edmonds' home on Pennsylvania Ave., Norfolk, Va., this 30th day of April, 1933, in accordance with request made by those present.

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Minnie & C. A. Barrett, Florence & Edith Edmonds, Frances Y. Morrow, Hugh Lynn Cayce, Mildred Davis, Helen Storey and Ruth LeNoir.

TEXT

1. GC: You will have before you the Norfolk Study Group #l, members of which are present in this room. You will please give at this time that which will aid them in preparing the lesson on LOVE. You will answer the questions which will be asked by the group and by individuals.
2. EC: Yes, we have the group as a group; and those of that group as gathered here, and their work in preparing the lesson on LOVE.
3. In the preparation, as given, they each have prepared themselves in this or that way and manner.
4. They each have become expectant for that which may be in their own consciousness to become aware of, that that may make manifest in their experience more as respecting Him who was love made manifest in the earth.
5. In this preparation, here, there, those that have attempted oft the harder have fallen short of that as should be accomplished in their experience.
6. The first lesson that each must learn: Love is the giving out of that within self.
7. Then, where slights, slurs, or even suspicions, have been allowed to enter in as respecting the fellow man, there cannot be all of what love should be, should mean, in the experience of such an one.
8. For, "He so loved the world as to give His own son." And it has been asked of everyone, "Love me, keep my commandments, that I may abide in thee even as I abide in the Father."
9. All believe, yes; all know, yes; all understand that those things that hinder each and every soul are only self-centeredness, selfishness in self, that present even the dawn of that concept of what love means in their experience.
10. All see in various activities in the earth that of maternal love, that of love in friendship, that of love for an ideal, for self, for the varied experiences that are seen in everyone's experience.
11. Yet, to know the whole truth that makes one free indeed; that love that prevents slurs, slights, unkind remarks, falterings here, disappointments there - in things, in people, in conditions; to not shake faith, the foundation of manifesting in the material experience; few have found this.
12. Has anyone in the group, then, wholly prepared self?
13. For, in His presence has anyone opened the door and been satisfied, or not even dismayed at times, at that seen within self?
14. Has He entered with thee in thy daily conversation one with another?
15. Purpose, yes; aims high, desires mounting; yet that of self not left in the background, rather taking the place - even as he when he answered as to who the Son of man was, when there was the presentation of that that must suffer in body, in the mental mind, was needed to be upbraided for that, that such things must not be when God himself walked in the earth. Yet love, as HE gave, was able even then to say, "Get thee from me, for thou savorest rather the things that be of the earth than the things of life."
16. Then, come ye, my children! Harken unto that thou hast attained in thine self, that ye may put on the whole armor and be fruitful in the love of Him that calls that EVERYONE should hear, should know, should understand, that God is in His heavens and that His love endureth even to those who harden their hearts - and wills that no one should perish; rather that in the love as may be manifested in the daily walks, the daily activities of every soul, each may show through that manifested the love which impels the giving of everything within self as a manifestation of He, the Master, having spoken with thee!
17. Faint not. Be not overcome. Be not impatient with thine brother, with thine neighbor, and - most of all - with thine self.
18. For, as given, "In patience possess ye your souls" that may know Him as thine elder brother, who is at the right hand of God to make intercession for you day by day; and who calls unto all that will harken, "Inasmuch as ye do it unto the least of these, my brethren, ye do it unto me."
19. As we show forth, then, in our speech, in our actions day by day, do we make manifest that which will make for the awareness within our own consciousness of the love, that love, His love, that passeth all understanding in man's life - as man; yet is a practical, personal love that makes for joy in the services that one may render, even in toil, in pain, in misunderstandings that shape the activities of the lives of so many that would walk with Him!
20. In the deed, in the act, do we see that promised come to each, that "I will come and abide with thee - If ye love me, keep my commandments." For, these are neither grievous nor hard to bear when self is not sought to be exalted in the day or in the hour.
21. But, "Ye that have known me knoweth my Father also, for I am in Him, and ye in me may know that love that maketh the life burn as an ember in a darkened and unregenerated world. For unto me must come all that would find the way. I AM the way. Ye are my brethren. Ye have been begotten in the flesh through the love made manifest in the earth."
22. Then, in the spirit and in the mind that hast brought thee to that understanding and consciousness of His love made manifest, abide ye day by day.
23. We are through.

BACKGROUND

1. Subject of Reading 262-44 is - "Study Group #1".

Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation