This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at the Edmonds' home on Pennsylvania Ave., Norfolk, Va., this 9th day of September, 1934, in accordance with request by those present.

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Mildred Davis, Steno. Edith Mildred Edmonds, Florence Edmonds, Frances Y. Morrow, Ruth LeNoir, Helen Ellington, and Hugh Lynn Cayce.

TEXT

1. GC: You will have before you Norfolk Study Group #1, members of which are present here, and their work on the Lesson, "DESIRE", a copy of which I hold in my hand. You will go over this material and make such suggestions as to arrangement, statement of facts, additions, or changes that will aid us in completing this lesson. You will answer the questions that may be asked.
2. EC: Yes, we have the group as gathered here, and their work on the Lesson, "DESIRE", and those who are not gathered, whose desire is towards those activities as related to the data as presented here.
3. In giving that as may be helpful to those that would correlate those experiences and those thoughts and lessons as presented by others, this would be the most helpful:
4. Consider, first, that as was given as to how the outline should be divided, for, the dealings are with that as partakes of the spiritual in its highest sense and of material in its most destructive or degrading sense. For, as is presented, the presentation to an active force of DESIRE is to set in motion those things that become miracles or crimes in the experiences of individuals.
5. As to the data itself, then: Separate same into such, and in making those separations, make the headings under these varied presentations of that as is the experience of the individual presenting same. The thought or the truths as presented there are EVOLUTIONARY and REVOLUTIONARY in the minds of some, yet are basic truths in the experience of individuals that have lived or experienced or visioned them, and will bear fruit.
6. TO ALL WE WOULD GIVE: Be patient. That part thou hast chosen in such a work is born of truth. Let it come in and be a part of thy daily life. Look in upon the experiences, for, as will be seen, my children, there has been appointed one that may aid thee in thy future lessons, and he will be thy teacher, thy guide, [Halaliel?] one sent through the power of thine own desires. Thine own selves, then, may present his being, meeting, living, dwelling, with thee. Not the Christ, but His messenger, with the Christ from the beginning, and is to other worlds what the Christ is to this earth.
7. As many of you ask now, "Why should the realm of spirit be mindful of this group, of the work of these gathered here?" The sincerity of thy purpose has merited, has destined, that such can be thy experience. "What, then," ye ask, "is the way, the manner?"
8. That no one mention WHO, though the name and the activities of any desire may be given thee, but when thou speakest outside thine own group, thou hast cut thyself aloof [See 262-77, Par. 27-A]. Art thou willing to accept such a charge? [Pause, of about a minute's duration.] The answers are slow. Some accepted; some know not. Some ask themselves, "What is this?" "In what manner am I approached?"
9. Ye would enter the Garden with Him and watch while He, as thy Savior, makes intercession for thee. Wilt thou watch? Ye must answer in thine own heart.
10. Accept, then, that presented here, and arrange same; for thine presentations must, from here, take a turn, for thou that hast made thy purposes, thy desires, thy aims thy Lord's, are to be honored with His guest, with His Presence. Accept ye? [See 262-73 & 74 re the choice made & also 262-56, Par. R3 on 12/06/75.]
11. Ready for questions. [Loudly]
12. (Q) Is the definition of mind on page 2, paragraph 3, "Mind is a development of the application of will respecting desire used as a grace" correct?
    (A) Correct. As ye analyze grace, which is a gift of the Creator to the creature that (aside, "Pay attention to what you are doing here!") [Later in discussing this in the group, several said they thought EC was talking to them, as did GC as Conductor] the mind is acted upon by the grace, through the grace, and not of self alone, but the gift of the Creator that THAT mind, THAT soul, may be the companion with, one with, that mind of the Maker.
13. (Q) Should any further explanation be made of "the pattern in the mount" as mentioned on Page 5, paragraph 2?
    (A) This sufficient, that it is seen that this must be an individual experience, calling even as He to those that would vision same, even as those came as messengers to those shown the pattern. So may there come to thee a messenger to show thee the way.
14. (Q) Will it be necessary to present this lesson again, paragraph by paragraph, or simply correct and fit in the contributions not yet in?
    (A) This would be, then, in accord, much as many of those that were altered or outlined according to those where changes were suggested. Not necessary, then.
15. (Q) [585]: Is the experience which I had about a year ago in which I felt that I spiritualized certain desires about those who had been in my home, the proper material for my contribution to this lesson?
    (A) Proper contribution, PROVIDED it is presented in the experiences that it, the desire and the activity on the part of self, has brought into thine own self life's activity or work.
16. (Q) [307]: Please give me a message of promise and consolation at this time.
    (A) As He has promised thee to meet thee in thine inner self, trust in that as is shown thee, as ye turn within, for thou hast been given charge concerning those things that become as living water in the minds and the hearts of many erring children, even, that seek the light, and as He has given, "He that turns an erring one from the way of darkness has saved a soul and covered a multitude of weaknesses in self."
    Be not overcome in thy anxiety or thy over-zealousness, for, the harvest is in the hands of those that give the increase, and this is under the law of mercy. Hence, ever may thy prayer be, "Mercy, Lord - not sacrifice," [262-72, Par. 8-A], and it will break a light in thine heart and mind that will bring peace, harmony and joy in the service that thou art rendering thyself and thy fellow man.
    Though the body be weak, though the way may be rough and fraught with those things that would distract and destroy thee from thine own purpose, even, His mercy is sufficient, His strength will sustain thee, His arm will be about thee, His voice will speak to thee; for the light breaketh, and the day is at hand for the fruits of thy labors in His mercies to His children.
17. (Q) [993]: Please interpret the vision that I had on Sept. 2, 1934, which I have in my hand.
    (A) As the pattern thou hast seen in thine visions of the realms of the faithful are builded as in those of the materials that in the earth or physical, are precious, so do the lives of the saints become precious in His sight as they take their place, even as thou visioned in the part - are - by looking upon same. For, as He has given by His prophets, "The days when these shall be so simple, he that runs may read." So is it given thee as thou heard the teacher give that thy prayers, thy deeds, thy acts, thy thoughts, even, are ever a memorial before His throne.
    So should ye all live, so should ye all think; for, what would be thy thought, O ye children of men, to see the statue, the figure, of that thou hast thought of thy brother, of thy neighbor, of thy sister, even MAKER, for, what are ye building, or are ye giving thy Maker to build for thee? What are thy thoughts? What are thy deeds? What are thy prayers? These be that which thy Maker, thy Savior, may place in the balance for thee. Vision thou that someone has spoken evil or chooses rather to call thee by an uncomely name - what does this look like in thy soul's vision?
    NOW, ye come to that change that must be wrought in thine experiences, would ye give to this seeking, this waiting world that as thou hast, as a group, been prepared for. What is thy destiny, then? What wilt thou give to thy friend, thy neighbor, thy brother, everywhere? Think not that because THAT thou hast given has not received praise and promise and glory from the life, that it has not been heralded abroad as yet, is thine own completing in this lesson that ye must learn. Who of the whole peoples of that city that His Temple of Jehovah had been sat in, looked upon the King on the cross and thought or felt that there would come the day when His words, even, "My peace I give unto you," would change the whole world, and that TIME, even, would be counted from that death, that birth?
    So we give, though in [the year] 2034, thy lessons, if they are given in His name, will still be living in the hearts and the souls, even, of those that before the throne of grace will be calling thee by name.
    Think ye well, then, on that which has been given thee and choose ye!
18. We are through.

BACKGROUND

1. Subject of Reading 262-71 - "Norfolk Study Group #1."
2. EC said often he almost had to force himself to give readings but he was eager to give this one.

REPORTS

1. See 12/06/75 HLC's memo as 262-56, Par. R3 in re Halaliel.

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