This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at the home of Misses Edmonds on Pennsylvania Ave., Norfolk, Va., this 29th day of September, 1935, in accordance with request by those present.

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Esther Wynne, Hannah & Noah Miller, Florence & Edith Edmonds, Frances Y. Morrow, Hugh Lynn Cayce, Helen Storey, Helen Ellington and Ruth LeNoir.

TEXT

1. GC: You will have before you the Norfolk Study Group #1, members of which are present here, and their work on the final section of the lesson, Destiny, a copy of which I hold in my hand. You will comment on this and continue the discourse on Destiny of The Soul. Ans. Questions.
2. EC: Yes, we have the group as gathered here, as a group, as individuals, and their work on the study of the lesson Destiny.
3. In commenting on that prepared here, it is very good; only needing, as we find, those correlations as we have indicated under the varied heads - and then the addition of the experiences that may be had from those comments by each individual.
4. As to commenting upon the subject Destiny of the Soul: As man finds himself in the consciousness of a material world, materiality has often, in the material-minded, blotted out the consciousness of a soul.
5. Man in his former state, or natural state, or permanent consciousness, IS soul. Hence in the beginning all were souls of that creation, with the body as of the Creator - of the spirit forces that make manifest in using same in the various phases or experiences of consciousness for the activity.
6. It has been understood by most of those who have attained to a consciousness of the various presentations of good and evil in manifested forms, as we have indicated, that the prince of this world, Satan, Lucifer, the Devil - as a soul - made those necessities, as it were, of the consciousness in materiality; that man might - or that the soul might - become aware of its separation from the God-force.
7. Hence the continued warring that is ever present in materiality or in the flesh, or the warring - as is termed - between the flesh and the devil, or the warring between those influences of good and evil.
8. As the soul is then a portion of the Divine, it must eventually return to that source from which, of which, it is a part. Will THY name be written there?
9. Ready for questions.
10. (Q) [294]: How does partaking of the emblems instituted at the Lord's Supper supply food to my soul?
    (A) In that they are the emblems, or emblematical of the body and the blood, the Spirit MOVING upon same brings the life flow. As has ever been given, in Him we live and move and have our being. Then the partaking of those emblems - or of that body and that blood - supplies or becomes food for the soul.
11. (Q) [993]: Please interpret the experience that I have been passing through the last few weeks. Does it have any connection with the experience I had on Aug. 12, 1935, and my appearance when associated with Jesus Christ when he was the son of Mary? Or is it the Destiny of the Soul? Please give me a message of comfort at this time.
    (A) When these experiences are viewed in the light that they each become, as it were, an opening of the way for the understanding as to the relationships of the soul with the Christ, then there should become rather the understanding that in Him is thy Destiny - if thy trust is put wholly in Him.
    The ways indicated in the experience then, though from the purely material angle, or to the conscious mind or physical-conscious mind alone they appear unreasonable, in Him are made one with the purposes set in that He has given thee, "Ye abiding in me and I abiding in the Father, ask that in my name and it will be done unto thee."
12. (Q) [379]: Please explain: "For thy star has not set but arises in Him, for the way is clear before thee!"
    (A) As has been given by Him, He hath given His angels charge concerning thee. This is simply a transformation of the same understanding. That there has not been withdrawn then, as it were, that strength in those blessed assurances that His angels have charge concerning thee and shall bear thee up. And ye shall ask and ye shall seek and know, and ye shall be comforted.
13. (Q) Do we have to have a knowledge of all branches of education to reach the final goal?
    (A) Education is only the manner or the way. Do not confuse the manner or the way with that of doing what ye DO know! Not when there is a more convenient season, or "When I have attained unto a greater understanding I will do this or that." Knowledge, understanding, is using, then, that thou hast in hand. Not to thine own knowledge but that all hope, power, trust, faith, knowledge and understanding are in Him. Do that thou knowest to do TODAY, as He would have thee do it, IN THINE UNDERSTANDING! Then tomorrow will be shown thee for that day! For as He has given, TODAY ye may know the Lord! NOW, if ye will but open thine heart, thine mind, the understanding and knowledge will come!
14. (Q) Was it necessary for me for my development to study the different lines of thought, such as Unity, Theosophy, etc?
    (A) If these have that which has helped thee understand. This must be judged within thine own self. For what is the law? Seek and ye shall find! KNOCK and it shall be opened unto you! In seeking through all understandings, all interpretations, there may be gained something; if ye will not become confused by those who say, "Here! This way!"
    Because thou hast seen the vision of the mount, because thou has seen the heavens opened in an understanding way, cry not this or that. Harken not to here or there, but turn to thine temple where He has promised to meet thee ever. It is not who will ascend to bring Him down, nor who will come from over the way - even though [from] the Beyond. For how said He? If they hear not Moses and the prophets, they would not heed though one rose from the dead!
    Think how gracious has been the gift to man, that only those who have crossed the border through being glorified (and GLORY shall be thy next lesson) have vision. For they that are on the borderland are only in that state of transition. If they were to speak to all, how terrible would be the confusion!
15. (Q) Is our lack of material necessities due to the fact that we have not first sought the Kingdom, or lack of faith in not speaking the word?
    (A) Both. For what saith the law? Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all things shall be added unto thee thou hast NEED OF! Most of us think we need a great deal more than we do!
    When there was given the bounty to man through the activities of the law of the Lord, did He prepare other than that needed for the sustenance of all? In the preparation at the feast of Galilee in Cana what supplied He? The meats and the viands of the table? No, only that lacking. When He supplied the needs to the thousands that were weak and ahungered and troubled, did He use other than that at hand? That AT HAND was multiplied in the blessings! Be patient, all. For all will pass through, in material experience, the greatest bounty of all. When ye fail here or there, ye must learn thy lessons. Humility, patience, faith. These make for the proper relationships, of the MIND; that is the builder for the Body, for the Soul.
16. (Q) Please give a discourse on the Creation.
    (A) As has been given, souls were made to be companions with the Creator. And through error, through rebellion, through contempt, through hatred, through strife, it became necessary then that all pass under the rod; tempted in the fires of flesh; purified, that they may be fit companions for the GLORY that may be thine.
    GLORY, then, is thy next lesson; and THIS thy affirmation:
    OPEN THOU MINE EYES, O GOD, THAT I MAY KNOW THE GLORY THOU HAST PREPARED FOR ME.
17. We are through.

BACKGROUND

1. Subject of Reading 262-89 - "Study Group #1."

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