Edgar Cayce Readings, 479-1

(Physical Suggestion)

TEXT

EC: Yes, we have the body and those conditions physical and mental that disturb the better manifestations of life and its meaning through the physical forces as manifested in this body.
Now, as we find, in giving the physical conditions that may be aided in bringing about for the body better manifestations, it would be rather the analyses of the conditions physical and mental that confront the body, or that must be met by the body.
That there are physical defects in the structural portion, or in apparent manifestations through the mental, that are prenatal in their basic forces is too often condemned by the entity - and if there is the proper understanding of that which is Life in a manifestation, and the spiritual force that prompts the activity of same, these may be BY ALL better understood.
For, when there are those activities in a material world that bring about the forces or influences wherein there may be the action of a soul in its development, that which is often counted as sin or error is for the mercy to a soul from an All-Wise and beneficent Father that is directing, planning, giving the soul an opportunity for the use of that which may come into the experience OF that soul in the material plane. And what the soul, through its body and mind and attributes of same, does about the knowledge and consciousness of the indwelling of the spirit of life through the Christ in the earth is the opportunity for that soul to develop.
Hence in this particular body, rather than condemning, rather than closing self to the abilities in self or the opportunities wherein there may be made manifest in self that there is no condemning, but rather that self may use the opportunity, the privilege, to manifest under handicap or under those conditions that are existent within self - for the better manifesting of the love that is shed among men, through the activities in any one experience or environ.
For, when a soul, a body-mind, a consciousness CONDEMNS, it is but a selfish manifestation - and is the attempt, as of the first errors, to BLAME that self has to do upon another.
But if the soul will but know that the love of the Father (that has been manifested through His Son, who overcame sin, error, dis-ease, disease and even death itself in the material plane) has promised that through the consciousness of that life of the Christ awakening within us, as the consciousness of His indwelling presence, it may bring also healing in His wings, and that which had apparently been a hindrance may come to be the measure through which others may come to have the greater knowledge, the greater understanding of the Christ Consciousness, the Christ Life in the own experience, then all material problems will be understood and overcome.
And rather than shutting self away from associates or companionship, if the consciousness will but make for the fruits of the spirit of the Christ being manifest, there will be the seeking on the part of others to BE NEAR, to be in the light of that which may be shed abroad by such a soul, in such a body making manifest in this mundane sphere that love, that life, that graciousness of the Christ spirit in the life.
Hence, as we would find, if the body will thus find in self and in self's experience, there may come that CLEANSING within the physical forces of the body that will MAKE the body-SOUL whole indeed!
Hence, SEEK to know HIS ways with thee. Not alone by denying that sin or error exists. TRUE, sin and error is not of GOD - save through His sons that BROUGHT error, through selfishness, into the experience of the souls of men, the body by which angels and archangels are separate from the fullness of the Father. For, in His mercy He has given to all that which is the desire of every heart in a material plane - to seek companionship in a manner that there may be the exchange of experiences in whatsoever sphere the body-soul may find self. And in so doing, if there is the manifestation of greed, avarice, hate, selfishnesses, unkindliness, ungodliness, it makes for the harkenings that bring their fruit - contention, strife, hate, avarice, and separation from the light. For, those that have turned their face FROM the light of God can only see shadow or darkness and that light is only for those far away. Yet, if the soul will but turn to the Father of love as manifested in the earth through the Christ, in this life also may there be seen the light and the glory of a NEW birth.
That all have been conceived in sin is only a partial truth; hence often makes a whole lie to those that in the body find their own physical selves may find that which to their own consciousness they can condemn in another. But to condemn - even as the Master taught when the moral laws, or when the physical laws or spiritual laws were being broken and were presented to Him as examples whereunto they would question Him, He always answered: "Thou hast no power over me save it be given thee from the Father, who has not left His children alone but ever seeks that they should know that the Redeemer liveth." And His light, His life, His love, CLEANSETH every WHIT! And, as He said unto the woman, "Neither do I condemn thee, but sin no more." Neither did He set for her any moral law but that which was conscious within her own soul as to the acts in the physical that would tend to separate or to turn the light into darkness in the life of that soul. And as she came to be known among those that had sought the light, her life became that which led many to an understanding - and still will bring life, light and comprehension to many.
So in thine own self, know that THEREIN lies the spirit of God - the SOUL of thine self. The spirit will quicken, if the soul will but acknowledge His power, His divine right WITHIN thee!
Then, let the acts of thine body, the temple of thine soul, be kept clean in thine own consciousness even as the presence of the Master cleansed every body that sought aid from physical dis-ease or corruption and made for the manifesting of the fruits of the spirit, of truth in their lives. Not that it saved the BODY from the grave, not that it saved a body from its transition from one sphere to another - but QUICKENED rather the soul and ITS mind to such a degree that it would ever cry as did the Master in His message of old to His peoples that had been led through the trials and tribulations, "Others may do as they may, but as for me I - my soul, my body, my mind - will serve the LIVING God!" [Josh. 24:15]
Blessed is he whom the Lord chasteneth, for He loveth every one - and will quicken those that call on His name and act in accordance with the directions that are given every soul to know to do good and to do it not becomes sin, but to know that He - the Christ - will stand within thy stead and will cleanse the soul-body every whit, that it may stand before the throne of grace every whit CLEAN!
Then, make thy prayers unto Him, giving glory, power and praise unto Him - and in this manner may that which has SEEMED to be to thee as a hindrance become a steppingstone to the glory of thine own soul!
We are through.
Copy to Self
Copy to Ass'n file

BACKGROUND

11/08/33 Friend, Mr. [641]'s letter to GD: "...You will probably be more surprised than gratified when you find that this letter is written only in behalf of someone else.
"I want to ask for a reading for a boy who is a very good friend of mine and who is very much in need of help. I don't know what kind of reading he will have to have. It is purely a mental disturbance. He can't adapt himself to his condition, and can't understand it. His condition, as I see it, is something that is no fault of his own, but is something that seems to be inborn in his nature. And this thing makes him entirely different and apart from all ordinary people. He doesn't understand what to do, and I can't decide either. And, as long as he has to stay in the state that he is in, his life will be nothing but misery...
"It will be horrible, I can see that, and that is the reason I want you to get a reading for him as soon as you can. I know what is the matter with him, but knowing it makes the solution to me an impossibility. I can't tell what is the matter with him because I promised him I would not. But I know you can help him without knowing any details. I only told you what I have to show you that the case is pretty serious. Why, this trouble that he has, has made him lose all faith in everything - absolutely everything. And I think that if you can help him adjust himself to his condition it will be as great and as important as any other case that you have helped. This boy is as brilliant mentally as he can be and if his situation could be remedied, he could really amount to something.
"The boy I am speaking of is [479]. I will add a postscript and give you the date of his birth, etc., when I find out what it is.
"I am enclosing $5 for a payment on the reading. I know it is not enough, but I will send some more when I am able. But be sure and get the reading, because if anybody ever needed help this boy does... Name - [479], born September 30, 1912, ... Ave., ... Alabama. You can send the reading to me if you want to, because I would like to be with him when he reads it..."
1/01/34 Mr. [479]'s letter to GD verifying appointment: "I must admit that I have been skeptical of any form of spiritual communications or aid. I say this, not to have you think I go into this thoroughly incredulously, but that you may understand as much about me as it is possible for me to tell. Though I cannot say why, I now find myself vastly interested.
"It is difficult for me to communicate seriously to you anything about myself and at the same time keep you aware of my skepticism, so I shall forget any doubts and write as plainly as I may what I wish from this reading. I have no idea what insight you may have into the nature of people corresponding with you. I do not know just which type of reading would be most beneficial to me. My particular worry is the predominant factor in determining my life. I realize that upon my handling wisely this matter and my adaption to my thoroughly handicapped position depends my entire future. I sincerely desire to solve the problem before me so that I can live proudly with the people I admire and respect. I cannot do so unless I decide the best course to take in regard to this problem.
"I want you to know that [641], whom I think to be the finest person I have ever known and who has been my best friend, has been my chief support in the problems I have had to face in the past year.
"Though my 'malady' is primarily physical, it has so direct a bearing upon my mental and spiritual development that it cannot be classed merely as a physical ailment. I find it difficult to choose one of the three types of readings you offer, for I am afraid no one of them will offer a solution to my problem. Yet, I suppose for a start we may take the Physical Reading. If from my letter you can judge one of the others to be more to the point, you are free to change my choice... Between 3 P.M. and 4 P.M. Monday, 1/08/34, I will be at ..., Alabama. That is the address of the ... Company. I do not know if my questions will be of any assistance to you, as I cannot ask directly what I wish to know. Nevertheless I have one or two questions I would like to ask:
"Must I live so that my conduct would, were it generally known, win general approbation, or may I safely conduct myself to my own moral satisfaction? (I do not admit of low moral standards.) [GD's note: Is he confessing to being homosexual?]
"Is there any way I can attain physical and mental strength, and spiritual poise enough, to retain the few friends I am capable of making, or must I always find it necessary to part with my friends? I might explain that it has usually been my inability to 'get along' with my friends that has disrupted our relationships. I have always been afraid of my friends tiring of me, and that constant fear has made me too watchful, too observant of their dispositions toward me. That in turn has aroused my imagination to slights that I suppose were never meant. I know that really that is merely hyper-sensitiveness. It all, I believe, connects up with my primary misfortune.
Now, after such a serious and revealing letter as this, where is my skepticism?..."
"P.S. Please excuse this carelessly written letter. I'm sorry I haven't time to rewrite it in better form and more legibly. I do want to add one more question and also to make clear one thing. First: What is exactly the nature and source of my weakness and what remedy is there? I do not know whether I have made it clear that I am thoroughly in doubt as to the type of reading that would best suit my case. After thinking the matter over I doubt seriously that the Physical Reading is what I want. Yet I am sure that there would be something of value to me in it. I shall leave it to your judgement as to which of the three readings I need.
"I will not try now to express my appreciation for your time and consideration, but I have to thank you substantially and materially a little later on..."

REPORTS

1/09/34 GD's letter to [479]: "...Never, in my whole ten years of experience with this work, have I witnessed such a reading in answer to a Physical Suggestion. We decided to get the Physical Reading first, for I felt that whatever might be the cause or cure of the condition would be given.
"You will notice that we got the reading on Saturday before the appointment was set for Monday, as we had a message from New York saying that one of our members would be here Monday only for a reading. We felt it would be all right to go ahead and get the reading for you ahead of time. I've been delayed in getting it written.
"I wish you could have heard the reading being given. It was simply marvelous. Of course, I have no way of knowing just how it will affect you - or whether it will mean anything at all or not. I do feel that I have a pretty good understanding of the cause and the remedy, from this reading.
There is so much in it that I would like to discuss with you; for reference is made in several places to understandings and information which we have heretofore received through the readings. In your reading, briefly, there is a whole history of the fall of man and his rise again - through the perfection of the man Jesus into the Christ, through eons of time and incarnations in the earth - and we are supposed to follow after; in fact, our only hope is in doing that. You will notice that a saying of Joshua [Josh. 24:15] is accredited to the Master. That is because we have had information saying that Joshua was one of the incarnations of the Master. You can see from this just why your reading is so all-inclusive, and why it is impossible in one little letter to give you a comprehensive view of the whole thing but I do hope that you write me about it, and ask any questions about any part of it that especially appeals or does not appeal to you. I'll be glad to enlarge on any portion of it which I feel I understand. But first it would be better for you to ask the questions.
"Further on I think it would be well for you to have a Life Reading, to explain your own individual purpose in relation to the Whole - just where and when was the cause, in your own soul, which has brought about the effect in the present. Because always there is a cause, in each individual - not in someone else. There is a cause in other individuals' for their association and "relationship in connection with you," but the primary cause for your OWN predicament is within your own soul's development. See what I mean? That is true with each of us. 'As ye sow, so shall ye reap.' And as we reap what we have sown, we come to realize just what was wrong with our sowing and how we can make a better planting of the next crop. You see? It is only through passing through the shadow that we can appreciate the light. So, as the reading says, even our greatest hindrance may come to be our greatest blessing - a blessing in disguise. Our weakness becomes our strength. It was so with the Master, who is our example. If He had not endured the Cross, He would not have gained the Crown - neither would He have been the Savior of the world. 'The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light.' It is always through trials and tribulations and sufferings that we arrive at any great understanding or worthwhile existence.
"Please study this over with [641], and both of you ask me questions in regard to it - and I will answer from the understanding that I have gained from a study of the information that comes through these sources. It has meant much to me to know that the answer to every problem is within my own soul. 'The kingdom is within.' The cause has been within, hence the remedy must be from within. Let me hear from you..."
4/20/34 EC wrote offering to give his interpretation if [479] wanted it.
8/22/34 Mr. [641] said that [479] had discarded the reading as of being not pertinent to his problem.
7/06/78 GD's note: Today Mr. [641], friend of [479], told me that [479] died in 1973. His problem had been the homosexual tendencies and he managed to live with it; never got married but for many years had the close companionship of a younger man. Apparently it did not make him an outcast, since he finished his education, became a teacher of English in a college. He must have been a good teacher, since he remained with the school all those years until his death at the age of 60.