This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest W. Zentgraf, 400 St. Paul's Ave., Stapleton, S.I., N.Y., this 2nd day of February, 1934, in accordance with request made by self - Miss [505], Associate Member of the Ass'n for Research & Enlightenment, Inc., recommended by Mrs. [255].

Present: Edgar Cayce; Hugh Lynn Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Miss [505], Mrs. [255] and Miss [275].

TEXT

1. HLC: You will have before you the soul entity now known as [505], present in this room. You will give a mental and spiritual reading for this entity, giving the reason for entrance into this cycle of experience, trace the soul development and guide the entity to its complete expression of the highest soul development in this life. You will answer the questions which may be asked.
2. EC: Yes, we have the soul-entity here, [505].
3. In the approaches for the understanding of soul development for this entity's comprehension or understanding, well that this also be given:
4. In entering an experience in the material plane, the entity or soul sees through what environs it may pass. That man has divided into time and in different periods of an entity's experience in the earth (being divided into expressions of one environ and another) is viewed as a whole or as a unit, from the soul's sojourn in entering. And the soul's manifestation depends upon what the soul-mind may do with the opportunities that may be presented to that body or soul through an experience. As to what, is asked? That which may be to the soul the more worthy expression of that which is creative, or that which is the activity of what has rightly been termed to man as the fruits of the spirit, or truth and light, and the expression of man's relationship to the Creative Forces in the activity. That man in the realm of man's sojourn may only express or manifest same upon or to the associates or those whom the soul or the entity may contact is as an expression that is viewed by all.
5. Then, in entering, each soul comes to manifest that it has NOT so well learned in the lessons of hope, patience, tolerance, brotherly love, kindness, gentleness, meekness, and such. These are the fruits of the spirit. And the manifestation of these attributes in the experience of each soul brings, as the Master of Masters has given, that awareness of self of the soul that is the gift of the Creator, that is the birthright of every individual that may be wasted in attempting to gratify those things that are of the earth, or of the carnal forces, and thus become weakened and less aware of its experience or existence in the affairs of man. Yet the soul finds its experience, no matter in what environ; and the ENVIRON is that created by what the soul - the inner self - has done, does do, about the manifestations of Creative Influences in the relationships to its fellow man.
6. For, as has been given of old, the Father needeth not ANY attribute or any help that man may do. Yet each soul may be a channel, a god, a savior, a friend in the time of need. For, those that would find God must believe that He is, and in the daily walks of life give expressions of that which is an attribute that self would attribute to the Father. And thus may the soul become in patience, in hope, in faith, in love, aware of the Father's indwelling within it.
7. That each soul has an advocate with the Father through the gift of the Christ into the soul and into the experiences of men is manifested in the experience of most all peoples. That man or men, or peoples, in various channels or activities have misapplied, misused these activities for the gratifying of their own selfish interests - or used the cloak of some name or some activity to hide behind - these are ever present. For, as of old, it is given to each and every soul, "There is today set before you good and evil, life and death - choose thou." As is the choice, as is known in the experience of each soul, as the application is made in the experience, so are the fruits. "By their fruits ye shall know them."
8. Then, when a choice has been made that makes for those things that bring contention, avarice, vice, harsh words, know there must be a renewing of self in those hopes and promises He has given. And though the choice has been ill, the activities may bring peace and harmony and understanding, and the glorifying ever to the Father through that it causes the individual to do TO its neighbor, its friend, its associates. For, as He has given, "He that giveth the cup of cold water in the name of the Son shall in no wise lose his reward," in that harmony, peace and life that is expressed in the activities of such a soul.
9. So, in the experience of this entity, there have come those experiences wherein there has been seen - even in the present experience - avarice, and what (to self) may have been injustice, in unkind words and in harshnesses of activity. Yet, when the trust has been put in Him that giveth life, there has come from same rather the fruits of the spirit; that has made for greater peace, harmony, beauty in the expressions of thought and activity in the experiences of others.
10. So, in thine development, let those words be the echo of all that thou wouldst do, that in the name of the Father - through the love as shown in the Son - the life may be guided day by day in its walks before men; and thus may there come to this soul the harmonious influences that make for the life being more worth while in the expressions of same, as it goes about meeting the daily activities that come in the expressions of self, bringing glory, honor in thine self through the love the Father has shown in the sons of men.
11. For, as He has given, the new commandment comes unto every soul, "that ye love one another even as the Father hath loved you;" and love overcometh, love looketh not upon these things that are unlovely, it vaunteth not itself, it speaketh no evil, and begets love and friendship in EVERY way and manner.
12. Thus in the expression of self in this experience to learn more of what love means in the manifestations of the acts of individuals TOWARDS its fellow man.
13. Ready for questions.
14. (Q) Are there any important directions for my physical condition that will aid in my whole development?
    (A) As has been pointed out, there are the necessities of keeping an even balance throughout the whole of the physical body, that each portion - each in its own sphere of activity - will coordinate and cooperate with the rest of the system, that the greater balance may be kept. That there have been warrings within, as has been demonstrated by the conditions that have existed in the physical forces, is apparent. But if these are kept in accord, through bringing into the experience as has been outlined for the body - the necessary elements and the necessary activities physical and mental, there will be created for the body that which it has need of, for its own best physical and mental development.
15. (Q) What work has God planned for me in this life?
    (A) Rather would it be said, what have I thus far in my earthly experiences fitted myself to do that I may in the present give the better expression of God's love in the earth, thus using the mind, the soul, the body, for greater expression of God in the earth and for the greater soul development of self?
    It is imminent, and apparent, that the abilities lie in the fields of activity that portray to others the beauties seen in the earth. And in these expressions, and in aiding others to find the expressions for themselves of that which may make in their experience the greater development of themselves, will be and is the work for which self has been fitted. For, as has been given, when the entity, the soul, came into the earth to find an expression, and to give expression in the experience of others that love might rule in the earth in its every phase of activity in the ways of manifesting same, the expressing of that beauty becomes a portion of the work of the hands - as in art, in those directions that give expressions of nature and its activity in the earth - and in the lives of others that the entity may meet, not only in tolerance but also in love, that they - too - as individuals may find their expressions in the earth in ways and means to, through their own activity, glorify the Father that giveth the increase in peace and harmony and beauty and glory forever.
16. (Q) Just what type of art?
    (A) As has been expressed in that which shows more and more the beauties in nature.
17. (Q) Should this be in painting?
    (A) In painting, or in ANY expression of same that shows forth its beauty; whether in painting with palette and brush, or in mosaics, or in fine twined linen, or in embroidering, or what. Any of these are the expressions that give the expressions of nature in the activities, that will bring the greater joy.
18. (Q) Should the musical talent be developed?
    (A) This is a natural trend of same, but in the art is the greater field of activity for self-expression. For, this will bring the soul-entity and the body in contact with more of those that are seeking to find themselves, even in other fields of activity where the expressions the entity may give of the beauties in life may aid them the more. For, thoughts are deeds - and may become crimes or miracles, dependent upon the force of choice with which they are sent into the realm of activity.
    For, as we have given, the activity of each life is written in time and space, either through the deeds done in the body or the thoughts that have been thought in the mind. How DO the currents run? How readest thou? Each life, each expression of life, is lived in a twofold manner: That within, with its thoughts and its expressions. And that without, as to be seen of men. Do these coordinate? Do these harmonize with that thou thinkest of thine Creator? Then, as the entity goes about seeking whom it may aid in thought or deed, let them be in harmony with the fruits of the spirit.
19. (Q) What books should I read to bring out the divine within me?
    (A) None more beautiful than that found in the Scriptures, especially the latter portion of Genesis and the 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th chapters in that recorded by John in the Gospels, or those by the second John in his epistles; first, second and third John.
    Then, in those that are more of the world, those that may make for the development in the experiences and the applications of same among men, read "THE LAMPLIGHTER." [THE LAMPLIGHTER with preface by Wm. Lyons Phelps, from Charles Dickens, published in 1926 by Appleton Publishing Co.?] Old, yea; though the stories that go with same will answer within self for THIS soul much that has been the experience in its manifestations through the earth in various sojourns.
    In others, there may be found such as in "The Roads to Yesterday," [THE ROAD TO YESTERDAY by B. M. Dix and E. J. Sutherland, published in 1925 by French Publishing Co.?] or in those that become more profound in the experiences of those in the search for the spiritual forces that manifest in and among men through the varied activities of individuals.
    Any of these, all of these, are well. But stay closer to that which begins with, "In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you, for I go to prepare a place that where I am there ye may be also." How may one come to dwell in those mansions He has prepared from the beginnings of the earth? By the expressions in one's life to its fellow man of that same love that He showed in the earth.
20. We are through for the present.

    Copy to Self
    Copy to Ass'n file

BACKGROUND

1. See previous Physical Readings in 1931.

REPORTS

1. 4/18/34 She renewed her A.R.E. membership, saying: "I am going to Europe this evening, so am hurriedly sending you this, and hope you will pardon the delay. Hope you will have a pleasant summer."

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