In giving that which may be helpful at this time, consider
that which is necessary for the soul development. While the
mind, as it is commonly spoken of, is the builder, it - as
the personality and individuality of an entity - has two
phases. The mind functions irrespective of the body. Hence
that which is builded for the development of the soul body is
for expression of the soul mind, or superconscious mind -
that is as the mental mind, or that may be trained in a
physical body as to care for same. Hence more and more that
the mind in its activity is of the soul's development, the
less and less of self is expressed and more and more the
consciousness, the awareness, of a condition, an event, a
feeling, an emotion, an expression that deals with the
attributes of the soul-body. So does the soul become aware
of the presence of the creative conscience, the oneness of
self in that which is the essence of life itself. When there
is less and less of the personal desires, more and more does
PATIENCE become a portion of the whole being - and the
awareness of the soul's longings, the soul's desires, the
soul's expressions of Him in TRUE, pure love. When those
things of the mental mind - that have to do with the body -
come as distresses, anxieties, hurts, pains, these are of the
body-conscience, and are the self, the ego, of that which is
the expression of the soul. For as may be given in material
surroundings, when an individual has a friend that is lovely
to Him, to make other friendships does not lessen the love
for the other. Should there enter jealousy, doubt, fear as
to the place in the individual's own heart or mind being
supplanted, these are physical; these are selfishness in
their manifestations. For when the soul is in its
manifestations it is as God so loved the world, even those
that hated Him, even those that put Him oft to shame, even
those that called on other gods, even those that made a
companion of Satan - the emissaries that are in direct
opposition to the Christ Consciousness, even these - God so
loved that He gave Himself, His Son, that we, His children,
His brethren of the Christ, might - through the Christ - have
the greater access to the Father. So, in thy seeking let thy
soul - that is in Him - ever, day by day, find the greater
expression. And in this expression does there come the more
and more awareness of what hope is, as the expectancy of the
inner self. For, as expressed by Him, there is JOY in
heaven, in the presence of the Father, when individuals
within their inner selves open their souls to the Father,
that He may - as the sacrifice was given - know the beauty of
that sacrifice was not in vain. So, by this opening of the
soul, the entity may find the essence of faith in Him to keep
His promises. Even though the heavens fall, even though the
earth and all the pleasures and the joy of earth be rolled
up, His promises shall not fail. And those in faith are
righteousness, and the hope becomes glorified and the soul
becomes more and more aware; and less do the things of earth
cause fear or trembling, or even wonderment save at the joys
that are preserved in the promises of the Son, of the Father,
to those that love Him.
The more, then, that thy soul is in expression as ye give to
thy fellow man in word, in act, in association, that which
arouses hope and faith such that it takes hold upon the
superconscious mind, the more is there the oneness of the
soul in Him. For when ye worry about this or that activity
of individuals in the earth, and their words, their deeds,
their acts, even of those that ye in your body-mind may love,
may worship, these may become as lepers to thy soul. Put thy
trust, thy faith, thy hope, in thy soul!
Ready for questions.
(Q) The thought of what others consider right will enter in
even when one knows deep within that he is gaining great soul
development from actions whose high motives are not seen and
understood from the outside world. When one's inner self
repeatedly dictates a course which the world perhaps would
misunderstand, how can one bravely follow that inner dictate
and be free from the fear of misunderstanding. Give me a
passage of scripture or a message to strengthen me.
(A) The passage is, "My Spirit - (thy soul) - beareth
witness with thy spirit as to whether ye be truly the sons
and daughters of God or not." Not merely conscience, but DO
all things for conscience's sake, that there may be harmony
in thine inner self. Or, would that all would learn that He,
the Christ Consciousness, is the Giver, the Maker, the
Creator of the world and all that be therein! And ye are
His, for ye are bought with a price, even that of passing
through flesh as thou that He might experience and know all
thy thoughts, thy fears, thy shortcomings, thy desires, the
dictates of the physical consciousness, the longings of the
physical body. Yet He is at the right hand, IS the right
hand, IS the intercessor for ye all. Hence thy destinies lie
in Him. And again, as the scripture hath said, "God hath not
willed that any soul should perish, or that any should be cut
off from His face, but hath with the temptation prepared a
way of escape." Hence the NECESSITY of patience, of living
in the soul, seeing all time as ONE time, that ye may know
whereunto thou hast been called. And though thy brother, thy
friend, thy dearest one finds fault or becomes discouraged
because he is going his own way, if thou wilt call - His
promise has been, "Though ye wander far afield, though ye be
forsaken, though ye be misunderstood, if ye will call I will
hear!" And if ye be on the Lord's side, WHO can be against
you?
(Q) What is my specific work with the Ass'n for Research &
Enlightenment, and how can I best carry it out?
(A) Presenting the spiritual truths to thy fellow man, to
the world, that are presented through its lessons, its
messages, individual and collective, that others may take
hope. For, as thou hast from thine own experiences in the
earth known the more oft the seeking to present the law, the
love (for law and love must be in their essence of the same
source), and as thou hast DEFENDED - as thou hast presented
such to thy self-centered, wayward brethren here and there,
then present them again and again. How oft shall I forgive
my brother? Seven times? Yea, seventy times seven! How oft
shall ye present the lessons? Seven? Yea, seventy times
seven, that His way may be had among men! His GLORY is
PRESENT. SEE the Savior as He is!
(Q) Convinced that my present life's work is inspirational
writing, I desire to know what specific course I should
follow in life in order to gain more experience which will
give me further deep insight into my fellowman's needs.
(A) As illustrated by that given, the power comes in giving
the expression of the inner self, letting the soul manifest,
letting the self - the personality of self - become less and
less in its desires, letting His desire be the ruling force.
As He gave out, so was the power, the ability, the experience
His that He IS, He WAS, He EVER WILL BE the expression, the
CONCRETE expression of LOVE in the minds, the hearts, the
souls of men.
Then, broaden thy field of activity. Fear not to approach
thy observations in columns even of the secular world; as the
Christian Herald or Christian Advocate, or the Sunday School
Times. For the more and more that ye have the body of many
giving praises and thanks for the hope that ye create in
their minds and their hearts, greater is the experience and
the ABILITY of expression. For the law, the love holds as He
gave; one may cry aloud and long for SELF and yet NEVER be
heard, but where two or three are gathered in His name there
is He in the midst of them. So, as ye give out is the power
received. Do not understand that ye may not enter into thine
own closet and there meet thy Savior within, but - as given -
when ye cry for SELF, and SELF alone, ye close the door, ye
stand as a shadow before the altar of thy god within thyself.
Give, then, in broader fields of activity, in EVERY channel
where those that are seeking may find; that are wandering,
that are lame in body, lame in mind, halt in their manner of
expression, that are blind to the beauties in their own
household, their own hearts, their own minds. These thou may
awaken in all thy fields. And as ye do, greater is thy
vision - and He will guide thee, for He hath given His angels
charge concerning those that seek to be a channel of blessing
to their fellowman; that purge their hearts, their bodies, of
every selfish motive and give the Christ - CRUCIFIED,
GLORIFIED - a place in its stead.
(Q) Is Washington the best location for me?
(A) In the present. And as it is in the present the center,
the hope as it were of the present civilization, so may it
radiate to all portions even of the earth in that thou may be
the representative of the Father-Son IN that hope to many
peoples everywhere!
(Q) Are my present living conditions such as will promote
this insight and further my own soul growth?
(A) These, as we find, clarify themselves OF themselves as
the better self puts that it comprehends and understands INTO
operative forces IN the minds and hearts of others. This
situation, then, purifies itself - even as running, living
water. The debris, the harmful things, the conditions that
would hinder are brushed aside as the life, the expressions
of self are given out.
(Q) What is my spiritual duty toward Marvin and how can I
best discharge it? Are we thrown into contact because of
past karmic conditions? How can I further his spiritual
awakening?
(A) As the magnet draws the compass that would direct or
diverge the paths of those that sail upon life's seas. There
are those individuals whose lives and thine own have made and
do make for those things that are as whettingstones for the
keenness of expression, the sharpness of the drawing of the
perspective, or the dulling of the aches and pains that come
from the shocks of contact with materiality in thine study
into spiritual realms. These have their place. So has this
association its place. But let it ever be as a HELP for
self. For, as has been given by the poet, when thou are true
to that which calls and answers within thee to thine own
soul's best expression, thou wilt not be false to any, in any
need which a soul may have! For ye are - are ye not all
children of the one God! Are ye not brethren with the one
purpose! And who shall gainsay that thou may not save a soul
from stumbling over itself?
Keep thy head erect, thine purpose set, the Christ thy pilot,
the magnet that draws thee His love!
We are through for the present.
Copy to Self
Copy to Ass'n file
BACKGROUND
See life reading
696-1 on
10/15/34 and subsequent Reports.
REPORTS
See subsequent correspondence under
696-1 Reports.
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation