This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at the home of Mrs. Lillian B. Whitmore, 2006 Columbia Rd., Washington, D.C., this 27th day of January, 1935, in accordance with request made by Study Group #9 of the Ass'n for Research & Enlightenment, Inc.

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Tom Thompson, Edna B. Harrell, Nellie G. Holt, Pearl E. Hood, Anna E. Hendley, Flora Taylor, Elsie Jeffery, J. Howard Lawlor, Faith Lewis, Lillian Whitmore, Ada Wahlen, Rose Heilbronn, Florence Welch and Sallie A. Barkley.

TEXT

1. GC: You will have before you Group #9 of the Ass'n for Research & Enlightenment, Inc., members of which are present in this room. You will give them at this time that which will be helpful and beneficial to them in accomplishing the purpose for which as a group they came into being, and answer the questions that may be asked by them.
2. EC: Yes, we have the group as gathered here, as a group and as individuals; also those purposes that have brought together these as individuals and as a group.
3. In giving that which may be helpful to each of them in their application, in their experiencing, in their becoming more and more aware of that divine within each soul that is the soul's birthright, we would give that they each should regard the body as the temple of the soul where they may meet that divine within for the enlightenment, the growth of that necessary for the individual soul development.
4. That group activity is necessary has been indicated to each of you in the study, the purpose, the application of COOPERATIVE forces within thine own self, with others, for a UNIFIED purpose. That you each approach from your own plane of development is necessary. But let each of you have this as the motivative influence in your activity: The love of the Father, God, as it - the love - manifests itself in the love for the fellow man.
5. Then, in the group activity there should ever be less and less of self's own personality and more and more of the individuality of the Christ Consciousness permeating each of the individuals in their meditation, their prayer, their understanding; making the group meditation that which will be TRUE meditation, and realizing that in true meditation must come events from without, but that the true growth of spiritual experience is from within and NOT from without - by happenings, or events, or whatever there may be. For, as has oft been given, in the earth we find the shadows of the kingdom from within; and the kingdom of the Father is within. Then, that growth which makes for the activities through the purposes - that motivating purpose, the love of the Father AS it manifests in the love of the fellow man - will draw those closer in that union. That bond of cooperative forces that makes for less of self and more of the Christ in the words that they speak, the thoughts that they think, their abilities and their activities with their fellow man.
6. Ready for questions.
7. (Q) Please give a message to the Glad Helpers of the group, and where can they meet?
   (A) In their service let each of them find that which has been given to them as to their purpose, aim, desire, to be used as a service for their fellow man. And with this, as there are the periods of meditation together - in those periods of consecration of the abilities of each in the service of the Father through the Christ, there may come a real opportunity for each of them to be that which the Father hath need of in their own activity.
   As to a place to meet, let it be where thy OWN conscience or understanding gives thee word for meeting. For the service of all must be done in the inner self. The expression it takes in manifested form is individual, but do not let IT - the manifested form - become personal.
8. (Q) How can Group #9 function as a group and as individuals to make the Association grow and form other groups here?
   (A) With that purpose, ever, let the MOTIVATING INFLUENCE be the love of the Father-God as it manifests itself in the love for the fellow man. And each may become a channel through which group, groups and many may come to the knowledge of their closeness to the divine that is within each individual. For indeed in Him do we live and move and have our being; and we should recognize this and have less and less of self and of self's personal manner, and more and more of the individual Christ Spirit in our conversation, our activity, and - most of all - our daily living.
9. (Q) How can the Group make Mr. Cayce's stay more pleasant and profitable?
   (A) Do unto others as ye would have them do unto you.
10. (Q) [853]: What message can be of help to me at this time?
    (A) MANY messages might be of help. Apply this in thine daily life: Let that thou meditatest upon be not so much in the way, the manner of activity, but that EVERY activity may be directed by the consciousness of the Christ Spirit DIRECTING such activity.
11. (Q) [681]: Is there any way that I may proceed to be of help to the group?
    (A) Keep that purpose, that aim, thou has set before thee. For thou art a light unto many, and thy blessings go WITH thee; and His blessings will abide with thee.
12. (Q) [694]: Why don't I have more success with meditation?
    (A) Oft we find individual activity becomes so personal in even the meditations that there is sought that this or that, which may have been reported to have happened to another, MUST be the manner of happening to self. And in this manner there is cut away, there is built the barrier which prevents the real inner self from EXPERIENCING. Let self LOOSE, as it were; for thy prayer ascends to the throne of grace, ever; only as self, though, metes out to thy fellow man. Do not TRY, or crave, or desire a sign; for THOU art in THYSELF a sign of that thou dost worship within thine inner self! For thou, as every soul, dost stand before the door of the temple where thy God hath promised to meet thee. Then, do not be impatient. For what thou asketh in secret shall be proclaimed from the housetop.
13. (Q) [264]: What have I learned in meditation that I can use to help my fellow man?
    (A) All thou has learned, what thou hast learned, is manifested in that thou givest out. For the Father-God is the Father in that He has given all, IS all, within all. We, as His representatives - through the soul that is the birthright of each individual, each person, then manifest that we have gained by the communion with Him; for that is true meditation. And as we give out we SHOW that we have given and gained, and who can gainsay same?
14. (Q) [678]: May I have a personal message that will be of help to me at this time?
    (A) Thy words, thy acts, thy love for thy fellow man, are as a sweet incense before the throne of grace. Be thou patient, and there will come to thee that joy, that understanding, that all is well. And with this consciousness there can be no greater peace in earth.
15. (Q) [696]: What do I need most to further my spiritual development?
    (A) Faith, hope and - MOST of all - PATIENCE! "In patience possess ye your souls." Be patient even in those periods of exaltation, joy, sorrow, woe. For in this do all become aware of the CONTINUITY of life itself; the more and more that this is made aware in the experience of the soul, more and more may the hope and the faith grow. Be patient.
16. (Q) [689]: Will this day's work be successful in everything I have done? Have I followed direct divine guidance through my intuition?
    (A) It is well. Thou hast gained much through thine own understanding, and as the intuition unfolds let less and less of SELF enter in but more and more of divine love.
17. (Q) [851]: What could I do in my spiritual work to make myself better understood?
    (A) By the gentleness of thy word, by the patience with those that disturb thee in their rush for the satisfying of this or that in their earthly experience; smiling with those that smile, even though ye agree not with that mirth; weeping with those that weep. For he that showeth and is impelled by the love of the Father through the love shown the sons of men is understood, and INDEED has understanding.
18. (Q) [683]: To bring a desired THING or CONDITION into manifestation, is it advisable to visualize it by making a PICTURE or just to hold the idea in prayer and let God produce it in His own way without our making a pattern?
    (A) The pattern is given thee in the mount. The MOUNT is within thine inner self. To visualize by picturizing is to BECOME idol worshipers. Is this pleasing, with thy conception of thy God that has given, "Have no other gods before me"? The God in self, the God of the universe, then, meets thee in thine inner self. Be patient, and leave it with Him. He knoweth that thou has need of before ye ask. Visualizing is telling Him how it must look when you have received it. Is that thy conception of an All-Wise, All-Merciful Creator? Then, let rather thy service ever be, "Not my will, O God, but Thine be done in me, through me." For all is His. Then, think like it - and, most of all, act like it is.
19. (Q) [796]: Do you not believe if one can make herself positive to ONLY the GOOD she can overcome all physical ills of the body, without medicine, provided she feeds it right and treats it right?
    (A) What manner of body in a material world can live, survive or remain material without material sustenance? In each sphere of activity there are the attributes of same. The body-physical may indeed be healed without medicine, but it becomes rather the ethereal than material.
20. (Q) [693]'s mother: Is there anything that could be suggested other than that which is given to better my condition?
    (A) Study to show THYSELF approved unto God, rightly divining the words of truth, keeping self unspotted from the world, avoiding the appearance of evil, doing to others as ye would be done by. God is in THY holy temple; worship Him there. Speak oft to the INNER self, THERE seeking for the growth, the knowledge, the understanding; and there will be made manifest in material things that growth THOU hast made. May man in his wisdom see enfolded in the tiniest of a seed the full plant, or the many ears that may grow upon the stalk? Yet ALL are there! And doing that which has been purposed by the Creative Forces in the desire to become manifested to a material world. Does the plant find fault that it is sown in poor soil, or that the weeds and tares have grown with same? or does it give of its best without question?
21. (Q) [701]: Were the treatments as I gave in the healing group given in accordance with your views?
    (A) YOUR views? WHOSE views? With thy views; thy views! We HAVE no answer!
22. (Q) [707]: What is my best spiritual calling that I should develop?
    (A) The knowledge of the ability to meet the divine within thine own self, and for the healing of those that may seek through thine understanding.
23. (Q) [688]: Would I succeed better in religious work than my present occupation?
    (A) In that in which self may give out more of that thou has of truth is the channel through which self may grow the more. This choice must be made within self, NOT here.
24. (Q) [699]: By what steps are developed the powers of spiritual healing?
    (A) Through spiritual growth. By what powers doth a grain of corn maintain its ability to produce corn; that divine gift to the first corn? By not trying to be something else than a grain of corn! Thus may there come an understanding to any soul, to any that will say "Use me, O God, as Thou will." But not remaining idle! For, as has been given, ACTIVITY IS the key to understanding. Rather had there be a purpose or an act in error than no act. For movement is the effect of spirit. Spirit is life. But let the inner self, the divine self, the knowledge of same be directed only by Him.
25. (Q) May I have a message that will help me at this present time, [699]:
    (A) Let thy heart, thy mind, thy body, thy soul, be at oneness of purpose; and ye will find that destined that is in Him will be more and more in harmony with the words of light and truth.
26. (Q) How can the work of the Association be spread among the young people of Washington?
    (A) By presenting same in those various channels and meetings and places where there is sought first a knowledge, an understanding of the enfoldment and unfoldment of truth.
    To ALL: Let GOD abide with thee. Let the words of thy mouth be approved unto that which is thy light and thy guide. And as ye use that thou has in hand, the next step is given thee. The branch putteth forth in due season. Be NOT impatient - ANY of you!
27. We are through for the present.

BACKGROUND

1. Subject of 705-2 - "Search for God".

REPORTS

1. 1/28/35 Group #9 members, via request of EC, wrote out for him their individual answer to the question, "Where is heaven?"
2. 2/03/35 Group #9 sponsored EC's lecture at the Arlington Hotel in D.C. on the title, "What Is Soul Power?"

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