In giving that which may be helpful to the entity in the
present, in making for the greater developments, well that
the sources from which this information is taken be reckoned
with by the entity's own thought and study. For each soul is
the real life of the entity, and the records of the life are
made much as the emanation of light from any source. For the
light moves on in time, in space, and upon that skein between
same are the records written by each soul in its activity
through eternity; through its awareness, through its
consciousnesses; not only in matter but in thought, in
whatever realm that entity builds for itself in its
experience, in its journey, in its activity. In matter we
find it as it applies its own concept of that which is
constructive in its association with its fellow man, for
growth - as it uses or as it indulges its own self for its
own self-aggrandizement upon is fellow man in matter, it
makes for retardment or self-glorification, self-exaltation,
which becomes the stumbling-block in each soul's progress.
For, as has been given, only self may separate the soul from
the knowledge, the awareness, of the living influence that is
the birth-right of each and every soul.
As to this entity's experience in the earth, then, and the
interims in between each earthly sojourn, we find from the
astrological sojourns THESE as innate - or sojourning of the
entity in that environment makes for the influences in the
innate activity of the entity:
Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Venus. Mars and Venus are
in conjunction with the activities of the entity, making
for definite experiences or opportunities that may become
experiences in the entity's sojourn in the present. Also
Saturn makes for the tendencies for the entity to change this
or that association, this or that environment, before there
has been - often - the possibility even for the culmination
of the activities from the influences set in motion. Yet
these having recently passed in the experience of the entity
should, in the next three and a half to four years, make the
opportunities for the peak of the entity's development during
this experience. For Jupiter soon comes into a benevolent
influence in the experiences of those who have sojourned in
the influence of this developing influence in the experience
of this soul, this entity; activative in the experiences of
[
815].
In Mars we find, with Venus, a detrimental influence
respecting marital relations; for these make for the
demanding by the entity (as in the changes) for those with
whom it may be associated those things oft hard to be
comprehended or understood by others. It is not the greater
things in the entity's own development but the minor things
that make for feelings or appearances of neglect,
indifference, change in the manner of approach. This also is
an attribute, developed in this experience, that SHOULD be
negativated from the activities of the entity. For
friendships and those relationships that bring the greater
possibilities in the experiences of the entity arise from the
entity's neglect of those attributes that are as
opportunities in these directions.
We find from Mercury, with Uranus, a high ennobling influence
in the entity; high mental attributes, especially in specific
direction, having to do with people, individuals, masses,
groups, as to their activities and their associations -
whether in those lines of the arts or of depicting for the
fellows that which is the prompting influence in the
experience of others; as in story or in writing. ANY of
these are as the influences to which the entity is NATURALLY
drawn. But the GREATER development may come not in its
criticism but in its constructive aid to individuals
STRUGGLING to know what is constructive in their experience.
For this, then, would make for those experiences when the
little niceties - that are the natural tend of the entity -
become selfless and more for the advancing of the activities
of others. Not of self; for he that would have life must
give it; he that would know God must be - in the attributes
of the earth - in those things that are of the spirit:
Gentle, kind, longsuffering, brotherly love, and - most of
all must this entity learn - patience! That the entity has
fallen in oft.
Then, as to the appearances in the earth as the manifested
body or individual in flesh, that make for experiences in
the present sojourn, these must be constructive. Build not
upon the shells of former activities, but use rather those
experiences for the stepping-stones to those things that may
make for - in thine association among thy fellow men - the
life becoming more and more worth while. Failures in the
sojourns in the earth have brought - as for all of Gemini
children - the experience of becoming morose, melancholy;
speaking quick without taking thought of other than to give
vent to self's own spleen. In same must patience be
manifested. Hence that as given first and foremost learn to
be patient, not only with self. For that one cannot endure
within itself it finds as a fault in others. That thou
findest as a fault in others is thine own greatest fault,
ever!
We find, then, that:
Before this the entity was in the land of the present
nativity, during those periods when the Dutch peoples were
making the settlements in what is now the Manhattan island
and the surrounding territory; though it went more to the
Jersey shore - that is, now - than to the island - in the
preparations.
The entity was among the first peoples that came to dwell
there through being born in the land, and was in the name
then of Joe Handensen. Well did the entity make for the
experiences of developments during the early portions of
those activities in the land, and in the aiding of its people
to make progress towards the settlement, the sojourning for a
permanent activity.
With those periods when there were the discussions of the
changing of that particular land for other lands, the entity
to itself failed in carrying its points; for those in
authority, that overrode the activities of the entity - Joe
Handensen then - made for the exchange for other lands. And
the entity went into exile in the Dutch land in that
experience, making for itself an experience as a recluse, as
a withdrawing from.
In the present experience we find an interest arising from
an unknown origin to the entity before, that those are most
interesting who themselves have for one cause or another
withdrawn from the worldly activities; yet an innate
tenderness towards those that for reasons other than
religious have done so, whether it be from illness of body or
mind, or merely the self alone withdrawing for its own study.
This is not patience, for patience is not passive nor
negative; it is a CONSTRUCTIVE influence, a positive
activative force. For, if one smite thee on the one cheek,
did He say withdraw? No! Rather, turn the other! Be active
in thy patience; be active in thy relationships with thy
fellow man!
Then, in this may the entity use in the present from that
experience not only those influences that may make for
associations or connections for an advancement, but an
advancement for the mental and soul self of the entity as
well through making practical that of patience in the lives
of those that for ANY cause have withdrawn, do withdraw,
from activities in a busy world.
Before that, then, we find the entity was in the experience
when there were many changes coming through the activative
influences in that land now known as the German, but during
those periods when there were the gatherings of many peoples
for the Holy Wars - or for the Crusades, as termed in the
present.
The entity was among those from that land who joined with
those peoples in that activative force; bringing for self
that which was a mental development. AGAIN we find the
failings of the entity as a leader in the Holy Land, that
had gained to a portion of that now known as the Greek and
Turkish land. These made for the rebellions in the
activative forces of the entity; shame at first, then
resentment for the failure of those influences that had
prompted the entity to go out with such high hopes, in the
name Hafensteinger.
In the latter portion of that experience the entity made for
the great development; learning to show kindness to those
that are wrath, those that would make for the carrying of
resentments to bodily activities.
Hence in the experience of the entity in the present body
there have been very definite influences in the manifested
and innate activity as to its aversion to armed forces; and
its desires make for the connections or associations with
those who suffer through apparently no fault of themselves,
but because of the activities on the part of others, whom the
entity may befriend. These are ennobling in the experience,
each. But that which has made for resentment respecting
religious influence being the basis of an entity's activity
is not so well. Make these compatible, my son, in thine
experience; and ye may find these may bring to thine own
inner self that which will arouse those periods when - even
though thine heart is sad, thine mind is bad, thine
surroundings trouble thee - the glory of that which prompts
the kindness is the greater glory for making in tine own self
gladness. For they that would be made glad must be glad to
those that are even sad.
The experience before that, then, was in the now known
Persian or Arabian land, during those periods when there
were the gatherings of many to the city in the hills and in
the plains for the message that had gone to many lands and
was being taken up by many.
The entity was among the Persians that had been in and among
the officers of the king's command that had been overrun.
The entity came and made for those conditions that brought
to its own land a greater peace and harmony, and aided in the
establishing of what later became the Zoroastrian activity;
which has in the present been of especial interest - and will
be more so if it is studied the more. The name then was
Axendia.
In the experience the entity gained throughout; and in the
present there are those abilities of the entity as to its
descriptions that it may write; as of a play, as of a
wedding, as of any functioning where there is the activity
that joins lives or makes for those associations that will
bring into the experience the changes for the opportunity of
developing and giving of selves in service for others. These
become as innate and manifested in the entity's abilities and
activities in the present. It is well to build upon same.
Before that we find the entity was in that known as the
Atlantean land, during those periods when many were making
preparations for the changes from the land when the
calamitous activities were imminent - through the activities
of the sons of Belial, in opposition to those of the Law of
One.
The entity then was among those peoples that were advanced
from the various developments during that period and was
an expert in handling of the crafts of the day that made for
the manners of escape by those that went to the different
lands; as to the Pyrenees, to Lama (?) or Lemu (?), into
Yucatan, and to the Egyptian land - to which the entity went
and engaged in the activities there; or all of these - as
things that pertain to the Aztecs, that later arose as those
things of Egypt, the Pyrenees, the Incal - have their
influence in the entity's activities in the present, the
developing of which may make for experiences that may bring
the greater material gain in the present.
For the interests that are arising in the activities that are
unearthing - as in Alexandria, as it will be in Yucatan - as
is to be in the next two and a half years in the Gobi - will
enable the entity to use its abilities in that direction; for
it may depict or write about such things, in play or song, as
few can EVER do!
The name then was Azexl.
As to the abilities of the entity in the present and that
to which it may attain, and how:
First know in self in what thou hast believed, and then set
that as the ideal. Not in material things, not in the
activities of individuals, not in that which partakes of the
earth as earthy; but those attributes of the soul that may
find activity in the earth - these make for those things that
the entity may set; for these become as experiences that may
bring for the entity that basis upon which there may come not
only peace and harmony and understanding, but make for the
experience throughout this sojourn as one worth while. And
when the darker days come, and when the shadows come that
would make thee afraid, turn within and have a good time at
scaring the bogies away from those that would fear, that
would doubt.
In those channels, then, that make for thy abilities in
aiding those that are seeking to give expression; as in the
writings by self and in aiding others in those directions may
the greater work be done.
Ready for questions.
(Q) In what particular field of literature would the entity
find the greatest expression?
(A) In that in aiding those who write as for plays, or those
who write for short stories.
(Q) How can the entity overcome the distractions from his
work?
(A) Remain not on the outside. Have patience first with
self; then look within. For thy body is indeed the temple of
the living God, that is within thee. When thou fearest from
those things from without, then look within - and there ye
shall find comfort and joy and harmony. For He has promised
to meet thee there. Thou as His son DEMAND of thyself to be
happy though the heavens fall, though the earth pass away;
for His Word shall NOT pass away, it remains with thee!
We are through for the present.
Copy to Self
Copy to Ass'n file
BACKGROUND
1/21/35 Letter: "The particular questions or light I should
like to receive in this respect is the line of work I should
be engaged in.
"I have jumped back and forth between the literary and
journalistic fields and the musical field. Which of these
do I 'belong' in, from an astral view? And are my faculties
more critical than creative? That is, ought I to prosecute
my urges as a playwright (creative) or remain in the field of
theatrical criticism? Or ought I to 'chuck' both and 'go
popular' - 'go Hollywood' - and do popular entertainment for
mass consumption?"
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation