Edgar Cayce Readings, 1096-2

(Ck. Life Rdg. on the earthly existence as Vashti, the queen of Ahasuerus who held the peoples of the Promised Land in bondage. You will give a biographical life of the entity in that day and plane of earthly existence, from entrance - and how - into the earth's plane, and the entity's departure, giving the development or retarding points in such an existence. You will also explain how the expressions of the entity in that existence may bring the greater understanding to self and others in the present.)

TEXT

EC: Yes, we have the records here of that entity now known as [1096].
In the experience as Vashti, something of the conditions that surrounded the entity's entrance into that experience may be found necessary - if the entity in the present would make application of that which has been indicated would be well in the present experience.
As Ahasuerus came to the rule of the peoples in which there had grown more and more an activity of those peoples that were in bondage, more and more of freedom and activity had grown among the activities of the people - in much the same manner as those that may be considered from the experiences of the entity in the present environment or surroundings.
In that experience the entity was the daughter of one of the chiefs in the armies, and was fair of the mind AND body - and the developments or the activities pertaining to what would be termed in the present as the courts of the land.
At the age of sixteen, then, the entity was chosen by the king through the activities of the entity's parents; that there might remain favor in the activities of those that were as leaders in portions of the experience.
And being considered then the more beautiful of all of those of the court, the entity - as Vashti - was made the favorite.
The environs, or those that would be called the religious or moral thoughts of the peoples in the experience, were joined with the teachings that had been exemplified by Zend; that those in power, in authority, should have ONLY the ONE wife. Yet Ahasuerus and those about him were in those activities where the choice of many became rather the order.
Hence in the mind, in the activities of Vashti, these came as those things that were imbued from the own environs and its teachings and its interests; especially in what would be called the religious thought, or the moral relationships of the individuals' homes.
As there came the experience that Vashti failed in becoming the mother, as had been expected for those activities that were to keep the house or the sons of Ahasuerus upon the throne, then there became more and more the cries from the Jewish peoples that were in the court as councillors or as reporters of the activities that dealt with the service and the actions of those peoples.
More and more came the insinuations of the lack of the interests on the part of those that were in authority in the relatives or relations of Vashti, through the periods of the wars with those in both the northern and in the southern lands, or in the southeastern lands, that HAD brought more and more of the turmoils of a religious thought.
Hence there arose to power, through the activities of Vashti, that one indicated in some records as Haman; and there began then the activities through this as an individual to change the thought, to change the ideals, to change the ideas of the king as respecting these. And yet there was still the harkening of the king to those that made the declamations that no heir was upon the throne.
And there were those periods of the abuse of self (the king), in the drunkenness, the dissipations in the activities by those influences not only from the Indian land but from the Jews and those that had attempted to make for those periods of the changing of the king's ideas.
Hence Vashti was ORDERED, not by her own but by the JEWISH peoples, to appear at the banquets to display BODILY charms - as were those of the Jews and those of the Indians in their dance at the court.
With the refusal of Vashti (and this was only in the early portion of the twenties - in age - of Vashti), then there came the choosing of those that were to take the place of the queen.
Hence we find, as would be termed in the present day, there was PROCLAIMED a Beauty Pageant of the young women of the land.
Why did Vashti fail to present herself at such a condition or period? It was not only because of the political influence of those that had been placed in power, and the pitting of the friendships as one against another, but because of the moral attitude owing to the religious tend as a follower of Zend.
As to the experience of the entity following the rise of another to the place or position as queen, then, we find:
The entity, after a period of separation, was GIVEN to a friend of the king as a companion. And this belittled or made for those innate influences that have been indicated that arise in the experience of the entity in its relationships in the present with friends, political affiliation and association, and the DOUBTS that arise in the experience of the entity as to those that HAVE dedicated themselves for an active service and in the MIND of the entity (present) do not SEPARATE themselves from the activities of those that do otherwise.
Hence there are not only the political influences or associations that arise, but there are the religious inclinations and feelings about classes, or individuals' activities - and the SINCERITY that arises within the experience of the entity in the present.
Only at the age of thirty-three did the entity depart that experience, through those activities that came about by the destruction of those that clamored against those peoples raised to authority BY those that supplanted Vashti in the experience.
Then, in making practical application in the present:
There are urges arising innately, as indicated, to give those reasons for the activities of individuals in high places or put in authority by political influence, or in authority owing to what may be called birthrights.
All of these become as a portion of the entity's innate searching out of those things that cause or produce, BY such experiences, the influences that such INDIVIDUALS have upon not only groups but the classes and the masses.
Hence in making the application, use those things as the basis for the reasoning of why, how, individuals are raised to authority in ANY of those matters as indicated by their OWN application of that the INDIVIDUAL sees as its IDEAL and its sincerity of purpose in holding that ideal BEFORE self in EVERY activity with the fellow man.
For there arises, then, not only that thought of what is commonly termed heredity and environments of the flesh, but the deeper heredity and environment of the soul itself; that made for that experience of the entity in denouncing - as it were - its physical position for an ideal, as Vashti.
We are through for the present.
Copy to Self
Copy to Ass'n file

BACKGROUND

See 1096-1 on 1/06/36. Also see 3/25/36 letter which EC did not receive until P.M. AFTER 1096-2 had been given in the a.m. See 3/25/36 letter under 1096-1 Reports.

REPORTS

3/30/36 EC wrote in answer to her letter of 3/25/36 (which arrived in the P.M. AFTER reading 1096-2 had been given) which see under 1096-1 Reports:
Thanks a lot for your letter of the 25th. This did not arrive until the afternoon, following your reading in the morning. Consequently, we are making another appointment for a reading by questions - this coming Friday morning, the 3rd, between 11:00 and 12:00 o'clock.
All that you tell me about your experience, and about how the whole thing has impressed you, of course, is MOST interesting to me; for it is upon such expressions that we - here - base our efforts. It is our only excuse for "carrying on." WE do not understand how such things can be. Of ourselves, of course, they are NOT possible.
Your experience with Mr. Rosenberg was certainly remarkable; it just shows how every thread in our lives is so very important. He must have been associated with you in that particular period (as Vashti).
I hope we may get the descriptions given of the period, by asking the questions you sent, so that you may go right ahead with the book. It should be MOST interesting and worth while to many.
Thank you very much for your letter. We will be looking forward to seeing Vashti in print, and [1096] in person - before so very long.
If you find it convenient, it might be very much better for you to observe the hour appointed Friday morning, quietly, meditatively seeking.
Hoping that we may indeed be the means - a means - of helping you to do your best work in this life, I am
Sincerely, Association for Research & Enlightenment, Inc. EC:GD
P.S. Under separate cover we are sending to you the story of UHJLTD, the father of Zend and grandfather of the first Zoroaster. This, according to your reading, was the period just preceding Vashti. [See under 1770-2 Reports.]
4/03/36 See 1096-3.