This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at his home on Arctic Crescent, Virginia Beach, Va., this 28th day of August, 1936, in accordance with request made by the sister - Miss [813], Active Member of the Ass'n for Research & Enlightenment, Inc.

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. L. B. Cayce. Born February 15, 1888, in Johnstown, N.Y.

TEXT

1. EC: Yes (What a peculiar record!), we have the records of that entity here, now known as or called [1257].
2. In giving that as we find may be helpful to the entity in the present, know that the experiences of life in the varied consciousnesses are a portion of the divine plan for each soul to find its closer relationships to the Maker.
3. Then, in the relationship in material experiences with individual activities through each sojourn, does each entity become more and more aware of the divine giving expression in its own manner of each individual met.
4. Then does that indeed as has been given become as a part of the experience of that development, that awareness of the soul of its relationship to Creative Forces; that as ye do it, as ye act, as ye live towards each of those whom ye may contact day by day, ye do it unto thy Maker.
5. Not then what one professes, what one thinketh as in conversation; that it thinketh in the inner man and doeth in its activity towards others makes for that ability, that awareness of the consciousness of the indwelling of divine.
6. For the image in which man was created is spiritual, as He thy Maker is spiritual. For flesh and blood entereth not into spirituality; only as it becomes purified, glorified, sanctified. And that there come changes in the associations and in the activities, these then are indeed but the growth. For as hath been given of old, the seed ye sow in thy activities grow to fruition; some unto glory, some unto experience, some unto change that there may be the fulfilling in each individual of that which is necessary or that making for that worthiness in the experience.
7. For He thy Father, thy God, hath not willed that any soul should perish. Thus the soul that separates itself from the Maker doeth so in spite of the Maker, and is as that free- will that hath been given to each soul, that is the birthright of each soul.
8. Then it is not some great deed, not something of fame, not the accumulations of fortune, not those things that man in his weakness or for the gratifying of himself and his own material desires has set as standards, but rather he that is gentle, kind, longsuffering, that showeth forth patience; these - such as these - bear fruit in Him. For it is not in that man may buy or sell the eternal association and consciousness, but that he grows in grace, in knowledge, in understanding.
9. Thus doth the soul come to know its awareness. And in the experience with its fellow man draws as it were itself out as to whether it has become worthy of that glory to be in the presence of divinity itself.
10. For man remains in the presence of same, ever; for His presence abideth. He is nearer than thy hand, than thy mind, if ye will but take hold upon Him.
11. The astrological aspects make for those that become rather as tentative urges. For the entity in its activities and in its sojourns in the earth has rather applied self in many ways, yet so oft has there come into the experience the material turmoil or trial that has brought fear and doubt and misunderstandings; and the tendency for condemning of self or of hoping when activity has been needed!
12. Know that the LIVING forces of thy God are ACTIVE! Not as of stone or wood but as the spirit of truth that casteth out fear, that bringeth peace, that bringeth harmony, that bringeth those things that make for the associations with thy fellow man as a better neighbor, a better sister, a better daughter, a better mother, a better citizen.
13. These be those things that make for the opening of those awarenesses within that bring the peace that passeth understanding.
14. In those astrological forces we find one that tends rather to headstrongness, yet with those inclinations to listen but to do one's own way after all. These be not as faults but do not mislead self or those that would aid thee in such an attitude.
15. Hold fast to that which is GOOD, and SEEK; for the seeker shall find. And he that knocketh, to him it shall be opened. And KNOW thy Redeemer liveth and hath made intercessions for thee that ye, too, may know the way of life.
16. In the Venus forces or influences, a sympathetic, a complementary tendency in the activities of the individual, yet the so oft seeking and becoming discouraged because of material things that fade away. Lay not up treasures then in the material things, for these change; but rather in those that are of the spiritual nature, for these bring their reward in themselves. And let the material things, the material possessions, the material blessings, the material surroundings, be as a result rather than an end; let them be as an effect of seeking the Lord while He may be found. For all material things are only lent to be as opportunities for the individual, and that ye have given ye possess. If ye love, ye have given same. If ye would have friends, be friendly. If ye would have joy, make joy in the experience of others. If ye would have crosses to bear, if ye would have harsh words said to thee, if ye would have hard feelings from about, then do such to others and they come of themselves. For that ye sow, that ye must reap.
17. As to the appearances in the earth, we find these few as to numbers yet significant in their relationships to the entity. For as indicated, the application of will as respecting Creative Forces becomes the burden as it were of the entity's experiences. For know thy relationships to thy Maker may be measured in thy material surroundings by thy relationships to thy friends, thy neighbors, thy foes.
18. For as ye think in thy heart, so art thou. Dost thou hold a grudge, grudges are held against thee. Dost thou find fault, faults are found in thee. Dost thou find pleasure in making known the beauty of living, beauty of living and joys are within thee.
19. These are the criterions, then, for thine own. Art thou sorrowful? Art thou sad? Then thou hast created, thou hast made, thou hast brought the same in the experience of SOMEONE - somewhere - sometime. And all time, all where or space, is One. And that ye have given ye possess; that ye have spent ye have lost; that ye have reserved is gone forever.
20. Before this we find the entity was in the land nigh unto that of its present nativity, during those periods of the early portions of the Revolution, when there were the stormings of the forts about Lake Champlain.
21. The entity then was in the name of Natalie [?] Allen, and of those peoples that were a portion of those activities that made for producing turmoils in the experience of the entity. For the entity held rather to the peoples of its own, and thus with its companion's activity destructive forces began to be made in the experience.
22. With the successes materially, with the periods of the release from oppressions, greater understandings came to the entity, and thus the periods of the expansions or of soul development in that experience began.
23. As an instructor, as a teacher then; so may the entity in the present find an outlet - in preparing for the young or those in the teen ages, or in those that make for activities of an economic, a home, an educational nature; any of these affairs with the young, as the entity made then - and bring pleasure, help, peace, harmony. For it is the giving of these to others that brings same into the experience of self.
24. Before that we find the entity was in the Indian land, during those periods when there was the correlating of those tenets and teachings from the many lands - a period that must soon begin again in the whole of the earth; the correlating of these forces that are AKIN and NOT differences!
25. The entity then was in those activities as what would be called in the present a Sister Superior, or as a teacher-instructor, or a dean of activities in the teachings of those that made preparations for the commercial activities as well as the spiritual forces.
26. But the religious or spiritual activities took the greater portion of the entity's activity, then in the name Sasudi.
27. Saneid, Yum [?], Ra-Ta, Suun [?], many of these were the counsellors with the entity during those experiences.
28. In the present we will find those things that pertain to such teachings as mysteries, yet something that calls to the inner self.
29. Before that we find the entity was in the Atlantean land, during those periods when there had been the first of the upheavals through the destructive forces that brought first a fear, a wonderment, and then the seeking for those things that would quiet not only for the material but for the mental and spiritual welfare of the peoples.
30. Hence the entity was among those that attempted to make for the better understandings in the classes or castes, or those that were the teachings [teachers?] and those that were of the peasantry - or those as laborers. This made for great hardships from material, yet brought into the experience of the entity during that sojourn the greater blessings and greater developments.
31. So may the activity in self in the present be in giving to others, and thus find the greater joy, the greater peace, in this experience.
32. The name then was Aammeen.
33. As to the abilities of the entity in the present, that to which it may attain and how:
34. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. Knowing Him, the limits of thy abilities, thy activities, thy service, are only governed by the will of self. That there is much not seen in thine own hands of accomplishments should not make thee weary or tired, but rather find in the aid that thou may give to those in the groups as indicated those influences and forces that make for that which will give a greater service of self and thus bring harmony, peace, joy.
35. For seek within and there ye find. For He hath promised to meet thee in the temple of thine own self, and thy body is indeed the temple, as is a material building for the glorifying of a risen, a living, a loving divinity within thyself.
36. Ready for questions.
37. (Q) What was the date of her death in the last incarnation?
    (A) The 6th of September, 1779.
38. (Q) What was her vocation in the last incarnation?
    (A) Teaching.
39. (Q) What was the name of the town where she was born in her last incarnation?
    (A) Bennettsville [?]. Vermont.
40. (Q) The name of the town where she died?
    (A) Buena Vista.
41. (Q) Buena Vista, New York?
    (A) Vermont.
42. We are through for the present.

    Copy to Self - through Miss [813]
    Copy to Ass'n file

BACKGROUND

1. 8/20/36 Sister Miss [813]'s letter: "...Her husband died last month, you will recall, and she has grieved considerably over his death. I am pleased to note that she is turning within [much interested in A.R.E. and its work]. You know how it is: death makes us think. I think a Life reading will greatly benefit her at this time and turn her mind in right direction to follow..."

REPORTS

1. 9/14/36 Sister [813]'s letter to EC:
   "...How kind you were to respond so promptly to my sister's request for a Life reading! We were much surprised to receive it so soon and quite delighted. [1257] intended to write to you at once but her school duties seem to have prevented her from doing so. I think she will write soon, however.
   "She is principal of the local high school [GD's note: No indication was previously given that she was a teacher.] and due to a shortage of teachers because of lack of adequate room space, she is heavily loaded with school work. School opened the 31st of August this year.
   "Her Life reading is quite wonderful. No one who knows her could doubt the accuracy of the statements made. To use the timeworn expression - it hit the nail on the head! Her character, her weaknesses and her abilities were so beautifully outlined. And the advice given was perfect. Just what she needs if she will only follow it. She was told that she clings too much to material things - the transitory things - and that is her great weakness I have found.
   "She was a teacher in the last incarnation, and if I remember correctly, in each of the others given. No wonder that she played school with the fancy buttons in mother's button box when she was only eight or nine years old! The buttons were her scholars and she placed them in rows, gave them names and made them recite their lessons at that early age. She was advised in the reading that she should follow the profession of teacher in this life and that she was best fitted to teach those of the teen ages. This is interesting as she says she did not really enjoy teaching until she began to teach the pupils of the teen age.
   "How different each of these readings are! My own is completely different from any that I have seen. One conclusion I have reached as to the benefit derived from the Life readings: How much is received depends entirely upon the individual. As the old saying goes, we receive from a book what we take to it - and as another one goes, 'he who would receive the wealth of the Indies must take the wealth of the Indies with him.' And so it is with the readings. It would serve no useful purpose to give a reading for some persons for they could not assimilate the information nor follow the advice. Others receive untold benefits. We cannot help those who will not help themselves I have found.
   "I am so keenly interested in all the readings that come to my attention. I never cease to marvel at the wonderful way the best in the character of the individual is outlined and the way to strengthen the weaknesses pointed out. As a rule, to learn of one's past incarnations is apt to prove depressing. There is so much of sorrow and disappointment in life on this plane that we need to be strong and spiritually developed before we open the pages of the past. But these readings uplift, rather than depress - which makes them quite wonderful..."

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