This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at his home on Arctic Crescent, Virginia Beach, Va., this 14th day of December, 1937, in accordance with request made by the self - Mrs. [1499], new Associate Member of the Ass'n for Research & Enlightenment, Inc. via Mr. [257].

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Born November 21, 1886, in Memphis, Tennessee.

TEXT

1. EC: (In going back over years " - 1926 - yes, yes - a bad choice made - '25, '24 - '17 - a change - '16 - " etc., on back to birth date.)
2. Yes, we have the records here of that entity now known as or called [1499].
3. In giving the interpretations of the records as we find here, - that which may be helpful and hopeful is chosen with the hope of the application of that given for the awakening or unfoldment of the spiritual self, to become aware of that love that is set through the Christ-Consciousness into the hearts of men - everywhere.
4. In giving the astrological aspects as we find that become the innate influences or forces in the experience, these arise as urges; and may be met through the application of will, or by the choice of the entity in respects to what is set in self as the ideal in making such choices or such determinations within self. These arise from the mental or the deeper meditations.
5. But the urges from the material sojourns arise rather through the emotional nature of the entity. And while they are mental, they are that phase of the mentality that has sought and does seek expression from the material phase of the individual experience.
6. Hence the urges are not beyond being changed. For as one views the activities about one in every nature, as in the very laws of nature itself, one sees that it is a changing world. NOTHING stands still; it either advances through the laws that are applicable in its own stage or state of development, or is pushed aside by the general law of deterioration; that what is not in activity - or expanding in energies - becomes changed for the entrance into those influences as ye call separation or death, or the rebirth or the growth; dependent upon the manner of its application or use.
7. In relationships with these, then, with this entity, [1499] in the present:
8. We find in the astrological aspects the influence in the present sojourn of Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. These produce from the spirituality or mental side the abilities to be - as from the Venus influence - a loving, a good friend; an activity of hope and faith.
9. However, these deferred or these applied in the spirit of self-possession or self-indulgence, become drosses in the experience to make for hindrances or stepping-stones; dependent upon the application or use of the urge.
10. In Mercury we find the high mental abilities, with a development or ability to be developed to that activity as an executive; especially as related both to facts and figures, or activities that would be called the statistician or datastician; whether this would apply to one phase of an experience or another; those as would become the more adept, or in which the entity might become the more adept would be in dealing with activities of individuals, whether in a commercial sphere or in recordings for activities in physical or in even the mental aspirations and activities would be a part of the entity's innate or natural experience for development and activity.
11. In the Jupiterian forces we find especially periods of reverses, as conditions related to groups or masses, as benevolent or advancement forces.
12. For we find in Saturn AND Jupiter, as combined with Uranus, the influences for the extremes; and the changes as indicated from Saturn's activity, or the entity's sojourn in the environment of the decided changes in the experiences in the material relationships. And whether these are used for weal or woe depends upon purposes, aims and desires.
13. Hence all the more there is the necessity that the entity within self find what is its ideal. Not only in what it may believe, as for moral, religious, social or business associations and activities, but as to WHO is the author of such a choice. Is it founded in a growth from within as of a spiritual nature, or is it founded in self-indulgence or self-gratification, or self-glorification?
14. For indeed if these last be the aims, the purposes in self, they must eventually turn upon thee. But if the seeds and the purposes are of truth, and knowledge pertaining to the spiritual associations in the activities - these being the cause, the purpose, yea the very author of thy faith, thy confidence, thy desire - then we may expect and we may know these will grow and bring the fruits of the spirit; enabling each soul to become more patient, more longsuffering, more charitable; with stronger fellowships and the abilities to know, though the world may be against thee, though there may be trials and tribulations, there may be even want in body and want in the material things for the body, yet that food which is found in Him as the author and finisher of thy faith becomes the bread of life, the water of life, the true vine - that is, the Son.
15. Then we may know all these things in their place and their purpose for the sustenance of the body and mind and soul WILL be supplied; if ye put thy whole trust in Him.
16. For indeed He is the Creator, He indeed is the Maker of all that doth appear. For all power in heaven and in earth has been given into His keeping through the faith He kept with His fellowman; by His advent into the earth, by His doing good in all ways, at all times, under every circumstance. Yet not railing, on any - though they demanded His life in the material, though they cuffed and buffeted Him, though they swore and spit upon him, though they crowned him with thorns, though they abased him in every manner, yet opened He not His mouth - though He were their Lord, their Master.
17. And as ye hold to Him, ye - too - may become lord and master of EVERY situation in the material, in the mental, yea in the spiritual experiences through which ye may be called to pass.
18. For He hath indeed given His angels charge concerning thee. He hath promised indeed, "When ye call I will HEAR - and answer speedily." Yea, He hath given, "Try me" - but purge thyself of lust of every nature that ye may indeed know that peace as He gave, "My peace I leave with thee; not as the world counteth peace but as the Lord of love, of grace, of mercy." THESE be that peace that bringeth gladness and joy to the heart to be counted to be worthy to know His love in thy experience day by day.
19. As to the activities in the earth that make for the latent urges that arise through the material associations and for the development or gratifying of bodily appetites, bodily physical urges, we find:
20. Before this the entity was in the land of present nativity, but during those early periods or settlings in the land; in those portions about what is now known as the 'city of brotherly love,' or those environs of what is now called Philadelphia.
21. It was during those periods when those came to escape persecutions, because of their desire to worship a living God according to the dictates of their own consciousnesses.
22. The entity was among those who came into the land while young in years, then in the name Mary Magdala Bertheul. In the experience the entity gained and lost, and gained; for the entity gave itself in confidence, in promise, in the activities of those that were in authority, to have same abased in the eyes and in the judgements of other portions of society, other portions of that official acting in the authority of then called the church, the brotherhood, or the brethren.
23. Thus there arose within the innate experience of the entity a questioning respecting those that set themselves as teachers, as ministers, to activities in places of authority; whether in the religious activity or in those places of position.
24. Yet the entity in the latter portion grew to the ability to forgive even those who had despitefully used the confidences of the self.
25. Yet this lies dormant - and yet know, even as He gave, "Abiding in me - for if the world hated me, it will hate thee also for thy very goodness, for thy mercy, for thy grace," yet ye will have the abiding peace, if ye will abide in same, that will bring forth fruit WORTHY of acceptation by Him who is the Lord and the Judge of the earth.
26. Before that we find the entity was in that city now called the Holy Land, when there was the returning of those peoples to the Holy City.
27. The entity came with the last group, or those portions under Nehemiah; known to those leaders, Ezekiel, Ezra, and those that became the greater active in the recording of the records.
28. And we find the entity then, though in the opposite sex from the present, was among the scribes and translators of those activities during that experience; and associated with those in the temple as well as in those activities that gave the ministry in the teaching, the interpreting, the changing of the law as befitted the language of the day.
29. Hence we will find in the present the entity is a good linguist, one easily able to learn or to interpret other languages. The associations of the entity with peoples of various tongues will be a part of the experience. Yet the letter of the law and the spirit of the law not only of man but of God becomes a reckoning, or an experience or a judgement to be made by the entity in this present experience.
30. The abilities then are as an office manager, a stenographer or recorder or scribe or a copier; or in activities whether of the hand or of the machines of the day that are used. These become channels through which the entity may bring to itself material gains, yea material woes; a mental balance, yea mental and spiritual unbalance; dependent upon the application of purposes to which it may use its abilities in this direction.
31. Then the name was Shulemite, of the tribes of Judah AND Benjamin combined; for the entity made for an advancement, development, materially and mentally and spiritually during those experiences.
32. Before that we find the entity was in the land now called the Egyptian, during those periods when there was the returning from the Abyssinian land.
33. The entity was among the Natives that returned with the Priest (that is, the Natives of Abyssinia) and those couriers or the cortege or the groups that came back into the Egyptian land.
34. There the entity sought the activities in associations with the Priest and the under priests in the Temple of Sacrifice.
35. The entity there met rebuffs, but later - with the activities when there were the segregations and the separations of the peoples for definite purposes and activities - the entity came into what would from the material sense be called its OWN.
36. Then in the same as the present sex, but in its activities made for the bringing rather of disturbing forces with those that made for the large families. For the body held to the purposes that rather the choice than the promiscuous activities should be the influences to bring such when applied in the experience of all.
37. The name then was Ardun-Lel.
38. As to the abilities of the entity in the present, then:
39. These lie in the offices as an executive, as a copier, as a writer, interpreter; as associated in a diplomatic service or activity, or the building in any of these influences may the entity apply those intuitive forces that must first be determined within self - who IS, what is, thy ideal?
40. This determined, this held to, this builded - yea, this lived in thy experience day by day - may bring the opportunities for the soul AND the mental and physical developments that will build to the knowledge of the living Father working in and through thee in thy daily life.
41. Walk not in the paths of the ungodly; though ye may know, though ye may see - even as He - the slime and the slum, and those things that make men afraid; yet the souls of these are as dear in the sight of the Father as thy own. And what hath He given as being the whole law? Love the Lord with all thy heart, thy mind, thy body, and thy neighbor as thyself! "For as ye do unto the least of these, my children," saith the Lord, "ye do it unto me!"
42. Ready for questions.
43. (Q) Will I, in this life, find the Way?
    (A) He knocketh at thy door of thy heart. OPEN! Let Him enter! Study, read - not as rote, but see as thou readest that it is to THEE the message comes - the 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th of John; and ye will know it is thee that He is speaking to, speaking with.
    And ye will know, and the truth will make thee free of the LAW - as law.
44. (Q) Through whom may I contact this work? that I should get?
    (A) Through those channels that have been set in motion that become a part of thy experience. Faint not. Be not overanxious. Do the things TODAY thou knowest to do, and tomorrow - as ye pray - there will be shown thee the next step.
    Let Him lead, but don't direct Him as to how ye wish this done!
45. (Q) Should I live apart from my husband?
    (A) No.
46. (Q) How can I help him to bring out the best in himself?
    (A) Live day by day in that way and manner that, as He hath given, the soft answer turneth away wrath. As the gentleness and kindness that ye may give and show in the experience and in the associations make for heaping coals of fire as it were upon his OWN inner self, these will bring out, these will burn out, that which is amiss in his experience.
47. (Q) How can I aid him to stop drinking?
    (A) Pray!
48. (Q) Is it possible for him to be happy?
    (A) Possible, plausible, reasonable. He will be just as happy as ye make him!
49. (Q) Will I become a charge on the state in my old age?
    (A) This depends upon the application of self in the present. NO! Not if ye trust in Him who IS the Giver, the Maker of all that is!
50. We are through for the present.

    Copy to Self
    Copy to Ass'n file

BACKGROUND

1. 11/26/37 [1499]'s letter: "Please accept my gratitude for the feeling you gave me Monday night when you spoke..." [She submitted questions on how to find work since her 40 year old artist husband wanted her to leave him, was addicted to drink, etc.] "How can I practice auto-suggestion? I don't seem able to make it work."

REPORTS

1. 12/23/37 [1499]'s letter: "...I have read the reading over many times. I shall continue to read it, once at least every day. I take it to mean I have to make my own decisions. I know whose orders I wish to follow and whole life to imitate. I only want one.
   "My husband has been home several days with sore throat and high fever. The doctor says he is not perilously ill but is in great pain. I forgot to mention he is frail and exhausts himself and is ill many times in a year requiring nursing by me.
   "One thing in my reading puzzles me. It says I am not to leave my husband but that his happiness depends on me. Now my main reason for wanting to leave was to make him happy. He wants me to, says he, over and over again.
   "Well, Mr. Cayce, I know not what life will bring. I will do my best each day as though it were the last day. I wish I had your inner guidance. How happy you must be to be so close to One. I could feel it and even that made me happy.
   "With best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year for your whole little community, and especially to your sweet wife, with love..."
2. 12/28/37 EC's letter to Mrs. [1499]: "...Hope you had the nicest Christmas ever, and though it is bad to have your husband sick, especially at this season of the year, trust it gave you the opportunity to do some real work in the way and direction that would be the greatest help to you both.
   "Yes, the choice is ever our own to make; that is God's birthright to every soul, is what makes us different from other animals. It is only when we steep our souls in worldly things, customs, appetites, and the like that we lose our sense of choice. Hence, it is referred to in the good book as Esau selling same for a mess of pottage.
   "As these periods come, periodically, that he needs you, isn't that reason that you should stay? Maybe that is it. Deep thought of his, yes and your own soul welfare can tell, not satisfaction alone of physical desires.
   "Do today what you feel is the right and best thing to do asking HIM to guide you in the next step to take, living like that will make life more interesting, thinking each day - 'Lord, what will thou have me to do today?' will make a life of expancy [expectancy?] that cannot help but be worthwhile. All the guidance that is mine, is yours also, for He is not a respecter of persons, as we are. Put your trust in Him and working, praying all the while and He will not forsake you. "All are fair here; Miss Davis went home for Christmas, hasn't come back as yet; the first time she has been home at Christmas in 14 years.
   "All send love and best wishes, for the happiest and best New Year you have ever had..."

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