Edgar Cayce Readings, 2656-1

Time and Place: 3:30 P. M. Eastern Standard Time. ..., Alabama.

TEXT

GC: You will give the relation of this entity and the Universe, and the Universal Forces, giving the conditions that are as personalities, latent and exhibited, in the present life; also the former appearances in the earth's plane, giving time, place, and the name, and that in that life which built or retarded the development for the entity, giving the abilities of the present entity and that to which it may attain, and how.
EC: Yes, we have the entity and those relations with the Universe and Universal forces as appear in the present entity, and as related to those that are builded within the personality of the entity in the present sphere; for, as we find, the will's forces in the present entity have brought many of those conditions that are as the abilities of the entity. Some have been for weal, some for woe, and these will appear as the urges are seen, and - as seen - there are some urges, yet, as have not been carried to the point where the entity has applied same to the fullest.
In entering the earth's plane, we find the entity comes under the influence of Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, and the benevolent influences in Uranus. Hence we find, WITHOUT respect to will's influence, these are the urges as have been the characteristic conditions of the individual as has been manifest in the present earth's plane:
One of high moral issue always in the predominance by the entity.
One very emphatic, and one very emphatic at times to the entity's own undoing, for at times it (the condition) has reached that point wherein it (the condition) has brought that as was considered by others rather of mule-headed than good judgement.
In the conditions that are as the natural trend, then:
One studious of nature.
One whose abilities have been and do lie in bringing better conditions for others, and ever has there been the tendency to help the under dog.
One, then, of high moral fibre.
One of high temper also. One that has not ALWAYS controlled this!
One that tends to be the teacher, the leader, the director, and is of nature one that leads many peoples; not only in doing but in thought.
One that has developed, then, MUCH, as respecting the will's action in the life in the present experience.
One that has found many hardships in the present experience, some by the entity's trustfulness in others that have proven the detriment to the body's own best interest from the financial viewpoint, yet one that has not been hardened or become cynical by such actions, being grounded in that ennobling influence that brings to every mind the brighter and higher side of any condition.
As to the appearances, and the urges as are seen in the present earth's experience:
In the one before this we find in the days when the peoples were coming to this present land of sojourn. The entity was among those who first came as the settlers in the land now known as Rhode Island. The entity was among those then that settled near now Providence, and in the name Protoso, and the entity gained in that experience, even through the hardships suffered by the entity in the physical, for it was the intent and purpose as set by the entity to bring life and liberty in heart and in the action to self and to others. Hence, as is seen, that urge that has ever been with the entity, to have that higher, closer, feeling for those who are persecuted for ANY cause, and taking the side of the under dog.
In the one before this we find in that period when there was the persecution of that sect then in the Roman rule. The entity then among those who would shield that minister as came to that peoples, and then in the name Isabodd, and the entity being then in that of the tent maker, and in the service of those that were in power, yet brought much of the comforts to the teacher, Paul, and the entity finds in every experience in the present life that peace, that hope, in the message as was left by that individual in the earth's plane. Hence there is seen in the urge that of the love for that ministry to others, yet that temperamental condition as has been presented has made the entity - even in this at times - sometimes cold and sometimes hot.
In the one before this we find in that period when the peoples were being carried away in captivity from the Promise Land. The entity then among those carried into Abyssinia, and the entity then in the name Achiah, and the entity LOST during that sojourn, for in the carrying away the entity lost in the power to resist the temptations of the aggrandizement of the fleshly lusts. In the urge as is seen, the desire ever for those things just OUT of reach, yet the fear of those in power.
In the one before this we find in that rule when the laws were being made in now the Peruvian country. Then in the rule of Og (?). The entity brought to self and others much faith, much hope, and much destructive forces, for the entity then in the position of the ruler's guide, and in the name Joiael, and the urge as is seen is that of the fear of what OTHERS may think or say from the actions of the entity.
As to the abilities, and as to the application:
As is seen in that as given, the entity has reached that stage wherein the developments far outpass or class that retarding force in the urge of the entity. Remain, then, true to that calling as has been set in Him - for those words are true as are loved by the entity (those of Paul), in that "My course is run. I have fought the good fight. There is henceforth laid up for me the crown of righteousness, for in Him is the light, and the light shineth unto the dark places."
Keep, then, that light ever in the mind of those who come, and to whom the body may go, for in Him is the way that leadeth to everlasting life.
We are through for the present.

BACKGROUND

1/18/26 Wife [979]'s letter: "He is working in ... collecting for the ... College."
2/13/27 Wife's letter: "He is working at the R.R.Y. in ... does not like the night work but at his age it's hard to get work of any kind. I thought perhaps a reading may help him to know what to do."

REPORTS

4/17/27 Wife [979]'s letter to EC:
..., Ala.
Dear Mr. Cayce:
The reading of Mr. [2656] was gladly received and I have been putting in some study on it, in a way it doesn't tell so much until one does study it, like reading the Bible unless we get the spiritual understanding we don't get the full meaning - it is I think true, but I see it veils some things, as the old saying goes no one but God knows and He won't tell - ha! ha! Now I want to ask you as you have had so many of these, do you think the way it winds up, that his course is about run? it does not give any definite plan or give very much as to the future. I have not sent this to him for that reason. I did not know just how it would effect him and the part it told about - there are some urges, yet, as have not been carried to the point where entity has applied same to the fullest. I do not know and you may not know just what that is, if it's some work yet to accomplish or some thing to over come.
Then where it tells of his trustfulness in others that have proven detrimental to the body's own best interest from a financial viewpoint. I think I told you he was working at the R.R. Y.M.C.A. They owe him quite a lot - in fact - over two hundred dollars in wages, and he is not sure if he will get this or not. The way the reading gives it, it sounds very much as if he would be the loser, am telling you this that you may see how true the reading is in that respect and in fact all of it as far as I can judge. It tells very interesting things about the different urges - another question; have you found where there are so many urges that the person has a longer life? or is it just a more complex one? His gave four, mine [979-4] three and [2657]'s two. Another puzzle is, the urge that was near from where one is born. Oh! I guess the more we know of life the more we see how very little we do know.
4/26/27 EC's letter to Mrs. [979]:
My dear Mrs. [979]:
As always, I was very glad to have yours of the 17th. I will certainly have to agree with you, Mrs. [979], that one does not gain very much from the Life Readings without considerable study, yet to my mind there are so many things in life that are fully explained if we study a Life Reading, that I am growing more and more to not only believe in them but to depend upon them - for I wouldn't know how to explain many passages in the Scripture without much of the information that we have been getting in such readings; yet we find a great deal of the information is clothed in such words that we have to study it very much in the same way that we have to study the Bible. I have been very anxious to know what Mr. [2656] would think about this and his reading - though you possibly may be right in not showing it to him. I wouldn't consider that it meant some specific thing when it said he had been inclined to trust people too far, but that this condition might be used as proof of this being true, and as regards telling one how they may apply themselves, I'm sure you notice that the theory of the Life Reading is that will's forces, or the will of an individual, are the ruling factor, and where an individual has to set themselves - by the application of their will - for a great period of time, there is usually not a great deal given as to further application, other than their drawing a comparison between their good and bad inclinations, and I shouldn't think it would mean any special reference to drawing near to the close of the present experience. But I think it must mean that he has some special work he has in mind, and has an urge to do, that is yet to be accomplished, and in the light of this I think it would be good for him to read same. Wherever there are many more urges, there usually is the indication of a very much longer life. Not necessarily a more complex one - for in practically every instance I think the readings have been helpful to an individual in PREVENTING the complex. Yes, the more we know, the less we know. But, applying that we know, the more we gain...
2/15/33 Wife [979]'s letter: "Mr. [2656] had to give up his work in ... on account of his health, and he has been home over a year."
3/23/33 "He does not try to work anymore except odd jobs about the house - is pretty strong and well for a man of his age - 79."
6/24/36 Wife [979]'s letter: "Mr. [2656] passed away June 4th - was only bedfast ten days, altho he has been in poor health for a year or more. I thank God was good to him in many ways. He lived to be 82 and one-half years old - was spared a long illness in bed. Although not well the last year he would work about the yard and garden, ate and slept well, so feel God was good to him. He realized he was going and was conscious up until noon Wed. - died at 6 o'clock Thurs. morning. This is the second time I have passed 'under the rod' (as he said) his time had come and was ready to go when God called. It's hard to adjust this to our mind and heart and lives - it's like starting life all over again, but God is my strength and I fear not."