This Psychic Reading given by Edgar Cayce at the office of the Association Arctic Crescent, Virginia Beach, Va., this 15th day of April, 1944, in accordance with request made by self - [5025], new Associate Member of the Ass'n for Research and Enlightenment, Inc., recommended by the book, THERE IS A RIVER.

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. (Notes read to and transcribed by Jeanette Fitch.) Born May 30, 1883, in ..., Maryland.

TEXT

1. 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 developed or retarded the entity; giving the abilities of the present entity, and that to which it may attain, and how. You will answer the questions as I ask them:
2. EC: [After repeating suggestion in an undertone] Yes, we have the records here of that entity now known as or called [5025].
3. In giving the interpretations of the records as we find here, this is an entity in the consciousness of those things that ordinarily, or astrologically, would form a habit of being a very unstable person; yet the application of the ideals and purposes of this entity has eliminated such characteristics entirely from this entity; provided the entity more or less has its own way.
4. This (having its own way) may be well or it may be bad, depending upon the ideals and purposes maintained by the entity, physically, mentally and spiritually.
5. The abilities of the entity are indicated in the direction of research or of a general service to those who would be trained in definite directions or in definite things pertaining to a universal work; as those who would be trained for Social Service, Travelers Aid, Red Cross and the like. If the entity will hold to these and keep these activities, we will find the entity succeeding in its endeavors and making application of those abilities in which the entity may contribute to the general welfare of others.
6. As ye serve others ye serve thy Maker. Let that be as the watchword, let that be as the directing influence in the application of the entity's endeavors; and we will find that the entity may carry on.
7. As for the appearances in the earth, we find these very definite that are influencing the entity in this special period of unfoldment. While not all are given, these indicate the pattern:
8. Before this the entity was in England when there were trials and turmoils from activities in the disturbance between church and state.
9. The entity organized those efforts in activities for the care of the young and the indigent during those particular troublesome times.
10. Then in the name Julia Chandler the entity gained in purpose, in ideals, in application; losing only in becoming self- conscious or the determination to have self's own way.
11. In correcting these let the prayer of the entity continually be: "Not my way but thine, that I may be the better channel, that I may be of the greater service, that I may be a manifestation of the glory of the Father through the Christ in the earth; thus lending the more to the knowledge of God through Christ."
12. Before that the entity was in the Roman land when there were persecutions of those following in the way of the man of Galilee.
13. The entity then was among those who aided in adding to the comforts of those who were ministers and teachers through such troublesome periods. The entity had its own household for the care and protection of many. This eventually brought disturbances to that activity.
14. The name then was Lydia. The determinations then were in the mental and material, prompted through the teachings and the principles "If they have hated me, they will hate you."
15. These kept the entity through those trials and persecutions, when the entity was offered as a sacrifice, and the manners in which the entity was saved brought fear to many.
16. So may the entity in the present in following through with its ideals and purposes find that, as it were, from unseen sources there comes the help needed for the carrying on of activities.
17. Before that the entity was in the Atlantean land when there were those turmoils that brought the eventual destruction in the city or country of Poseidia.
18. The entity was among the children of the Law of One and remained true in its services to those things and peoples that were to be united in an effort. Though the activities of the sons of Belial brought destruction, the entity turned not from its purpose and activity.
19. Thus those abilities in organizing, teaching, ministering, that are a part of the entity's consciousness in the present. In these activities the entity may succeed the more. The name then was Assenele.
20. As to the abilities in the present, then, apply self in those directions for instruction, for organization, for such activities in which the entity may bring into play the greater abilities and the greater service that may be given to others.
21. Ready for questions.
22. (Q) Please advise me how I may best carry out the religious school work which in my heart's desire?
    (A) Let the desire be as given, not merely self as a determining factor, but "Lord be thou the guide". Turned in this manner, the activities may bring help from unexpected sources, as in those experiences when Lydia gained her freedom.
    In such activities ask for appreciations through foundations that are a part of such labors, nationally and internationally, as well as the local undertakings.
23. (Q) What were the past association, what are the urges, and how may they best be used for the mutual development with the friend who has been closely associated with me in religious ideals for many years?
    (A) In the Roman activities ye were in the same household as a companion in the ministering to the saints.
24. We are through with this reading.

    Copy to Self
    Copy to Ass'n file
    [On the basis of correspondence, both questions above were formed by IMG.]

BACKGROUND

1. 4/13/43 Letter: "Yesterday on the train coming from my home in ..., Md., back to the school of which I am the principal in ..., Mass., I read the account of the wonderful work you have done and are doing in 'There Is A River' - it seems to me that I should have both a Physical and Life Reading, for I am in the midst of a very perplexing problem.
   After teaching for 13 years and being principal of schools for about 15 years, I am going to have to find a job. The Board of the school has decided not to reappoint me for next year. They have done it in a very clumsy way. My friends are trying to persuade me to go at once; for the Board has appointed my least cooperative teacher as my successor, and they also appointed her my assistant for the remainder of this year, giving her certain duties which are the essence of my position, and asking me or (directing) me to teach her how to run a school! Of course, it is a very galling situation. Parents, teachers and pupils are very much upset. Would a Life Reading guide me in deciding whether to try to go on in this same line, or try something else? And would a Physical advise me about the weariness and lassitude which have overcome me?"
2. 8/04/43 Letter: "...I am in such need of guidance! I think your suggestion in your recent letter, that a Life Reading seems more nearly what I need, is a good one... Now, for almost the first time in my life I have time (and pray that I may have the energy) to do some investigating of research. As an administrator, of course, I have had specialists to give intelligence tests of many kinds to the children in my schools, but I have always felt that even the most carefully worked out and administered ones were just touching the surface. And it seems to me that the possibilities you are opening up may bring great blessing.
   Several of my friends are anxious to have me start a school of my own, in which those of my lost faculty who shared my vision of a school in which the core was religion, 'A Search for God' and the life based on the Sermon on the Mount might function without interference from a Board! I have no funds to found such a school, but if we could get it started on very simple lines, there is some slight foundation for a hope that a fund might come to us. At any rate, I should be so glad to learn more about your work and do anything I could to help. So you can see why I am so anxious to have a reading for myself, both to see if I have any aptitude for putting these findings of yours into effect, and also to get closer to God myself. For I believe that will take care of my headaches and the lack of my usual energy which is worrying me so much. My doctor thinks I am just suffering from the shock of my experience of being treated so abominably by my Board, etc., but I ought to be able to turn even that experience to good account..."
3. 12/21/43 Second class test mailing sent. Whereabouts unknown.
4. 3/16/44 Letter: "I am looking forward with great hope to the time of my Life Reading, having waited for it for over a year... I have had no money earning position since the trouble at school last year... I recall your saying that just before the time of the reading, I should write you any topics on which I was especially anxious to receive guidance.
   First of all, I should be glad for some advice about the one great human love of my life, about which I have been praying day and night for the past 2 years when things began to seem to go wrong. That and my need for a job, both come under the big heading of how I can best serve our Lord and humanity. At this time of the year, many suggestions of jobs are coming to me. But in comparison with the $5,000 positions I have held in the past, they offer very little salary and very restricted opportunities for service. I have always used the greater part of my salaries for the upbuilding of the school which I have been reorganizing at the time, and hence have saved very little. This winter I have been visiting friends, and married brothers, helping look after their children - and I have loved doing it. And if love (which my friend and I have both believed God had given us) had not seemed to desert me, I should have had a very happy year in spite of financial restrictions. I don't know, of course, what help you can find for me, but my need is great. I wish my friend had written you for a reading too, as he is (as well as I) very much interested in 'There Is A River'. He is a very sincerely religious man, and thought I was making a mistake in writing you, as he thinks God will tell me directly what He wants me to know and do. But I can't help being thankful that when God has given you this special gift, that you are using it for His work and that He led me to hear of it and will let you help me in my turmoil and confusion. I have always read my Bible and prayed and I shall do so more than ever this month, you may be sure..."

REPORTS

1. 11/02/44 Received change of address card.
2. 8/31/50 Questionnaire sent. No reply.
3. 10/22/52 No record of verbal or written contact on this case since date of reading.
4. 4/09/53 Miss [5025] requested via her brother, and was sent, a copy of her Life Rdg.
5. 3/59 Return mailing indicated a new address and that Miss [5025] had become a MRS. [5025].

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