This Psychic Reading given by Edgar Cayce at his office, 115 West 35th Street, Virginia Beach, Va., this 6th day of June, 1930, in accordance with request made by self - Mr. [5484], through his sister, Mrs. [454].

Present: Edgar Cayce; Mrs. Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Mrs. [454] and Mr. Baker.

TEXT

1. GC: You will have before you the body and the enquiring mind of [5484], ... Street, New York, and his business associations and relations. You will answer the questions I will ask you regarding any of these, and all other phases of his life.
2. EC: Yes, we have the body, the enquiring mind, [5484]. There may be much given as respecting the abilities of the body. There may be also given as respecting those conditions as cause dissatisfaction and discontent in the experience and experiences of the body.
3. In the body physical, while very good, there should be precautions taken, especially as to the using up of the nervous energy of the body without the necessary precaution to replenish and rebuild. While the body needs that of making for specializing in certain directions through the present, or contemplated associations - there should be more consideration to the well ROUNDED life, and the interests of the mental body see the greater scope of experience in many fields. This may be said of most bodies, but particularly should THIS body make more of such conditions; rather than centralizing so much in one way or manner - for while there should not wholly be dependence upon chance acquaintance, nor upon friendships, for the working out of those conditions in the business affairs OF the body; still, there SHOULD be known - that to be of interest is to be of service to all whom the body contacts, and especially in any relationships with ones the body meets or contacts, especially in the business abilities of the body.
4. Changing of the environs to those of, while not so speculative in their nature - more STABLE in the issues, would be more stabilizing to the abilities and to the body itself; for security must be felt in that the body would sell, and unless a body - and THIS body especially - believes in that which it has to OFFER, whether to friend or acquaintance, there cannot be that of the whole-heartedness in its activities.
5. Ready for questions.
6. (Q) Should I continue selling new securities for the [...] Brothers?
   (A) This the body should consider well itself, for if one should NOT determine in a moment that which is to make such a change in its surroundings, associations or environs; but to change to those that are of a more STABLE nature would be much more SATISFYING, and - as WE find - would be MUCH better than continuing in those of such new issues as to be rather speculative, and sometimes QUESTIONED - even by self
7. (Q) Should I continue the same work for another house?
   (A) We would continue the same CHARACTER of association, but a different CLASS of association.
8. (Q) Will internal conditions at [...] Brothers change in my favor?
   (A) This the body may MAKE to change in his favor, for the TENDENCIES are such - SHOULD the body desire to continue in that association altogether.
9. (Q) If I change - what kind of house - large or small?
   (A) Large.
10. (Q) Should I try to open a "new securities" department for a brokerage house?
    (A) This would not be so well in the beginning. Would the body train self, through actual experience in those of the more stable securities' sales, THEN the body will be in the position to open such a connection or such a branch with old associations or connections.
11. (Q) Should I accept the offer from ... & Co. to sell only seasoned securities for them?
    (A) We would!
12. (Q) Will my connection with them be permanent, pleasant and profitable?
    (A) That may be only made or answered within self, according to the application of self; for the abilities of self lie in this direction - but that is answering; for ever is it as of old, "There is set before thee good AND evil". One chooses according to the application, or the spirit of self's application to that chosen to be done. Make for self that position, that - whether selling securities, shoe strings or shoe blacking - the NECESSITY is a service rendered by self to the individual, and unless this can be felt, lived, acted, do not associate self in that correction.
13. (Q) Should I make a change into an entirely different kind of business?
    (A) No.
14. (Q) Should I economize further in my scale of living, pending outcome of any new venture, and along with lines?
    (A) This will depend upon the application of self to the associations in the new surroundings. Set before self an ideal. Make that ideal worthy of being attained, but of such a high nature that it is BEYOND the reach even of self. Do not lose the ideal. Do not so act, in ANY capacity - whether in that of act or deed towards self, associates, or the surrounding conditions - as to be in the position of losing faith or confidence in self; yet never be overbearing nor over confident; knowing that, "As ye sow, so SHALL ye reap", for "With what measure YE mete, it shall be MEASURED to you again."
15. We are through.

    Copy to Self
    Copy to Ass'n office
    Copy to Datastician

BACKGROUND

1. 6/02/30 Letter: "...I had dinner the other night with my sister, [454], and in the party was Dave Kahn. Your name was mentioned rather early in the evening, and from then until almost midnight the conversation was entirely about you, your work at the Beach, and the help you have rendered Dave, the [454]'s, and many others.
   "I was very much impressed - as one must be impressed - at Dave's recital of your marvelous powers; so much so that, relying on your friendship with these good folks I am going to ask you to do something along the same lines for me.
   "I will have to make an important decision along about Thursday or Friday of this week. It is bound to influence my entire future.
   "My work for something over a year has been selling entirely new issues of securities for a very well-known and prominent house. I have been dissatisfied with the kind of securities I have been offering and with internal conditions under which I have been working. I am contemplating an offer from a young but progressive firm to sell only seasoned and matured issues for them, largely along investment lines rather than for speculation on margin.
   "There is no precedent to go by in deciding on the change, so I need all the help I can get. If, therefore, you will be good enough to answer as many as possible of the questions I have attached I shall be most grateful to you for your assistance..."

REPORTS

1. 6/10/30 Letter: "...I have received the reading you gave me on June 6th and have been very much interested in studying it in detail.
   "Before commenting on it, however, I want to thank you for pushing it forward so as to be in time for helping me in the decision I had to make.
   "I was naturally pleased and gratified to get your advice as to the new connection toward which I was strongly leaning, and in light of your favorable opinion I have taken the step contemplated, and it now remains to be seen just how it will work out. As to this, I shall be glad to post you from time to time if you are interested.
   "I was much struck by the fact that without any question on my part you hit on my 'using up of the nervous energy of the body without the necessary precaution to replenish and rebuild', for it is very true that I have been working too hard, day and night, along business lines and have not taken any recreation or vacation in some time. This I shall have to correct if I can, but I greatly fear that in my new work, for the present at least, I shall have to apply myself pretty strenuously to the mastering of the new phases of the business.
   "With regards, I am..."
2. 6/20/30 EC's letter: "...I have yours of the 10th, and am glad indeed to know that you were interested and found the information worth studying in detail. We certainly hope that you will be able to use or apply same in such a way as to bring you that which is the very best for yourself in every way and manner.
   "We will be glad to hear from you from time to time, and certainly hope that we may be of help..."
3. 6/29/30 Letter: "...Many thanks for your kind letter of June 20th offering further assistance, and I am taking advantage of your offer at once.
   "There is one answer in your reading that troubled me and I waited until [454] returned to see whether she could throw any light on it, but she suggests my writing you further.
   "Question #9 of reading [5484-1, Par. 14-Q], 'Should I economize still further in my scale of living, pending outcome of the new venture, and along what lines', and your answer: 'This will depend upon the application of self to the associations in the new surroundings...', etc., etc., require a little further detail, and, if possible, a definite answer. I have found that application is not always productive of concrete results. I applied myself so thoroughly in the old place that you cautioned me in your preamble to the reading against 'using the nervous energy of the body', but I still found I was getting nowhere. I can do the same, and am already doing it, in the new association, and still find that conditions of the market and of business in general are against me, and are apt to be for some time, as far as substantial earnings are concerned.
   "It is this that I am vitally concerned about, and if you could clear it up for me in one of your 'check-up' readings I would like to have a definite answer to Question #9 [Par. 14-Q] if possible. If any charge is entailed please advise me and I will forward check..."
4. 7/09/30 EC's letter to [5484]:
   My dear Mr. [5484]:
   Replying to yours of the 29th, I wish that I had the opportunity to go over your reading with you. I do not believe, Mr. [5448] that you will get any more definite answer, that would be a workable thing, if the question was asked in another reading. Don't misconstrue this, as to mean that I don't want to try and be of help - but I'm afraid you have overlooked the real basis or foundation of the information itself. To get a definite answer, as to yes or no - would mean that your own will power is to be overshadowed by some force outside of yourself that's greater than yourself. Such is NOT the case. Such a thing is not possible, for a man alone is the only creature that can defy God Himself, for he is so much a portion of the Whole that man is a creator himself, and he either makes his will one with Him, making him heir to all of the divine that is possible - or he DEFIES Him, and then suffers the consequences.
   Now, if you will take that into consideration, you will see that the answer to your question is simply putting it up to you, Mr. [5484] - Just use your plain common sense, and meet the conditions as you would have YOUR GOD meet them! Now, if your God is money, position, power, fame, and NOT ANYTHING else - then you are asking God Himself to conform His will to yours, not you conform yours to Him, for "In Him ye live and move and have your being", and you are to use your substance, your days, your time, in a way that is well pleasing to HIM. If that requires that you make sacrifice, MAKE it! If it requires that you live a life that is gratifying of your own selfish interests, you know that it's not in conformity with His will - because the world doesn't move in that direction.
   Isn't your question answered? Thank you.
   Sincerely, EC:GD
5. 10/11/30 Letter advised us to continue his name on our mailing list but to use his home address instead of the business one.

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