The Essential Edgar Cayce (24 page)

EC:
Yes, we have the records here of that entity now known as or called [4087].

As we find, there are great possibilities but there are also great problems to be met with the training and the direction for this entity through the formative years.

For as we find this entity has more than once been among those who were gifted with what is sometimes called second sight, or the super-activity of the third eye. Whenever there is the opening, then, of the lyden (Leydig) center and the kundaline forces from along the pineal, we find that there are visions of things to come, of things that are happening.

Yet in the use of these through some experiences, as we will find, the entity is in the present meeting itself. For the entity was the prophet who warned Jeroboam. Read it! You will see why he is not to listen at all of those who may counsel him as to the manner in which he is to use the abilities that have been and are a portion of the entity’s experience; but to trust in Him who is the way.

Do not get away from the church! In the church keep these activities, that there may be surety in self that has to do or to deal with only the use of such insight, such vision, to the glory of the Father as manifested in the Son.

Do not use such for gratifying, satisfying, or even encouraging the entity to use such. But do train the entity in the use of divine purpose, divine desire. For if the purpose and the desire is right, we may find that the entity may—as in the experience before this—use the activities for the benefit of his fellow man.

For in the use of the power that has been a portion of the entity’s consciousness there may come help to many.

For in the experience before this the entity attempted to buy same from Peter. Hence that tendency, that realization that the misuse of same may bring destructive forces into the experience.

In that experience the entity being warned, as he asked “Pray that I may be forgiven for the thought that such might be purchased,” he was forgiven. For as it was indicated, “What thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, what thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” There we find that the entity through that experience used the ability granted through such for a greater understanding, a greater interpretation. For all of God that any individual may know is already within self. It is in the application and the practice of same within self, in its relations to its desires, its hopes, its fears, and to its fellow man. For as ye sow, ye must reap.

Before that the entity was the prophet of Judah who was sent to Jeroboam to warn him, and who brought about the withering of the hand, and also the healing of same; yet turned aside when faced with that in which the mind said “A more excellent way.”

There are no short cuts. What God hath commanded is true. For the law of the Lord is perfect and it converteth the soul.

Here the parents have a real, real obligation. They have a real, real opportunity. So live in self that thine own lives may be an example to this entity through its formative years. So teach, not let it be given to someone else—so teach, for it is thy responsibility, not the priest’s, not a teacher’s, NOT a minister’s responsibility, but thine. Don’t put it off. Don’t neglect, or else ye will meet self again.

In the training let it first begin with self, as with the entity [4087]. Joseph he should be called. Let the training begin with that indicated in Exodus 19:5—“If thou will harken to the voice, He hath a special work, a special mission for thee—but thou must harken to the voice within, that ye present thy body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Him, which is a reasonable service.” For they who have been called, who have been ordained to be messengers have the greater responsibility; not as a saint—for there is more joy in heaven over one sinner than ninety and nine who are so-called saints, or those who are themselves satisfied with that they do.

Then study that interpreted in Romans. Ye will find it is not from somewhere else, not from out of the blue, not from overseas, not from before the altar. For thy body is indeed the temple and there he may indeed meet his Maker. There indeed may he meet himself. There indeed may he open the door of his own consciousness so that the Master may walk and talk with him.

Do not discourage, do not encourage the visions—until the first lessons are learned.

Then there will be the needs that THOU, as well as others, take heed to the warnings this entity may be sent to give.

We are through for the present.

SUMMARY
of Edgar Cayce on Reincarnation and Life Purpose

Edgar Cayce’s understanding of reincarnation has a certain compatibility with the Judeo-Christian tradition. A succession of lifetimes makes it possible for the soul to move toward oneness with God while taking responsibility for its choices and constantly
meeting itself
in the circumstances of material life. But according to Cayce, karma is something more than debts to be paid; it’s a matter of
soul memory,
even memory stored in the unconscious mind. We tend to replay old memories and repeat old patterns until our free will consciously decides to create new patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting. Literally remembering the details of past lives is not what is important; rather than getting distracted by that, it is far better to focus on the challenges and opportunities in our
current
lifetime, employing reincarnation as a tool for understanding how and why everything happens for a reason.

Another significant aspect of Edgar Cayce’s theory of reincarnation is that for each lifetime the soul comes into the material world, it has a mission that includes work to help transform itself for the better as well as work that transforms the world for the better. Finding and using the soul’s talents is the key. Cayce suggests that with self-study, we can intuit the soul purpose and even articulate a personal mission statement.

CHAPTER SIX

SOUL DEVELOPMENT AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH

IN DESCRIBING THE GROWTH OF THE SOUL, EDGAR CAYCE IS sometimes criticized for lacking sophistication, for leaving out esoteric principles and relying too often on spiritual basics. But are we ready to deal with the details if we aren’t ready to deal with the fundamentals? There are no doubt more complex ways of defining the mission of the soul and its steps along the way to spiritual evolution. In fact, Cayce sometimes does just that. But in certain readings—the ones that really are the more
essential
Edgar Cayce—he does us a favor by stripping away the metaphysical and focusing on what it takes to be successful spiritually.

In this chapter, we explore the heart of the development of the soul as Cayce saw it. We start with a remarkable reading, 518-2, that eloquently addresses the question of what truly makes life worthwhile. What is the nature of
greatness
in life? Cayce articulates the basic goal of living as the nurturing of
a way of being in life,
a way that is open to God, and other people, and that finds the greatest meaning and joy by being a blessing to others.

Next, we take an overview of the sequence of spiritual growth that Edgar Cayce developed for individual and group study, the “A Search for God” series, which many people feel is the heart and soul of his teachings. Although more fully permeated with language from the southern Protestant tradition than elsewhere, the wisdom is universal nonetheless. It’s a demanding, powerful program for awakening a higher level of consciousness in ourselves.

WHAT IS GREATNESS?

The modern world pushes us into believing that greatness lies in notoriety. If something is well known, well advertised, or a part of everyday conversation, then it must be special. Nothing could be further from Edgar Cayce’s definition of greatness, of a life well lived. To him,
service done with humility
characterizes worthwhile living.

This theme weaves throughout this mental-spiritual reading, 518-2, which was done for a twenty-five-year-old woman who was searching for a deeper sense of purpose in life. Just eighteen months earlier, Cayce had given her a life reading that was full of past-life scenarios and advice that largely confused her. “I think my life reading is wonderful, but I don’t understand it,” she had written to him later. This second reading was to clarify the first. It’s a fine statement of the universal principles governing the growth of the soul, with a special emphasis on joyful service undertaken with patient humility. To some scholars, the fourth paragraph (see page 193) is his most incisive illumination of the universal purpose of life: It’s a journey toward becoming conscious, and cleansed, so that we can become companions with our Creator.

Ms. 518 must have been inspired by these sentiments, but she probably also wondered how such lofty ideas fit the more mundane problems she faced. In her first reading, she said she was perplexed about her choice of career. Rather than focus on career in the second reading, Cayce focuses on
a way of living
that leads to the development of the soul no matter what career path she takes. This emphasis on a way of life may remind us of Tao, or “the way.” Cayce’s version of the way sees joyful service displacing self-centered desires.

What can block service and the growth it brings? Sin, in the language of traditional theology. Hardly a concept that many of us would want to address seriously because of all the baggage that comes with it, Cayce addresses it head-on. Selfishness, grudges, and wrath were patterns in the woman’s soul that kept her spiritual identity—her
individuality,
or the
I AM,
as it’s called here—separated from God. And he warns against another kind of obstacle,
willfulness,
which focuses on private fulfillment. We
all
must guard against such selfishness, as much today as in Cayce’s time. We’re off the mark when we “intentionally turn our back” on spiritual opportunities, particularly in social relationships. With that clear warning, reading 518-2 returns to more hopeful themes, especially that great joy comes to anyone who makes an effort to lift the consciousness of anyone else.

Edgar Cayce even offers a two-part statement about what makes for greatness in life: that it is knowledge based, “That ye might know the Lord and
His
goodness”; and that it has a service component, that we “become as a messenger in thy service and thy activity before thy fellow man.” Note that service, however patient or humble, doesn’t stand alone. Its context comes from knowledge and understanding. Have you ever unintentionally caused more harm than good in an ill-conceived effort to serve? Without knowledge and understanding, you aren’t going to achieve the helpful results you hoped for.

THE READING

THIS PSYCHIC READING, 518-2,
WAS GIVEN BY EDGAR CAYCE ON AUGUST 13, 1935.
The conductor was Gertrude Cayce.

GC:
Mental and spiritual reading, giving the original purpose of entrance into this solar realm of experience, trace the mental and spiritual development from the beginning through the various stages of experience, and give such guidance as the entity needs in awakening her psychic soul faculties and in using same for the highest spiritual development in this life. You will answer the questions she has submitted, as I ask them.

EC:
Yes, we have the entity and those experiences in the mental and soul forces of same, as may be applicable in the experience in the present; that may make that necessary for the entity’s development and to bring the influences that are necessary for the understanding.

In tracing the experiences of the entity, and in giving purposes, aims, desires, let these be set as the law; or as the ideal manner of approach to any of such conditions:

First, the entering of
every
soul is that it, the soul, may become more and more aware or conscious of the Divine within, that the soul-body may be purged; that it may be a fit companion for the
glory
of the Creative Forces in its activity.

The activity for this entity, then, is the same; that it may have the opportunity. For it has been given that the
Lord
hath not willed that any soul should perish. But with every temptation He hath prepared a way; so that if he or she as the erring one will turn to Him for that aid, it may find same.

Then again, in the appearances, do not look or seek for the phenomenon of the experience without the purpose, the aim.
Use
same as a criterion, as what to do and what not to do. Not that it, the simple experience, has made or set
anything
permanent! For there is the constant change evidenced before us; until the soul has been washed clean through that the soul in its body, in its temple, has
experienced
by the manner in which it has acted, has spoken, has thought, has desired in its relationships to its fellow man!

Not in selfishness, not in grudge, not in wrath; not in
any
of those things that make for the separation of the I AM from the Creative Forces, or Energy, or God. But the simpleness, the gentleness, the humbleness, the faithfulness, the long-suffering,
patience!
These be the attributes and those things which the soul takes cognizance of in its walks and activities before men. Not to be
seen
of men, but that the love may be manifested as the Father has shown through the Son and in the earth day by day. Thus He keeps the bounty, thus He keeps the conditions such that the individual soul may—if it will but meet or look within—find indeed
His
Presence abiding ever.

The soul, the individual that purposely, intentionally, turns the back upon these things, choosing the satisfying of the own self’s desire, then has turned the back upon the living God.

Not that there is not to be joy, pleasure, and those things that maketh not afraid in the experience of every soul. But the joy in service, the joy in labor for the fellow man, the joy in giving of self that those through thy feeble efforts may have put before them, may become aware in their consciousness, that
thou
hast been with, that
thou
hast taken into thine own bosom the law of the Lord; and that ye walk daily with Him.