The Essential Edgar Cayce (23 page)

Easier said than done: It’s not easy being patient and tolerant, even occasionally. But Cayce promises that if we don’t succumb to the fatigue of loving service—if we don’t become “weary in well-doing”—then we’re given the
crown of life
. This lovely metaphor refers to a distinct state of consciousness that comes as a gift as we sincerely try to live the mission of the soul, a gift which he defines as
the ability to know that one is in accord with divine protection.
That is to say, we’re not cut loose and left adrift in the material world; the spirit is with us, protecting us, as we live our mission.

And while our task is simple, it’s not an easy one. Any soul’s mission is to apply and live out
what you know,
and meet
creatively
with all your resources
what comes to you.
The second point is found again and again in this particular reading, it’s a theme, a refrain:

• “[D]oing with a might in the Lord that thy hands find to do.”

• “Tend His lambs, those that are in thy way, those thou meetest day by day.”

• “That that is given thee put to use.”

Statements of this sort are powerful reminders that we don’t have to go out looking for challenges to prove ourselves, to restlessly search for spiritual opportunities. Life brings them to us.

At first, something in us may not be satisfied with answers like that. “The mission of the soul” somehow sounds more grand, suggesting deeds of cosmic proportions, not something as mundane as patience and tolerance when dealing with everyday difficulties. But as you read Edgar Cayce’s message in the reading below, see if it doesn’t stir something up in your own soul, something that knows the deepest truths often require only the simplest explanations.

THE READING

✜
THIS PSYCHIC READING, 442-3,
WAS GIVEN BY EDGAR CAYCE ON JANUARY 26, 1934.
The conductor was Hugh Lynn Cayce.

HLC:
You will give a mental and spiritual reading for him, giving the reason for entrance into this cycle of experience and detailed guidance for the development and expression of his inner soul faculties in this present life.

EC:
Yes, we have the entity here, [442].

In considering the activities of the mental and soul body of an entity, in relations to its activities or its purposes in any given experience, something of that which has been builded in the soul development is necessary to be referred to as comparison, that there may be presented in a comprehensible way and manner that for mental and soul expansion in any given activity.

In this entity, [442], we find in the varied experiences or appearances through its activity in the environs, more of the developments than of retardments. While in varied experiences there are seen periods when indecisions and the particular activity made for rather the retarding, in the whole we have found that with the application of that which has become apparent in the present experience—as to what has been set as the ideals and principles by which the application of life in a given appearance or experience may be in a direction or in accordance with the entity’s own judgments—the development has been in accord with an ideal. Making for, then, in self, patience—which has been pointed by Him who is the Giver of life as being the qualification in every entity’s experience through the application of which every entity becomes aware of possessing a soul, that birthright which is the gift of the Father to each and every entity that may be presented before the Throne of Thrones, before the Holy of Holies, in a holy and acceptable way and manner.

In righteousness, then—as is found in patience, that has become the worthy attribute of the soul of this entity, in tolerance and in patience, has come the awareness of the continuity of life—and that the soul is that which is individual of each and every body as it finds expression in the material world, which lives on and on in those environs that have been created by what that soul has seen and comprehended in its experience as being according to those directions as He, the Father, the Lord of all, would have each and every soul be.

Then, as we find in the experiences of this entity, these have become worthy attributes, as these are well pleasing in His eyes; so that there may only be given that injunction, “Be not weary in well-doing, for he that endureth unto the end shall wear the crown of life.” The crown of life here means being aware of those abilities within self to know that the self, the ego, the I, is in accord with, is aware of, the divine protection that has and does come to each and every soul that fulfills its mission in any experience.

What, then, ye ask, has been the mission of this entity, this soul, in this experience? That, with that which has gone before, there may be given the opportunity as to what the soul would do about that it knows is in accordance with, in keeping with, what His injunctions have ever been to His fellow man; that ye make thy paths straight, that ye do unto thy fellow man as ye would have your fellow man do unto you; love the Lord thy God, eschewing evil, keeping the heart joyous in the service and in the tasks that are set before thee day by day, doing with a might in the Lord that thy hands find to do. For, His ways have ever been that ye grow in the grace and in the knowledge and in the understanding of the Lord and His ways. Not that ye rest idly by when there is work to do, but just being kind, just being patient, just being long-suffering with those who would err according to thine own conscience, yet in thine own life, in thine own dealings with such ye show forth that love, that patience that He hast shown with the sons of men since He has called into being
bodies
—physically—that are known in the material world that these may furnish a channel through which those things that are known and accepted as being the qualifications of a spiritual life may
find
manifestations, and thus bring forth their fruits, their meats, ready for repentance.

For, while in humbleness of heart yet, in gladness does each soul find those things, those loads to be met day by day. And as there is the step taken here and there in the meditations (for, as He has given, “As oft as ye ask in my name,
believing,
it shall be done unto you”), He is faithful in His promises; for, as He has given, “I will not leave thee comfortless, but ye shall be quickened—even as the spirit in thee makes thee alive, makes thee aware of the joys that are thine through the service that thou may render to thy fellow man, in justness, in mercy, in just being kind, just being gentle to those here, there, that have become and do become thy lot to be measured with.” For, there are no such things as perchance, but the law of demand, the law of supply, the laws of love are ever, ever in thine own hands day by day. For, when there comes the needs that thou shouldst show forth thy love that has been shed on thee in thy activities in a material world, the opportunities that may be measured to thy fellow man are shown. For, as He has given, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, my little ones, ye have done it unto me.”

Hence, in thy steps, be acquainted with the Lord. Seek, in thy secret places, that He knoweth thee aright. And there will come those answers as thou meditatest in thine inner self as to what, where and how thou shalt measure thy steps day by day. For, justice and mercy and peace and harmony are as His gifts to those that seek His face. He has given, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” His commandments are not grievous, neither do they deny thee any influence, any material things that will make for joy in thine own experience. Rather do the fruits of mercy, peace, justice and harmony make for such in thine own experience.

Hence, follow in the ways that are set before thee, knowing that He will call thee by name. And he that
He
names is redeemed in His sight. And there is nothing to fear save self. For, as has been given, “I am persuaded there is nothing in heaven, in earth, in principalities or in powers, that may separate the soul from the love of the Father save the waywardness, the indecisions, the unkindnesses that the self may inflict upon self or the fellow man.”

Keep the way. Feed His sheep. Tend His lambs, those that are in thy way, those thou meetest day by day. Let thine own light so shine that they may know that thou walkest, that thou talkest, oft with thy God.

THE SOUL’S TALENTS AS A TWO-EDGEDS WORD

Reading 4087-1 is about training children; but it’s also about the challenges any of us face trying to fulfill the potential in our lives or help others fulfill theirs. Another excellent example of how reincarnation works, it can teach us about our own lives, especially regarding our talents.

The many life readings Edgar Cayce gave for children are among his most fascinating. There is something very special about this six-year-old boy, whose parents turned to Cayce for help in 1944. With his life stretching before him so full of possibility and promise, the past and future came together because of Cayce’s ability to perceive clairvoyantly the deep patterns of the soul.

From background notes, we know a little about the boy and why his parents sought help. Several incidents led them to believe that he was an unusual soul with a remarkable psychic talent, and his ability made for an interesting challenge for the family: How could he fulfill the purpose for which his soul had been chosen
and
still lead a normal life? This challenge was compounded by the fact that the parents were having troubles in their marriage, and, in fact, many of the paragraphs are directed to them rather than the boy.

Cayce first validates the reports of the boy’s psychic experiences, indicating right away that in more than one past life he had had the same ability. There is even a brief description of how this ability operates within him to produce
precognition
(“visions of things to come”) or
clairvoyance
(“things that are happening”). The triggering mechanism is the
kundalini,
or “life-force,” rising spontaneously in the sixth center (the
pineal
center) from the second center (what Cayce sometimes called the
lyden
center, associated with the cells of Leydig).

The spontaneous occurrences to which the boy was subject were a way of visiting ancient patterns on his soul, especially as related to the Old Testament. Cayce describes a very specific past life that is even mentioned in I Kings 13. First, a little background will help us interpret his advice.

Nearly a thousand years before the birth of Christ, and just after the death of King Solomon, Jeroboam successfully led a revolt in which the ten northern tribes established their own nation of Israel, with Jeroboam as the first king. Jeroboam, in an effort to keep his people from journeying to Jerusalem to worship, set up shrines locally, many of which fostered cults at odds with Judaism. It was against this background that an unnamed prophet (this very boy, according to Cayce) confronted Jeroboam. Among the signs that the prophet employed to prove he was God’s spokesman was an ability to wither the king’s hand and then restore it.

The problem for this prophet (this boy) was
whom to trust.
In his divinely inspired mission to confront Jeroboam, he also had been given other specific instructions, which he failed to fulfill. A person also claiming to be a prophet lied to him and persuaded him to disregard the instructions, which resulted in the prophet/ boy’s undoing and violent death (see I Kings 13:15-25). Cayce’s advice: “. . . 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 . . . but [instead] to trust in Him who is the way.” Apparently, there was still the potential for the boy’s soul to be led astray.

Cayce then refers to another lifetime in which the boy’s soul misunderstood or misused his paranormal gifts. Again, Cayce identifies the boy as the reincarnation of a biblical character, and, again, it’s a rather minor personage but a key player anyway in a powerfully instructive story (see Acts 8:18-24 for details). A man named Simon, who lived in Samaria, desperately wanted the power to heal by laying on of hands, as Peter and John did. He offered to buy the power from Peter—something that hits uncomfortably close to home in our era of commercialism. The lesson learned by the soul, about spiritual gifts and money, applied to Cayce’s own life and the boy’s.

But what do these stories from sixty years ago teach us today? They tell us about the right use of our abilities, and how we have carried abilities from previous lives to the present one. The talent need not be one as dramatic as the boy’s or some biblical character’s; the principles of reincarnation, karma, and growth of the soul work the same way for everyone.

Attached to any talent is some kind of temptation.
Think about your own talent. Maybe you’ve a talent for art, finance, or just plain persuasion. Perhaps it’s an aptitude for understanding what other people are feeling or a knack for solving problems. No doubt such a talent will play a big role in your fulfilling what you came to earth to do, just as the boy’s psychic ability did.

One key to successfully helping the soul to grow in this lifetime is to
recognize
potential misapplications of talent. It’s not necessary to remember past lives specifically; all we need to do is develop sensitivity to the patterns in our soul generally, to sense the little tugs of temptation that cross our path when we apply our talent. Edgar Cayce didn’t mean to scare the boy or us away from using our gifts. He just wanted the boy and us to keep in mind how a gift can be a two-edged sword.

THE READING
✜

THIS PSYCHIC READING, 4087-1,
WAS GIVEN BY EDGAR CAYCE ON APRIL 15, 1944.
The conductor was Gertrude Cayce.

GC:
You will give the relations of this entity and the universe, and the universal forces; giving the conditions which are as personalities, latent and exhibited in the present life; also the former appearances in the earth plane, giving time, place and the name, and that in each life which built or retarded the development for the entity; giving the abilities of the present entity, that to which it may attain, and how. You will answer the questions, as I ask them: