Reading 262-14

TEXT OF READING 262-14

Text

Date: 3/20/1932 Sex: M ReadingID: 958

This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at his office in Pinewood on Lake Drive, Va. Beach, Va., this 20th day of March, 1932, in accordance with request made by those present.

[Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Minnie & C. A. Barrett, Esther Wynne, Florence & Edith Edmonds, M. L. Black, F. M. Freeman, F. Y. Morrow, C. W. & M. L. Rosborough, H. L. and L. B. Cayce, Mildred Davis, Helen Storey, Sarah Hesson, S. E. McPherson, Helen Ellington and Mrs. LeNoir.]

Time of Reading 4:30 P. M.

1. GC: You will have before you the group gathered here, and their work on the lessons which they are preparing. You will please answer the questions regarding this work that they will ask.

2. EC: Yes, we have the group as gathered here, as a group, as individuals, and the work as is being done in the preparation of the lessons. Ready for questions.

3. (Q) We present at this time the lesson on WHAT IS THY IDEAL, a copy of which I hold in my hand. Please make suggestions, any corrections or expansions that should be made, as I call each paragraph under the various headings. First, Par. I, under Meaning of an Ideal. (A) Correct.

4. (Q) Par. I, under Ideals Grow with Development. (A) Very good.

5. (Q) Par. II, under Ideals Grow with Development. (A) Illustrated, would be better, in the form of the application of the ideal in the life.

6. (Q) Par. I, under the True Ideal. (A) Correct.

7. (Q) Par. II. (A) Well.

8. (Q) Par. III. (A) Very good.

9. (Q) IV. (A) Good.

10. (Q) V. (A) Good.

11. (Q) VI. (A) Well.

12. (Q) Par. I, under Attaining the Ideal. (A) Very good.

13. (Q) Par. II. (A) Very good.

14. (Q) III. (A) Well.

15. (Q) Par. I, under Conclusion. (A) Good.

16. (Q) II, under Conclusion. (A) Good.

17. (Q) Par. III, under Conclusion. (A) Good.

18. (Q) Any other suggestions regarding this lesson? (A) Well that the ideal in the suggestions as given be that rather of the personal nature, as INDIVIDUAL, than personality presented in same. In the lesson as has been outlined, as given there would come the sign for each as they applied themselves in knowing their OWN ideal and how same is applicable in their own experience: To some has come in the form of tests, that that as is proclaimed, or claimed by them, must be acted in their own experience, as to relationships to others. In some in the form of greater opportunities, in the manner in which there may be given more and more of that which will arouse in the inner beings of others a closer concept of an ideal. In others a vision of those forces as may manifest in the activities of their OWN selves towards others, as well as to those who have experienced the presence of that consciousness that His abiding promise is true in this period of their experience.

19. (Q) Please give us at this time that which will aid us in beginning our next lesson. (A) Faith. As each have their own concept of faith, as to whether this is grounded in experience in relationship to life’s activities in the material, or to the activities in the mental, depends much upon what has been held as the ideal of that individual. In the beginning, then, as we would find, the analysis of self as to whether this that is held is confidence or faith is the first question as would naturally arise in the minds of each individual. Faith, as has been defined by Barnabas, is the substance of things hoped for.

Then there is illustrated the activities of individuals as to how, through the exercising of that prerogative, that through which is brought into beings the worlds as is manifest before each individual that looks about them with the view to ascertaining that they are a portion OF the Whole, yet with the abilities to discern all, and able to use that that will bring the same exercising of that prerogative as the spirit of the Father brings through faith into that BEING where this may be of this or that sphere of man’s own perception. Brought into material aspects, we find the greater portion as partakes of that as has been termed the sensing, or that of the whole of the nervous system in a physical, living organism, that makes such an individual aware OF that concept. This is rather confidence. That that has been brought into the consciousness through the activity OF the spiritual forces manifesting in and through that of the spiritual force of the individual. Then becomes the essence of faith itself. Hence, as has been termed by many, that FAITH - PURE faith - accepting or rejecting without basis of reason, or BEYOND the ken or scope of that as is perceived through that that man brings to his own activity through that of his five senses; yet to most individuals there is seen that LITTLE becomes in the scope of acceptance except they LIVE by faith that they become aware of; for, as has been said, ye with faith as much as a mustard seed may say unto the mountain be thou removed and cast into the sea. MOST say they believe, and yet begin at once to explain as to how this means in the mental rather than in the material source. Hence we find faith not of the senses, else it becomes confidence in personalities of the experiences of the senses within themselves or others. Then, when troubles and doubts arise, they immediately begin to sink, even as Peter in the presence of Life itself. [See also 262-15, Par. 14-A.]

In the concepts then, as individuals in the group, in the first portion of this lesson let each so examine themselves in the light of that they have attained with the concept of their individual ideal, and we will find upon what faith is founded in THEIR experience.

Ready for questions.

20. (Q) Is there anything more this group may do in aiding in finding the Lindbergh child? (A) Those have been set in motion, as has been given. Be thou NOT of little faith.

21. (Q) Should we begin to distribute the lessons as already prepared? (A) WELL that first there be found those in the various outlined principals that are to be teachers, ministers, or one FORMING such groups, and prepare THEM FOR that they ARE TO do in their respective spheres; else it will turn again with that as is poorly prepared.

22. (Q) [333] & [602]: How may we as members of the group through cooperation grow stronger in faith, and through a knowledge of self attain to those ideals as are set in self for the part in this great work that each would accomplish with the help of all? (A) Studying to show thyself approved unto God day by day, rightly dividing the words of truth, and keeping self unspotted from the world. There is builded in the meditations, and in the gathering of others here, there, to gain the understanding necessary to bring about a revolution, a revelation, an awakening in THIS place as HAS not been seen in many a day! Making those truths as are known in self LIVING truths, through the active force of the SPIRIT of TRUTH itself. Do that.

23. (Q) [255]: Is the faith of man in Buddha or Mohammed equal in the effect on his soul to the faith in Jesus Christ? (A) As He gave, he that receiveth a prophet in the NAME of a prophet RECEIVES the prophet’s reward, or that ABILITY that that individual spiritual force MAY manifest in the life of that individual. Hence, as each teacher, minister or seer, or prophet, receives that obeisance as is giving the life from that faith and hope as held by that as an individual, in the Christ is found that as the advocate WITH the Father and the spirit of the Father glorified in him that approaches through that manner, without that as is approached in the spiritual activity of any individual; for individuality is last lost, even as man in spirit overcomes death in the material; even as He overcame death in the material, and able to put on immortality in a material world, bringing to man not only of flesh that endowed WITH the ability to be one WITH the Father but magnifying the Father IN the individual yet in the material plane. Hence, as we find, each in their respective spheres are but stepping-stones to that that may awaken in the individual the knowledge of the Son in their lives.

24. (Q) How can I so strengthen my faith so as to become a fitting channel of help in God’s healing of my daughter, [275]? (A) Magnify in the words of mouth, the acts of the body and hand, that as is GIVEN day by day. As the ideal is a growth, as the activities of the physical and mental consciousness through confidence brings that seeking of the mental and material body to awaken to the spiritual activities, so may the GROWTH in faith BRING the activating forces of the spirit that makes alive in the flesh.

25. We are through for the present.

Reports

Reports & Follow-up

R1. 3/20/32 See 262-14, Par. 3-A—18-A.

R2. The following is Lesson Number 3 in WHAT IS MY IDEAL?, compiled by the NORFOLK STUDY GROUP NO. 1 of the ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARCH AND ENLIGHTENMENT, INC., Virginia Beach, Virginia:

“Let that mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 2:5)

WHAT IS MY IDEAL?

“I sit with my ideal all the time, He is nearer than hands or feet, Nearer than the breath I breathe.” [E.W.?]

MEANING OF AN IDEAL - Our ideal are ever present; they are either consciously or unconsciously the basis for the motivating forces in our lives. What is an ideal? We are told that mental concept, or that conceived as a standard of perfection is an ideal. Mind is the builder. We are ever striving toward something to worship, something to love, be it physical, mental or spiritual. From our experience we form ideas; then through the action of imagination we sometimes confuse these ideas with ideals. AN IDEAL MUST BE SOMETHING BEYOND AND ABOVE US THAT WE EVER BUILD TOWARD. To bind ourselves by calling our ideas ideals means the beginning of decay in the soul structure which we have builded.

IDEALS GROW WITH DEVELOPMENT - In childhood the height which we hoped to reach was lower by far than the one that we placed as a goal in youth. We recall that the God we worshiped in our childhood has grown to the Spirit we now call “Abba Father”. So, as we build onward and upward, our ideals enlarge until they reach the height of perfection, the source of all Good, the Creative Energy of which self is a manifestation.

From the physical, mental and spiritual viewpoint our ideals are patterns by which we endeavor to shape our lives. We must understand the meaning of “The Oneness” and merge our physical and mental ideals in the spiritual ideal of the soul. A student of Truth relates the following:

“I had a direct message to teach Truth - the Truth as set forth by HIM, my Ideal. I started out, blindly; for I knew but little to teach. Days passed; days of toil, disappointment and heartbreaking loneliness - spiritual loneliness. Finally one morning, after much prayer and meditation, there came a light, an uplifting, a glorious Presence that bore witness that I had chosen the right Ideal. The voice said: ‘Not by power, nor by might, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.’”

“I had indeed had my wilderness experience, but I was not willing to follow the Voice. I tried to push it off, I thought I must now demonstrate my fitness to teach the truth, for I had indeed felt the presence of the Lord. I was trying to make the pattern fit my narrow finite mind, and not willing to trust my Ideal, come what may. I had other lessons to learn - for months. I was hurled down, down to disappointment, ridicule and shame, yet I never forgot the Presence that had one sustained me. Again it lifted me up - but only when I was willing to see, accept and know, that it is: ‘NOT BY POWER, NOR BY MIGHT, BUT BY MY SPIRIT, SAITH THE LORD’ that one can go forth conquering and to conquer.”

Our spiritual pattern should not be trimmed to fit us, but we should grow to fit the pattern, whose maker and finisher is God.

THE TRUE IDEAL - The true ideal is the highest spiritual attainment to be reached on this material plane; hence, it follows that our ideal must be found in Christ, who is the way, “For he that climbs up some other way is a thief and a robber.” All real seekers after truth recognize this, although they may have different ways of expressing it. The following quotations will illustrate this:

“To think, to speak, to act from the consciousness of my divine self that I may be like Him and do the things that He said I could do, and to help those who have not heard His voice - this is my ideal.”

“Thou glorious ONE, radiant beyond finite mind, I would manifest Thee more fully. Thou tender and loving Father, for Thy Son’s sake, give me the earnestness of the Spirit to bear witness with my spirit that I am a Son of God, and to fully realize that my brother is at onement with Thee. Awaken me to the newness of life, peace, love, knowledge and understanding - then, I shall have reached my true ideal.”

“My ideal is spiritual in essence, regardless of where it leads. Christ the guide, Christ the leader, Christ the way. His ways are my ways, His ambitions are my ambitions; for we are the Sons of God and should act as such. God’s will is my Ideal.”

“My Ideal is to be perfect channel through which the will of the Father may be done, whether in the physical, the mental or the spiritual plane, and to return to that oneness from which I came - or from which I was sent. My hopes and desires are in the One, by which all were created.”

These are expressions of what our spiritual ideals should be: In Jesus we have the way; in Him we have the example; in Him we have all the attributes of the Ideal manifested. His teachings and life of service to His fellow man show us the way we, too, must tread in attaining the height He reached. When in our relationship to our fellow man we are so perfected in the Christ-Consciousness that each word, each thought and each deed brings a blessing to those we contact, then we may be sure that our ideal is the true one.

ATTAINING THE IDEAL - The ideal cannot, should not, will not be that as is man-made, but must be of the Spiritual nature, that has its foundation in Truth, in God. Know the first principle. THE GIFT OF GOD TO MAN IS AN INDIVIDUAL SOUL, which may be one with Him, and that may know itself to be one with Him and yet individual in itself with attributes of the whole, yet not the whole. Such must be the concept, must be the ideal, whether of the imaginative, the mental, the physical, or the spiritual body of man. All may attain to such an ideal, yet never become the ideal, but one with the ideal, and such an one is set in Him.

With this ideal once set, there can be no fear. There will come to each of us that grace to dare to be a Daniel, to dare to stand alone.

We attain our ideal by seeing the Father in others. Let our prayer be:

GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME! HELP THOU MY UNBELIEF! LET ME SEE IN HIM THAT THOU WOULD HAVE ME SEE IN MY FELLOW MAN. LET ME SEE IN MY BROTHER THAT I SEE IN THAT I WORSHIP. [262-11]

This is reached through Christ. It takes the penetrating light of Spirit to discern the Divine spark of fallen humanity. It takes the mind of Christ to bless and not condemn, to love and not to censure.

The fields are now ripe unto harvest, but the laborers are few. We must work, work for the night of unbelief and doubt cometh. It is our heritage to catch the true concept of the Divine in all and be in truth co-workers with God. As there is raised in self more and more the Christ-Consciousness we become free indeed and with freedom comes the awakening - the awakening to the realization of the Ideal, not only in self but more and more in the hearts, the minds, the souls of others.

CONCLUSION - Have we chosen the Spiritual Ideal? Are the things in our own life measured by that Ideal? Are there the continued efforts on our part to put into practice or to count as worthy of self being the channel that will bring blessings to others? DO WE LOOK FOR THE GOOD IN EVERY ONE?

When we sincerely look ourselves squarely in the face and know that our standard is that we see in the other fellow, that our God is in him, there will come an uplifting that we have not had before. We will seek to magnify our Ideal and assist our brother to do the same. “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:36) “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you;” (St. John 13:15) and there will be peace, harmony, understanding, light that saves - even to the end.

Let each of us in our own way show forth His love day by day. Be not over anxious, but wait on the Lord, knowing that He is faithful who promised: “Be still and know that I AM.” 46 Psalm 10 verse.

“Behold I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I WILL COME IN TO HIM, AND WILL SUP WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME.” (Rev. 3:20)

Questions on WHAT IS MY IDEAL - Review

1. What do we understand by our Ideal?
2. What is the difference between ideas and ideals?
3. Illustrate how our Ideals grow.
4. Why does it take wilderness experiences often to teach us to understand our Ideal?
5. What is the true Ideal?
6. Give the quotations from examples given of students of Truth who were seeking their true Ideal.
7. Of what nature is our true Ideal?
8. Give the prayer suggested in the lesson.
9. How is the Ideal reached?
10. What power have those who have the mind of Christ?
11. What should we see in others?
12. What questions may each of us ask?
13. What is promised those who wait on the Lord?

R3. See Source File Key #262 for all current reports, supplements and professional commentaries re 262-14.

Background

Background

B1. 3/20/32 Esther Wynne’s review questions for Norfolk Study Group #1 covering 262-7—14:

262-7: Reading VII - Dec. 15, 1931 -

1. What has each indicated their desire to know? (Reading Dec. 11th)
2. How may each gain understanding?
3. What will the awakening give?
4. What is the true channel to work through?
5. Each learn their own part in the work. Interpret the word work.
6. What should the group realize? [Par. 13-A]

262-8: Reading VIII - Dec. 27th, 1931 -

1. What must be known about self?
2. Discuss the physical body, mental and spiritual.
3. Senses and organs.
4. Which should be expected first, the understanding or the application? [Par. 10-A]

262-9: Reading IX - Jan. 10th, 1932 -

1. What should each know in the beginning of the study of WHAT IS THY IDEAL?
2. How may others become members of the group?
3. What is the result of doubting self? [Par. 8-A]
4. What is promised to those who faint not?
5. Discuss the expression “Stand aside and see self pass by”.
6. Explain “Know self as I am known”.
7. Result of keeping self in attunement with the ideal.
8. What are each charged to do on the lesson? [Par. 14-A]
9. What will truth in the heart bring? [Par. 17-A]

262-10: Reading X - Jan. 24th, 1932 -

1. What is said of those who turn back in the preparation of the lessons?
2. Who should prepare the lessons? Why? [Par. 5-A]
3. What may be truly said of life?
4. Explain the soul and its experiences. [Par. 8-A]
5. Which is more effective, the thought or the spoken word?
6. Give the prayer to the healing group.
7. What charge and promise is given to the group in Reading X?

262-11: Reading XI - Feb. 7th, 1932 -

1. What is the first lesson to the group in the preparation of the lesson on WHAT IS THY IDEAL?
2. Difference between Idea and Ideal.
3. Give the last sentence in ans. to suggestion, “All may attain - ” etc.
4. Give prayer for meditation.
5. Who alone is our judge? Rather than judge what should we do?
6. Give the last two sentences in Par. 5-A.
7. Why should the lesson be written in the first person?
8. Why are different means of healing necessary?
9. What good lesson in Par. 9-A is well to learn in the present?
10. What must we see in the individual?
11. What is meant by the “night cometh”?
12. How do we realize our ideals?
13. How are our ideals measured?
14. What message is given the group at the close of the lesson?

262-12: Reading XII - Feb. 21, 1932 -

1. How will the Ideal come to each of the group?
2. What questions in the introduction of this reading should each of the group be able to answer?
3. What is asked in seeking the Father’s face?
4. What should each know of self and of others?
5. What part do we have in the Father’s glory?
6. What can we do as individuals and as a group that we may come to a oneness of purpose?
7. What is the promise to those who DO?
8. What is our greatest work?
9. What is the reward of patience?
10. What is understood by “Work, work, for the night cometh?”
11. What is meant by the Godhead?
12. How may we increase our faith?
13. How much are we asked to give?
14. What assurance have we for belief?

262-13: Reading XIII - Mar. 6, 1932 -

1. What must we realize in regard to all?
2. Why is it necessary that we study faith at this time?
3. What comes in the beauty of service?
4. What should we set aside?
5. What is the greatest service?
6. What should each do about the part they contribute to the lesson? Why?
7. What is the danger of beautiful truths, without personal application?
8. What must each feel about the lesson?
9. Why are few chosen? Why is the harvest few?
10. Will we answer the call, “Who will work today?”
11. What is the result of work in cooperation with the Spirit of Truth?
12. Give the prayer of Faith?
13. How is a Spiritual Ideal obtained, only?
14. What must be done in order to improve a talent?
15. What does the application bring?
16. What part does tomorrow play in the attaining an ideal? (For information on Ram, Phares and Tamah, read Ruth 4 and Nehemiah 7:55, Gen. 38.)
17. How many of the group have repented and been in sackcloth and ashes?
18. How may we be able to do mighty works?
19. Have we neglected to pray, or fast?
20. When may we expect an awakening?

262-14: Reading XIV - Mar. 20th, 1932 -

1. How and when will the sign promised in the lesson come to each? What sign may be expected?
2. What two concepts of faith may be held?
3. What should each member of the group do?
4. How does Barnabas define faith?
5. How is faith illustrated in creation?
6. How does confidence differ from faith?
7. What do most say about believing?
8. How is real faith explained?
9. What is being builded in the meditations and the gatherings?
10. What shall we do about the truths?
11. Is the Ideal fixed?

Mentioned Entities

Ideal, Soul, Jesus Christ, Prayer, Prophets, Healing, Oneness, Christ Consciousness, Meditation, A.R.E. (Association for Research and Enlightenment), Atonement, Daniel, Free Will, Gertrude Cayce, Gladys Davis, Grace, Holy Spirit, John (Apostle), Peter (Apostle), Physical Body

Source: The Complete Edgar Cayce Readings, A.R.E. CD-ROM (2006). Reading 262-14, ReadingID 958.