Beyond Death. Edgar Cayce

to the finite), then the activity is life; with the will of the source of that which has come into being. As to what it does with or about its associations of itself to the source of its activity, as to how far it may go afield, depends upon how high it has attained in its ability to throw off both negative and positive forces.

      Hence we say, “The higher he flies the harder the fall.” It’s true!

      Then, that which has been separated into the influence to become a body, whether celestial, terrestrial, or plain clay manifested into activity as man, becomes good or bad. The results to the body so acting are dependent and independent [interdependent?] (inter-between, see) upon what he does with the knowledge of—or that source of—activity.

       Reading 390-2

       Q: Would it be better if I gave up all thoughts of marriage and children?

      A: The opportunity will come; for, to build the home—those that make for the cherishing and directing of the lives of those that may be lent to a union of love in the body—is to be a handmaid to the Creator.

      For, the home becomes—to such that conduct their lives in that direction—as an outer door to the heavenly home.

      For, as man and woman pass through God’s other door from experience to experience, those that have been directed by thine hand will make for the blessings of the efforts put forth in the home.

       Reading 1246-2

       Q: Must I go on living?

      A: Life is eternal. It is in Him, and merely to change through God’s other door has only changed the outlook. But as we prepare the self for the vistas of the various consciousness upon the stages of development, we become a part of that—if our pathway is being led aright.

       Q: What should my next step be in order to be of service to one and meet my financial obligations?

      A: These become rather conflicting in their import, but know—O child of light—the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof, “The silver and the gold are mine, saith the Lord.” He knoweth what thou hast need of. Be willing to put thy service to thy fellow man, thy service in a commercial world, into His hand. For God alone giveth the true increase. Fear not, if ye are in the Lord’s hands! Fear rather if ye have slipped from same.

       Reading 262-57

       Q: Does the truth, “By becoming aware in a material world was the only manner through which spiritual forces might become aware of their separation from spiritual surroundings” show that the reincarnation of those who die in childhood is necessary?

      A: As the awareness comes by separation (which is being manifested in materiality as we know it in the present), there is the necessity of the sojourning in each experience for the developments of the influences necessary in each soul’s environ, each soul’s attributes, to become again aware of being in the presence of the Father. Hence the reincarnation into this or that influence, and those that are only aware of material or carnal influences for a moment may be as greatly impressed as were a finite mind for a moment in the presence of Infinity. How long was the experience of Saul in the way to Damascus? How long was the experience of Stephen as he saw the Master standing—not sitting, standing? How long was the experience of those that saw the vision that beckoned to them, or any such experience?

      When one considers the birth of a soul into the earth, the more often is the body and the body-mind considered than the soul—that is full-grown in a breath. For, did the Father (or Infinity) bring the earth, the worlds into existence, how much greater is a day in the house of the Lord—or a moment in His presence—than a thousand years in carnal forces?

      Hence a soul even for a flash, or for a breath, has perhaps experienced even as much as Saul in the way.

       3

      More to Living and Dying Than We Realize

       Reading 1977-1

      As has been given, it is not all of life to live, nor yet all of death to die. For life and death are one, and only those who will consider the experience as one may come to understand or comprehend what peace indeed means.

       Reading 2399-1

      It isn’t all of life to live, in one experience. For, life is continued; life itself is a consciousness, a gift of an infinite influence we may call God.

      Thus does man comprehend that, it is in Him one lives and moves and has one’s being; and that we as individuals may be coworkers with Creative Forces or God, or we may become egotists and thus magnify self and self’s own abilities, self’s own purposes, to such measures as to become at variance to those creative forces. Thus we shut ourselves away from the real birthright of each soul—that is, to know its relationships to this creative force or energy, and the manners or means of manifesting same by and through its daily relationships with the fellowmen.

       Reading 2147-1

      There is no death when the entity or the real self is considered; only the change in the consciousness of being able to make application in the sphere of activity in which the entity finds self.

       Reading 2397-1

      It is not all of life to live, nor yet all of death to die. For, each experience is by and through the grace of Him, the Giver of all that is good, all that is perfect; that His will may be made manifest in the purposes, the hopes, the ideals of each entity. For, He hath not willed that any soul should perish, but hath with each temptation prepared a way, a manner through which each soul may become aware of its faults, its virtues; magnifying the virtues, minimizing the faults—that one may come to the perfect knowledge of one’s relationships to the creative influences—called God.

       Reading 2842-2

      If one will but take that ensample as was set in Him who made himself of no estate that He might gain the more. Using, then, this life as an ensample, one may apply—even as this entity may apply—these conditions in the earth’s experience and develop toward that mark of higher calling as is set in Him—for it is not all of life to live, nor all of death to die; for one is the beginning of the other, and in the midst of life one is in the midst of death—in death one begins in that birth into which the earthly application of the inmost intents and desires has been applied in respect to will’s forces, that given by the Creative Energy, that one might make self equal with that Energy.

       Reading 2954-1

      It is not all of life just to live, neither is it all of fame or fortune; for you have to live with yourself a long, long while.

       Reading 2730-1

      Keep the oneness of purpose; yet let these conditions ever be mindful to the entity: That it is not all of life to build material, nor all of death to die—in the high or low position, social, political or financial—but rather live the full life, ever being in that position of never asking anyone to do that which self would be ashamed for the mother to see self do.

       Reading 3420-1

      There is ever set before this entity daily (as each entity), good and evil, life and death. Life is growth. Death is as that separation or turning about, turning away from, or the opposite of growth.

       Reading 1595-1

      For as given of old, there is each day the opportunity.