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In reading 934-7, Edgar Cayce presents marriage as far more than a romantic or social arrangement. He describes husband and wife as two souls brought together through previous spiritual associations, unfinished desires, and karmic patterns that must now be worked out through daily living, self-control, sacrifice, and spiritual growth. The reading explains that many of the struggles they face in the present life arise from earlier experiences in which bodily desires, material attractions, and emotional appetites became stronger than spiritual ideals. Thus, their marriage becomes both a blessing and a testing ground through which both individuals may either rise spiritually or fall deeper into selfishness and confusion.
Cayce explains that their relationship did not begin by accident. He states that “those activities and relationships which have brought the influences which one has upon the other in this experience, arise from those associations… in which there were those opportunities, those desires that were ungratified.” In other words, the husband and wife carried unresolved tendencies from previous experiences into the present life. Their emotional attractions, conflicts, temptations, and struggles therefore become opportunities for healing and transformation. The marriage is designed to reveal weaknesses that must be overcome. Instead of seeing their problems merely as personality differences, Cayce encourages them to view them as spiritual lessons intended to help the soul mature.
A major focus of the reading concerns bodily appetites and temporary gratification. Cayce says that in previous experiences there had been “worshipfulness towards material things as related to body-desire,” and this remained one of their greatest challenges in the present. The problem was not the body itself, but allowing physical desires, emotional impulses, pleasures, or appetites to dominate spiritual purpose. Cayce warns them against “gratifying of bodily influence or emotions which arise for the moment.” This includes uncontrolled passions, addictive habits, selfish pleasures, flirtations, overindulgence, and living only for temporary satisfaction rather than eternal values. He teaches that a successful marriage requires mastery of self. Love alone is not enough unless it is joined with discipline, integrity, and spiritual purpose.
The greatest emphasis in the reading, however, is not actually the husband and wife themselves, but their child. Cayce repeatedly says that the offspring represents both their “great opportunity” and their “great problem.” The child is presented as a sacred responsibility entrusted to them by God. Cayce suggests that the soul of the child carries significant future possibilities and that the parents have a duty to provide the proper spiritual, mental, and material environment for that soul’s development. Parenthood therefore becomes a holy stewardship rather than mere biological responsibility. The parents are not simply raising a child; they are shaping an eternal soul.
Cayce stresses that children absorb far more than spoken instruction. They absorb atmosphere, conduct, attitudes, habits, and emotional vibrations. He tells the couple, “Let thy conduct — daily — be such that it creates that environment for the developing mind of thy offspring.” This means the child learns from the parents’ honesty, self-control, faithfulness, treatment of others, and spiritual sincerity. If the parents live hypocritically or lead double lives, the child will eventually sense that contradiction. Cayce directly warns the husband against having “a double life, a double purpose,” stating that this is not true singleness of heart before God. The reading teaches that parents cannot expect their child to develop qualities they themselves refuse to live by. The example of the parents becomes the invisible education of the child.
The reading also places strong emphasis on mutual spiritual support between husband and wife. Cayce does not blame only one partner. Both are responsible for helping the other rise spiritually. The wife is advised to remain free from questionable associations and to live sincerely according to her ideals. The husband is instructed to be strong, remain faithful to spiritual purposes, attend the Lord’s house more often, and avoid compromising with unhealthy desires or influences. Cayce presents marriage as a partnership in soul development where each companion should help strengthen the other morally, emotionally, and spiritually. True companionship is not simply emotional dependence or physical attraction, but helping another soul move closer to divine ideals.
Another important theme in the reading is temptation. Cayce does not teach that spiritual people should completely hide from the world or avoid every difficult situation. Instead, he says character must become strong enough to withstand temptation. He explains that the goal is not merely avoiding exposure to temptation, but developing inward integrity. He tells them that they must become the kind of people they hope their child will imitate. If they desire honesty, purity, discipline, compassion, and faithfulness in their child, they themselves must embody those qualities consistently in daily life. Cayce particularly warns about tendencies toward excess and overindulgence, saying that one of the greater temptations to the offspring would be “imbibing too freely of the cup,” suggesting inherited patterns of excess or addiction that could continue through future generations if not corrected.
The reading also shows that environment matters greatly in spiritual development. Cayce advises the couple to choose surroundings, work opportunities, friendships, and living situations that reduce dangerous influences and support their higher ideals. When discussing employment options, he recommends the environment that would provide fewer harmful temptations, even while still allowing material advancement. This demonstrates Cayce’s belief that physical surroundings influence consciousness and behavior. Modern applications could include the media people consume, the friendships they maintain, the atmosphere within the home, and whether their workplace encourages or weakens moral and spiritual stability.
Another profound principle in the reading is the warning against condemnation. Cayce tells them never to conduct themselves in ways that bring shame upon themselves or others. He advises them not to live in a spirit of criticism, hypocrisy, or destructive judgment. Healthy spiritual growth requires honesty and accountability, but also patience, encouragement, humility, and compassion. A marriage filled with shame, bitterness, or constant criticism weakens both individuals spiritually and emotionally. Cayce instead encourages them to live in such a way that God may be “magnified in the conversation, in the activity, in their relationships with others, as well as with themselves.”
Ultimately, reading 934-7 presents marriage as a sacred spiritual covenant. Husband and wife are shown as co-workers in soul growth, entrusted not only with their own development but also with shaping future generations. Their relationship becomes a field in which selfishness must be transformed into sacrifice, weakness into character, and temporary desire into enduring spiritual purpose. Cayce challenges them to analyze their hopes, motives, and daily conduct carefully because they have been entrusted with “a great opportunity.” The true success of the marriage is therefore not measured by comfort, pleasure, or material achievement alone, but by whether both individuals become more loving, disciplined, sincere, spiritually aware, and capable of expressing divine ideals through daily living.
READING 934-7
GC: You will have before you the entities, [934], present in this room, born January 2, 1910, in Portsmouth, Ohio, and [391], now of Montgomery, Ala., born February 27, 1911 in Oklahoma City, Okla; also the information which has been given them through this channel. In the light of what has been given, what have they to work out individually or together, in the immediate future or in this experience? Please give them specific directions for mutual development in regard to environment, under what material conditions, and in light of spiritual understanding. You will answer the questions they have submitted, as I ask them:
EC: Yes, we have the entities and their relationships; the possibilities, the opportunities; together with the information which has been indicated through these channels respecting their associations and their relations.
In giving an interpretation, and advice and counsel regarding the activities of these entities, in companionship in the present, - all of that which has been indicated as to their activities and their experiences, and their relationships, must be taken into consideration.
To be sure, those activities and relationships which have brought the influences which one has upon the other in this experience, arise from those associations as indicated, - in which there were those opportunities, those desires that were ungratified.
Thus these become as possibilities, as opportunities, and oft as problems in the present experience.
For, those activities, associations and relations, are those things that produce the influences becoming as problems in the present.
Yet, as we have given, those possibilities, those opportunities which have arisen through the associations in the present - especially the opportunity for those activities and relationships as to the offspring - become the GREAT opportunity, and yet the great problem in the experiences of the entities in the present sojourn.
So, all of their personal activities, desires, hopes, fears, should be bound up in that opportunity which presents itself for them in this experience, through that which is part and parcel not only of themselves but of their opportunity, their privilege, their duty in relationship to that entity that is to mean, and to be, such an influence in the experiences and affairs not only of those with whom the entity may be associated, but of the world itself!
So, their individual opportunities, individual problems, should be lost in their desire, their purpose, to give, to be, in their relationships one with another, that which will give that entity who is a part of themselves the opportunity, the privilege, the possibility of fulfilling that destiny to which they have, in their associated capacity, committed themselves.
Thus that which is in keeping with those influences of a spiritual, a mental and material nature, should be directed - as should their activities - in giving that influence, that environment, that force and power, to that problem which is theirs in the present experience.
It is true that there may be delegated others, or relegated to others the opportunities to share in a portion of the activities to create the proper environment, in bringing into the experience of the entity the possibilities. However, the RESPONSIBILITY of same is THEIRS - the parents'.
And this should be that which should direct, should keep, should make for the thought of their activity, their relationships.
Then, in association one with another, - let thy conduct - daily - be such that it creates that environment for the developing mind of thy offspring which will bring the greater opportunity for that entity.
As to thy individual responsibilities in such, - these are the outcome of those influences. And thus being entrusted with that opportunity, this should bring into the experience of each the DESIRE to so live, so conduct their lives as individuals, as well as associates and companions, that the Lord, the Giver of all good and perfect gifts, may be magnified in the conversation, in the activity, in their relationships with others, - as well as with themselves.
Then, let their purpose be NEVER to do that in which there is any condemning of others, of self, in such a manner as to make self ashamed of being the channels through which such a glorious undertaking is given to a material world at this particular period when SO MUCH is dependent upon the individuality, the personality of those who seek to do God's biddings in and with the material things and conditions which exist in the present time.
These are the opportunities, the possibilities, the duties of these entities in the present.
(Q) In what incarnations were we associated, and how, that have had to do with our present difficulties?
(A) As just indicated, - these parallels may be drawn from the information which has been given. Also the knowledge may be obtained in such a way and manner that it may either become as stumbling-stones or stepping-stones for helpful forces.
However, the idea and ideal should be rather the problems that exist by that association in the present.
The greater influence, to be sure, arises from that as we have indicated, - when there were those periods of the worshipfulness to the body-activity, the body-associations, the body-influence. [Grecian incarnation]
Thus it has been and is the problem of each in the present to prevent the satisfying, the gratifying of BODILY influence or emotions which arise for the moment, - or appetites, or influences.
And these, - because of the periods, the worshipfulness towards material things as related to body-desire, - are the problems of each in the present.
Then, so live, so act, in relationships one to another, and to those about you, that there may never be a question, either as to conduct or as to appetites, or as to those influences.
For, it will be found that the greater temptation to the offspring will be imbibing too freely of the cup!
(Q) Considering present financial situation, should [934] remain here at Virginia Beach through the summer? If so, through what channels should employment be sought?
(A) Never flee from, or hinder self from, meeting self; provided purposes, desires and hopes are safe in Him.
It would be very well for [934] to remain in the environ of Virginia Beach in the present season, PROVIDED there IS the determination - and not only the determining but the actual LIVING of that verbally expressed in the present as to the hopes, the desires, respecting that to be accomplished in this material plane.
But FIND self not in the gratifying for the moment, nor in appetites. Not that anyone is to become goody-goody, but good FOR something! that all may see, may know, that there IS the purpose, there IS that in which God has not chosen unwisely in giving this entity and its companion such a soul for development in this experience.
Let it be rather said that indeed they have realized their privilege, their opportunity, to conduct their own lives that they may be an example for this entity, this soul.
As to the channels for employment, - in WHATEVER channel that seemeth good. Not merely for the easier way, but rather that in which the entity determines to - and IS able - to meet all temptations; and this means not that it won't be exposed to them, but that in self there is the character that ye desire that thy son manifest!
For, UNLESS ye may in thy ACTIVITY with others so impress this, - not only by word but by activity in that same form, that same materialization of spiritual purposes, mental activities, - how CAN ye expect to fill that place with which He, thy God, hath entrusted thee?
(Q) Please comment on the following: (a) Advisability of employment at Beach Tavern, Atlantic Ave., as waitress?
(A) Let's have the comparison!
(Q) (b) LaReine Restaurant, 17th St. (c) Advisability of rooming with [1523] and [1650] at ...?
(A) As we find, the LaReine will offer the greater opportunity for material gain. It will also offer the LESS opportunity for those influences that would be the harder to meet.
As to living with, or being associated with [1523] and [1650], - this is well; provided they each live up to that they purpose in the present, and conditions are such that it does not leave the way open for great temptations.
(Q) What vibrations do the names [934] and Tillie carry? Please explain the different response to each name. Should [934] continue to cultivate her nickname of "Tillie," or eliminate one or the other?
(A) Names have their vibration. To be sure, names have their element of influence or force, by the very activity of the name.
[934] indicates STRENGTH, virility; and Tillie almost the opposite! [12/04/66 She reported: "I can see the point. Calling me Tillie always made me feel sort of cocky, and I'm not the cocky type."]
(Q) Should she discontinue the nickname, then?
(A) Discontinue it herself; others will not!
(Q) Should [391] seek employment in the Tidewater section? If so, through what channels, and when?
(A) DO NOT interrupt those purposes which induced the entity to become associated in its present environs; but do LIVE, do act in accord WITH that which purposed the entity to seek that association! The entity hasn't at all times lived up to, and doesn't at all times live up to its best in itself. It CAN, it MAY succeed best in that association; but even there, if there is the leaving off here, the forgetting of this and that, as has sometimes happened, - the giving away to appetites, the giving away for associations, - it will become rather a drawback to the POSSIBILITIES and to the abilities of this entity.
We would not change. We would work the HARDER in the present engagement and surroundings. For there are GREATER opportunities just waiting, if the entity will show himself capable and able to carry on!
(Q) You will give [934] and [391], as I call each name, what definite steps each can take to encourage the other to cooperate in getting a better understanding of their problems mentally and spiritually. [934]:
(A) This has been indicated in the suggestions just given. It may be summed in this:
Study to show thyself approved unto GOD, and the privileges, the love He hath shown thee! Keep self unspotted from questioning associations, questioning activities; and let thy yeas be YEA, and thy nays be NAY in that ye have purposed and have privileged to do!
(A) Here - as has also been indicated - be STRONG! Keep not thyself away from that thou KNOWEST to be good. Attend the Lord's house more often. Keep thy body-temperament more in accord with thy purpose. A double life, a double purpose is not a singleness of heart in the Lord.
(Q) Any other advice at this time?
(A) Analyze thy opportunities as one with another. Analyze thy purposes, thy hopes. Ye have been entrusted with a great opportunity. Do not fail thyselves, thy son, and - most of all - thy God.
We are through for the present.
