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Soul Development Through Gentleness, Patience, and Love
These readings present soul development as the gradual awakening of the soul into the character of divine love. They teach that spiritual growth is not measured mainly by knowledge, mystical experiences, or outer success, but by the transformation of the inner life into patience, gentleness, kindness, peace, and service toward others.
Reading 439-1 describes a soul who lived during the persecution of early Christians in the Roman world. The entity experienced suffering, fear, and opposition, yet learned one of the soul’s great lessons: tolerance. Even while facing harsh conditions, the soul chose faithfulness and gentleness rather than bitterness or hatred.
The reading gives a deeply practical spiritual instruction: “being gentle, being kind, speaking softly even when others speak crossly…”
This shows that soul development is revealed most clearly in difficult human relationships. The mature soul does not merely react emotionally to conflict. Instead, it learns inner calmness, compassion, and self-control. Gentleness becomes a form of spiritual strength. The reading explains that this attitude brings “contentment in self” and makes life “more and more worth while.” In other words, peace begins within the soul itself.
Reading 1650-1 expands this idea into universal spiritual laws. It teaches that what a person desires inwardly must first be expressed outwardly: “If ye would have love, ye must show thyself lovely. If ye would have friends, ye must show thyself friendly. If ye would have peace and harmony, forget self and make for harmony and peace in thy associations.”
The reading emphasizes that the soul grows through active expression, not passive wishing. Love grows by loving. Peace grows by creating peace. Freedom grows by giving freedom to others.
A major theme in 1650-1 is patience. The reading says: “In patience possess ye your souls!”
Patience is presented as one of the foundations of soul development because it teaches the soul stability, endurance, and spiritual awareness. Through patience, the person begins to realize that the physical body is temporary, while the soul is the deeper and more enduring reality.
The reading also explains that soul growth happens through the “fruits of the spirit”: “in patience, in brotherly love, in kindness, in gentleness…”
These qualities are not described as abstract ideals but as daily attitudes toward fellow human beings. The soul develops through ordinary interactions — through how one speaks, forgives, listens, comforts, and treats others.
One of the deepest passages in 1650-1 explains the purpose of human existence itself. The reading says the soul entered material life for the purpose of becoming a conscious companion with the Creative Force. Earthly experience is therefore portrayed as a school for soul growth. Through many experiences, relationships, struggles, and choices, the soul gradually awakens to its oneness with God.
Reading 1874-1 presents another beautiful picture of soul development through quiet service. The entity was associated with the women who ministered during the time of Jesus. The reading emphasizes humble acts of care — sewing garments, helping others, listening compassionately, and encouraging discouraged people.
One of the key ideas in this reading is that small acts of kindness have spiritual power: “a kind word… may become as a cup of water to a thirsty soul.”
This reveals that soul development often happens in ordinary life rather than dramatic spiritual experiences. The soul matures through gentleness expressed in daily relationships. The reading also states: “Gentleness, kindness, patience… are not hard in HIM, — only when ye lose thy hold on His promises!”
Here gentleness is shown as something natural when the soul remains spiritually connected to divine love. Harshness, fear, and impatience arise when that inner connection is weakened.
Reading 1934-1 continues this theme by describing how the soul learned gentleness directly through observing the example of Jesus. The reading says the entity witnessed: “the gentle manner in which ALL were answered who raised their voice in criticism…”
This becomes one of the central lessons of soul development. True spirituality is not merely curiosity about hidden knowledge or supernatural phenomena. Rather, it is the transformation of character into love, patience, kindness, and mercy.
The reading especially emphasizes that gentleness should not be practiced merely for appearances or psychological effects. Instead, it should arise from genuine spiritual understanding:
“Love ye one another.”
According to the reading, this love is the true glorification of the soul.
Taken together, readings 439-1, 1650-1, 1874-1, and 1934-1 teach that soul development is the gradual movement from self-centeredness into divine-centered consciousness. The growing soul becomes less reactive, less fearful, less judgmental, and more peaceful, compassionate, patient, and gentle.
Gentleness is therefore not a minor virtue in these readings. It is one of the clearest signs that the soul is awakening to its true spiritual nature and learning how to live in harmony with God and with others.
EDGAR CAYCE READINGS 439-1, 1650-1, 1874-1, 1934-1.
Before this we find the entity was in that period of tribulation or persecution to those in the Roman land, when there were the teachers that had spread the lessons from the tenets of the Teacher in Galilee.
The entity then was among those that were persecuted, and also among those that were chose as the ones to become ensamples to a people. In the period the entity was beautiful in body, beautiful in the activities and relationships with individuals, and was chosen - among the leaders and among the rabble - among those upon whom favors would be given. Yet, the entity chose rather to worship with those with whom the entity had cast its lot; and the entity gained, though suffering in body, suffering at times in mind. Yet the entity learned again that lesson practiced so well in the experience following, that we have just given - TOLERANCE.
The name then was Celia, and there may be found - even in the caverns where the hiding grounds were, and preserved even in those places that later became the places where those lessons and tenets of the day were preserved - the figures or drawings upon the walls of the tombs.
That gained from the period may be applied in the present experience, even as then. An ideal sustained the body, sustained the mind, sustained that ability to meet all the vicissitudes in the experience. So may the entity in the present find in self that shadow of the consciousness held in that experience, that which enables the entity to know He is able to keep that given into His keeping from day to day; even supplying and making known in the heart that which maketh not afraid. Whether doubts or fears arise in those about self, being gentle, being kind, speaking softly even when others speak crossly, will bring not only its own reward but a contentment in self to make life more and more worth while.
439-1
For if ye would have life, ye must give it! As the laws are in the spiritual, so in the mental. For the Mind IS the Builder. And if ye would have life, ye must give it. If ye would have love, ye must show thyself lovely. If ye would have friends, ye must show thyself friendly. If ye would have peace and harmony, forget self and make for harmony and peace in thy associations.
So oft is the ego so enrapt in self that it feels it will lose its importance, its place, its freedom. Yet to have freedom in self, give it. To have peace in self, MAKE it - give it!
These are immutable laws!
And as the individual entity practices, works at, does something ABOUT such, so does there come into the experience those things that make the vision broader, the purposes worthwhile, the desires holy.
Then ye begin to sow the seeds of the spirit in the mental attitudes and activities; which are: first, patience! For "In patience possess ye your souls!" In patience ye become aware that the body is but a temple, is but an outward appearance; that the mind and the soul are rather the furnishings, the fixings thereof, with which ye dwell, with which ye abide CONSTANTLY!
And in patience, in brotherly love, in kindness, in gentleness, in those things that are of the Spirit, of the mental attitudes, ye will find the closer walks with the purpose of the material entering.
For each soul is in that process of development to become fully aware of its relationships to its Maker. And in the manifesting of the fruits of the Spirit ye find these are attitudes and activities towards thy fellowman, those ye meet day by day. And as thy Lord hath given, "In the manner ye do it unto the least of these ye meet day by day, so ye do it unto thy God."
What, then, is the purpose of the entering of a soul into material manifestations?
In the beginnings, or in the activities in which the soul manifested individually, it was for the purpose of becoming as a companion of Creative Force or God; or becoming the whole body of God itself, with the ability - even as thy Pattern, as thy Savior, as thy Guide and Guard - to know thyself to BE thyself, yet one with Him!
That is the purpose for each entering into the material activities.
And as these from the astrological aspects are a portion of the deeper MENTAL self, so have the material sojourns been a portion of the emotional self - or through which ye become more and more aware of that consciousness, that awareness of the relationships to the Whole.
1650-1
Before that, then (among those that would be given here), we find the entity was in the land now known as the Promised Land; during those periods when the Master walked in the earth.
There we find the entity came under those influences and activities of the Master Himself, as well as being among those who aided in the establishing of those who went about ministering, - through the activities in those periods following the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and the days of Pentecost.
For the entity was among those spoken of as the Holy Women, that attended those activities following the experiences; first the entity coming in contact with those activities at the death AND the raising of Lazarus, and later with Elizabeth, Mary, Salome, Mary of Magda, Martha, - all of those were a part of the experiences of the entity - as Salome. [See 1874-1, Par. R8 in re Salome.]
There we find the entity gaining the greater through the services and activities as a seamstress, or a maker of linen or tatting, or laces, during those experiences.
And through those activities the entity brought into the experiences of others assurances of help through confidences, through the activities that brought hope to those who were discouraged.
In the PRESENT we will find the entity oft, from its early experiences, being made a confidante by many, - those even in various ages of their life, or stages of their development, - both old and young coming to the entity oft; as WELL as the material ability to become one that might use the hands for dressmaking or activities pertaining to ANYTHING of wearing apparel in the choices of same, or the bedecking of others. These have been and are a part of the entity innately and manifestedly.
Hence the entity's abilities may be applied in the assistance to others in the choices for children, for home, for varied occasions when the confidence is needed or when periods arise for such an activity.
Hold to that as ye attained in that experience!
Hence again we find the life of Him, who is the Savior of MEN, becomes the more interesting, - and especially the periods of His dwelling at Bethany, His aid to the sisters there, as well as those periods that were close to the days when the appeared so oft to His disciples - and those who have kept alive His activities.
Do thou then likewise in the present, - not only in thy conversation, in thy daily thoughts, but in thy dealings with thy fellow man. For these may be expressed even as He gave, - they that give a kind word, that may become as a cup of water to a thirsty soul, shall in no wise lose their reward.
Gentleness, kindness, patience - as ye have had to learn - are not hard in HIM, - only when ye lose thy hold on His promises!
1874-1
Before that we find the entity was in the land when the Master walked in the earth.
We find the entity was among those who were of the land of the Master's nativity in that experience, but rather of those to whom the Master came in the outer coasts of the land.
An the entity was in the land of the Gadarenes when there were the experiences with those who came from the tombs, as well as those experiences recorded as that the spirit of those - or of that one possessed - entered the swine.
The entity then was of the household of the OWNER (not the keeper) of those swine.
Hence through that experience the entity came directly under the touch and acquaintance of Jesus of Nazareth. For, as was a part of the experiences of the peoples of that day or period, the entity was among those who at times looked after such of their household effects.
In the experience and under those activities the entity learned gentleness, kindness, patience, - as was shown in the gentle manner in which ALL were answered who raised their voice in criticism of the activities of that particular experience.
Hence we find in the present a longing for the unusual, - the experience of being aroused deep within by things that happen from the unseen sources; yet the entity attempts - even though the Uranian influence makes for the interest within self in the occult forces - to keep itself way from phenomena of a questionable nature to the mental self, - and yet a longing deep within to know if there is not some touch, some attunement with a something that answers from within self - FROM that experience on that morn when the master called Mayrah.
In the present from same, - listen more to the voice within, as ye would apply the fruits of the spirit; being more gently and more kind, not merely because of the psychological effect that may be created or the impressions that may be given to others, but because it brings within the answer which is so oft a part of self, - that "They that would know God must believe that He is," and not the pessimistic answer that He is a rewarder of them that seek Him, but rather that which is implied in that the Master gave, "Love ye one another." Not merely because ye feel better, but because it is the glorification of that as ye heard on that Sunday morn.
1934-1
