The Law of Like Begets Like

The Cayce Readings identify as the first law, the concept, “like begets like.”  For the first law is, "Like begets like.”  And what ye sow, ye shall reap.  361-15

One of the key concepts of the Readings is that the mind is the builder and the physical is the result.  Or, as was portrayed in the movie, What the Bleep, intent is extremely important, if not all, in what matters!  As we align our intent with the Universal Laws, we find that our lives become simplified and less overwhelming.  This is not to say that we will not have difficulties and tragedies, but rather that the management of these events will be an easier task.  

This law of “like begets like” is also in effect with the children who choose to enter our families.  We attract them by our actions, our thoughts, and our intents.  It is the factor of intent that is the most important thing we can practice when expecting a child. 

While my intent was to attract a deeply spiritual being while pregnant (which I did), I also attracted an individual who was filled with anger and impatience!  However, during those long and often frustrating years, I never lost sight of the intent.  It was difficult to hold onto at times, as his behavior was so overwhelming.  However, I always saw him as a deeply spiritual and wise man.  Had I seen him as his behavior suggested he was, neither of us would have survived emotionally intact.  However, after nearly 30 years, he has found himself being the spiritual being I had set the intent for when I first learned I was pregnant. 

If like begets like, how did I manage to have such a difficult person?  I was very easy-going and calm.  I was often bewildered about this “like begets like” law during his childhood!  Yet at the core of ourselves, we were alike.  Further his needs met my skills, skills he honed to a razor sharp edge, I might add!  In the end, I remembered yet again that outward appearances were those that counted the least. 

The like begets like situation with my birth son and me is now clear.  We are very much alike in our thinking and intelligence.  We have different interests, but our no nonsense approach is quite similar.  We both do what works rather than what the rulebooks say in the final analysis!  However, he came with issues to be resolved, issues serious enough to have potentially clouded the real soul self that was to be manifested. 

Our job as parents is to help the children manifest that soul self in spite of the issues.  We help them to understand that all the outward appearances are just that, appearances.  In the end these outward appearances have no real power, unless we give them power.  It is like our believing gravity is the most powerful force, when we have clearly seen that the bit of energy that holds an atom together absolutely makes gravity miniscule in the scheme of things. 

The deterrent to believing in like begets like is doubt, which leads to worry.  Worry is the noise that prevents us from hearing inner guidance.  In Reading 140-30, the following was asked and answered about the parents’ attitude during pregnancy.

(Q) Do the fear vibrations chiefly affect the physical form of the embryo?  Or do they likewise form an attraction or affinity with influence on the incoming cosmic entity?

(A) Both; for like attracts like, and fear bringeth on doubt, and doubt in ITS inception brings the doubter of the ability of that to carry on, see?  That is, just such as is seen, that with the body would come that of not the perfect MENTAL balance - which is, in its first analyses, DOUBT - see?

So from this Reading, we learn that fear during pregnancy causes the lack of perfect mental balance in the child.  This reading also tells us that DOUBT is the beginning of being out of balance with the Universe. 

Thus, in thinking about parenting, the time to begin consciously applying this law is when one first knows that a child is coming into the family whether through birth or adoption.  In Reading 1533-7, the following prayer is offered for those times. 

Create in my mind, my body, that purpose that thou would have; that there may be the demonstration, the manifestation of thy spirit, of thy purpose with thy servant.  Let my body, my mind, be such as to keep attuned to the best that may come as a channel of blessings to others. Reading 1533-7 

As the child grows, we can teach the first law of like begets like.  Reading 3976-38 tells us that “peace must begin within self before there may be the activity or the application of self in such a manner as to bring peace in thy own household, in thine own heart, in thine own vicinity, in thine own state or nation.”  In 1587-1, we are told, “If I am to have patience shown to me, I must show patience to others.” 

If we show patience to some and have no patience with others, then that will be what we attract!  We can teach our children this too.  Our life reflects what our true feelings, opinions, and ideals are.  To further explain, we may be kind and helpful to our friends; but when driving or in a long line at the grocery store we may become more easily angered or irritated and generate less than kind thoughts.  Thus we beget a mixture of patience and irritation in our lives.

In an aside here, many are concerned that with this kind of thinking generates a “blame the victim” mentality.  There is no blame with the Universal Laws.  The Laws simply are, and people can live within them or without them.  One does not feel  punished after eating spoiled food.  One does not feel a seed is punished because it falls upon barren soil and does not grow.  These results are simply logical consequences. 

It is the same with the Universal Laws… the results are simply logical consequences.  Given that we have many lifetimes, sometimes it takes a while before these consequences appear!  Thus a person may be the kindest, sweetest person in the world, but appears to have the absolute worst luck.  Those “bad luck” seeds were planted long ago, and the consequences cannot be escaped.  That the person meets this “bad luck” with grace and loveliness is what is important.  For then the seeds are being sown for a different experience later, and the present experience is not so harsh.  

At this point, some parents are thinking “but my children are teens and I am just learning about this kind of thing!  What can I do now?”  Again, intent is your most powerful tool.   

One of the things I find fascinating is how children are omitted from the process of deciding how to raise/teach them.  It is as if we think we can control what happens within and without their beings without their knowledge, cooperation or consent.  Tell your children about what you are learning and listen to how they think it might work.  As Reading 1403-1 puts it, “the less one thinks of self's opinions, and the better listener one becomes, greater may be the opportunities for being of help or benefit to those about the entity.”  The following explores some affirmations or intents from a parenting perspective.

I want to be a good parent:  First, this places you squarely in the place of wanting not being.  Second, there is no clear definition of being a parent.  An end result of this intention could be that you are still parenting 30 and 40 year olds who are dependent on you.  I would suggest rewording this to say:  I am a good and steady influence in my children’s lives.  I am open to and follow guidance from my inner self to make good choices in guiding their lives.

I want my children to behave:  Right away let’s change this to my children behave.  BUT again there needs to be a definition.  Obedience that is not thoughtful causes much confusion when children are asked to do things that make them uncomfortable.  Perhaps another way this could be worded:  My children listen to their inner voice for guidance in all situations.

Engage your children in wording their intents, whether it is related to school, personal lives or other aspects of their lives.  Help them to understand that their mission in life is to manifest what is good and helpful, and that can be accomplished in a variety of ways, from small acts of holding open a door for a stranger, being reliable when asked to do something, or creating opportunities for large numbers of people to also manifest good and helpful acts.  Most of all help them realize that indeed thoughts are things.

While the above is just a sampling of this law and how it affects our lives, it is important to be conscious of our thoughts and attitudes.  If our lives are not as we would wish, then we only need to change our intent to attract a different kind of life.  The journey of changing intent is one that often needs a guide, whether inner or outer.  It is a simple concept but not an easy one.  Yet, how much better off will our children be if they grow up understanding this at an early age, practicing it all through their lives until it is simply a habit to apply “like begets like.”  For as Reading 136-4 tells us, realize that THOUGHTS ARE DEEDS, and as their course is run, each entity meets that it gives out.

Bibliography of Sources for Information and Inspiration

Edgar Cayce Readings (c) 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation.  Reprinted by permission.

McArthur, Bruce.  Your Life, Why it is the Way it is and What You Can Do About It:  Understanding the Universal Laws.  Virginia Beach, VA. A.R.E. Press, 1993.

top   

The Law of Cause and Effect

A very powerful, yet controversial, law is that of cause and effect.  Powerful because it gives one the full ability (and responsibility) to be in charge of what happens in one’s life.  Controversial because it is often interpreted as being one of “blame the victim.” 

In taking a look at the “blame the victim” aspect, we often think of this concept when speaking of someone who is a really nice person, but has all these dreadful things happening.  Often we do not include the actions chosen, the intents formed and the attitudes taken in past lifetimes.  This writer has personally witnessed past life regressions that fully explained not only events in a person’s life, but also physical ailments! 

However, Reading 3134-1 has this to say about the law of cause and effect:  Thus we find what is commonly called the law of cause and effect, or karmic conditions being met by an individual entity.  For, as given of old, each soul shall give an account of every idle word.  It shall pay every whit.

While all we have is the present moment, that present moment is the sum of all other moments, all other choices whether our conscious brain recalls them or not.  How can we help our children to make the kind of choices that will help them use the law of cause and effect to help create the kind of life they want?  How can we also help them to lessen the effects of karma of choices made in the distant past? 

One thing the Readings often expressed when speaking to this law was the practice of setting an ideal.  Reading 3413-3 explained it this way: 

13.       The injunction then would be: Know that all that materializes must first happen in spirit, and the law of cause and effect ever remains.  Hence in spirit it is purpose and ideal.

14.  Then find the ideal in spirit, in mind, and the results will be quite different in the experience of this entity, as any other entity.  For ye live, ye move, ye have thy being from the spirit of truth.  Yet the will of an entity is either the co-creator with the Creative Forces (or God) or in opposition to such in a material world.

From this Reading, we can understand that we can either be in alignment with spirit or against it.  The Readings do not seem to allow any middle ground when it comes to exercising our will! 

When do we begin to teach our children about ideals?  It begins when we are attracting a soul during pregnancy.  The ideals we hold during that time will resonate for the soul making the choice.  If the child is already here, then it begins with how the parent or caretaker chooses to express his or her ideal.  If the ideal is to provide material comfort, then that is what the child will model.  If the ideal is to provide service for others, then that is what the child will model.  This is especially important after the child is about eleven years of age.  For it is after that age that the child is thoroughly examining what the parents do in comparison with other adults do.  What has been taught in the family comes under intense scrutiny.  It is best that these teachings of the family hold up!

Setting ideals is not something that can be simply discussed.  It is lived in every thought, word, and deed of one’s life.  A father once brought his daughter to A Place of Light because she was uncomfortable with her abilities.  Yet when the parent was discussing his abilities, he demonstrated the same lack of confidence and discomfort!  As soon as he began to speak, he saw how the child was simply echoing his own beliefs!  It was an amazing moment for the father! 

Does having an ideal mean that one needs to go and do charity work in all one’s spare moments?  No.  Should the family choose service, then it can be demonstrated in many small acts such as holding the door open for another, allowing someone to enter from the entrance ramp while in a traffic jam, allowing someone with just one or two items to go ahead in line, and so forth.  The same things can be practiced in the home. 

In the writer’s home, respect was one of our ideals, although it was never discussed.  In terms of showing respect, no one took the last piece of dessert or other food without asking around to see if anyone else wanted it.  Even the parents asked the youngest children.  Permission was always asked before moving someone else’s property, such as a book or piece of clothing.  Whenever a child was asked to do something, the child was always told thank you.  Recently I had occasion to watch my twenty-year-old niece ask her two-year-old niece to move something.  I was very pleased when she and I both told the toddler thank you at exactly the same time.  The ideal of treating others with respect is being passed on, and thus, in these small ways, respect continues to be part and parcel of our family’s interaction. 

The Readings also give us a way to handle life when our choices outside of the divine come back to meet us.  3636-1 gives us some insight with this:  Q) For what purpose did I come into this earth at this time? (A) To finish many of those things ye started and didn't finish!  Reading 3838-4 gives us even more information as this person was told:  “Remember the sources, as we have indicated are the meeting of one's own self; thus are karmic.  These can be met most in Him who, taking away the law of cause and effect by fulfilling the law, establishes the law of grace.” 

This same Reading goes on to give an explanation of God:  “Electricity or vibration is that same energy, same power, ye call God.  Not that God is an electric light or an electric machine, but that vibration that is creative is of that same energy as life itself.”

What do we need to teach our children when they are confronted with the sorrows and seemingly unjust acts as they grow up?  Not surprisingly, the Readings tell us that the thoughts we hold will affect the effect of these acts.  In Reading 3038-3, we are told:  Yet, it is a fact that a life experience is a manifestation of divinity.  And the mind of an entity is the builder.  Then as the entity sets itself to do or to accomplish that which is of a creative influence or force, it comes under the interpretation of the law between karma and grace.  No longer is the entity then under the law of cause and effect, - or grace, but rather in grace it may go on to the higher calling”

In other words, if we remain mindful of the good we can do, rather than the revenge we can exact or the self-pity we can hold, we extract ourselves from the karma.  This is similar to the line of thought in the article, “Understanding the Power of Critical Mass,” by Patricia Diane Cota-Robles (http://1spirit.com/eraofpeace ).   In her article, Cota-Robles explains that in order for a change to occur, according to quantum physics, 51% of the being must be vibrating on a particular frequency.  She writes,

When empowering a vision or thought form, the moment 51 percent of our energy, vibration and consciousness is in alignment with our vision, it reaches critical mass, and nothing can stop it from manifesting.  The problem is that we never know just when we are going to reach that magical moment of critical mass.  There are often no outer-world signs, and it may even look as if we are very far away from that instant of transformation.  That is when we usually feel our efforts are failing, and we give up.  Sometimes we may be just a breath away from reaching critical mass, but we don’t realize that, so we get discouraged and stop working to reach our goals.  Then we end up never manifesting our visions.

We can teach our children this concept of critical mass.  We can teach them that everyone is always meeting himself in the mirror of past choices, yet through choosing an ideal that is alignment with that which is good, we can escape the law of cause and effect.  Through our conscious actions we can choose to either create a future that is loving, productive and fulfilling.  Or we can choose the route of self-condemnation, revenge, and/or anger and be doomed to the endless repetition of circumstances until we have had enough and finally want something better.  By both words and modeling, we can help our children become proactive in their creation of a better life.  The mind is truly the builder. 

Bibliography of Sources for Information and Inspiration

Edgar Cayce Readings (c) 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation.  Reprinted by permission.

McArthur, Bruce.  Your Life, Why it is the Way it is and What You Can Do About It:  Understanding the Universal Laws.  Virginia Beach, VA. A.R.E. Press, 1993.

Cota-Robles, Patricia Diane. New Age Study of Humanity's Purpose, Inc., http://1spirit.com/eraofpeace E-mail: PattiCR@aol.com FAX: 530-749-6643; Phone: 530-885-7909, PO Box 41883, Tucson, Arizona 85717

top

Law of Self

The Readings present a3 fine line in terms of understanding the “self.”  In Reading 1363-1, it reads, “Know, self is the only excuse.  Self is the only sin; that is, selfishness--and all the others are just a modification of that expression of the ego.”

Yet in 440-1, we find “Hence to each soul would there be given, under such an impelling force, FIND SELF!  Know the standards of self's life, the ideals of the mental and spiritual body; that you may be well-grounded in truth, that there may be that which is ever constructive and for the good of the many.”

So on one hand we are told that self is the source of sin and on the other we are told we would only understand truth by understanding Self.  Perhaps the answer is found in the distinction between personality and individuality.  The Readings tell us that personality is what we present to others; individuality is our soul self. 

Rather than focus on the less helpful aspects of the personality, we will take a serious look at the aspects of knowing the individual. 

There seem to be two key points on this topic.  First we are to know the TRUTH of ourselves.  Second, we are to honor our individuality, but NOT laud it. 

What does this mean?  I am reminded of the Sword of Shannara in the Shannara series by Terry Brooks.  This sword was created to hold the power to cause the person holding it to see the truth of his/her life.  Every single act and thought was brought to consciousness, both petty and grand.  It was a terrible and awesome thing to sustain, and at least one character could not hold out to the end of the process.  However, those who did fully knew themselves and were at peace.  They held no illusions as to what they were. 

Another story that comes to mind regarding knowing the truth of things is the tale of the Emperor who was wearing no clothes.  In this story, two tailors (the ego?) conned (at an exorbitant price) an Emperor into believing that they were fashioning the most marvelous outfit for him, when in reality, he had on nothing.  He did not want to appear foolish to them, as they were so convincing.  In turn, his subjects did not want to appear foolish to the Emperor, by naming what all plainly saw.  (It was a child who simply and loudly announced, “The Emperor has no clothes!” as the Emperor was riding through the town to show off his new outfit.) 

With the matters of Spirit, however, it is often the other way around; we do not want to appear foolish by stating that which is apparently unseen.  We are “conned” by our brain to trust only what it can perceive by the five senses.  The truth of the matter is kept from us by the brain (the tailors!).

I believe that the Readings require us to know ourselves truthfully.  What does this mean in terms of parenting our children?  Keeping in mind that we are neither to laud nor condemn ourselves, how can we create self-awareness within the children who have chosen us as their families? 

First, I think we have to practice calm acceptance of our children.  This does not mean we have to calmly accept that they track mud on our newly washed floors, but rather we calmly accept that this is what children do without personal condemnation.  We certainly must help them develop a mindfulness of their surroundings so that they can be a helpful part of family life, which means one does not undo the hard work of another family member. 

In this acceptance of the dirtying of the floor, we help model acceptance of self.  We also model, by our explanation of the responsibility of being a mindful family member that we are always in the process of improving our individuality.  Reading 440-1 also tells us the following: 

Study to show thyself approved unto thy God, and let thy God be ONE; not fame, not fortune, not that which is gratifying only to the desires of a body, but know that if the desire of the heart and soul is grounded in divining truth as it appears in the daily experiences of the life, self may be grounded in Truth.  For, HEED that which has been given.  Make EVERY act constructive; else those other influences may creep in.

First I find it interesting that this Reading describes God as “thy God.”  Frequently the Readings tell us that God is a creative force and however we choose to visualize this force is appropriate for us.  The important thing is that our vision of God is grounded in love and service.  But our main challenge is right there in the Reading: “grounded in divining truth.” 

We need to help our children be honest, without blame, as to their motives.  Upon coming into the living room and discovering a sneezing child spreading pepper all over, we may well ask, “Did you sprinkle pepper all over the floor because you were angry?  What was it you wanted to tell me?  How can we fix this?”  (And in such a case, we must be seriously divining our own truth of what we are not hearing rather than blame the child for using such an attention getting device.)  In these kinds of conversations, we help the child develop the habit of facing his/her motives for the behavior. 

Oftentimes, the child is not able to verbalize the motives (thus the pepper on the floor!).  However, that does not mean s/he does not know!  The brain and body need to achieve certain levels of maturity before what is known by the mind can be expressed.  Developmental specialists hold that this self-knowing ability does not fully manifest until mid-teens.  However, the Individual, or the Soul does know on its dimension.  Thus never feel you need to wait until the child understands according to what we have always been taught.  Again, the INDIVIDUAL of the child already understands.  The body will catch up more easily with the knowledge already having been heard! 

I often find myself talking to children about ways to bring the body in line with what the soul would be doing.  And in this way, we return to the soul’s mission.  In a way, Stephen Covey talks about this in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.  He asks us to take a look at our roles and decide what our goals are within each role.  He also asks us to write a general mission statement, which is continually evolving as our understanding of our individual truth evolves.  The Cayce Readings ask us to do the same!

Can we not speak to our children, even as physical infants about their soul’s purpose?  Can we not encourage them to speak of their dreams, visions and visitations by entities from other dimensions that may reveal such purposes?  Can we not, when they encounter such things that are frightening to them such as faces in the dark, ask them how this could align with why they entered this dimension?  I believe this would be a tremendously empowering act of a parent.  Each child would stand firm within the knowledge that s/he came with a PURPOSE!  S/he would know life is not a random series of events, but rather carefully selected (while on the other side) challenges that will help us meet the law as governed by past choices made. 

So rather than saying, everyone goes through being teased, rejected, or whatever the situation, align the event with the soul’s mission.  What is this teaching you?  (Of course one must be prepared for the answer “to make me know how to feel miserable!” and help the child get past that.  Indeed, the child may need to understand feeling miserable in order to do what s/he came to do!)  Let’s ask the guides/spirit friends/angels, etc. what you need to do.  So you help your child get to the truth of what is happening.  Bring the event back to the fact that we each are always meeting ourselves through the law of cause and effect. 

Reading 1045-1 (emphasis added) explains this idea in this way for someone who had chosen to work on intolerance:  The entity finds itself in most of its contacts forming definite opinions.  These should not ALWAYS become final - that is, the opinions that are once set; yet such tendencies do arise. Weigh them well.  Know the purpose or the motivative force from which the activities of others also arise.

It goes on to say: 

This tends also to give the entity that air or feeling of intolerance. And tolerance is that which the entity must CULTIVATE within itself; meeting not only the influences that arise with spiritual forces but with reason, that there may ever be in the imports and activities of the entity - in its relations throughout this experience - a well-balanced, well-rounded experience that may make for, as indicated, the greater advantages not only materially but the mental satisfaction, the material gratifications, and spiritual developments.

The second important aspect of the Law of Self is to honor oneself, not laud oneself.  I am still finding that balance.  Recently I was complimented on a task that I knew was not my doing, but rather Spirit working through me.  I said as much to the person doing the complimenting, and she responded, “but Spirit could not have done it without you!  It takes both!”  In this way, she helped me understand that I was not honoring myself.  In an attempt to prevent self-aggrandizement, I had gone too far the other way! 

We too can help our children know they are the means by which Spirit can make itself known on this planet.  Because of this, it is important to care for ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually. 

Along these lines, we find, in Reading 1457-3, emphasis added: 

For know that the entity, as each soul, is given the will, the choice.  There is the body, mind and soul; the body with its attributes that make for not only the first law of self-preservation but remember that the mind and soul have the same laws as applying to them; and these in the physical oft run to self and self-indulgences; in the mental questionings; in the soul tenderness, love, those influences that make for that upon which the greater abilities of the entity in the present may be builded.

Finally this same Reading says this:

First - studying in self to know what ye believe - be the best in thy individual field of activities in the present, in whatever phase or experience in which the entity may engage.

Not that self may be well spoken of only.  For as the law implies, it is the manner, the way in which ye mete to others that it may be measured to you again.

As thy body and thy mind and thy soul are one, in manifestations in thy activities, as ye manifest in the earth, so may thy dealings be with thy fellow man, in any character of service ye may render.  And he that is the servant of all is the greatest of all.  Let the purposes then be the same in the spiritual life, in the mental life, in the physical life.

As we help our children understand the Law of Self, so we help them hold onto the purposes for which they incarnated into our families.  We help them hold onto the truths they already know in other dimensions and thus bring those truths to this three dimensional plane we call Earth. 

If you have questions regarding any of the material in this series, please contact susan gale at apolfriends@myexcel.com.  To learn more of the activities at A Place of Light, please visit www.placeoflight.net.

Sources of Inspiration and Information

Edgar Cayce Readings (c) 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation.  Reprinted by permission.

Brooks, Terry.  The Sword of Shannara.  New York, Ballentine Publishing Group, 1977.

Covey, Stephen R.  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.  New York, Fireside,  1989.

McArthur, Bruce.  Your Life, Why it is the Way it is and What You Can Do About It:  Understanding the Universal Laws.  Virginia Beach, VA. A.R.E. Press, 1993.

Sarah, my granddaughter, who is pleased with my progress in understanding the meshing of the soul self with the physical self as she patiently instructs me!

top

A Place of Light

374 Main Street

Cherry Valley, MA 01611

apolfriends@earthlink.net