extracts from the Cayce readings that are especially relevant about living in Times of Crisis:

Reading #3976-28; June 20, 1943

Gertrude Cayce: You will have before you the conditions in the world today, and that needed by those seeking advice in helping to construct a permanent basis for international peace founded upon understanding of one another’s economic, social and spiritual problems. You will answer the questions, as I ask them:

Edgar Cayce: Yes, we have - as we have had before - those problems which have brought about the upheavals and the wars, the distrust, the jealousy, the hate existing today. These are the result of man’s forgetting God, and that which truly represents man’s sincere attempt to worship, honor and glorify a living God.

For this may only be done in the manner in which individuals, states, nations, treat their fellow man. For, as ye do unto others, ye do to thy Maker. And when those activities are such as to dishonor thy fellow man, ye dishonor thy God - and it brings all of those forms of disturbance that exist in the world today.

As for the individuals here - 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 thine own household, in thine own heart, in thine own vicinity, in thine own state or nation. And only one agreement: Worship God in a manner that is in keeping with the dictates of thy conscience.

When there has been in the earth those groups that have sufficiently desired and sought peace, peace will begin. It must be within self.

Reading #3976-8; January 15, 1932

With the present conditions, then, that exist - these have all come to that place in the development of the human family where there must be a reckoning, a one point upon which all may agree, that out of all of this turmoil that has arisen from the social life, racial differences, the outlook upon the relationship of man to the Creative Forces or his God, and his relationships one with another, must come to some COMMON basis upon which all MAY agree. You say at once, such a thing is impractical, impossible! What has caused the present conditions, not alone at home but abroad? It is that realization that was asked some thousands of years ago, “Where IS thy brother? His blood CRIES to me from the ground!” and the other portion of the world has answered, IS answering, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The world, AS a world - that makes for the disruption, for the discontent - has lost its ideal. Man may not have the same IDEA. Man - ALL men - may have the same IDEAL!

As the Spirit of God once moved to bring peace and harmony out of chaos, so must the Spirit move over the earth and magnify itself in the hearts, minds and souls of men to bring peace, harmony and understanding, that they may dwell together in a way that will bring that peace, that harmony, that can only come with all having the one Ideal; not the one idea, but “Thou shalt love the Lord Thy God with all thine heart, thy neighbor AS thyself!” This [is] the whole law, this [is] the whole answer to the world, to each and every soul. That is the answer to the world conditions as they exist today.

How shall this be brought about? As [they] each in their own respective sphere put into action that they know to be the fulfilling of that as has been from the beginning, so does the little leaven leaven the whole lump.

Man’s answer to everything has been POWER - Power of money, Power of position, Power of wealth, Power of this, that or the other. This has NEVER been GOD’S way, will never be God’s way. Rather little by little, line upon line, here a little, there a little, each thinking rather of the other fellow, as that that has kept the world in the various ways of being intact - where there were ten, even, many a city, many a nation, has been kept from destruction. Though ye may look upon, or feel that that which was given to Abram - as he viewed the cities of the plain and pled for the saving of same - was an allegorical story, a beautiful tale to be told children - that it might bring fear into the hearts of those that would have their OWN way - may it not come into the hearts of those now, today, wilt THOU, thine self, make of thine OWN heart an understanding that thou must answer for thine own brother, for thine own neighbor! and who is thine neighbor? He that lives next door, or he that lives on the other side of the world? He, rather, that is in NEED of understanding! He who has faltered; he who has fallen even by the way. HE is thine neighbor, and thou must answer for him!

Reading #3976-23; June 13, 1939

Then, there needs be that not so much be set as to this ritual, or this form, or the other, for any given peoples or any nation, but rather that the individuals in each nation, EVERYWHERE, are to turn again TO the God of the fathers and not in self-indulgence, self-aggrandizement, but more and more of self-effacement.

For as the people of each nation pray, AND then live that prayer, so must the Spirit work.

Then - each of you here - GIVE GOD A CHANCE to show what great blessings He will give to those who love Him. This does not mean that ye, or ANYONE, would condone persecutions anywhere or in any form. For, know ye, His laws fail not, - “As ye sow, so shall ye reap.”

Man can only begin, then, within himself. And as he applies that he knows, that he understands of God, in his daily life, so may there be given him the next step to make.

Reading #3976-27; June 19, 1942

Ye cannot pray “Peace - Peace” when there is no peace in thine own heart and soul! but by knowing (for His spirit answers with thy spirit) that each day, each person ye meet is GLAD that you are alive! GLAD that YOU have come in touch with them; for you have brought - and bring - hope to their lives, just in the passing!

This means, then, that you may so live the life as He emulated in the earth, that ye radiate life, joy, peace! that which casteth out fear - by living, by being, by doing unto others, for others, that ye would like others to do unto you.

O, ye say, this is not new! Neither is thy present disturbance, nor thy present hope, nor ANYTHING! For, even as he said, “There is nothing new under the sun.” What is has been, and will be again. Only as ye USE that birthright, that purpose, that WILL within thine own consciousness to do justice, to do right, to LOVE good, to eschew evil, may ye as individuals, as a group, as a nation, stand between the living and the dead - and STAY the sin that maketh man make war - of any nature - against his brother.

Thou ART thy brother’s keeper! Act that in thine own heart. Who IS thy brother? “Who is my mother? They that do the will of the Father, the same is my mother, my sister, my brother.” …And more wars, more bloodshed have been shed over the racial and religious differences than over any other problem! These, too, must go the way of all others; and man must learn - if he will know the peace as promised by Him - that God loveth those who love Him, whether they be called of this or that sect or schism or ism or cult! The Lord is ONE!