(Q) Would my working outside the home now be injurious to the child?
(A) This is the formative period. Hence it depends upon what character of individual you hope to have! One that will be a workaday, material-minded, one looking for the making of money, the making of position, the making of this or that? Not that this would necessarily be the outward attitude, but the real innate attitude deep within the soul of the entity attracted.
2803-6
And a further explanation is given as to how this works:
Then as the mind of the bearer binds those forces that are its natures in itself, its purposes, its desires, its hopes, its fears, these begin gradually to extend themselves through the nucleus; so that as the shape or form begins to find expression, there are also the channels through which the growth of the spiritual being gives its expression.
281-47
Thus the mother’s purposes, fears, intents, and hopes are expressed in the formation of the temple.
The relationship between the parents is also crucial in the attraction of a soul—and the need to be of loving support is stressed:
(Q) Any other advice to each in making themselves channels?
(A) Keep that attitude of constructiveness throughout, not only in thy relationships one to another but to the problems of each.
For, remember, each: There are temperaments and there are temperaments, and you each have your share.
Then, keep in an attitude ever of constructiveness, hopefulness one toward the other, as well as in relationships to others.
Oft analyze self to self. But let each say little of detrimental nature to the other. Remember: You are to be a helpmeet one for the other; to encourage, not discourage.
1523-12
The aspect of sexual relations during pregnancy was addressed in the following reading:
(Q) Does intercourse while carrying child interfere with the physical or spiritual development of the child?
(A) After three months, yes.
457-9
The Entering of the Soul
Many people, including the authors, hold the belief that we choose our bodies, parents, and circumstances surrounding our birth. However, our wills do not create the situation; rather, we use our wills to choose the one that fits our needs, similar to our shopping for readymade clothes. During the next reading, questions were asked along these lines. It is during this reading, also, that the Source stated that it was not until the first breath that the soul inhabits the temple. This reading also explains how a soul can be attracted and then repelled by the circumstances, thus dying at a young age.
God breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soul.
Then, with the first breath of the infant there comes into being in the flesh a soul—that has been attracted, that has been called for, by all the influences and activities that have gone to make up the process through the period of gestation, see?
Many souls are seeking to enter, but not all are attracted. Some may be repelled. Some are attracted and then suddenly repelled, so that the life in the earth is only a few days. Oft the passing of such a soul is accredited to, and is because of disease, neglect or the like, but still there was the attraction, was there not?
Hence to say that the body is in any way builded by an entity from the other side is incorrect. But those mental and physical forces that are builded are those influences needed for that soul that does enter!
(Q) The entity desiring to enter governs the change in sex, which may occur as late as the third month.
(A) It may occur even nineteen years after the body is born! …
(Q) The physical development of the child is wholly dependent upon the mother from whom it draws physical sustenance, but its purpose, desire and hope are built up or influenced by the minds of all concerned.
(A) That’s the first question you’ve asked correctly. Correct!
281-53
Gender
In pondering the above reading, it appears that the nature of the temple seems to be determined by the body’s genetic makeup and the physical care of the mother’s temple. Yet the sex of the temple seems to be determined by both the desire of the parents and the soul that chooses it. In one series of readings, the Source stated that the infant was one sex, when it was clearly physically the opposite sex. This gives cause to wonder if the Source was not referring to sexual orientation rather than the physical sex.
Other readings regarding the sex of a child also refer to how intent will shape this turn of events. First, there is the question of past gender choices:
(Q) Does spirit action ever change the sex of an entity from one incarnation to another?
(A) At times. Depending upon that builded in the entity in the earth’s plane, for as seen, will’s force (of earth, see?) is the ruling factor. That builded in the earth’s plane, then, is that upon which the soul and spirit feeds. Truly has it been said, “As a tree falls so shall it lie.” Then, that builded in that as the desire becoming that action in the incarnation. For, as we find in this entity here, from which the reasoning forces have been given, the two may build into same through that as has been given, that entity which the spirit force has given, see?
Thus we are given the understanding that the soul’s desire and previous experiences on the earth plane are part of what determines the gender of the temple. More information on the physical aspect of this is explained as the reading continues:
(Q) Names in both cases of boy or girl given. When and how do the sex forces operate—i.e. how does ‘Spirit Action’ determine sex and at what stage?
(A) The sex is determined at the period of the first movement of the embryo, and occurs in the first three weeks of conception, and the spirit action in same is as same takes life in the form of the union of the portions that grow to the physical being, see?
136-27
While this reading seems straightforward on this topic, at other times, the information given is confusing. As can be seen in the following readings, electrons, the parents’ desire, the spiritual nature of the desire, the activities in the life of the soul, and more seem to affect the gender of the body.
(Q) May sex of child be now given?
(A) Best be prepared for both! [GD’s note: Or either? Her Life Rdg., 578-2, had predicted a son and this was to be a daughter, born 7/16/39, seven months baby? 7/18/39 Life Rdg. 1958-1, Par. 56-A said it was not the same soul as predicted in 578-2.]
578-9
(Q) We understand this body is pregnant. Will you please tell us what sex the child will be?
(A) As given, see, this may be either as yet, with the desire of the parents, see? See, the formation as is given to the stage wherein the change, the sex forces as are manifested, reach that stage or development wherein the mind forces build that in the system—boy we will see here—[Baby boy was born 12/4/25. Homosexual