This blog is part of our 2022 Enlightenment Course, an exclusive benefit for members of Edgar Cayce's A.R.E. Each month John Van Auken provides a lesson with a worksheet, a video, a blog, and in each issue of the member magazine, Venture Inward, he writes an article about this topic. For 2022, we are focusing on Cayce's insights into achieving health, happiness, and a meaningful life. Members can access all of the available material in the Member-only section of our website at EdgarCayce.org/members.
You and I find ourselves born into preexisting relationships and circumstances. As we live, people and events interact with us randomly, even accidentally. Yet, Cayce and other sources teach that these are predestined. I distinctly remember Cayce teaching that I played a role in the selection of my parents. This almost caused me to drop the Cayce content. I knew I couldn’t have desired my parents. Throughout my childhood I had nightmares about them. Still, I heard whispers in my mind encouraging me to stay with Cayce. I was only sixteen years old. Eventually, I joined his surviving staff in 1971. Fifty years later I am still here. Allow me to share what those whispers led me to learn from Cayce’s body of work and my studies of classical mythology.
Let’s begin with Cayce’s strange process of self-hypnosis which earned him the nickname, “Sleeping Prophet.” Through hypnotic trance Cayce discovered that he could shut out his earthly or material existence, set aside his body and personality, and gain access to a realm beyond. In that state of awareness, he learned that we were active celestial beings long before we were physical ones. The material objects we see from Earth are more than they appear. He learned esoteric astrology. The constellations, sun, moons, and planets were all realms of lively soul activity. The Aries constellation, consisting of only a few stars, was known to the ancient ones as a cluster of energetics that created passionate motivation, daring courage, and a driving determination in the souls sojourning there. Conversely, the long meandering region of Pisces imbued souls with peacefulness, patience, and to weigh all options before acting. Mercury was a soul sphere for mental development. Venus was for assimilating love, art, music, and creativity. Mars harnesses control of anger, rage, and what Cayce called, “madness.” Earth, however, has always been the sphere that trained souls through causality— cold, impersonal karma that teaches us through consequence. Whether we are aware of this or not, causality shapes us.
According to Cayce’s visions from the infinite and eternal realms of life, there exists a “first cause.” Western theology has a similar axiom but with a negative twist, calling it “original sin.” This Judeo-Christian doctrine holds that humans, through the very act of being born, are tainted. Entering the lower dimensions of the flesh diminished their celestial condition and created a proclivity for sin. It is expressed in Psalm 51: 5-7,
"Behold, I was shaped in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you desire truth in the inner most recesses, and in the hidden recesses you shall make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
In these words, we learn that humanity can regain its original wisdom and celestial nature.
Unlike the Church's view, Cayce’s first cause is not a result of carnal birth but occurred long before the flesh. Cayce said from his trance state, “As the entity moves from sphere to sphere, it seeks its way to the home, to the face of the Creator, the Father, the first cause.” (EC 136-8, my italics) He elaborated, “the first cause was that the created [that’s you and me] would be the companion for the Creator; that it, the creature [yep, that’s us] would, through its manifestation show itself to be, not only worthy of, but companionable to, the Creator. Hence, every form of life that you see in a material world is an essence of the Creator; not the Creator, but a manifestation of a first cause.” (5753-1 ECRL)
Though we feel so earthly and terrestrial in daily life, we are the Creator’s celestial companions. The first cause foreordains reunion with our Creator. Such a reunion with the Creative Forces fulfills the cause for our existence and brings us eternal contentment.
Jesus spoke of the necessity for reunion often, encouraging us to join him in oneness with the Creator. He said,
“I and my father are one. And you are in me, and I am in you. Do you not believe that I am in the father and the father is in me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on my own. Instead, it is the father dwelling in me, performing his works.” (John 14-15)
Reunion is achieved by raising our vibrations and expanding our minds. The higher vibes are achieved through love for the Creator and the created. The very act of loving brings us closer to reunion with our Creator, as stated in Scripture:
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love… If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.” (1 John 4:7-12)
Expanded consciousness is realized by seeking activity beyond self. Jesus put it this way, “Greater love has no one than this, that they lay down their life for their friends.” (John 15:13) The subduing of selfish desires to help another is the greater love.
Another influence is pruning, which is not karma. “I am the true vine, and my father is the gardener. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." (John 15) “Whom the Lord loves he chastens.” (Hebrews 12:6) "No pain, no gain" was a 1980s exercise motto expressing how suffering was necessary if progress was to be made. Challenges build character and wisdom. "Been there, done that, not going there again," reveals that we learn through trial and error—often called "the hard way." Cayce taught, "Do something, right or wrong, do something, for in the doing comes the understanding." (1719-1 ECRL) Challenges in our lives and relationships are opportunities for soul growth, and life's all about soul growth.
Read the full lesson and access a helpful worksheet to help you stay on track and track your progress through the lessons in this course, in the member only section of our website. Not a member? Join now at: EdgarCayce.org/membership Then, when you are at our Home Page you'll login as a member and access all of these lessons, videos, and much more.
