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chapter 3

Life Forces, the Soul, and Spirit

In several ancient cultures, the life forces were depicted in the form of a raised serpent, and this serpent had wings or feathers—the idea being that the life forces can “fly” to greater heights of expression. In fact, in Yucatec Maya Kukulcan may literally be translated “feathered serpent,” as can the Aztec name Quetzalcoatl (Quetzal being a bird and coatl being a serpent). And throughout ancient Egypt, we find winged serpents. In ancient Yoga, Kundalini refers to the life energy being “coiled” like a serpent in the lower chakras, ready to be raised up as a cobra rises into the striking position. (See illustrations section.)

The two Aztec illustrations depict the life forces, one is rising with our mind leading the way, and then the other is when we’re losing our head as the life forces overwhelm us—thus being swallowed up by the forces.

Let’s explore how Edgar Cayce’s readings explain the life forces and guide us to use them for better health, clearer mind, and a happier life.

Here’s what we would want to hear if Cayce gave us a reading: “The life forces are gaining more and more the better concept of efforts and activity in this material experience; and the purposes, the aims, the desires, are being broadened; and there is more joy, more harmony, gradually being experienced by the body.” (274-4)

That’s what we would all like to hear, but life doesn’t always flow this way, does it? We are often struggling to keep our heads above water as we flow down the river of life to wherever it takes us! But it doesn’t have to be this way; according to Cayce’s readings, and many other sources of guidance and understanding, we have within us the power to take hold of the life forces and guide them toward that which we seek to live and become.

Let’s gain some understanding of what the life forces are.

Breath

Breath is often identified with the life forces, as it is expressed in Genesis: “The Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7, Revised Standard Version [RSV], my italics) And later in Job: “It is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.” (Job 32:8, RSV, my italics) And the prophet Ezekiel conveys a message from the Lord: “Thus says the Lord God to these bones: ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.’” (Ezekiel 37:5, RSV, my italics) Breath is a quality of the life forces.

Spirit

Breath is often associated with spirit, and spirit with the life forces: “It is the spirit that gives life.” (John 6:63, RSV) We will go into this in more detail later in this chapter.

Light

“Life is light” (412-9); Cayce also equated life with light. In another of his discourses he explained what this light is:

“What is light? That from which, through which, in which may be found all things, out of which all things come. Thus the first of everything that may be visible, in earth, in heaven, in space, is of that light—is that light!” (2533-8)

From Cayce’s expanded consciousness view, our true nature is, “as light, a ray that does not end, lives on and on, until it becomes one in essence with the source of light.” (136-83)

In these next readings, he added to the concept that light—in the sense that he is using it—is the light of consciousness, or mind.

“The Spirit moved—or soul moved—and there was Light (Mind). The Light became the light of men—Mind made aware of conscious existence in spiritual aspects or relationships as one to another.” (1947-3)

“As you open your consciousness to the Great Consciousness within, there will arise more and more the white light.” (987-4)

“The soul seeks growth; as Truth, as Life, as Light, is in itself. God is, and so is life, light, truth, hope, love. And those that abide in same, grow. Those that abide in the shadow of the night, or the conditions that become or make for the fruits of these, do not grow.” (257-123)

Vibrations

Yet, Cayce’s readings add vibrations to the list of the life forces, stating, “Life—God—in its essence is vibration.” (281-4, my italics) And, “Life in its manifestation is vibration” (1861-16). In this same reading, and as we’ve already noted how the life forces can add to our life or take from it, Cayce warns: “Vibration that is creative is one thing. Vibration that is destructive is another.” The life forces can be life-giving or life-taking, so the question remains: Do the life forces have a hold of you, or do you have a hold of them?

Kundalini

In addition to breath and vibration, Cayce associated the ancient Kundalini with the life forces, particularly in the body but also in the mind, and his readings have much to say about how best to management them. He said the Kundalini is “the seat, or the source of life-giving forces in the body.” Adding, “The effect upon the body depends upon the use to which an individual entity puts same. Thus the warning, as to how and for what, such influences are raised within the body itself.” (Both quotes are from reading 3481-3.)

Here’s more:

“As the body-mind … enters into the raising of the kundalini influence through the body, surround self with the light of the Christ-Consciousness—by thought, by word of mouth, by impressing it upon self. And in that light there may be never any harm to self or to the emotions of the body, or any fear of the mental and spiritual self being entertained or used by the dark influence.” (2329-3)

Cayce encourages us to direct the life forces of the Kundalini “to be a blessing to others. These arise from the creative center of the body itself, and as they go through the various centers direct same; else they may become greater disturbing than helpful. Surround self ever with that purpose, ‘Not my will, O God, but Thine be done, ever,’ and the entity will gain vision, perception and—most of all—judgment.” (2823-3) Ah judgment, the true guide to making better life decisions.

Cayce continues when he is asked:

“(Q) What are the reactions of the Kundaline forces—physically, mentally, spiritually?

“(A) We might write five or six books upon this! Just which one is desired to be known? There are twelve centers acted upon, each in a different manner, and from the varying sources from which these vibrations are raised in and through these centers—and for what purposes. How many characteristics and desires does the body have? Figure those and multiply it by about fifteen, and you’ll have just how much variation there may be in such activities in the body! How many dispositions have you seen in the body? These are all activities of the kundaline forces acting upon some reactive force in the centers of the body. These are well to be controlled, or maintained, but purposely—not for selfish motives; to be sure, individual, but creative.” (1861-11, my italics)

In this reading we see that the Kundalini life forces generate reactions in the spiritual centers of our bodies, often called chakras. And since Cayce wants us to consider our purposes and motivations, we should include the spiritual centers that are in our mind, often called lotuses. As consciousness awakens and broadens its view, it opens the lotuses in the mind-body connections. Yes, the subconscious mind is in this body with our conscious mind, and it is the bridge to the Christ-consciousness or God-consciousness. As the energy moves through the physical body, it awakens and enlivens the chakras, which Cayce correlates to the powerful, hormone-releasing endocrine glands. Both of these mental and physical movements cause life-giving reactions within us, reactions that change our lives—physically, mentally, and spiritually. Cayce warns us to discern carefully whether we are accentuating self and selfish interests or filling the lives of others with creative, uplifting energy and light. In many of Cayce’s readings this energy and light contain the qualities found in the “Fruits of the Spirit,” which are: Love, Mercy, Forgiveness, Patience, Faith, Meekness, Humility, Kindness, Gentleness, Peace, Joy, Goodness, Temperance, and Long-Suffering. And, as the disciple Paul so wisely noted, the greatest of these is Love.

Notice how Cayce’s readings are blending physical and mental influences in building a healthier, happier life for those around us, as well as ourselves. As the late Sister Mary Rose McGeady of Covenant House, a Manhattan-based home for homeless youngsters, said so well: “There is no greater joy, nor greater reward than to make a fundamental difference in someone’s life.” And the Cayce readings agree: “ … the entity may find in the present that helping others to help themselves will bring joy, peace, happiness, contentment, and a life much worthwhile.” (431-1)

Here’s an affirmation that we may use to lift and center our mind. It’s a blend of several in the Cayce readings:

“May the desire of my heart, O Father, be ever in keeping with Your will this day with everyone I meet. Let Your life forces flow through me as a blessing to all I meet. Let Your ways be my ways.”

Taking hold of the life forces with God’s help is the ideal from Cayce’s perspective. We’ll discuss this at greater length in the chapter titled Your Ideal Is Your Mind’s Navigator. Next, let’s grasp the difference between Spirit and Soul, as Cayce saw it.

The Difference Between Spirit and Soul

From Edgar Cayce’s altered state of consciousness, spirit and soul are seen differently. Spirit is the life force, while soul is the individual entity with its unique memories, thoughts, desires, energy, vibrations, and motivations. All have spirit—the life force—but each has their own story and complex of being, their unique soul.

Cayce: “The soul is an individual, individuality, that may grow to be one with or separate from the whole. The spirit is the impelling influence of infinity, or the one creative source, force, that is manifest.” (5749-3)

Cayce was asked and replied:

“(Q) What is the soul of a body?

“(A) That which the Maker gave to every entity or individual in the beginning, and which is seeking the home or place of the Maker.” (3744-3)

“Spirit is the First Cause, the primary beginning, the motivative influence—as God is Spirit.” (262-123) Here Cayce is quoting Jesus’ comment to the lady at the well in the Gospel of John. (John 4:24) Here’s that conversation:

“The woman said to him, ‘Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father … But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’” (John 4:19-24, RSV)

Cayce again: “Spirit is that portion of the First Cause which finds expression in all that is everlasting in the consciousness of mind or matter.” (2533-1)

Again: “There is a vast deal of difference between spiritual and soul forces … Spirit forces are the animation of all life giving life-producing forces in animate or inanimate forces … Spiritual element, the vitality, produces the motive forces of the entity, whether physical or spiritual. Spiritual forces being the life, the reproductive principle; the soul [is] the development principle.” (900-17)

Cayce stated that, “Each soul is a portion of the divine. Motivating that soul-body is the spirit of divinity.” (1096-4) Motivating our soul to live and develop is a divine spiritual essence within us. This is the “life force.” The spirit is the life force, and it is a portion of what we call the Divine.

This motivating spirit is driven by our highest purpose for existence, as stated in the next three Cayce comments:

“The purpose of the heart is to know yourself to be yourself and yet one with God.” (281-37)

“ … the purpose is that you might know yourself to be yourself, and yet one with the Creative Forces, or God.” (2030-1) Notice how Cayce equates God with the Creative Forces, or an aspect of God is the forces that are creative, life-giving, and life-motivating.

Seeing us as spirit-souls rather than earthly persons, Cayce instructs us: “Don’t put the material first, for you have to live with yourself a long, long while! Become acquainted with yourself. Know yourself and the relationship to the Creative Forces.” (3484-1) Of course he is encouraging us to become acquainted with our more eternal self. The body will eventually die, but our soul-self will live on and on, so it’s best that we become familiar with that portion of ourselves now.

Cayce’s view of us is amazing. He saw us as star beings—celestial souls temporarily sojourning in this physical world. He saw our deepest motivation to be more connected to this soul journey and our primary purpose than to anything earthly. “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.” (136-83) Cayce identifies that the First Cause was “that the created would be the companion for the Creator.” This is the reason we were created, and as a result, the created (our soul) is given opportunities to “show itself to be not only worthy of, but companionable to, the Creator.” (Both quotes are from 5753-1.) Now we are talking about the Creator or Creative Forces of the entire universe. What an amazing destiny, a destiny that is surprisingly intertwined with our present life, as we’ll see.

And despite the conditions of our mind and body and situations today, Cayce taught that it is simply a matter of consciousness or awareness: “In the present there may be gained within self the raising within self that consciousness of the at-oneness with the spiritual forces that may revivify, regenerate, arouse that of health and happiness even under the adverse conditions in materiality.” (618-3)

To paraphrase, as Cayce explained, the intention was to be able to partake of the physical but not be a part of same—more and more feeding upon those sources from which we emanate, or of the spiritual life, so that the physical body, the mental body are attuned to our soul forces, our soul source, our Creator, our Maker, in such a way and manner as we develop. (364-10)

With us today is the connection to the Divine within us, that Life Force. Cayce stated: “As your body, your mind, your soul is attuned to that divine that answers within, so may you indeed be quickened to know His purpose; and you may fill that purpose for which you entered this experience.” (69-4)

“It will require that there be such an attitude in mind, in purpose, in hope, and in relationships to others, that each cell of the body may be attuned to the divine within. Each cell must become expectant, that there may be the renewing, the revivifying of the relationships that the soul-entity bears to Creative Forces.” (3511-1)

Among the many questioners of the trance-state Cayce was Morton Blumenthal. He asked some of the most compelling questions. And on the issue of spirit and soul, he asked and received these replies (my italics):

“(Q) What is this spirit entity in the body, [Morton Blumenthal], and how may he develop it in the right direction?

“(A) This is only the portion that develops other than in the earth’s plane. Spirit entity. For soul’s development is in the earth’s plane. The spirit entity is in the spirit plane.

“(Q) Does the spirit entity have a separate consciousness apart from the physical, and is it as the consciousness of [Morton Blumenthal] when he dreams, or has visions, while asleep?

“(A) The spirit entity is a thing apart from any earthly connection in sleep, yet connected. For the earthly or material consciousness is ever tempered with material conditions; the superconsciousness [this term for the highest level of consciousness or even a level beyond consciousness is originally found in ancient Yoga and presently in Jungian psychology] with the consciousness between soul and spirit, and partakes of the spiritual forces principally. In consciousness we find only projections of subconscious and superconscious, which conditions project themselves in dreams, visions, unless entered into the superconscious forces. In the consciousness of earthly or material forces there enters all the attributes of the physical, fleshly body. In the subconscious there enters the attributes of soul forces, and of the conscious forces. In the superconscious there enters the subconscious forces, and spiritual discernment and development. (900-16)

“(Q) Have the lower forms of creation, such as animals … have any life in the spirit plane?

“(A) All have the spirit force.” (900-24)

Here we have our first clear demarcations of the mind. From Cayce’s perspective, and many other sources, our mind has a superconscious, a subconscious, and an outer conscious level. And though they are one, they operate on different levels or planes of awareness. The subconscious is the bridge or “go between” for the earthly conscious level of mind and the higher, spiritual superconscious level of mind. Cayce sees the subconscious as the mind of the soul, while the superconscious is the mind of the spirit, and that leaves the earthly self with the three-dimensional, material mind in which the personality exists. Cayce called the soul the “individuality” to give us a sense of it being personal but much larger and more eternal than the personality.

Here are some more explanations from Cayce:

“For only the spirit and soul are eternal but they are as much a body in the eternal realms as the physical body is a body in the material realm.” (5159-2)

“For the soul is eternal and if the entity will analyze its own self, it is body, mind and soul. Soul … longs for spiritual interpretations, mental understanding, and physical harmony and rest. These are parts of the experience of every soul.” (5330-1)

“As has been experienced in the mental self, there is as much reason to dwell upon the thought from where the soul came, as it is upon where the soul goes. For, if the soul is eternal, it always has been—if it is always to be. And that is the basis, or the thought of Creative Force, or God. He ever was, He ever will be. And individuals, as His children, are a part of that consciousness. And it is for that purpose that He came into the earth; that we, as soul-entities, might know ourselves to be ourselves, and yet one with Him; as He, the Master, the Christ, knew Himself to be Himself and yet one with the Father.

“Thus the purpose of manifestation in the material plane; that we may apply here a little, there a little, line upon line, precept upon precept, that we may become like Him.

“And as the entity has through the experiences seen and aided others in the application of their efforts and their abilities to become more and more aware of their relationships to the Creative Forces or God, so may the entity—as He gave—in patience you become aware of your soul.

“For, as indicated in the three-dimensional consciousness—the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost—time, space and patience—body, mind, soul—all answer one to another. Hence the first law, ‘My spirit bears witness with thy spirit.’ These become, then, the first principles in this entity’s analyzing of itself and of its activity in the earth.” (3003-1)

Edgar Cayce taught: “Spirit is the natural, the normal condition of an entity.” (816-10) Now, given how physical we are—or at least how physical we see ourselves—this is a perplexing statement. How can our “natural” or “normal” condition be that of spirit? And if it is, where is that spirit in us today, in these physical bodies with personalities?