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6

Matter, Mind, and Spirit

Were there really ancient gods that mingled with humans as the myths of most cultures record? If so, where are these gods today? Amazingly, the Cayce readings and modern depth-psychologists have some possible answers. Take, for example, a reading for a woman (1554-3) in which Cayce implies that the ancient Greek gods were actually “mental forces.” He explains to the woman that in that incarnation she struggled against the urges for material gratification by using aid from the gods of the mental forces. This experience gave her powerful reasoning abilities in this present incarnation, abilities to use her mind to overcome the power of matter and material ideals.

To a young man, in reading 442-5, Cayce warns that he has so lost touch with his soul-mind that matter overcomes mind, making it difficult for him to get fully healthy. Cayce went on to tell this man that he must awaken his mind to these higher concepts and ideals in order to overcome these influences. The “gods” of his mental forces were blocked from conveying their powers upon him by his complete acceptance of the powers of materiality.

To a woman, in reading 1152-5, Cayce gave what may be his most inspired insight into the power of the mind over matter and the role spirit plays in the quickening necessary for health and enlightenment:

It is true that the body mentally, the body physically, should be and is capable of resuscitating and revitalizing itself, if it is raised in a spiritual direction. Hence mind over matter is not to be lightly spoken of, nor is there any disparaging remark to be made as to the body-physical being revivified, resuscitated, spiritualized such that there is no reaction that may not be revivified.

He then says that “any application of any influence in man’s condition … that arouses the nature of … man’s consciousness to the awareness of the God-consciousness to make it a whole” will lift us to a level of consciousness in which God’s Spirit can do its part in our healing and enlightenment. Cayce explains that we have an important role in this co-creative process:

To man hath He [God] given the ministry of those influences within the material world, where ministry may be made to the needs temporal, the needs mental, the needs spiritual. The ministerations must answer, to be sure, to the divine within; else they cannot, they do not quicken. For God alone quickens into life that which has through any form of error misdirected its flow through even the physical body. Man may minister, man may direct—only the Father, God, can give, does give the increase—the quickening. For it is true indeed, “My Spirit,” saith the Father, “beareth witness with thy spirit that ye are the children of the living Father.”

1152-5

As Jesus explained to the woman at the well, God is Spirit. Our minds must change, must reach to the higher levels of the gods of the mental forces that overcome all the seemingly powerful limitations of the physical, material self and this world. The real healing, the real enlightenment comes when our elevated minds open to the quickening power of the Spirit and the Spirit flows into and through us so completely as to revivify, rejuvenate, and make whole our body, mind, and soul.

Then enter into that quietude in prayer and in supplication for that strength to now manifest those truths as are being, and as have been, gained by the entity, and the entity will find that he does not meet these alone, but with that guiding hand of the Spirit that gives to the entity the power, the force, the words, necessary to bring the condition of chaos unto that quietude, even as was said of Him, “Even the winds and the waves obey His Voice.”

900-176

The physical organism is constructed in such a way and manner that if the balance is kept in the diet, in the normal activity, and the mental forces replenished, then the body should readjust itself, refacilitate itself; making for not only resuscitation and revivifying of the necessary influences but carrying on and reproducing itself.

1040-1

The body should in its elements be able, as it does continually, to reproduce itself; making for not only revivifying or resuscitating forces but keeping nominally alive.

1038-1

Notice his use of the word nominal. In Cayce’s vision, life is much more than living healthfully. He often said, “It is not all of life to live, nor all of death to die.” Life must be lived for something, not just lived. Even when life is healthy, it is simply “nominal” until it has a purpose.

In most cases, the Cayce discourses were generated by a question and answer format, as we see in this next dialogue:

Q: Is it possible for our bodies to be rejuvenated in this incarnation?

A: Possible. The body is an atomic structure, the units of energy around which there are the movements of atomic forces that are ever the pattern of a universe. Then, when these atoms are made to conform or rely upon or to be one with the spiritual import, the spiritual activity, then they revivify, then they make for constructive forces.

262-85

Being “one with the spiritual import” is key to Cayce’s method toward revivifying and making for constructive forces. This is a difficult concept for most of us to understand. As we continue, I believe we’ll understand further.

If there will be gained that consciousness, there need not be ever the necessity of a physical organism aging … seeing this, feeling this, knowing this, ye will find that not only does the body become revivified, but by creating in every atom of its being the knowledge of the activity of this Creative Force … spirit, mind, body [are] renewed.

1299-1

Notice his phrasing, “that consciousness” which will ultimately lead to no aging. What is that consciousness that he is referring to? Look at this next statement (my bold type):

In the present there may be gained within self the raising within self that consciousness of the at-onement with the spiritual forces that may revivify, regenerate, arouse that of health and happiness even under adverse conditions in materiality.

618-3

There is a state of consciousness that can heal. This consciousness is at-one with the spiritual forces. Cayce includes spiritual powers with mental and physical powers.

Notice this next comment, which seems to be referring to an unknown sequence that leads to full, healthy life through some mystical path of transcendence.

How is the way shown by the Master? What is the promise in Him? The last to be overcome is death. Death of what? The soul cannot die, for it is of God. The body may be revivified, rejuvenated—and it is to that end it may, the body, transcend the earth and its influences.

262-85

Cayce once noted that you cannot cure a quinine mind of malaria with anything but quinine! Nevertheless, it is not the quinine that is the healer but the mind within the person that believes the quinine will heal. The source of healing is within us. If we realize this and begin to take hold of our inner thoughts, beliefs, and consciousness, then we can make significant changes in our outer condition.

We’ve already seen the first of the next two excerpts, but let’s look at it again, this time with the emphasis on “within.”

In the present there may be gained within self the raising within self that consciousness of the at-onement with the spiritual forces that may revivify, regenerate, arouse that of health and happiness even under adverse conditions in materiality.

618-3

The revivifying forces are the natural sources of energies through quietness within any given activity that makes for strengthening for resistances of every nature in a physical body.

587-5

In this next discourse, you’ll notice a reference to “thine inner self.” When I first came across it, I was curious about this other self that I was not familiar with, especially since Cayce frequently indicated that it was quite distinct from my outer self. Then, one day while waking from a dream, I had an experience that helped me sense the difference between my outer and inner self. I was dreaming. I knew I was dreaming, and I was enjoying the dream and thinking about how I would record it in my dream journal when I finally awoke. When I did fully wake up, I remembered the dream and my desire to record it, but I decided to first go to the bathroom and empty my bladder. When I returned, I had absolutely no recall of the dream. Nothing! I couldn’t believe it. There was no dream content in my mind. Therefore, I lay back down on the bed and began to go back into sleep when suddenly there was the dream content. In my desire to understand this, I practiced moving from the dream state out into the conscious state to see if I could better bridge these two realities. It became clear to me that when I was in the dream, I really felt like “I” was conscious and dreaming. However, when I was out in the conscious state, I also felt that “I” was conscious, but without any dream content. The more I played with this movement between the two realities, the more I realized that there truly were two, clearly discernible parts to my being. One was aligned with my subconscious mind, and experienced and possessed the dream content. And the other was aligned with my conscious mind and physical world and contained no dream, unless I gradually awoke and purposefully conveyed the content over to it. Even then, it could barely hold on to it for any length of time! Despite these distinct parts, I felt that I was really me when I was in either. “I” was dreaming, and “I” was emptying my bladder. My inner and outer self were familiar to me, but not to each other. The veil between them was so opaque that I could not see back into the subconscious once I was fully in the outer consciousness. But the movement between the two was so subtle that I didn’t even notice I had moved out of one and into the other.

In this next discourse, we have Cayce referring to the work, or role, our inner self plays in the healing process, and the help it needs.

The revivifying influences will give thine inner self that which will create, that which will build in the body, as thou holdest to that thou knowest within thine self—that He, the Giver of all good and perfect gifts, is renewing thy strength and thy life within thee; and that thou wilt use same in His service so long as the days are given unto thee for thy activities in this material world. And we will find strength being built in thine body as the stamina of steel! And, as the vital forces renew thy vitality in thine body, use thy mental self.

716-2

If we also remember that the subconscious mind (the mind of the inner self) is amenable to suggestion, then many of Cayce’s guidelines about positive belief and active mindfulness make real sense.

Coordinating body-mind-spirit and taking hold of the forces within us will lead us to health and rejuvenation. However, for Cayce, the answer to why we want to be healthy and rejuvenated is as important as how we achieve it.

Two people can do exactly the same things toward rejuvenation and wellness but get different results. So often, the influencing force in these cases is their attitude. One is hopeful and expectant, the other doubts or feels unworthy. Attitude is a powerful, unseen influence in the outcome of any activity.

To be sure, there should be rather that expectant attitude of the body … for unless there is the expectancy, unless there is hope, the mind’s outlook becomes a drag, a drug on one that is being attacked from within by the various diseases of a physical body.

572-5

Cayce often hyphenated the word disease in an effort to convey the real source of disease as being a dis-ease in the system, physically and mentally. When a being is at ease with itself, health is usually present. But health cannot be maintained long when something within a person is uneasy, or at dis-ease. Notice also that Cayce continues to emphasize the importance of the right mental attitude: being hopeful and expectant.

Doubt was also on Cayce’s list of don’ts, as we see in this next instruction:

Do not become morose. Do not doubt the abilities of those influences in the spiritual life to meet the needs of the body physically, mentally, spiritually, and we will revivify these things.

458-2

Nothing save self stands in the way of the entity making or becoming a channel of blessings to many! For the entity may be assured, for the entity will find, nothing in heaven or hell or earth may separate thee from the knowledge and the use of the I AM Presence within, save selfishness—or self!

440-20

This is a hard one to accept. Few of us take full responsibility for our circumstances in life and in health. But it sure appears that Cayce is listing “self” as the only limitation to success.

This next Cayce comment reminds me of my parents’ admonitions to “pull yourself together” or “get hold of yourself.” Mind over circumstances, whether they are physical, emotional, or mental, is a powerful tool toward changing the prevailing condition. Here Cayce reminds us, in this excerpt from a previously mentioned reading, that we shouldn’t use discouraging remarks when we or others are struggling to overcome a condition.

Hence mind over matter is not to be lightly spoken of, nor is there any disparaging remark to be made as to the ability of the body-physical to be revivified, resuscitated, spiritualized such that there is no reaction that may not be revivified.

1152-5

The Cayce records are filled with the admonition to “live what you know to be true and right.” Our actions must reflect our deepest beliefs and values. If they do, then the Life Force can flow through us without getting meshed in a web of hypocrisy, contradiction, and disharmony. Cayce often identified incoordination of the two nervous systems as one of the major causes of illness, equating it with the two parts of ourselves (inner and outer) being at war with one another. Here he calls for us to hold to a simple truth:

For He hath shown the way—not by some mysterious fluid, not by some unusual vibration, but by the simple method of living that which is life itself. Think no evil; hear no evil. And as the Truth flows as a stream of life through the Mind in all its phases or aspects, and purifies same, so will it purify and revivify and rejuvenate the body. For once this effacement urge is overcome, then may there begin the rejuvenation.

294-183

In this case, and with many of us today, we actually seem to get in a self-destructive mode, or as Cayce said, an “effacement urge.” Who can save us from ourselves? All the outer applications can’t overcome the desires of the ruler of the house. First, one must stop effacing oneself or destroying oneself, for whatever reason we may think justified. Then, self can be transformed.

Mind is the master.

2529-1

Paradoxically, this powerful statement is frequently offset by a “nevertheless” statement, such as this one: “Yet, physical conditions need the [therapeutic] activity that may regenerate or revivify the abilities for reproduction of self through the afflicted or disturbed areas of the body.” (2529-1)

One can only conclude that the mind is the master, yet we also need therapeutic applications to help along the regenerative process.

It may appear long, but—keep that attitude of being the channel through which more love of the divine nature may be given, even as ye would be shown that towards the ways and manners for the helpfulness in the material physical body.

1199-3

Cayce often encouraged those who were in the worst situations to get out of their self-absorption with their problems by simply looking around for someone else who needed help, and helping them—with no thought of reward. Something in the spirit of helpfulness has a magical effect upon the helper.

In this next case, we see someone who is suppressing herself, either from guilt, self-consciousness, anxiety, or fear. Since every living thing has an inner drive to express life, suppression is against the flow of life and must therefore be transformed in order for life to flow and health to return. He encourages her to get interested in something, as well as to keep up with the therapy.

The destruction of the blood forces [is] by suppression of self in a mental manner. Hence, the necessity of directing and interesting self in a fad, or even a fancy, and keeping self interested in same, as well as correcting the physical conditions.

5554-2

As we have seen, the mind and the mental attitude play major roles in the healing and health maintenance process.

Finally, Cayce gives the best attitude to hold for maintaining youth and youthful influences:

Let age only ripen thee. For one is ever as young as the heart and the purpose. Keep sweet. Keep friendly. Keep Loving, if ye would keep young.

3420-1

Unique to Cayce’s vision is the idea that seekers of healing and health must attune themselves to the Divine within every cell of their bodies in order to fully realize the perfected condition. It’s like a pattern, a code, and a vibration that possesses life in its ideal condition. It is continual and healthy. When we attune to it, we begin to imbue ourselves with this perfected life pattern or state of being.

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 (my italics)

Thus there may be a revivifying, a resuscitating, and a creating of an environment such that the body-mind, with its spiritual concepts and its spiritual understanding, may arouse the whole of the body-forces to their better functionings.

1620-1 (my italics)

For the body mentally, in its spiritual attributes for the physical self, may hold much in this manner—as the applications are made, osteopathically, electrically—not for things to be gotten through with, but see, feel, know that these are channels and measures through which the divine may operate for effective activity in this body!”

1299-1 (my bold)

In this next case, we see that some problems are so big, so deep, so painfully possessing that divine help is needed to fully overcome their influence upon the individual.

The addition of energy-building forces has not removed the hurt, the disappointment. For this has attacked the physical body through the sensory and sympathetic nervous system, causing the reaction. Not that there is any mental disturbance, no. It is rather a hurt, an injury, a disappointment such that there can only come the renewing, the revivifying, by putting the whole trust, faith and renewed life in divine hands.

4037-1 (my italics)

Being able to raise within the vibrations of individuals to that which is a resuscitating, a revivifying influence and force through the deep meditation (the attunement of self to the higher vibrations in Creative Forces), these are manifested in man through the promises that are coming from Creative Forces or Energy itself!

993-4

(my italics but Cayce’s parenthetical comment)

Meditation, especially deep meditation, is one of the most commonly recommended practices in the Edgar Cayce work. For Cayce, meditation was necessary in order for humans to bridge the gap between this world of outer, physical consciousness and the inner world of the subconscious soul and spirit forces. In this particular discourse, he is identifying the deep meditation practice as a means to attuning self “to the higher vibrations in Creative Forces.” Creative Forces is a Cayce term for those forces many of us associate with God, Nature, and the powers of Life itself—or as he says himself, “Energy itself!” Learning to become outwardly still and quiet while awakening inwardly to the deeper vibrations, especially those with a spiritual quality to them, can result in higher vibes and the flow of energy, resuscitating energy, through our bodies, minds, and souls.

Let’s continue looking into attunement, especially attunement to the divine within.

Put hope and trust and faith in the divine within—the revivifying, the rejuvenating of that spirit of life and truth within every atom of the body. This will put to flight all of those things that hinder a body from giving expression of the most hopeful, the most beautiful.

572-5

There are those forces as may be had from the study, the analyzing of those truths presented in the light of His ministry—that One who is the way, the truth and the light. The analyzing of these, and the application of same in the lives of individuals is an individual experience. But the closer, the nearer one applies those tenets, those truths, those principles in one’s daily experience, the greater is the ability of the mental and spiritual self to revivify the physical activities of any given body.

2074-1 (my bold)

Again, we see Cayce driving hard on the principle of applying ourselves—seeking, studying, analyzing those tenets and principles we know to be of great importance to us, mentally and spiritually. As the great psychologist Carl Jung pointed out, we cannot deny that there is a spiritual component to humans, no matter how illogical it may appear to some of us. Spirit and spiritual truths are important to the overall health of humans, from the most primitive to the most sophisticated.