Edgar Cayce on Meditation

The following is an excerpt from the late great Cayce scholar Elsie Sechrist's
book Meditation: Gateway to Light. More information concerning Cayce's
insights into meditation can be found at the Cayce research foundation
(A.R.E.).

Prayer is speaking to God and mediation is listening to God. Mastering the

technique of meditation is not easy. There are three keys necessary to succeed in meditation.
The three keys to this door of communication with God are sincerity, enthusiasm and
perseverance.

As for sincerity, ask yourself these questions: Do I really know who and what God is? Do I know
him personally as a loving Father, or do I just know about him? More important, does he know
me? Are we on speaking terms, or do we just nod occasionally? If we find ourselves answering
in the negative to these questions, we may begin to realize how greatly we need him. His
promise has ever been that if we believe, live by his laws, he will aid us swiftly when we call, no
matter where we happen to be.

Enthusiasm is important because it is an inner fire, an inner light seeking its own source. In
Webster's dictionary, the origins of the Greek word "enthusiasm" meant to be "inspired, or
possessed by a god." In meditation, this inner fire stimulates every cell of the body and every
reflex of the brain to listen. How do we evoke enthusiasm for our search for God? By first
examining those people who, from the beginning of time, have found him. The Bible tells of
man's experiences with God. Studying it in conjunction with efforts at meditation and prayer
awakens the necessary enthusiasm to begin.

Perseverance is perhaps the most difficult key. We need to keep on, day after day, in the effort
to re-establish our communion. When we first attempt to harness the thoughts, to control the
body, to sit still, we realize just how much the body controls us, mind and spirit.

The purification and control of the spiritual body takes place within the endocrine glands, under
the direction of the mind. The Cayce readings and modern science concur that constructive
thoughts and emotions release healing hormones into the body and mind. But the Cayce
readings go further. They suggest that the endocrine glands are the spiritual centers of the body
and that through them our spiritual forces find means of expression. Meditation is a key to
opening these spiritual centers.

These spiritual centers are: the sex glands, the Lyden gland, the Adrenal glands, the Thymus,
the Thyroid, the Pineal and the Pituitary glands. The proper application of the energies
illuminates them, transforming the individual into a light in the world.

Ideals enter the mind when led by the spirit. The Cayce readings remind us over and over again
that mind is the builder, led by the spirit we are entertaining, the spirit of God or the spirit of the
devil - self. What one thinks and eats, one becomes.

Spiritual cleansing begins when the mind is in accord with his spirit. It is across the bridge of the
mind that we pass, as we come to know God. Once a soul sets for itself an ideal which is
spiritual in essence, every cell in the body is made aware of this and changes begin to take
place. Our seven spiritual centers become the points of contact with the divine within; thus we
experience a stepping-up of activity in all these centers. We have redirected the use of this
energy to its highest function. A refining process has taken place in the body, a lifting of the rate
of vibration; these centers now disseminate their energies and hormones to the entire body.

As the individual sits in meditation, his mind focused on an affirmation (an ideal), spiritual
energy begins to move upward from the sexual glands. Usually, at this point, a pulsation may be
felt at the end of the spine. If the spiritual force has been able to rise unhindered and undefiled
to the pineal and pituitary, one may experience an incandescence as if the whole body had
been filled with light and become transparent.

It is at the pineal center that we gradually become oriented to the Christ-presence, where we
may even receive the Mind of Christ, depending on the degree of the attunement.

This force then flows into the pituitary, from whence, being now in purified form, it flows
downward, cleansing and strengthening body and mind.

And Jesus also said, "He that believes on me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water." (John 7:38) The movement of these spiritual forces in meditation are
the rivers of living water.

The more we become able to still the conscious mind, the more trouble we can expect from the
subconscious mind, for it is the conscious mind of the soul. It, too, must be purified. We have
stimulated this area of the mind as a result of the ideal we have upheld; attitudes and thoughts
previously concealed in the subconscious rise to the surface for examination. Symbols and old
familiar scenes begin to flash before us like pictures on a screen. However, this is still only the
beginning of meditation. We should not dwell too long on these pictures but press on to the
silence. In other words, we must return attention to the affirmation.

We may at this point be fascinated by the many faces appearing, or numerous pairs of eyes
staring. We may even hear our names called; we may feel as if we were in the midst of a crowd,
listening to chatter and laughter. We must not stop there, for we are not yet in real meditation.
Of course, it is fascinating at first, for it is an entirely new experience. The sounds, the voices,
the pictures, the eyes and faces may all belong to souls already in the beyond who, having seen
the light pouring through the open door (the spiritual center), have been attracted. It is much
akin to the sensation of looking through a strange keyhole, only to see another eye looking
back. Intriguing, perhaps, but neither stands to gain much from such a restricted encounter.

We must leave this entertainment behind and "press on to the mark of the high calling," his
mark, the superconscious mind, the Christ Consciousness, the Holy Spirit, the "hill of the Lord."

Spiritual height is reached by attunement to the Creative Forces in meditation. The release of
energy should never be forced by such methods as exercise, or holding the breath, or by
focusing one's mind on a special center, or by willing the center to open. When meditation is
properly approached, these centers will open voluntarily. The knowledge, power and illumination
of the soul which accompany this opening will then be concentrated on the good of others and
not to one's own misdoing.

The opening of the centers should come only as a result of spiritual growth, not through any
abnormal means. Unless the power released is used to express his spirit with and for others, it
will but inflame our lower natures.

The glands of reproduction are the reservoirs of the life force. They house the creative energy of
the body. As the individual sits in silence, having lifted his mind by use of the Lord's Prayer (an
excellent affirmation), creative energy is released at this level. This energy now carries the
stamp of the divine, because both the purpose and the thought which released it were holy.

The Lyden gland, control-center of the soul's activity, opens its doors to this energy, enabling
the mind of the soul - the subconscious mind - to rise to the level of the pineal, seat of the Christ
consciousness. This energy is then transmitted to the other centers of the body by means of the
pituitary. As it passes through the centers, it illuminates them.

Meditation brings an increase in vigor and improved health. An expansion of consciousness is

achieved, and with this expansion comes the realization that we are in eternity now. The
realization dawns that indeed there is no death. The only real death is the separation in
consciousness of the soul from God. When this has been overcome there is no death, for
consciousness is continuous in whatever realm one manifests.
Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions." (John 14:2) These
mansions of God are afterlife levels of consciousness. Where is
consciousness? Within the bodies we now occupy, wherever we are. "For
you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them,
and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (2
Cor. 6:16)

Through meditation, we may become aware of these afterlife realms of

consciousness as in dreams. Therefore, whether we are on this Earth, or in
another afterlife realm, the "house of the Lord" is the shell which we
occupy. For while God wills that no soul shall perish, he will not force humankind to seek him.

Meditation Tips from Edgar Cayce

Meditation is the attuning of the mental and physical body to your spiritual
source.

Meditation builds a protective barrier around yourself against harmful forces.

Meditation will help you manifest the fruits of the Holy Spirit and the white light
of the Christ.

Meditation allows you to obtain information on any subject and the answer will
come from within.

Meditation is the way to at-one-ment with God.

Constant communication with God through meditation will result in spiritual

guidance.

During meditation, you can increase the spiritual forces taking place within your
inner self.

This is necessary to help you attune and become one with the Creative Force -
just as in the pitch of a song of praise.

Raise these spiritual forces in yourself and you will enter the presence of your
Maker.

Attunement through meditation comes not above yourself - but within yourself.

No sacrifice is necessary except your desire to be one with God.

You will know within yourself when you are in an at-one-ment with God.

Read about the promises of Jesus in the book of John, chapters 14-17, to learn
about the spirit of light within you to help unlock your inner self.

Set definite time periods to listen to the voice of your Maker. Meditate either at
11:00 am to noon in the day or 11:00 pm to midnight in the evening. The best
time is 2:00 am to 3:00 am in the morning. (For at least 30 minutes)

Meditate facing east (for polarity with the Earth) and in the same place each
day.
 For some people, the song of the spheres is necessary for their comfort in
meditation and to rest the senses.

Sit or lie in an easy position, without any binding garments around your body.

Sit as in readiness. Crucify desires within yourself. Turn yourself inward.

Quiet yourself mentally. Cleanse the inner room of your mind. No unkind
thoughts are allowed.

Shut out all thoughts pertaining to activities or attributes of carnal forces.

The hands should always cross the solar plexus, the balancing between the
forces of the body, when meditating or seeking to open yourself to the unseen
sources.

Never open yourself without surrounding yourself with the Christ

Consciousness by thought, by word of mouth, by impressing it upon yourself -
also for protection.

Certain types of breathing are suggested, that there may be an even balance in
the respiratory system, that the circulation becomes normal in its flow through the
body.

With low music or incantations, let yourself go deeper, to the seeing, feeling,
experiencing the creative forces of love and enter into the Holy of Holies.

Then listen to the music of your inner spiritual centers responding.

Enter in the closet of your inner self and pour out your self so that you may be
filled with the Spirit of God.

Find what is the impelling desire (i.e., your ideal) in your inner self - council with
your soul.

Make your will to be one with the whole.

In your temple, let the voice, the feeling, the spirit of your purpose be free in its
direction to yourself.

Meditate on the fruits of the Spirit in the inner secrets of the consciousness and
the cells in the body will become aware of the awakening of the life in their
activity.

Only in patience can you become aware of your soul's activity.

Attune yourself almost in the same manner as you would tune a violin for
harmony.

Seek God's face and God's ways. When you are fully attuned, let your
intonations, breathing, and posture be rather an outgrowth of your attunement.

As the body attunes itself, it may be a channel where there may be instant
healing with the laying on of hands.
 Voices can be heard when attuning yourself during meditation.

Visualizing while attuned in meditation can influence others.

Many people meet their spirit guide during their first experience of meditation.
Do not be satisfied with a guide other than one from the Throne of Grace itself.

After raising your consciousness, God meets you in your own temple (the Holy
of Holies, the third eye).

No one can know attunement who has not developed their inner self.

If we fail to apply what is given us in meditation, the body will act!

"For life and death are one, and only those who
will consider the experience as one may come
to understand or comprehend what peace
indeed means." - Edgar Cayce
How to Meditate Deeply

Of the many meditation techniques available, the best for deep meditation is one
that Edgar Cayce taught and used himself. It has been the most successful method
that I have found for getting into a truly attuned-to-God state. And the side effects
of this method are clearer dreams and more intuitive “knowings.”

The method is simple. Sitting or lying down (if lying down Cayce wanted you to
cover your solar plexus with your hands), you use your “imaginative forces”
(Cayce’s term) to “see, feel, and know” that you are making your way through
three stages of transition:

PERSONAL SPIRITUALITY

The Power of Prayer

A Simple Meditation Method
Kundalini Meditation
< How to Meditate Deeply
The Body as a Temple of God
7 Chakras & the Revelation
Chanting
 Incense
Back

Of the many meditation techniques available, the best for deep meditation is one that
Edgar Cayce taught and used himself. It has been the most successful method that I
have found for getting into a truly attuned-to-God state. And the side effects of this
method are clearer dreams and more intuitive “knowings.”

The method is simple. Sitting or lying down (if lying down Cayce wanted you to cover
your solar plexus with your hands), you use your “imaginative forces” (Cayce’s term) to
“see, feel, and know” that you are making your way through three stages of transition:

STAGE 1: First, “remove the earthly portion and your personality.” In this stage I
simply imagine myself removing the earthly aspects of my being and my outer
personality self; moving them out in front of my body and letting them be suspended
there for the duration of the meditation. I know, you’re wondering what else is there to
me if I remove all my earthly elements and my personality. You’ll be amazed how
much more there is to us.

When Cayce did this first stage, he actually had a substantial “beingness” suspended in
front of his body. In fact, on one occasion during the World Affairs readings in New
York, some one thought of another question to ask and attempted to pass a note to the
conductor of the reading. Reaching over Cayce’s body he struck some unseen thing
floating above Cayce’s body and it caused his physical body to flip over. When Cayce
awoke he had a sore bruise on his physical body, yet the man never struck his physical
body. Later that day he gave a reading on this strange incident, and it explained that
Cayce removes the earthly portions of his being and his personality and suspends them
in front of his body while giving a reading. So substantial and yet connected to the
physical body is this suspended portion of his being, that if struck it moves the body. It
is like a thought-form body that is so connected with the flesh body that bruises on it
will reflect eventually in the physical body.

The first stage is to remove the earthly portions of your being and your personality from
your body and suspend them in front of your body for the duration of the meditation.

STAGE 2: Next, he instructs us to “subjugate” control of the physical body to the

subconscious mind and soul-self, explaining that these two are in the deeper, autonomic
nervous system. At this stage our central nervous system is quite still (we are not
moving or using our five external senses). He wants us to turn over control of the
system to the deeper self: soul and subconscious mind. When I first attempted this, I
simply imagined what my soul-self and subconscious were like, and allowed my whole
body system to surrender to their control. Cayce said that a key indicator that this was
happening would be a shift in our breathing pattern, a shift toward deeper breathing. I
noticed this clearly. As I began to “subjugate,” my breathing shifted -- very similar to
the shift that occurs when we are falling asleep.

STAGE 3: At this point in the process Cayce reminds us that the subconscious mind is
always amenable to a suggestion, and, as he did, he wanted us to give ourselves a
powerful suggestion to rise up and expand into the spiritual levels of our being and
God’s presence. I used the suggestion: “Arise my soul, and enter into the infinite,
universal mind and spirit of God.” In addition to saying and feeling the suggestion, I
would imagine myself doing it. I would “see” myself doing it.

Cayce explained that during this stage we may feel ourselves expanding or becoming
“buoyant,” even “levitating” (not necessarily physically, but our soul-self levitating and
expanding as it rises). I found that my physical head would be drawn up and back
slightly as I felt this ascending and expanding.

It’s important to understand that this is not an out-of-body experience. Rather, Cayce
clearly teaches us to avoid going out of the body at this stage, but to “go through
dimensions of consciousness.” Imagine and feel yourself rising through the mind’s
levels of perception; expanding from individual, finite perception toward full, infinite,
universal perception.

Cayce’s indicator that this stage is being achieved is the sense of rising and expanding.
After months of practice I drew several illustrations of this process; see one on this
page.

STAGE 4: Now, we need to sense the Presence of God and connect with It. This is not a
human-like God, but an infinite, universal God of the entire Cosmos. Therefore, we
must realize that we are entering an altered state of consciousness. We are leaving
individualness and finiteness, and entering into universalness and infiniteness. It fits
well with our expanding sensations from the previous stage. Just continue to expand
into the God’s Presence.

Of course, I had to use my imagination in order to sense God’s Presence. I simply

imagined what God was like in His/Her infinite state.

STAGE 5: Once we have the slightest sense of God’s Presence, we need to connect
with It firmly, completely. I actually envisioned myself plugging into It, like an
electrical appliance plugging into the source of power.

Now, after all of this seeking to get here, we have to stop our will-driven efforts and
become completely receptive and expectant. Seeking becomes receiving. Cayce
recommends that we say the little phrase, “Thy will be done in and through me, now.”
And “see, feel, know” it is happening. Allow it. Imagine it. Abide in a receptive state in
the Presence. I feel the Infinite flowing into the finite at this point. It’s rejuvenating and
uplifting.

When you sense that the session is drawing to a natural close, retrace your steps through
the stages until you are completely back into your body with your earthly portion and
personality intact. Then, take a deep breath and go live life. Magically, the inner
experience will affect the outer life in many wonderful ways.