Dreams & Visions. Edgar Cayce
knows, he will find his bitter fruits being turned, over the years, to the wine of understanding for others. What has been one's 'stumbling-block,’ he often said, can be made his very 'stepping-stone’ towards love and aid to others, because of deep sensitizing action—provided that the psyche is oriented to allow this transmutation to occur.”
Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you
Bro leaves us with this final thought:
“One does not need to invent his existence. He has only to ‘use what is in hand’ and ‘the next will be supplied.’ For there are two helping forces always at work to guide the unfolding and spending of a human life.
“One force is a person's own original spark of creative energy, a force placed in him at creation, and bearing a potential for love and creativity as great as that of the Creator Itself. The other is a spirit “abroad in the universe” of helpfulness, of unending creativity, kindness, and wisdom…. This other force will 'seek its own’ within the individual when allowed to do so, and magnify whatever is good within the person.
“In Cayce's view, dreams are of prime importance for the meeting of the ultimate creative force of a person with that other force which ever seeks to help him.”
Kristie E. Knutson, Editor
Editor's Note: In this book, the Editor's comments are indicated by the phrase Editor's Note.
In addition, you will find the text of some readings repeated in more than one chapter, examples of the richness and depth of the Cayce readings, and how they can be explored and understood in many different contexts.
Cayce's entire collection of readings is available on CD-ROM from the A.R.E., so even though a referenced reading may not be found in this book, they have been included for any future research.
1
Cayce on Sleep and Dreams
Reading 3744-5
Editor's Note: The 3744 readings form a series of readings given for the specific purpose of dealing with such metaphysical topics as the nature of the mind; the soul; life after death; and so on.
(Q) What is a dream?
(A) There are many various kinds of manifestations that come to an animate object, or being; that is in the physical plane of man, which the human family term a dream.
Some are produced by suggestions as reach the consciousness of the physical, through the various forms and manners as these.
When the physical has laid aside the conscious in that region called sleep, or slumber, when those forces through which the spirit and soul has manifested itself come, and are reenacted before or through or by this soul and spirit force, when such an action is of such a nature as to make or bring back impressions to the conscious mind in the earth or material plane, it is termed a dream.
This may be enacted by those forces that are taken into the system, and in the action of digestion that takes place under the guidance of subconscious forces, become a part of that force through which the spirit and soul of that entity passed at such time. Such manifestations are termed or called nightmares, or the abnormal manifestations on the physical plane of these forces.
In the normal force of dreams are enacted those forces that may be the fore-shadow of condition, with the comparison by soul and spirit forces of the condition in various spheres through which this soul and spirit of the given entity has passed in its evolution to the present sphere. In this age, at present, 1923, there is not sufficient credence given dreams; for the best development of the human family is to give the greater increase in knowledge of the subconscious, soul or spirit world. This is a dream.
(Q) How should dreams be interpreted?
(A) Depending upon the physical condition of the entity and that which produces or brings the dream to that body's forces.
The better definition of how the interpretation may be best is this: Correlate those Truths that are enacted in each and every dream that becomes a part of this, or the entity of the individual, and use such to the better developing, ever remembering develop means going toward the higher forces, or the Creator.
Reading 853-8
(Q) Do I actually leave my body at times, as has been indicated, and go to different places?
(A) You do.
(Q) For what purpose, and how can I develop and use this power constructively?
(A) Just as has been given as to how to enter into meditation. Each and every soul leaves the body as it rests in sleep.
As to how this may be used constructively—this would be like answering how could one use one's voice for constructive purposes. It is of a same or of a similar import, you see; that is, it is a faculty, it is an experience, it is a development of the self as related to spiritual things, material things, mental things.
Then as to the application of self in those directions for a development of same—it depends upon what is the purpose, what is the desire. Is it purely material? Is it in that attitude, “If or when I am in such and such a position I can perform this or that”? If so, then such expressions are only excuses within self—in any phase of an experience.
For as He has given, it is here a little, there a little—Use that you have in hand today, now, and when your abilities and activities are such that you may be entrusted with other faculties, other developments, other experiences, they are a part of self.
As to how it may be used: Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman not ashamed of that you think, of that you do, or of your acts; keeping self unspotted from your own consciousness of your ideal; having the courage to dare to do that you know is in keeping with God's will.
Reading 294-15
As we see, all visions and dreams are given for the benefit of the individual, would they but interpret them correctly, for we find that visions, or dreams, in whatever character they may come, are the reflection, either of the physical condition, with apparitions with same, or of the subconscious, with the conditions relating to the physical body and its action, either through mental or through the elements of the spiritual entity, or a projection from the spiritual forces to the subconscious of the individual, and happy may he be that is able to say they have been spoken to through the dream or vision.
Reading 903-5
Dreams as come to a body are of different nature and character, dependent upon through what channel these are brought to the physical consciousness of the body. All are not brought entirely to the sensuous consciousness; yet often—even though of experience of subconscious mind—may influence an individual as to the trend or bend of the mental action of the mind for quite a period, or until something else may fill the consciousness. Consciousness, in this sense, not wholly that known in the physical as sensuous consciousness; rather an innate consciousness than a sensuous consciousness. Rather an attribute, then, under such conditions, of the subconscious than of the conscious mind.
In the dream—some may be as dreams of a conscious or the subconscious mind, or a correlation of each—or these may be visions of projection of subconsciousness of other minds acting with the subconscious forces of an individual. These—or this character—are always visions. Well that one differentiate between a vision and a dream, or a purely physical reaction.
Reading 140-6
The dreams are that, that the entity may gain the more perfect understanding and knowledge of those forces that go to make up the real existence—what