According to the Edgar Cayce readings, we are all spiritual beings having a physical experience here on earth. Cayce said that all of us were created in the beginning.

All souls were created in the beginning, all spirit of one spirit, Spirit of God, that spirit manifest in flesh, that spirit manifest in all creation, whether of earthly forces or Universal forces, all spirit being one spirit.

— Edgar Cayce reading 900-70

Perhaps because of the demands of earthly life, we frequently overlook the truest part of ourselves, which is our connection to spirit. Although we possess physical bodies and mental attitudes, ultimately our deepest connection is to our spiritual source.

Cayce frequently reminded us that “Spirit is the Life, Mind is the Builder, and the Physical is the Result.” In other words, spirit is the source of our lives. Our mind then focuses that spiritual energy into creative or destructive (positive or negative) avenues of expression. The impact of our choices will eventually find expression in the physical realm, affecting our health, our lives, and our relationships with one another.

From Cayce’s perspective, too often, we are out of touch with the intention (the why) behind our everyday actions. For this reason, he recommended that we establish a spiritual ideal to live by. By consciously establishing a spiritual ideal–like love, forgiveness, compassion, service to others–we can accomplish a personal transformation with soul development as the result.

Then, the more important, the most important experience of this or any individual entity is to first know what is the ideal — spiritually.

— Edgar Cayce reading 357-13

In part, ideals help to establish “why” we do the things we do. Everyone is, in essence, working with an ideal in their lives. However, not everyone is consciously aware of it. Sometimes when life is at it’s most confusing, the lack of conscious ideal plays a role. Since ideals shape our very lives, our experiences, even who we are in the process of becoming, setting a conscious ideal is singularly important to our soul’s development and growth. And the ideals that guide our lives will change over time as we learn, apply, and grow from each ideal that we’ve established. Choosing our ideal and then working with it to shape our life is a process that can help to awaken our soul’s purpose and foster soul growth.

Since our natural state is Spirit, reawakening to full spiritual awareness is one of the purposes we all have in common. In fact, in one reading (3357-2), Cayce stated that “Soul development should take precedence over all things.” Cayce stated that soul development is not achieved through some great deed or act but is a gradual accomplishment that is attained “line upon line, precept upon precept.”

What appears to be most important is our application of the fruits of the Spirit in our interactions with others. In other words, acting with love, kindness, gentleness, and patience. According to Cayce, attunement and application are at the heart of spiritual growth. Attunement is the process of awakening to our spiritual nature and our true relationship with God. The most frequently recommended tools for achieving this attunement are the regular practice of prayer and meditation. Cayce believed that prayer was talking to God, while meditation was listening to God. Both prayer and meditation are invaluable at reestablishing a conscious awareness of our spiritual source while inviting God’s will to work through us so that we may be a “channel of blessings” to others.

Then, just being kind, just being patient, just showing love for thy fellow man; that is the manner in which an individual works at becoming aware of the consciousness or the Christ Spirit.

— Edgar Cayce Reading 272-9

We were with God in the beginning and, through choice and experience, we found ourselves cut off from a complete awareness of Spirit. In one respect, the fall of humankind was really our descent in consciousness from the realms of infinity to those of time and space. However, this was not necessarily a “bad” thing or an erroneous choice. Just as a child learns through experience, by making choices, and even by making mistakes along the way, our own experiences will help our souls to mature, and that process will enable us to come into our full heritage and an awareness of our true spiritual nature.

A discussion on Edgar Cayce and spirituality cannot be complete without the mention of “A Search for God” and Study Groups. In 1931, a group of people who were close to Cayce and the work he was doing asked for a reading on the topic of how they could become more like him — with psychic gifts and the ability to help others. Cayce’s response was a series of readings that outlined individual steps toward spiritual growth. That group continued to receive and work with this reading series for over a decade and eventually published their work in the form of two books titled A Search for God, Books I and II. Today, these books are studied worldwide by people in group settings known as Study Groups. Study Groups can register with our organization to receive support materials and resources for their spiritual group work. Learn more about Study Groups.