E-mail:   edida@webworkz.com and tel: (828)-837-6794 Our personal worldview, including our view of life itself, directly affects us every day of our life. It is the in the background, influencing how we respond to every event and circumstance. A positive response, or at least a neutral one, is always desirable because it reduces stress and contributes to our joy in life. Because it is so important, it is well to question ourselves about how our own views were formed and whether we exerted sufficient conscious choice in their formation. I feel fortunate that I discovered and was influenced by the Edgar Cayce Readings because they are positive and optimistic in every way, yet tempered by realism. Some sound too good to be true. If they came only from Cayce’s conscious self, or if he had not also rendered selfless service to many, they would be all too easy to disregard. Even so, they are still far too easy to overlook because of the breadth and wealth of Readings subject material that can absorb one’s attention. It also becomes evident how valuable the health and healing readings are.  Their existence still brings many into contact with the readings who would not be attracted by their ‘philosophy of life’ content alone. Along with the diagnosis and treatments he suggested, Cayce could include loving comments about the influence of negative attitudes and emotions, and how they contribute to the physical problems being experienced. These comments form some of the most valuable entries comprising a beneficial philosophy of life. He continued to give readings on people’s physical, mental, and spiritual needs for many years before they began asking more philosophically or spiritually oriented questions on their own. Such evidence of the truth and good intentions of the Sources of his information was crucial to my acceptance. This was enhanced by the conduct of his life and the high ideals that he displayed. . I tend to take it for granted now and forget how fortunate it is to be able trust to the goodness and accuracy of such wonderful information. I admit that I had to struggle to accept the idea of reincarnation and other subjects which arose later and were very new to me but I succeeded and am grateful. Altogether, I have arrived at a much improved philosophy of life based upon a far better understanding of it gained through the Readings. Now what are some of the startling but very positive ideas that are hard to accept literally? The first might be “Nothing happens by chance” stated in #3684-1 and confirmed in three other readings. It is well that it is so confirmed because a single reading transcript might have been considered an error. Who but someone like Cayce, working from an unconscious state, could make such a statement and not be ridiculed? Even so, the full impact of this statement may not be felt immediately. Many people might be willing to concede that pleasant events were only a natural and expected outcome but undesired and unpleasant ones were more likely an error or ‘by chance’. The Readings do not support the latter. They do suggest instead that problems are only opportunities in disguise.  Another confirming reading says “It is not by chance that each entity comes into the world but rather as part of a plan: to fill a place which no other soul could fill so well.” #2533-1.  I find this reading to be quite inspiring, This certainly conveys the idea  that Spirit has a plan for each soul that enters this world and that each of us have something of value to contribute. The next reference is closely related to the above and is particularly appropriate to negative circumstances.  “Know that in whatever state ye find thyself, that – at the moment – is best for thee” #369-16. This is certainly helpful in that it causes us to consider just how each and every situation could be best for us and to accept that as truth. I remember many articles and quotations in which well-known people testified that, in retrospect, they recognized the spiritual value of past trials and setbacks. I once met a young man who lost a leg in a motorcycle accident. While this was devastating to him then, he now could state that he would not ask for his leg back if it meant that he would lose what he learned from the experience that followed. I can also look back upon many things in my life that seemed wrong at the time but which I later appreciated as being right for me. The longer I live, the more things fit that conclusion. Next there is “Know that what is truly thine cannot be taken away from thee” #2448-2. This is entirely positive and says that others are not in charge of our fate or our possessions of any consequence.  “There are ever, for every soul, those that may be termed the guides or guardian angels that stand before the Throne of Grace and Mercy. If there is the finding of self in its relationships to the spiritual life and the guiding of self therein, then do the angels and guards in the spiritual life protect those in their activities.” # 405-1 This verifies the intervention of Spirit in the world in that way.  Why not all ways (always)?   "For the self is constantly meeting self.  And as ye may learn to stand aside and watch self pass by, there may come more and more the knowledge and the comprehension that it is earnest, it is real; and that the real is rather the unseen than that which is so material as to cause disappointments, fears, and those things that make the mind of man afraid."   #1771-2, pp. 4. To me this says that we should pay more attention to spiritual reality than physical reality. Whether reviewing a life event or a dream, we should ask “Why is this part of my dream?" In either case, a nightmare should not be discounted and blamed upon someone else. And for a real clincher, how about “For only that which is good, that which is constructive, that. which is true, that which is spiritual, CAN live, DOES live, ON and ON” #1691-1. [Emphasis his].  Doesn’t this indicate that all that is unworthy of man will at some time cease to exist? That history can actually be changed? Here are several more that really don’t need a comment.  “All prayer is answered. Don’t tell God how to answer it. Make your wants known to him- then live as if you expected Him to answer.”   #4028-1 “He who seeks will find. He who knocks, to him it shall be opened. These are irrefutable; these are unchangeable laws. # 5244-1 “That to which an entity may attain is limited only by self and that which self sets as an ideal.” #1510-1 “Is God’s hand short that there would not be all that each soul would require?” # 5755-2, 11 We should not close without including: “All time is one time”. That appeared in so many readings that it is not considered necessary to quote a reading # anymore! To me, these [and many others] all confirm that Spirit is indeed in charge of events here on earth, even those we may prematurely tend to classify as bad. None of these even remotely implies that life is as it appears to be on the surface. All, however, are hard to accept and so they are not ordinarily discussed either. I suggest that it is time we discuss them seriously – or better -- genuinely accept them now. I earlier stated that Cayce was also realistic. In support of that, I offer the material in #252-56 given to the original A Search for God study group, formed while Cayce was still alive. 21. [Q] Comment upon the following. Is it worthy of expansion; that is, does it carry any light of truth? …. The Creator, in seeking to find or create a being worthy of companionship, realized that such a being would result only from a free will exercising its Divine inheritance and through its own efforts find its Maker. Thus, to make its choice really a Divine one, [the Creator] caused the existence of states of consciousness that would indeed tax the free will of a soul; thus light and darkness. Truly, only those tried so as by fire can enter in. Cayce’s answer supported what was said and added to it. That doesn’t exactly promise a bed of roses, does it !! Another example; “And all illness comes from sin—this everyone must take [accept] whether they like it or not. It comes from sin whether it be of body, of mind, or of soul, and these manifest in the earth.” #3174-1, pp.5. Later in that same reading we find: 17. (Q) “What are both the basic (or original) and also the contributing causes of my illness?   (A)  Read just what has been given.  It's self !”    However harsh this may seem, if Spirit is in charge, we can at least feel certain that all are treated with fairness and love, albeit tough love at times.   It is probably sufficient for many to accept what the readings said about all the above on faith alone. What is amazing is that they also contain information, although obscure indeed, on how it all can be accomplished. This is found in a reading Cayce gave to a woman who was once his elder sister in that period now called The Persian Legacy when he was Uhjltd and she was Uhjltda. The Reading is #259-8, pp. 6, where it says: “For will is the factor which makes for growth in the soul’s sleep through the earth experience, for with the birth of a physical body the soul slumbers; and its dreams are the deeds by which the soul is judged in its associations with its fellow man”. If ever a Reading required confirmation, it would be that one. It is indeed confirmed by a number of others and I have written an article drawing upon them. It contains diagrams to help convey the concepts. It is available upon request as “Reincarnation, Dreams of the Soul’, Part 1. In addition, the concept that life is a dream has been with us throughout the ages and has been confirmed by many mystics besides Cayce. I would mention Paramahansa Yogananda and Sathya Sai Baba as some of the most recent, well-known ones but there are many others. It also appears in “A Course In Miracles” [called an illusion there] and in the “Conversations With God” series of books as well as in the SETH material. I discuss and list over 20 references in Part 2 of the above article  It seems broadly accepted that night dreams are fashioned for our specific and personal needs and are able to fulfill those needs without being limited by physical resources. Our dreams do not restrict someone else’s dreams or conflict with them. Dreams are independent of each other as well as independent of linear time, as required by "all time is one time". It would be misleading and irresponsible to use the word dream to describe life if it didn’t share the same characteristics. I don’t believe that Cayce or any other respected sources would have done so. According to this concept, our lives [or life-dreams] are exactly the same. It is thus the perfect plan, one that only God could conceive and carry out. Is it important or necessary to believe that life is a dream of the soul? Of course not, if without it you can love God and your neighbor as much as you should. In Reading #2072-14, pp. 16, Cayce gave: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy mind, thy heart and thy body; and thy neighbor as thyself.” I include this because it confirms that a threefold love of God is needed. Can we have that much love if we don’t understand the world or God adequately? The dream concept tells us that things are not at all what they seem to be; they are actually much better. They appear as they are because a perfect world and life would not provide proper opportunities for soul development. In reading # 262-56 mentioned earlier, we did not give the full details of Cayce’s answer. This was:   (A) The only variation that we would make is that all souls in the beginning were one with the Father. The separation, or turning away, brought evil.  Then there became the necessity of the awareness of self's being out of accord with, or out of the realm of blessedness; and, as given of the Son, "yet learned he obedience through the things which he suffered."          What I believe this points out is that God did not start this “contrast of light and darkness’ thing until we provided the need for it !!           So all souls started out in the Realm of Blessedness, with God, and erred. Adam and Eve failed in the surroundings of the Garden of Eden. It is also said to be harder for a rich man to enter heaven than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. All these say that perhaps things really are best being the way they seem to be. In other words, the imperfections are perfect and produce the intended outcome of soul development.   And what does the word ‘obedience’ in his answer refer to ?  Is it obedience to God ? …to Law ? ….to Love ?   Cayce gave that these are all the same, as in # 3754-1 we find:  Truth is the unalterable, unchangeable law ever. What is truth ? Law !  What is law ? Love !  What is love ? God ! What is God ? Law and Love ! So while the word obedience may be somewhat ‘hard to swallow’, we see that it is appropriate and unavoidable when it comes to the matter of love. And yes, the directives of the law of love seem impractical and unrealistic in the world as it seems to be. However, if life is a dream, and anything is possible in a dream, then they are realistic and practical ! We should also be able to see why life has its dark side, called troubles, just as dreams have theirs, called nightmares. We have created our own reality. We know why it is the way it is and we know how to change it. Those who can accept the concept that life is a dream have experienced a profound change in their opinions and attitudes toward life related to their new understanding of it. It has allowed me, and others, to form a higher view of life than we had ever considered before. One recent believer said, I quote, “There is a great difference in how one walks upon the earth when it is viewed as a life dream, as opposed to a hard physical reality.  This is true without in any way diminishing the significance of the lessons involved.” Another said “It is an extremely challenging topic, and most people probably are not ready to deal with it.  But a few are, and once they are exposed to it, oh what a difference it will make!  Others will come along later.  This is a key, I think, in our evolution back toward our previous spiritual state.”  Of course those words were rewarding to me. I hope they will encourage you to investigate it seriously. Here is a most appropriate quotation in this regard. “There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything. Both ways save us from thinking.” (1) It would be impractical to pursue the subject in greater depth here but I encourage the reader to do so on their own. It has opened up a whole new world of understanding for me and a further reason for optimism too. [1] Quoted in Reader’s Digest, May, 1998. From; Manhood of Humanity, By Alfred Korzybski, Institute of General Semantics.