Will the Real Edgar Cayce
Please Stand Up?
By Kevin J. Todeschi

Answering my office phone, I heard an all-too-familiar greeting: "Hello, I was told to call you … I think I'm the reincarnation of Edgar Cayce." Although this time the caller was a woman, I had heard her story, her "memories," and her conviction more than 100 times before. Over the years so many individuals have contacted A.R.E. about being the reincarnation of Edgar Cayce or about being in ongoing psychic communication with the soul of Edgar Cayce that the organization has created form letters to respond.

This phenomenon is not new. Edgar Cayce's elder son, Hugh Lynn Cayce (1907-1982), used to tell a variety of stories in his lectures about individuals claiming to be the reincarnation of his father, or about people who were convinced that they were in psychic communication with his father. So insistent were many of these individuals about the validity of their contact with Edgar Cayce that finally Hugh Lynn began testing them with a question that Edgar Cayce himself would know the answer to: "What can you tell me about Gail?" The correct answer was that Gail was a female member of the Cayce family, but no one responded correctly.

Many people are not aware of the fact that information can come from the "other side" without being from the individual who claims to be giving the information. Although it may sound unusual, it is possible that individuals are actually "hearing" or "receiving" information from a discarnate entity (deceased individual) who claims to be Edgar Cayce but is not. In other words, discarnates can and do lie. This phenomenon is simply an attempt, by dead individuals who don't want to be dead, to regain a connection to the physical plane. These discarnates know that well-meaning and psychically open people are much more likely to maintain an ongoing communication with a famous personality than from Mike Smith of Toledo.

Hugh Lynn considered this type of psychic communication an "unwanted psychic experience." In addition to hearing voices, other unwanted experiences included such things as feeling the presence of a ghost, sensing that someone is invading your thoughts psychically, picking up on unsought psychic information, etc. The suggestions for treating and overcoming the experiences often included a variety of approaches designed to bolster the body's natural defenses ? physically, mentally, and spiritually. Some of the most frequent recommendations included seeing an osteopath or chiropractor; eating a healthy diet; reading spiritually-focused, uplifting material; working with prayer; and refusing to become fascinated by the experiences.

Perhaps surprisingly, this last suggestion is one of the hardest for many people to accept. I have personally spoken to dozens of individuals who have no intention of "stopping" the phenomena; instead, many of them truly want the experiences to continue because they have somehow acquired a sense of "importance." Some have even stated that their life wasn't really that interesting or rewarding until the experience started to happen.

In terms of the bodily reincarnation of Edgar Cayce, there are several reasons why individuals may honestly think, feel, and "remember" being the reincarnation of Cayce without its being a valid reincarnation recall experience. Those reasons include the way in which the process of soul awakening works, as well as the possibility of past-life connections with Edgar Cayce or one of his previous incarnations.

During the process of "soul awakening," an individual may experience feelings and even memories from the past that resurface in the present. Part of the challenge in this process is sorting through all of the images, memories, and feelings, and attempting to separate what is "real" from what is caused by something else. Sometimes individuals have such strong feelings and images about a particular person from history that they may actually begin to personally associate with those memories.

For example, in 1936 a 47-year-old man asked Edgar Cayce during the course of a reading about his own connection to a famous personality. The man was convinced that he was the reincarnation of President James A. Garfield. Not only did he have memories and feelings of being the 20th president but another psychic had also confirmed the connection. Cayce, however, stated that the individual had simply been a very close friend and associate of Garfield's and not the president himself (1151-4).

With this in mind, it is very likely that individuals who think they were Edgar Cayce may have had a close association with him and his work, or they may have been connected with Cayce in one of his previous incarnations. According to Cayce's own readings, his soul had accomplished a similar work in both ancient Egypt and ancient Persia. In addition, a variety of readings suggest that many individuals who have a strong interest or familiarity with the Cayce work or with Edgar Cayce are actually part of a "soul group" that has returned from time to time.

When Edgar Cayce does decide to reincarnate, it is unlikely that he will pick up his personality as Edgar Cayce. Undoubtedly, he will begin a new life with new opportunities and new lessons. In fact, any individual with a valid past-life memory of Edgar Cayce would, in all likelihood, want to keep that memory to him- or herself, because the notoriety of that information might jeopardize the purpose for which the soul entered into its present incarnation.

Even when all of the above is sincerely explained to individuals, many persist in their claims that they are in communication with Edgar Cayce or that they are the physical return of Edgar Cayce. Oftentimes, they are not really concerned about the way soul memory works. They don't want to hear about lying discarnates. They are not really interested in the possibility of having been associated with Cayce in one of his prior incarnations.

Hugh Lynn Cayce used to say that it really doesn't matter who we were in the past. What's important is who we are in the present, and what we are doing about who we are right now. Surely, the soul of Edgar Cayce himself would be familiar with that principle.

Kevin J. Todeschi is Executive Director and CEO of Edgar Cayce's A.R.E. and Atlantic University. He oversees activities of the Cayce work worldwide. As both student and teacher of the Edgar Cayce material for more than 30 years, he has lectured on five continents in front of thousands of individuals. A prolific writer, he is the author of numerous articles and more than 20 books, including Edgar Cayce on Vibration, Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records, and The Rest of the Noah Story

Excerpt from the January / February 2004 issue of Venture Inward magazine. The magazine is available exclusively for A.R.E. members online.

Maya Ruins in Georgia—The Real Story
by Dr. Greg Little

The December 21, 2011 headline of the article put online by the Examiner declared: "Ruins in Georgia mountains show evidence of Maya connection." It was written by Richard Thornton who writes articles on architecture and design for the Examiner's Web site, which pays writers' fees based on how many people view the ads on the Internet page. According to the article, which created a massive Internet response, "a group of archaeologists discovered the ruins of a 1,100-year-old Maya city" on the sides of a steep mountain in Georgia. The article related that 154 stone masonry walls, a sophisticated irrigation system, and other stone ruins were at the site. The archaeological team was led, back in 1999, by Dr. Mark Williams, who recovered pottery at the mounds found on the top of the mountain. The article, quite large for an Examiner post, presented virtually no evidence for the claim of Maya ruins other than the claim of the stone walls and Native language similarities to Mayan, but referred readers to Thornton's book on the site.

The Archaeologist Responds

After being inundated by media inquiries and continual contact from other interested parties, the archaeologist cited by the Examiner article (the University of Georgia's Mark Williams) became frustrated and even angered by the report. Williams wrote that the report "is not true" and that he had "been driven crazy" by the allegations. Williams added, "The Maya connection to legitimate Georgia archaeology is a wild and unsubstantiated guess on the part of the Thornton fellow. No archaeologist will defend this flight of fancy." Williams wrote to the Examiner, "I am the archaeologist Mark Williams mentioned in the article. This is total and complete bunk."

The actual Georgia "Maya" site is best known as the "Kenimer Mound Complex" and is listed in my 2008 Illustrated Encyclopedia of Native American Mounds & Earthworks. On the top of a mountain near Sautee, Georgia are two mounds. The largest of these is an irregular-shaped pyramid mound that stands 35 feet in height. Adjacent to it is a smaller rectangular mound just 3 feet in height.

There are what appear to be ground undulations along the mountainside that could have been shaped terraces, but there is no definitive evidence pointing to what these ground-covered forms actually are. After the Examiner report came out I received numerous inquiries about it, and was even asked by a few people to change the A.R.E.-sponsored "Georgia Mound Builders Tour" scheduled for May 2-6, 2012, to include the "new Maya ruins." Because the Kenimer site is small, privately owned, and clearly has no definitive evidence pointing to a Maya influence, we won't be visiting this site. But we are visiting one massive mound complex in Georgia that archaeologists have clearly linked to an ancient Mexican influence.

Edgar Cayce's Readings on America's
Mound Builders

In our 2001 book, Mound Builders: Edgar Cayce's Forgotten Record of Ancient America (coauthored with Dr. Lora Little and John Van Auken), we examined 30 ideas presented in 68 Cayce readings with information about ancient civilizations in the Americas. In readings given in 1933 and 1943 (5750-1 and 3528-1) Cayce made it clear that sometime after 3000 B.C., groups of people who had been living in the Yucatan and Mexico entered into America's south and gradually moved north, becoming what we know as Mound Builders. At the time Cayce made these readings, American archaeology had accepted that mound and pyramid building progressed in the opposite direction (north to south). However, as we have detailed in books and numerous articles, it is now known that the movement of this culture was south to north, precisely as Cayce related.

One site included on the May 2012 A.R.E. Georgia Mound Tour is Ocmulgee National Monument, a massive complex inhabited as early as 17,000 years ago. There are seven huge mounds at the site with the largest being a truncated pyramid standing 55 feet high with a base of 270x300 feet. An underground earth-lodge is at the center of the site and we plan to conduct a ceremony while inside this earthen structure. Ocmulgee is one of the few American mound complexes where archaeologists concede that a definite influence from ancient Mexican cultures is present. Specific types of tobacco, clothing, pottery, and statues excavated at the site show the connection. It is thought that when the Teotihuacan pyramid-building culture collapsed around AD 600, a migration took place to the north, eventually reaching Georgia as well as other places.

Gregory L. Little, Ed.D. , part Seneca, is author of the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Native American Mounds & Earthworks, an authoritative guide to America's mound sites. His other books include Mound Builders; Grand Illusions, Edgar Cayce's Atlantis, Secrets of the Ancient World, Ancient South America, and People of the Web, and he has over 30 other books in various areas of psychology. He is the publisher of Alternate Perceptions online magazine (Mysterious-America.net). Although he has been a member of the A.R.E. for over 20 years, he became very interested in the Cayce readings while studying the effects of ritual on brain processes in the late 1980s. In addition to being popular speakers at A.R.E. Conferences, both he and his wife, Lora, have been featured in documentaries on Discovery, the Learning Channel, the History Channel, Sci-Fi, MSNBC, and the National Geographic. They are leading A.R.E.'s popular Mound Builders tour from May 2 to 6, 2012.

Spiritual Bonds with Our Pets
By Doug Knueven

Q) What are your thoughts on whether or not pets have souls? What does the Cayce material have to say on this topic? Dan, Texas

A) Traditional veterinarians might ask, "What does such an issue have to do with medicine?" I, on the other hand, think this is a fitting question. As a holistic practitioner, I take into account the entire patient: body, mind, and spirit. In fact, I dedicate an entire chapter to this topic in my first book from A.R.E. Press, Stand by Me: A Holistic Handbook for Pets, Their People, and the Lives They Share Together.

Most pet caregivers have no doubt that their animals are more than stimulus/response, biomechanical machines. Is it not obvious that each pet has an independent spirit? Specific breeds certainly have characteristics in common. For example, herding breeds of dogs in general have different temperaments than, say, those of the retrieving breeds. At the same time, each individual of a particular breed has his/her unique personality. These characteristics are certainly not due to strictly genetic factors.

According to the Cayce readings, the human soul is made up of Spirit, mind and will. And, according to the readings, the will is the sticking point in the argument for the animal soul.
"The will is that factor which makes man different from the rest of the animal kingdom…" Edgar Cayce Readings 909-1
"Free will – that which is the universal gift to the souls of the children of men; that each entity may know itself to be itself and yet one with the universal cause." Edgar Cayce Readings 2620-2
"Man alone is given that birthright of free will. He alone may defy his God!" Edgar Cayce Readings 5757-1

Okay, so maybe the apparent lack of will is not such a bad thing after all. In fact, if animals lack free will, it only means that they do not have a human soul. Animal actions are not held to the same moral standards as those of their people. Would we hold our dog morally responsible for stealing the neighbor dog's bone? Should he be tried by a jury of his peers?

A surprising result of researching the Edgar Cayce readings that refer to pets is that there is evidence of the reincarnation of animals. A case in point is the "little dog Mona." In three separate readings (268-3, 280-1, and 405-1) Mona is said to have been the reincarnation of a lion from Roman times. It is apparent that some of those near this little creature in this lifetime were once faced with a very different incarnation of her in the form of a lion in the Christian martyrdom era. In still another reading, 276-6, a 16-year-old girl was told that her current pet had been with her in an Egyptian incarnation.

It is obvious from the readings and from the personal experience of most pet owners that our pets have a spiritual nature. We form bonds with our animals that defy a materialistic view. We find comfort in our human-animal relationships that many studies show has a positive influence on our health. Yes, pet owners live longer than those who do not share their lives with a special animal.

The question remains, "What does all this talk about animal souls have to do with their health?" I have found that just acknowledging the deeper levels of animal existence leads to a more complete healing attitude. Holistically-minded veterinarians have multiple levels from which to operate. Besides conventional medicine and surgery, and physical alternative modalities such as herbs, chiropractic, and acupuncture, we also have energy medicine.

Homeopathic remedies are often diluted to the point that not a single molecule of the original medicinal substance remains, yet they have biological effects. Prayer might be viewed as simply wishful thinking by conventional practitioners; still many studies validate its health benefits. Animal communication is dismissed by some, but I have seen firsthand, miraculous results from such consultations.

Holistic pet care is complete care that encompasses body, mind, and spirit. Our pets possess soul attributes and these facets of their existence need to be addressed for true health to be realized. The spiritual bonds we share with our companion animals also enhance our own well-being, as we connect with God through Her creations.

Doug Knueven, DVM, is a regular contributor to Venture Inward magazine and the author of Stand By Me, A Holistic Handbook for Animals, People, and the Lives They Share, available at ARECatalog.com or 800-333-4499, and Holistic Health Guide: Natural Care for the Whole Dog. For more information go to BeaverAnimalClinic.com. He'll be in Virginia Beach on Saturday, January 21 from 9 to 11 am for the Holistic Pet Care: Practical Tips program.

Excerpt from March / April 2009 issue of Venture Inward magazine available in the online member section.

Lessons Relearned
By Louise Wild

A few days before Halloween of 2008, I had a bad fall that resulted in four days in the hospital, two and a half weeks in a rehab facility, and several weeks of therapists' home visits. During this experience, I relearned several lessons that I had been ignoring, or to which I was insufficiently paying attention.

Lesson 1 – Appreciate simple things
Being a task-oriented person, I didn't take time to "stop and smell the roses." During my recovery, I was forced to slow down and, in doing so, relearn an appreciation of everyday sights, such as the beauty of nature, one of God's greatest gifts to us. Fall flowers, colorful trees, birds that had not yet migrated, bright sunny days, and clear, star-filled nights were sights I took time to enjoy and for which I was grateful.

Certain everyday experiences became more meaningful to me. Just by getting up in the morning and realizing I had been given another day to spend on this earth made me, as Deepak Chopra wrote, "open to the wonder and delight of living a human life." Being able to linger over my cup of tea and read the daily newspaper more thoroughly felt luxurious to me. My eating habits changed greatly. Rather than rush through a meal, because I had something to do or someplace to go, I ate more slowly and enjoyed the taste of the simplest of foods. A leisurely shower instead of a two-minute rushed one was a treat. Things that I had grown so used to seemed new again.

Lesson 2 – Cherish your friends and family
My family was very solicitous during my whole ordeal. My husband visited the hospital and rehab twice a day, giving up his normal activities, including playing golf. Plus he made calls, did errands, brought me what I needed from home, and generally gave me support. I was so grateful for this. The only other family I have locally is a cousin, whom I see occasionally, but my children and grandchildren called often, and some wrote touching notes. One of my sons even offered to come from quite a distance and build a ramp at our house if I needed one, which I didn't; and one of my daughters was willing to come and get me and bring me to her home in Massachusetts, but that wasn't necessary.

You learn quickly which friends you can count on to be there for you. These friends, including my friends at A.R.E., took time from their busy lives to call, visit, send cards and flowers, and bring me books, magazines, and snacks. They lightened the dreariness of rehab and warmed my heart. I relearned how precious family and friends are, and I wish I could adequately express this sentiment to them.

Lesson 3 – Prayer is powerful
I am convinced that my rapid recovery was due, in large part, to the prayers that were being said for me. The collective effect of prayers of friends, family, the Glad Helpers at A.R.E., and people I didn't even know, was so strong that I couldn't possibly do anything but get better. I could feel that strength urging me on during "down" times, and I realized again that the power of prayer is very real. We have been given examples of that power throughout history, but there's nothing like first-hand experience to really convince one. Prayer is one of the most powerful tools we have to bring about change.

Lesson 4 – Don't let ego rule
Most of us are concerned about our appearances. We try to be clean, attractively dressed, and have hairstyles that are suited to us. In rehab, being clean was not a problem, as we had daily baths or showers. And looking attractive was not a major concern, at least not for me. I gave my ego a vacation and hung around much of the time in hospital gowns, wore little makeup, and presented myself to people with hair that was badly in need of cutting and styling. And I didn't care!

Also, most of us try to be interesting conversationalists. However, rehab is not conductive to stimulating conversation. Some of my visitors were glad that I managed to stay awake. I imagined that people who visited me talked about how terrible I looked and how dull I was becoming, but I didn't care! I felt that people needed to accept me as I am. It was kind of freeing to let the ego rest.

Now that I'm home and out and about, I'm a little more careful of my appearance and conversation, but I still have my bad days. I try hard not to hurt or offend anyone, but if I'm not at my best, so be it.

This is just a small example of letting the ego go. On a larger scale, I now realize that the ego rules too much of our lives and keeps us from knowing who we truly are. I intend to be more aware of that.

Lesson 5 – Life and health are fleeting
We all realize that we can be alive and feel healthy one minute and be struck down by a heart attack, stroke, or accident the next. Therefore, we should pay more attention to our lifestyles, our choices, and our movements. After the fall, in which I had broken my wrist and fractured my pelvic bone, I felt blessed that I was still alive, did not require surgery, had a good prognosis for recovery, and still had my wits about me. While in rehab, I had seen people who had been mentally damaged and/or who might never make it out of their wheelchairs. I felt grateful that I wasn't in either of those situations. I was determined to pursue my recovery so that I could go home as soon as possible. Compared to average recovery time, mine was considered rapid.

Now, I move around much more carefully, pay attention to my choices, and pray that I will continue to be well.

We've been told that everything happens for a reason. When I was well enough to think about my situation, I wondered, Why? Why me? Well, maybe what happened to me happened in part so that I could relearn some truths, such as those I have listed. After all, aren't we here on "Classroom Earth" to learn, and in some cases, to relearn? So slow down, be careful, be grateful, pray, and keep learning!

Louise Wild received her M.Ed. from Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., and worked as an editor for educational publishing companies and as a reading specialist in public schools. She and her husband, Ken, were introduced to the Cayce material in Massachusetts and, after moving to Virginia Beach in 1989, immediately joined A.R.E. Wild worked as an A.R.E. front-desk staff member for 10 years before retiring in 2009. She continues to volunteer, teaching the Sunday noon meditation class, giving survey lectures twice per month, and spending one morning each week at the Volunteer Call Center. She is a mother of four and grandmother to eight wonderful children.

The Lesson of Life
by Morton Blumenthal

Not for fame, and not for name, not for power, luxury or pain; not even for that called by man, success, do I strive, and work and strain, but rather that in my humble way I may contribute my small share to the whole cause of creation, doing my bit for a cause so glorious in itself, so outstanding in its ideal of life, truth and love, and last but not least a cause born, fostered and administered of a Creator whose essence permeates the whole and whose creative power is the only reality I can find within or outside of myself. My shoulder to the wheel of creation, I serve its purpose for the glorification, and in the effort, behold, I become aware of myself being it. Its glory my glory, its purpose my purpose, its process my process, I lose myself in it, but to find myself again this power of life and creation. Such is the lesson of Life, and once learned and practiced, its reward is eternal.

900-288 Reports; excerpt from a letter from Morton Blumenthal to Edgar Cayce dated 12/25/1926

Morton Blumenthal
Born on April 6, 1895, in Altoona, Pa., Morton Blumenthal was 29 years old when he was first introduced to Edgar Cayce through David E. Kahn in August 1924. Cayce was living in Dayton, Ohio, where he had organized the Cayce Institute of Psychic Research. Blumenthal attended Columbia University in New York City, and was working as a stockbroker in New York at the time. Later, he and his brother, Edwin, were able to establish their own seat on the New York Stock Exchange, and for seven years almost single-handedly provided the funding for the Cayce Hospital and the support of the Cayce family (from 1924 until 1931).

More than any other individual in the 5,787 nonreading records in the custody of the Edgar Cayce Foundation archives, Blumenthal opened areas of inquiry into psychic development, the nature of man, and the nature of consciousness. He was responsible for questions that led to the development of the philosophy of the readings, later amplified through the “A Search for God” material and Glad Helpers prayer group series. Blumenthal also had the first dream interpretation reading and, of the 630 total dream interpretation readings, the great majority were given for him, his brother, and other Blumenthal family members.

Blumenthal had 468 readings from Edgar Cayce from August 1924, until his last reading on July 4, 1930. On December 30, 1949, he recorded a dream in which he foresaw the manner of his own death. As he had dreamed five years earlier, he died in Virginia Beach, Va., on April 9, 1954, of a heart attack. Blumenthal was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Norfolk, Va. 

The Birth of Jesus
From the Edgar Cayce Readings

Reading 5749-15
The Birth of Jesus given to the 10th Annual A.R.E.
Congress in 1941
This Psychic Reading given by Edgar Cayce at the office of the Association, Arctic Crescent, Virginia Beach, Va., this 22nd day of June, 1941, at the Tenth Annual Congress of the Association for Research & Enlightenment, Inc.

Gertrude Cayce (GC): You will have before you the enquiring mind of the entity Thomas Sugrue, present in this room, who seeks a continuation of information given on the life of the Master and its history in the material world... Because of the purpose for which this information is to be used, he asks at this time for a description of a literary nature of certain events in the life of the Master which are known to us in outline but not in detail. You will give these as presented — first the birth of the Master at Bethlehem beginning with the arrival of Mary and Joseph at the Inn. You will include such details as weather, time, conversation with Inn Keeper, number of people at the Inn, types they represented, recreations and occupations engaged in during the evening, what was being eaten and drunk, whether the guests knew the Child was being born, actual time of birth, etc.

Edgar Cayce (EC): Yes, we have the information that has been indicated respecting some of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus, the son of Mary, in Bethlehem of Judea.

The purposes are well known, for which the journey was made in the period. The activities of Joseph are well known. The variation or difference in their ages is not so oft dealt upon. Neither is there much indicated in sacred or profane history as to the preparation of the mother for that channel through which immaculate conception might take place. And this, the immaculate conception, is a stumblingstone to many worldly-wise.

The arrival was in the evening — not as counted from the Roman time, nor that declared to Moses by God when the second passover was to be kept, nor that same time which was in common usage even in that land, but what would now represent January sixth.

The weather was cool, and there were crowds on the way. For, it was only a sabbath day's journey from Jerusalem. There were great crowds of people on the way from the hills of Judea.

The people were active in the occupations of the varied natures in that unusual land. Some were carpenters — as those of the house of Joseph, who had been delayed, even on the journey, by the condition of the Mother. Some in the group were helpers to Joseph — carpenters' helpers. Then there were shepherds, husbandmen, and the varied groups that had their small surroundings as necessitated by the conditions of the fields about Nazareth.

In the evening then, or at twilight, Joseph approached the Inn, that was filled with those who had also journeyed there on their way to be polled for the tax as imposed by the Romans upon the people of the land. For, those had been sent out who were to judge the abilities of the varied groups to be taxed. And each individual was required by the Roman law to be polled in the city of his birth.

Both Joseph and Mary were members of the sect called the Essenes; and thus they were questioned by those not only in the political but in the religious authority in the cities.

Then there was the answer by the inn keeper, "No room in the inn," especially for such an occasion. Laughter and jeers followed, at the sight of the elderly man with the beautiful girl, his wife, heavy with child.

Disappointments were written upon not only the face of Joseph but the inn keeper's daughter, as well as those of certain groups about the inn. For, many saw the possibilities of an unusual story that might be gained if the birth were to take place in the inn. Also there was consternation outside, among those who had heard that Joseph and Mary had arrived and were not given a room. They began to seek some place, some shelter.

For, remember, many of those — too — were of that questioned group; who had heard of that girl, that lovely wife of Joseph who had been chosen by the angels on the stair; who had heard of what had taken place in the hills where Elizabeth had gone, when there was the visit from the cousin — and as to those things which had also come to pass in her experience. Such stories were whispered from one to another.

Thus many joined in the search for some place. Necessity demanded that some place be sought — quickly. Then it was found, under the hill, in the stable — above which the shepherds were gathering their flocks into the fold.

There the Savior, the Child was born; who, through the will and the life manifested, became the Savior of the world — that channel through which those of old had been told that the promise would be fulfilled that was made to Eve; the arising again of another like unto Moses; and as given to David, the promise was not to depart from that channel. But lower and lower man's concept of needs had fallen.

Then — when hope seemed gone — the herald angels sang. The star appeared, that made the wonderment to the shepherds, that caused the awe and consternation to all of those about the Inn; some making fun, some smitten with conviction that those unkind things said must needs be readjusted in their relationships to things coming to pass.

All were in awe as the brightness of His star appeared and shone, as the music of the spheres brought that joyful choir, "Peace on earth! Good will to men of good faith."

All felt the vibrations and saw a great light — not only the shepherds above that stable but those in the Inn as well.

To be sure, those conditions were later to be dispelled by the doubters, who told the people that they had been overcome with wine or what not.

Just as the midnight hour came, there was the birth of the Master.

The daughter of the inn keeper was soon upon the scene, as was the mother of the daughter, and the shepherds that answered the cry — and had gone to see what was come to pass.

Those were the manners, and the ones present soon afterwards. For, through the period of purification the Mother remained there, not deeming it best to leave, though all forms of assistance were offered; not leaving until there was the circumcision and the presenting in the temple to the magi, to Anna and to Simeon.

Such were the surroundings at the period of the birth of Jesus . . .

Merry Christmas from A.R.E.

The Stars Above, the Great Pyramid
Below: 10,400 BCE
By Don Carroll

Text of Edgar Cayce Reading 5748-6

(Q) What was the date of the actual beginning and ending of the construction of the Great Pyramid?
(A) Was one hundred years in construction. Begun and completed in the period of Araaraart's time, with Hermes and Ra.
(Q) What was the date B.C. of that period?
(A) 10,490 to 10,390 before the Prince entered into Egypt.

There has been much discussion and controversy over the date of construction of the Great Pyramid. Mainstream Egyptologists place its construction at approximately 2500 BCE, but there are several researchers that suggest it is much older, and date the pyramid closer to 10,000 BCE. The Edgar Cayce readings were very specific about the dates, placing the building of the Great Pyramid from 10,490 to 10,390 BCE.

Some of the methodologies used in establishing its date of construction use the astronomical positions of the stars for the time periods championed by each school of researcher. These experts debate the alignment of stars and constellations to such points as the north entrance of the Great Pyramid and the north and south “airshafts” from the King’s and Queen’s chambers. Because of precession—the movement of the earth’s axis—there is a shift in the position of the stars. Because the precessional cycle is approximately 26,000 years, we can calculate historical dates based on star alignments. For example, our current polestar (North Star) is Polaris. But this changes as we move backward in time. In 3000 BCE it was the star Thuban, located in the constellation of Draco, and in 12,000 BCE the polestar was Vega, in the constellation of Lyra.

During the construction dates of the Great Pyramid from the Cayce readings (10,490- 10,390 BCE), there was no specific polestar. There was instead a trinity of stars spinning around the celestial North Pole. During this ancient time, this star trinity was circumpolar, meaning that as viewed from this north latitude they never set below the horizon. The Egyptians called them the “Imperishables.” This trinity of stars, through thousands of years, has shifted in our view of the sky and now dips below the horizon during the year. Today the trinity, known as the Summer Triangle, consists of three stars, Deneb, Vega, and Altair, each connected to a separate constellation — Cygnus, Lyra, and Aquila, respectively.

The “Summer Triangle”

Through different ages and cultures, each of these three constellations has represented birds. It is easy to imagine the ancients looking into the sky above the Great Pyramid in 10,400 BCE and seeing a slowly turning triangle with three birds circling the center, one for each point of the triangle.

The symbolic image of the bird above the Great Pyramid in this stellar triangle of the north, is repeated in the Egyptian Benben stone, the pyramidal stone atop an obelisk or the apex of a pyramid. This important stone represented the Benu bird, believed to be the original Phoenix, depicting rebirth and resurrection.

A Benben stone

The Cayce readings also state that the Great Pyramid was oriented in association to locations of various stars:

Then began the laying out of the pyramid and the building of same…to be the place of initiation… It was formed according…to the position of the various stars… Edgar Cayce Reading 294-151

For the date that the Cayce readings set for the building of the Great Pyramid, what better example of “as above, so below” could be provided in the stars than this stellar triangle that also represents three celestial birds circling above. These would not only represent the pyramid itself, but the Benu bird of rebirth and resurrection. Such representation would fit aptly for the initiation purposes of the Great Pyramid from the Cayce readings.

(Q) Please describe Jesus' initiations in Egypt, telling if the Gospel reference to "three days and nights in the grave or tomb," possibly in the shape of a cross, indicate a special initiation.
(A) This is a portion of the initiation—it is a part of the passage through that to which each soul is to attain in its development, as has the world through each period of their incarnation in the earth. As is supposed, the record of the earth through the passage through the tomb, or the pyramid, is that through which each entity, each soul, as an initiate must pass for the attaining to the releasing of same—as indicated by the empty tomb, which has never been filled...
Edgar Cayce Reading 2067-7

Again the number three is noted in this rebirth-and-resurrection initiation matching the trinity of stars above, the symbolism of the three bird constellations, and the Egyptian Benu bird. So as Egyptologists and researchers look to the stars above to help validate their theories of the construction date and purpose of the Great Pyramid below, we are provided with insight to the true purpose and another validation from the Cayce readings.

Don Carroll had a career of over thirty years in the Fire/Rescue service. After receiving his degree in Fire Science, he worked as a district chief for a battalion, an operations company officer, an emergency medical technician, a paramedic, and a teacher at the regional fire academy. While raising a family, he pursued the greater meaning of life, reading materials on Edgar Cayce and attending A.R.E. conferences, seminars, tours, and retreats. He is the author of the article The Cayce Cubit and the Kundalini in the Oct.-Dec. issue of Venture Inward Magazine, available in the online member-only section.