Living in a materialistic culture, it is so easy to view disease
as simply a physical disorder. Although attitudes towards health
and illness are changing in this regard (we are becoming more aware
of the psychological and social dimensions of illness), the usual
response to disease is strongly biological. In short, we tend
to rely heavily on drugs or other "physical" therapies to cure whatever
ails us.
To gain a full understanding of Edgar Cayce's perspective, we must
take a broader view. We must consider not only the whole physical
body, but also include the interpersonal and transpersonal aspects
of healing.
For example, regardless of the illness, the readings consistently
emphasized the importance of purposeful living. This was especially
true in cases of severe and prolonged disability where the healing
process could be long and arduous.
Often, when the stricken individual would ask questions pertaining
to the length of time required for recovery or even if recovery were
a possibility, the readings would respond with some basic question
about the reason for desiring health. Why would you be healed?
How would you live your life differently? Why are you alive?
Why continue living?
These questions address an essential aspect of the healing process
- the spiritual dimension. They involve the purpose, meaning,
and value of life. Finding the answers to these basic questions
requires soul searching. In a certain sense, all illness, and
particularly catastrophic illness, addresses these questions at some
level. During such distress, we are encouraged to tune into
the spiritual dimension; to pay close attention to our thoughts and
feelings; to decide what our lives are about; to choose our future.
Thus, healing can be a transformative process.
HEALING THE HEALER
Such deep questions take on an added dimension
in the context of an apparently irreversible degenerative illness.
The sufferer may not even have the mental resources to understand
these questions or respond in a coherent manner. In such cases,
Cayce insisted that the load of responsibility falls on the caregivers
to acknowledge the source of healing and the consequences of health.
This is where the spiritual qualities of the caregivers come into
play. Through the application of the "fruits of the spirit,"
the sufferer may be awakened to the possibilities of living.
Gentleness, kindness, patience, and persistence are powerful interventions
which touch the spiritual essence of everyone, regardless of the state
of health.
Regardless of the eventual outcome in strictly physical terms, this
process does inevitably offer some degree of healing for the healer.
The readings refer to this as soul growth.
The medical model of healing, which underlies most contemporary
therapeutic interventions, is largely based on the assumption that
treatment produces healing. The Cayce readings prefer to emphasize
that it is attunement within the body that produces healing - not
the treatments. In other words, in certain cases the correct
treatment can be given and the body may simply not respond.
Serious neurological diseases (such as Alzheimer's dementia) which
involve brain degeneration, exemplify this therapeutic dilemma.
In such instances, Edgar Cayce sometimes cautioned that a "wait and
see" attitude would be necessary because deterioration was so advanced
that a positive prognosis was problematic. Caregivers were cautioned
to follow the suggested treatment plan and see if the body would respond.
The spiritual dimension of the applications was strongly emphasized
in these cases. One can sense Cayce's transpersonal perspective
in these instances - the unconscious (or "soul forces") would have
to be stimulated to regenerate the physical body. Without such a response
from the "divine within self," recovery was impossible.
At this point, there is a serious problem for caregivers.
If physical healing is not a certainty; if the body does not
necessarily and automatically respond to therapy; how can one maintain
an attitude of hopefulness and expectancy? How does one maintain
faith in the face of such uncertainty?
The answer is simply that personal growth is a certainty if a spiritual
emphasis is maintained. Regenerating the body is not a certainty.
A return to complete normalcy may not happen. The guarantee
lies in the promise that the good work that is done is never in vain.
Regardless of the degree of physical healing that is accomplished,
all persons involved do grow at a deep level of being - at a
soul level.
The concept of soul development for all concerned is inherent in
the healing process. The linkage of treatment with soul development
is not implausible. In fact, consistent application of the various
types of treatment recommendations in the readings will invariably
lead to such growth. These therapies require that one apply
spiritual principles on a daily basis. The necessity of applying
spiritual qualities such as patience, persistence, gentleness and
kindness are built into the treatment plan, so to speak. So
while on the surface Cayce's approach has a strong physical or biological
emphasis, be aware of its foundation in spiritual principles.
The bottom line is: you cannot really use this approach without applying
the "fruits of the spirit." Therefore, applying this approach
with any degree of consistency will invariably lead to soul development
for all involved.
Note: The above information is not intended for self-diagnosis
or self-treatment. Please consult a qualified health care professional
for assistance in applying the information contained in the Cayce Health
Database.
From the Edgar Cayce Health Database
