Today, many of us eat to relieve hunger in our tummies or because it is the time for eating. We give a little thought to what we are eating, mostly our pallet seeks pleasing flavor. In some cases, what we eat is determined by what is easiest or available. Many of us eat on the run, so fast food has become a major influence in the American diet. When it comes to food value and nourishment, we’ve developed a habit of supplementing our diet’s rather than more carefully selecting what to ingest. The ancient and continuing teaching that Edgar Cayce’s readings repeat is as a person eats so they become physically. Added to this is the teaching as a person thinks so they become mentally. And, what inspires and motivates us determines our spiritual nature and vibration. Those of us who lived in the 1960s clearly remember a period of time when we could feel and evaluate people by their vibrations. We even had a great song, “Good Vibrations.” We don’t use this term these days, but it is a valuable way of perceiving spirituality. When in the presence of another human being, sensing their vibrations is a very intuitive way to determine their spirituality. Of course, conversation helps us determine their mentality, and physical appearance can indicate their bodily health. I’m not talking about beauty, but health. We often say things like, your color isn’t in good today. We might say, you don’t look well. If a person is coughing or lethargic, we naturally think their body is unhealthy. These are all typical indicators of a person’s condition physically, mentally, and spiritually – and our own condition, as well.

However, science has advanced enough to where we can determine even more by looking into their genetic heritage. What gene pool is our body working with? And, how much does that gene pool affect us mentally and vibrationally? These days a medical professional will want to know our family’s history, especially our parent’s history. This is how they get a view into our gene pool. It can be upsetting to think that our present condition is predicated on our family’s previous conditions, but it’s become the way today.

If we add the concept of reincarnation into an evaluation of our present condition physically, mentally, and spiritually, then we have an even more complex pool of influences to consider!

Edgar Cayce’s past-life readings give us a great advantage when attempting to understand the influence of past lives in our present lives. For example, we can see how previous generations have influence the gene pool of our present physical body. If our ancestors were a heavy drinkers, gluttons, or abusers in other ways, then we are likely to have a body suffering from the influences of these excesses. Here’s a good example from the Cayce files:

Edgar Cayce’s grandfather reincarnated five generations later as Edgar Cayce’s grandson. Clearly, the grandson was influenced by his own activities as the former grandfather. Whatever the grandfather’s diet, thoughts, and inspirations were, they have now carried over to his new baby body as the grandson. This is just one example and is not the case for everyone. However, in ancient Judaism there is a teaching that the sins or virtues of one generation carry forward through the next seven generations! In the example I gave from the Cayce readings, it was five generations from the time the grandfather contributed to the Cayce family gene pool until he reincarnated again into that gene pool.

Not every soul reincarnates into their own gene pool. In fact, in my research I have found that most souls pushed by karma rather than move in a self-determinative way. Cayce’s readings indicate that one can actually be karmically forced to change gender, race, nationality, and geographical location. Some of the examples I found are ancient Egyptian’s who reincarnated for a sojourn in China, forcing them to seek more from within than so outwardly expressed. I found white slave owners reincarnating as black activists in America. I found males reincarnating as females because they developed a negative attitude towards women, and the best way to learn was to experience feminine life in the midst of a culture that has an attitude toward women. I found Nazis reincarnating as Jews. I found brutal warriors returning as doctors and nurses working on the frontlines of a modern war – their hands now deep into the blood and guts that they once shed.

The point is, our present tastes, thoughts, and interests are influenced by our past-life activities, and in some cases our generational gene pool. Furthermore, our present eating, thinking, and motivations create our condition in future lives. We are continuously building our destiny by resolving past karmic influences and making better present choices that lead to a better future. Free-will choices have affected us, are presently affecting us, and will affect our future. Fortunately, Cayce taught that life is not all karma! The Creative Forces of Life love us, understand us, and have prepared a way for our better growth. It is a law, a very simple but powerful law. What we eat, think, and aspire to, builds us in body, mind, and spirit. We are dealing with our soul’s past but decisions in the present can and do resolve the past and prepare the future. Cayce adds that it is not severity in diet, thinking, and motivation that helps us. It is patience in joy, love, caring, life-giving, uplifting energy that brings about our better condition and improved destiny.

We can see consumers, farmers, and grocery stores improving the quality and availability of more healthy foods. People’s conversations are more elevated and thoughtful. Among the latest educational programs is this new idea of mindfulness, being consciously aware of what we are doing, what we are thinking, and what we are desirous of experiencing. The Internet is providing global connectedness, a feeling of one people one planet. Yes, it also has a lot of dark energy to it, but the temptations of darkness have always been with us. As God taught in the Bible, we must become masters over temptations and human weaknesses. Patient thoughtfulness in all areas of our lives is the key to our success physically, mentally, spiritually. In my hobby of woodworking we have a saying that applies to many things in life: measure twice cut once. This is truly patient thoughtfulness in action. Let’s give a little more thought to what we are eating and why, what we are thinking and why, and what motivations bring out our better selves.

This blog is part of our 2020 Enlightenment Series. Members can access all of the available material, which includes an online video and downloadable monthly lesson, in the Member-only section of our website at EdgarCayce.org/members. Not a member? Join now.