A good interpretation strategy, therefore, is to ask whether in a given dream there is something going on that is extreme, and, if so, what would be its opposite extreme in waking consciousness? A beautiful illustration of this approach is found in the following example in which a woman’s dream of overindulging in sweets is a compensation for an opposite extreme of crash-dieting and eating no sweets at all. For her physical body, which was used to ingesting some sugar daily, the sudden change was experienced as an extreme, so her body produced an extreme dream. Note, too, Cayce’s unusual advice to “Eat more sweets” as a call to practice moderation and find balance.
Q Wednesday morning, November 25, 1925, at home. “I was sitting at a table eating but more than eating—I was packing it in. There was chocolate cake and coconut cake and all kinds of sweets and goodies—I just had a great time eating it all up.” A In this there is presented to the entity, in this emblematical manner and way, the forces that are at work, as it were, in the physical being of the entity . . . For as is seen, the entity recognizes in this the opposite from that being enacted in the daily life, see? Yet the entity sees that in this constraining of self these detrimental conditions in a fashion, physically, mentally, truly, are being brought to the body those condition that bring detrimental effects. Then eat more sweets, see? Not in excess, in moderation, for with all things let them be done in moderation, in decency and in order . . . Then do it.
136-20
Another example is a dream interpretation Cayce offered to a broker from the New York Stock Exchange. In the dream, the broker acted silly and smart-alecky, which compensated for his lack of humor in dealing with colleagues in waking life. Again, the dream is a call for balance.
Q [I dreamed of] trouble on Exchange. I seemed unconsciously and unmeaningly to have been too gay with Max Bamberger and others. Herbert Son was pleading for me and felt badly and so did I. It seemed to be a case of my being too “Smart Aleckish.”
A In this there is presented to the entity, in this emblematical manner, that of a condition which may be considered or treated as diagonal, or in the opposite from conditions. While the entity is considered above the average of men on the Exchange floor, yet there are times, especially with men of the character as are seen, that the entity is too staid, or oldish in manner toward. 137-76
Interpretation Strategy 3. Fear-induced dreams.
Sigmund Freud pointed out how our unconscious drives can produce dreams. Edgar Cayce added fear to the list. Sometimes, when we are afraid that something might happen, we dream it. The meaning is not that it is a prediction that it is about to happen. Instead, it is an invitation to become more aware of patterns of fear and to recognize how fear is affecting us, directly and indirectly.
In the following examples, Cayce interprets the dreams of a husband and wife concerning having children and their marriage. The first dream, the wife’s, happened before she got pregnant: She dreamed she learned she was unable to conceive a child. Cayce’s interpretation is that the dream is merely the product of a conscious fear she harbors. In fact, she later did give birth to a son.
In the second example, with the wife now pregnant, the husband dreams of a miscarriage. Cayce’s interpretation is that the husband’s fear about the pregnancy has produced the dream.
Q-3 Dreamed that I could never have a child—that none would ever come to me—that I would never give birth.
A-3 This again is a mental condition that is being carried through the entity’s forces, and presents only that of the mental . . . Hence the lesson that is necessary for the preparations for such a condition—motherhood, the highest service to the Maker . . . This will occur. Child will be born. Necessary that these [preparations] be carried out, however, as pertaining to the law concerning such . . . 136-16
Q-1 Morning of September 20, 1926. Saw [136] start to spot or menstruate—the first sign of a miscarriage. She was surprised and startled. Both of us were disappointed.
A-1 [There] has been some fear, some doubt, as to the full complete understanding. Then, put self in that attitude as is necessary to bring that force as gives the building of all creative energy in the right way and manner. Not an indication that this would happen. Rather the indication of the fear within the entity itself that it would happen, see?
900-269
In the third example, with the same couple, the wife reported: “Dreamed my husband . . . wasn’t coming home any more and cried bitterly” (136-9). Is this predictive of the marriage breaking up, or at least of the relationship deteriorating? Quite the contrary: The dream means that the marriage has grown stronger! As the love between the two was deepening, the wife began to have fears (perhaps unconscious) that they might become separated, that greater closeness meant being more vulnerable to separation and therefore loneliness. Fear created the dream.
If the wife had not had Edgar Cayce interpret the dream, she might have asked herself, Does this dream give me an experience of something that I fear? With a minimum of self-analysis, she would have seen this was the case, and her next step would be to replace the fear (through meditation, prayer, counseling, talking with her husband, etc.) with trust and faith. If the dream continued to reoccur, she might more reasonably assume the dream is a warning of impending trouble in the marriage.
Interpretation Strategy 4. Psychic dreams.
Edgar Cayce encourages us to look for extrasensory perception, or ESP, in our dreams. Sometimes, a predictive dream comes to warn us; other times, it’s a telepathic dream meant to give us more information about another person, especially someone we are concerned about in waking life. According to Cayce’s psychology, such warnings are commonplace, either in dreams or intuitively when we are awake.
Consider this businessman’s pair of dreams (the husband, in fact, mentioned in strategy 3 above). His first dream, described below, is psychic in nature. The key person in the dream is his mother, and Cayce indicates that this reference is literal. The key image in the dream is money, and again Cayce suggests that it, too, is literal.
The businessman’s second dream, again below, takes another angle. Here, the key person is the mother and again the reference is literal, but the other images in the dream (for example, snakes) are metaphorical references to things in the dreamer’s life. In other words, the psychic quality of the dream while in part literal (the mother standing for herself), in part is also symbolic (the snakes stand for people who intend to take advantage of the businessman in his waking life). Cayce’s interpretation is that the dream is a psychic warning and psychic advice: Follow the counsel of your mother and she will help you escape those who would take advantage of you.
Q Saturday morning, Jan. 29, or Sunday morning, Jan. 30, 1927. Dreamed I gave a check to my mother for $500, and dated it one day ahead, and some trouble came up about it.
A In this we find that the entity has the forewarning of troubles or conditions that may arise from some transactions as related between self and mother—or, as is seen, in notes, or in checks.
Then the entity should go over such papers in the mind and make the mind of the mother at ease as regarding same, that there be no indications of the entity not taking notice or allowing conditions to pass and not say something regarding same.
Well, too, were such conditions and relations entertained by the entity as respecting all associations with any individuals as regarding such—for, as is seen and indicated by such actions, misunderstandings arise, and conditions come about that bring trouble, worry, consternation, hard feelings, and conditions that are unsavory and not in keeping, or not being consistent. 900-298
Q “Saturday morning in bed at home . . . , Deal, N.J., [My wife], Ma and I were in the woods or field. [My wife] squatted on the ground, when suddenly an old man called to her. As we all looked his way, saw him grinning and pointing to an ugly snake, with outstretched head. Ma, [my wife] and I started to run madly, panic stricken. We leaped to other side of hill. I saw my mother zigzag, advising me to do the same. I started
to and turned to also advise [my wife]. She was behind. It seemed we arrived safe.”
A Again that injunction to follow in the advice as would be and is given through the mother. As is seen in emblematical condition of snake, those who would harm do so in the underhand manner, and the tact as is given through advice of mother shows the manner in which the subconscious forces gathers that higher condition of those who would protect under whatever condition that may arise. Then the advice and counsel as would be given in this: There has come the time when there should be the close counsel with the mother as regarding conditions that are to arise. 900-81
Interpretation Strategy 5. Physical body dreams.
One major contribution to Edgar Cayce’s dream psychology is somatic dreaming—that is, dreams about the physical body. In particular, he showed how we can receive warnings and advice about health issues from our own unconscious. The following pair of examples are good illustrations, the first a warning about how to avoid catching a cold, the second a warning that the dreamer should not try to get pregnant while her physical health is still so unstable or she risks having a miscarriage (symbolized by a “belly-whapper” dive that hurt). Archival records show that the woman did, in fact, get pregnant soon after that and suffered a miscarriage several months later.
Q I was in Newark as it was years ago when we used to live there, and was riding on a trolley car up close to Clinton Avenue, and lost my raincoat. The trolley car ran over it.
A In this we find that relating to the health of the individual, in an emblematical manner, that entity should use same, then, as a warning, keeping body dry, keeping feet dry, else the cold, the congestion, as comes from same, would prove the detrimental manner as is seen in dream—the loss of garments appears to the entity, see? 137-24
Q Sunday morning, November 29. “I was going into swim from a rickety platform—very unsubstantial in its structure. As I jumped in or tried to dive in, I made a belly whapper—i.e. landed on my stomach—it hurt.”
A In this we find there is brought to the conscious mind in an emblematical manner and form, through physical conditions existent in the body, that which may be used as the lesson for the entity, see? For as the pain in the inmost portion of the torso gives rise to the emblematical condition presented, the entering the water, the desire to swim, to dive, the entering into those conditions as regard to motherhood—and as the body finds self in the attitude ready for that, the physical conditions or structure in which the body has kept self is not prepared in the manner as would bring the better conditions for the condition of that office at this time, see? and as this will soon occur, the body should take cognizance and be more sure of that position by and in self for this greatest of offices given to the sex—woman. 136-21
SUMMARY of Edgar Cayce’s Spiritual Psychology
Some of Edgar Cayce’s most essential teachings come from his role as a spiritual counselor and adviser. Although it might seem misleading to call him a psychologist because he lacked any professional training credentials, there nevertheless is a sophisticated model of the human mind and personality woven throughout his readings. Unlike some popular self-help psychologies that promise a quick fix, Cayce’s approach to the soul and spirit demands that each individual take responsibility for his or her own life. Often, the circumstances in which we find ourselves are of our own making, sometimes even stretching back to previous lifetimes. Cayce’s basic premise was that there are two sides to ourselves: personality (the familiar identity, our own sense of who we are) and individuality (the authentic self, the soul). Healthy living requires that we learn to forge a deeper connection to our individuality, and the process begins by paying attention to our purposes, intentions, and ideals. Two disciplines support his work: meditation, a process that according to Cayce is the complement of prayer, a receptive activity that is, in effect, “listening to the divine within”; and self-analysis through dream interpretation, which emphasizes that each one of us is our own best interpreter of our own dreams. Edgar Cayce’s clairvoyant dream interpretations demonstrate specific techniques that any of us can learn to interpret dreams for a greater understanding of ourselves and how we can guide our soul’s progress.
CHAPTER THREE
HEALTHY LIVING
HEALTH IS A BROAD TOPIC; IT IS ABOUT FAR MORE THAN JUST a healthy body. Edgar Cayce’s holistic philosophy always emphasizes total health—the well-being of our bodies, minds, souls, and our relationships with others.
In this chapter, we explore the essential principles of integrated, healthy living; issues related to healing and specific treatment remedies will be addressed in chapter 4, “Holistic Healing.” Here, we start with the basics of a healthy lifestyle, and in that regard the first reading offers a succinct, powerful road map to balanced living, outlined in distinct steps, most of which are attitudinal in nature. By establishing the right mental orientation in life, we set the stage for healthy expression at every level of our experience.
Next, we examine how we stay physically fit. Cayce’s discourses on healthy living offer a wide range of suggestions, and, in fact, his contributions about staying healthy may be more significant ultimately than his unorthodox natural healing methods. While virtually all of us can benefit from solid advice about maintaining health, most of us may find Cayce’s readings about specific ailments interesting but irrelevant. The second reading, on fitness, originally for his son Hugh Lynn, is very relevant, and it contains wonderful advice for us all.
Finally, without addressing love relationships, we don’t get a full picture of Cayce’s essential principles for healthy living. A healthy body, mind, and soul make us better able to express love and creativity in our friendships, families, and work relationships. The third reading deals specifically with the elements that make for a healthy marriage. Although times have changed considerably in the decades since this discourse was given, the advice is valuable today.
A PATTERN FOR LIVING
A healthy life is not a random blessing but instead the result of living by certain universal principles. The first reading, 1747-5, given for a thirty-seven-year-old factory worker during World War II, beautifully describes a pattern for living that can help anyone meet the challenges of life. When there are disagreements, disappointments, or times of sickness, the real challenge is how we respond. If we meet these inevitable challenges in the right way, a healthy life is possible; otherwise, we fall into illness and dis-ease. The reading outlines the kind of response that fosters health and growth of the soul, and, ultimately, the resolutions of the problem.
Edgar Cayce’s opening statements set the tone. An individual’s beliefs and attitudes are the starting point for healthy living. It’s counterproductive to focus on any problem prematurely—that is, without an accurate understanding of the big picture. To attain such a solid spiritual foundation, some sorting out is required. You must be able and willing to predict where various assumptions and beliefs can lead. One has to “determine or choose within self that as may be adhered to,” as Cayce puts it here. One has to make decisions about core values and beliefs.
It’s easy to imagine Edgar Cayce giving any one of us this reading. His words suggest a way to get at the big picture, the spiritual context of our lives here on earth. Then he goes into more specific detail about the optimal way to meet any challenge. There are five essential elements to this approach:
Set ideals. Very carefully select the values, priorities, and motives according to which you wish to chart your life’s path. Cayce suggests starting with a spiritual ideal—that is, a core value that becomes the prime motivator in your life; examples include love, joyful creativity, and oneness with God. Then, to make that ideal more accessible, set some mental and physical ideals—something you can sink your teeth into and work with in a concrete way. Mental ideals are the optimal attitudes and emotions that help you express your spiritual ideal—for example, optimism or forgiveness. Physical ideals are the actions that are the manifestation of your spiritual ideal�
��for example, twenty minutes of meditation daily or remember to smile more often. (For more about ideals, see the seventh point in “Cayce’s dozen” in the introduction.)
Apply what you believe. Act on your own values. Even though a solid mental and spiritual foundation is the basis of the pattern, it’s not enough. If you stay in the mental realm exclusively, a given difficulty is not likely to be resolved. Admittedly, the mind is the creative faculty that instigates change, but unless you do what’s required of you how can anything be healed? As Edgar Cayce says here, “. . . for the holding of a problem does not change it one whit—it is what one does about it that makes the change!” Furthermore, the very definition of sin points to an absence of action. This elusive, controversial term gets a new twist with Cayce: Ultimately, our spiritual progress is evaluated simply on how well we act on what we know.
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