From the September-October 2001 issue
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From the September-October 2001 issueEditorial Article[Home] [Back] [Nov-Dec01] [Jul-Aug01] [May-Jun01] | ||||
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Editorial No editorial for Sep/Oct. Article Edgar Cayce on Ideals© 2000, Kevin J. TodeschiAll of us, at different periods in our lives, struggle with what we should be doing, where we should be going, or how we might possibly fill that special niche which God has in mind for us. We often find ourselves searching for something, although we often remain unsure as to what it is. Perhaps one of the most frequently mentioned principles in the Edgar Cayce readings is the concept of "ideals," and it's that very same principle that can provide us with an approach to answering this inner call. In simplest terms an ideal is the motivating influence that undergirds the intentionality of why we do what we do. It is like a North Star that guides us in the dark of night -allowing us to focus upon the direction toward which we wish to be headed. Whereas a "goal" is something attainable, in Cayce's terminology an "ideal" is really a motivating pattern that guides our lives. It's not something we're going to pick up and fondle like a prized object, rather it's more like the rays of the sun that can warm our face as we're pointed towards it -you can't help but know when you're looking at it head on! What may be surprising from the readings perspective, however, is that everyone works with ideals, even if it's unconscious. For example, in reading #1011-1 the person was told, "Each individual entity, whether aware of same or not, sets before self an ideal in the material world, in the mental world, in the spiritual world." Another individual was told that the reason he had so many problems and so much confusion in his own life was because he had never really established a conscious ideal (case #323). He often felt like he was in a state of confusion simply because the ideal he had established (to be sure, unconsciously) was that of a "wanderer." He was encouraged to make a conscious choice and to begin to work with it, because what an individual dwells upon they become. TOP Since ideals shape our very lives, our experiences, even who we're becoming, then, by definition, they must be EXTREMELY important. But Cayce goes even one step further. Oftentimes, people were told: "Then the more important, the most important experience of this or any individual entity is to first know what is the ideal-spiritually." (357-13) Not only is it very important, it is the most important thing we can do. The challenge of working with ideals seems to be one where we're encouraged to move beyond simply a personal intellectual exercise to one where we're able to strategically map out how our ideal will affect our interaction with others, ourselves, even our surroundings: "First, know thy ideal -spiritually, mentally, materially. Not so much as to what you would like others to be, but what may be your ideal relationships to others! For he that is the greatest is the servant of all –as the law of cause and effect." (1998-1) Many individuals have found that the key to making a spiritual ideal practical in their material lives is to work with a frequently mentioned concept in the Cayce readings: "Spirit is the Life; Mind is the Builder; and the Physical is the result." The first step is to take a sheet of paper, draw three columns and label the first, "My Spiritual Ideal"; label the second, "My Mental Attitudes"; and label the third, "My Physical Activities." Although we're encouraged to choose a challenging spiritual ideal, it's recommended that the spiritual ideal we choose be something we can understand, work with, and see progressively manifesting in our lives. TOP Ultimately, a spiritual ideal is the highest "spiritual" quality or attainment that we could hope to have motivating us in our lives right now. For some, this might be the pattern set by Jesus, for others it might be a quality such as "love." In order to really begin working with ideals, however, we should choose that quality or attribute that is currently missing or lacking in our own life in our relationships with others. For example, perhaps we may find that we need to be more "patient" or more "forgiving" or more "understanding" in our interaction with other people. Ideals grow and change as we do, so it's important to pick something that we can really begin to work with. For this column exercise, let's say that our spiritual ideal is currently going to be "forgiveness," so forgiveness would be written under the first column labeled, "My Spiritual Ideal." Under the second column, we need to begin listing "My Mental Attitudes," those attitudes which will help build that spirit of forgiveness into our relationships with others and with ourselves. Perhaps we'll decide "Compassion" is an attitude we want to work toward in relation to a frustrating parent; maybe "Openness" is the mental attitude we want to begin holding in mind in regards to a child with whom we've been having difficulty; and possibly "Patience" best describes that attitude we need to use with ourselves. Our ideals' chart should list all the people in our lives with whom we need to exercise this spiritual ideal of forgiveness, and we should have a positive mental attitude suggesting how we'll begin working with each one. TOP The third column is the most detailed. It's the one place we can write out all those physical activities we'll begin doing in relationship to specific individuals. "My Physical Activities" should simply reflect the mental attitudes we're holding in relationship to our spiritual ideal. For example, with the case of ourselves and the mental attitude of "Patience," perhaps each of the following would be appropriate activities to help "build" that same attitude: "stop saying (or even thinking) 'I can't'," "make a list of every instance where I have been forgiven for something," "begin praying that I will have the determined endurance to go forward," etc. Each attitude and person should have next to it a list of multiple activities with which we'll be working. Our activities can map out ways to bring this spiritual ideal into the material world. We'll know that progress has been made with our spiritual ideal when the mental attitude on the ideals' sheet becomes our usual state of mind and the physical activity listed becomes our automatic and natural response. As we really begin to work with ideals, making them a part of who we are, we can then choose a more challenging direction...a brighter North Star toward which we can point our lives. The important thing is to work with our ideals, for by working with them we'll discover what it is we should be doing, and we'll no longer have to concern ourselves with the timing: "Wherever you are! Whether in Hartford or Sing Sing, or Kalamazoo or Timbuktu, it's one and the same! The Lord is God of the universe, wherever thou art! For each soul finds self in that place which it occupies in the present only by the grace of God. Then use that today, that period. If it is used properly, then the next is pointed out." (3356-1) TOP As we work with ideals we'll discover that they need to be fine-tuned, becoming even more challenging with the passage of time. As an example, if one of our ideals is "gentleness of speech" we would continue to work with it -even across the breakfast table-until it became a part of us. Once our conversation began to match up with "gentleness of speech" we might reword our ideal to "friendliness." Then, friendliness would be the spiritual ideal we'd attempt to manifest in our experiences with others through our mental attitudes and our physical activities. Eventually, we might find that we've grappled with "gentleness of speech," "friendliness," and a dozen others successfully that are all dealing with some aspect of "service" or "improving relationships" or "unconditional love." Each one of our smaller ideals is a portion of something greater we wish to become, but is perhaps out of our immediate reach in the very beginning. Although the readings encourage us to "choose a personal ideal," they also assert that "there is only one Ideal." One individual was told "There is one way, but there are many paths." (3083-1) In essence, what this suggests is that each of us is moving toward an "ultimate ideal." Whether we want to label that ideal "perfection" or the "Christ Consciousness" or "God Consciousness" or whatever term with which we're personally most comfortable, the ultimate ideal is the highest spiritual attainment possible. However, each of our smaller ideals (such as "love" or "service" or "kindness") can really serve as steps or building blocks toward that highest ideal. In spite o the fact that each of us might have different ideas, plans, or goals about how things should be done, the readings advise that -in spite of all our differences -we can share a common why. Even during the turmoil and international chaos of the 1930's, the readings gave a "prescription" that could serve to bring all of humanity together -in spite of the fact that each nation had different ideas, Cayce suggested the world could share a common ideal. That ideal was his "answer to the world": "The world...has lost its ideal. Man may not have the same idea. Man-all men -may have the same IDEAL!...that can only come with all having the one ideal; not the one idea, but 'Thou shalt love the Lord Thy God with all thine heart, thy neighbor as thyself!' This [is] the whole law, this [is] the whole answer to the world, to each and every soul. That is the answer to world conditions as they exist today." (3976-8) Repeatedly, the Edgar Cayce readings encourage us to become aware of what we are building within ourselves because ultimately we'll have the chance to meet it. As we work with a conscious ideal, not only is our direction made more clear, but the ideal becomes a living, breathing portion of who we are at a soul level. An ideal is like a personal tapestry that we create one stitch at a time. It can be worked with and ironed out and toiled over until the end result is something we can proudly share in our interactions with others. Each of us has the opportunity to consciously decide who we wish to become as well as how long it's going to take us to get there. Kevin J. Todeschi is the author of twelve books, including Edgar Cayce on Soul Mates, Dream Interpretation (and More!) Made Easy, and Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records. A spokesperson for the Cayce work, he currently manages A.R.E.'s Conference and Educational Activities. All of his books are available through www.Amazon.com or through A.R.E., www.edgarcayce.org. TOP |