normal waking consciousness; alpha occurs during deep relaxation, usually with the eyes closed—in light meditation, reflection, or memory recall; theta occurs during REM sleep and deeper meditation; and delta occurs in deep, dreamless sleep and transcending meditative states. Gamma occurs during problem-solving and short-term memory matching, such as faces with names. Mu is the rest state of motor neurons, awake but not active.
Studies have shown that theta waves indicate deep relaxation and occur more frequently in highly experienced meditators. These patterns are found in the frontal parts of the brain, which are associated with the higher mental processes.
In addition to brainwaves, the two hemispheres of the brain that normally operate randomly during waking life, dramatically unite into a synchronized rhythm of brainwaves. This is nicknamed “hemi-syncing.”
In the online edition of the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (February 29, 2012), Eileen Luders, an assistant professor at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, and colleagues, have found that long-term meditators have larger amounts of gyrification (“folding” of the cortex, which may allow the brain to process information faster) than people who do not meditate. Furthermore, a direct correlation was found between the amount of gyrification and the number of years the subject had been meditating, providing further proof of the brain’s neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to adapt to environmental changes). Perhaps most interesting, though, was the positive correlation between the number of meditation years and the amount of insular gyrification. “The insula [located deep within the cerebral cortex] has been suggested to function as a hub for autonomic, affective and cognitive integration,” said Luders. “Meditators are known to be masters in introspection and awareness as well as emotional control and self-regulation, so the findings make sense that the longer someone has meditated, the higher the degree of folding in the insula.”9
More cortex surface area results in greater intelligence. And since the birth canal restricts the size of the head, the evolutionary adaptation was to fold the cortex. The idea that meditating increases cortical folds could be countered with the idea that people with more folds might tend to meditate more. Whatever the case, there appears to be a correlation between meditation and gyrification (folding of the cortex), which correlates to intelligence and faster processing of information and cognitive integration.
In addition to changes in brainwave electrical and growth patterns, practitioners of meditation demonstrate remarkable changes in their dispositions and character traits.
On the mental level, the state of consciousness is determined by the affect upon one’s mental state or the change in one’s awareness. Higher states are most commonly described as a sense of oneness, a peace that passes all understanding, a sense of communion or union with some transcendent essence or dimension of awareness, or the very presence of the Divine, and lastly, a comprehension or wisdom that comes as if from out of nowhere, leaving the person’s mind “touched” or “enriched” in an almost indescribable way.
Next, let’s look as Edgar Cayce’s visions into the Life Force and how it affects us and our lives.
chapter 3
Life Forces, the Soul, and Spirit
In several ancient cultures, the life forces were depicted in the form of a raised serpent, and this serpent had wings or feathers—the idea being that the life forces can “fly” to greater heights of expression. In fact, in Yucatec Maya Kukulcan may literally be translated “feathered serpent,” as can the Aztec name Quetzalcoatl (Quetzal being a bird and coatl being a serpent). And throughout ancient Egypt, we find winged serpents. In ancient Yoga, Kundalini refers to the life energy being “coiled” like a serpent in the lower chakras, ready to be raised up as a cobra rises into the striking position. (See illustrations section.)
The two Aztec illustrations depict the life forces, one is rising with our mind leading the way, and then the other is when we’re losing our head as the life forces overwhelm us—thus being swallowed up by the forces.
Let’s explore how Edgar Cayce’s readings explain the life forces and guide us to use them for better health, clearer mind, and a happier life.
Here’s what we would want to hear if Cayce gave us a reading: “The life forces are gaining more and more the better concept of efforts and activity in this material experience; and the purposes, the aims, the desires, are being broadened; and there is more joy, more harmony, gradually being experienced by the body.” (274-4)
That’s what we would all like to hear, but life doesn’t always flow this way, does it? We are often struggling to keep our heads above water as we flow down the river of life to wherever it takes us! But it doesn’t have to be this way; according to Cayce’s readings, and many other sources of guidance and understanding, we have within us the power to take hold of the life forces and guide them toward that which we seek to live and become.
Let’s gain some understanding of what the life forces are.
Breath
Breath is often identified with the life forces, as it is expressed in Genesis: “The Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7, Revised Standard Version [RSV], my italics) And later in Job: “It is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.” (Job 32:8, RSV, my italics) And the prophet Ezekiel conveys a message from the Lord: “Thus says the Lord God to these bones: ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.’” (Ezekiel 37:5, RSV, my italics) Breath is a quality of the life forces.
Spirit
Breath is often associated with spirit, and spirit with the life forces: “It is the spirit that gives life.” (John 6:63, RSV) We will go into this in more detail later in this chapter.
Light
“Life is light” (412-9); Cayce also equated life with light. In another of his discourses he explained what this light is:
“What is light? That from which, through which, in which may be found all things, out of which all things come. Thus the first of everything that may be visible, in earth, in heaven, in space, is of that light—is that light!” (2533-8)
From Cayce’s expanded consciousness view, our true nature is, “as light, a ray that does not end, lives on and on, until it becomes one in essence with the source of light.” (136-83)
In these next readings, he added to the concept that light—in the sense that he is using it—is the light of consciousness, or mind.
“The Spirit moved—or soul moved—and there was Light (Mind). The Light became the light of men—Mind made aware of conscious existence in spiritual aspects or relationships as one to another.” (1947-3)
“As you open your consciousness to the Great Consciousness within, there will arise more and more the white light.” (987-4)
“The soul seeks growth; as Truth, as Life, as Light, is in itself. God is, and so is life, light, truth, hope, love. And those that abide in same, grow. Those that abide in the shadow of the night, or the conditions that become or make for the fruits of these, do not grow.” (257-123)
