Oneness

[Guest guest]

One of the great ironies of human nature is the fact that the very

structure intended to enrich our relationship with God is the one

thing which divides us most as a human family. For countless eons,

more wars have been fought on religious principles than for any other

reason. Even to this day, wars, bloodshed, political battles, and

countless examples of our inhumanity to one another are commonplace

as one group tries to instill (or enforce) its belief systems, its

politics, or the supremacy of its God onto the lives of others.

These conflicts are not simply between various religions but are also

within each denomination. There are sects within Christianity,

Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam-within every religion!-many

convinced that they are just a little more right than anyone else.

Even various churches, temples, and synagogues have found differences

with other members of their own sect who have somehow fallen away

from the " original " or the " true " faith.

In addition to separating people from one another, these conflicts

have also caused individuals to become disillusioned with religion-

some even becoming convinced that religion is a waste of time. Too

often, the result has been that people have given up their faith in

God because of their disappointment in humankind.

Interestingly enough, the Edgar Cayce material states that part of

the problem is due to our ignorance of our oneness with one another.

Cayce's information presents a hopeful and inspiring approach to

spirituality and religion that inextricably weaves all of humanity

together. Rather than focusing upon the form of specific religions or

dogmas, the readings instead focus upon the importance of every

single soul attempting to manifest an awareness of the living Spirit

in the earth.

From Cayce's perspective, our goal is not to simply wait for heaven

or to escape the earth; instead, we are challenged to bring an

awareness of the Creator into our lives and into our surroundings

wherever we may be, right now.

There is a common bond we all share as a collective humanity: There

is but one God, and we are all God's children. In order to reawaken

that sense of connectedness we share with one another, the readings

state that the start of any spiritual journey should begin with the

knowledge that the Lord God is One. Regardless of the name we call

God or the religion on earth that we feel drawn to, there is but one

Creator, one Source, one Law. In fact, perhaps more than anything

else, this concept of " oneness " is the underlying philosophy of the

Edgar Cayce readings.

Just What Is Oneness?

This notion of oneness in a world so filled with variety may, at

first, seem a difficult concept to comprehend. After all, we are

surrounded by a myriad of plants, trees, animals, experiences, and

people. Rather than attempting to make all things the same, however,

oneness suggests instead that we have the opportunity to view this

rich diversity as an example of the multiple ways in which the One

Spirit tries to find expression in our lives. Since there is only one

God-the source of all that exists-ultimately, the universe must be

composed of only one Force.

Oneness as a force implies that all things are interrelated. Every

one of us has a connection to one another, the earth, the universe,

and to God. This one force is a force for good which is attempting to

bring the spirituality of the Creator into the earth. Unfortunately,

because of our limited awareness of the power of free will,

individuals are able to direct that force into selfish purposes and

desires, creating " evil " in the process.

In terms of spirituality, the concept of oneness suggests that God is

not limited to expressing through one religion alone. Instead, the

Creator manifests in individuals' lives because of their faith and

because of their relationship to the spiritual Source, not because of

their specific religion. From Cayce's perspective, religion is the

form in which individuals attempt to understand the manifestation of

this Spirit. God can (and does!) work through every soul in the

earth.

The good news is that, in spite of how things may appear in the world

today, the readings assert that all of Creation will eventually be

brought into an awareness of this oneness and of the Law of Love

which it implies. One of our challenges as individuals is to make the

world a better place because we have lived in it. Perhaps the best

approach to this consciousness is reflected in the Bible when it

states that we must love God with all our heart, mind, and soul, and

our neighbor as ourselves.

As a means of discovering the oneness of Spirit, the readings

encourage comparative religious study. Through such a discipline,

each of us might see beyond surface differences and, instead, find

the commonalties we share with one another:

....coordinate the teachings, the philosophies of the east, and the

west, the oriental and the occidental, the new truths and the old...

Correlate not the differences, but where all religions meet- there is

one God! " Know, O Israel, the Lord God is one! "

Reading 991-1

When the concept of reincarnation is studied, what becomes apparent

is not what religion people may be in the present but rather, more

important, how individuals apply the knowledge they possess. Within

the cycle of reincarnation, we have all been Jewish, we have all been

students of Eastern or Middle Eastern religions; we have all been

agnostic or even atheistic; we have all been Christian. It's

important to remember that first we are all children of the same God,

and only secondly are we separated by doctrines or specific religious

beliefs. We are spiritual beings manifesting in the physical world.

Our religious dogmas and beliefs have changed as readily as we have.

To be bigoted toward any situation, type of individual, or experience-

especially with the knowledge that we will draw those same

circumstances to us in the future-is not in keeping with the concept

of oneness.

Religion as a Form

The work of Edgar Cayce has attracted individuals from all walks of

life and religious backgrounds. In fact, Cayce's view was that if the

information in the readings was helpful and hopeful, making you a

better person in the process, then you should be able to bring that

renewed sense of " spirit " into your own faith. If, on the other hand,

working with a particular concept wasn't helpful to you (the

philosophy of reincarnation being one example), then individuals were

simply told to leave it alone. Individuals were never advised to

change their religious beliefs because of the Cayce readings. What

Cayce was most concerned with was the application of spiritual

principles, not an individual's specific religion. There is a

difference between spirituality and religion, although both are

important.

Religion is primarily concerned with matters of religious faith,

ritual, structure, and tradition. Unfortunately, too often, a

specific religion has been seen as the vehicle for personal salvation

rather than simply being one of the various forms in which humankind

is trying to understand the manifestation of Spirit in their lives.

Many individuals have somehow elevated one religion above all others,

perhaps deciding that there is but one form with which to demonstrate

true faith. On the other hand, at times it has been the very

religious structure with which individuals have become frustrated or

disappointed, perhaps even deciding that they no longer need to have

religion in their lives. Neither of these responses is in keeping

with the concept of oneness. It is important to remember that

religion serves a purpose. Without some form, spirituality can too

easily become simply a philosophical mind-game rather than having

practical ramifications for daily life. A loose spirituality may be

fragmented, selfishly independent, lacking community, etc. Without

religious form, children can be raised without a sense of the

applicability of Spirit in their lives.

One of our confusions associated with religion is that we often

mistake the form for the Spirit. For example, individuals may have a

particular moving religious experience while attending a certain

church or a service in a specific religious denomination. These

experiences may include being overwhelmed by the spirit, having a

very moving (or even a " kundalini " ) experience, awakening to the

awareness of God's presence, even speaking in tongues. Rather than

seeing these experiences within the context of form, however,

individuals often assume that because their experience was valid,

everything else associated with that religious form contains the same

degree of value-they are only forgetting that throughout the history

of humankind, individuals have had similar transformational

experiences in every religion.

There may be different channels of approach, yes. For not all peoples

walked in the field when the wheat was ripe. Neither did all stand at

the tomb when Lazarus was called forth. Neither were they all present

when He walked on the water, nor when He fed the five thousand, nor

when He hung on the Cross. Yet each experience answered, and does

answer to something within each individual soul-entity. For each soul

is a corpuscle in the body of God.

Reading 3395-2

Remember, the essential premise of the Cayce philosophy is that we

are all attempting to manifest the Christ Consciousness in the earth.

Although we might currently find ourselves in the physical dimension,

we are not physical creatures with souls; rather, we are souls who

happen to be expressing ourselves in materiality. The distinction is

important because, too often, we may associate ourselves with

external, temporal things such as race, sexuality, color, and

religion that are not a part of our true spiritual nature. It is not

so much that we go to heaven; rather, we grow in awareness of our

true spiritual nature and of our relationship with God and with one

another. In fact, this process of growth and unfoldment is clearly

described in the New Testament ( 13:31-33 KJV) when Jesus

discussed, in parables, the nature of Heaven.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven

is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in

his field: which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is

grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that

the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Another

parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto

leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till

the whole was leavened.

And, from the readings, " For you grow to heaven, you don't go to

heaven. It is within thine own conscience that ye grow there, "

(reading 3409-1).

Spirituality as a Living Awareness

Although religion often deals with form, spirituality generally deals

with an individual's application of his or her individual knowledge

or awareness. Since our natural state is spirit, reawakening to full

spiritual awareness is one of the purposes we all have in common. In

fact, in one reading (3357-2), Cayce stated that " Soul development

should take precedence over all things. " From the readings'

perspective, this development is not achieved through some great deed

or act; instead, it is a gradual accomplishment which is

attained " line upon line, precept upon precept. " What appears to be

most important in terms of soul development is an individual's

application of the things of the Spirit in their interactions with

others: love, kindness, gentleness, patience, persistence, and

consistency.

Since the purpose of life is to bring the spirituality of the Creator

into the earth, attunement and application are at the heart of

spiritual growth. Attunement is the process of reawakening to an

awareness of our spiritual nature and our true relationship with God.

As mentioned previously, the most frequently recommended tools for

achieving this attunement are the regular practice of prayer and

meditation. Both prayer and meditation are invaluable at

reestablishing a conscious awareness of our spiritual source while

inviting God's will to work through us as a " channel of His

blessings " in service to others.

Repeatedly, a core concept from the Edgar Cayce material has been

stated: Spirit is the life, mind is the builder, and the physical is

the result. In terms of oneness, essentially what this means is that

the one force, Spirit, constantly flows through us. However, it is

acted upon by the properties of the mind and then channeled into our

lives in accordance with our free will. Regardless of whether or not

an individual even believes in God, everything about that person is

given life through the properties of the one activating Spirit. What

he or she does with that Spirit is a matter of choice, and " crimes or

miracles " may be the result.

This ability of personal creation, whether through thought,

experience or activity, caused the readings to identify the human

soul as a cocreator with God. Because of this gift of cocreation,

Cayce continually advised individuals that one of the most important

things they could do was to establish an appropriate spiritual

motivation (or ideal) for their lives, thereby directing personal

choice into positive directions. From Cayce's perspective, too often,

we are out of touch with the intentionality (the why) behind our

everyday actions. By consciously establishing a spiritual motivation,

such as service, compassion, love, or Jesus, as our pattern and then

trying to make that motivation a greater part of our lives, real

personal transformation and soul development can result.

The soul, then, must return-will return-to its Maker. It is a portion

of the Creative Force, which is energized into activity even in

materiality, in the flesh...Then, just being kind, just being

patient, just showing love for thy fellow man; that is the manner in

which an individual works at becoming aware of the consciousness or

the Christ Spirit.

Reading 272-9

Just like in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), we were

with God in the beginning and, through choice and experience, found

ourselves cut off from a complete awareness of Him. In one respect,

the fall of humankind was really our descent in consciousness from

the realms of infinity to those of time and space. However, this was

not necessarily a " bad " thing or an erroneous choice. Just as a child

learns through experience, choice, and making mistakes along the way,

our own experiences through choice and will embody a maturation

process that will enable us to come into our full heritage and an

awareness of our true spiritual nature. In time, as we bring the

spirituality of God into the earth, we will awaken to our own

spiritual Source, eventually finding our way back to the Creator.

Not only is spiritual transformation our goal, but it is our

birthright as well. With the proper spiritual motivation, we will be

brought into alignment with this perfect pattern by working with

attunement, appropriate mental attitudes, and a desire to bring our

spiritual ideal into physical application.

What Shall We Do with Jesus?

Throughout history, the perspectives people have had on the life and

teachings of Jesus have been varied, oftentimes even at odds. For

some, Jesus has been seen as the only Son of God, bringing salvation

only to those who call themselves Christian. Members of non-Christian

religions may have ignored His life and ministry or they may have

thought, " Well, Christians have been cruel to me, and therefore I'm

not interested in Jesus. " Individuals involved in New Thought or

comparative religions may have decided that Jesus was " just a

teacher, " or they may have disregarded Him altogether. According to

the Edgar Cayce readings, each of these perspectives is short-

sighted.

Although Edgar Cayce was a Sunday school teacher all of his life, as

well as an elder in the Presbyterian church, for him the meaning of

Jesus' life went beyond that described by Christians and non-

Christians alike. For that reason, regardless of our upbringing or

our religious affiliation, the Cayce material offers some insightful

and challenging information about the life and work of this man

Jesus, who became the Christ.

Essentially, the readings present Jesus as our " Elder Brother, " a

soul who came to show each one of us the way back to our spiritual

Source by perfectly manifesting the laws of the Creator. Part of His

mission was to fully demonstrate the living awareness of the Spirit

in the earth-something each one of us will eventually have to do.

Therefore, Jesus' life of service to others serves as an example for

all of humankind. In fact, the readings state:

For the Master, Jesus, even the Christ, is the pattern for every man

in the earth, whether he be Gentile or Jew, Parthenian or Greek. For

all have the pattern, whether they call on that name or not

Reading 3528-1

Jesus Himself said " I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you, "

( 14:20 KJV). We are all part of that same spiritual Source.

Jesus was a child of God-just as we are all children of God. What

Jesus did, we are all being called to do and, as our Elder Brother

and the Pattern, He will show us the way. In fact, Jesus is the Good

Shepherd who is very much involved with us right now in teaching us

about our relationship with the Creator. In discussing with God our

joint spiritual nature and eventual destiny, Jesus said:

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world...That they

all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they

also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent

me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they

may be one, even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me, that they

may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou

hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

17:16, 21-23 KJV

This importance of this information, the fact that every individual

is an integral part of God's creation and that we all share the same

relationship with the Creator as even Jesus, will eventually

transform (even revolutionize!) the ways in which we think about

ourselves and treat one another.

Conclusion

Why do we have so many religious sects if the principle of oneness is

an undergirding force in the universe? In part, the answer lies in

our own diversity and in the fact that we are all drawn to what we

need at a given time for our own personal growth and development. In

addition, we also possess the very human trait of wanting to " pin

down " our truth, putting parameters around our understanding so that

we can deal with it. But truth is a growing thing, and the Cayce

readings affirm that no one has all the answers to the marvelous

question of who we really are as God's spiritual children. But even

in the midst of our diversity, we share a common spiritual heritage.

We are all children of the same God. We are all part of the one

spiritual Source, our Creator, our Mother/Father, our God.

Each soul in entering the material experience does so for those

purposes of advancement towards that awareness of being fully

conscious of the oneness with the Creative Forces.

Oneness as a force suggests that each of us is connected in ways that

we might never before have imagined. Our challenge is to bring that

wholeness to consciousness, an " awareness within each soul, imprinted

in pattern on the mind and waiting to be awakened by the will, of the

soul's oneness with God. " (5749-14)

Regardless of an individual's religion or personal beliefs, this

Christ pattern exists in potential upon the very fiber of his or her

being. It is that part which is in perfect accord with the Creator

and is simply waiting to find manifestation in one's life.