THE THRONE, TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS, SEVEN SPIRITS, LAKE OF GLASS, AND FOUR BEASTS
A New Condition throughout the Body
Now that the Spirit has addressed and awakened all seven centers within the body to the spiritualization process, it takes the body to a new level of vibration. Now a throne is in the midst of heaven, and the higher, spiritual self is seated upon this throne. Around the higher self and the throne are the twenty-four elders, which Cayce identifies as the twelve paired (24) cranial nerves within the brain. Energy is being emitted from the brain ("flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder"), and the seven chakras and glands are turned toward the throne ("seven lamps of fire burning"), which are the seven spirits of God in the midst of the throne. Before the throne are the four beasts we first saw in Ezekiel's vision, then in Daniel's vision, and now here again in John's vision. We find these same beasts represented in ancient Egyptian mysticism as the four children of Horus. Horus was the messiah of the ancient Egyptians, rescuing the world from his uncle Set's domination (Set is ancient Egypt's Satan). The four children of Horus are wrapped like mummies on a lotus, subdued and intoxicated with the fragrance of the great flower. They stand before the throne-seated Osiris, Horus' father and guardian of the way through the Netherworld.
According to Cayce, these beasts are "the four destructive influences that make the greater desire for the carnal forces, that arise as the beasts within self to destroy." We have learned what these destructive influences are from the Spirit's comments to the first four churches: (1) leaving our first love; (2) fear; (3) anger, impulsive reactions, and spirit-killing urges; and (4) living life without spiritual purposes and ideals. All of these destructive influences are personified in Cain. Though he first sought God's love, he later didn't desire it. He killed his brother impulsively in anger and spitefulness, only to then become so afraid that he could not go on without God's promise of protection. Finally, he goes out to live life for himself and his own gratification, without any spiritual interests or intentions. Satan claims that Job is the same way, having no interest in God and the Spirit, and would curse God to His face if He touched Job's material, physical life, and being. Cayce says that these destructive influences must be met; as God says to Cain, "Sin is couching at the door, its desire is for you, but you must master it."
As the Revelation continues, the four lower glands are raised to higher vibrations, turning away from material, earthly pursuits and contributing to the spiritualization of the body ("the four beasts gave glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne"). When they do this, it affects the cranial nerves ("the twenty-four elders will fall down before him who sits on the throne"), and they in turn begin to contribute to the spiritualization of the body ("cast their crowns to him who sits on the throne"). Then the spiritual self is able to open the seals on each of the spiritual chakras of the body. Cayce states that the book with the seven seals is the human body. The only part of us that is truly worthy to do this is that part that has crucified self-centered desire sufficiently to allow God's will to fully enter. This one is identified in the Revelation as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root and offspring of David," all terms associated with the Messiah, only this is the little messiah within each of us; our spiritual self reborn, created by God and sent to redeem our physical selves. This self has made its will so subordinate to God's that it is represented as a lamb. It is in the spirit of the Lamb of God that we may safely open the seals of the spiritual centers of our bodies.
THE SEVEN SEALS & THE SEVEN TRUMPETS
Cleansing & Uniting the Seven Centers
Now that the seven spiritual centers are awakened, the higher self and the life-force are raised and again seated upon the throne. The lower urges are turned away from their interests and the cranial nerves are firing with spiritual influences. We begin a series of cleansings through the seven bodily centers. Prompted by John's vision of the four colored horses, Cayce picks up on the colors for each center and proceeds to add musical notes, key words from the Lord's prayer, the four elements, the endocrine glands, and even planets within our solar system! There is so much information that the original group working directly with Edgar Cayce created charts to keep track of everything. I've also created charts based on the originals, but with supplemental information. See the illustrations section of this manual.
We might ask, how could the planets in the solar system have any relevance to the spiritual centers and endocrine glands in our bodies? Cayce's answer is that we are parts of the Universal Consciousness, and as such we have relationship to the Universe and all that is in it. At first glance it may seem paradoxical that these outer influences are also within us: spiritually, mentally, and physically and that universal "things," such as planets, find a relating point within our physical bodies. But, as the Ancient Egyptian god Hermes (Thoth) stated it: "As within so without, as above so below." It is not so much the occult science of astrology that we are referring to as it is the microcosmic and macrocosmic nature of life. The human body is arranged in a manner that reflects the arrangement of the universe. Here's one of Cayce's best explanations of this. I have italicized a key line and his stenographer capitalized words that Cayce emphasized by raising his voice during a reading:
As we find, Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Venus - with Mars in an abstract position - all becoming a part of this entity's experience; not because of bodily birth but because of the entity as a soul.
For the entity finds itself body, mind and soul, and recognizes - or may become aware of the manifestation of the Godhead in the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. He finds himself then a counterpart, a shadow of all that is; and that within his own self EACH CELL of its body is but a miniature of the universe without its own body, its own cell of positive and negative force that applies to the material, the mental and the spiritual. Indeed then the body is the temple of the living God, where He hath promised to meet thee in thy searching, in thy seeking to know what ye may do; not for the gratifying of thine own selfish self alone but to fulfill the purpose for which ye came into being to be then an emissary, and advocate, yea, a sign; that others who have lost their way (as YE may have lost thine) may take hope and gain more awareness of the God-force that IS latent and manifested within thine own self.
Following this philosophical line of thought, each spiritual center in the body has a corresponding relationship with the seven primary colors of the spectrum, the seven basic notes of the Western musical scale, seven key words in the Lord's prayer, and seven planets within this star system or solar system. Nevertheless, Cayce does hedge his teaching on this in several readings, explaining that these correlations that we are making are only relatively correct because of the many variables in human spiritual development that would cause another color, or note, or word, or planet to better represent that center. The variables are these: (1) cycles in each person's development, or (2) a particular individual soul's unique experiences, and therefore, karmic influences. But for us all generally, these are relatively correct as we have them (and in the chart in the illustrations section of this manual).
As we go through the opening of the seals and the sounding of the trumpets, Cayce says that we are going through the purifications that influence spiritual development through the vibrational changes in the body. The way these purifications are described in the Revelation causes one to believe that these are terrifyingly devastating to the physical self. However, Cayce explains that as the progress is made toward giving birth to the spiritual self (which occurs later in chapter 12 of the Revelation), the physical self must become more humble, meek, long-suffering, and patient. It must decrease while the spiritual self increases, as John the Baptist said of himself and the coming Jesus. Cayce says that the devastating sufferings represent those influences that meet and conquer self for the greater spiritual development and the creating of a oneness of the individual's purposes and desires. The two parts of our being (human and divine) can be at war with one another unless these cleansings occur and a singularity of purpose is achieved by subduing earthly desires and accentuating heavenly, spiritual desires. Therefore, the fire is to purify; hail, to crystallize opposing purposes into oneness of purpose. Less and less of self's desires and more and more of God's desires are depicted as the destruction of a third of the earth, the sea, and the heavens, followed by the falling of a great star from heaven, representing the coming of heavenly influences upon the earthly self. The Sun is darkened so that the Son may give a new light to the body. All the terrifying events that occur during the opening and sounding of the seven spiritual centers under the influence of the higher self upon the throne of consciousness are symbolic of this great transition, this great preparation for the birth of the new, God-centered self.
Let's go through the opening of the seals and the soundings of the trumpets for each center. Though these are done separately in the Revelation, we will do them together here for the sake of clarity and focus.
OPENING THE 7 SEALS & SOUNDING THE 7 TRUMPETS
OPENING THE FIRST SEAL & SOUNDING THE FIRST TRUMPET
The White Horse - Conquering - 1/3 of the Earth Burns Up
The higher self, in the form and spirit of the Lamb of God, and in coordination with God's will, opens the seals of the body.
When the first seal is opened, out comes the first of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. The first horseman is riding a white horse, wearing a crown, and carrying a bow. His mission is to conquer the negative influences and win this center for the spiritual self. These are the outer things that are related to this center: (1) the color red, (2) the note do, (3) the word bread in the Lord's prayer, (4) the planet Saturn, (5) the element earth and of course, (6) the church of Ephesus, (7) the gonads (ovaries or testes), and (8) the beast "like a calf." In Cayce's cosmology, the influence of Saturn is to recast all "insufficient matter" or "spiritualize" the flesh. Here we see the white horse rider conquering flesh for the Spirit.
When the first trumpet sounds, hail and fire, mixed with blood, are thrown down upon the earthly influences. Cayce says that hail is symbolic of "crystallizing" or uniting ideals under the spiritual influence, fire is purifying earthly influences, and the blood of the Lamb of God symbolizes our being cleansed from all sin (a clear reference to 1 John 1:7, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."). Here is an example of Cayce's view on the metaphysical and, for that matter, the physical power of the blood:
(Q) Please give advice which will aid me, physically, mentally and spiritually, in fulfilling my destiny in life of aiding my fellow man.
(A) Manifesting in self that which is meted to the body, mentally, physically, spiritually, that is necessary to bring those influences within self, those conditions mentally and physically within self, as to cleanse or to make more in accord with that which is the birthright of every physical being - to be perfect within itself, through the blood as cleanseth from unrighteous-ness in material, in the mental, and in the spiritual plane. Hence, as there is created that consciousness within self of being whole, or one with that Creative Energy as manifested by Him, through those channels that have been set as the ways, the manners for perfecting of such a consciousness within self, then may the body be that channel to be the greater blessings to those about the body. But use that thou hast in hand day by day! For, that which is used gives the ability, the understanding, to apply that which may be needed from day to day.
The first sounding also burns up a third of the trees and grasses of the earth, again symbolic of removing earthly influences.
OPENING THE SECOND SEAL & SOUNDING THE SECOND TRUMPET
The Red Horse - War - 1/3 of the Sea Becomes Blood
When the second seal is opened, out comes a horseman wielding a great sword and riding a red horse. His mission is to take peace away from the earth and make men slay one another. The spirit cannot allow us to be terrestrial, earthly beings forever. We must be forced to seek the Spirit, even if it means war. We were, are, and will be again celestial, heavenly beings made in the image of our infinite, universal Creator. We cannot be allowed to remain terrestrial, physical beings.
These are the outer things that are related to this center: (1) the color orange, (2) the note re, (3) the word temptation in the Lord's prayer, (4) the planet Neptune, (5) the element water, and of course, (6) the church of Smyrna, (7) the cells of Leydig, and (8) the beast like a man. In Cayce's cosmology the influence of Neptune is to accentuate the mystical-spiritual forces in our lives.
When the second trumpet is sounded, a great mountain, burning with fire, is thrown into the sea, causing a third of the sea to become blood (the cleansing concept again). A third of the sea creatures die, and a third of the ships are destroyed, again symbolic of reducing the earthly, bodily influences to allow for more spiritual influences. Water and the sea symbolize emotions and urges that lie below the surface of consciousness but have tremendous influence over our actions, thoughts, and desires. These must be and are destroyed. The mountain is "the mount," the sixth chakra that has direct connection to this second chakra. It sends its message crashing into the emotions and subliminal urges of this center to subdue its lower influences and allow for more of its higher purposes to awaken.
OPENING THE THIRD SEAL & SOUNDING THE THIRD TRUMPET
The Black Horse - Famine - A Great Star Falls From Heaven
When the third seal is opened, out comes a horseman with a pair of scales in his hand, riding a black horse. His mission is to measure out limited portions to the earth, allowing more room for spiritual influences. But he is instructed not to harm the oil and the wine, symbolic of those things that are only gained through experiences that squeeze the deeper essences out of life and grow wiser with age.
These are the outer things that are related to this center: (1) the color yellow, (2) the note mi, (3) the word debts or trespasses in the Lord's prayer, (4) the planet Mars, (5) the element fire, and of course, (6) the church of Pergamos, (7) the adrenals and solar plexus, and (8) the beast like a lion. In Cayce's cosmology, the influence of Mars is to accentuate temper, madness, and contention, also associated with the adrenaline that flows into the bloodstream from this center (correlated with the adrenal glands).
When the trumpet sounding occurs for this center, a great star from heaven falls to the earth, which Cayce says is heavenly influences (the star) coming into the body (the earth). A third of the waters of the earth become bitter, and many men die from drinking it. Again, this is a symbolic way of saying that the earthly influences are becoming less desirable, less tasty, causing earthly influences to be subdued and heavenly ones to be magnified. Waters again symbolize emotions and unseen influences that are below the surface of consciousness. All must be subdued in order for the spiritualization to take hold and grow.
OPENING THE FOURTH SEAL & SOUNDING THE FOURTH TRUMPET
The Pale Horse - Death & Hades - The Heavens are Darkened
When the fourth seal is opened, out comes a horseman named "Death," and "Hades" is following him. Death rides a pale or ashen horse. His mission is to kill a fourth of the earth with sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts, making more room for spiritual influences.
These are the outer things that are related to this center: (1) the color green, (2) the note fa, (3) the word evil in the Lord's prayer, (4) the planet Venus, (5) the element air, and of course, (6) the church of Thyatira, (7) the thymus, and (8) the beast like an eagle. In Cayce's cosmology, the influence of Venus leads one to be loving, considerate, even-tempered and interested in art, music, and beauty, all benevolent features of the heart chakra.
When the fourth trumpet is sounded, a third of the sun, moon, and stars are smitten so that their light will be darkened. As mentioned earlier, Cayce says that this is to make room for the light of the Son, awakening the body to the true, eternal, inner light that God will bring with Him.
The Son symbolizes our heritage with our Creator. As Psalm 82 teaches, "You are gods, sons and daughters of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, you shall die like men and women, and fall like any prince or princess." Our human self must die to its interests and desires in order for the godly self to arise from its slumber and regain its place by the side of our Creator, the Most High.
After this sounding an eagle is seen flying in midheaven, saying, "Woe, woe, woe, to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!" Cayce identified these four lower centers with the earthly portion of our nature, and the next three higher centers with the heavenly portion. Therefore, it is not surprising that "those who dwell on the earth" are going to have great woe when the heavenly influence comes into full glory throughout the body. The body will lose much of its earthly urges and desires, leaving those who have feasted on these and developed appetites for them to suffer the next three woes.
OPENING THE FIFTH SEAL & SOUNDING THE FIFTH TRUMPET
The Martyrs - White Robes - The Bottomless Pit
When the fifth seal is opened, the souls of the martyrs come out from underneath the altar in heaven. They had been slain for their testimony to the word of God. They now want to know how much longer God is going to tolerate the negative influences in the earth. They are given white robes and told to rest a little while longer. Soon the process of enlightenment will be completed.
These are the outer things that are related to this center: (1) the color gray or blue, (2) the note so, (3) the word will in the Lord's prayer, (4) the planet Uranus, (5) the element ether, and of course, (6) the church of Sardis, and (7) the thyroid. There is no beast because we have moved beyond the earthly centers (the four lower ones). In Cayce's cosmology, the influence of Uranus brings forth the extremes in temperament, in enthusiasm, in zeal, likes and dislikes, and an interest in the unusual and the occult. This center is also correlated with the harbinger or herald, and therefore with John the Baptist, who baptizes with cleansing water and calls for repentance, and prepares the way for the coming of the One who baptizes with fire and resurrection. Each are aspects within our own hearts and minds.
When the fifth trumpet is sounded, the star that had fallen from heaven and the key to the bottomless pit are given to the fifth angel, or heavenly influence, which we have identified earlier with God's will rather than our will. The angel opens the bottomless pit, which Cayce says is symbolic of all those things within us that are "the most uncomely," that are far from the presence of God. These must have the light shined upon them and be destroyed by the angel of the abyss: Abaddon in Hebrew, and Apollyon in Greek, meaning respectively "destruction" and "destroyer." These influences within us that are incompatible with God's presence and all-knowing mind are "lost in the beauty of the Son," Cayce says, and our human self arises to "the glory of the star as in the Son not sun, but Son." (Here again we must keep in mind that "Son" refers to our heritage as sons and daughters of the Creator and the resurrection of that truth within our hearts, minds, and actions.) Though this woe causes many to seek death, the transformation of these hidden evils leaves us with lighter hearts, purer minds, and we are thus more compatible with the coming Spirit, which is All-Knowing and Omnipresent, from whom nothing can be hidden. The dark pit of our heart and mind must be opened and cleared of all its darkness in order for the All-Knowing to fully come in our consciousness.
OPENING THE SIXTH SEAL & SOUNDING THE SIXTH TRUMPET
Earthquake - Wrath of the Lamb - Four Angels and Their Army
Now that the pit has been opened and cleared, a great earthquake occurs within us, the sun is completely blackened, the moon is turned to blood, the stars fall from heaven like a fig tree shaken by a great wind, the sky is split apart like a scroll, and the rulers of the earth search for places to hide from the rising presence of the Lamb and its wrath toward those things that are incompatible to God's complete presence. The Bible is filled with prophecies of this type, spoken of as "The great and terrible day of the coming of the Lord," and this phrase is usually followed by the question, "Who can stand against Him?" Here these words come to life in the final line of chapter six of the Revelation. The body is falling away from its earthly appetites; the rising spiritual vibrations are opening the hardened flesh body like a great earthquake, and the stars of heaven's energy are coming down upon the enlivened, sanctified vessel that the body and mind have become.
When the sixth trumpet is sounded, heaven releases four angels who have been prepared for this very "hour and day and month and year" to further cleanse a third of the earth. Then, out of heaven descends the higher self, clothed in a cloud, with a rainbow around his head, a face like the sun, feet like fire, and in his hand is the little opened book with all seven of its seals opened, representing the newly opened body with its seven spiritual centers. The descending Spirit places his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, representing his power over the body's emotions and flesh. He cries out, and seven peals of thunder rumble throughout the sanctified body, which has now become the temple of the living god, made in the image of the Most High God. John is not allowed to tell us what the seven peals of thunder uttered throughout his body; each of us will have to experience that for ourselves. Our godly self declares that there will be no further delay. When the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, then the mystery of God is finished. Then this godly portion of John's being hands him the little book and tells him to eat it. John reports to us that it was sweet in the mouth, but bitter in the belly, and Cayce explains that this indicates that spiritual truth is beautiful to look at and sweet in the tasting, but at times is bitter in the applying and living of it in daily life. Here are Cayce's further comments on this important phase of the Revelation process:
How did the Son in the earth become as an intermediator between sinful man and an All-Wise, All-Merciful God? By going through or experiencing, or in giving to, through the very sufferings in the body, the right, the purpose, the aim to be in that position!
Now, man having attained same by this study must prophesy - apply - prophesy IS apply - before many in many experiences, in many ways, in many environs, in many lands. All of these are a part and parcel of same. How did He put it as He gave, "I will bring to your remembrance ALL things, from the foundations of the world."
Then as it has been experienced by those who have taken hold of, who have combined the book (that is the book of Life), into the experience, it becomes within its body then a part and parcel of - and is to be expended in its relationships to the environs in that of prophecy, yes; in experiences before kings, yes; yea as beggars; yea as rulers; yea as those in authority; yea as those authoritative over.
THINK of how this is shown in the life of the Master himself; He that made man, yet under the authority and the will of man by the mere giving of self in the experience of passing through same. Not that these were needed other than that it might be fulfilled, what? Prophecy, as had been given in man's search for God.
Then as this has been found, as is illustrated here by John, in the taking of the book and in becoming these, each then must pass in its experience through the same sources.
Suffering is a part of the journey, especially for the outer, physical self, which must lay down its desires in order to give birth to its true, eternal self.
These are the outer things that are related to this center: (1) the color purple or indigo, (2) the note la, (3) the word name in the Lord's prayer, (4) the planet Mercury, (5) the "element" cloud, a higher vibration of water, and of course, (6) the church of Philadelphia, and (7) the pineal gland. In Cayce's cosmology, the influence of Mercury brings the mental powers, as reasoning rather than simply sentiment.
OPENING THE SEVENTH SEAL & SOUNDING THE SEVENTH TRUMPET
Silence for a Half Hour - The Golden Censer with Incense
The Kingdoms of the World and the Lord Unite
Finally, the seventh seal is opened and there is silence in heaven for about a half hour, the ultimate achievement of attunement to God, as stated by the psalmist in Psalm 46: "Be still, and know that I am God." The seven angels, or angelic influences of the seven spiritual centers of the body, now stand before God. They receive the seven trumpets for the seven soundings. Another angel burns incense in a golden censer. The fragrance of the incense is added to the prayers of the saints and goes out before God. Then, the angel throws the censer to the earth, causing peals of thunder, flashes of lightning, and earthquakes.
When the seventh trumpet is sounded, loud voices from heaven cry out: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of the Lord, and of His Messiah; and He will reign forever and ever." The twenty-four elders (twelve paired cranial nerves) worship God, saying, "We give Thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who is and was, because Thou hast taken Thy great power and hast begun to reign." Then all cells of the body are judged according to their level of attunement and at-onement with this new reign. And then the temple of God is opened, and the ark of the covenant appears in the temple, causing flashes of lightning, peals of thunder, earthquakes, and a great hailstorm. The physical body has now reached a level of cleansing, vibration, and attunement to become the temple of God. Cayce describes it this way:
As the Book of Life then is opened, there is seen the effect of that which now has been attained by the opening of the system, the body, the mind; all of those effects that have been created by the ability of the entity to, in the physical, ... attune self to the consciousness of being at-one with the divine within.
Now we see those in the material world using these influences for self-exaltation, self-indulgence, self-glorification; and yet we see those using same for the glory, the understanding, the knowledge, the wisdom of the Father.
It is done.
