Making the Best Decision
By John Van Auken
Most of us have a tendency to get into a "thinking meditation," and feel that our minds see more clearly—and to a degree they do. But the greater result is achieved by clearing our minds. Cayce said: "remove the earthly portions and the personality" and attuning or connecting our deeper soul-self to the Infinite, Universal Mind of God. Then, Cayce guided us to avoid the tendency to tell God how best to do this, but rather become completely receptive to the Mind of God, allowing the guidance to come in what Elijah called "the still, small voice." (1Kings 19:12) 
Decisions are best made after we have consciously connected with the Universal Consciousness and the Creative Forces (as Cayce termed them) or God through meditation. Then, once connected, allow God to guide. As Jesus taught us, "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (Matthew 6:8)
Now it is possible, even likely, that God's guidance will come to us later, after meditative attunement, during sleep, when it is even easier than meditation for the Infinite to commune with the finite—as Elihu said in the Book of Job: "For God speaks once, yes twice, yet man perceives it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, in slumbering upon the bed; then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction." (Job 33:14-16) 
Another factor in decision-making is the need for cooperation between the inner self and the outer self. I've often shown this in my Egyptian slides where the ruler of Upper Egypt or the Upper Self and the ruler of Lower Egypt or the Lower Self unite in a cooperative manner to rule the whole of the nation—symbolizing the cooperation between these two portions of our being, and likely a carryover from Cayce's incarnation as the Egyptian High Priest Ra-Ta.
Here's how the readings teach this: First we sit down with our outer self and our intellect and rational mind; we write down the issue at hand and all the options that we see available to us, then we identify the one that appears to be the best option. After we've done this outer work, we then take this option into our inner self through meditation or reflection and "feel" our inner self's comfort or discomfort with this option. The readings then say that if discomfort is the feeling then you need to rethink your decision or consider more options. This method is closely associated with Cayce's many teachings about setting an IDEAL against which you can measure all your options, selecting the one that best harmonizes with or supports your ideal.
Another aspect of decision-making in the Cayce readings was given to Edwin Blumenthal (number 137 in the Readings) when he asked Cayce how he could put his finances in order so that he could devote his life to psychic development The answer indicated that the greater development comes from using one's intuition and psychic abilities to solve one's financial or any material needs. In this way we merge the outer self and its needs with the inner self and its higher abilities to perceive from a truer level of consciousness.
(Q) How can he [137] put his finances in such a condition as to permit him to concentrate to his greatest possibility on his psychic development?
(A) Be not dismayed, for the development in psychic forces must manifest in and through the present conditions, and conditions physical, financial, must of necessity be one and a part of the development. As is given in this: In whatsoever state one finds (as he has found himself) oneself, make self content; not satisfied, but content, ever working toward that oneness of mind (of body, of will, with the development), or universal, or psychic forces. Do not war against these conditions. Make of conditions the stepping-stones to the development necessary to meet the daily needs in physical, in mental, in financial. (Reading 137-7)
In reading 1602-3 Cayce actually predicts that in this coming New Age we will have better and clearer awareness of and use of our interconnectedness with the Universal Consciousness and the Creative Forces, even the forces of Nature, such as the weather. Image being consciously in sync with the forces of the Cosmos and this planet—how different would our lives would be.
These concepts have been most helpful to me in my life. Sometimes I received a direct and clear answer while in meditation—and it was like a "knowing" that just came to me out of the blue! But as soon as I got it, I knew it was right. At other times I received nothing in the meditation but later the guidance came in a dream or a series of dreams. And sometimes, days went by until I felt that "knowing," and knew the best decision. All of this is a part of our journey through soul growth and expanding our consciousness. It's a marvelous journey that ultimate leads to enlightenment and that peace that passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:7)
John Van Auken is an internationally renowned speaker, longtime staff member, and a current director at A.R.E. A popular leader of A.R.E.'s life-changing tours to Egypt and other sacred sites, he is also the author of several best-selling books including 2038: The Great Pyramid Timeline Prophecy, Toward a Deeper Meditation, Edgar Cayce and the Kabbalah and the presenter in several best-selling DVDs, including Edgar Cayce's Tour of Egypt, Meditation Techniques to Boost Soul Growth, and Prophecy & Reincarnation DVD Set. In addition he is a regular contributor to Venture Inward magazine. With his extensive knowledge of the Cayce readings, the Bible, world religions, Gnosticism, and ancient Egyptian mysticism combined with years of experience as a teacher and meditation retreat leader, he is a regular presenter at A.R.E. Conferences.
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