Thirty five years ago while an engineering student at YSU, I happened on Jess Stearn's book Edgar Cayce: The Sleeping Prophet. I'd always been interested in science fiction and strange and unusual true stories. The Cayce story made me realize that the Bible stories I'd heard all my life were not just myths and fables, or events that took place thousands of years ago in "Bible Times", but were also happening in today's world. This Truth is what I'd unconsciously been searching for all my life. I realized that Edgar Cayce's life demonstrated that such experiences can potentially happen to me! This left me with the strong emotional impression that "I've come home...". I immersed myself in the Cayce Readings, and at the end of Spring quarter 1968 I drove to the Association for Research and Enlightenment (ARE) in Virginia Beach to check it out - and to reassure myself that such a place really exists! My focus and interest intensified - unfortunately, however, to the detriment of my grade point average. Instead of studying, I read the book Venture Inward by Hugh Lynn Cayce (Edgar's son), which explored both dangerous and safe pathways to access the unconscious mind. I opened up to the importance of dream interpretation, even though I'd seldom remember them. And I became especially impressed by an experiment conducted with a group of college students who meditated for two weeks. So impressed with their reports, I decided to try the experiment my self. After two weeks I did indeed experience similar experiences. However, even with personal proof, I wasn't ready to continue and another 9 months passed before I was ready.

In the interim, I became sidetracked by the phenomenal side of the Cayce Readings and fixated on Astral Projection with it's promise of leaving the physical body at will. Paul Twitchell's book Eckankar, gave explicit instruction for getting out the body. After a lot of study I finally felt ready to give the process a try. Laying on my bed I soon began to experience the signs that things were happening just as the book promised. However, to my surprise, instead of popping out of my body as expected, I was shocked to hear an unfamiliar 'voice' coming just above the roof of my mouth saying "Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven which is within, and all things will be added there unto." I immediately lost all desire to leave my body and became determined to understand this unprecedented experience. The Cayce Readings provided plenty of insight and support for the indwelling of the Spirit within - AND some strongly worded cautions against the practice of astral projection. What especially caught my attention in the Readings was: "Sooner or later, ALL souls must learn to meditate".

In the following spring (1969) the girl I was "pre-engaged" to realized - to her credit, that we were on different wavelengths philosophically. To say the least, she wasn't happy with my new found friend 'Edgar Cayce' (and my involvement in the Peace Movement), and she decided to call it quits. I became so emotionally distraught and tense that I was unable to f-u-n-c-t-i-o-n with regards to school and my class work. I knew was in serious trouble and started thinking that I needed prescription medication so as to get back on track. As a last resort, recalling my experiences of the summer before, I decided to give mediation a try. Within three days I was amazed to find myself back in control! FINALLY I determined to make meditation a daily part of my life.

As an outward parallel to my inner work, I joined a local Cayce "Search for God" study group to involve myself with like-minded folk. I worked with Cayce's Readings on the importance of setting personal Spiritual, mental and physical Ideals. Also using this process, I wrote out and 'Idealized' my life-partner and attracted a mate to Ohio from Texas. I continued working with my dreams and also got interested in astrology. Janet and I joined The Association for the Understanding of Man (Aum), which was headed up by Ray Stanford, a psychic with abilities similar to Cayce. Another helpful organization was Paramahansa Yogananda's Self-Realization Fellowship.

The plan was to crank up my trusty little egg timer to 15 minutes (as recommended by Cayce for beginners) and meditate. I immediately see that setting aside time consistently day after day wasn't going to be easy. I would be too tired; not feeling well; busy; ate too much; or just plain lazy. My body and mind fought and resisted my will to sit still and become quiet. I kept reading, studying, attending lectures and workshops looking for insight and inspiration. I experimented with different preparatory exercises such as taking a shower, brushing my teeth, chanting, types of prayer, visualization techniques, incense, sitting positions, differing diet, exercise, getting enough sleep, using a negative ion generator and even wearing various crystals. Slowly I separated what works for me as an individual, from that which does not. Over time, with patience (and Cayce said "In patience ye possess ye your soul"), I adopted a format that carried me into the Silence.

For a long time I needed to daily force myself to sit in my chair facing east. Hands resting on my thighs with the thumb and first fingers touching. Never a "morning person", I would get ready at night and meditate just before climbing in to bed. I would start with Cayce's recommended 'Head & Neck' exercise and then his 'Breathing' exercise. Cayce gave that the Lord's Prayer was really a 'mantra' to open the seven Spiritual Centers and I would visualize them opening. If moved, I would chant for additional attunement. Finally, in spontaneous prayer and surrender would seek to enter into the Silence and wait with expectancy... In closing, I would send the Spirit raised in meditation to others with a sense of thanksgiving. Gradually the itches that would desperately need to be scratched and the unceasingly restless o the mind began to fall away. Early on I would dread meditation and put it off. Soon I got to the point where I would sit and be glad to be in that state meditating. Then if I for some reason did not get ot meditate, I felt disappointed and that something was missing that day. Now I daily look forward to it and find myself thinking about the process during the day and how I can improve upon the process It has become a natural, joyous and effortless part of my every day commitment.

Of course, Life is always presenting its challenges. When John was born, he was both up early in the morning and late at night! Out of desperation I start getting up and meditating in the middle of the night at 3:00am! After what seems an eternity, John begins settling in to a more regular schedule.

Always having been high strung and nervous in my early years, after meditating for a while I begin to notice that sudden noises and movements no longer startle me as before. It's almost as if I'm somehow 'expecting' it. The aging process seems to have slowed and my health has improved.

Years pass and I continue to hone my technique. I keep searching for new sources of inspiration, advanced techniques, and that ideal mindset that will carry me into a more complete and fulfilling experience. I push the 'envelope' seeking longer and longer periods of meditation, but when I got to 40 minutes I seem to hit an invisible barrier. I finally get help using Cayce's Impedance (or Radial-Active) Device which effortlessly adds a good 10 to 15 minutes to my sessions. Increasingly it takes less time for my mind to settle down and I'm experiencing more of the Silence, along with joy, and an 'infilling' of Spirit. However, once again I seem to be up against an invisible barrier.

Finally I begin to notice that the occasional opportunity to meditate during the day would easily extend to an hour or more. I come to terms with my being by nature a 'night' person and realize that a good part of my difficulty is tiredness and the events of the day weighing on my mind. I break with my late night habit and in 1996 commit to getting up an hour earlier to start my day with meditation and prayer. Now I need to set an alarm so that I don't get carried away and being late for work!

From the reading of Venture Inward, over the years It's now become an ongoing daily adventure and rewarding experience. The Silence and inspiration continue to deepen and the movement of energy becomes stronger and more frequent. Intuitive and creative flashes are common - usually giving insight just for the needs of the day. I am thankful to have persevered during those early times and pray that my experiences may inspire those of you who read this.

Jim Thornton