In the lead of these, with those changes that had been as the promptings from the positions of the stars—that stand as it were in the dividing of the ways between the universal, that is the common vision of the solar system of the sun, and those from without the spheres—or as the common name, the North Star, as its variation made for those cycles that would be incoordinant with those changes that had been determined by some—this began the preparation—for the three hundred years, as has been given, in this period.
In these signs then was the new cycle, that as was then—as we have in the astrological—the beginning of the Piscean age, or that position of the Polar Star or North Star as related to the southern clouds. These made for the signs, these made for the symbols; as would be the sign as used, the manner of the sign’s approach and the like.
5749-8
There are two very important astronomical terms contained in this last reading worth noting. The variation in the position of Polaris that’s mentioned is a direct reference to the Precession of the Equinoxes resulting from the slow wobbling of the Earth on its axis. The other one is “southern clouds.” It was mentioned earlier that Cayce didn’t speak of other galaxies as such. However, the term “southern clouds” is a reference to the two “Magellanic Clouds” visible only from the Southern Hemisphere. These are, in fact, our Milky Way’s satellite galaxies!
The “Stargate” Arcturus
The other star that Edgar Cayce specifically mentioned by name is the radiant golden-orange sun Arcturus. Best seen in the spring sky, it’s the third brightest of the heavenly host visible from the Northern Hemisphere after the blue-white gems Sirius and Vega (which are best seen in the winter and summer sky, respectively). This great star is referenced more than thirty times within the text of the readings alone, all having the theme of its supreme importance both individually and cosmically. Here’s a sampling of those readings:
Also we find the Sun and Arcturus, the greater Sun, giving of the strength in mental and spiritual elements toward developing of soul and of the attributes toward the better forces in earth’s spheres.
137-4
(Q) From the information received from this source, I am from Arcturian influences. What is this influence in my present experience?
(A) As just indicated, and is as a part of that. For Arcturus is that junction between the spheres of activity as related to cosmic force, and is that about which this particular environ or sphere of activity rotates, or is a relative source of activity.
263-15
As an entity passes on, as has been given, from this present—or this solar system, this sun, these forces, it passes through the various spheres—leading first into that central force, through which—known as Arcturus—nearer the Pleiades, in this passage about the various spheres—on and on—through the eons of time, as called—or space—which is one in the various spheres of its activity …
311-2
(The Pleiades Star Cluster that’s mentioned is discussed below.)
In those experiences of the entity in its dwellings in the hills and the plains of Persia, also in Egypt, the beauties and music of the spheres sang and brought into the experience of the entity its studies of the light by day, the joy of the voices of the night, and the star that led the entity—that source from which and to which it may gain so much of its strength in the present; Arcturus, the wonderful, the beautiful! As the bright and glorious light from same set afire, as it were, its meditations in the plains, so may the illuminations do the same in the lives of those the entity contacts through its gentleness and kindness and service.
827-1
Arcturus comes in this entity’s chart, or as a central force from which the entity came again into the earth-material sojourns. For, this is the way, the door out of this system.
2454-3
Not that the sun that is the center of this solar system is all there is. For the entity has attained to that realm even of Arcturus, or that center from which there may be the entrance into other realms of consciousness.
2823-1
And Arcturus! For the entity has gone out and returned, purposefully.
5259-1
(Q) The sixth problem concerns interplanetary and inter-system dwelling, between earthly lives. It was given through this source that the entity Edgar Cayce, after the experience as Uhjltd, went to the system of Arcturus, and then returned to earth. Does this indicate a usual or an unusual step in soul evolution?
(A) As indicated, or as has been indicated in other sources besides this as respecting this very problem—Arcturus is that which may be called the center of this universe, through which individuals pass and at which period there comes the choice of the individual as to whether it is to return to complete there—that is, in this planetary system, our sun, the earth sun and its planetary system—or to pass on to others. This was an unusual step, and yet a usual one.
5749-14
And we find that the experience of the entity before that, as Uhjltd, was from even without the sphere of thine own orb; for the entity came from those centers about which thine own solar system moves—in Arcturus.
5755-1
As many of these readings make clear, Arcturus is definitely a “stargate” leading to other parts of the universe—even to its very center—and that it was actually used by Edgar Cayce himself! On a personal note, one of my wife’s brothers was a brilliant young college student in the pre-med program at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. In 1970, tragically David was killed by a drunken driver. Until we met, Sharon had little interest in or knowledge about the stars, her passion being mathematics and music. Yet she somehow instinctively or psychically knew that her dear brother had gone to Arcturus! Incidentally, David himself was an avid stargazer and very much into space and astronomy. Just a coincidence? I think not!
Before going on, it should be pointed out that Sirius (mentioned above) is indirectly referred to by Edgar Cayce as “the dog star,” which is its popular name due to its location in the constellation of Canis Major or the Big Dog. Other indirect references to stars in the readings are the “evening star” and especially the “morning star” (or “the bright and morning star” as he was fond of saying)—in both cases actually referring to the radiant planet Venus in its evening and morning appearances at dusk and dawn, respectively. Although Venus is a planet and not a star, these again are the popular names that have been given to it. And, while in fact the famed “Star of Bethlehem” (also called “His Star”) is mentioned in the readings, this pertains to no actual named star in the sky today. Many astronomers believe that this was actually a supernova explosion—the death-throes of a supermassive sun that lit up the heavens for many weeks around the time of Christ’s birth. (If this is indeed its true identity, the author finds it ironic that God would use the spectacular death of a star to announce the birth of the greatest King that ever lived.)
Personification of the Stars
There’s a long tradition of poets, writers, visionaries, and even some scientists referring to the stars as if they are living entities rather than just inanimate matter as is widely believed. Indeed, as will be discussed in the next chapter, there are even those astronomers who believe that we’re actually living in a “bio-cosmos”