As far as what was actually going on inside these temples, Cayce explained that on the altars of the temples no life was ever sacrificed, neither human nor animal, not even grains. These sorts of bloody offerings came much later after the original higher consciousness was lost. The offerings on these altars were the initiates’ weaknesses, poor habits, fears, and vices. Cayce explained that in the center of the altars a sacred fire was ignited to consume these offerings of the soul’s weaknesses. However, before an initiate could step away from the altar ceremony, he or she had to assume a new strength, greater purpose, a new virtue, and a higher consciousness. They could not simply cast off their weaknesses; they had to take up a new level of virtue and strength, and even a mission or work that helped make life better for others.
In the desert between the now famous Step Pyramid in Saqqara and the Great Pyramid in Giza there is a huge, beautifully carved, alabaster altar (see illustration 20). It is inside the rubble of a Ra Temple with an attached pyramid (just as Cayce described). The center of this magnificent altar is a raised circle, around which is a huge square with four arrow-like projections that point to the four cardinal points of the planet (north, east, south, and west) and between these projections are four corners that point to the location of the sun in the four seasons. When the sun is in the northern regions, it is spring and summer [in the northern hemisphere, and Egypt is in this hemisphere]; when the sun is in the southern regions, it is fall and winter in the northern hemisphere. Alabaster is a crystal-like stone that conducts light, so the sacred fire on the center circle of this altar would have dispersed its light throughout the altar. Imagine the scene inside a relatively dark temple, with a glowing altar and a flickering fire and all the initiates and attendants in white linen and golden accessories moving in a ceremonial procession, offering up their vices and assuming stronger virtues. What a scene it must have been.
According to Cayce’s readings, there were also regenerative ceremonies and devices that would raise the vibrations of initiates so as to rejuvenate their bodies. Cayce indicated that these were first used in Atlantis and then later became a part of Egyptian temple practice. We may have some evidence of these carved on some surviving temples. Today there remains a strange device, reminiscent of a light bulb, on the walls of the Temple of Hathor at Dendera. (See illustration 21 for images of this device; for details, see illustrations 82a and 82b.) In these carvings we see a full-size Egyptian holding a large bulb with a serpent filament. The bulb is connected to a lotus-like socket with a long cord leading back to a well-known Egyptian symbol, the djed (see illustration 22).
The djed symbol actually predates the dynastic period of Egypt, reaching back into prehistoric times! It continues to appear throughout the period of the pharaohs. Most scholars agree that it is a symbol of resurrection and is called the “backbone of Osiris” after the god who oversees the weighing of the hearts of all souls attempting to pass from this world to the heavens. If their hearts are heavy, they must return and get lighter ones. If their hearts are light, then they may pass on into the heavens and enjoy the fruit of the Tree of Life and the thirst-quenching Water of Life. The djed is a pillar with four cross bars. Upon this particular djed sits the open-arms symbol of the ka, considered by some to be the spirit or life force in its quintessence. Human arms are raised in the position for adoration, but the head between these arms is removed—indicating that it is that feeling we have when giving thanks to God, but not the thinking or self-consciousness of the act, just the vibration, just the feeling. It is also known to be the “twin,” signifying that we have another part to us that is not seen—our godling self. Again remembering that the two raised arms are symbolic of the spirit, the whole icon illustrates that the spirit runs down our backbone (the kundalini pathway) to give strength and resurrecting energy throughout our being.
The serpent inside of the bulb has a few meanings in ancient theology. It is the self, self’s mind, and self’s thoughts in contrast to God’s or the Collective’s. As such, it is the tempter, as it was depicted in the Garden of Eden; but it is also a symbol of the life force within the body, what yoga and Hinduism term the kundalini. In ancient Mesoamerica, Egypt, and Greece, the serpent is often depicted with wings, symbolizing the raising of the life force by the higher mind. Modern medicine retains this meaning in the caduceus (see illustration 23), the symbol of health services. The central shaft of the caduceus is the central nervous system; the double serpents symbolize the autonomic nervous system with its two parts, the sympathetic and parasympathetic. The wings represent the mind, especially with higher life-giving thoughts.
Notice that the Egyptians are putting their heads up against the bulb—some with buffering devices, some directly against the bulb. It appears that they are receiving energy, possibly information, or both from this strange device.
Considering the life-giving symbols associated with the bulb, this may be more of a life bulb than a light bulb. We know from Cayce’s readings that the Atlanteans rejuvenated their bodies using a crystal-based device.
Here’s a Cayce reading on that:
“As to the experience of the entity from that sojourn [in Atlantis], there come the innate abilities to create the higher energies within self . . . to find regenerations in the lower form of electrical vibrations.”
The temple-wall picture shows a power cord and filament, giving the impression of something electrical. But it may also have been a light bulb in the sense of “the light” of wisdom, because Cayce’s readings also talk about communicating with the universal consciousness through these devices.
Here’s one of those readings:
“The entity was in Atlantis, a priestess, and the keeper of the white stone or that through which many of those peoples before the first destructions in Atlantis kept their accord with the universal consciousness, through the speaking to and through those activities.”
Are the Egyptians depicted on this wall tuning their bodies to life-rejuvenating forces? Are they also tuning their minds to universal consciousness and communicating? The ka-arms sit on top of the djed stone. Is this “the white stone” Cayce was referring to?
Today Cayce has guided us to understand that all these ancient devices are also within us. The light bulb and life bulb are within us. The bioelectrical current of the life force is within us. Our bodies and minds are capable of rejuvenation and of knowing the consciousness and energy of the Creator and of communicating with God.
Cayce further described bizarre physical conditions that some ancient people suffered. According to him, the initial mingling of celestial minds with physical animals created thought forms that manifested in one’s physical body. This caused some people to have animal appendages. These had to be removed before the soul could progress through the temple process. Here are Cayce’s words on this in a lengthy quote:
“The individuals, having cleansed themselves of those appendages that hindered them, came not merely for the symbolic understanding. For these, to be sure, were all symbolized—the faults, the virtues of man, in all his seven stages of development [more on these stages in a later chapter]—in the light or the lamp [could he be referring to the bulbs on the Egypt temple walls?] borne by those who served as the Light Bearers to those who entered for their initiation, or for their preparation to be that as given by the teachers—even Ra-Ta. Laying aside those things that easily beset the sons of men, you as you enter here, put your whole trust in the one God, that you may be all things unto all men, thereby crucifying your own desires that they—your brethren—may know the Lord their God. In the temple activities then, there were first the songs, the music, as we have indicated that you sing: