by Gina Cerminara

Certainly there is nothing new in the thought that balance is important in human life. As long as men have been riding horses they have known that balance—equilibrium—is essential to successful horsemanship. Whether a man have for his sport swimming, bowling, wrestling, tennis, or golf, he knows that balance is necessary for good form and good performance.

Balance in the sense of proportion or symmetry was known to the ancient Greeks; in fact, principles of balance in this sense have been applied consciously or instinctively throughout all the history of art by any artist worthy of the name. (more…)

by William W. Atkinson

To many minds the “proof” of a doctrine is its reasonableness and its adaptability as an answer to existing problems. And, accordingly, to such, the many arguments advanced in favor of the doctrine together with the almost universal acceptance of the fundamental ideas on the part of the race, in at least some period of its development, would be considered as a very good “proof” of the doctrine, at least so far as it might be considered as the “most available working theory” of the soul’s existence, past and future, and as better meeting the requirements of a doctrine or theory than any other idea advanced by metaphysical, theological, or philosophical thinkers. (more…)

by Gina Cerminara

Karma operates in such a way, it seems, that our every act and thought is exactly repaid in its own coin and in its own realm. If we do harm to another, physically or psychologically, we later suffer exactly the same kind of pain that we caused; if we haughtily feel ourselves superior to other people and treat them condescendingly, we may later find this attitude objectified by the humiliation of a body that is too tall or abnormally short—or we may find ourselves one day the member of a minority group that is despised by the majority; if we do injustices to groups of people, we are likely to suffer injustices later through the agency of comparable groups of people. Christ’s command to do unto others as you would have others do unto you is not merely a sentimental exhortation, but actually the elliptical statement of a mathematical equation and a law of psychodynamics. (more…)

by Gina Cerminara

It seems that all of us have been men in some lifetimes and women in others. At least, sex change is generally accepted as a fact by most believers in reincarnation, such as Buddhists, Hindus, Theosophists, Rosicrucians, and others; and the Cayce readings, as well as the age-regression experiments of many investigators, provide confirmation for those who accept their validity.

No regular pattern of change is deducible from the Cayce data, however; it seems that one can be a man for one or more lifetimes and then a woman for one or more lifetimes, and so forth and so on; but what causes such changes, or when they occur, does not become clear by the Cayce data at least. (more…)

by Gina Cerminara

In our daily experience with others, all of us come to recognize certain different types or traits which we classify by value systems of our own devising. There is the sociable, easy-to-talk-to-type, the reserved, difficult-to-talk-to-type, the selfish type, the egocentric type, and so on. Many psychologists have concluded also that people array themselves into fundamental groupings; and it was natural that they should attempt to establish a scientific basis for the groupings or types which they felt existed. From this point of view many typologies have emerged, notably those of Jung, Spranger, Kretschmer, and Rosanoff, all of which have merited serious scientific recognition.

Like a wise Solomon, the reincarnation principle supports both the trait and the type theory of personality; it also points up the incompleteness of both. If we take into consideration one system of types in the light of the Cayce readings, we shall see how this is so. (more…)

by Paramahansa Yogananda

All the knowledge there is to be known in every branch of science and art, including the mystery of the atoms and the history of the universe and of human beings, is already existing in the ether as vibrations of truth. These vibrations are all around us, and there is a way to contact them directly. That way is through the all-knowing intuitive power of the soul. To discover any truth, we have only to turn our consciousness inward to the soul, whose omniscience is one with God. When those who are receptive hear someone speak truth, it seems so familiar. Their first reaction is “I thought so!” The mind has simply recognized a truth already known intuitively by the soul.

From that source come all the lectures I give. If I had to read in order to gather facts and ideas for my talks to you, I don’t know what I would do! I read very little, because it is not necessary. By the time I get through a few pages of a book, I know from its vibrations whatever truth it contains. (more…)

by Manly P. Hall

In matters of philosophy and faith the American Indian is by nature an individualist. His convictions are influenced profoundly by his interpretation of the experiences of daily life, and by the visions and other mystical extensions of consciousness resulting from vigil, fasting, prayer, and meditation. Members of the same tribe may differ widely in their beliefs. Religious tolerance is general, and nonconformity brings no reproach if a man practices his beliefs with sincerity. Therefore, when an ethnologist asks some old sachem or an outstanding tribal citizen for a summary of the religion of his people, the learned elder, as likely as not, will elucidate his personal opinions of the subject. Thus many differing accounts may be secured from a single group. Due to this complication, all broad statements covering Indian theology are subject to a variety of exceptions. (more…)

by Gina Cerminara

Among the multitude of sorrows that befall men and women is the anguish of having brought into the world a defective child. Materially, it is a problem in extra care and expense; socially, it constitutes a kind of unspoken stigma; spiritually, it is a source of questioning the ways of God to men, and of deep anxiety for the welfare of the child.

To such parents the reincarnation principle can be a source of reassurance and courage. In the first place, it is evident on this principle that any abnormality is probably of karmic origin. There are a few instances in the Cayce files where a birth injury was pronounced to be non-karmic, but on the whole, birth deformities are highly indicative of some past life transgression. Secondly, the connection between parent and afflicted child is almost always of karmic origin also. Again and again, in readings taken on children suffering with mongolian idiocy, deafness, water on the brain, and many other tragic afflictions, one finds the phrase: “This is karma, for both the parent and the child.” (more…)