(Posted on: April 30, 2013 by David McMillin)
[NOTE: While serving as mentor for an online verion of "A Search For God" study group the following questions were asked by a group member: "Could you please explain one question I had when I read the Meditation lesson (page 14 from the combined book), for footnote 9, "There is a bowl that must one day be broken, and a cord that must one day be severed from the physical body..."? How does this statement relate to meditation? What does the "bowl" represent? (I have very limited knowledge of the bible)." - David McMillin]
"… or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." [Ecclesiastes 12:6]
This Bible verse relates to the Body-Soul Connection. The soul connects to the body via glands and nerves. In Cayce's readings, two glands in particular were said to be the "seat of the soul" – the Leydig (lyden) and pineal. The pineal gland is in the center of the head but the readings also describe the pineal as a thread or nerve that runs from the gland all the way down the spine. This pineal thread is the "silver cord" by which the soul connects and it is the conduit for the kundalini energy that is raised in the system during deep meditation, psychic experiences, and so forth …
Edgar Cayce used this pineal thread or silver cord and the kundalini energy that passes along it to give his psychic readings. The golden bowl relates to the head and in the readings seems to be associated with the cerebral cortex (nerve tissue around the brain). So the kundalini moves along the spine up into the head. This is often experienced as a flash of light. Edgar Cayce said he needed to get the flash of light in his head or he couldn't give a reading. Some people do experience the flash of light in meditation as part of the process of "deep mediation."
There is a lot of information in the readings about how to use gold and silver in the electrotherapeutic devices to work with this pineal system by placing the appliance disks along the spine and so forth. You can ask if you want more information on this aspect (healing), but it doesn't relate directly to mediation, which was your question.
Here are some quotes from the readings for your consideration. Just keep in mind, with regard to meditation, we are talking about what the readings call "deep meditation" or what some have called "kundalini meditation."
"In this particular body [Edgar Cayce] through which this, then, at present is emanating, the gland with its thread known as the pineal gland is the channel along which same then operates ... and with the subjugation of the consciousness - physical consciousness - there arises, as it were, a cell from the creative forces within the body [Leydig gland] to the entrance of the conscious mind, or brain, operating along, or traveling along, that of the thread or cord as when severed separates the physical, the soul, or the spiritual body. This uses, then, the senses of the body in an introspective manner..." (288-29)
"(Q) What caused the extraordinary physical reaction with Edgar Cayce at the close of the reading [254-67] this morning, at the beginning of the suggestion?
(A) As was seen, through the seeking of irrelevant questions there was antagonism manifested. This made for a contraction of those channels through which the activity of the psychic forces operates in the material body; as we have outlined, along the pineal, the lyden and the cord - or silver cord. The natural reactions are for sudden contraction when changing suddenly from the mental-spiritual to material." (254-68)
This reading excerpt actually comes from the 262 series (Search For God readings) …
In the body we find that which connects the pineal, the pituitary, the lyden, may be truly called the silver cord, or the golden cup that may be filled with a closer walk with that which is the creative essence in physical, mental and spiritual life; for the destruction wholly of either will make for the disintegration of the soul from its house of clay. (262-20)
Here are a couple of excerpts about kundalini and psychic experiences that may be relevant to those who have past life flashbacks or such during deep meditation:
For as we find this entity has more than once been among those who were gifted with what is sometimes called second sight, or the super-activity of the third eye. Whenever there is the opening, then, of the lyden (Leydig) center and the kundaline forces from along the pineal, we find that there are visions of things to come, of things that are happening. (4087-1)
"(Q) Have I ever caught glimpses of past lives, or are these things more dreams and fancy?
(A) The entity has caught glimpses of past lives when it has gone out of itself or has allowed the energies of the Kundaline force to pass along the centers of the body. Beware, unless ye are well-balanced in purposes ..." (5399-2)
It may be helpful to realize that some of the members of the original Study Group # 1 that created the A Search For God material really wanted to develop psychic ability like Edgar Cayce. Then there was the Glad Helpers subgroup that focused on raising the kundalini energy in deep mediation for healing purposes. These are some pretty deep waters. So if you undertake deep meditation or find yourself moving in that direction as you work with meditation, be sure "ye are well-balanced in purposes …"
With regard to the lesson on Cooperation and knowing your role, if your spiritual path involves psychic or healing abilities, then you may find that this information is particularly relevant. As has been noted, there are various forms of meditation recommended in the Cayce readings. For most people, it is best just to use meditation as a means of attunement with your Source. If psychic experiences or other forms of altered consciousness come during meditation, then use them constructively in accordance with your ideals as we will be exploring in the lessons ahead.
If any of this is confusing or if you don't understand, just ask questions. But do realize that if you gain knowledge, you need to be able to apply it, or it becomes sin (a mistake or error). – Best wishes, Dave
Leydig and Pineal Glands - This resource article discusses the body-soul connection from the perspective of the "seat of the soul" which the readings identified as the Leydig gland and pineal gland. The readings also insisted that the pineal gland also had a nerve, thread, or cord that extends down the spine which seems to correspond to the Silver Cord.
The Pineal: For those interested in a more thorough (and scholarly/academic) consideration of the pineal gland, I have extracted an appendix on that topic from one of my books (The Treatment of Schizophrenia). It is in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format. Pay particular attention to the section on the Pineal System (beginning on page 300) as this contains more detailed information about the silver cord and golden bowl.