My childhood was secular. At no time had my parents and I sat together through a church service, of any denomination or faith. For a few years they did insist that I attend Sunday School at the Second Presbyterian Church, but that held little appeal, other than the fact that some of my close friends were there too.

But in spite of that fact, I have always been a seeker of the truth, much in the way Thomas Jefferson is famously quoted:

Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there is one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.

Then it should be no surprise that by the age of nine years old, I was questioning the existence of God. The apex of this proto-atheism was my refusal to say “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. So, as a third grader, I would simply not speak those words, as the rest of the class inevitably did, picking up again at “indivisible”.

A year later I had rationalized that the Universe and its Creator cannot be separated from each other, so I began saying “with God”.

And then a year after that, I came to the realization it was the flag itself, not me, that was, is, and ever will be “Under God(‘s protection)”, and have ever since recited the pledge as it is written.

Yet this new understanding of the Divine did not bring me into the fold of any congregation. But what it did do was allow me to keep an open mind to all possibilities.

It would be another dozen years before I came my understanding of who Jesus, the Christ, is, was, and forever will be, thanks to Edgar Cayce’s Story of Jesus, by Jeffrey Furst.

This book explores aspects and details about the life of Jesus, many of which are not found in the Bible, all based on the psychic trance readings of Edgar Cayce. For example, the readings explained how Jesus was born into the messianic Jewish sect known as the Essenes, how he was educated in the ancient esoteric schools which were found in various places throughout the ancient world, and how Jesus had to first overcome his own karma, accumulated during a handful of prior incarnations, in order to be the perfect example for humanity through his ministry and resurrection.

The topic of reincarnation is crucial to understanding the profound cosmological truths put forth in the Edgar Cayce readings. When the topic first arose in a reading, Edgar and his family were taken aback, as this concept was anathema to their strict Southern Baptist doctrine. However, in a very determined, yet open-minded fashion, Edgar scoured his Bible for possible evidence to confirm whether this controversial idea was compatible with his Christian belief. Do bear in mind, Edgar Cayce was such a devout Christian that he read the Bible, in its entirety, over sixty times in his lifetime. Eventually he did find enough evidence to overcome his doubts, in how Jesus advised his apostles that John the Baptist was the return of the prophet Elijah, (see: Luke 1:17 and Matthew 17:12-13).

So then, which were these previous lives that Jesus had lived?

Apply thyself in such a way and manner as to know what ye will do with this man, Jesus of Nazareth – Jeshua of Jerusalem, Joshua in Shiloh, Joseph in the court of Pharaoh, Melchizedek, as he blessed Abraham, Enoch as he warned the people, Adam as he listened to Eve.

Edgar Cayce Reading 3054-4

These were just the Bible-centric incarnations. There were several others of significance, but I’ll leave this topic for a future post.

The world had really only known of the Essenes by way of the chronicles of Josephus and Pliny the Elder. However it was the Edgar Cayce readings which told their tale in great detail.

A few years after the death of Edgar Cayce, the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered when and where the readings had predicted that they would be. Though even the scrolls offer only a fragment of who the Essenes were.

So who were they?

(Q) Were the Essenes called at various times and places Nazarites, School of the Prophets, Hasidees, Therapeutae, Nazarenes, and were they a branch of the Great White Brotherhood, starting in Egypt and taking as members Gentiles and Jews alike? (A) In general, yes. Specifically, not altogether. They were known at times as some of these; or the Nazarites were a branch or a THOUGHT of same, see? Just as in the present one would say that any denomination by name is a branch of the Christian-Protestant faith, see? So were those of the various groups, though their purpose was of the first foundations of the prophets as established, or as understood from the school of prophets, by Elijah; and propagated and studied through the things begun by Samuel. The movement was NOT an Egyptian one, though ADOPTED by those in another period – or an earlier period – and made a part of the whole movement. They took Jews and Gentiles alike as members – yes.

(Edgar Cayce Reading 254-109)

There are over twenty references to the School of the Prophets in the Bible. Elijah began this movement to bring the Messiah into human form.

So, as it turns out, Jesus the Nazarene was eventually born into the very sect which had been specifically created to facilitate his arrival.

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So how about the lost years? Why are they not included in the Bible?

(Q) Why does not the Bible tell of Jesus’ education, or are there manuscripts now on earth that will give these missing details to be found soon?
(A) There are some that have been forged manuscripts. All of those that existed were destroyed, – that is, the originals – with the activities in Alexandria.

Edgar Cayce Reading 2067-7

One of the most fascinating aspects about those lost years, as described in the Cayce readings, are the pilgrimages which Jesus undertook.

Apparently Jesus was first sent to Persia, then India, and finally Egypt, to study their highest levels of esoteric teachings, and pass the examinations of their high-priesthoods.

(Q) How close was my association with Jesus in my Palestine sojourn?
(A) A portion of the experience the entity was the teacher!

How close? So close that the very heart and purposes were proclaimed of those things that were traditions! For the entity sent Him to Persia, to Egypt, yea to India, that there might be completed the more perfect knowledge of the material ways in the activities of Him that became the Way, the Truth!

(Edgar Caye Reading 1472-3)

This was from a Life Reading given to a Jewish woman from New York. Her role with the Essenes was that of leader of the sect, in addition to being Jesus’ teacher. In that incarnation her name was Judy. She taught the young Jesus the scriptures, specifically those which relate to the return of the Messiah.

(Q) Please give facts about Jesus’ education in Palestine, the schools He attended, how long, what He studied, and under what name He was registered.
(A) The periods of study in Palestine were only at the time of His sojourn in the temple, or in Jerusalem during those periods when He was quoted by Luke as being among the rabbi or teachers. His studies in Persia, India and Egypt covered much greater periods. He was always registered under the name Jeshua.

(Q) Please describe Jesus’ education in India, schools attended – did He attend the Essene school in Jagannath taught by Lamaas, and did He study in Benares also under the Hindu teacher Udraka?
(A) He was there at least three years. Arcahia was the teacher.

(Q) Did He attend the schools in Jagannath –
(A) ALL were a portion of the teachings as combined from the Essene schools, but these were not the true Essene doctrine as practiced by the Jewish and semi-Jewish associations in Carmel.

(Q) Please describe Jesus’ education in Egypt in Essene schools of Alexandria and Heliopolis, naming some of His outstanding teachers and subjects studied.
(A) Not in Alexandria, – rather in Heliopolis, for the period of attaining to the priesthood, or the taking of the examinations there – as did John [the Baptist]. One was in one class, one in the other.

(Q) Please describe Jesus’ contact with schools in Persia, and did He at Persepolis establish a method of entering the Silence as well as demonstrating healing power?
(A) Rather that was a portion of the activity in the “city in the hills and the plains.”

Edgar Cayce Reading 2067-7

In my opinion, the most important point here is that even Jesus, he who was born into this world as the Messiah, had to actively study the most profound knowledge from the best schools and instructors that the ancient world had to offer.

In Jesus’ own words, each of us can perform the same miracles which he was able to do. Perhaps the details of his pilgrimage offer a road map to each one of us can perform those wondrous abilities demonstrated throughout his ministry.

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So then why choose to follow the path of Jesus, as opposed to Buddha, or Mohammad, or any other prophet?

(Q) [255]: Is the faith of man in Buddha or Mohammed equal in the effect on his soul to the faith in Jesus Christ?
(A) As He gave, he that receiveth a prophet in the NAME of a prophet RECEIVES the prophet’s reward, or that ABILITY that that individual spiritual force MAY manifest in the life of that individual. Hence, as each teacher, minister or seer, or prophet, receives that obeisance as is giving the life from that faith and hope as held by that as an individual, in the Christ is found that as the advocate WITH the Father and the spirit of the Father glorified in him that approaches through that manner, without that as is approached in the spiritual activity of any individual; for individuality is last lost, even as man in spirit overcomes death in the material; even as He overcame death in the material, and able to put on immortality in a material world, bringing to man not only of flesh that endowed WITH the ability to be one WITH the Father but magnifying the Father IN the individual yet in the material plane. Hence, as we find, each in their respective spheres are but stepping-stones to that that may awaken in the individual the knowledge of the Son in their lives.

Edgar Cayce Reading 262-14

And to what end?

For, as then, the evolution of man’s experiences is for the individual purpose of becoming more and more acquainted with those activities in the relationships with the fellow man, as an exemplification, as a manifestation of Divine Love – as was shown by the Son of man, Jesus; that EACH and every soul MUST BECOME, MUST BE, the SAVIOR of some soul! to even COMPREHEND the purpose of the entrance of the Son INTO the earth – that man might have the closer walk with, yea the open door to, the very heart of the living God!

Edgar Cayce Reading 1472-3

It should be clear that I have made my choice. So how do I proceed?

Fear not! Know – KNOW – He is able and willing to, and lovingly will, GUIDE the way.

Edgar Cayce Reading 422-1

Thank you Jesus, for showing the way.

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Edit: this post was created before I read this amazing book on this very subject.