Posted on Facebook by Samoa Lualima
In A Search for God, “Know Thyself” is the second lesson. It invites us to look honestly at who we are: what we think, what we desire, how we respond to life, and how we treat others. The lesson opens a study of the physical, mental and spiritual sides of our being.
Identity is our understanding of who we are. In Cayce’s spiritual teaching, that understanding reaches beyond our appearance, roles or reputation. It includes the soul’s relationship with the Creator and the way that inner life is expressed through our thoughts, choices and actions. “Know Thyself” is the practice of discovering this deeper self.
Cayce taught that we can learn about ourselves by observing our daily lives. When asked, “How may I know self?” he answered, “By the activities of self in the daily walks of life,” compared with Christ’s thoughts and actions (262-3). Our behaviour can show us what we truly value. We can ask whether our words and choices reflect the patience, kindness and love we hope to live by.
Cayce also advised, “Stand aside and watch self pass by!” He encouraged people to reflect on their relationships and notice how others respond to their actions (262-9). He added that we may know ourselves by “measuring self by that standard that is thine own ideal” (262-9). Self-examination, then, means looking at ourselves honestly and using a worthy ideal to guide our growth.
Cayce distinguished between personality and individuality. He said, “Personality is that ye wish others to think and see. Individuality is that your soul prays, your soul hopes for, desires” (5246-1). Personality is the outward self we present. Individuality points to the deeper hopes and ideals within us. Knowing ourselves means looking beneath appearances and asking what our hearts truly seek.
The readings also describe each person as both distinct and connected with God. Cayce explained that the ability to know oneself includes seeing oneself as “a part of the whole, yet not the whole” (262-10). In reading 262-88, he described the soul as “lasting as eternity” and said that through God we may “know ourselves to be one with Him.” These passages present spiritual identity as a growing awareness of our relationship with the Creative Force, while each person retains their own individuality.
This knowledge is meant to shape daily life. Cayce advised, “Put into active, prayerful, working service, that thou knowest to do day by day” (262-12). As we put our ideals into action, self-knowledge becomes more than an idea. It appears in how we care for others, use our abilities and respond to the opportunities before us.
This teaching has a connection with the Bible. The Psalmist prays, “Search me, O God, and know my heart” (Psalm 139:23), while Paul calls for the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2). Psychology also studies how people form a sense of who they are through self-understanding, values, relationships and choices. Cayce adds a spiritual direction to that search: examine yourself, seek the Christ ideal, and express what you learn through love and service.
In this sense, “Know Thyself” is the journey of understanding identity. We discover who we are by looking within, observing how we live, seeking our relationship with God, and allowing our highest ideals to guide our actions.
Reflection: What do my daily words and actions reveal about what my heart truly seeks?
Meaning of Image
The image shows someone sitting quietly beside a lake at sunrise. The still water suggests taking time to look inward, while the rising sun represents new understanding. The person faces the light as a symbol of seeking a deeper sense of self and spiritual purpose—the heart of “Know Thyself” in the Edgar Cayce readings.
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