The Principles of Nature: By Andrew Jackson Davis (Invisible Energy) Paperback – October 8, 2016

One of the most significant passages in the book about the life work of Edgar Cayce, There is a River, is where Mr. Cayce learns about the existence and work of the Andrew Jackson Davis, the “Seer of Poughkeepsie.” Mr. Davis was a hundred years before Mr. Cayce, but was equally unschooled, while also being the channel of extraordinary information that parallels Cayce’s in many respects. You’d think that upon being informed of this person, Mr. Cayce would respond by saying, “Fantastic, let’s look over that material, see how it compares to what I’ve brought forth, and we’ll do a reading about it…. Maybe we’ll get a better picture of what this is all about and how we can better help people with what I do.” Such a response might have yielded great rewards. As it was, however, his response was something to the effect (and I’m paraphrasing), “That’s creepy!”I don’t recall any more mention of Mr. Davis’ work. The A.R.E. library, however, did accept the request/invitation to house Mr. Davis’ metaphysical library. I’ve seen it, in its own separate room within the library itself, which is upstairs. I recall the glass door to its room being kept locked and I’ve never been in it, but I’ve peaked in a few times, wondering about what might have been. That’s not to say there are advantages to avoiding outside influences. Had Cayce studied Mr. Davis’ material, it might have diverted him from his true calling. So we accept history as it stands.I was very surprised and pleased when I received an announcement concerning Mr. Davis book, The Principals of Nature. It was first published in 1847. Rinaldo Lampis, the editor of this new edition, has a valuable website at spiritaction.net. There he writes, “The aim of this site is to help the visitor to recover natural connections useful in remaining aware and centered during the crucial, next few years in which ‘The Changes’ will keep on manifesting.”The book begins with an interesting tale (written back in 1847) about how Mr. Davis found himself in an altered state of consciousness dictating details of a very different view of the world. What he describes is quite consistent with Mr. Cayce’s perspective, which today is but one stream consisting of various approaches in what has been called “the integral philosophy movement,” perhaps originated by Aurobindo, but also exemplified by Jung and Wilber. These visions turn reality inside out, making spirit fundamental and matter secondary. It is a way of seeing with heart, the imagination, symbolic understanding, rather than with the eyes.Consider this statement: What you see with your eyes is untrue and will vanish. What you don’t see with your eyes is true and eternal. I am reminded of the Aztec philosophers, lamenting that all will vanish but flowers and song… only poetry (metaphoric language) can express the truth. It is because the senses provide useful information about the physical environment, but are blind to the meaning of it all. It requires perceiving with the intuitive imagination, doing so in an attitude of participation (as in the observer affects the observed in the relationship of awareness). This type of epistemology is that of the indigenous mind. No wonder that channelers that tap into the center of consciousness find themselves expressing a perspective that the native finds naturally obvious and true to the world that they live in.Skimming through this book, reading here and there, two things impressed me.One, was that the very opening of the book is a discussion of the challenge of experiencing unity among all peoples, regardless of race or religion, and how the material in this book was dedicated to that end. What an interesting synchronicity that this book reappears at such a devise time in our history. Moreover, the thought that somehow the recognition of the unity of consciousness might be leveraged into finding a way to create peace on earth has been on my mind a lot these days. Among the principles of nature Mr. Davis discusses the evolutionary aspectTwo, was that the Mr. Davis got his start in “animal magnetism,” and then when he found that he was going into a trance and giving lectures, he and his colleagues set about, intentionally, to use the channeling method to create this book. It is such a different beginning than Cayce’s story, which has healing as its inspirational leverage. All this information was organized at some level. He must have followed a plan, yet that plan would have come from the channeled source, much as did The Course in Miracles.There is a very detailed table of contents, so it is easy to browse the book to see what he has to say on your favorite subject. The tone is didactic, but the sense of things comes through well. I find it interesting that he starts with some important principles and moves on, discusses history, the Bible and our future. It begins with “In the beginning…. liquid fire.” He describes how things came into being and goes on from there.The book contains an introductory testimonial by an astronomer who discusses Mr. Davis’ pre-cognitive descriptions of planets and moons that were unknown in Mr. Davis’ time. It seems to be a piece of objective evidence that there may be truth value to Mr. Davis’ channeled material.It’s a good book to have in your library if you are interested in the comparative study of channeled material. What I find interesting is that much of Native American science seems to be founded on the kind of vision of daily life that Mr. Davis had in his trance state.