We are going to move back in time, to witness the beginnings of what would become the Mayan civilization. Edgar Cayce will be our guide into the past. This trip is one of the legacies he left to us. It was given as a reading 50 years ago in response to a request made by Hugh Lynn Cayce, who asked the sleeping prophet to give "an historical treatise on the origin and development of the Mayan civilization. . ." Since this reading, numbered 5750-1, was in response to such a general question, and not part of a life reading for a particular individual, we may treat this material as if directed for our own study.

Prepare yourself now in your imagination to witness the events in Mexico thousands of years ago. We will be peeling away layer after layer of recorded, and unrecorded, history, cycle after cycle of civilization. For, as Cayce says in the introduction to this excursion, "it should be remembered that more than one has been and will be found as research progresses" through the chapters of the Mayan civilization.

He begins by helping us orient ourselves to the civilization we had the most direct contact with, the Aztecs. This civilization was encountered by the Spaniard, Cortez, in 1520, and, as Cayce puts it, "was so ruthlessly destroyed or interrupted. . ."

Cayce says that the civilization before the Aztecs was "influenced by injection of forces from other channels, other sources. . ."

His words, "forces" and "channels," hit us immediately and make us wonder: something perhaps mysterious or alien? Could it be that Cayce is preparing us to understand the origins of the Mexican Americans as being something other than what we might consider to be normal evolutionary and migratory processes in the development of a civilization? The suggestion is that the origins of the Maya, rather than being a gradual and continual process, or an uninterrupted flow, was instead characterized by an "injection," something abrupt and discontinuous with the flow of history as we might normally think of it.

Right from the start of this reading, we are led to suspect that the history of the Maya that Cayce is going to present to us is different from that found in the average archaeological history book.

Perhaps Cayce’s history will answer one of the critical and baffling questions about the origins of the Maya: The Mayan civilization seems to have arisen out of nowhere, appearing on the scene with the culture already elaborately developed. It is almost as if the civilization were transplanted, yet there exists no other civilization like the Maya. Archaeologists can go back perhaps as far as 2500 B.C. to find the earliest examples of Mayan life, but nothing before that has been found that indicates how such life developed. What was the story?

Cayce whisks us past 2500 B.C., asking us to imagine going back even farther: ". . .we would turn back to 10,600 years before the Prince of Peace came into the land of promise. . ." Imagine how far back we are going: that would be over 12,000 years ago, about the time, according to modern archaeology, that people lived as hunters and dwelled in caves. But rather than this primitive scene, Cayce has us look at a "civilization being disturbed by corruption from within to such measures that the elements join in bringing devastation to a stiffnecked or adulterous people." What is Cayce describing here?

It certainly does not sound like the beginnings of a civilization, but rather the end of one, one that must have been well organized and established if it was to be susceptible to corruption. Then what civilization might this be?

Cayce informs us that he is describing Atlantis! The mythical country of the past, the sunken civilization mentioned by Plato, is being introduced by Cayce as the source of the ancient Americans. Suddenly, what has been for us a figment of distant imagination, a chapter in mythology, is being plunked down before us as part of our actual historical roots. As in so many of his readings, Cayce provides us with a larger perspective in which to view our nature. In this case, it is a matter of extending our history back to the time of Atlantis.

Atlantis underwent a series of three "upheavals," according to Cayce, and during these times of devastation, people left the doomed continent and came to what is now called Yucatan. What is now Yucatan, however, Cayce recalls as being quite different then in its geographical condition, and was more temperate than it is now. Later we are to learn that after the final upheaval in Atlantis, which sank that continent, the resulting flooding and disturbances reached Yucatan itself, causing the geographical conditions to be changed to what they are today. Trying to stretch our imagination to experience a radically different type of climate and geography may help us to get into the frame of mind for the far memory Cayce is attempting to awaken in us.

Having set these basic physical facts for the historical drama of the origins of the Maya, Cayce then embarks on a historical discourse that is far different from what we can read in archaeological accounts. He begins to tell us a story of a group of people headed by a man named Iltar. If you have ever been frustrated reading archaeological history, where you learn a lot of facts, dates, descriptions of artifacts, yet never learn anything about what actually happened in the lives of the people, then you can appreciate Cayce’s saying that to understand such an ancient civilization better, it would be helpful to consider "the activities of an individual or group—or their contribution to such a civilization." Although, as Cayce admits, such an approach would not represent all the historical facts, it would give us a better story, that is, insight into the meaning of such historical facts. What Cayce is suggesting is that the story of one such as Iltar may give us the human key by which to understand the significance of what historical facts may be uncovered. The human significance of history is, after all, the aspect of it from which we can take lessons, and has been that part of the Mayan history which has always been missing.

Cayce describes Iltar as coming from the house of "Atlan," a group who worshipped "the One." Later in this reading we are told that within Atlantis there were two major religious or political groups in influence. The first were those who believed in one God uniting all creation, and the others were those "sons of Baal or Baalilal." The dissension and corruption Cayce referred to earlier concerned the followers of Baal using their resources for selfish purposes while being opposed by the worshipers of the One, who must have been righteously indignant about such abuses and fearful of the terrible consequences. What is clear from Cayce’s account is that it was the followers of the One, not the sons of Baal, who left Atlantis to found another civilization in Yucatan.

When Iltar arrived in Yucatan, there were already people living there. Yet his arrival was highly influential, as Cayce indicates that Iltar created, "with the activities of the people there, the development into a civilization that rose much in the same manner as that which had been in the Atlantean land." Imagine what it would be like if you were Iltar and were to accomplish what Cayce suggests Iltar accomplished!

As someone like Iltar, you feel you must leave your beloved homeland because it has strayed so far from the basic principles of life which you worship that not only can you no longer tolerate it, but also you believe these corrupt influences are going to destroy the country. So you set off to a strange land, one already populated by other people. You are going to recreate, in cooperation with the inhabitants, the civilization you left behind. You bring with you only about 10 friends. What basic knowledge would you bring with you for such a task? What are the basic "laws" of nature, of politics, of engineering, that you would need? Later in this reading, Cayce gives us a suggestion that has direct implication for us today, as we may be required to perform our own Iltar feats in our individual lives.

"The first temples that were erected by Iltar and his followers were destroyed at the period of change physically in the contours of the land." Thus Cayce describes the fate of Iltar’s physical accomplishment. Although these temples and buildings did not survive, we may surmise that Iltar was successful in rescuing for history the basic Atlantean religious concept of the worship of the One. Today’s AmerIndians continue to speak of the universe in similar terms and both the American and Mexican native traditions concerning their origins and history include references to ancient ancestors from "Atlan"!

Cayce continues his description of this early period by noting that the influences upon this region were not restricted to that of the Atlantean. "There had been the upheavals also from the land of Mu, or Lemuria, and these had their part. . ." He also notes that "these places partook of the earlier portions of that peoples called the Incal; though the Incals were themselves the successors of those of Oz, or 0g. . ." And further, he notes that there were also "the injections from those people that came with the division of those peoples in that called the promised land." As he says, there was a great variety, a "mixture," of influences and injections. He reminds us of other so-called "mythical" civilizations, as well as one from our own Biblical history. From our perspective (which Cayce is trying so much to enlarge) we seem to find an interweaving of mythical, Biblical, and archaeological elements into a mind-dazzling panorama of history happening several thousands of years ago, in our very backyard. He further arouses our curiosity by pointing to ruins that have been discovered, so that we can look at and see all these historical influences: "That now being found, and a portion already discovered that has laid in waste for many centuries, was then a combination of those peoples from Mu, Oz and Atlantis."

Such phrases as, "that now being found" and "a portion already discovered," tempts us to check into archaeological texts to learn what ruins he may be referring to, so that we may witness them. Many people who have read this reading have asked this question; and an answer was given to one individual, two months after this reading. (440-5) Cayce suggests that the artifacts being found then were taken to Washington, Chicago, and the Pennsylvania State Museum.

Three sentences later, Cayce goes on to say, "Hence we may find in these ruins that which partakes of the Egyptian, Lemurian and Oz civilizations, and the later activities partaking even of the Mosaic activities." The question is, what ruins? Which is Cayce referring to by the adjective, "these," in his phrase, "we may find in these ruins"? The ones being discovered in 1933? The ones already discovered which have been lying in waste? Perhaps sensing our need to know, our natural inclination to attempt to correlate what he is describing with what we can observe in Yucatan today, Cayce asks our question for us:

"Hence each would ask, what specific thing is there that we may designate as being a portion of the varied civilizations that formed the earlier civilization of this particular land?"

He then describes three separate things, artifacts, or buildings which correspond to separate lines of influence, and with each gives us some of the most fascinating facts about the people of that time and the extent of their knowledge.

First, we have "the stones that are circular, that were of the magnetized influence upon which the Spirit of the One spoke to those peoples as they gathered in their service, are of the earliest Atlantean activities. . ." There are many large, circular stones among the Mayan ruins, but perhaps the most famous, however, is not Mayan, but Aztec, namely the Sun Calendar Stone. The implications of its engravings (dated by archaeologists as 1400 A.D.) are quite evocative of what Cayce recalls of the use of the circular stones: Indicating the ancient American Indian concept of Oneness, as an integration of the four quarters of the universe, centered in the Sun, with a cyclical portrayal of time as an expression of the eternal present, this stone has a carving of a mouth at its very center. Could this image be a vestige of the talking stone? Try to picture the process Cayce is describing:

Through a magnetized influence on the stone, the Spirit of the One spoke to the people. Today, we have radios and televisions that carry messages through electromagnetic waves—some of these devices are even solar powered. Could the speaking stone have been something of this sort? In his discussions of what happens in meditation, Cayce describes actions occurring in the electrical and atomic forces within the body. Thus it is possible that what happened with the circular stone involved the spiritual energies of the worshipers.

Secondly, he describes the "altars upon which there were the cleansings of the bodies of individuals." Although he does not specifically name the cultural heritage of these altars, he says that "these were later the altars upon which individual activities—that would today be termed hate, malice, selfishness, self-indulgence—were cleansed from the body through the ceremony, through the rise of the initiates from the sources of light," which is similar to his description in other readings of the Temple Beautiful in Egypt.

He makes it clear that he is not referring to altars of sacrifice. These, we learn, came from the influence of the "Mosaic," meaning the people of Moses, of Abraham who is known for his experience with sacrifice. Here he may be giving us a clue concerning the much debated question of the origin and significance of human sacrifice in the ancient Mexican civilizations.

Thirdly, he points to the pyramids, and the altars that sit atop them, and states that they were due to the influence of the civilizations of Mu and Oz. Note that Cayce says that these structures "will be found to be separate portions." Perhaps he is referring to the fact that it was to be discovered that most of the visible pyramids are actually built on top of and around pre-existing pyramids. Some of the pyramids in Yucatan, in fact, consist of three or four layers of pyramids, built by succeeding civilizations. In some cases, the altar atop the older pyramid is left in place and covered over by the higher rising, subsequent pyramid. One swallows another—what an image of conquest!

Concerning such conquests, Cayce ends this section on a depressing note, revealing that, "gradually there were the turnings of the people to the satisfying and gratifying of self’s desires, oras the Baal or Baalilal activities again entered the peoples respecting their associations with those truths of light that came from the gods to the peoples, to mankind, in the earth." So although Iltar brought to the Americas the precepts of the worship of the One, something of the Baalilal crept into our heritage. Yet, as Cayce adds, the lineage of Iltar did not die, but migrated north into what is now the United States, to become what we know as the "Mound Builders." How provocative it is to think that the descendants of Iltar, with the purity of the Atlantean spirit, finally settled here in the middle of our United States!

And now, at this point, what questions do you have? At the conclusion of this discourse, Cayce is asked four questions. What would you have asked? For the most part, the questions asked relate to clarification of the material presented.

First is asked, "How did the Lost Tribe reach this country?" His answer is, "In boats." It was perhaps surprising to learn that part of the influence on ancient Mexico came from the area of Israel. We learn now that this influence arrived over the seas, that the reach of migration in ancient times was much greater than we might have suspected.

Cayce is then asked, "Have the most important temples and pyramids been discovered?" His answer is somewhat surprising. Cayce has identified three periods of civilizations, the first being that created by Iltar, in Yucatan, and the latest being a mixture, as mentioned earlier, and centered in what is now Mexico City. It is not these later pyramids which have been discovered, which would seem to be the most accessible, but rather the earliest. Cayce says, "Many of the second and third civilization may never be discovered, for these would destroy the present civilization in Mexico to uncover same!" What Cayce may be referring to is the fact that when Cortez arrived, and conquered Mexico City, he had a new city built atop the existing Aztec city. Only recently, in working on the streets in Mexico City, new artifacts were uncovered. It is now clear that much of the later civilizations lie buried under that most populous city.

The earliest temples and pyramids, these Cayce says have been discovered, but "have not all been opened." What might be discovered when these are opened? We receive perhaps a hint of that in the answer to the fourth question. But let’s now consider the third question, for in its answer Cayce begins to develop what will be his most important lesson for us as we ruminate on the significance of those civilizations that have preceded our own:

"By what power or powers were these early pyramids and temples constructed?" His answer is startling: "By the lifting forces of those gases that are being used gradually in the present civilization, and by the fine work or activities of those versed in that pertaining to the source from which all power comes."

Consider the first part of the answer, concerning the lifting forces of gases. He says that those same gases are being used today. Is he referring to geothermal energy—steam rising to the surface from deep underground recesses where the earth is still molten lava? Or is he suggesting helium or hot-air balloons? How does your imagination envision the ancient uses of the lifting force of gases? Cayce’s mentioning this ancient technology prods our memory and teases our imagination, for such an ability to harness natural energy would have important applications today.

Now consider the second part of his answer, concerning the fine work performed by those in the know, as it were. The source of all power is the One God, of course. Cayce is implying that those worshipers of the One were not only of a certain religious attitude, but also that they came to have knowledge, practical knowledge, as a result of their worship. In fact, Cayce indicates that such knowledge is a direct result of such attunement to the One God: "For, as long as there remains those pure in body, in mind, in activity, to the law of the One God, there is the continued resource for meeting the needs, or for commanding the elements and their activities in the supply of that necessary in such relations."

Cayce’s use of the introductory phrase, "as long as," suggests that this rule holds even today, that it holds true for us. Just as is today espoused by the Atlantean descendants, the AmerIndians, so Cayce too is reminding us that as long as we remain in accord with the principle of the One, then we can expect to receive what knowledge we need, including the ability to control the elements, to be masters of our surroundings.

Socrates said that all knowledge is memory. Cayce is saying that the key to unlocking this memory is our attunement, in mind, body, and action, to the One God.

In the fourth, and final question, Cayce is asked, "In which pyramid or temple are the records mentioned in the readings given through this channel on Atlantis. . .?" The reference is to reading number 364-7, given a year and a half earlier. There, and more specifically in reading 440-5, Cayce had said that the essential records from Atlantis were vouchsafed in three locations, one of which was a temple in Yucatan. Which temple in Yucatan? That one of Iltar’s that was destroyed, as we learned, during the time of the final destruction of Atlantis? Although once destroyed, Cayce makes a prophecy:

Cayce ends this reading with a brief sentence, apparently spoken with some emphasis: "The records are One." Is he saying that the information contained in the three locations is identical? Is he perhaps indicating that the records are identical with the One God, that is, already contained within that One? If so, then the records are one with each of us. The Law of the One God knows no exclusions. Thus, the final implication of this treatise on the origins of the Maya is that it is one with each of our own histories. Lying within each of us is the memory of the conflict between that in us which would follow the Law of the One and that in us which would turn to selfishness. Lying deep within us is secreted the knowledge of the Law of the One, kept protected from that in us which would use it for selfish purposes. But that time is coming when in each of us there may rise up again that secreted knowledge, made available for our use, if, in the meantime, we have once again submitted our bodies, our minds, and our actions to a life or service to that One God.