> Just for fun, out of left field.
>
> Neither a Bible preaching Christian, nor an Athiest, would have much
> interest in this interpretation.
>
> FROM:http://www.heartnsoul.com/revelation_explained.htm
>
> The final book of the Bible is called the Book of Revelation. Written by a
> man named John (possibly John the Apostle) toward the end of his life, he
> records a vision he experiences, probably while dreaming or meditating. This
> vision contains a tremendous amount of symbolism; the same kind of symbolism
> one would see in a dream, a vision of the spirit world. In fact, the Book of
> Revelation contains the same symbolism found in the symbols in the Prophet
> Daniel's dream. All Biblical dreams, such as those of Joseph, Gideon,
> Daniel, Paul, and Peter, are very symbolic and therefore had a hidden
> spiritual meaning rather than a literal interpretation of the symbols. Such
> is the case with the Book of Revelation.
> Edgar Cayce was a Sunday School teacher who had many near-death experiences.
> As a result of these experiences, he was able to unlock the secrets to the
> symbolism in the Book of Revelation. He gave a large amount of information
> specifically for the purpose of discovering the book's hidden meaning.
>
> Cayce described the true nature between humanity and God. Cayce revealed
> that humans actually have three different levels of consciousness: the
> physical consciousness (the personality), the subconsciousness (the soul)
> and the superconsciousness (the spirit). One of our most important goals in
> life is to "awaken" our superconscious mind to attain what Cayce called
> "at-one-ment" with God.
>
> The superconscious mind is called by many names by many religions in many
> different cultures. Some of these names are: Buddha consciousness, Christ
> consciousness, the Collective Mind, the Universal Mind, the Collective
> Unconsciousness, the Holy Spirit, Brahman, God, the Clear White Light,
> Allah, Higher Self, the Mind of Christ, etc.
>
> Cayce's references to "the Christ", "the Christ consciousness" and "the
> "Mind of Christ" has little to do with the personality known as Jesus. Cayce
> revealed that Jesus became "the Christ", in that he attained a full
> manifestation of the "Christ consciousness" - the divine nature within
> humanity. It is God's desire for all of humanity to become "Christs" (or
> "Buddhas" if you live in the East). Such a condition will truly bring the
> Kingdom of God to the Earth. Cayce revealed that the Book of Revelation is
> the symbolic story of how humanity in general (and a human in particular)
> attains this manifestation of the divine.
>
> Interpretation:
>
> While in meditation, John's conscious mind becomes open to his subconscious
> mind and his superconscious mind. The seven "churches" and the seven "seals"
> represent the seven "spiritual centers" (or "chakras") of the body where the
> physical, mental and spiritual forces all come together. The superconscious
> mind within John, tells him that anyone, who can regain control of these
> spiritual centers within their bodies, can access the superconscious mind,
> and never need to reincarnate again (Rev. 3:12).
>
> John has a mental awakening when he attains the spiritual level of the
> superconscious mind, within the throne of his own body. The "four beasts"
> are his four lower spiritual center's animalistic desires and the
> "twenty-four elders" are the twenty-four nerves from his brain leading to
> his five senses. The superconscious mind, is now in full control of John's
> body. The body is symbolized as a "book" with "seven seals" which "no one
> has the ability to open on his own" (Rev. 5:3). Only through the development
> of the superconscious mind within a person, can these spiritual centers
> within the body be "opened" (i.e., spiritually activated).
>
> As each spiritual center within the body is activated, different parts of
> the body are purified and upheavals of the body occur mentally, physically,
> and spiritually. The superconscious mind spiritually activates the seventh
> spiritual center (the pituitary, the master gland of the body). As a result
> of this, it becomes "quiet in heaven for one half hour" (Rev. 9:1). This is
> symbolic of the perfect control of the mind for one half hour through
> meditation. The following are some of the symbols of Revelation interpreted
> by Cayce:
>
>       Symbol
>      Meaning
>       Paradise of God the original consciousness of humanity before its fall
> into flesh
>       Tree of Life the spiritual centers of the body, such as the heart and
> the pituitary, that becomes perfectly synchronized
>       Angel of the Church the intelligent force governing a spiritual center
> within the body
>       Satan self-centeredness, self-interest, self-gratification,
> self-righteousness, self-consciousness, self-glorification,
> self-condemnation, self-will, SELF
>       Book of Life the collective unconscious record of all souls (memory)
>       Earth the physical body
>       New Jerusalem the superconscious mind awakened
>       nakedness the exposure of faults
>       seven lamps the wisdom of the seven spiritual centers within the body
>
> John is shown a picture of the soul of humanity in its development since the
> days of eternity. The "woman" symbolizes the soul of humanity crowned with
> "twelve stars," the twelve basic patterns of human personality as described
> in the zodiac. The "child she bears" is the conscious mind. As the conscious
> mind is born, a rival force of the self occurs, which brings about recurring
> periods of rebellion in humanity. Through divine intervention, the conscious
> mind is protected while the unconscious mind, from which it sprung, is
> withdrawn below the conscious level. This is the same story as symbolized as
> the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Rebellion from the physical
> brings conflict into the soul but the soul can remain above it by remaining
> concealed from the forces of self will.
>
> The "beast rising out of the sea" is the selfish animalistic desires that
> arise which are capable of ruling humanity. These desires spring from the
> self will of the unspiritual intellect of humanity whom the world worships
> as a "symbol of success." The human intellect, lacking spiritual
> orientation, cuts itself off from all that is divine. The "lamb" John sees
> are the forces of the superconscious mind in the world going into action.
> "Babylon", the human desire for Earthly riches and success in the
> gratification of the flesh, begins to be "destroyed" as humans are shown the
> consequences of their "prostitution" of their higher faculties.
>
> John is seeing within the soul of humanity, the collective unconscious, that
> the souls of individuals are purified and tested on seven levels of
> consciousness symbolized by the "seven plagues" being poured out by the
> "seven angels". When all seven levels of consciousness have been "purified",
> then, and only then, can a person control the physical, mental, and
> spiritual forces within his body.
>
> Physical diseases arise from the misuse of the forces and self-gratification
> of the flesh, "wars" against universal truth. This brings about conflict in
> the world against groups and governments. The end of the "seven ordeals"
> comes when humanity's social institutions and concepts collapse, leaving
> universal truth to be realized.
>
> The "Prostitute of Babylon" symbolizes humanity's desire lust for riches and
> gratification of the flesh. The "beast" it rides on are man-made ideas
> stemming from self-gratification. It is explained to John that these forces
> have taken control of the seven spiritual centers of the human body, thereby
> becoming possessed and ruled. However, as the highest forces of evolving
> humanity overcome the forces of self, even the ten basic urges of the body,
> symbolized by the "ten horns", will in time fulfill the divine pattern. As
> the divine nature in humanity becomes less realized, society is destroyed by
> its own hand through self-gratification.
>
>       Symbol Meaning
>       Seven plagues the purification and tribulation the soul experiences
> which may overcome the karma of the soul
>       Vials of the wrath of God  karma, consequences, reap what you sow, eye
> for an eye
>       Armageddon spiritual conflict within a person
>       false prophet self-delusion
>
> Could Cayce actually be close to the Truth?
>
> PS Self-Delusion, tis the biggy. :-)
>
> http://www.heartnsoul.com/revelation_explained.htm