--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For the material, at best, is only…" description: "\"For the material, at best, is only temporal, or temporary, while that which may be built from spiritual desire, spiritual purposes, is eternal.\" — Edga..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/edgar-cayce-2201_awareness_for-the-material-at-best-is-only-tempora_724352.jpg" --- # For the material, at best, is only temporal, or temporary… ![“For the material, at best, is only temporal, or temporary, while that which may be built from spiritual desire, spiritual purposes, is eternal.” quote by Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/edgar-cayce-2201_awareness_for-the-material-at-best-is-only-tempora_724352.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/edgar-cayce-2201_awareness_for-the-material-at-best-is-only-tempora_724352.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/edgar-cayce-2201_awareness_for-the-material-at-best-is-only-tempora_724352.jpg) > “For the material, at best, is only temporal, or temporary, while that which may be built from spiritual desire, spiritual purposes, is eternal.” [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physical things are fleeting, but what we create from inner purpose lasts forever. **In simple terms:** Material is temporary; spiritual creations endure. Key Takeaway Focus on lasting spiritual goals. Themes spirituality purpose eternity Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - community projects - artistic creation - philanthropy Key Concepts inner desire legacy timelessness Questions to Reflect On - What lasting impact do you want to leave? - How can you align daily actions with spiritual purpose? A Different Perspective Spiritual aims can be hard to measure or sustain without practical support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awareness/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) ## Related quotes > [The battle for self-discipline may leave you a bit bruised and battered but always a better person. Self-discipline is a rigorous process at best;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/the-battle-for-self-discipline-may-leave-you-a-bit-bruised-and/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [There is no such thing as eternal love in this world. It is all nothing but a butterfly dancing in a blooming flower for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gintama/there-is-no-such-thing-as-eternal-love-in-this-world-it-is-all/) [Gintama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gintama/) > [Temporary is all you're going to get with any kind of health care, except the health care I'm telling you about. That's eternal health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/temporary-is-all-you-re-going-to-get-with-any-kind-of-health-care/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [The actions of bad men produce only temporary evil, the actions of good men only temporary good ; and eventually the good and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-buckle/the-actions-of-bad-men-produce-only-temporary-evil-the-actions-of/) [Henry Thomas Buckle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-buckle/) > [No mind, no wisdom--tempora ry mind, temporary wisdom--eternal mind, eternal wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adoniram-judson/no-mind-no-wisdom-tempora-ry-mind-temporary-wisdom-eternal-mind/) [Adoniram Judson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adoniram-judson/) > [Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/love-is-a-temporary-madness-it-erupts-like-an-earthquake-and-then-2/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [As individuals, we know that suffering is temporary, and hope is eternal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/as-individuals-we-know-that-suffering-is-temporary-and-hope-is-eternal/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [An observer will see the bizarre developments of behavior only in alien cultures, not his own. Nevertheless this is obviously a local and temporary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-benedict/an-observer-will-see-the-bizarre-developments-of-behavior-only-in/) [Ruth Benedict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-benedict/) > [Your problems are temporary but God is eternal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myah/your-problems-are-temporary-but-god-is-eternal/) [Myah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myah/) > [Men are tending to materialism. Houses, lands, and worldly goods attract their attention, and as a mirage lure them on to death. Christianity, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/men-are-tending-to-materialism-houses-lands-and-worldly-goods-attract/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Our thoughts are either focused on what's eternal, life-changing, and true, or lost in the details of our temporary, selfish, false beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/our-thoughts-are-either-focused-on-what-s-eternal-life-changing-and/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [ Donald Trump has opened \[ politically correct enforcement\] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-has-opened-politically-correct-enforcement-up-wide-he-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [No greater victory can be won by citizens or soldiers than to transform temporary foes into permanent friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/no-greater-victory-can-be-won-by-citizens-or-soldiers-than-to/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) ## More by Edgar Cayce > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [Magnify the virtues, minimize the faults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/magnify-the-virtues-minimize-the-faults/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [We grow to heaven. We don't go to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/we-grow-to-heaven-we-don-t-go-to-heaven/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [Smile often. Speak gently. Be kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/smile-often-speak-gently-be-kind/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [“But the less one thinks of self's opinions, and the better listener one becomes, greater may be the opportunities for being of help or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/but-the-less-one-thinks-of-self-s-opinions-and-the-better-listener/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [He who understands nature walks close with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/he-who-understands-nature-walks-close-with-god/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [For a man is a little lower than the angels, yet was made that he might become the companion of the Creative Forces; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/for-a-man-is-a-little-lower-than-the-angels-yet-was-made-that-he/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [In the consciousness of eternity, time is not, neither is space. In man's consciousness there appears so much mercy, so much love, that these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/in-the-consciousness-of-eternity-time-is-not-neither-is-space-in-man/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [“How develop the psychic forces? So live in body, in mind, that self may be a channel through which the Creative Forces may run.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/how-develop-the-psychic-forces-so-live-in-body-in-mind-that-self-may/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [For what we think upon, that we become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/for-what-we-think-upon-that-we-become/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [Being Kind Not in some great deed of heroism; not in some great speech or act that may be pointed to with pride-but rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/being-kind-not-in-some-great-deed-of-heroism-not-in-some-great-speech/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [You can never lose anything that really belongs to you, and you can't keep that which belongs to someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/you-can-never-lose-anything-that-really-belongs-to-you-and-you-can-t/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [Anyone can find fault. It is the wise person who finds that which encourages another in the turmoils and strifes of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/anyone-can-find-fault-it-is-the-wise-person-who-finds-that-which/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [Meditate, oft. Separate thyself for a season from the cares of the world. Get close to nature and learn from the lowliest of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/meditate-oft-separate-thyself-for-a-season-from-the-cares-of-the/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [“Know that the fault ye find in others is a reflection of a fault in thyself. Be to others just as you would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/know-that-the-fault-ye-find-in-others-is-a-reflection-of-a-fault-in/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) [Explore all 179 Edgar Cayce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) ## More Awareness quotes > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Listening is a very active awareness of the coming together of at least two lives. Listening, as far as I'm concerned, is certainly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/listening-is-a-very-active-awareness-of-the-coming-together-of-at/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-intoxication-of-the-ego-of-i-am/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [A tree is a self: it is 'unseen shaping' more than it is leaves or bark, roots or cellulose or fruit ... What this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-swimme/a-tree-is-a-self-it-is-unseen-shaping-more-than-it-is-leaves-or-bark/) [Brian Swimme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-swimme/) > [I know the importance of highly trained awareness of the “moment” and the immediate and intuitive response of the photographer. It should be obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ansel-adams/i-know-the-importance-of-highly-trained-awareness-of-the-moment-and/) [Ansel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ansel-adams/) > [The thing about living alone is that it gives you a lot of time to think. You don't necessarily reach any conclusions, because wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/the-thing-about-living-alone-is-that-it-gives-you-a-lot-of-time-to/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [“It is not so much about fighting against the ego; it is more about harmonizing with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/it-is-not-so-much-about-fighting-against-the-ego-it-is-more-about/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [I'm part of a team that raises millions of dollars and raises awareness of HIV and AIDS all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-evangelista/i-m-part-of-a-team-that-raises-millions-of-dollars-and-raises/) [Linda Evangelista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-evangelista/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) Vashti Quiroz-Vega > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [Sometimes I am a collector of data, and only a collector, and am likely to be gross and miserly, piling up notes, pleased with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fort/sometimes-i-am-a-collector-of-data-and-only-a-collector-and-am-likely/) [Charles Fort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fort/) > [The bird with the thorn in its breast, it follows an immutable law; it is driven by it knows not what to impale itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/the-bird-with-the-thorn-in-its-breast-it-follows-an-immutable-law-it/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [Seeking means: to have a goal; but finding means: to be free, to be receptive, to have no goal. You, O worthy one, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seeking-means-to-have-a-goal-but-finding-means-to-be-free-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Human freedom involves our capacity to pause between the stimulus and response and, in that pause, to choose the one response toward which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/human-freedom-involves-our-capacity-to-pause-between-the-stimulus-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) [Browse all 4,768 Awareness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awareness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For the material, at best, is only temporal, or temporary, while that which may be built from spiritual desire, spiritual purposes, is eternal.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edgar Cayce" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/for-the-material-at-best-is-only-temporal-or-temporary-while-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Awareness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/for-the-material-at-best-is-only-temporal-or-temporary-while-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/edgar-cayce-2201_awareness_for-the-material-at-best-is-only-tempora_724352.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/edgar-cayce-2201_awareness_for-the-material-at-best-is-only-tempora_724352.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/edgar-cayce-2201_awareness_for-the-material-at-best-is-only-tempora_724352.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For the material, at best, is only temporal, or temporary, while that which may be built from spiritual…” — Edgar Cayce", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Edgar Cayce", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For the material, at best, is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/for-the-material-at-best-is-only-temporal-or-temporary-while-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/for-the-material-at-best-is-only-temporal-or-temporary-while-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```