Edgar Cayce
WHO WAS EDGAR CAYCE?
Twentieth-Century Psychic and Medical Clairvoyant
Edgar Cayce (pronounced Kay-Cee, 1877-1945) has been called the “sleeping prophet,” the “father of holistic medicine,” and the most documented psychic of the 20th century. For more than 40 years of his adult life, Cayce gave psychic “readings” to thousands of seekers while in an unconscious state, diagnosing illnesses and revealing lives lived in the past and prophecies yet to come. But who, exactly, was Edgar Cayce?
Cayce was born on a farm in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, in 1877, and his psychic abilities began to appear as early as his childhood. He was able to see and talk to his late grandfather’s spirit, and often played with “imaginary friends” whom he said were spirits on the other side. He also displayed an uncanny ability to memorize the pages of a book simply by sleeping on it. These gifts labeled the young Cayce as strange, but all Cayce really wanted was to help others, especially children.
Later in life, Cayce would find that he had the ability to put himself into a sleep-like state by lying down on a couch, closing his eyes, and folding his hands over his stomach. In this state of relaxation and meditation, he was able to place his mind in contact with all time and space — the universal consciousness, also known as the super-conscious mind. From there, he could respond to questions as broad as, “What are the secrets of the universe?” and “What is my purpose in life?” to as specific as, “What can I do to help my arthritis?” and “How were the pyramids of Egypt built? His responses to these questions came to be called “readings,” and their insights offer practical help and advice to individuals even today.
Many people are surprised to learn that Edgar Cayce was a devoted churchgoer and Sunday school teacher. At a young age, Cayce vowed to read the Bible for every year of his life, and at the time of his death in 1945, he had accomplished this task. Perhaps the readings said it best, when asked how to become psychic, Cayce’s advice was to become more spiritual.
Tools for Wellness, Spiritual Growth, and Personal Empowerment
Although Cayce died more than 60 years ago, the timeliness of the material in the readings — with subjects like discovering your mission in life, developing your intuition, exploring ancient mysteries, and taking responsibility for your health — is evidenced by the hundreds of books that have been written on the various aspects of this work as well as the dozen or so titles focusing on Cayce’s life itself. Together, these books contain information so valuable that even Edgar Cayce himself might have hesitated to predict their impact on the contemporary world. In 1945, the year of his passing, who could have known that terms such as “meditation,” “spiritual growth,” “auras,” “soul mates,” and “holistic health” would become household words?
The majority of Edgar Cayce’s readings deal with holistic health and the treatment of illness. As it was at the time Cayce was giving readings, still today, individuals from all walks of life and beliefs receive physical relief from illnesses or ailments through information given in the readings — some readings were given as far back as 100 years ago! Yet, although best known for this material, the sleeping Cayce did not seem to be limited to concerns about the physical body. In fact, in their entirety, the readings discuss an astonishing 10,000 different topics.
This vast array of subject matter can be narrowed down into a smaller group of topics that, when compiled together, deal with the following five categories: (1) Health-Related Information; (2) Philosophy and Reincarnation; (3) Dreams and Dream Interpretation; (4) ESP and Psychic Phenomena; and (5) Spiritual Growth, Meditation, and Prayer.
Further details of Cayce’s life and work are explored in the classic book, There Is a River (1942), by Thomas Sugrue, available in hardback, paperback, or audio book versions.
Members of Edgar Cayce’s Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.), the nonprofit founded by Cayce in 1931, have access to the entire set of 14,306 readings in a database residing online in our members-only section. The readings can also be found in their entirety in our physical library, located in the Visitor’s Center, second floor, at our headquarters campus in Virginia Beach, which is open to the public daily.
HIS WORK
“MY WORK WITH THE ASSOCIATION” BY EDGAR CAYCE
The following article included in the report document for reading 254-87 was based on a lecture given by Edgar Cayce on June 27, 1935 at the Southland Hotel in Norfolk, Virginia at the opening meeting of the Fourth Annual Congress of A.R.E.
Many have asked me, “Why do you have an Association?; What is its value? What does it have to do with your work?”
The Association has nothing whatsoever to do with my work, save making it possible for the individual to have the information which comes through me as a channel. How? Through cooperation! Those who have studied the lessons prepared by our Norfolk Group No. 1, know what cooperation means. Cooperation! When individuals work together towards something worth while, we have strength.
I feel that my work in relation to the Association can be compared to a portion of the history in the Old Testament. When the children of Israel organized themselves under the direction of their leader, with individuals who were to act as the interpreters, two individuals–Nadab and Abihu–did not cooperate. They were destroyed. It is the same with a work of this nature. Unless the application is in sincerity it will destroy the individual tampering with it.
The Association may honestly correlate the individual findings which have been good and present them to others; thus assisting the individuals who seek through this source not only to aid themselves but to aid others in gaining an understanding for themselves.
Do not get the idea that the Association is trying to revolutionize the world; or that it is entirely different from or better than that which anyone else has. As I understand the purpose of the Association, it is like this: If one individual during the past year has been aided in finding his relationship to God, then indeed the Association has been a marvelous success. On the other hand, if this has not been done, then, it has been a failure – no matter how many members it may have or how great an outward show it may make.
The Association stands on the results individuals receive. The results speak for themselves, and also for the Association.
Last month I sent out a letter to each member of the Association, asking the question,
“Has the Association meant anything to you during the past year? If it has, say so. If it has not, say so.” We received a great many answers. One of them reads something like this: “I received some literature from the Association when I was ready to destroy myself. The help that has come through you and the Association, not only for myself but for my little girl, has meant everything to me. And most of all I have again found my God”.
That is my affiliation with the Association. My mission, if I know it at all, is to help individuals find their relationship to the Creator. If it is necessary for some to find Him through the cure of physical ills, then we must work towards that. For, as the Great Teacher said, “Whether it is easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?”
The cause of illness is sin. Anything which separates us from that within which makes us alive is sin. So, all forms of healing–whether through physicians of the various schools, or through spiritual healing direct from the One Source–are to enable us to find our relationship to Life itself; that is, God.
One individual in seeking information through a reading sometime ago was given something like this: “To help you to physical strength without enabling you to find yourself would, with your frame of mind, cause you to be worse off than you now are; because you have cursed your God, because you do swear against everything that is holy.” So, unless we can get to the seat of the matter and help an individual to change his mental attitude towards his One Source of supply, little aid may come–regardless of what channel he uses.
For, “Many will say in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” What does He mean?
Unless we are sincere with ourselves, with our associates, we are building such a barrier in our consciousness as to keep us trotting back to this earth plane for ages and ages to come!
Then, my connection with the Association is to enable me to cooperate with those who sincerely seek to find the best that is within themselves, and their relationship to the Creative Forces that are alive within and about us everywhere.
That is our whole purpose, aim and desire. You who are members of this organization, and who have read the article on our Ideal and Purposes, are finding this true.
Not to the hordes and masses do we present this work; it never has been so with a work of this nature and never will be – only to those who seek. Here a little, there a little; line upon line, precept upon precept – it is the only way.
Let us not worry about what others are doing, apparently in opposition to our purpose; but let us look rather to what we ourselves are doing in relation to our purpose. If we fulfil our purpose to the best of our ability, then others – seeing – will take hope also.
Life in abundance is ours; if we will only take hold on it.
Source: https://www.edgarcayce.org