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A mystic receive knowledge in other ways than through the usual five senses. Edgar Cayce was such a person. As a child he had experiences that his nearest around him did not quite understand. They thought he only had vivid imagination as children often have. But later on in life his strange ability came to be a gift to the world. His ability was such that he could easily go into deep trance and in this state answer whatever question asked. During the days he was working as a photographer with the exception that two times during the day he made "readings".
In the years 1901-1945 Cayce gave more than 14000 readings by laying down at the coach in a "hypnotic sleep". He laid down, folded his hands, closed his eyes and in this state he was able to contact with time and room for answering all kind of questions. These answers came to be called "readings".
The readings was managed so that his father and later on his wife, Gertrude Cayce, asked a question (acted as conductor) to the sleeping Cayce, who answered with loud and clear voice. All questions and answers was written down in shorthand by Gladys Davis, who was sitting nearby in the same room, these was then written out on a typewriter in two pieces. One was sent to the actual person (patient or relative) in the reading and the other one was archived in Virginia Beach. Each person was given a number in the reading for keeping their identity secret.
Edgar Cayce lived 1877-1945, but his readings are actual and important still today. Many books has been written about Edgar Cayce and his work and different aspects are covered in numerous articles and newspapers.
Most readings is about health and there is more than 10000 different topics covered in the material but most of it can be placed in following main groups:
- Health
- Philosophy and reincarnation
- Dreams and dream interpretation
- ESP and parapsychology (psychic phenomena)
- Spiritual development, meditation and prayer
Edgar Cayce did not say that he did have any special powers. He did not see himself as a "prophet of the twentieth century". Nor did his readings give any dogma you had to connect with. Instead it was pointed out that every individual has to try and examine the principles that was presented.
- That we all is one
- Tolerance towards all people
- Sympathy for and understanding for all great religions of the world
Even if Cayce himself was a Christian and read the Bible from cover to cover every year, his work points out how important it is to study and compare all great religions of the world.
The life of Edgar Cayce is described in There Is a River, by Thomas Sugrue, 1942. This book by Sugrue is
maybe the best if you only read one. Other good ones for
starters are The Sleeping Prophet, by Jess Stearns,
1967 and Many Mansions, by Gina Cernimara.
A.R.E. or Association for Research and Enlightenment was founded in 1931 to preserve, research and make available the readings of Edgar Cayce. A.R.E. is an open-membership organization located in Virginia Beach, USA. For further information about A.R.E. and their activities, please contact
A.R.E. ®
215 67th Street
Virginia Beach, VA 23451-2061
Internet address:
http://www.edgarcayce.org
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