Encyclopedia, Difference between revisions of "Edgar Cayce" - New World

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'''Edgar Cayce''' ([[March 18]], [[1877]] – [[January 3]], [[1945]]) ([[IPA chart for English|pronounced]] {{IPA|/'keɪsiː/}} or like 'Casey') was an American [[parapsychology|psychic]] who claimed to [[Channelling (mediumistic)|channel]] answers to questions on subjects such as [[health]], [[astrology]], [[reincarnation]], and [[Atlantis]] while in [[altered state of consciousness|trance]]. Although Cayce lived before the emergence of the [[New Age]] movement, he remains a major influence on its teachings.
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'''Edgar Cayce''' ([[March 18]], [[1877]] – [[January 3]], [[1945]]) ([[IPA chart for English|pronounced]] {{IPA|/'keɪsiː/}} or like 'Casey') was an American [[parapsychology|psychic]] who could [[Channelling (mediumistic)|channel]] answers to questions on many spiritual topics including [[history]], [[astrology]], and [[health]].  Most of his work consisted of diagnosing and prescribing cures for individuals with physical ailments. These readings involved many alternative health concepts and practices. He performed the readings while in a self induced [[altered state of consciousness|trance]] state. When he awoke from trance, he remembered nothing, thus, he is commonly referred to as "The Sleeping Prophet."
  
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Cayce became an American celebrity towards the end of his life and the publicity given to his prophecy has overshadowed what to him were the more important parts of his work such as healing (the vast majority of his readings were given for people who were sick) and theology (Cayce being a lifelong, devout member of the [[Disciples of Christ]]). [[Skeptics]] challenge Cayce's claim to psychic prowess, while conservative Christians also question his unorthodox answers on religious matters (such as [[reincarnation]] and [[akashic records]]). He may have been the source for the idea that [[California]] would fall into the ocean (though he never said exactly this).  
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Cayce repeatedly stresses [[ideal (ethics)|ideal]] as the foundation of the spiritual path. The highest ideal, says Cayce, is Christ; however, the readings recognize "the Christ spirit" in some form as the basis for religions other than Christianity.  
  
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Today there are several tens of thousands of Cayce students. Most are located in the United States and Canada, but Edgar Cayce Centers are now found in 25 other countries. The [[Association for Research and Enlightenment]] (ARE), headquartered in [[Virginia Beach]], is the major organization promoting interest in Cayce.
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==The Early Years==
  
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==Biography==
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Edgar Cayce was born into a farming family on [[March 18]],[[1877]] near Beverly, seven miles south of [[Hopkinsville, Kentucky]]. At the age of six, young Cayce told his parents that he could see many things that appeared invisible to everyone else. He would see the souls of the deceased and talk to relatives who had recently died. For the most part, his family attributed these experiences to an overactive imagination. He did, after all, have many invisible friends, as do many average children, so they paid little attention to their son's unique experiences.
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Edgar Cayce was born into a farming family on [[March 18]],[[1877]] near Beverly, seven miles south of [[Hopkinsville, Kentucky]].  
 
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One convenient way to divide Cayce's life is according to geography:
 
  
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===1877 to 1920—the Kentucky period.===
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As a child, Cayce found comfort in reading the Bible and decided to read it through, from cover to cover, once for every year of his life. He understood even at a young age, the importance of faith, love and morality. He grew very fond of Bible stories and it's teachings which inspired him and sparked his spiritual curiosity. The more he read, the more unquenchable his thirst for God became.
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In December [[1893]] the family moved to Hopkinsville, Kentucky and occupied 705 West Seventh, on the south-east corner of Seventh and Young Street. During this time Cayce received an eighth-grade education; discovered his spiritual vocation; left the family farm to pursue various forms of employment (at Richard's Dry Goods Store, then in Hopper's Bookstore both located on Main Street).
 
  
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Cayce's education stopped with the eighth grade not because of his incapability, but because his family could not afford the costs involved. Additionally, at that time a great deal more advanced material (especially in [[mathematics]] and practical sciences) was presented at an earlier level in public schools; an eighth-grade education might be the equivalent of high school today, at least in some subjects, and was often considered more than sufficient for working-class children. Much of the remainder of Cayce's life would be characterized by a forlorn search for employment and/or money.  
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At the age of thirteen, he had a profound spiritual experience that would change his life forever. He took his Bible to a playhouse in the woods, overlooking a creek. While reading, a beautiful woman in brilliant white clothing and wings suddenly appeared before him. She said, "Your prayers have been answered, little boy. Tell me what it is you want most of all, so that I may give it to you." Though shocked and in a state of disbelief, he responded with, "Most of all I would like to be helpful to other people, especially children." Upon completing his wish, the woman quickly vanished.
  
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Throughout his life Cayce was drawn to church as a member of the [[Disciples of Christ]]. He read the [[Bible]] once for every year of his life, taught at Sunday school, recruited missionaries, and is said to have agonized over the issue of whether his psychic abilities—and the teachings which resulted—were spiritually legitimate.  
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Shortly after the apparition, he displayed a talent that could no longer be explained or dismissed as simply "imagination." He could sleep on his school books and acquire a photographic memory of their entire contents. It was found that he could sleep on any book, paper or document, and upon awakening, he had the ability to repeat word for word, any length of material, even if it contained words far beyond his limited education.  
  
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In [[1900]] he formed a business partnership with his father to sell ''Woodmen of the World'' [[Insurance]] but was struck by severe [[laryngitis]] in March that resulted in a complete loss of speech on April 18.
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==Young Adulthood==
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Unable to work, he lived at home with his parents for almost a year.  He then decided to take up the trade of [[photography]], an occupation that would exert less strain on his voice. He began an apprenticeship at the photography studio of W. R. Bowles in Hopkinsville.
 
  
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A travelling stage [[hypnotist]] and entertainer called "Hart - The Laugh Man" was performing at the Hopkinsville Opera House in [[1901]]. He heard about Cayce's condition and offered to attempt a cure. Cayce accepted and the experiment took place on stage in front of an audience. Remarkably, Cayce's voice returned while in a hypnotic trance but disappeared on awakening. Hart tried a post-hypnotic suggestion that the voice would continue to function after the trance but this proved unsuccessful.
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In order to help his family recover from financial hardships, Edgar left school after he completed the eighth grade and began working with his uncle on his grandmother's farm. In those days, an eighth grade education was seen as more than sufficient and perfectly acceptable for a working class individual.  
  
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Since Hart had appointments at other cities, he could not continue his hypnotic treatment of Cayce. However a local hypnotist, Al Layne, offered to help Cayce in restoring his voice. Layne suggested that Cayce describe the nature of his condition and cure while in a hypnotic trance.  Cayce described his own ailment from a first person plural point of view — 'we' — instead of the singular "I." In subsequent readings he would generally start off with "We have the body." According to the reading, his voice loss was due to [[psychological paralysis]] and could be corrected by increasing the blood flow to the voice box. Layne suggested that the blood flow be increased and Cayce's face became flushed with blood and his [[chest]] area turned bright red. After 20 minutes Cayce, still in trance, declared the treatment over. On awakening his voice remained normal. Relapses occurred but were corrected by Layne in the same way and eventually the cure was permanent.
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About a year later, his family moved to Hopkinsville where he then began working at Hopper's Bookstore. This bookstore specialized in [[occult]] and [[osteopathy|osteopathic]] works, and he may have consciously or otherwise absorbed much of this material which may have given rise to his abilities as a psychic healer later on.
  
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Layne had read of similar hypnotic cures effected by the [[Marquis de Puységur]], a follower of [[Franz Mesmer]], and was keen to explore the limits of the healing knowledge of the trance voice. He asked Cayce to describe Layne's own ailments and suggest cures, and reportedly found the results both accurate and effective. Layne suggested that Cayce offer his trance healing to the public but Cayce was reluctant. He finally agreed on the condition that readings would be free.  He began with Layne's help to offer free treatments to the townspeople. Reportedly he had great success and his fame spread. Reports of Cayce's work appeared in the [[newspaper]]s, inspiring many postal inquiries. Supposedly, Cayce was able to work just as effectively using a letter from the individual as with having the person present. Given the person's name and location, he could diagnose the physical and/or mental conditions and provide corrective remedy. Cayce's accuracy in diagnosing the problems and providing effective cures made him more popular and soon people from around the world sought his advice through correspondence.
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A few months after moving to the city, he met Gertrude Evans. They began a courtship, and at the age of nineteen years old, Cayce got engaged to her and they decided to get married as soon as he could support a family. They married six years later.
  
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Cayce's work grew in volume as his fame grew. He reluctantly asked for voluntary donations to support himself and his family so that he could practice full time. He continued to work in an apparent trance state with a hypnotist all his life. His wife and eldest son later replaced Layne in this role.  A secretary, [[Gladys Davis]], recorded his readings in shorthand.
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In [[1900]] he formed a business partnership with his father to sell ''Woodmen of the World'' [[Insurance]] but was struck by severe [[laryngitis]] in March that resulted in a complete loss of speech on April 18. Unable to work, he lived at home with his parents for almost a year.  He then decided to take up the trade of [[photography]], since it required minimal exertion of his vocal cords. He began an apprenticeship at the photography studio of W. R. Bowles in Hopkinsville.
  
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The trance reading produced a visible strain on Cayce's health. He attributed the occasional failure in his accuracy to the stress involved in his work. He was scrupulous in giving refunds to unsatisfied clients.
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==Transitioning from Patient to Healer==
  
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===1920 to 1923—the Texas period===
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A traveling [[hypnotist]] and entertainer known as "Hart - The Laugh Man" was performing at the Hopkinsville Opera House in [[1901]]. He heard about Cayce's condition and offered to attempt a cure. Cayce accepted and the experiment took place on stage in front of an audience. Remarkably, Cayce's voice returned while in a hypnotic trance but reverted back to paralysis upon awakening. Hart suggested that the voice would begin to function after the trance but this proved unsuccessful.
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The growing fame of Cayce coupled with the popularity he received from newspapers attracted several eager commercially minded men who wanted to seek a fortune by using Cayce's clairvoyant abilities. Even though Cayce was reluctant to help them, he was persuaded to give the readings, which left him dissatisfied with himself and unsuccessful. A cotton merchant offered Cayce a hundred dollars a day for his readings about the daily outcomes in the cotton market. However, despite his poor finances, Cayce refused the merchant's offer. Others wanted to know where to hunt for treasures; some wanted to know the outcome of horse races. Several times he was persuaded to give the readings as an experiment. However he was unsuccessful several times when he used his ability for such purposes. These experiments left him depleted of energy, distraught and unsatisfied with himself. Finally he came to the conclusion that he would use his gift only to help the distressed and sick.
 
  
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He was persuaded to give readings on philosophical subjects in [[1923]] by Arthur Lammers, a wealthy printer. While in his supposed trance state, Cayce spoke unequivocally of past lives. Reincarnation was a popular subject of the day, but is not an accepted part of [[Christian]] doctrine. Cayce reported that his conscience bothered him severely over this conflict. Lammers reassured and argued with Cayce. His "trance voice", the "we" of the readings, also supposedly dialogued with Cayce and finally persuaded him to continue with these kinds of readings. In [[1925]] Cayce reported his "voice" had instructed him to move to [[Virginia Beach, Virginia]].
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Since Hart had appointments in other cities, he could not continue his hypnotic treatment of Cayce. He then sought out treatment close to home and soon discovered a local hypnotist by the name of Al Layne. Mr. Layne agreed to help Cayce in restoring his voice. Layne suggested that Cayce should attempt to describe the nature of his condition and cure while in a hypnotic trance.  
  
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===1925 to 1945—the Virginia Beach period===
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While in trance, Cayce revealed that his voice loss was due to [[psychological paralysis]] and could be cured by increasing the blood flow to the voice box. While still in trance, Layne spoke to Cayce, telling his body to increase circulation there. Almost immediately Cayce's throat turned bright red. After only 20 minutes, Cayce declared the treatment over and awoke from his unconsciousness. Upon awakening, he proceeded to speak for the first time in months. Relapses of his ailment occurred but were corrected by Layne in the same way and eventually his recovery remained permanent. In his own reading, Cayce described his own ailment from a doctor's point of view, stating, "We have the body." These words would soon become his everyday vernacular in subsequent readings.
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Cayce's mature period, in which he created the several institutions which would survive him in some form. By this time he was a professional psychic with a small staff of employees and volunteers. The "readings" increasingly came to involve occultic or esoteric themes.  
 
  
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In [[1929]] the Cayce hospital was established in Virginia Beach sponsored by a wealthy beneficiary of the trance readings, Morton Blumenthal.
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He asked Cayce to describe Layne's own ailments and suggest cures, and reportedly found the results both accurate and effective. Layne suggested that Cayce offer his trance healing to the public but Cayce was reluctant. He finally agreed on the condition that readings would be free. With Layne's help, Cayce began to offer free diagnositic readings to the townspeople. Reportedly he had great success and his fame spread. Reports of Cayce's work appeared in the [[newspaper]]s, inspiring many postal inquiries. Supposedly, Cayce was able to work just as effectively using a letter from the individual as with having the person present. Given the person's name and location, he could diagnose the physical and/or mental conditions and provide corrective remedy. Cayce's accuracy in diagnosing the problems and providing effective cures made him more popular and soon people from around the world sought his advice through correspondence.
  
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Cayce gained national prominence in [[1943]] through a high profile article in [[Coronet (magazine)|Coronet]]. Feeling he couldn't refuse people who felt they needed his help so desperately, he increased the frequency of his readings to 8 per day to try and make an impression on the ever growing pile of requests. Eventually this took a toll on his health, as he said that it was emotionally draining and often fatigued him. The readings themselves scolded him for attempting too much and warned Cayce that more than 2 readings a day would start breaking down his physical health and would result in his death. Unfortunately when he finally stopped in order to recuperate his failing strength, it was too late.
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Cayce's work grew in volume as his fame grew. He reluctantly asked for voluntary donations to support himself and his family so that he could practice full time. Cayce's wife was very supportive of his work, and encouraged him to pursue a humble career as faith healer. He had business cards made, describing him as a "psychic diagnostician."
  
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Edgar Cayce suffered a [[stroke]] on January 2nd, [[1945]]. He died a day later on January 3rd.
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The growing fame of Cayce coupled with the popularity he received from newspapers attracted several eager commercially minded men who wanted to seek a fortune by using Cayce's clairvoyant abilities. Even though Cayce was reluctant to help them, he was persuaded to give the readings, which left him with incredible pain in his head, and his energy levels miserably depleted. After experiencing the horrendous result of these experiments, he immediately stopped all attempts at helping others attain wealth and material gain. He took it as a sign from God to use his intuitive gifts only to help others in the way of healing their bodies and spirits.
  
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==Controversy and criticism ==
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Even after he condemned reading for clients who wanted predictions on monetary matters, some clients ignored his wishes and proceeded to ask such questions regardless, which Cayce unconsciously answered. Once he awoke from trance, however, he felt intense physical and mental strain, and he could tell that his rules had been disregarded. To ensure that it wouldn't happen again, he made it mandatory that his wife must be present during all of his readings, and that she must ask him all of the questions.
  
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[[Scientific skepticism|Skeptics]] of Cayce's purported powers point out that all of the evidence for Cayce comes in the form of [[anecdotal evidence|anecdotes]] and [[testimonial]]s from true believers, none of which is considered scientifically rigorous. They are also critical of Cayce's support for various forms of [[alternative medicine]], which are now regarded by skeptics as [[quackery]].
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In order for the readings to go smoothly, it required absolute clarity of his mind and complete relaxation of his body. Cayce's methods of relaxation before every reading involved lying down, untying his shoelaces, loosening his tie and laying his hands gently across his chest. He would then enter into what appeared to be a trance or sleep state, usually at the request of a subject who was seeking help with health or other personal problems (subjects were not usually present). The subject's questions would then be given to Cayce, and Cayce would proceed with a reading.  At first these readings dealt primarily with the physical health of the individual (physical readings); later readings on past lives, business advice, dream interpretation, and mental or spiritual health were also given.
  
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[[Michael Shermer]] writes in [[Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time|Why People Believe Weird Things]], "Uneducated beyond the ninth grade, Cayce acquired his broad knowledge through voracious reading and from this he wove elaborate tales."<ref>[[Michael Shermer]]. ''[[Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time]]''. 2002, ISBN 0-8050-7089-3 page 67.</ref> Furthermore, "Cayce was fantasy-prone from his youth, often talking with angels and receiving visions of his dead grandfather."<ref>[[Michael Shermer]]. ''[[Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time]]''. 2002, ISBN 0-8050-7089-3 page 67.</ref> Shermer further cites [[James Randi]] as noting "Cayce was fond of expressions like 'I feel that' and 'perhaps' — qualifying words used to avoid positive declarations."<ref>[[Michael Shermer]]. ''[[Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time]]''. 2002, ISBN 0-8050-7089-3 page 67.</ref> Shermer also explains that methods used at the institution operated by Cayce's followers shows their [[ESP]] experiments have no statistical difference from [[Probability|chance]].<ref>[[Michael Shermer]]. ''[[Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time]]''. 2002, ISBN 0-8050-7089-3 page 69.</ref>
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Cayce gave an estimated 22,000 readings during a period of 43 years (1901 to 1944);{{Fact|date=February 2007}} however, until September 1923, they were not systematically preserved. Accordingly, only about 14,000 Cayce readings are currently available.  When out of the trance he entered to perform a reading, Cayce claimed generally not to remember what he had said during the reading. The [[unconscious mind]], according to Cayce, has access to information which the [[conscious]] mind does not &mdash; a common theory about hypnosis in Cayce's time. After [[Gladys Davis]] became Cayce's secretary on September 10, 1923, all readings were preserved. A secretary, [[Gladys Davis]], recorded his readings in shorthand. Had Gladys not provided her services, there would be no record of Cayce's readings today.
  
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Cayce's followers accept that he was sometimes inaccurate. Cayce's sons, Hugh Lynn Cayce and Edgar Evans Cayce, even co-authored a book called ''The Outer Limits of Edgar Cayce's Power'' detailing some of their father's mistakes. They theorize that Cayce's accuracy depended on many variables, such as the spiritual motivation of those seeking the reading. Skeptics identify these theories as excuses intended to prevent paranormal claims from ever being disproven.
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In 1925, Cayce relocated to Virginia Beach where he created several institutions which would survive him in some form. By this time he was a professional psychic with a small staff of employees and volunteers.  
  
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Cayce's [[Prophecy|prophecies]] occupy somewhat shaky ground. Examples of erroneous Cayce prophecies include him stating that [[1933]] would be a "good year", when in fact it was one of the worst in the [[Great Depression]]; predicting that [[China]] would one day be "the cradle of Christianity as applied in the lives of men"; stating that US scientists would discover a "death ray" from [[Atlantis]] in [[1958]]; and predicting massive earth changes that have not occurred. Furthermore, many of the predictions claimed as successes are little more than vague statements that can be interpreted in a wide variety of ways, and hence can be upheld as "true" simply because of their inherent vagueness.
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In [[1929]] the Cayce hospital was established in Virginia Beach sponsored by a wealthy beneficiary of the trance readings, Morton Blumenthal.
  
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==Claimed psychic abilities==
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Cayce became increasingly popular toward the end of his life, yet he felt publicity could possibly overshadow healing and theology, which to him were the more important parts of his work.
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Edgar Cayce has variously been referred to as a "[[prophet]]" (cf. [[Jess Stearn]]'s book, ''The Sleeping Prophet''), a "[[mysticism|mystic]]", a "seer", and a "[[clairvoyance|clairvoyant]]". Cayce's business card described him as a "psychic diagnostician". {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
 
  
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Cayce's methods involved lying down and entering into what appeared to be a trance or sleep state, usually at the request of a subject who was seeking help with health or other personal problems (subjects were not usually present). The subject's questions would then be given to Cayce, and Cayce would proceed with a reading.  At first these readings dealt primarily with the physical health of the individual (physical readings); later readings on past lives, business advice, dream interpretation, and mental or spiritual health were also given.
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Cayce gained national prominence in [[1943]] through a high profile article in [[Coronet (magazine)|Coronet]]. Feeling he couldn't refuse people who felt they needed his help so desperately, he increased the frequency of his readings to 8 per day to try and make an impression on the ever growing pile of requests. Eventually this took a toll on his health, as he said that it was emotionally draining and often fatigued him. The readings themselves scolded him for attempting too much and warned Cayce that more than 2 readings a day would start breaking down his physical health and would result in his death. Unfortunately when he finally stopped in order to recuperate his failing strength, it was too late.
  
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Edgar Cayce suffered a [[stroke]] on January 2nd, [[1945]]. He died a day later on January 3rd.
  
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Cayce gave an estimated 22,000 readings during a period of 43 years (1901 to 1944);{{Fact|date=February 2007}} however, until September 1923, they were not systematically preserved. Accordingly, only about 14,000 Cayce readings are currently available.  When out of the trance he entered to perform a reading, Cayce claimed generally not to remember what he had said during the reading. The [[unconscious mind]], according to Cayce, has access to information which the [[conscious]] mind does not &mdash; a common theory about hypnosis in Cayce's time. After [[Gladys Davis]] became Cayce's secretary on September 10, 1923, all readings were preserved and his wife Gertrude Evans Cayce generally conducted (guided) the readings.
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Today there are several tens of thousands of Cayce students. Most are located in the United States and Canada, but Edgar Cayce Centers are now found in 25 other countries. The [[Association for Research and Enlightenment]] (ARE), headquartered in [[Virginia Beach]], is an organization devoted to the works and teachings of Edgar Cayce.
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Cayce said that his trance statements should be taken into account only to the extent that they led to a better life for the recipient: ''"Does it make one a better husband, a better businessman, a better neighbor, a better artist, a better churchman? If so, cleave to it; if not, reject it."''{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Moreover, he invited his audience to test his suggestions rather than accept them on faith.
 
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Other abilities that have been attributed to Cayce include [[astral projection]], [[prophecy|prophesying]], [[medium (spirituality)|medium]]ship (communication with the dead), viewing the [[Akashic Records]] or "Book of Life", and seeing [[aura (paranormal)|aura]]s. Cayce became interested in learning more about these subjects after he was informed about the content of his readings, which he reported that he never actually heard himself.<ref> Bro, Harmon Hartzell, ''Edgar Cayce: A seer out of season'', Aquarian Press, London, 1990, p </ref>
 
  
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===Major themes===
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==Conflict of Faith==
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{{NPOV}}
 
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The choice of which elements of the Cayce corpus to emphasize is fraught with [[hermeneutic]] hazards. The health readings are most numerous, and they involve many alternative health concepts and practices. Cayce described his work in terms of Christian service. Finally, people with [[esoterism|esoteric]] interests have focused on a somewhat different set of topics.
 
  
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:'''Origin and destiny of humanity.''' "All souls were created in the beginning, and are finding their way back to whence they came." [Reading 3744-5] The Cayce readings suggest that human souls were created with a consciousness of their oneness with God. Some "fell" from this state; others &mdash;led by the Jesus soul&mdash; volunteered to save them. The earth, with all its limitations, was created as a suitable arena for spiritual growth.
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Throughout his life Cayce was drawn to church as a member of the [[Disciples of Christ]]. He taught at Sunday school, recruited missionaries, and is said to have agonized over the issue of whether his psychic abilities--and the teachings which resulted, were spiritually legitimate.  
  
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:'''Reincarnation.''' Cayce's work teaches the reality of [[reincarnation]] and [[karma]], but as instruments of a loving God rather than blind natural laws. Its purpose is to teach us certain spiritual lessons. Animals have undifferentiated, "group" souls rather than individuality and consciousness. Humans have never been incarnated as animals. He describes a very complex design arranged between souls and God to "meet the needs of existing conditions", which was a reference to the souls who became entrapped in the Earth's physical materiality which was not intended for a habitat of the soul. Spirit "thought-forms" stayed near and guided the anthropoid ape which was chosen to be the most ideal vehicle for the human physical race to be created from, and psychically guided their separate evolution into a ''Homo sapiens'' species. Cayce's view arguably incorporates [[Theosophy|Theosophical]] teachings on spiritual evolution.
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Cayce distinguishes between Jesus and Christ-hood. Briefly, Jesus was a soul like us. "Christ-hood" is something which he achieved, and to which we should all strive inherit. Cayce accordingly calls Jesus our "elder brother." This idea coincides with the "dual prophecy" idea which is supported by "Divine Principle." God prepared the foundation for Jesus to accept the path as the Messiah, but it was his responsibility to accept such a course.
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:'''Astrology.''' Cayce accepts [[astrology]] on the basis that our souls spend time on other planets (or perhaps their spiritual counterparts) in between incarnations. The position of the planets at our birth records these influences.
 
  
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:'''Universal laws.''' Souls incarnated on the earth are subject to certain spiritual laws such as, "As ye sow, so shall ye reap" ([[karma]]) or "As ye judge (others), so shall ye be judged." Properly regarded, such laws represent an aspect of God's mercy whereby no matter what our circumstances, He has promised to guide us in our spiritual path.
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Cayce taught that our souls are subject to certain spiritual laws and Biblical teachings such as, "As ye sow, so shall ye reap" and "As ye judge (others), so shall ye be judged." This is consistent with the teachings of Reverend Sun Myung Moon, who throughout recent decades has proclaimed the importance of such ideas as, "Live for the sake of others" and "Love your enemy."
  
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:'''Jesus and Christ.''' Following [[New Thought]] precedent, Cayce distinguishes between Jesus and Christhood. Briefly, Jesus was a soul like us, who reincarnated through many lifetimes (and made many mistakes). "Christhood" is something which he achieved, and to which we also ought to aspire. Cayce accordingly calls Jesus our "elder brother."
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He was persuaded to give readings on philosophical subjects. Reincarnation was a popular subject of the day, but is not an accepted part of [[Christian]] doctrine. Cayce reported that his conscience bothered him severely over this conflict.
  
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:'''Unknown Life of Jesus.''' Cayce presented narratives of Jesus' previous incarnations, including a mysterious Atlantean figure called "Amilius" as well as the more familiar biblical figures of [[Adam and Eve|Adam]], [[Enoch]], [[Melchizedek]], [[Joshua]], [[Asaph]], and [[Jeshua]]. Cayce describes Jesus as an [[Essene]] who traveled to [[India]] in his youth in order to study Eastern religions.
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Ancestors, and the life experiences of those ancestors could have been easily interpreted as "past lives," since there is a spiritual tie to those who came before us. Cayce had a window into the spiritual realm, and he interpreted his viewings in the best way that he knew how. He was undoubtedly forced to piece together conclusions from the limited information available to him at the time. That is why many psychics today are very detailed in most areas of recalling the spirit world, but when it comes to "past lives," it's always assumed to be reincarnation. There has been little explanation of the spirit world by religion as a whole, and it is still seen as occult and demonic by most churches to even suggest that the physical and spiritual realms coexist, interact and may even communicate with each other.
  
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:'''Ideals.''' Cayce repeatedly stresses the choice of an [[ideal (ethics)|ideal]] as the foundation of the spiritual path. "And O that all would realize... that what we are... is the result of what we have done about the ideals we have set" (1549-1). We may choose any ideal we feel drawn to. As we attempt to apply it in our lives, God will guide us further, perhaps inspiring us to revise our choice of ideal. The highest ideal, says Cayce, is Christ; however, the readings recognize "the Christ spirit" in some form as the basis for religions other than Christianity.
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==Controversy and criticism ==
  
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:'''Body, Mind, Spirit.''' Cayce often invokes these three terms, or their equivalents, to describe the human condition. "Spirit is the life. Mind is the builder. Physical is the result." (conflation of various readings). The concept has application not only to [[holistic health]] but also to the spiritual life.  
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[[Skeptics]] challenge Cayce's claims of psychic ability, while many conservative Christians and religious groups also question his unorthodox answers on spiritual matters (such as [[reincarnation]] and [[akashic records]]).
  
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:'''Meditation.''' While Cayce sometimes describes particular [[meditation]] techniques of sitting or chanting ("Arrr—eee-oommm" which is strikingly similar to popular [[Hindu]] [[mantra]] "''[[Hari]] [[Om]]''") the crucial element is that of opening up to divine influences. The Search For God books say that "Through prayer we speak to God. In meditation, God speaks to us." Cayce's concept of meditation has some aspects in common with Hinduism or Buddhism (the [[chakra]]s, [[kundalini]]) but is most similar to Christian versions of [[New Thought]]. The symbolism of the Book of Revelation, he says, is based on meditative experiences.  
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Cayce's followers accept that he was sometimes inaccurate. Cayce's sons, Hugh Lynn Cayce and Edgar Evans Cayce, even co-authored a book called ''The Outer Limits of Edgar Cayce's Power'' detailing some of their father's mistakes. They theorize that Cayce's accuracy depended on many variables, such as the spiritual motivation of those seeking the reading.  
  
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:'''ESP.''' Cayce accepted psychic experiences and [[Extra-sensory perception|ESP]] as a natural by-product of soul growth. God may speak to us through dreams (many readings consist of dream interpretation), or through intuitions similar to the pangs of conscience. However, Cayce does not endorse [[Spiritualism]] or [[mediumship]] on the grounds that entities thus contacted are not necessarily particularly lofty. Instead, he encourages seekers to focus on Christ.
+
Cayce stressed repeatedly that free will influenced all facets of what will become reality and even something predestined to happen can be postponed or altered. Examples of erroneous Cayce prophecies include him stating that [[1933]] would be a "good year", when in fact it was one of the worst in the [[Great Depression]]; predicting that [[China]] would one day be "the cradle of Christianity as applied in the lives of men"; stating that US scientists would discover a "death ray" from [[Atlantis]] in [[1958]]; and predicting massive earth changes that have not occurred.
  
−
:'''Atlantis.''' The Cayce readings affirm the existence of [[Atlantis]], a vast continent with an advanced technology whose refugees peopled [[ancient Egypt]] as well as [[pre-Columbian]] America. Cayce's description of Atlantis has much in common with that of [[Ignatius L. Donnelly]]. According to Cayce, Atlantean society was divided into two long-lived political factions—a "good" faction called the "Sons of the Law of One," and an "evil" faction called the "Sons of [[Belial]]." Many people alive today are the reincarnations of Atlantean souls, who must now face similar temptations as before. In this regard Cayce also predicted the coming of a certain 'blue stone' of Atlantean origin, that was to be found on "an island in the [[Caribbean]]" and was to have the power to heal. In [[1974]] a [[Volcanic blue]] [[pectolite]] now known as the [[Larimar]] was found in the [[Dominican Republic]]. In [[occult]] circles this colored gemstone is said to have healing powers; as with most crystals and gemstones, there is no scientific evidence that it has any special properties. Atlantis suffered 3 major destructions one of which was the [[Deluge (mythology)|deluge]].  According to the readings, a major source of turmoil was the Sons of Belial's desire to exploit the ''Things'', sub-humans with animal appendages and low intelligence, and the movements to protect and evolve them by the Sons of the Law of One.  The final destruction was the overcharging of the Crystal which caused a massive explosion.
+
Cayce said that his trance statements should be taken into account only to the extent that they led to a better life for the recipient: ''"Does it make one a better husband, a better businessman, a better neighbor, a better artist, a better churchman? If so, cleave to it; if not, reject it."''{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Moreover, he invited his audience to test his suggestions rather than accept them on faith.
  
−
:'''Egypt.''' Next to biblical times, the most significant era for the "life readings" was a pre-dynastic [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] civilization consisting of Atlantean refugees. Cayce purported to have been an Egyptian priest named "Ra Ta" who built a spiritually-based healing center (the "Temple of Sacrifice") and educational institution (the "Temple Beautiful"). His diagnostic readings and narratives about the past and future were supposed to be a continuation of his ancient work. This civilization also built monuments on the [[Giza]] plateau, including the [[Great Pyramid]], and left records of Atlantis in a "hall of records" located somewhere beneath the [[Sphinx]]. These readings bear a close resemblance to books by [[AMORC]] founder [[H. Spencer Lewis]].
+
===Themes===
  
−
:'''Earth changes.''' Some Cayce readings allude to massive [[earth changes]]&mdash;perhaps in conjunction with a [[pole shift]]&mdash;in the 1930s, 1960s, or 1990s. Cayce people have developed several creative ways of interpreting such passages, although some were disappointed with the failure of 1998 to bring either the rising of Atlantis, the sinking of California, or the [[Second Coming]] of Christ. Although he didn't actually state these would happen at this specific time, the period was referred to as a pivotal point that could see the beginning of many of these prophecies. Cayce however, stressed repeatedly that free will influenced all facets of what will become reality and even something predestined to happen can be postponed or altered.
+
:'''Dreams.'''
 +
Cayce strongly believed that dreams are a window into our subconscious mind, and through efforts to recall and examine our dreams, we may gain better insight on a variety of matters.
  
−
:'''"Cayce cures."''' Cayce's medical readings typically prescribe [[poultice]]s (often of [[castor oil]]),  [[osteopathy|osteopathic adjustments]], [[colonic irrigation]], [[massage]] (often with [[peanut oil]]), [[prayer]], folk remedies (e.g. charcoal tablets), various forms of [[electrical quackery|electric medicine]] and [[patent medicines]] (such as [[Atomidine]]), and specific recommendations concerning [[Diet (nutrition)|diet]] and [[exercise]]. Cayce is often seen as a practitioner of [[holistic medicine]], and has particularly strong philosophical ties with [[naturopathy]].
+
:'''"Cayce cures."''' Cayce's medical readings typically prescribe [[poultice]]s (often of [[castor oil]]),  [[osteopathy|osteopathic adjustments]], [[colonic irrigation]], [[massage]] (often with [[peanut oil]]), [[prayer]], folk remedies (e.g. charcoal tablets), various forms of [[electrical medicine]] and [[patent medicines]] (such as [[Atomidine]]), and specific recommendations concerning [[Diet (nutrition)|diet]] and [[exercise]]. Cayce is often seen as a practitioner of [[holistic medicine]], and has particularly strong philosophical ties with [[naturopathy]].
  
−
:'''The "Cayce diet".''' Major dietary recommendations include the avoidance of red meat (esp. [[pork]]), [[alcohol]] (except red wine), [[white bread]], and fried foods; a preference for fruits and (above-ground, leafy) vegetables over starches; and a high ratio (80:20%)of [[alkaline]] foods over [[acidic]]. One meal per day should consist entirely of raw vegetables. Under strict circumstances, Cayce advocated both coffee and pure tobacco cigarettes to be non-harmful to health. “Food Combining” was also a central idea in the Cayce diet. Several food combinations that are contraindicated are coffee with milk or sugar, citrus fruit with starchy foods and high protein foods with starches. Cayce followed very few of the dietary recommendations that were suggested by the readings.
+
:'''The "Cayce diet".''' Major dietary recommendations include the avoidance of red meat (esp. [[pork]]), [[alcohol]] (except red wine), [[white bread]], and fried foods; a preference for fruits and (above-ground, leafy) vegetables over starches; and a high ratio (80:20%)of [[alkaline]] foods over [[acidic]]. One meal per day should consist entirely of raw vegetables. Under strict circumstances, Cayce advocated both coffee and pure tobacco cigarettes to be non-harmful to health. “Food Combining” was also a central idea in the Cayce diet. Several food combinations that are contraindicated are coffee with milk or sugar, citrus fruit with starchy foods and high protein foods with starches. Cayce followed very few of the dietary recommendations that were suggested by him in the readings.  
  
−
==Sources of Cayce's beliefs==
+
:'''Reincarnation.''' Cayce's work teaches the reality of [[reincarnation]] and [[karma]], but as instruments of a loving God rather than blind natural laws. Its purpose is to teach us certain spiritual lessons. Animals have undifferentiated, "group" souls rather than individuality and consciousness. Humans have never been incarnated as animals. He describes a very complex design arranged between souls and God to "meet the needs of existing conditions", which was a reference to the souls who became entrapped in the Earth's physical materiality which was not intended for a habitat of the soul. Spirit "thought-forms" stayed near and guided the anthropoid ape which was chosen to be the most ideal vehicle for the human physical race to be created from, and psychically guided their separate evolution into a ''Homo sapiens'' species. Cayce's view arguably incorporates [[Theosophy|Theosophical]] teachings on spiritual evolution.
−
{{Unreferenced|date=December 2006}}
 
−
Hopper's Bookstore in Hopkinsville where Cayce worked for many years as a young man specialized in [[occult]] and [[osteopathy|osteopathic]] works and he may have consciously or otherwise absorbed much of this material.  However, knowledge of this material cannot account for most of Cayce's specific diagnoses, such as directing that osteopathic adjustments be given to a developmentally-delayed and seizure-ridden child named Aime Dietrich.  She was restored to normal health by Cayce-directed treatments after conventional doctors had pronounced her case hopeless.  
 
  
−
Books such as Frederick Oliver's Atlantean fantasy  [[A Dweller on Two Planets]] and [[Marie Corelli]]'s novels were probably accessible to Cayce at his bookstore. Corelli's writings in particular seek to reconcile mystical beliefs such as reincarnation with Christianity, and Cayce may have been subconsciously trying to accept this idea. Some books of this type refer to Jesus as "elder brother".  However, Cayce's life readings show remarkable consistency over many years. In fact, it has not been demonstrated that Cayce ever was inconsistent in his chronology. (For example, telling a woman whose reading was done in the 1920s that in a lifetime in ancient Persia she was one of three sisters of a warrior; then telling a man whose reading was done in the 1940s that he was that warrior and had two sisters.)
+
:'''Astrology.''' Cayce accepts [[astrology]] on the basis that our souls spend time on other planets (or perhaps their spiritual counterparts) in between incarnations. The position of the planets at our birth records these influences.
  
−
Regardless of the accuracy of the information Cayce provided, those who accept that Cayce was unconscious during his "trance" state generally agree that Cayce was not likely to have been an intentional fraud.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
+
:'''Body, Mind, Spirit.''' Cayce often invokes these three terms, or their equivalents, to describe the human condition. "Spirit is the life. Mind is the builder. Physical is the result." (conflation of various readings). The concept has application not only to [[holistic health]] but also to the spiritual life.  
  
−
[[Gina Cerminara]] published books such as ''[[Many Mansions]]'', ''[[The World Within]]'' and ''[[Many Lives, Many Loves]]'' which provide compendious information about Cayce's works and buttress his claimed abilities with real life examples.  
+
:'''Meditation.''' While Cayce sometimes describes particular [[meditation]] techniques of sitting or chanting, the crucial element is that of opening up to divine influences. The Search For God books say that "Through prayer we speak to God. In meditation, God speaks to us." Cayce's concept of meditation has some aspects in common with Hinduism or Buddhism (the [[chakra]]s, [[kundalini]]) but is most similar to Christian versions of [[New Thought]]. The symbolism of the Book of Revelation, he says, is based on meditative experiences.  
  
−
One such example from [[Gina Cerminara|Gina Cerminara's]] works <ref> Many Lives, Many Loves, Chapter 2 - Clear Seeing People  </ref> :
+
:'''ESP.''' Cayce accepted psychic experiences and [[Extra-sensory perception|ESP]] as a natural by-product of soul growth. God may speak to us through dreams (many readings consist of dream interpretation), or through intuitions similar to the pangs of conscience. However, Cayce does not endorse [[Spiritualism]] or [[mediumship]] rather, he encourages seekers to focus on Christ.
  
−
::''"Cayce once gave a reading on a blind man, a musician by profession, who regained part ot his vision in one eye through following the physical suggestions given by Cayce. This man happened to have a passion for railroads and a tremendous interest in the Civil War. In the life reading which Cayce gave, he said that the man had been a soldier in the South, in the army of Lee, and that he had been a railroad man by profession in that incarnation. Then he proceeded to tell him that his name in that life was Barnett Seay, and that the records of Seay could still be found in the state of Virginia. The man took the trouble to hunt for the records — and found them, in the state capitol at Richmond: that is to say he found the record of one Barnett Seay, standard-bearer in Lee's army who had entered and been discharged from the service in such and such a year."''
+
:'''Atlantis.''' The Cayce readings affirm the existence of [[Atlantis]], a vast continent with an advanced technology whose refugees inhabited [[ancient Egypt]] as well as [[pre-Columbian]] America.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==

Revision as of 20:03, 6 April 2007

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Edgar Cayce
Cayce 1910.jpg
In October 1910, this photograph appeared on the front page of The New York Times after a reporter stole it from the home of Cayce’s parents to use for a story.
Born
March 18, 1877
Hopkinsville, Kentucky, USA
Died
January 3, 1945
Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA

Edgar Cayce (March 18, 1877 – January 3, 1945) (pronounced /'keɪsiː/ or like 'Casey') was an American psychic who could channel answers to questions on many spiritual topics including history, astrology, and health. Most of his work consisted of diagnosing and prescribing cures for individuals with physical ailments. These readings involved many alternative health concepts and practices. He performed the readings while in a self induced trance state. When he awoke from trance, he remembered nothing, thus, he is commonly referred to as "The Sleeping Prophet."

Cayce repeatedly stresses ideal as the foundation of the spiritual path. The highest ideal, says Cayce, is Christ; however, the readings recognize "the Christ spirit" in some form as the basis for religions other than Christianity.

The Early Years

Edgar Cayce was born into a farming family on March 18,1877 near Beverly, seven miles south of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. At the age of six, young Cayce told his parents that he could see many things that appeared invisible to everyone else. He would see the souls of the deceased and talk to relatives who had recently died. For the most part, his family attributed these experiences to an overactive imagination. He did, after all, have many invisible friends, as do many average children, so they paid little attention to their son's unique experiences.

As a child, Cayce found comfort in reading the Bible and decided to read it through, from cover to cover, once for every year of his life. He understood even at a young age, the importance of faith, love and morality. He grew very fond of Bible stories and it's teachings which inspired him and sparked his spiritual curiosity. The more he read, the more unquenchable his thirst for God became.

At the age of thirteen, he had a profound spiritual experience that would change his life forever. He took his Bible to a playhouse in the woods, overlooking a creek. While reading, a beautiful woman in brilliant white clothing and wings suddenly appeared before him. She said, "Your prayers have been answered, little boy. Tell me what it is you want most of all, so that I may give it to you." Though shocked and in a state of disbelief, he responded with, "Most of all I would like to be helpful to other people, especially children." Upon completing his wish, the woman quickly vanished.

Shortly after the apparition, he displayed a talent that could no longer be explained or dismissed as simply "imagination." He could sleep on his school books and acquire a photographic memory of their entire contents. It was found that he could sleep on any book, paper or document, and upon awakening, he had the ability to repeat word for word, any length of material, even if it contained words far beyond his limited education.

Young Adulthood

In order to help his family recover from financial hardships, Edgar left school after he completed the eighth grade and began working with his uncle on his grandmother's farm. In those days, an eighth grade education was seen as more than sufficient and perfectly acceptable for a working class individual.

About a year later, his family moved to Hopkinsville where he then began working at Hopper's Bookstore. This bookstore specialized in occult and osteopathic works, and he may have consciously or otherwise absorbed much of this material which may have given rise to his abilities as a psychic healer later on.

A few months after moving to the city, he met Gertrude Evans. They began a courtship, and at the age of nineteen years old, Cayce got engaged to her and they decided to get married as soon as he could support a family. They married six years later.

In 1900 he formed a business partnership with his father to sell Woodmen of the World Insurance but was struck by severe laryngitis in March that resulted in a complete loss of speech on April 18. Unable to work, he lived at home with his parents for almost a year. He then decided to take up the trade of photography, since it required minimal exertion of his vocal cords. He began an apprenticeship at the photography studio of W. R. Bowles in Hopkinsville.

Transitioning from Patient to Healer

A traveling hypnotist and entertainer known as "Hart - The Laugh Man" was performing at the Hopkinsville Opera House in 1901. He heard about Cayce's condition and offered to attempt a cure. Cayce accepted and the experiment took place on stage in front of an audience. Remarkably, Cayce's voice returned while in a hypnotic trance but reverted back to paralysis upon awakening. Hart suggested that the voice would begin to function after the trance but this proved unsuccessful.

Since Hart had appointments in other cities, he could not continue his hypnotic treatment of Cayce. He then sought out treatment close to home and soon discovered a local hypnotist by the name of Al Layne. Mr. Layne agreed to help Cayce in restoring his voice. Layne suggested that Cayce should attempt to describe the nature of his condition and cure while in a hypnotic trance.

While in trance, Cayce revealed that his voice loss was due to psychological paralysis and could be cured by increasing the blood flow to the voice box. While still in trance, Layne spoke to Cayce, telling his body to increase circulation there. Almost immediately Cayce's throat turned bright red. After only 20 minutes, Cayce declared the treatment over and awoke from his unconsciousness. Upon awakening, he proceeded to speak for the first time in months. Relapses of his ailment occurred but were corrected by Layne in the same way and eventually his recovery remained permanent. In his own reading, Cayce described his own ailment from a doctor's point of view, stating, "We have the body." These words would soon become his everyday vernacular in subsequent readings.

He asked Cayce to describe Layne's own ailments and suggest cures, and reportedly found the results both accurate and effective. Layne suggested that Cayce offer his trance healing to the public but Cayce was reluctant. He finally agreed on the condition that readings would be free. With Layne's help, Cayce began to offer free diagnositic readings to the townspeople. Reportedly he had great success and his fame spread. Reports of Cayce's work appeared in the newspapers, inspiring many postal inquiries. Supposedly, Cayce was able to work just as effectively using a letter from the individual as with having the person present. Given the person's name and location, he could diagnose the physical and/or mental conditions and provide corrective remedy. Cayce's accuracy in diagnosing the problems and providing effective cures made him more popular and soon people from around the world sought his advice through correspondence.

Cayce's work grew in volume as his fame grew. He reluctantly asked for voluntary donations to support himself and his family so that he could practice full time. Cayce's wife was very supportive of his work, and encouraged him to pursue a humble career as faith healer. He had business cards made, describing him as a "psychic diagnostician."

The growing fame of Cayce coupled with the popularity he received from newspapers attracted several eager commercially minded men who wanted to seek a fortune by using Cayce's clairvoyant abilities. Even though Cayce was reluctant to help them, he was persuaded to give the readings, which left him with incredible pain in his head, and his energy levels miserably depleted. After experiencing the horrendous result of these experiments, he immediately stopped all attempts at helping others attain wealth and material gain. He took it as a sign from God to use his intuitive gifts only to help others in the way of healing their bodies and spirits.

Even after he condemned reading for clients who wanted predictions on monetary matters, some clients ignored his wishes and proceeded to ask such questions regardless, which Cayce unconsciously answered. Once he awoke from trance, however, he felt intense physical and mental strain, and he could tell that his rules had been disregarded. To ensure that it wouldn't happen again, he made it mandatory that his wife must be present during all of his readings, and that she must ask him all of the questions.

In order for the readings to go smoothly, it required absolute clarity of his mind and complete relaxation of his body. Cayce's methods of relaxation before every reading involved lying down, untying his shoelaces, loosening his tie and laying his hands gently across his chest. He would then enter into what appeared to be a trance or sleep state, usually at the request of a subject who was seeking help with health or other personal problems (subjects were not usually present). The subject's questions would then be given to Cayce, and Cayce would proceed with a reading. At first these readings dealt primarily with the physical health of the individual (physical readings); later readings on past lives, business advice, dream interpretation, and mental or spiritual health were also given.

Cayce gave an estimated 22,000 readings during a period of 43 years (1901 to 1944);[citation needed] however, until September 1923, they were not systematically preserved. Accordingly, only about 14,000 Cayce readings are currently available. When out of the trance he entered to perform a reading, Cayce claimed generally not to remember what he had said during the reading. The unconscious mind, according to Cayce, has access to information which the conscious mind does not — a common theory about hypnosis in Cayce's time. After Gladys Davis became Cayce's secretary on September 10, 1923, all readings were preserved. A secretary, Gladys Davis, recorded his readings in shorthand. Had Gladys not provided her services, there would be no record of Cayce's readings today.

In 1925, Cayce relocated to Virginia Beach where he created several institutions which would survive him in some form. By this time he was a professional psychic with a small staff of employees and volunteers.

In 1929 the Cayce hospital was established in Virginia Beach sponsored by a wealthy beneficiary of the trance readings, Morton Blumenthal.

Cayce became increasingly popular toward the end of his life, yet he felt publicity could possibly overshadow healing and theology, which to him were the more important parts of his work.

Cayce gained national prominence in 1943 through a high profile article in Coronet. Feeling he couldn't refuse people who felt they needed his help so desperately, he increased the frequency of his readings to 8 per day to try and make an impression on the ever growing pile of requests. Eventually this took a toll on his health, as he said that it was emotionally draining and often fatigued him. The readings themselves scolded him for attempting too much and warned Cayce that more than 2 readings a day would start breaking down his physical health and would result in his death. Unfortunately when he finally stopped in order to recuperate his failing strength, it was too late.

Edgar Cayce suffered a stroke on January 2nd, 1945. He died a day later on January 3rd.

Today there are several tens of thousands of Cayce students. Most are located in the United States and Canada, but Edgar Cayce Centers are now found in 25 other countries. The Association for Research and Enlightenment (ARE), headquartered in Virginia Beach, is an organization devoted to the works and teachings of Edgar Cayce.

Conflict of Faith

Throughout his life Cayce was drawn to church as a member of the Disciples of Christ. He taught at Sunday school, recruited missionaries, and is said to have agonized over the issue of whether his psychic abilities—and the teachings which resulted, were spiritually legitimate.

Cayce distinguishes between Jesus and Christ-hood. Briefly, Jesus was a soul like us. "Christ-hood" is something which he achieved, and to which we should all strive inherit. Cayce accordingly calls Jesus our "elder brother." This idea coincides with the "dual prophecy" idea which is supported by "Divine Principle." God prepared the foundation for Jesus to accept the path as the Messiah, but it was his responsibility to accept such a course.

Cayce taught that our souls are subject to certain spiritual laws and Biblical teachings such as, "As ye sow, so shall ye reap" and "As ye judge (others), so shall ye be judged." This is consistent with the teachings of Reverend Sun Myung Moon, who throughout recent decades has proclaimed the importance of such ideas as, "Live for the sake of others" and "Love your enemy."

He was persuaded to give readings on philosophical subjects. Reincarnation was a popular subject of the day, but is not an accepted part of Christian doctrine. Cayce reported that his conscience bothered him severely over this conflict.

Ancestors, and the life experiences of those ancestors could have been easily interpreted as "past lives," since there is a spiritual tie to those who came before us. Cayce had a window into the spiritual realm, and he interpreted his viewings in the best way that he knew how. He was undoubtedly forced to piece together conclusions from the limited information available to him at the time. That is why many psychics today are very detailed in most areas of recalling the spirit world, but when it comes to "past lives," it's always assumed to be reincarnation. There has been little explanation of the spirit world by religion as a whole, and it is still seen as occult and demonic by most churches to even suggest that the physical and spiritual realms coexist, interact and may even communicate with each other.

Controversy and criticism

Skeptics challenge Cayce's claims of psychic ability, while many conservative Christians and religious groups also question his unorthodox answers on spiritual matters (such as reincarnation and akashic records).

Cayce's followers accept that he was sometimes inaccurate. Cayce's sons, Hugh Lynn Cayce and Edgar Evans Cayce, even co-authored a book called The Outer Limits of Edgar Cayce's Power detailing some of their father's mistakes. They theorize that Cayce's accuracy depended on many variables, such as the spiritual motivation of those seeking the reading.

Cayce stressed repeatedly that free will influenced all facets of what will become reality and even something predestined to happen can be postponed or altered. Examples of erroneous Cayce prophecies include him stating that 1933 would be a "good year", when in fact it was one of the worst in the Great Depression; predicting that China would one day be "the cradle of Christianity as applied in the lives of men"; stating that US scientists would discover a "death ray" from Atlantis in 1958; and predicting massive earth changes that have not occurred.

Cayce said that his trance statements should be taken into account only to the extent that they led to a better life for the recipient: "Does it make one a better husband, a better businessman, a better neighbor, a better artist, a better churchman? If so, cleave to it; if not, reject it."[citation needed] Moreover, he invited his audience to test his suggestions rather than accept them on faith.

Themes

Dreams.

Cayce strongly believed that dreams are a window into our subconscious mind, and through efforts to recall and examine our dreams, we may gain better insight on a variety of matters.

"Cayce cures." Cayce's medical readings typically prescribe poultices (often of castor oil), osteopathic adjustments, colonic irrigation, massage (often with peanut oil), prayer, folk remedies (e.g. charcoal tablets), various forms of electrical medicine and patent medicines (such as Atomidine), and specific recommendations concerning diet and exercise. Cayce is often seen as a practitioner of holistic medicine, and has particularly strong philosophical ties with naturopathy.
The "Cayce diet". Major dietary recommendations include the avoidance of red meat (esp. pork), alcohol (except red wine), white bread, and fried foods; a preference for fruits and (above-ground, leafy) vegetables over starches; and a high ratio (80:20%)of alkaline foods over acidic. One meal per day should consist entirely of raw vegetables. Under strict circumstances, Cayce advocated both coffee and pure tobacco cigarettes to be non-harmful to health. “Food Combining” was also a central idea in the Cayce diet. Several food combinations that are contraindicated are coffee with milk or sugar, citrus fruit with starchy foods and high protein foods with starches. Cayce followed very few of the dietary recommendations that were suggested by him in the readings.
Reincarnation. Cayce's work teaches the reality of reincarnation and karma, but as instruments of a loving God rather than blind natural laws. Its purpose is to teach us certain spiritual lessons. Animals have undifferentiated, "group" souls rather than individuality and consciousness. Humans have never been incarnated as animals. He describes a very complex design arranged between souls and God to "meet the needs of existing conditions", which was a reference to the souls who became entrapped in the Earth's physical materiality which was not intended for a habitat of the soul. Spirit "thought-forms" stayed near and guided the anthropoid ape which was chosen to be the most ideal vehicle for the human physical race to be created from, and psychically guided their separate evolution into a Homo sapiens species. Cayce's view arguably incorporates Theosophical teachings on spiritual evolution.
Astrology. Cayce accepts astrology on the basis that our souls spend time on other planets (or perhaps their spiritual counterparts) in between incarnations. The position of the planets at our birth records these influences.
Body, Mind, Spirit. Cayce often invokes these three terms, or their equivalents, to describe the human condition. "Spirit is the life. Mind is the builder. Physical is the result." (conflation of various readings). The concept has application not only to holistic health but also to the spiritual life.
Meditation. While Cayce sometimes describes particular meditation techniques of sitting or chanting, the crucial element is that of opening up to divine influences. The Search For God books say that "Through prayer we speak to God. In meditation, God speaks to us." Cayce's concept of meditation has some aspects in common with Hinduism or Buddhism (the chakras, kundalini) but is most similar to Christian versions of New Thought. The symbolism of the Book of Revelation, he says, is based on meditative experiences.
ESP. Cayce accepted psychic experiences and ESP as a natural by-product of soul growth. God may speak to us through dreams (many readings consist of dream interpretation), or through intuitions similar to the pangs of conscience. However, Cayce does not endorse Spiritualism or mediumship rather, he encourages seekers to focus on Christ.
Atlantis. The Cayce readings affirm the existence of Atlantis, a vast continent with an advanced technology whose refugees inhabited ancient Egypt as well as pre-Columbian America.

See also

  • Karma in Christianity
  • Edgar Cayce on Karma

External links

Support

Skepticism

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees


Bibliography

  • Bro, Harmon Hartzell, Edgar Cayce: A seer out of season, Aquarian Press, London, 1990, ISBN 1-85538-408-6
  • Campbell, Dan, Edgar Cayce: On the Power of Color, Stones, and Crystals, Warner Books Inc., New York, NY, 1989.
  • Cayce, Edgar, Auras: An Essay On The Meaning of Colors, A.R.E. Press, Virginia Beach, Virginia, 1945 [1973], ISBN 0-87604-012-1
  • Cayce, Edgar Evans. Edgar Cayce on Atlantis. New York: Hawthorn, 1968, ISBN 0-312-96153-7
  • Cerminara, Gina. Many Mansions: The Edgar Cayce Story on Reincarnation. orig. 1950; Signet Book, Reissue edition 1990, ISBN 0-451-16817-8
  • Kirkpatrick, Sidney D. An American Prophet. Riverhead Books, 2000, ISBN 1-57322-139-2
  • Kittler, Glenn D. Edgar Cayce on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Warner Books, 1970, ISBN 0-446-90035-4
  • Stern, Jess. "The Sleeping Prophet". Bantam Books, 1967, ISBN 0-553-26085-5
  • Sugrue, Thomas. There Is a River. A.R.E. Press, 1997, ISBN 0-87604-375-9

de:Edgar Cayce es:Edgar Cayce fr:Edgar Cayce ia:Edgar Cayce it:Edgar Cayce lt:Edgaras Keisas nl:Edgar Cayce ja:エドガー・ケイシー pt:Edgar Cayce sq:Edgar Cayce simple:Edgar Cayce fi:Edgar Cayce {{credit|107233431]]

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