For forty-three years of his adult life, Edgar Cayce
demonstrated the uncanny ability to put himself into
some kind of self-induced sleep state by lying down
on a couch, closing his eyes, and folding his hands
over his stomach. This state of relaxation and meditation
enabled him to place his mind in contact with all time
and space.
From this state he could respond to questions as diverse
as, "What are the secrets of the universe?" to "How
can I remove a wart?" His responses to these questions
came to be called "readings" and contain insights so
valuable that even to this day individuals have found
practical help for everything from maintaining a well-balanced
diet and improving human relationships to overcoming
life-threatening illnesses and experiencing a closer
walk with God.
Though Cayce died more than half a century ago, the
timeliness of the material in the readings is evidenced
by approximately one dozen biographies and more than
300 titles that discuss various aspects of this man's
life and work. These books contain a corpus of information
so valuable that even Edgar Cayce himself might have
hesitated to predict their impact on the latter part
of the twentieth century.
Sixty years ago who could have known that terms such
as "meditation," "akashic records," "spiritual growth,"
"auras," "soul mates," and "holism" would become household
words to hundreds of thousands?
Daily for over forty years of his adult life, Cayce
would lie down on a couch with his hands folded over
his stomach and allow himself to enter a self-induced
sleep state. Then, provided with the name and location
of individual anywhere in the world he would speak in
a normal voice and give answers to any questions about
that person that he was asked.
These answers, which came to be called "readings" were
written down by a stenographer, who kept one copy on
file and sent another to the person who had requested
the information.
Today on file at the Association for Research and Enlightenment,
Inc. (A.R.E.), In Virginia Beach, Virginia, are copies
of more than 14,000 of Edgar Cayce's readings. These
are available to the public and have been filed along
with any follow-up reports received from the individuals
who had asked for the readings.
This material represents the most massive collection
of psychic information ever obtained from a single source.
The organization founded by Cayce in 1931 to document,
research and disseminate his information has grown from
a few hundred supporters at the time of Cayce's death
in 1945 to one which is worldwide.
Countless individuals have been touched by the life
work of this man who was raised a simple farm boy and
yet became one of the most versatile and credible psychics
the world has ever known. In addition to the Cayce readings,
the organization makes available a large collection
of Edgar Cayce books, New Age books, Self-help books
and Metaphysical Books.
Since 1901, the information in the Cayce readings has
been explored by individuals from every imaginable background
and discipline. In addition to individuals from all
walks and stations of life, this vast scope of materials
has come to the attention of educators, historians,
theologians, medical professionals, and scientists.
No doubt, part of the attraction has been that regardless
of the field of study, Cayce has continually proven
himself years ahead of his time. Decades ago, he was
emphasizing the importance of diet, attitudes, emotions,
exercise, and the patient's role - physically, mentally,
and spiritually - in the treatment of illness. As a
result, he has been called "the father of holistic medicine"
and has been recognized for describing the workings
of the human body and foreseeing the direction of health
care.
