Edgar Cayce

Cayce circa 1911

Born March 18, 1877 Christian County,Kentucky, U.S.

Died January 3, 1945(aged 67) Virginia Beach,Virginia, U.S.

Restingplace

Riverside Cemetery,Hopkinsville,Kentucky

Nationality American

Occupation Mystic Clairvoyant

Known for Founder ofAssociation forResearch andEnlightenment

Spouse(s) Gertrude Evans(m. 1903 – 1945)

Children Hugh Lynn (1907–1982)

Milton Porter (March

1911 – May 1911)

Edgar Evans (1918–

2013)

Edgar CayceEdgar Cayce (/ˈkeɪsiː/; March 18, 1877 – January 3, 1945) wasan American self-professed clairvoyant who gave more than14,000 psychic readings while allegedly in a self-induced sleepstate [1][2][3]. Cayce maintained his subconscious mind (which heidentified as the "mind of the soul") would leave his body andretrieve knowledge from the spiritual realm where allsubconscious minds are connected [4][5][6][7][8]. He is the mostdocumented psychic of all time, with more than 300 bookswritten about him and his material [9][10]. A nonprofitorganization, the Association for Research andEnlightenment,[11][12][13] was founded to store and facilitate thestudy of the Cayce material. A biographer gave him the nicknameThe Sleeping Prophet.

Cayce is also notable for his contributions to the notions of dietand health, particularly the issues of food combining,acid/alkaline diet, and the therapeutic use of food.

Some consider him the true founder and a principal source of themost characteristic beliefs of the New Age movement.[14]

BiographyEarly life1893–1912: Kentucky period1912–1923: Selma, Alabama period1923–1925: Dayton, Ohio period1925–1945: Virginia Beach period

Claimed psychic abilitiesSupporters

Wesley Harrington Ketchum

Controversy and criticismControversyCriticism

See alsoReferencesFurther readingExternal links

Contents

Parent(s) Leslie B. Cayce Carrie Cayce

Website edgarcayce.org (http://www.edgarcayce.org/)

Edgar Cayce was born on March 18, 1877, near Beverly, south ofHopkinsville, Kentucky. He was one of six children of farmers Carrie Elizabeth (née Major)[15] andLeslie Burr Cayce.[16] As a child, he played with the 'little folk'[17] and was alleged to have seen hisdeceased grandfather. He regarded them all as incorporeal because he could see through them if helooked hard enough. However, he found it very difficult to keep his mind on his lessons at school.[18]

He was taken to church when he was 10, and from then he read the Bible, becoming engrossed, andcompleting a dozen readings by the time he was 12. In May 1889, while reading the Bible in his hut inthe woods, he 'saw' a woman with wings who told him that his prayers were answered, and asked himwhat he wanted most of all. He was frightened, but he said that most of all he wanted to help others,especially sick children. He decided he would like to be a missionary.[19]

The next night, after a complaint from the school teacher, his father ruthlessly tested him for spelling,eventually knocking him out of his chair with exasperation. At that point, Cayce 'heard' the voice of thelady who had appeared the day before. She told him that if he could sleep a little 'they' could help him.He begged for a rest and put his head on the spelling book. When his father came back into the room andwoke him up, he knew all the answers. In fact, he could repeat anything in the book. His father thoughthe had been fooling before and knocked him out of the chair again. Eventually, Cayce used all his schoolbooks that way.[20]

By 1892, the teacher regarded Cayce as his best student. On being questioned, Cayce told the teacher thathe saw pictures of the pages in the books. His father became proud of this accomplishment and spread itaround, resulting in Cayce becoming "different" from his peers.[21]

Shortly after this, Cayce exhibited an ability to diagnose in his sleep. He was struck on the base of thespine by a ball in a school game, after which he began to act very strangely, and eventually was put tobed. He went to sleep and diagnosed the cure, which his family prepared and which cured him as heslept. His father boasted that his son was, "the greatest fellow in the world when he's asleep."[22]

However, this ability was not demonstrated again for several years.[23]

Cayce's uncommon personality is also shown in an unusual incident in which he rode a certain mule backto the farmhouse at the end of a work day. This stunned everyone there, as the mule could not be ridden.The owner, thinking it may be time to break the animal in again, attempted to mount it but wasimmediately thrown off. Cayce left for his family in the city that evening.[24]

In December 1893, the Cayce family moved to Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and occupied 705 West Seventhon the southeast corner of Seventh and Young Streets. During this time, Cayce received an eighth-gradeeducation, is said by the Association for Research and Enlightenment to have developed psychicabilities,[25] and left the family farm to pursue various forms of employment.

Biography

Early life

1893–1912: Kentucky period

Cayce's education stopped in the ninth grade because his family could not afford the costs involved.[26] Aninth-grade education was often considered more than sufficient for working-class children. Much of theremainder of Cayce's younger years would be characterized by a search for both employment and money.On March 14, 1897, Cayce became engaged to Gertrude Evans.

Throughout his life, Cayce was drawn to church as a member of the Disciples of Christ. He read theBible once a year every year, taught at Sunday school,[27] and recruited missionaries. He said he couldsee auras around people, spoke to angels, and heard voices of departed relatives. In his early years, heagonized over whether these psychic abilities were spiritually delivered from the highest source.[28]

In 1900, Cayce formed a business partnership with his father to sell Woodmen of the World Insurance;however, in March he was struck by severe laryngitis that resulted in a complete loss of speech.[26]

Unable to work, he lived at home with his parents for almost a year. He then decided to take up the tradeof photography, an occupation that would exert less strain on his voice. He began an apprenticeship at thephotography studio of W. R. Bowles in Hopkinsville, and eventually became quite talented in histrade.[29]

In 1901, a traveling stage hypnotist and entertainer named Hart, who referred to himself as "The LaughMan", was performing at the Hopkinsville Opera House. Hart heard about Cayce's condition and offeredto attempt a cure. Cayce accepted his offer, and the experiment was conducted in the office of ManningBrown, the local throat specialist. Cayce's voice allegedly returned while in a hypnotic trance butdisappeared on awakening. Hart tried a posthypnotic suggestion that the voice would continue to functionafter the trance, but this proved unsuccessful.[30][31]

Since Hart had appointments at other cities, he could not continue his hypnotic treatments of Cayce, butadmitted he had failed because Cayce would not go into the third stage of hypnosis to take a suggestion.A New York hypnotist, Dr Quackenboss, found the same impediment but, after returning to New York,suggested that Cayce should be prompted to take over his own case while in the second stage ofhypnosis. The only local hypnotist, Al Layne, offered to help Cayce restore his voice.[32] Laynesuggested that Cayce describe the nature of his condition and cure while in a hypnotic trance.[30] Caycedescribed his own ailment from a first-person plural point of view: "we" instead of the singular "I".[30] Insubsequent sessions, when Cayce wanted to indicate that the connection was made to the "entity" of theperson that was requesting the reading, he would generally start off with, "We have the body." Accordingto the reading for the "entity" of Cayce, his voice loss was due to psychological paralysis, and could becorrected by increasing the blood flow to the voice box. Layne suggested that the blood flow beincreased and Cayce's face supposedly became flushed with blood, and both his chest and throat turnedbright red.[30] After 20 minutes, Cayce, still in a trance, declared the treatment over. On awakening, hisvoice was alleged to have remained normal. Apparently, relapses occurred, but were said to have beencorrected by Layne in the same way, and eventually the cure was said to be permanent.

Layne had read of similar hypnotic cures by the Marquis de Puységur, a follower of Franz Mesmer, andwas keen to explore the limits of the healing knowledge involved with the trance voice.[33] He askedCayce to describe Layne's own ailments and suggest cures, and reportedly found the results both accurateand effective. Layne regarded the ability as clairvoyance. Layne suggested that Cayce offer his trancehealing to the public. Cayce was reluctant as he had no idea what he was prescribing while asleep, andwhether the remedies were safe. He also told Layne he himself did not want to know anything about thepatient as it was not relevant. He finally agreed, on the condition that readings would be free. He began,with Layne's help, to offer free treatments to the townspeople. Layne described Cayce's method as, "... a

self-imposed hypnotic trance which induces clairvoyance."[34] Reports of Cayce's work appeared in thenewspapers, which inspired many postal inquiries.[35] Cayce stated he could work just as effectivelyusing a letter from the individual as with the person being present in the room. Given only the person'sname and location, Cayce said he could diagnose the physical and mental conditions of what he termed"the entity," and then provide a remedy. Cayce was still reticent and worried, as "one dead patient was allhe needed to become a murderer". His fiancée, Gertrude Evans, agreed with him. Few people knew whathe was up to. There was a common belief at the time that subjects of hypnosis eventually went insane, orat least that their health suffered.[36] Cayce soon became famous, and people from around the worldsought his advice through correspondence.

In May 1902 he got a bookshop job in the town of Bowling Green where he boarded with some youngprofessionals, two of whom were doctors.[37] He lost his voice while there and Layne came to help effectthe normal cure, finally visiting every week. Cayce, still worried, kept the meetings secret, and continuedto refuse money for his readings. He invented a card game called Pit or Board of Trade, simulating wheatmarket trading, that became popular, but when he sent the idea to a game company they copyrighted itand he got no returns. He still refused to give readings for money.[38]

Cayce and Gertrude Evans married on June 17, 1903, and she moved to Bowling Green with him. Theyhad three children: Hugh Lynn Cayce (March 16, 1907 – July 4, 1982), Milton Porter Cayce (March 28,1911 – May 17, 1911), and Edgar Evans Cayce (February 9, 1918 – February 15, 2013).[16][39] She stilldisapproved of the readings, and Cayce still agonized over the morality of them. A few days later Laynerevealed the activity to the professionals at the boarding house, one of whom was a magistrate andjournalist, after which state medical authorities forced Layne to close his practice. He left to acquireosteopathic qualifications in Franklin. Cayce and Gertrude accepted the resulting publicity as best theycould, greatly aided by the diplomacy of the young doctors.[40]

Cayce and a relative opened a photographic studio in Bowling Green, while the doctors formed acommittee with some colleagues to investigate the phenomenon, with Cayce’s co-operation. All theexperiments confirmed the accuracy of the readings. However, Cayce refused a lucrative offer to go intobusiness. After a violent examination by doctors while in a trance, Cayce refused any moreinvestigations, declaring that he would only do readings for those who needed help and believed in thereadings.[41]

In 1906 and 1907 fires burned down his two photographic studios, leading to bankruptcy. Between thetwo fires, his first son was born on March 16, 1907. He became debt free by 1909, although completelybroke, and ready to start again. In 1907, outstanding diagnostic successes in the family helped hisconfidence. He again refused an offer to go into business, this time with homeopath Wesley H. Ketchumfrom Hopkinsville, who was introduced by his father. He found a job at the H. P. Tresslar photographyfirm.[42]

However, Ketchum was persistent, spread information in various medical circles, and in October 1910got written up in the press. When a reporter contacted Cayce, he explained to the reporter that hesomehow had the ability to easily go into the intuitive sleep when he wanted to, and this was differentfrom how he went to sleep normally like everyone else. When asked the mechanism of the readings viathe sleep method, they were told that it happened via the capabilities of the subconscious mind.[43]

Ketchum again urged Cayce to join a business company. After soul searching the whole night, Caycefinally accepted the offer under certain conditions, including that he did not take money for the readings.Instead the company was to furnish him with a photographic studio for his livelihood, and build a

separate office for the readings. The contract was modified to give 50% of the earnings to Cayce and hisfather. Cayce read the back readings, but they contained so many technical terms that he gained no moreunderstanding of what he was doing. He preferred to put the readings on a more scientific basis, but onlythe doctors in Hopkinsville would cooperate, whereas most of the patients were not in that locality. Also,doctors from all specialties were needed as the treatments prescribed varied widely.[44]

Edgar Cayce, and especially Gertrude, still did not give therapeutic priority to the readings andsupposedly lost their second child due to this reticence. When Gertrude became fatally ill withtuberculosis, they used the readings after the doctor had given up. Miraculously, the treatment cured her.Shortly after this, in 1912, Cayce, whose everyday conscious mind was not aware during the readings,discovered that Ketchum had not been honest about them, and had also used them to gamble for finance.He argued in defense that the medical profession were not backing them. Cayce quit the companyimmediately and went back to the Tresslar photography firm in Selma, Alabama.[45]

Cayce's work grew in volume as his fame grew. He asked forvoluntary donations to support himself and his family so that hecould practice full-time. To help raise money he invented Pit, acard game based on the commodities trading at the ChicagoBoard of Trade, and the game is still sold today. He continued towork in an apparent trance state with a hypnotist all his life. Hiswife and eldest son later replaced Layne in this role. A secretary,Gladys Davis, recorded his readings in shorthand.[35]

The growing fame of Cayce along with the popularity he receivedfrom newspapers attracted several eager commercially mindedmen who wanted to seek a fortune by using his clairvoyantabilities. Even though Cayce was reluctant to help them, he waspersuaded to give his readings, which left him dissatisfied withhimself and unsuccessful. A cotton merchant offered him ahundred dollars a day for his readings about the daily outcomes inthe cotton market; however, despite his poor finances, Caycerefused the merchant's offer.[46] Some wanted to know where tohunt for treasures while others wanted to know the outcome ofhorse races.[47] Several times he was persuaded to give suchreadings as an experiment. However, when he used his ability forsuch purposes, he did no better than chance alone would dictate.These experiments allegedly left him depleted of energy, distraught, and unsatisfied with himself. Finally,he decided to use his gift only to help the distressed and sick.[35]

In 1923, Arthur Lammers, a wealthy printer and student of metaphysics, persuaded Cayce to givereadings on philosophical subjects.[48] Cayce was told by Lammers that, while in his trance state, hespoke of Lammers' past lives and of reincarnation, something Lammers believed in. Reincarnation was apopular subject of the day but is not an accepted part of Christian doctrine. Because of this, Caycequestioned his stenographer about what he said in his trance state and remained unconvinced. Hechallenged Lammers' charge that he had validated astrology and reincarnation in the following dialogue:

1912–1923: Selma, Alabama period

Building (second from left) indowntown Selma, Alabama, whereCayce lived and worked from 1912 to1923.

Cayce: I said all that?... I couldn't have said all that inone reading.Lammers: No. But you confirmed it. You see, I havebeen studying metaphysics for years, and I was ableby a few questions, by the facts you gave, to checkwhat is right and what is wrong with a whole lot of thestuff I've been reading. The important thing is that thebasic system which runs through all the mysteryreligions, whether they come from Tibet or thepyramids of Egypt, is backed up by you. It's actuallythe right system.[49]

Cayce's stenographer recorded the following:

In this we see the plan of development of thoseindividuals set upon this plane, meaning the ability toenter again into the presence of the Creator andbecome a full part of that creation.Insofar as this entity is concerned, this is the thirdappearance on this plane, and before this one, as themonk. We see glimpses in the life of the entity now aswere shown in the monk, in this mode of living. Thebody is only the vehicle ever of that spirit and soul that waft through all times and everremain the same.

Cayce was quite unconvinced that he had been referring to the doctrine of reincarnation, and the bestLammers could offer was that the reading "opens up the door" and to go on to share his beliefs andknowledge with Cayce.[50] Lammers had come to him with quite a bit of information of his own to sharewith Cayce and seemed intent upon convincing Cayce now that he felt the reading had confirmed hisstrongly-held beliefs.[51] Twelve years earlier Cayce had briefly alluded to reincarnation. In reading4841–1, given April 22, 1911, Cayce referred to the soul being "transmigrated." Because Cayce'sreadings were not systematically recorded until 1923, it is possible that he may have mentionedreincarnation in other earlier readings.

Lammers asked Cayce to come to Dayton to pursue metaphysical truth via the readings. Cayceeventually agreed and went to Dayton. Gertrude Cayce was dubious but interested. There, Cayceproduced much metaphysical information, which Cayce tried to reconcile with Christianity. Lammersdeclared that the fifth chapter of Matthew was the constitution of Christianity and the Sermon on theMount was its Declaration of Independence. It appeared that Cayce's subconscious mind was as much athome with the language of metaphysics as it was with the language of anatomy and medicine.[52]

Cayce reported that his conscience bothered him severely over this conflict. His readings ofreincarnations were going against his biblical teachings and at one point he wanted to cease hischanneling sessions. Once again Cayce lost his voice and in a reading for himself he was informed if hewas no longer going to be a channel, his mission in this life was complete. Ultimately his trance voice,the "we" of the readings, dialogued with Cayce and finally persuaded him to continue with these kinds ofreadings.[53]

Historic marker in front of the building

1923–1925: Dayton, Ohio period

Lammers wanted to ask the purpose of readings of Cayce's clairvoyance, and to put up money for anorganization supporting Cayce's healing methods. Cayce decided to accept the work and asked his familyto join him in Dayton as soon as they could. But by the time the Cayce's had arrived there, near the endof 1923, Lammers found himself in financial difficulties and could be of no use. Many people viewedCayce as of no use. Cayce used his knowledge of the Bible to convince his family that the word of theBible agreed with reincarnation and other metaphysical teachings.[54]

It was at this time Cayce directed his activities to provide readings centred around health. The remediesthat were channeled often involved the use of unusual electrotherapy, ultraviolet light, diet, massage,gemstones, less mental work and more relaxation in sand on the beach. His remedies were coming underthe scrutiny of the American Medical Association and Cayce felt that it was time to legitimize theoperations with the aid of licensed medical practitioners. In 1925 Cayce reported while in a trance, "thevoice" had instructed him to move to Virginia Beach, Virginia[55] across the street from the beach. Hewas informed that the sand's crystals would have curative properties to promote rapid healing.

Cayce's mature period, in which he created the severalinstitutions that survived him, can be considered to have startedin 1925. By this time he was a professional psychic with a smallnumber of employees and volunteers.[56] The readingsincreasingly came to involve occult or esoteric themes.[57]

Money was extremely scarce, but help came from interestedpersons. The idea of an association and a hospital was mootedagain, but the readings insisted on Virginia Beach, not suitingmost of the people. Gertrude Cayce began to conduct all thereadings. Morton Blumenthal, a young man who worked in the stock exchange in New York with histrader brother, became very interested in the readings, shared Cayce's outlook, and offered to finance thevision in the right spirit. He bought them a house at Virginia Beach.[58]

On May 6, 1927, the Association of National Investigations was incorporated in the state of Virginia.This would manage building the hospital and a scientific study of the readings. Morton was president andhis brother and several others were vice presidents. Cayce was secretary and treasurer, and Gladys wasassistant secretary. To protect against legal prosecution, the rules required any person requesting areading to become a member of the Association and agree they were participating in an experiment inpsychic research. Early in 1928, Dr Moseley Brown, head of the psychology department at Washingtonand Lee University, became convinced of the readings and joined the Association.[59]

On October 11, 1928, the dedication ceremonies for the hospital complex were held. It contained alecture hall, library, vault for storage of the readings, and offices for research workers. There was also alarge living room, a 12-car garage, servants quarters, and a tennis court. It contained "the largest lawn, infact the only lawn, between the Cavalier and Cape Henry." The first patient was admitted the nextday.[60]

This facility would enable consistent checking and rechecking of the remedies, which was Cayce's goal.There were consistent remedies for many of the illnesses regardless of the patient, and Cayce hoped toproduce a compendium that could be used by the medical profession. A distinguished chemist, Dr Sunker

1925–1945: Virginia Beach period

The Cayce Hospital 2006

A. Bisley, DPhil (Oxon), who also used psychic knowledge to produce medicines, collaborated withCayce to produce Atomidine, an absorbable form of iodine, which was perfected and sold.[61]

The basic raison d'etre for all the cures was the "assimilation of needed properties through the digestivesystem, from food taken into the body ... [All treatments, including all schools and types of treatment,were given in order to establish] the proper equilibrium of the assimilating system."[62] Therapies asdivergent as salt packs, poultices, hot compresses, color healing, magnetism, vibrator treatment, massage,osteopathic manipulation, dental therapy, colonics, enemas, antiseptics, inhalants, homeopathics,essential oils, mud baths were prescribed. Substances used included oils, salts, herbs, iodine, witch hazel,magnesia, bismuth, alcohol, castoria, lactated pepsin, turpentine, charcoal, animated ash, soda, cream oftartar, aconite, laudanum, camphor, and gold solution. These were prescribed to overcome conditions thatprevented proper digestion and assimilation of needed nutrients from the prescribed diet. The aim of thereadings was to produce a healthy body, removing the cause of the specific ailment. Readings wouldindicate if the patient's recovery was problematic.[63]

There was a waiting list of months ahead.[64] Blumenthal and Brown went ahead with ambitious plansfor a university as a supplement to the hospital and a "parallel service for the mind and spirit". In fact, itwas to dwarf the hospital and rival other universities in respectability before psychic studies would begin.It was to open on September 22, 1930. On September 16 Blumenthal called a meeting of the Associationresulting in his ownership of the hospital to curb expenses. After the first semester he ceased his supportof the university, and on February 26, 1931, closed down the Association. Cayce removed the files of thereadings from the hospital and took them home.[65]

The Depression years saw Cayce turn his attention to spiritual teachings. In 1931, Edgar Cayce's friendsand family asked him how they could become psychic like him. Out of this seemingly simple questioncame an eleven-year discourse that led to the creation of "Study Groups". From his altered state, Caycerelayed to this group that the purpose of life is not to become psychic, but to become a more spirituallyaware and loving person. Study Group No. 1 was told that they could "bring light to a waiting world" andthat these lessons would still be studied a hundred years into the future. The readings were now aboutdreams, coincidence (synchronicity), developing intuition, karma, the akashic records, astrology, past-liferelationships, soul mates and other esoteric subjects. Hundreds of books have been published about thesereadings.

On June 6, 1931, 61 people attended a meeting to carry on the work and form a new organization calledthe Association for Research and Enlightenment. In July the new association was incorporated, andCayce legally returned the house to Blumenthal and bought another place.[66]

Hugh Lynn proposed that they develop a stock in trade rather than something grandiose, and that theybuild a library of research into the phenomena and hold study groups, and that Cayce would do tworeadings a day. The association accepted this, and Hugh Lynn also started a monthly bulletin forassociation members. The bulletin contained readings on general interest subjects, interesting cases, bookreviews on psychic subjects, health hints from readings, and news of psychic phenomena in otherfields.[67]

Hugh Lynn narrowed the mailing list to some 300 members who were genuinely enthusiastic, and as aresult the first annual congress of the association was held in June 1932. He procured speakers on variousmetaphysical and psychic subjects and included public readings by Cayce. Members left the conferenceeager to start study groups in their own localities. Records were kept of everything that went on in thereadings including the attitudes and routines of Cayce. Everything was then checked with the subjects of

the readings, most of whom were not present during the reading, and the data was published in a studyentitled "100 cases of clairvoyance." However, the response from scientists in general was that none ofthe experiments were performed under test conditions.[68] Hugh Lynn continued to build files of casehistories, parallel studies in psychic phenomena, and research readings for the study groups.[69]

Association activities remained simple and un-publicized. Members raised a building fund for an office,library, and vault, which they erected in 1940–41 as a single unit added on to the Cayce residence.[70] Nosign guided visitors to the centre. Association membership averaged 500 to 600. The turnover from yearto year was approximately half this total. The other half remained a solid basis for the research work, anaudience for case studies, pamphlets, bulletins—and the Congress bulletin, which was a yearbook andrecord of congress events. A mailing list of several thousand served people who remained interested inCayce's activities.[71]

Members were drawn from all of the Protestant churches: from the Roman, Greek, Syrian and ArmenianCatholic churches; from Theosophy, Christian Science and Spiritualism; and from many Orientalreligions. Cayce's philosophy was, if it makes you a better member of your church then it's good; if ittakes you away from your church, it's bad. The philosophy of the readings was that truth is one, eachorganization is part of this one, therefore the A.R.E. was not to function as a schism or in opposition toany religious organization. The goal of the work was not something new but something ancient anduniversal.[72]

Both sons entered the forces during the war. They both married, Hugh Lynn in 1941 and Edgar Evans in1942.[73]

In March 1943 the first edition of the only biography written during Cayce's lifetime, by Thomas Sugrue,was published. As a consequence, public demand increased. Office staff had to be increased, and themailman could no longer carry all the mail so Gertrude got it from the post office by car. Hugh Lynn wasaway in the forces, and Cayce coped with the letters and increased his readings to four to six per day.[73]

Cayce gained national prominence in 1943 after the publication of a high-profile article in the magazineCoronet titled "Miracle Man of Virginia Beach".[56] World War II was taking its toll on Americansoldiers and he felt he could not refuse the families who requested help for their loved ones who weremissing in action. He increased the frequency of his readings to eight per day to try to make animpression on the ever-growing pile of requests. He said this took a toll on his health as it wasemotionally draining and often fatigued him. The readings themselves scolded him for attempting toomuch and that he should limit his workload to just two life readings a day or else these good effortswould eventually kill him.[74]

From June 1943 to June 1944, 1,385 readings were taken. By August 1944 Cayce collapsed from strain.When he gave a reading on this situation, the instructions were to rest until he was well or dead. He andGertrude went away to the mountains of Virginia, but in September Edgar Cayce suffered a stroke at theage of 67, in September 1944, and died on January 3, 1945.[75] He is buried in Riverside Cemetery inHopkinsville, Kentucky.[76] Gertrude died 3 months later.[77]

After the death of Cayce, the Association continued the work of classifying and cross-referencing theover 14,000 files of readings that had been taken throughout Cayce's lifetime from March 31, 1901, toSeptember 17, 1944. The results of these have been disseminated through the Association's publicationswith the members as the recipients of this material.[78]

Until September 1923, his readings were not systematically recorded or preserved. However, an articlepublished in the Birmingham Post-Herald on October 10, 1922, quotes Cayce as saying that he had given8,056 readings as of that date and it is known that he gave approximately 13,000–14,000 readings afterthat date. A total of 14,306 are available at the A.R.E. Cayce headquarters in Virginia Beach and on anonline, member-only section along with background information, correspondence, and follow-updocumentation.[79]

Other abilities that have been attributed to Cayce include astral projection, prophesying, mediumship,viewing the Akashic records or "Book of Life", and seeing auras. Cayce said he became interested inlearning more about these subjects after he was informed about the content of his readings, which hereported that he never actually heard himself.[80]

Cayce's clients included a number of famous people such as Woodrow Wilson, Thomas Edison, IrvingBerlin, and George Gershwin.[81]

Gina Cerminara published books such as Many Mansions and The World Within. Brian Weiss published abestseller regarding clinical recollection of past lives, Many Lives, Many Masters. These books providebroad support for spiritualism and reincarnation. Many Mansions elaborates on Cayce's work andsupports his stated abilities with real life examples.

In 1971 Edgar Cayce's sons Edgar Evans Cayce and Hugh Lynn Cayce published a book titled The OuterLimits of Edgar Cayce's Power,[82] claiming Cayce's readings had an approximate 85% success rate. Themajority of the book investigated cases where Cayce's readings were demonstrably incorrect.

Ketchum was a physician who worked with Cayce in the early1900s.[83][84] Ketchum himself was born in Lisbon, Ohio onNovember 11, 1878, to Saunders C. Ketchum and BerthaBennett, and was the oldest of 7 children. He graduated from theCleveland College of Homeopathic Medicine in 1904,[85] andtook up the practice of medicine in Hopkinsville Kentucky. Hepracticed medicine in Hopkinsville until 1912. In 1913 hetraveled across country to San Francisco, and took passage toHonolulu, Hawaii, where he opened a new practice. He returnedto California in 1918, and established an office in Palo AltoCalifornia, practicing medicine there until the 1950s. He retiredto Southern California around 1963, settling in San Marino, justoutside Pasadena. He died on November 28, 1968, in CanogaPark, California.

He wrote The Discovery of Edgar Cayce, published by the A.R.E. Press in 1964.[86]

Claimed psychic abilities

Supporters

Wesley Harrington Ketchum

Wesley Harrington Ketchum

Controversy and criticism

Cayce advocated some controversial ideas in his trance readings. In many trance sessions, he interpretedthe history of life on Earth. One of Cayce's controversial claims was that of polygenism. According toCayce, five human races (white, black, red, brown, and yellow) had been created separately butsimultaneously on different parts of the Earth. Cayce also accepted the existence of aliens and Atlantis,and claimed that "the red race developed in Atlantis and its development was rapid." Another claim byCayce was that "soul-entities" on Earth intermingled with animals to produce "things" such as giants thatwere as much as twelve feet tall.[87]

Historian Olav Hammer wrote that many of Cayce's readings discussed race and skin color and accordingto Hammer, the explanation for this is that Cayce was not a racist but was influenced by the occult ideasof Madame Blavatsky.[88]

In his 2003 book The Skeptic's Dictionary, philosopher and skeptic Robert Todd Carroll wrote, "Cayce isone of the main people responsible for some of the sillier notions about Atlantis." Carroll mentionedsome of Cayce's ideas, including his belief in a giant solar crystal, activated by the sun, and used toharness energy and provide power on Atlantis, and his prediction that in 1958, the United States wouldrediscover a death ray that had been used on Atlantis.[89]

In the 1930s, Cayce also incorrectly predicted that North America would experience chaos: "LosAngeles, San Francisco... will be among those that will be destroyed before New York". These eventswere to have happened "in the period of '58 to '98".[90]

Skeptics challenge Cayce's alleged psychic abilities.[91][92] Some medical health experts are critical ofCayce's unorthodox treatments, which they regard as quackery.[93][94]

Some science writers and skeptics have suggested that the evidence for Cayce's alleged psychic powerscomes from contemporaneous newspaper articles, affidavits, anecdotes, testimonials, and books. MartinGardner, for example, wrote that while Cayce's trances did happen, most of the information from histrances was derived from books that Cayce had been reading by authors such as Carl Jung, P. D.Ouspensky, and Helena Blavatsky. Gardner's hypothesis was that the trance readings of Cayce contain,"little bits of information gleaned from here and there in the occult literature, spiced with occasionalnovelties from Cayce's unconscious."[95]

Michael Shermer writes in Why People Believe Weird Things, "Uneducated beyond the ninth grade,Cayce acquired his broad knowledge through voracious reading and from this he wove elaboratetales."[96] Shermer wrote that, "Cayce was fantasy-prone from his youth, often talking with angels andreceiving visions of his dead grandfather." Magician James Randi has said that "Cayce was fond ofexpressions like 'I feel that' and 'perhaps'—qualifying words used to avoid positive declarations."Examination of the readings do not show qualifying terms.[97]

Investigator Joe Nickell has noted:

Although Cayce was never subjected to proper testing, ESP pioneer Joseph B. Rhine ofDuke University – who should have been sympathetic to Cayce's claims – was unimpressed.A reading that Cayce gave for Rhine's daughter was notably inaccurate. Frequently, Cayce

Controversy

Criticism

was even wider off the mark, as when he provided diagnoses of subjects who had died sincethe letters requesting the readings were sent.[98]

Science writer Karen Stollznow has written:

The reality is that his cures were hearsay and his treatments were folk remedies that wereuseless at best and dangerous at worse ... Cayce wasn't able to cure his own cousin, or hisown son who died as a baby. Many of Cayce's readings took place after the patient hadalready died.[99]

Traditional Christians are critical[100] of Cayce's views on issues such as reincarnation,[101] oneness,[102]

and the Akashic records.[103]

Atlantic UniversityNew Age SpiritualityNostradamusSleeping preacher

1. "Edgar Cayce – The Early Years - Museums of Hopkinsville" (http://www.museumsofhopkinsville.org/edgar-cayce/).

2. "The strange tale of Edgar Cayce, Alabama's Sleeping Prophet - AL" (https://www.al.com/living/2017/10/the_tale_of_edgar_cayce_alabam.html). Oct 30, 2017

3. "NUMBER OF EDGAR CAYCE FOLLOWERS CONTINUES TO SHOW LARGEINCREASES - Daily Press" (https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-19890319-1989-03-19-8903190064-story.html). March 19, 1989

4. Dreams And Visions by Edgar Cayce - Google Books (https://books.google.com/books?id=DuLAcOOSexIC&pg=PA68&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false). ARE Press,2009

5. The Outer Limits of Edgar Cayce's Power - Google Books (https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Outer_Limits_of_Edgar_Cayce_s_Power/JW_BBAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=subconscious+edgar+cayce&pg=PT60&printsec=frontcover).

6. Edgar Cayce on Angels, Archangels and the Unseen Forces - Google Books (https://www.google.com/books/edition/Edgar_Cayce_on_Angels_Archangels_and_the/ZUSX0u883uEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=subconscious+edgar+cayce&pg=PA41&printsec=frontcover).

7. Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records - Google Books (https://books.google.com/books?id=wkg8QyWAKgwC&dq=Edgar+Cayce+on+the+Akashic+Records&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwirnMuRh-fnAhWLJzQIHanuArgQ6AEwAXoECAMQAg).

8. "Mystic Edgar Cayce Explains the Akashic Records - Omega Institute for Holistic Studies"(https://www.eomega.org/article/mystic-edgar-cayce-explains-the-akashic-records).

9. "The psychic and the solar eclipse: Edgar Cayce's grave lies in the path of totality -Washington Post" (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/08/20/the-psychic-and-the-solar-eclipse-edgar-cayces-grave-lies-in-the-path-of-totality/). August 20, 2017

See also

References

10. Dreams And Visions by Edgar Cayce - Google Books (https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dreams_Visions/DuLAcOOSexIC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=edgar+cayce+most+documented+psychic+all+time&pg=PA7&printsec=frontcover).

11. "About A.R.E. and Our Mission" (http://www.edgarcayce.org/are/edgarcayce.aspx?id=1036). Association for Research and Enlightenment. Retrieved December 18, 2011.

12. "Meet the woman in charge of archiving for Virginia Beach's most famous psychic - TheVirginian-Pilot" (https://www.pilotonline.com/history/article_ae9a6d3e-7880-11e8-b745-9fea9e81852a.html).

13. "Stories of the Supernatural: Edgar Cayce A.R.E. in Virginia Beach - 13newsnow" (https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/daybreak/stories-of-the-supernatural-edgar-cayce-are-in-virginia-beach/291-487451958).

14. York, Michael (1995). The Emerging Network: A Sociology of the New Age and Neo-PaganMovements. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 60. ISBN 0-8476-8001-0.

15. "Carrie Elizabeth Major Cayce (1855–1927) – Find A..." (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/88291563/carrie-elizabeth-cayce) www.findagrave.com.

16. "Chronology" (http://www.edgarcayce.org/are/edgarcayce.aspx?id=1971). Association forResearch and Enlightenment. Retrieved December 18, 2011.

17. Sugrue, Thomas (1942). There Is a River. Virginia Beach, VA: A.R.E. Press (50thAnniversary edition). p. 37. ISBN 0876042353.

18. Sugrue 2003, pp. 35–40.19. Sugrue 2003, pp. 41–46.20. Sugrue 2003, pp. 46–9.21. Sugrue 2003, p. 52.22. Sugrue 2003, pp. 52–54.23. Sugrue 2003, p. 118.24. Sugrue 2003, p. 67.25. "About Edgar Cayce" (https://web.archive.org/web/20130626070913/http://www.edgarcayc

e.org/are/edgarcayce.aspx). Association for Research and Enlightenment. Archived fromthe original (http://www.edgarcayce.org/are/edgarcayce.aspx) on June 26, 2013. RetrievedDecember 19, 2011.

26. Cerminara, Gina (1999). "The Medical Clairvoyance of Edgar Cayce". Many Mansions.p. 13.

27. Bowden, Henry Warner (1993). Dictionary of American Religious Biography (SecondEdition, Revised and Enlarged ed.). Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-313-27825-9.

28. Sugrue, Thomas (1942). There Is a River. Virginia Beach, VA: A.R.E. Press (50thAnniversary edition). p. 45. ISBN 0876042353.

29. Sugrue 2003, pp. 111–112.30. Cerminara, Gina (1999). "The Medical Clairvoyance of Edgar Cayce". Many Mansions.

p. 14.31. Sugrue 2003, p. 116.32. Sugrue 2003, pp. 116–12033. Cerminara, Gina (1999). "The Medical Clairvoyance of Edgar Cayce". Many Mansions.

p. 15.34. Sugrue 2003, pp. 123–3.35. Cerminara, Gina (1999). "The Medical Clairvoyance of Edgar Cayce". Many Mansions.

p. 19.36. Sugrue 2003, pp. 125–6.37. Sugrue 2003, pp. 127–129.

38. Sugrue 2003, pp. 134–5.39. The Virginian Pilot (obituaries) Feb 19, 201340. Sugrue 2003, pp. 137–142.41. Sugrue 2003, pp. 146–157.42. Sugrue 2003, pp. 161–175.43. Sugrue 2003, pp. 175–8.44. Sugrue 2003, pp. 180–190.45. Sugrue 2003, pp. 191–210.46. Smith, A. Robert. My Life as a Seer: The Lost Memoirs. p. 403.47. Cayce, Hugh Lynn (2004). The Outer Limits of Edgar Cayce's Power. p. 71.48. Sugrue 2003, p. 238.49. Sugrue 2003, pp. 237–238.50. Sugrue 2003, p. 240.51. Sugrue 2003, p. 241.52. Sugrue 2003, pp. 234–242.53. Cerminara, Gina (1999). "An answer to the Riddles of Life". Many Mansions. pp. 25–28.54. Sugrue 2003, pp. 243–264.55. Auken, John Van (2005). Edgar Cayce on the Revelation. "Eventually Edgar Cayce,

following advice from his own readings, moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia, and set up ahospital"

56. Miller, Timothy (1995). America's Alternative Religions. SUNY Press. p. 354.57. Sugrue 2003, ch. 20.58. Sugrue 2003, pp. 267–8.59. Sugrue 2003, pp. 274–277.60. Sugrue 2003, pp. 281–5.61. Sugrue 2003, pp. 285–8.62. Sugrue 2003, pp. 290–1.63. Sugrue 2003, pp. 290–300.64. Sugrue 2003, pp. 295, 300.65. Sugrue 2003, pp. 306–316.66. Sugrue 2003, pp. 317–320.67. Sugrue 2003, pp. 324–328.68. Sugrue 2003, pp. 330–333.69. Sugrue 2003, p. 343.70. Sugrue 2003, pp. 346–7, 35471. Sugrue 2003, pp. 346–7.72. Sugrue 2003, pp. 348–350.73. Sugrue 2003, p. 355.74. Callahan, Kathy L. (2004). In The Image of God and the Shadow of Demons: A

Metaphysical Study Of Good And Evil. Trafford Publishing. p. 162.75. Browne, Sylvia; Harrison, Lindsay. Prophecy: What the Future Holds for You. p. 67.76. "Grave of Famous Prophet Edgar Cayce" (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/12606).

RoadsideAmerica.com. Retrieved June 30, 2010.77. Sugrue 2003, pp. 335–6.78. Sugrue 2003, pp. 356–7.79. EdgarCayce.org

80. Bro, Harmon Hartzell. Edgar Cayce: A Seer out of Season, Aquarian Press, London, 1990.81. Edgar Cayce: an American prophet, Sidney Kirkpatrick, 200082. Evans., Cayce, Edgar. The outer limits of Edgar Cayce's power (https://archive.org/details/o

uterlimitsofedg00cayc). Cayce, Hugh Lynn (First ed.). New York. ISBN 1931044686.OCLC 148598 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/148598).

83. The Story of Edgar Cayce: There Is a River – Thomas Sugrue – Google Books (https://books.google.com/books?id=Uo_WpADB9_gC&pg=PA180-IA6&lpg=PA180-IA6&dq=Wesley+Harrington+Ketchum&source=bl&ots=b1fca1WSYU&sig=oUNIalki2fuKOXSxcwwaM60rJ5A&hl=en&sa=X&ei=MeKHU7zrOdOSqgajsoGQCQ&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q=Wesley%20Harrington%20Ketchum&f=false). Books.google.com. Retrieved June 1, 2014.

84. The Reincarnation of Edgar Cayce?: Interdimensional Communication and Global ... –Wynn Free, David Wilcock – Google Books (https://books.google.com/books?id=zJH__A8xgDgC&pg=PA126&lpg=PA126&dq=Wesley+Harrington+Ketchum&source=bl&ots=nq93POjRJj&sig=8CSv55s8WZZdoH6M1R53q92WV5A&hl=en&sa=X&ei=2eGHU_SRLpOQqAbOn4DQBg&ved=0CFYQ6AEwDw#v=onepage&q=Wesley%20Harrington%20Ketchum&f=false).Books.google.com. June 15, 2010. Retrieved June 1, 2014.

85. "Original Articles" (https://books.google.com/books?id=KGZYAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA252&lpg=PA252&dq=wesley+harrington+ketchum&source=bl&ots=P1zXeUJwBt&sig=AWVEEFSWTUGavU3oN0rOmLaIuJ0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=BmyLU-ymDpPqoAT4yICoCA&ved=0CEIQ6AEwCg). Cleveland Medical and Surgical Reporter. 12: 252.

86. "The discovery of Edgar Cayce, (Book, 1964)" (http://www.worldcat.org/title/discovery-of-edgar-cayce/oclc/3537711). [WorldCat.org]. February 22, 1999. Retrieved June 1, 2014.

87. Orser, Charles E. (2004). Race and Practice in Archaeological Interpretation. p. 68.University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 978-0-8122-3750-4

88. Hammer, Olav. (2001). Claiming Knowledge: Strategies of Epistemology from Theosophy tothe New Age. Brill Academic Publishing. p. 114 and the footnote at the bottom of the page.ISBN 978-9004120167

89. Carroll, Robert Todd. (2003). The Skeptic's Dictionary. Wiley. p. 69. ISBN 0-471-27242-690. "American Prophecy – 4" (http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/profecias/esp_profecia01h4.ht

m). www.bibliotecapleyades.net. Retrieved November 7, 2016.91. Gardner, Martin (1957). Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science. Dover Publications.

pp. 216–219 (https://archive.org/details/fadsfallaciesint00gard/page/216). ISBN 0-486-20394-8.

92. Randi, James (1982). The Truth About Uri Geller. Prometheus Books. p. 195. ISBN 0-87975-199-1. "The matter of Edgar Cayce boils down to a vague mass of garbled data,interpreted by true believers who have a very heavy stake in the acceptance of the claims.Put to the test, Cayce is found to be bereft of powers. His reputation today rests on poorand deceptive reporting of the claims made by him and his followers, and such claims donot stand up to examination."

93. Renner, John H. (1990). HealthSmarts: How to Spot the Quacks, Avoid the Nonsense, andGet the Facts that Affect Your Health. Health Facts Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 978-0962614507"Some quacks, such as Edgar Cayce, attributed their powers to God. Cayce, who made hisdiagnoses while in trance, claimed that his healing powers came from God. To treat patientshe used spinal manipulation as well as Red Bug Juice and Oil of Smoke in his cures."

94. Raso, Jack. The Legacies of Edgar Cayce (http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/cayce.html). Quackwatch. Retrieved January 18, 2017.

95. Johnson, K. Paul. (1998). Edgar Cayce in Context: The Readings, Truth and Fiction. StateUniversity of New York Press. p. 23. ISBN 978-0791439067

96. Michael Shermer. Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, andOther Confusions of Our Time, 2002, ISBN 0-8050-7089-3

Beyerstein, Dale. (1996). Edgar Cayce. In Encyclopedia of the Paranormal edited byGordon Stein. Prometheus Books. pp. 146–153. ISBN 1-57392-021-5Cayce, Edgar Evans. Edgar Cayce on Atlantis, New York: Hawthorn, 1968, ISBN 0-312-96153-7Cerminara, Gina. Many Mansions: The Edgar Cayce Story on Reincarnation. orig. 1950,Signet Book, reissue edition 1990, ISBN 0-451-16817-8Kirkpatrick, Sidney D. An American Prophet, Riverhead Books, 2000, ISBN 1-57322-139-2Kittler, Glenn D. Edgar Cayce on the Dead Sea Scrolls, Warner Books, 1970, ISBN 0-446-90035-4Puryear, Herbert B. The Edgar Cayce Primer: Discovering The Path to Self-Transformation,Bantam Books, New York, Toronto, Copyright © September 1982 by Association forResearch and Enlightenment, Inc. ISBN 0-553-25278-XStearn, Jess. The Sleeping Prophet, Bantam Books, 1967, ISBN 0-553-26085-5Sugrue, Thomas. There Is a River, A.R.E. Press, 2003, ISBN 9780876044483Todeschi, Kevin, Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records, 1998, ISBN 978-0-87604-401-8

Edgar Cayce's Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.) (http://www.edgarcayce.org/)Edgar Cayce Canada (E.C.C.) (http://www.edgarcaycecanada.com/)An American Prophet (http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/WhosCounting/story?id=98538&page=1) from ABC NewsEdgar Cayce (http://skepdic.com/cayce.html) – The Skeptic's DictionaryWhat's the scoop on Edgar Cayce, the "Sleeping Prophet" (http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1874/whats-the-scoop-on-edgar-cayce-the-sleeping-prophet) – The StraightDope

97. Nickell, Joe. (1992). Missing Pieces: How to Investigate Ghosts, UFOs, Psychics, & OtherMysteries. Prometheus Books. p. 159. ISBN 0-87975-729-9

98. Nickell, Joe. (1993). Looking for a Miracle: Weeping Icons, Relics, Stigmata, Visions &Healing Cures. Prometheus Books. p. 159. ISBN 1-57392-680-9

99. Stollznow, Karen. (2014). Language Myths, Mysteries and Magic. Palgrave Macmillan. p103. ISBN 978-1-137-40484-8

100. Gleghorn, Michael (2002). "The Worldview of Edgar Cayce" (https://www.probe.org/the-worldview-of-edgar-cayce/). Probe Ministries. Retrieved January 5, 2014.

101. "Reincarnation Past Lives" (https://web.archive.org/web/20041210121332/http://edgarcayce.org/Reincarnation-Past-Lives/Reincarnation-Past-Lives.htm). Edgar Cayce's Associationfor Research and Enlightenment. Archived from the original (http://www.edgarcayce.org/Reincarnation-Past-Lives/Reincarnation-Past-Lives.htm) on December 10, 2004. RetrievedJanuary 5, 2014.

102. "Edgar Cayce and Oneness" (http://www.edgarcayce.org/about-us/blog/blog-posts/edgar-cayce-on-the-oneness-of-spirituality). Edgar Cayce's Association for Research andEnlightenment. 2004. Retrieved October 6, 2016.

103. "Akashic Records—The Book of Life" (http://www.edgarcayce.org/are/spiritualGrowth.aspx?id=2078). Edgar Cayce's Association for Research and Enlightenment. RetrievedJanuary 5, 2014.

Further reading

External links

Article by (http://www.wholeearth.com/issue/1160/article/330/edgar.cayce)Shirley Abicair, inthe Whole Earth Catalog, June 1971

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