Edgar Cayce

Edgar Cayce (March 18, 1877 – January 3, 1945), (the surname is pronounced like "Casey") is generally remembered as an American psychic who gave trance discourses on subjects like astrology, reincarnation, and Atlantis. He may have been the source for the idea that California would fall into the ocean (though he never said exactly this). Although Cayce lived before the emergence of the New Age movement, he remains a major influence on its teachings.

Biography

Edgar Cayce was born into a farming family on March 18,1877 near Beverly, seven miles south of Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

Related Topics:
March 18 - 1877 - Hopkinsville, Kentucky

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

One convenient way to divide Cayce's life is according to geography:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1877 to 1920--the Kentucky period.

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 a 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).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

His education stopped with the eighth grade, not because Cayce was stupid (quite the opposite) but because high schools cost money which he and his family did not have. 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.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Throughout his life Cayce was drawn to church life as a member of the Disciples of Christ. He read the Bible once for every year of his life, taught 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.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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 voice on April 18.

Related Topics:
1900 - Insurance - Laryngitis

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Unable to work, he lived at home with his parents for almost a year. He then decided to take up photography as he hoped this work would make little demand on his voice. He began an apprenticeship in the photography studio of W. R. Bowles at the corner of Ninth and Virginia streets in Hopkinsville.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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. 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.

Related Topics:
Hypnotist - 1901

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hart moved out town but another local hypnotist, Al Layne offered to continue to work with Cayce to restore 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.

Related Topics:
Psychological paralysis - Chest

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Layne had read of similar hypnotic cures effected by De Puysegur, 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 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. This began Cayce’s correspondence with people all over the world.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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, took notes. According to some accounts, Cayce had an affair with Ms. Davis later in life.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The trance reading produced a visible strain on Cayce’s health, and he attributed the occasional failure to working under too great a pressure to give a clear reading. He was scrupulous in giving refunds to unsatisfied clients.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1920 to 1923--the Texas period

During this period Cayce separated from his family--and indeed ceased to support them--while he pursued riches which never appeared (at least not for him). Several times he attempted to attract investors to various oil exploration projects, by offering his services as a psychic. By all accounts the ventures were rife with dishonesty; to what extent Cayce himself was guilty of such is difficult to know. In later years he would remember these years, when he spoke of them at all, as a time in which he fell far from his ideals.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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.

Related Topics:
1923 - Christian - 1925 - Virginia Beach, Virginia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1925 to 1945--the Virginia Beach period 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 metaphysical or esoteric themes.

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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cayce gained national prominence in 1943 through a high profile article in Coronet. He increased the frequency of his readings to 8 per day to try to keep up with the level of interest but this took a strain on his health.

Related Topics:
1943 - Coronet

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Edgar Cayce died on January 3, 1945.

Related Topics:
January 3 - 1945

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~