So who was the chap in the picture? I think some of you did recognise him – he was Edgar Cayce (1877-1945) one of the most well-known psychics of the twentieth century.
Cayce had the ability to enter an altered state of consciousness (sort of like a sleep state) and channel information for people about their physical ailments, past lives, health and future. During his readings, he also channelled plenty of information about more general metaphysical topics and questions, in addition to guidance about holistic health and wellness. He is thought to have performed 20,000 + readings over the course of his 40 year career, and many of them were documented and are still accessible via his Association for Research & Enlightenment, which has a website and a physical library at its headquarters in Virginia Beach, USA.
His Background & Early Years
Cayce was born into a farming family in Kentucky, and he was one of six children, and the only boy. He grew up with a Christian background (and he remained a regular churchgoer and devout Christian throughout his life).
As a child, he displayed some unusual skills, such as mediumship (he was able to communicate with his deceased grandfather, Thomas Jefferson Cayce, who died when the boy was five years old.) And it was claimed he was able to absorb information from his school books while in a sleep state, without needing to actually read the material.
He left school at 16 to earn a living, and he had many jobs and ventures that he was involved with. First he worked on his grandmother’s farm. After his grandmother’s death, he found work in a bookstore, and then a dry goods store. He was also a travelling insurance agent for a while. He met & became engaged to Gertrude Evans in 1897, and they had a six year long engagement while Cayce worked on saving enough money for them to get married & set up a home. Three years into their engagement, his life took an unfortunate turn…
The Beginnings of his Psychic Career
At the age of 23, he lost his voice following a bout of laryngitis. The loss of his voice was expected to last a few days but instead it lasted almost a year. It was around this time that he quit his job as an insurance agent (as he could no longer speak audibly) and trained as a photographer, a career that required less communication.
At this point in his life, he met a travelling hypnotist and showman called Al Layne, who had the idea to try hypnotising Cayce, to see if his voice would come back while he was under hypnosis. It did, but the results did not last – he lost his voice again when he returned to a normal, waking state. A doctor in New York who heard about this experiment and who also believed in clairvoyance, recommended to Layne that he ask Cayce what the solution would be, to his ailment, while under hypnosis. They tried this, with success. Cayce, while under hypnosis, stated that the problem was caused by the subconscious mind cutting off the blood supply slightly to his vocal cords, and this was caused by psychological stress. While under hypnosis, he talked to his subconscious and asked for the blood supply to be restored, and those who witnessed this process, reportedly saw his face and neck grow visibly red and flushed. When he came to, he was cured of his ailment. This was his first reading – on himself.
Al Layne was so struck by this experience that he asked Cayce to research an ailment that was bothering him, with his stomach, and he was also helped by the information Cayce channelled. He started referring his own patients to Cayce, who started giving readings for free to people on their medical ailments. This was the start of his psychic career.
Family Life & Other Work
He married in 1903 and had three sons, one of whom died in infancy. In addition to his work as a psychic, he was also a Sunday School teacher, and he opened a photography studio in 1904, but the studio and its contents (including artwork he held on consignment) were destroyed by fire, twice, once in 1906 and again in 1907, leaving Cayce with large debts to pay off. In 1919, he also had a failed oil seeking venture in Texas, which he was pursuing to try to raise money to open a hospital.
Around 1910, Cayce gained some degree of fame, as his work was publicised in a New York Times article and he continued to be featured in national media in the years that followed. In 1923 Cayce hired a stenographer/secretary to document his readings.
Cayce believed he received his information from the Akashic Records, and also from his subject’s unconscious mind. Throughout the course of his career, he made prophecies, some of which came to pass and others which did not. His two sons, in a book they published about his psychic powers, claimed his readings had an 85% accuracy rate.
Both his wife and his sons were involved with his work, and the A.R.E. (the Edgar Cayce Association for Research & Enlightenment) that was formed in 1931. This Association is still in existence today and on its website, its mission is declared as being to “create opportunities for profound personal change in body, mind and spirit through the wisdom found in the Edgar Cayce material.”
Edgar Cayce – Character
Although he is dismissed by skeptics as a deluded fantasist, in the biographies I have read about him, he comes across as a rather humble and giving person. He never received renumeration for any of his readings, and he was also at times wracked with self-doubt over whether his information was coming from the highest spiritual source. It is clear that he was a very devout Christian, and was motivated by a desire to help those in need.
He died at the age of 67, of a stroke, following a period of over-work. A reading he did for himself around this time warned him to slow down before he killed himself as a result of doing too many readings. His wife, Gertrude Evans, died soon after.
Legacy
Edgar Cayce’s work is still widely read, and he helped to publicise esoteric concepts such as the Akashic Records, past life reincarnation, auras and astral projection. As a result, he is considered one of the founding fathers of the New Age movement. Hundreds of books have been published about his work, and his Association of Research & Enlightenment is still in existence today.
Sources & Links:
The Edgar Cayce Association of Research & Enlightenment
The Edgar Cayce biography There Is a River
Intuitive Hits
Quite a few of you picked up that he had links to metaphysics, learning, research and libraries (this could be both the Akashic record, which is often seen as a “library”, and also the library that was created at the A.R.E. at Virginia Beach). Some picked up on a wife and 2 sons (or 3 if you count the child who passed away.) A couple of people mentioned he grew up on a farm and that his father was abusive. I did read an account of his father hitting him and exploiting his psychic talents as a child, but you’d have to Google it to find out more on that. Overall, I thought there were some pretty good hits on this one, so well done to those who had a go!
How did you do with this one?
Good work as always from you all, and I hope to see you back here soon for the next experiment!
I love these experiments! My notes say: spiritualism, readings, intuitively, knowing, new theories of mind, entrepreneur, business, kind, water, bridge. So I possibly may have even picked up on his biography. Thanks! Also, are you updating and revising the Intuitive course or simply discarding the whole course?
Hi Deborah,
Glad to hear you enjoyed this experiment … Good on you for having a go and getting these hits!
The course will stick around but it will be revised and the format will change. The main 2 changes for the new version are that it will contain video content, and no personal mentoring will accompany the new version (the current version comes with access to a forum for students’ questions & issues.)
Wow, I think I did pretty good! But maybe too good? I have of course heard of Edgar Cayce and A.R.E. but I don’t recall ever seeing a picture of him … at least not that picture. But I have to wonder if an image of him wasn’t in my memory banks somewhere … the Archetypes I picked out all seemed to fit Cayce to a T: Seeker, Protector of Truth, Analyzer, Imparting Information and Communication. I also hit on his connection with metaphysics and goodwill towards his fellow humans. Hmm, I”m either better than I realize or I had some subconscious memory of his picture. On the flip side, my guess about him being Krishnamurti-like was off-base as I don’t think Krishnamurti believed in reincarnation at all. Fun exercise! Thanks Anna!
This was a really fun experiment! Thank you! I learned to trust my gut instinct even if it doesn’t make sense or seem like it’s out of nowhere. I initially picked up a bad feeling like Adolf Hitler, and then quickly realised this was not coming from the person in the photo because I picked up things like caring, intuitive, and kind, as well. After seeing your result, this makes sense! He died right after the fall of the Nazis, and probably was impacted by the energy of Adolf Hitler during the end of his life. Strangely, too, the name Edgar Cayce even came to mind when looking at his photo, but I dismissed it, thinking “he’s say too young to be Edgar Cayce,” not knowing that he died at a young age. So, thank you! I hope you’ll do more of these! Thank you again! I would love to take one of your courses.
I love doing these intuitive reading! I picked up doctor, Carl Jung, children, help, medicine, animal and positive.
I guess I was pretty close! I picked up positive vibes.
Thank you so much for this. I love how you said to not be afraid to write down everything I feel. It really helps get pass the self-doubt.
Hello Anna, I didn’t do the intuitive experiment on this occasion, as he did look familiar to me, but I would like to say what an interesting article you have written.
I found the reaction of skeptics to Edgar Cayce slightly amusing if rather sad, when they dismissed him as a “deluded fantasist”.
Amusing but sad, yes, because in reality many of us know that being a skeptic is in fact, being a deluded fantasist!
I have sometimes been called “deluded” by an arch skeptic friend, possibly many of us have at some time or other, although I think it is more likely to happen to a male, due to a general propensity for males to bury their heads in the sand regarding topics they find uncomfortable.
Another term frequently used by skeptics is to say we are irrational.
I love it when they say that, because it gives me an opportunity to turn it right around and say “Well if there are many, many, people all over the world and at all periods of history who say they can prove continued existence after “death”, then it is entirely irrational to dismiss them out of hand without even investigating the evidence for yourself. It is irrational to prefer to believe that you will become as nothing, just dust when you “die”, when someone can prove otherwise.
Why are skeptics so opposed to the truths of the spirit?, I have often asked myself.
I believe that it is fear of change, fear of re-assessing and re-establishing their view of the world.
At first it seems strange that someone would prefer oblivion to eternal life. But when you think about it, oblivion, for them, would seem an easier option, requiring zero effort, whereas eternal life carries responsibilities and requires continuous improvement to strive towards spiritual purity and love. I believe, though, fortunately, that this becomes much easier as we progress forward.
I occasionally talk to my skeptic friend about the spirit world, as he knows I write spiritual books, and my main aim is not to wholeheartedly convince him of the reality of the spirit world, which I know I will never do as his mind is too tightly shut.
Though my wish is to prevent him from being one of those poor souls who, when they die, just haven’t a clue what has happened, think they must still be alive on earth, and become earthbound, surrounded by an impenetrable barrier that prevents the normal journey of the spirit.
That is what I wish to prevent, I wish to sow the seed, so that when he does pass over, he will think, “Oh, perhaps Paul was right!”
He is my friend after all, and planting just a few seeds here and there should help in the future I feel.
Hello ,
These Learning Experiences are wonderful!
I thought he was somehow connected to the ProAbition. In my notes I wrote something to do with spirits LOL meaning alcohol !
It’s funny how I wrote spirits.
So indirectly I was picking up on that . there were a couple things I got right. This is great , it really helps me open up all my senses.
Thank you ❤️much love ,
Roseann Southern California
Hi, I did really bad on this one, not getting anything right other than the married part. I did get ‘big performances” though. Other experiments I have done mch better with for some reason. Anyway, these experiments are fabulous exercises for testing ones intuition with photographs, thank you!
John – I might have to choose someone even more obscure for the next one! Thanks for taking part!
My “hit” off the picture was this was a man who did was was cut off in some way from reaching his potential.
This paragraph may support this: “He died at the age of 67, of a stroke, following a period of over-work. A reading he did for himself around this time warned him to slow down before he killed himself as a result of doing too many readings. His wife, Gertrude Evans, died soon after.”
I enjoyed reading all of the comments on this reading, especially. So many of you had an interesting read.
Seeing his story here and reading about his channeling makes a lot of sense.
I felt uneasy staring at his photo for too long because it felt like he could still see me, and was staring back.
Does anyone else experience that?
I don’t even know if that’s possible but it’s a very sinking feeling.
You had asked that your participants not reveal who they knew him to be, but one woman all but told everyone who he was. She was excited about getting a correct hit, but it was disappointing for many of us. Hopefully this won’t happen again because these are fun and expanding exercises and we enjoy them. One question: my mother died of Alzheimers. Is that state of confusion there for her after her passing?
Thanks Anna , I enjoy these experiments , I missed the start of this one and jumped in late , the tv was on as I tried this one so I don’t think I gave it my all , however I received strongly ,medical , research ,possibly scientific study , then I drifted to some kind of hospital and possibly working ar treating tuberculosis or some kind of respite environment , so I’m actually quite pleased with my result, I think in his later years cayce started some kind of respite centre or hospital , thanks again , Brett
Paul – thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Thanks all for commenting & letting me know how you did on this one!
Roseann – how funny you wrote down ‘spirits!’ but thought it meant alcohol. Love that!
Toni – glad you enjoyed it even if you weren’t quite right on this one. Some people are easier to read than others.
Kathleen – which comment was that? There shouldn’t be one on there revealing who he is.
We must have missed it somehow. I or my assistant Linda moderate every comment and don’t let any through that reveal who he is. But there is a fine line between getting it right and revealing who he is. Even if people get it right, we sometimes let these through because how will people know it is correct if they don’t know who he is? After all it is just one comment among many. But on some occasions people have been so spot on we don’t let the comment through until the experiment is over.
Brett – great to see you have a go on this one! Yes he tried to start a hospital (that’s why he was involved in the failed oil venture – to try to raise funds.) But it never happened as much as he tried.