Edgar Cayce (1877–1945) was an American psychic who earned the nickname "the sleeping prophet" because he would enter a trance state to answer questions on various subjects, including health, astrology, and reincarnation. He is regarded as the most documented psychic of the 20th century.

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How He Performed Readings

Cayce's method was unique among famous psychics:

The Trance State

Cayce would put himself into a sleep-like state by:

• Lying down on a couch
• Closing his eyes
• Folding his hands over his stomach

In this state of relaxation and meditation, he was able to place his mind in contact with all time and space—the universal consciousness, also known as the super-conscious mind. [1][5]

What He Diagnosed

From this state, Cayce could respond to questions on subjects including:

• Healing and diseases
• Reincarnation
• Dreams and dream interpretation
• The afterlife
• Past lives
• Nutrition
• Atlantis and ancient mysteries
• Future events
• Spiritual growth [1][2]

The Numbers

Over his lifetime, Cayce gave 14,306 readings covering 10,000 different topics. [1][2]

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Acceptance and Credibility

Unlike many psychics, Edgar Cayce gained remarkable acceptance from both the public and some medical professionals:

Medical Recognition

• Cayce worked with doctors including Dr. Wesley Ketchum, who verified many of his diagnoses
• The majority of his readings dealt with holistic health and the treatment of illness
• Many people reportedly received physical relief from illnesses through information given in readings—even some given over 100 years ago [1][2]

Publications and Books

• 1942: Thomas Sugrue's biography "There Is a River (1942)" was published—the only biography written during Cayce's lifetime, which brought national attention to Cayce [4]
• 1950: Gina Cerminara wrote "Many Mansions (1950)" exploring Cayce's work
• 1963: Ruth Montgomery popularized Cayce's predictions about catastrophic events
• 1967: Jess Stearn authored "The Sleeping Prophet (1967)", a bestselling biography [4]

More Cayce Books on Amazon

Influence on New Age Movement

Cayce is regarded as a founder of the New Age movement and a principal source of many of the movement's characteristic beliefs. [4]

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The Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.)

In 1931, Cayce founded the Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.), a non-profit organization still active today. [4][6]

What the A.R.E. Does

The organization continues to preserve and promote Cayce's work:

• Maintains the entire set of 14,306 readings in searchable databases
• Runs a health center and spa in Virginia Beach
• Publishes materials through A.R.E. Press and 4th Dimension Press
• Operates Atlantic University (nonprofit online university with masters in transpersonal studies)
• Runs study groups worldwide
• Hosts lectures and tours [6]

Membership

Prior to Cayce's death in 1945, people seeking a reading were asked to join the A.R.E. This helped insulate Cayce from charges of fortune-telling (illegal in some U.S. states), as he was not directly charging a fee but receiving a salary from the member-supported organization. [6]

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His Philosophy

Cayce claimed no special abilities and never considered himself a prophet:

• He said he was a devout Christian and was not a spiritualist or communicating with spirits [4]
• The readings never offered a set of beliefs to be embraced
• Instead, they focused on each person testing principles in their own life
• His work stressed the oneness of all life, tolerance for all people, and compassion for all faiths [5]

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Legacy

Edgar Cayce died on January 3, 1945. His work continues to influence:

• Holistic medicine practitioners
• The New Age movement
• Dream interpretation enthusiasts
• Those interested in reincarnation and past lives
• Spiritual seekers worldwide

The A.R.E. remains active today, with headquarters in Virginia Beach, and tens of thousands of people access Cayce's material each day. [1][2][6]

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Comparison with Other Psychics

Aspect	Edgar Cayce	John Edward	Theresa Caputo
Method	Trance state, unconscious	Clairvoyance, clairaudience	Mediumship
Primary focus	Health, healing, past lives	Connecting with deceased	Communicating with dead
Organizations	Founded A.R.E. (1931)	Evolve Plus	TLC, Lifetime shows
Status	Deceased (1945)	Active	Active
Known for	"Sleeping Prophet"	"Crossing Over"	"Long Island Medium"

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References

[1] Edgar Cayce's A.R.E. - Life

[2] Edgar Cayce's A.R.E. - Readings

[3] Edgar Cayce's A.R.E. - Chronology

[4] Wikipedia - Edgar Cayce

[5] Edgar Cayce's A.R.E. - Cayce Wisdom Overview

[6] Wikipedia - Association for Research and Enlightenment

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