... but there was more to Cayce than just predictions.
Work of the Devil
When we think of famous seers, clairvoyants or "Men of Prophecy", we immediately perhaps first think of Mother Shipton, Uri Geller and Saint Malachy, who is said to have had visions regarding the number of Pope's and possibly the demise of the Catholic Church and Christianity. Of course there is also Nostradamus, the French astrologer and physician, now famous for his prophetic visions and their interpretations, which have stumped and amazed many for the last four centuries.
But a man from Hopkinsville in Kentucky (where in 1955 a bizarre encounter with strange beings would take place at a farmhouse, see a recent article) would, at the turn of the 20th century, earn a place in the annuls of the mysterious world of Prophecy and Foresight. However, it must be acknowledged that this man was not only a brilliant visionary - he was a multi-gifted individual who, like Nostradamus, was interested in healing and the health of his fellow man, and although he had only an 8th grade education, would astound many a medical professional by diagnosing, recommending treatment and healing the most incurable diseases and ailments of his time.
He would do all of that and more... while he slept.
Edgar Cayce was born in a small town near Hopkinsville, Kentucky in 1877, which was known as a tobacco farming site. Coming from a middle-class rural family who attended Church every Sunday, it is said as he grew up the young boy would be seen everywhere with his Bible, and it is claimed he had many visions, with many seeing him as a strange, odd boy. After his grandfather drowned in a pond, Edgar claimed to have seen him on multiple occasions afterwards on the family farm, and he had the bizarre ability to memorise the contents of books while he slept on them.
While many in the community may have seen this as the work of the Devil, he was completely loved and fiercely protected by his family.
The Man With the X-Ray Eyes
People flocked to him from afar, wanting an appointment with "the man with the x-ray eyes", and amazingly would use a variety of medical terminology to describe what was occurring inside his "patients" body. Soon he would tell doctors how to heal the wounded and crippled, and his own wife would use his guidance to heal herself from a severe case of tuberculosis.
When awake he seemed to be an illiterate man with no medical knowledge, but when asleep... Newspapers ran regular articles on him and he would continue to amaze and astound surgeons and pharmacists with his diagnosis. In most of his "readings", he would simply lie down on a couch, loosen his tie if needed, and lay with his arms folded across his chest. After 30 seconds, he would appear to be fluttering his eyes, and it is at this point that a client could ask him questions about anything. He was so gifted that sometimes he read for people who were not even in the same room as him, but in another building, state, or even in another country! All he had to know was a name and where they were.
Celebrities were now seeking his advice; people such as Thomas Edison and the U.S. President were also clients, as well as oil companies seeking his knowledge on where they could find the locations of oil.
From 1923 onwards, Cayce hired Gladys Davis, a young stenographer who would go on to record every word he uttered in each of his trance sessions. She would make copies of the sessions for the client/s and Cayce, and it is because of her we know of what transpired in those years.
During 1925 he moved to Virginia and opened a hospital where he consulted up until 1931. It is during the '20's and 30's that Davis was to record the most perplexing, astonishing and accurate information from Cayce. Not only is it claimed he saw and described terrifying images of a future bleak in its vision, he would describe things from the past, and make claims that would be partially, if not correctly accurate, which would astound archaeologists, geologists, oceanographers and scientists.
Predictions
He would see and make comments on social upheavals and affairs, changes to society, and foresaw President Kennedy's assassination in 1963. He, as well as other seers and visionaries, would see further down the track to weather and climate changes, make terrifying claims of cities and landmasses collapsing into the oceans, and talk about a shifting of the poles, possibly in the period between 1958 and 1998.
Years after his death in 1945, science would prove that some of his "retro-musings" would perhaps have some merit, and the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 would be an integral part in bringing about the discovery that some of his information was indeed accurate.
He is perhaps known though for bringing about the believed existence of the mythical city of Atlantis. In sessions during the 20's, he described a large continent that existed in the Atlantic ocean that was inhabited by an intelligent and wise civilisation who knew about science and used flying machines, used the energy from crystals and were peaceful. But the Atlanteans abused their power over Nature, he said, and Atlantis was struck, perhaps by an earthquake or tsunami, and vanished without a trace 10,000 years ago. He went on to predict that portions of Atlantis would re-surface in the late 1960's, but to date that has not occurred.
He maintained that during his healings he was inside of his client’s subconscious mind and was in fact seeking answers from within the client.
Today the "Sleeping Prophet" has been dead nearly 70 years, and 14,306 of his readings, all typed and recorded by Davis, are archived and catalogued at the Association for Research in Enlightenment in Virginia Beach, Virginia and they are the biggest collection of recorded material by a single individual. He conducted readings at least twice a day for 43 years until his death. He remains one of the last century's most intriguing people, and his insight and predictions may have played a part in shaping the destiny of our civilisation and planet.
What do you think?
Put together by Ashley Hall 2013