Edgar Cayce was a person who cannot be put into any one category. His life and readings are as mysterious to mankind today as it was at the time he lived. So, who is this person, what did he have to say. I'll try to unravel his story, readings to the best of my knowledge.
His life: long story short
He was born in Kentucky in 1877 in a devout Christian family. He had an average childhood, nothing awesome. The story begins when in early adulthood, he loses his speech. His family consults doctors, therapists, but to no avail. Some hypnotists offer to come forward to help him. When in the hypnotic trance, his voice is restored, but when he wakes up, its often gone again.
Later, when in one of these hypnotic sessions, he surprised the hypnotist when he said exactly what the reason for his voice loss was (lack of blood flow to the voice box). The hypnotist then suggests (does not do anything, just suggests to Cayce, who btw, was still in trance) something to the effect "let the blood flow increase". Then Cayce's chest turned blue, and after protracted silence, while still in trance, Cayce declared the treatment over. His voice was restored, and he never lost it again!
This was his first encounter with his capabilities.
The newspapers carried this story and he became popular throughout the US.
He would then start giving readings to people, several hundred of them throughout his life.
What sets him apart from Nostradamus
The most important aspect to be understood here is that Cayce would give his readings only when he was in a trance. He would lie on his bed, and somewhere between being awake and falling asleep (REM?), people would start asking him question, to which he would reply. In many instances, he would wake up and upon reading what he said, he would go "Did I say that?"
Nostradamus gave his 'prophecies' in an awake state. He had one of Archimedes books that talked about predicting the future and how it could be done. Nostradamus used tools: a vase, some special water, some chants etc...which he needed for his 'prophecies'.
In Cayce's case none of this was involved. His family, secretary, and the people he helped vouched that he remembered none of it when he woke up.
When not giving readings, he was a humble man, a loyal friend to those he knew, and an inspiring father.
In short, as in Nostradamus's case, there was no curtain. It was out in the open for all to see and awe.
How do we know he wasn't cheating?
Very few times did he give his readings for money. This was when in later life, he was poor and needed a source of income.
There are several cases when what he said came true right then. There is an incident when one of clients calls him from several miles away and asks "where should I dig for oil". Cayce says go x miles north, y miles west, and to the clients awe there it was!
In another instance, a blind musician asks him what he should do to get his vision back. The client got back his vision in one eye completely, just by following what Cayce said, which btw, was all herbal remedies and eye exercises. In subsequent readings to the same man, Cayce went on to state that the man was, in his previous birth, a soldier in Virginia, who lived many years ago, and even tells his name.
Then the man asks "How do I find out" and Cayce says, his records were still with the state of Virgina. The man took great pain to find out, and did find the records of the person mentioned by Cayce!
In another instance, Cayce's secretary was recording (writing) his readings. She
thought to herself, 'what's better here, a comma or a colon' and Cayce said "Oh, a comma would be perfect there"!
He predicted the two world wars and the independence of India.
A subset of his readings (numbered, not necessarily in any order)
1. There existed several thousand years ago, a civilization by name Atlantis. They were much more advanced than our present human race, in the sense that they knew the secrets of the universe.
Note: The existence of Atlantis was first mentioned by Plato several hundred years before Cayce. Cayce's readings confirm the existence.
2. At some point in their history, a portion of the people of Atlantis started misusing their powers to a great extent. The entire civilization was destroyed in a deluge and submerged in the Atlantic ocean.
3. The sphinx and pyramids of Egypt were built several thousand years before currently dated. Historians believe it was built around 3500 BC, Cayce says it was around 10,000 BC!
4. Some secrets of the Atlantian civilization can be found in a vault near one of the legs of the Sphinx.
Note: Some egyptologists confirmed this by doing sound research near the legs of the sphinx. They think there is a vault of atleast 2 stories near one of the legs.
5. He predicted that some archeological evidence of Atlantis will be discovered in 1968. Exactly in that year, the Bimini road was discovered in the Bahamas island. There is still intense debate amongst people who claim it is man-made (Atlantean origin) and others who think its geological.
6. Jesus Christ was an essene (essenes were an ancient Jewish community) who traveled to India to study Eastern religion and astrology!!
7. Human souls transmigrate from birth to birth in search of perfection: Re-incarnation.
Note: If I'm right, there is no concept of re-incarnation in Christianity. It is readings like these with which he surprised himself. He would come out of the trance and upon being shown what he said, he would go "Omg, did I say that"!
8. Man did not descend from monkeys. Rather, the anthropoids (and later humans) were created and guided by 'spirit forms' as the perfect vehicle for the souls to 'transmigrate'.
9. In several readings, he confirms that astrology is true, that a person's course in life can be predicted by his time, place, planetary alignments at birth!
10. In one reading, he says meditating on the word 'Arree Auumm' can lead to spiritual evolution when done regularly.
It should be noted here that he knew nothing about eastern religions!
11. In another reading he says: "As ye sow, so shall ye reap" (karma?) or "As ye judge (others), so shall ye be judged."
12. When he was asked where he got his knowledge from: he says there are 'akashic records' that record every movement of human consciousness and that the past, present and future can be known from them. He says it can be accessed by all with mind control, selfless nature and practice!
13. In one of his readings, he predicts that the earth would undergo massive changes within the next 150 years. He says that the earth would rotate on its axis, and around this time, New York, Los Angeles, San Fransisco and many other major world cities would be destroyed. He says 'The larger portion of Japan must go into the sea' and that eastern Europe will be changed in the twinkling of an eye!
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Cayce, http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/phoebe.htm, and a few books.
