Doug Simpson at The Zoo Fence

Edgar Cayce’s Earliest Psychic Readings

Edgar Cayce, the Edgar Cayce who was destined to become America's legendary mystic, began attending Sunday School classes around the age of ten. The lesson being taught on that first day was the story of creation from the book of Genesis. Edgar was mesmerized. He asked his father for a book with the entire story of creation in it, and soon received a gift of his own personal Bible. Edgar’s life-long love of, and expertise in, the contents of the scriptures had commenced. Edgar quickly vowed to read the entire Bible at least once each year for the rest of his life, a promise he faithfully kept. But at age ten, he considered himself ten readings in arrears. Edgar was fourteen years old when he completed his fourteenth complete reading of the Bible. He was quickly regarded as the local Biblical expert, and began teaching adult Bible classes while still a teenager.

Edgar was fourteen when he experienced his first vision. One night, as Edgar was almost asleep, his room suddenly lit up like the sun peeking through a crack in a cloud-covered sky. Standing at the end of his bed he noticed the figure of a woman, and in his semi-conscious state assumed it was his mother and called out to her. The light and the figure of the woman disappeared. Edgar hopped out of bed, and went into his mother’s room to see what she had wanted, and was advised that she had not been in his room, and to go back to bed. Edgar was not snuggled back in bed for long when the bright light and the lady reappeared. Edgar assumed it was an angel, and never forgot the words that the lady-in-the-light said to him: “Thy prayers are heard. You will have your wish. Remain faithful. Be true to yourself. Help the sick, the afflicted.”

The next day in school, all Edgar could think about was the visit from the angel, and when he was called upon to spell the word “cabin”, he spit out an incorrect spelling. Edgar was sentenced to remain after school, and write out the word cabin five hundred times on the blackboard. This was only the beginning of his problems! One of the volunteer teachers at the school that day was his uncle Lucian Cayce, and the tale of his spelling incompetence arrived home before he did. His father declared: “You will certainly know that lesson before you go to bed this night.” Hours later, after much studying and numerous swats from his increasingly irritated father, Edgar could hardly keep his eyes open, but still could not remember the spelling lesson. Edgar begged his father for a five minute nap, and his frustrated father agreed, and left the room.

Edgar had a plan. In his head he had heard “Rely on the Promise.” and assumed it was a message from his angel. Edgar also recalled an incident that occurred when he was five, but did not understand at all at the time. Back then. Edgar had fallen asleep with his head on a storybook, and upon awakening he was able to recite the entire story word for word. Edgar took his five-minute nap with his head resting on his speller. Smart move! When his father returned, Edgar could spell every word in the speller, and could tell his father the page number and the location of the word on the page. After a few more good swats from his father, Edgar was sent to bed. From that day on, Edgar had no further problems learning his lessons.

The next remarkable event in Edgar Cayce’s most unusual life started at school one day at recess, not too long after the episode with the speller. The students were playing a ball game they called old sower. Edgar was hit by the ball along his spine or the back of his neck, and remembered none of the events that took place from that point on until he awoke the next morning. It was reported that during the remainder of the school day, Edgar's behavior was totally out of character; his sister had to lead him home from school; and at the dinner table his behavior was so disruptive that he was sent to bed immediately. A little later, in bed, Edgar volunteered what could be considered as his first psychic reading. He gave instructions that a poultice should be made up, and that it should be applied to the back of his head near the base of his brain. The delirious Edgar advised those in the room that he was suffering from shock, and that he would be fine in the morning if the poultice were applied as instructed. The family, now well aware of Edgar’s unexplainable talents, was wise enough to heed these instructions, and the poultice was applied as directed. Edgar’s night was far from restful, but he awoke the next morning perfectly normal, just somewhat bewildered to find his room crowded with concerned relatives and neighbors.

In 1900, at the age of twenty-three, Edgar lost his voice, and for over a year could only speak in a whisper. The doctors called it aphonia, and the suspected cause was an unusual reaction to a drug he had been given for recurring migraine headaches. A hypnosis stage entertainer in town for some performances, claimed that he could cure the ailment if Edgar would allow himself to be hypnotized. The experiment was attempted in front of a group of witnesses, and it worked fine, sort of. While under hypnosis, Edgar spoke normally, but after he was brought out of the trance, his voice was gone again. A second attempt brought an identical result. These hypnotic experiments with Edgar were covered by a reporter for the local newspaper, and news of Edgar’s rare ailment managed to make its way to a noted physician in New York. The physician, a Dr. Quackenboss, who had never personally witnessed Edgar’s rare medical condition, made a trip to Hopkinsville, Kentucky, to see Edgar. He hypnotized Edgar, but could not cure the problem either. Dr. Quackenboss then questioned Edgar about the other unusual incidents that had occurred in his lifetime, and took special interest in the story about how Edgar learned his lessons by napping on his books.

Careful study of his notes back in New York caused Dr. Quackenboss to suspect that Edgar was what the medical books referred to as an auto-hypnotist, and he suggested in a letter that Edgar’s annoying condition might be removed by putting himself to sleep as he did while studying, and to have someone make the suggestion: “You see yourself, tell us what is the trouble and what to do about it.” This experiment took place in the Cayce home in 1901, and was Edgar Cayce’s first psychic reading in his self-induced, self-hypnotic trance state, and it was a success. After being instructed to wake up, Edgar could once again speak normally. His mother wept, openly. Of course, no record of this first reading was made that day, but for the rest of Edgar Cayce’s life he would periodically lose his voice again, and need to go through a similar revitalizing process. The first reading that was taken for Edgar Cayce himself, that was also recorded and kept in the readings files, was one such voice restoration process, nine years later.

TEXT OF READING 294-2 M 33

This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce in Hopkinsville, Ky., this 1st day of December, 1910, in accordance with those in charge.

1. ACL [DS: He was Al Layne, a Hopkinsville hypnotist and unlicensed osteopath.]: You are now asleep and will be able to tell us what we want to know. You have before you the body of Edgar Cayce; he is before you now.

2. EC: Edgar Cayce, yes we have had him before.[No copy of earlier readings.]

3. (Q) Examine his throat and tell us what is the matter with it, if anything. (A) The muscles of the vocal cords here, you see, produce a partial paralysis to the vocal chord, especially to the left side of the vocal box. You see the chords here are taut from the box or sound here, as the air is expelled from the lungs and drove in and thrown out. We have a nervous effect of the nerves and muscles all over the whole body; we have a tightening or a sensation in the nerve force to contract it and of the muscles of the vocal chord or box here.

We have caused, all along in the front part of the body along the larynx to the vocal chord, to the right end here in front, as this muscle is taut then the voice sounds as if it is loose here or not contracted by the nerve forces and muscles; together this leaves one side that does not sound and produces a whispering sound. This comes from the same trouble we have had before from the pelvis.

4. (Q) What will we do to remove that now? (A) Just circulation here will remove it; that is the only thing that will do it. From suggestion to the body forces the circulation through it here and as the circulation passes along it takes that away; puts new life to it; makes the supply to the nerve force go, you see.

5. (Q) Increase the circulation and watch that and see the condition removed; that congested condition. Increase the circulation; is that removing now? (A) Circulation is beginning to increase.

6. (Q) Watch it increase now; watch that remove. All that congested condition will be removed away by the circulation. Passing off now, is it not? (A) Passing off now.

7. (Q) Watch it move clear on; it will become normal, will be in its normal condition. Watch it now and when that becomes perfectly normal tell us. (A) Have to remove the trouble first.

8. (Q) What is the trouble now? You see the trouble is away. Now the trouble is gone. Now the vocal chords are perfectly normal, are they not? (A) They are perfectly normal now.

Al Layne was most impressed with the results of their first reading together in 1901, not reading 294-2 above, and asked Edgar if he would do a reading to diagnose and remedy a stomach problem he had lived with for many years. A somewhat reluctant Edgar eventually agreed to return the favor to his new friend. There is no copy of this reading, but again it proved to be a success. A delighted Al Layne commenced a routine of requesting readings for some of his patients when their problems were not obvious to him. Word of Edgar’s successes quickly spread around Hopkinsville, and other requests for medical readings followed. Edgar was understandably concerned that his readings could result in injury or death to someone, and was usually hesitant to comply with most requests. On the other hand, Edgar never forgot his first vision in his bedroom a decade earlier, and could not turn down a request for a reading for anyone in dire need.

Edgar Cayce’s First Miracle Reading

After Edgar Cayce realized in 1901 that he could give medical readings, he proceeded with much reticence and caution because he truly did not understand how he was able to diagnose medical problems he had never heard of, after going into a self-directed hypnotic trance. His primary concern was that he might harm or cause the death of some innocent person. Most of his earliest readings were for family members, friends, or residents of Edgar’s hometown of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, who had caught wind of his unusual, unexplained abilities. Approximately twenty-one months after Edgar had given his first psychic reading for his lost voice, he was put in contact with a well-to-do Hopkinsville resident by the name of Charles H. Dietrich, whose almost-six-year-old daughter Aime had regressed from being a bright two year old into a yet-undiagnosable state of arrested mental development and constant convulsions.

With the assistance of Al Layne, a Hopkinsville amateur hypnotist and unlicensed osteopath at the time, an initial reading and a few follow-up readings for fine tuning, were given to diagnose the cause of and remedy for Aime’s unexplained condition. The notes from these readings were retained by the Dietrich family but at some point in time they were lost or thrown out. Years later, Edgar asked Charles Dietrich for a letter for his files outlining Aime’s medical problems and their resolution, and the grateful Charles responded with a detailed sworn affidavit, which has been retained in the Edgar Cayce files since 1910.

REPORT OF READING 2473-1

R1. 10/8/10 Father’s affidavit:

Edgar Cayce Jr. [DS: Edgar’s father’s name was Leslie, so he was not truly Jr. Leslie had a brother named Edgar, and when the local post office got tired of delivering mail to the wrong Edgar, Edgar inherited the Jr. notation to keep the post office happy.]
Psychic Diagnostician
Hopkinsville, Ky.

Cincinnati, Ohio

State of Ohio
Hamilton County S.S.

Personally appeared before, Gerrit J. Raidt, a notary public in and for said county, C. H. Dietrich, and after being duly sworn, deposes and says that: –

Aime L. Dietrich, born January, 7th, 1897, at Hopkinsville, Ky., was perfectly strong and healthy until Feb. 1899, when she had an attack of La Grippe, followed by two violent convulsions, each of twenty minutes duration. Dr. T. G. Yates, now of Pensacola, Florida, was the attending physician. Convulsions returned, at irregular intervals, with increasing severity. She would fall just like she was shot, her body would become perfectly rigid, the spells lasting from one to two minutes.

This went on for two years, or until she was four years old. At this time, she was taken to Dr. Linthicum in Evansville, Indiana, and Dr. Walker, also of Evansville, was consultant physician. They said a very peculiar type of nervousness was all that ailed her and proceeded to treat her accordingly, but after several months treatment, with no results, the treatment was stopped.

In a few months, Dr. Oldham [D.O.] of Hopkinsville, Ky. was consulted and he treated her three months, without results. Later he took her for four months more treatment, making seven months in all, but without results. She was now six years old and getting worse, had as many as twenty convulsions in one day, her mind was a blank, all reasoning power was entirely gone. March 1st, 1902, she was taken to Dr. Hoppe of Cincinnati, O., who made a most thorough examination. He pronounced her a perfect specimen physically, except for the brain affection, concerning which he stated that only nine cases of this peculiar type were reported in Medical Records, and every one of these had proved fatal. He told us that nothing could be done, except to give her good care, as her case was hopeless and she would die soon in one of these attacks. At this period our attention was called to Mr. Edgar Cayce, who was asked to diagnose the case. By auto-suggestion, he went into a sleep or trance and diagnosed her case as one of congestion at base of the brain, stating also minor details. He outlined to Dr. A. C. Layne [Al C. Layne, D.O.], now of Griffin, Ga., how to proceed to cure her. Dr. Layne treated her accordingly, every day for three weeks, using Mr. Cayce occasionally to follow up the treatment, as results developed. Her mind began to clear up about the eighth day and within three months she was in perfect health, and is so to this day. This case can be verified by many of the best citizens of Hopkinsville, Ky. And further deponent, saith not.

Signed – C. H. Dietrich.

Sworn to and subscribed before me, on this eighth day of October, A.D. 1910

Gerrit J. Raidt, Notary Public, Hamilton Co., O.

It would be a gross understatement to say that the Dietrichs were thrilled, not beyond words, but rather into a state of everlasting praise for the talents of one Mr. Edgar Cayce. Mrs. Dietrich went to the local press with her story, and Edgar’s fame spread far beyond the Hopkinsville area. Aime went on to graduate from college at the top of her class.

Edgar would never forget the Aime Dietrich case, and it did wonders for his faith in his mysterious talents.

Edgar Cayce Becomes A National Celebrity

This is the third article in a series of three articles about Edgar Cayce’s interesting and sometimes unimaginable discovery of his psychic abilities and connections with the Divine. If you have not previously read the first installment, titled Edgar Cayce’s Earliest Psychic Readings, and the second article, titled Edgar Cayce’s First Miracle Reading, I respectfully recommend that you do so before you continue reading this article. These articles appear above this article.

Wesley Ketchum, a homeopathic M.D. from Edgar’s hometown of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and later a professor at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, was the individual most responsible for Edgar Cayce attaining national celebrity status. Before we look at how this honor came about, I will present to you snippets of details from a couple of the outstanding medical cases that Edgar Cayce and Dr. Ketchum solved together.

George Dalton was a 240-pound, well-to-do railroad and building contractor from Hopkinsville who, in late May of 1907, or possibly 1906 as no documents have been located to confirm the year, took a nasty fall on a construction site and broke his right leg both above and below the knee. A battery of medical experts decided that Dalton would never walk again and that amputation of his leg would probably be necessary. Dalton placed his fate in the hands of Dr. Ketchum, who tracked down Edgar for an emergency reading. No copies of the actual reading have survived the years, but the excerpts that follow are from a talk Dr. Ketchum gave in California in November of 1962. “It was on the 30th day of May, 1906 or '07, … I went down and consulted Cayce. He laid down and went to sleep and told me what to do … Cayce had said to bore a hole in there (the knee cap) and nail it down. That was rather radical treatment for those times. It just wasn’t done. They had used splints, but not metal screws up to that time. So, after I got the picture in my mind I went down to the old blacksmith and told him what I wanted. He made a nail like a large roofing nail, with a large head on it, made out of iron. Dr. Anderson and I and the two girl nurses went down there and bored a hole in the knee and nailed it. Then we put the leg in traction, with a pulley at the foot of the bed. … He took that nail to his grave with him, about 30 years afterward.” [5779-1, Reports, R1.]

In the second case that amazed and bewildered Dr. Ketchum, he was also the patient. For two and a half years the good doctor had suffered sometimes severe abdominal pains which he feared was appendicitis. A number of physicians were consulted and treatments prescribed, but the problem always returned. Dr. Ketchum might have consulted Edgar earlier than he eventually did, but over that time span Edgar lived in Alabama, earning his living as an award-winning photographer. Reading 4135-1 is in the Edgar Cayce archives, but it is crammed with medical terminology so we will again rely on a public address given by Dr. Ketchum on October 11, 1911 before the American Association for Clinical Research in Boston, Massachusetts. “At this time it would have taken but little suggesting until I would have undergone an operation, which was not necessary, but when we are suffering, physician and layman alike want relief. In March 29th, 1909, … On the … above date he [DS: Edgar Cayce] came to my office at the suggestion of my friend, who came with him. He laid down and went into one of his usual naps. Now he had been told nothing pertaining to whose case he was to tell about, and as I had tried everything suggested by seven men and no relief, of course I had little faith in anything. But I was willing and anxious to have him try. My friend said ‘Go over this man carefully, (giving my name) he is here in this room. Tell us what you find.’ [DS: Edgar said] ‘yes, we have him here. A little over twenty-eight moons ago this man wrenched his spine, as a result of which we find an impinging on the vertebral end of the nerves at the last dorsal and numbers one and two lumbar vertebrae. We now find pain and irritation at the opposite pole, or in the inguinal region, worse on the right side, through the sympathetics. We also find some irritation of the bladder. As this was caused mechanically it will require mechanical treatment of manipulation to relieve it.’ My wife, upon being told, immediately recalled the time when I wrenched my spine while feeding my horse. It had only troubled me a few days and had completely passed from memory until it was recalled. … After three or four mechanical treatments my pseudo-appendicitis cleared up entirely …" [4135-1, Background, B1.]

In 1910, Dr. Ketchum presented a paper at a medical conference in Pasadena on his work with Edgar Cayce. This paper was presented a second time in September at the Clinical Research Society’s annual meeting at Harvard University. On October 9, 1910, the New York Times published a feature article on Edgar Cayce, which was picked up by numerous big-city papers across the country. The article is too long to reprint here, but you can view the original article on the New York Times website at http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9C06EFD71239E433A2575AC0A9669D946196D6CF or you can read it on the Edgar Cayce website at http://www.cayce.com/nytimes.htm. The Cincinnatti Times-Star on October 10, 1910, the Seattle Times on October 15, 1910, the Kentucky New Era on October 15, 1910, and the St. Louis Dispatch all ran similar articles. Edgar, the quiet Kentucky country boy, was now a national celebrity.

Edgar Cayce on The Sources of Psychic Information

The date was July 1, 1934. The setting was Virginia Beach, at the Cayce residence. The special occasion was the Third Annual Meeting, which they referred to as a Congress, of the Association For Research And Enlightenment. Over 50 members were present. At each annual meeting, after the business affairs had been dispensed with, Edgar would enter his deep-trance state and give a reading on a topic chosen by the membership. Much of reading 5752-6 is reproduced below. Similar to the Bible, paragraphs in readings have been assigned a number, which I do not delete. Items in square brackets – thus, [DS: … ] – have been inserted by me for clarification purposes.

“1. GC: [DS: GC is Gertrude Cayce, Edgar’s wife. Gertrude acted as the conductor for the majority of Edgar’s readings. The conductor served a crucial purpose, not only by asking the appropriate questions to elicit the desired answers, but also to prompt the in-trance Edgar at precisely the correct time as he descended deeper and deeper into trance. The reading conductors had learned through experience that there was an exceptionally narrow window of opportunity for the commencement of the instructions to Edgar as to the purpose of the upcoming reading. If they waited too long before giving the prompt to begin, Edgar would proceed into such a deep trance state that he could not respond, and often remained in that deep trance state for eight to twelve hours. No one could bring him back out of this extra-deep trance. He would eventually awake on his own, totally refreshed, as if he had enjoyed a wonderful night's sleep.] You will give at this time a discourse on the Sources of Psychic Information.”

“2. EC: [DS: EC is Edgar Cayce] Yes, … In giving that which may be helpful or beneficial to those that are gathered here, let there be first given that psychic is from without to the within – or the movement upon that which makes for responses with the individual as to make the individual aware of the fact that there is taking place that which produces a change, if the individual will be moved by same. Hence as life is spirit, spirit is God, the true source of psychic force must come from that which is OF that force that may make aware in the experience the individual, the soul, the fact of His presence abiding ever.”

“3. … He is in thine own heart, and thy spirit beareth witness with His Spirit that ye are – or not – the children of God.”

“4. … That there are then as many sources for the activity of the force that may make manifest the God-influence as there may be ideas or activities in the experience of any soul must be evidenced by the EXPERIENCES of all.”

“5. … As to how such manifestations of psychic soul forces may manifest or become conscious to an individual, in the material world ye say it is through that which makes for awareness in thine own PARTICULAR realm of experience, or through thine senses; yea, through many more. For, as all force IS OF Him, as ye seek ye may know.”

“6. As to how, when and where that experience may be thine depends upon what, where and when ye look within; …”

“7. Then, the source is FROM on High, if the seeking is from the soul within. …”

“8. … seekest thou that ye may lord thine self above thine brother, above thine neighbor, the answers come only from those sources, those souls that have forsaken His way.”

“9. … Seek to know Him, and that thou receivest in thine experiences – as ye approach through all those channels that may attune themselves to the throne of grace – will be the knowledge and understanding that, ‘As ye do it unto the least of these, my little ones, ye do it unto me.’”

“10. What seekest thou? The Spirit of thyself in thine own carnal self? Each may be found. …”

“11. What are the sources of psychic information? What seekest thou? What art THOU willing to give for thine own soul? …”

“12. They that love His coming will only approach in such a way and manner that though the heavens fall, though the earth may pass away, His word, His promise in them shall NOT pass away. Only in such an attitude, such an understanding, may the Spirit of Truth come in unto thee. Seek ye not lower, if ye would FIND that which will bring rest unto thy soul!”

It seems apparent to me from this reading that true psychic abilities are not gifts from God, but are actually abilities earned through the progression of our souls through many incarnations where we have understood and followed the teachings of Jesus, the immaculately conceived son of God.

Edgar Cayce’s Story of Stonehenge

The Edgar Cayce archives contain approximately 2,500 past-life readings for some 2,000 individuals, and four of these past-life readings revealed informative details of incarnations near Stonehenge. The name Stonehenge does not appear in any of the readings, but instead they refer to the altars near what is now the town of Salisbury in England, which is eight miles from Stonehenge. The four readings we are going to look at here tie Stonehenge to a migration of refugees who were descendants of Biblical King Hezekiah, the thirteenth King of Judah. These refugees were escaping the onslaught of Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, and sailed to the coast of modern-day England. Stonehenge is about thirty miles from the English Channel.

Archaeologists believe that Stonehenge was erected by more than one civilization. Our migrants from the Holy Land may not have been the first civilization to settle in the vicinity of Stonehenge, but they did perform some of the construction at the site, and their contribution was for religious purposes.

Reading 3581-1 gets us started. Similar to the Bible, each paragraph in an Edgar Cayce reading has been assigned a number. I have included the paragraph numbers in this article so that those readers who have access to the Edgar Cayce readings can easily locate the excerpts quoted. “23. Before that the entity was in the English land during those periods when there were those journeyings into that land from the Holy Land, when the children of Hezekiah prompted many of those even in authority to leave the Holy Land because of Nebuchadnezzar’s activities. 24. The entity was young in years when it came into the coasts of England where altars were set up to tie up the meanings of ‘The Lord thy God is one. ’ … 25. The name then was Jeheuh. The entity gained greatly.”

Reading 3590-1 mentions Salisbury. “16. Before that the entity was in the English land during those periods when there was the breaking up of the tribes of Israel. 17. The entity was a granddaughter of Hezekiah the king, and among those who set sail to escape when the activities brought the rest of the people into servitude in the Persian land. 18. Then the entity was among those who landed and set up the seat of customs as indicated in the altars built near what is now Salisbury, England. These were the early traditions carried into those activities. 19. The name then was Elemeshia. The entity gained in the ability as a leader, in the ability to influence others, the ability to control the activities of individuals in such a way as to make for the forming of moral habits and ideas in their material experiences.”

Reading 3645-1 adds more details to the uses of Stonehenge. “16. Before that the entity was in the Holy Land when there were those breakings up in the periods when the land was being sacked by the Chaldeans and Persians. 17. The entity was among those groups who escaped in the ships that settled in portions of the English land near what is now Salisbury, and there builded those altars that were to represent the dedications of individuals to a service of a living God. 18. Thus the entity aided in giving the records and teachings that may help others in the present, in giving to others that helping hand – who may be as a record keeper. 19. The name then was Mayra.”

Lastly, we have reading 5384-1. “9. Before that we find the entity was in the English land in the early settlings of the children of Israel who were foregathered with the daughters of Hezekiah in what is now Somerland, Somerhill or Somerset. There the entity saw group organization for the preservation of tenets and truths of the living God, … 13. The name then was Ruth.”

I realize that the information in the Edgar Cayce readings cannot come close to answering all of our questions about the origins of Stonehenge, but some important facts are provided. One civilization near Stonehenge was comprised of refugees from the Holy Land who were relatives and subjects of King Hezekiah, and who had sailed from the mainland to the coast of England to escape the conquering King Nebuchadnezzar. These immigrants did build altars on the Stonehenge site to worship their one God.

Edgar Cayce’s Story of The Last Supper

Edgar Cayce’s reading on the Last Supper was not a life reading. In fact it was a most unusual 'voluntary' reading. By voluntary, I mean that it was not requested by anyone, it was volunteered after the completion of a medical reading, and after Edgar was given his standard instruction to wake up at the conclusion of a reading, not once but three times. Here is Reading 5749-1, the voluntary reading Edgar gave on June 14, 1932, while in his coma-like trance state, on the Last Supper.

Similar to the Bible, the readings have been assigned paragraph numbers, which I have not deleted. Comments like [DS: …] have been inserted by me for the purpose of explanation.

“2. The whole robe of the Master was not white, but pearl gray – all combined into one – the gift of Nicodemus to the Lord.” [DS: Nicodemus was one of the seventy members of the Jewish Sanhedrin, and a secret disciple of Jesus. He occasionally came to speak with Jesus at night. Jesus’ one piece robe mentioned here was woven by Nicodemus’ wife, Martha, and was presented to Jesus by Nicodemus on one of these night-time visits as a thank-you gift, after Jesus had raised a relative of Nicodemus from the dead. Nicodemus’ relative was the widow of Nain’s son. See Luke 7:11-15. The souls of Nicodemus, Martha, and the widow of Nain were all reincarnated at the time of Edgar Cayce, and all of these reincarnated individuals had readings from the in-trance Edgar Cayce. Many more details are revealed in these readings, and have been incorporated into other articles enitled “Edgar Cayce’s Story of Jesus’ One Piece Robe” and “Edgar Cayce’s Story of the Raising of the Widow of Nain’s Son”, both of which will be available on my website soon .]

“3. The better looking of the twelve, of course, was Judas, while the younger was John – oval face, dark hair, smooth face – only one with the short hair. Peter, the rough and ready – always that of very short beard, rough, and not altogether clean; while Andrew’s is just the opposite – very sparse, but inclined to be long more on the side and under the chin – long on the upper lip – his robe was always near gray or black, while his clouts or breeches were striped; while those of Philip and Bartholomew were red and brown.”

“4. The Master’s hair is ’most red, inclined to be curly in portions, yet not feminine or weak – STRONG, with heavy piercing eyes that are blue or steel-gray.”

“5. His weight would be at least a hundred and seventy pounds. Long tapering fingers, nails well kept. Long nail, though, on the left little finger.”

“6. Merry – even in the hour of trial. Joke – even in the moment of betrayal.”

“7. The sack is empty. Judas departs.”

“8. The last is given of the wine and loaf, with which He gives the emblems that should be so dear to every follower of Him. Lays aside His robe, which is all of one piece – girds the towel about His waist, which is dressed with linen that is blue and white. Rolls back the folds, kneels first before John, James, then to Peter – who refuses.”

“9. Then the dissertation as to ‘He that would be the greatest would be servant of all’.”

“10. The basin is taken as without handle, and is made of wood. The water is from the gherkins that are in the wide-mouth Shibboleths that stand in the house of John’s father, Zebedee. [DS: Zebedee’s soul was also reincarnated at the time of Edgar Cayce, and the reincarnated Zebedee had readings from Edgar Cayce.]

“11. And now comes ‘It is finished’.”

“12. They sing the ninety-first Psalm – ‘He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust’.”

“13. He is the musician as well, for He uses the harp.”

“14. They leave for the garden.”

In reading 2794-3, Mrs. 2794 learned that in her Palestine incarnation she had assisted at the Last Supper. Here are relevant excerpts from that reading. “24. Before that the entity was in the land when the Master walked in the earth, when there were those activities that brought about the attending to the passover – which He kept with His Disciples. 25. The entity was among those who aided in the preparation of that upper chamber where He spent the last supper with His beloved Disciples. 26. … the entity was a maid or a helper in the household then of Zebedee, and very close to Mrs. Zebedee … .”

One can read about the Last Supper in the Gospels at John 13, Matthew 26:20-30, Mark 14:16-26, and Luke 22:11-39, but here Edgar Cayce gives us the rest of the story.

The Reincarnation of Mary Magdalene

Miss 295, a cousin of Gladys Davis, Edgar Cayce’s long-time stenographer and secretary, was the reincarnation of Mary Magdalene. In 1929, Miss 295 came to Virginia Beach to visit Gladys, and ended up staying for over five years, becoming a secretary and office assistant to Edgar Cayce and of the Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.), the not-for-profit organization founded in 1931 by Cayce. Miss 295 utilized her proximity to the channel to the Heavenly Source, and requested a number of life readings. I will now share with you, in order, the information Miss 295 received concerning her previous incarnation as Mary Magdalene. Some Biblical scholars consider Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany to have been two separate individuals, but the Edgar Cayce readings clearly identify them as the same person. See the contents of reading 295-8, below.

Similar to the Bible, the readings have been assigned paragraph numbers, which I have not deleted. Comments like [DS: …] have been inserted by me for the purpose of explanation.

“9. In the one before this we find in that period when the Master walked among men. To her the Master said, ‘She hath chosen the better part.’ [Luke 10:42] In ministering to Him through that period, loved by Him in that experience, as the SISTER of Martha and of Lazarus, the entity gained through the experience – and little is the wonder to others that ever the song, or the wish, or the desire for help and succor and aid is paramount in the ENTITY’S soul; for only that others MIGHT be aided did the entity enter into another experience – for, as was said by Him: ‘Wherever my gospel is preached, her works will be spoken of.’ [Mat. 26:13] What a heritage! In the present experience we find that His tenets, His truths, are easily taught, understood by the entity. Only be broader in the vision, condemning none – even as He condemned not even those who persecuted Him. Condemnation in the entity is BUILDED. Blot THIS from THINE experience, THROUGH Him who maketh all things possible.” [DS: Reading 295-1]

Of course, Miss 295 could not resist the urge to request a reading solely on her incarnation as Mary Magdalene. “3. In giving a detailed account of the experience as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, indeed much might be given respecting the activities of the entity in that experience. For, as given in the Gospel account, this entity was then the Mary of Magdalene; or the courtesan that was active in the experiences both of those that were in the capacity of the Roman officers, Roman peoples, and those that were of the native lands and country. 4. When the body met first the Master, it was the woman brought before the council as taken in adultery; and the one whom the whole council or court at the time asked that, according to the law, the woman be stoned. [See 5749-9 on 10/21/37.] [DS: It follows this reading.] 5. With the cleansing of the body-mind, through the association and experience, the entity then joined again with those of the family from whom she had been separated in Bethany, and became then again of the household of those that dwelt there. 6. Hence the showing in the Gospel of the difference in attitude, in the manner of approach, with the various visits of the Master through the period. 7. The entity was the same to whom the Master first appeared upon the resurrection morn; the same to whom many of the Apostles and leaders during that experience went for counsel, in the ways and manners that are spoken of in the various accounts that are kept in the present. 8. As to the experiences before meeting the Master, these were more of the worldly nature; wherein there was the giving of self in body, in the indulgencies of the period, such that there was brought for the body and those associated with same the activities that brought condemnation, as well as the pomp, the power, the splendor, when considered from that angle, in the experience of the entity through the period. 9. In the activities, then, these should be – as we find – more dwelt upon in the activity after the cleansing in the temple.

“14. (Q) Please describe the personal appearance of the body at that time. (A) This is well drawn by da Vinci, as well as in that by Blum [Blaum?] [?] – The Magdalene. A body five feet four inches (5'4") in height, weight a hundred and twenty-one (121) pounds – in the general. Hair almost red. The eyes were blue. The features were those impelled both from the Grecian and Jewish ancestry. 16. (Q) Please recall to the mind of the entity any scene or conversation which may be helpful and enlightening, as well as inspiring, in the present, between this entity or her associates and the Master, during the Master’s ministry in the earth in the Palestine experience. (A) None greater than that given to the entity by the Master, that means for the entity an awakening: ‘Neither do I condemn thee – Neither do I condemn thee.’ That HAS awakened, WILL awaken within the soul of the entity, more of the love, the oneness of the force or power able to cleanse when condemnation is not in self. Hence, as given then – and as has been given oft: Do not condemn self! And the condemnation of self is that to which the entity in self gives more of that repelling force than to any influence in the experience of the entity in the present. 17. (Q) What did the Master write in the sand at the time of that experience? (A) That which condemned each individual, as each looked over His arm – or as He wrote.

“19. (Q) Did the entity repay any fraction of the debt owed the Master while He was in the earth? (A) That's impossible! For, as the entity and each soul learns, condemning self is condemning the abilities of the Master. As the Master has given, GOD is God of the LIVING – NOT of the dead! For, the dead are separated from the living. As in the earth, so in the spiritual. Dead, or death, is separation. Death in the spiritual, then, is separation from life. Life, then, is God. The Master, the Christ, manifested life in the earth, through not only the material manifestations that were given in the ministry but in laying aside the life. As He gave, ‘I GIVE my life – I give it of myself, and I take it of myself.’ So, in any attempt to repay – there can be no repay! But when one lives the life that MANIFESTS the Christ life, love, joy, peace, harmony, grace, glory, the JOY is in the life of the Master as He manifests – and manifested – life in the earth. 20. (Q) How did the death of the Master affect the entity? (A) As visioned by that which is read, she thought He was the gardener. This indicates all the hopelessness, all the sorrow that is possible to be indicated in hopelessness. Yet the JOY should be the condition as would be thought on, rather than the separation at the time. This is going backward, even to be affected by the separation – when there is the joy as manifested in, ‘My Lord and my God.’ 21. (Q) Was the entity present at the ascension? (A) To be sure.

“22. (Q) After the Master’s death and resurrection, please give a brief biographical sketch of the remaining years of the lives of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. How long did each live, and what did each accomplish? (A) It would require volumes to give in detail as to what each may have been considered to have accomplished, or that each did accomplish. Lazarus’ life was only until the first of the rebellions arose; for, on HIS activity much of that which caused the dissension (from the first raising from the dead) was produced in the minds of the people and the experiences of the high priest at the time. With the death and separation of the Master from the Disciples (as it may be called), the home of Mary and Martha became – for the time – rather the center from which most of the activities of the Disciples took place, who were of that activity; that is, who were not altogether Galileans, see? Hence those associations that became the closest were with John, James, Matthew (Levi) [GD's note: See Mat. 9:9, 10:3; Mark 2:14, 3:18; Luke 5:27,29, 6:15; Acts 1:13, indicating that Matthew and Levi are one and the same.] and Thaddeus. The others, of course, remained closer with the activities of the Galileans. Hence we find, with the return from Galilee and the activities there upon the ascension (which was fifty days after the resurrection), Mary the mother of Christ became a dweller in the house or home of John – who joined with those in Bethany; for John, as may be well known, was the wealthiest of the disciples of the Christ. His estate would be counted in the present [DS: August 31, 1933.], in American money, as being near to a quarter of a million dollars [DS: Adjusting for inflation, US$ 250,000 in 1933 would be approximately US$ 4,300,000 in 2011]; or to the estate where he was a power with those in the Roman and Jewish power at the period. Hence the associations of Mary and John became the closest after this (we are speaking of Mary, the sister of Martha). As to Martha's experience then, in this period: With the rebellions that arose (that is, the coming of the soldiery that made for the dissension), we find Martha joined with those that brought the rebellion of Saul; and it was under his direction that the persecutions and banishments brought about the death of Martha. With the joining of the mother of the Christ with John’s household (which was composed then of Mary Magdalene and Elois, or the sister of Mary that was the mother of James and John), these journeyed then to what would be called their SUMMER home – or that portion on the lake of Gennesaret where the activities of those that came and went were supervised by those of the whole household. The period of life of Mary (that is, of Mary the sister of Lazarus) was some twenty and two (22) years; she being twenty-three (23) years old when the Christ cleansed her from the seven (7) devils: Avarice, hate, self-indulgence, and those of the kindred selfishness; hopelessness and blasphemy. [Luke 8:2] 23. (Q) Was there a special message to Mary after Christ arose that was not recorded? (A) There’s several Marys; which one is meant? 24. (Q) Mary, the sister of Martha. (A) Wasn’t it sufficient to have Him appear first? What more could be counted in earthly things, to be the first to meet Him?” [295-8]

In reading 295-8, paragraph 4, above, it mentions that Jesus first met Mary when he saved her from death by stoning for adultery. Jesus also saved another woman from a similar fate under similar circumstances, and a reading was requested by Thomas Sugrue, the author of the first biography of Edgar, called There Is A River, to clarify the two incidents. “6. There were, then, two individual experiences when He was questioned as to the law as related to that given by Moses respecting those taken in adultery. 7. The one about which the first information was given was the associate of John and James; while the last one was the associate of the Roman soldiery. And the questions in each instance were by the different sects of peoples. 8. These are overlapping in the records that are given (or that you have); though in the original they are given as two different experiences. 10. (Q) Which one was [1436]? (A) The one taken in the act with the Roman soldiery, and questioned by the Sadducee peoples; while the other [295] was the sister of Martha, and hence the associate (or cohort) of those that were the disciples or Apostles later. 11. (Q) In which instance did Jesus stoop and write? (A) In each; in each of these. In one that written was as given, "Medi (?) Medici (?) [Cui?]" or the expression of mercy and not sacrifice which showed to those that looked on the individual awakening of the entity. In the other that written was that which made the accusers recognize their OWN activities. 12. (Q) Is there any other history of the period that we may have at this point? (A) Which portion is sought? We have most all of it here! Most any portion may be given! The incident about which the last information was given, [1436] through this channel, occurred AFTER there had been the reuniting of Martha, Lazarus and Mary; while the first incident [295] occurred in the earlier portions of His ministry. For as given, the incident of Magdala [295] – or Mary the sister of Martha – occurred when the individual had set about what would be called now a home for, or a retreat for, those who sought to use and give their bodies to those activities for the indulgences and for the gaining of information of various sorts or natures through such activities of the individuals. But the latter individual, [1436] as we have indicated in that given, was only guilty of SELF indulgence and with the Romans and not those in authority in the various groups or activities.” [5749-9]

In the Gospel of Luke, 7:37-38, a sinner washes the feet of Jesus with her tears and wipes them with her hair. The identity of this sinner is not revealed. Many Biblical scholars assume that this was Mary Magdalene, but we may have another situation here of two incidents being amalgamated into one in the early writings, similar to the two women accused of adultery, that Jesus rescued from stoning. The Edgar Cayce readings describe another similar incident that is NOT in the Bible that did involve Mary Magdalene. “15. Before that the entity was in the very early portion of the Master’s walk in the earth, for the entity was among the dancing girls at the court of Herod – and was the only one who could even outdance Salome. [DS: Salome was the daughter of Herodias and it was she who asked for the head of John the Baptist.] 16. The entity taught, yes the entity encouraged even those activities at that period. 17. During the period in the larger market place (not recorded) when the Master dined with a leader, the entity was among those with Mary of Magda who bathed the Master's feet with tears. And the entity will never be away from same, for those whom He blessed may still be blessed if they will hold to His promises. 18. … through those periods of activity in the earth as Rhadahr.” [3577-1]

Mary Magdalene’s activities at the time of the resurrection are well recorded. Here are a couple of short excerpts. “28. (Q) Who were the women at the Cross? (A) Many were there. Those of his own household, Mary Magdalene, the mother of John and James, and those who were of that whole group were among the women at the Cross.” [5749-10] “19. In that experience the entity, in the name Andra, gained throughout; and the entity aided in preparing much of that which came later in the form of visualizing the paintings on the walls, the drawings that might be carried hither - and that became as banners that might be shown; also the wrappings for the last of the anointing of the body of the Holy One – rather the wrappings than the spices, for Magdalene and Mary [DS: Mary, the mother of James and John. See the above reading.] and Jose [Josie] [DS: The former maiden who devoted her life to caring for Mary, Joseph, and their children.] and the mother of the Lord prepared these. The napkins that were about His head, and with those seals that were later made as raised figures, did the entity prepare.” [649-1]

For many centuries there has been speculation concerning the true relationship between Mary Magdalene and Jesus. There are many references in the Bible and in the readings to Mary being loved by the Master. No one asked the in-trance Edgar Cayce if Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and/or had children together, so we do not have a definitive answer. There is nothing in the Edgar Cayce readings that even slightly implies that the relationship between them was anything other than platonic. The following reading is the best we have. “10. (Q) Is it true that Jesus in His youth loved Mary, Martha’s sister as a sweetheart, or did He never have a sweetheart? (A) Mary, the sister of Martha, was an harlot, – until the cleansing; and not one that Jesus would have loved, though He loved all. The closer associations brought to the physical or filial love, were with the children – and not with those the age of the Master.” [2067-7]