1/37 Association Bulletin
VOL. V, No. 5
B U L L E T I N
ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARCH AND ENLIGHTENMENT, INC.,
Virginia Beach, Virginia
"Man's search for Truth is his search for God."
THE 1937 PROGRAM
The 1937 Program of the Association for Research and
Enlightenment, Incorporated, adopted at a recent meeting
of the Board of Trustees, represents a step forward in
unifying and improving the services being rendered through
studying and presenting the psychic work of Edgar Cayce.
Recognizing that the central interest of the work is the
readings given by Mr. Cayce, this program presents very
simply the needs of the organization, and methods for meeting
those needs that will give every individual who has a sincere
interest in the work opportunities for sharing responsibility
in achieving definite, practical goals.
Let us consider the major points of this program from your
viewpoint as a member. You logically ask the question, "Just
what will this unified program mean to me?"
Membership Privileges
There has been no change in the Associate Membership. This
type of membership is offered to those who approach the work
for the first time, who are seeking a reading for themselves
or members of their families. Such individuals secure the
regular first Physical Reading or Life Reading and the
Monthly Bulletin for one year. After they have had some
experience with the readings they are given the opportunity
to become Active Members if they so desire.
You are not such an individual. You have had readings for
yourself or members of your family. You may know Mr. Cayce
personally, or perhaps you know him through his letters.
You may know of a number of individuals who have been helped
through following Mr. Cayce's readings. Perhaps, you are
reading some of the numerous books and magazine articles now
being printed on psychic subjects, and recognize more clearly
the deeper significance of Mr. Cayce's psychic readings.
It is your cooperation that is needed in order to carry out
the 1937 Program.
Under this program expansion will take place in two
directions: (1) Readings; (2) Publications. Let us
consider each of these in turn, observing how this expansion
will affect you.
(1) There has been a growing need for more effective
sponsorship of charity readings. No one is ever refused
a reading because of inability to pay the membership fees.
The same time and consideration is given the individual who
is able to contribute the postage necessary to carry the
reading as to the person contributing the full membership
fee or more. Need not money is the measuring rod.
Through the general system of sponsorship that is proposed
you will be able to render individual services of a most
unique character, and at the same time contribute toward
the whole program of the Association. You will receive
copies of the individual case readings which you sponsor
and will therefore be interested in the reports.
Besides the individual sponsored readings there is a pressing
need for more general research readings. As has been pointed
out the Association is largely dependent for its income, at
present, upon readings. Though the need for and interest in
the general readings are apparent a reasonable income must be
assured.
Your sponsorship of readings on such subjects as the
following will not only provide interesting material for
publication but ultimately be of value to perhaps thousands,
when at present we are reaching only hundreds each year:
Studies of Serious Ailments of Mankind, such as,
Tuberculosis, Cancer, Epilepsy, etc.; Historical Studies;
Studies of Laws Governing Psychic Phenomena; Economic
Studies; Etc.
As soon as the extent of the sponsorship of this type of
reading has been indicated you will be given an opportunity
to assist in planning the series in which you are interested
and will receive copies of such readings.
It is believed that this program will make it possible to
plan ahead for several months readings that may prove of
great importance. It will interest many to know that the
cooperation of outstanding psychologists and psychic research
workers in this country has been secured in planning and
arranging for many of these research readings.
(2) The second phase of the expansion under the 1937 program
will be an important step forward in both the research and
enlightenment activities. Our publication program has been
seriously limited and while the steps being taken this year
can not be considered in any sense ultimate goals they
represent substantial progress.
For the moderate twelve dollar Active Membership fee you will
receive the publications outlined on the Publication Program
sheet, including, as you know, the new monthly Bulletin,
Monthly Research papers and six printed booklets in 1937.
Besides these regular publications a number of pamphlets and
papers explaining various phases of the work will be made
available for general distribution. Most important of these
are the two booklets now in the hands of printers:
Experiences of Edgar Cayce, and The Program and Work of the
Association. As an Active Member you will receive copies
of such pamphlets and be given the opportunity to distribute
copies to those whom you believe may be interested.
All of us can not give time and energy in the same proportion
to the work of the Association. Each individual must
contribute as he is able. Some can give time for group
work, another may be in a position to collect clippings and
books on psychic subjects for the library. Other
individuals may find the time to carry on personal
experiments. Many persons will want to take some part of
their time to talk to others about the work, distribute
literature, and secure readings for needy cases, each member
may give of his time and means in proportion to his insight
into the Ideal and Purposes of the work as a whole. Thus
sharing the responsibilities we may accomplish much good.
As an organization we have an important work before us.
Our contribution to the advancement of human knowledge is
limited only by our will to cooperate. Our program is based
upon facts and results. We are studying and presenting the
work of a great psychic; with the readings we may indeed ask
ourselves, "What will we do with this man?"
LIBRARY
With the increased activities of the Association it becomes
more and more important that we have a well stocked library
on psychic subjects. The responses to our request for
donations to the library have been most gratifying but there
are still large gaps on our shelves.
Many of you have intended stopping in a book store to look
over the volumes on psychic subjects, but have just put it
off. Let us remind you again that many books that would be
of real value in our library for reference purposes may be
secured very reasonably. Titles by James, Lodge, Doyle,
Carrington, Myers would be most acceptable, as well as many
of the later works on the general subject.
Of great importance are the Proceedings published by both the
British and American Societies for Psychical Research. The
Association has just recently been given the opportunity to
purchase at a very moderate figure a good part of the volumes
published by both of these Societies. At present we are not
in a position to take advantage of this offer. Any
individual who may be interested in assisting should address
the Manager at once.
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
During the coming year Active Members of the Association
will be called upon to take part in and receive reports
on a number of specific research activities. The following
outline will furnish the basis for the first steps:
1. With the February Bulletin there will go out blanks
requesting all Members to record and return to this office
reports on personal psychic experiences. To be included
among these will be examples of telepathy, unusual dreams,
impressions of the dying, personal clairvoyance or
clairaudience. It is hoped that each member will respond to
this request and give attention to reporting their
experiences in detail.
2. For the past few weeks there has been meeting in Norfolk,
Virginia, a small group of Association members devoting time
to simple psychic experiments. It is too early to make
statements regarding the results, but we may say here that
they have been highly satisfactory. A regular period is
given over in each meeting to calling twenty-five cards
marked with symbols similar to these used by Dr. J. B. Rhine
of Duke University. Preliminary studies are being made
of readings giving suggestions for such experiments. Later
it is hoped to extend the experiments to distance telepathy,
psychometry, and simple clairvoyance.
3. Within the next few months a series of case studies will
be undertaken under the direction of several prominent
psychologists in New York City. The results will be
presented in future research papers.
4. Members of one of the Norfolk Study Groups have for
several months been making a careful study of the Book of
Revelation. A series of readings is now in progress in
which numerous questions are being answered and helpful
explanations given. Many consider the information being
given in these readings the most interesting and helpful
ever given by Mr. Cayce of a general nature. The material
is being assembled for a research paper and for lecture
notes.
5. The following quotation from a reading on the Association
will give some indication of the direction of much of the
research activity in the coming year.
"In the Research Readings and Research Papers, make these
of timely conditions. Make these of those problems that
are a part of the economic conditions in the peoples'
experiences. Not as political, not as even local...that
is, any given proposition...but of the broader sense; that
is in harmony with the greater program which has oft been
given, 'I AM MY BROTHER'S KEEPER!'" [254-93]
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation