The following was originally Supplement:
7/33 A.R.E. Bulletin article: [Talk made at the 6/33 A.R.E.
Congress]
OBSERVATIONS ON MR. CAYCE'S PSYCHIC PHYSICAL READINGS
By M. L. Richardson, D.O.
Norfolk, Va.
I confess a certain timidity in discussing the psychic -
particularly in connecting the psychic with the physical or
with its physical interpretations. Obviously there is such
a connection, but insomuch as the psychic functions most
actively in sleep, or in a state resembling sleep, it is
difficult to approach by our ordinary senses and common
language.
To make matters even more discouraging, we know
physiologically almost nothing about the very common function
of sleep itself; and we get no help from the psychic himself,
for he admitedly knows nothing of what happened and his
reading is entirely new to him when he returns to the
conscious world; of course there is in this, the negative
suggestion that the force acting through him is independent
of his consciousness and volition; that is, he acts as a
passive agent.
Perhaps our training also adds to these several barriers; we
are so accustomed to tapping the chest, listening to the
heart, testing by chemistry, and examining by microscope and
X'Ray that anything which will not submit to this diagnostic
3rd degree has no length, breadth and thickness, is not
material and hence is inconsequential.
To those interested in psychic phenomena, these difficulties
need not be discouraging. They can find inspiration in the
fact that a like condition exists in other fields of human
inquiry; the electrical engineer has for a century been
directing electricity of chosen power at will - and yet no
one yet knows what electricity is. This ignorance being
inconvenient he constructs a theory which he hopes will fit
into the known facts. If it does not he discards it and
tries another. At present he postulates; that all matter is
fundamentally electric; composed of atoms which contain a
positive center or protone around which is grouped a cluster
of negative elements or eletrones. So long as these balance
each other all is peace and quiet. However, if one electron
is coaxed away by man's inventions an attempt is made to
recover this electron by stealing one from nearby atom: It's
then a case of every atom for himself and the consequent riot
is what is known as an electric current.
In the transmission of magnetic energy, light, heat and sound
waves, it has also been inconvenient not to know the agent of
their transmission. Oxygen and nitrogen and the other known
elements of the atmosphere are not the agents, so in our
dilemna we invented the ether. Although this ether
penetrates all space and all matter, no one has the slightest
idea what it is and yet its assumption fills in a void in
human knowledge.
Life itself has been pondered over since the days of Eden and
yet its nature is as much a mystery as ever. A dead body
weighs as much as a living one, yet life itself has gone from
it.
Psychical research enjoys, in common with all branches of
learning, this privilege of filling in the voids with
theories. Without them that enigma of sleep cannot be
bridged and the psychic phenomena which take place on its far
side cannot be approached.
The subject has always been a fascinating one to me, and the
more so during the past ten years when I have had frequent
opportunity to examine the physical readings of Mr. Edgar
Cayce and also the patients concerned. The many instances
in which by psychic means he has revealed physical conditions
which have later been verified by physical methods have been
impressive. I admit but do not explain this.
Certain thoughts however have resulted from these
experiences:
Insomuch as sleep is interpreted between the psychical and
the sensorial, perhaps the psychic sense springs into life
and activity as our other senses become dormant in repose.
Perhaps one highly endowed with this psychic sense can be
compared to a sensitive radio receiver. He can at will
adjust and tune himself to the energy - or lack of energy -
from a selected source, and receives and records in the
readings emittions from this source.
If this is true and the psychic acts as a passive medium, we
might denominate this an actual psychic touch or contact.
I offer these thoughts for whatever use they may to those of
you interested.
To these remarks I append some random observation, pertinent
and impertinent, involving in turn The Readings, The Doctors,
The Patient (the body).
The Readings:
I think my earliest impression of a psychic reading was that
I was being served a very much scrambled portion of the
English language. It seemed that all of the rules of
composition had been overlooked. But here and there
something was clearly stated and stimulated interest in
getting the connection.
Have you ever been reading a column of newspaper and come to
a place where the type lines had gotten out of order? It was
quite a problem to keep the sense while looking for the line
that should be next.
Many of the readings are not in good sequential order. They
must be read and reread. Even then frequently there are
vagrant statements which seem in no way connected. I have
noted frequently that these are fitted in and cleared up by
subsequent - or check readings.
And since we have compared our medium to a radio receiver,
these facts suggest:
That psychic reception is, like radio reception, variable.
That it may have its own problem of static.
That strong senders may create interference.
That psychic transmission is sometimes good and sometimes
not so good.
The Doctors:
From all sources I hear of difficulty in obtaining
cooperation of physicians I sympathize with you in this.
The physician has arrived at his present methods of
examination only after years of intensive training, study and
experience. The system, although not perfect, has been
vastly expanded and improved in recent years. It furnishes a
wealth of information that is dependable and on which he
bases his treatment.
To meet and act alone in the sundry emergencies of life his
whole training has taught him independence, self reliance and
resourcefulness, and as a consequence he cannot comfortably
use another diagnosis as his guide even the diagnosis of
another physician.
Your hope of cooperation must rest with the occasional
physician who feels that present methods of examination are
predominantly physical and neglectful of other aspects of
life. Interest and curiosity on the part of these should be
cooperative.
The Patient or the Body:
I have had an opportunity to observe the various and varied
emotional reactions of the subjects to physical readings:
In some there has been a clear understanding that improved
health will result when the change of diet, better hygience,
emotional control and treatment are carried out as suggested.
Some have made a faithful effort to do as directed.
Some, it really seems, look for a cure in the reading itself.
That the reading has been a psychic purge by which harmful
causes and effects have at once been dissipated and
improvement must quickly follow.
Still another group makes a fetish or talisman of the
reading. They carry it with them always in the belief or
hope that is possesses some inherent power to effect magical
or extraordinary results.
Stated as briefly as possible: A physical reading tells what
is the trouble and what should be done about it.
Results, after all, depend upon physical action in response
to psychic command.
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation