This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at the office of the Association, Arctic Crescent, Virginia Beach, Va., this 26th day of May, 1944, in accordance with request made by the mother - Mrs. [...], new Associate Member of the Ass'n for Research and Enlightenment, Inc., recommended by the book, THERE IS A RIVER.

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Jeanette Fitch, Stenos.

TEXT

1. GC: You will go over this body carefully, examine it thoroughly, and tell me the conditions you find at the present time; giving the cause of the existing conditions, also suggestions for help and relief of this body; answering the questions, as I ask them.
2. EC: Yes, as we find, there is more mental disturbance, and most of this is self-condemnation which comes from self-abuse.
3. As we find, if there would be administered, under the direction of the physician, small doses of saltpeter, and then make mechanically those corrections of subluxations in the areas in the coccyx and through the sacral and lumbar, we would bring better conditions for the body.
4. Then induce the body to become active, not by force but by mental intuition from suggestion of an individual or individuals giving direction, making these as to creating things, building things, of adding to something, as a creative, constructive activity; and we will bring better conditions for this body.
5. Ready for questions.
6. (Q) Where is it advisable that he be until he is well, for his or family's welfare, at home or otherwise?
   (A) There would be some attendant with the body, else we may find that there will be those tendencies for the body to take out the self-condemnation on someone else, and thus might bring conditions that would not be well. Have an attendant with the body, one that would be interested in, and working with the body at all times. The administrations of the corrections may be done by an osteopath or chiropractor, but have an attendant that will take a personal interest in the body.
7. (Q) If an attendant is obtained, would it be all right to have him at home, or just where?
   (A) It would be all right to have him at home, provided the attendant is with the body practically all the while.
8. (Q) Towards what is his interest most successfully drawn, that he might adjust and find himself?
   (A) This, as has been indicated, should be put in building something, creating something, working with something towards constructive activities.
9. (Q) As he has resentment towards either or both parents, advise course to follow?
   (A) These should be lessened mostly with the character of the attendant that these would become more and more normal or natural, by not merely sympathy, but the creative activity or principles, as will be the ideal with the entity so attending or being a companion with this entity. Take a much older person, see?
10. (Q) What is his true feeling towards his parents?
    (A) These change considerably, but it is resentment in self, taking same out on parents.
11. (Q) Is there hope of his becoming well?
    (A) If these treatments were followed, we would find there may be the eliminations of the sources and causes.
12. We are through with this reading.

    Two copies to mother (one for attendant)
    Copy to Ass'n file
    Two for indexing
    ([5187]'s Life Rdg. appointment is February 19, 1945, EWT, between 3:30 and 4:30 P.M. Be sure to let us hear from you about two weeks before that date, verifying the appointment and giving the questions you wish to have asked in his reading at that time.
    We are enclosing 3 extra membership application blanks, as you requested.)

BACKGROUND

1. 12/17/43 Mother's letter: "I have just begun to read your biography, and do not wish even to wait until I have finished it to get in touch with you. I did not hear of the book or you until a week ago, the day before I left ... to bring my son here to Chicago to see a doctor. Dr. Hugh T. Carmichael, M.D. is a believer in hypnotism in some cases, to find cause of nervous and mental disorders... My son is 19 years old, has been ill more than 4 years. Nervous breakdown 4 years ago. Has been in private hospital past 9 months. Doctors there said no true mental illness, but cannot find any cause for his emotional instability. He has had several falls: broke front tooth 5 years ago, broke leg 4 years ago. After this, condition made appearance. Before, was most popular kid in neighborhood; average or better grades in school; now has not attended school for 4 years. Dr. Carmichael has taken ill, so he will not see my son until next week. Meanwhile my son is getting cardiographs, X-rays, electro-encephalographs. If I'm not mistaken, Dr. Carmichael has written article in 'Reader's Digest' ... issue, but he says my son is too resistant to find anything out through hypnotism..."
2. 3/31/44 Mother's letter: "The time I spoke to you was by way of long distance from Chicago... At that time I had just brought my son up there to consult a specialist... Then I should have made application for a Reading for my son, but your reply was to the effect that a Reading could not be arranged until at such a late date that I let the opportunity slip by, and now we find selves in just as much uncertainty that my son will ever be well. Treatments in Chicago were of no real value in effecting a cure... He is a strapping young man of 19, six feet tall, 200 lbs., of very good intelligence which he nevertheless does not seem to use to a good working end for his own good. There is some psychological impairment that hampers a normal progress toward a real mental solution of whatever problem he has built up within himself. He has been sick for over 4 years now, and as matters are now, we can see no outlook but to ask the aid of the State Hospital, as we are in such a quandary as to what can possibly help him. Financially, we cannot meet the expense of private hospitals, and also he does not benefit by them. His inability to adjust himself, he directs in a belligerent attitude towards his dad and me, and I cannot cope with it, as I have lost my grip and cannot 'take it', as they call it, any longer. His dad and I both feel there is a combination of something psychological and physical that is the cause, but doctors have not reached anything of help, and I pray most earnestly that God will direct you to give us help before it is too late..."
3. 4/01/44 Mother's letter: "...Yesterday, we found it necessary to take my son to a private hospital where we will have him until you have given him a Reading, and we will not fill out application for him to be admitted to State Hospital which is all the advice we have been given, after each doctor we have tried has failed to help him... We will be guided by you, and will see to it that the Physical Rdg. is carried out to smallest detail..."
4. 4/24--29/44, 5/02/44 Letters urging earlier appointment for a Physical Rdg., requesting a Life Rdg.; also submitted a snapshot of [5187].
5. 5/17/44 Mother's letter: "...(1) What is cause of my son's behavior and illness? (2) Is it physical or mental? (3) Does he have pains he doesn't tell us of? (4) Can he become well, and what is treatment to follow? (5) If he has such resentment toward either or both of us, please advise course to follow? (6) Is there danger that he may commit any offenses that might cause serious trouble to himself or others?..."

REPORTS

1. 7/14/44 Mother's letter: "...We are trying to follow the Physical Rdg. you gave me for my son. He is getting adjustments by a chiropractor; also medication and for an attendant we were able to get an ex-service man, but he is probably not as old as the Physical Reading indicated he should be. This man is 24 years old, and we hope he will be of value in the manner which the Reading indicated. We were very surprised at the Reading for my son, touching on that particular phase of the cause of his self-condemnation, because of course, we knew of this, but according to doctors, this was an outcome of his illness, not the cause, more or less of his mental disturbance. We have great faith in the Physical Rdg.; our only concern is that we may not be following through right... Would it be possible to have a second Physical Rdg. at some early date...?
2. 9/15/44 Mother telephoned, requesting another appointment, saying her son has improved. The following questions were in letter of same date: "(1) Are chiropractic adjustments being made correctly? (2) Is correct amount of saltpeter being administered? (3) What methods can attendant use to induce my son towards outside activities, and also to become less anti-social? (4) Is swimming nude at Y.M.C.A beneficial or harmful in my son's case? (5) What was immediate cause of upset and retardment which began about August 9, in my son's seeming progress? (6) Is his dependence toward mother harmful; if so, how can this chain be broken? (7) What causes abnormal appetite, how to curb? (8) If we are unable to keep my son at home, what is best to do? (9) Would any of these suggestions benefit him: State Hospital, chiropractic sanatorium, psychiatric disciplinary school, travel, or what else shall we do?"
3. 9/25/44 Mother's letter: "...The attendant we have for my son, also the chiropractic doctor we have, are hoping to receive more instructions on how to better carry out the Physical Reading..."
4. 9/29/44 5187-2 not obtained, due to EC's illness.
5. 10/05/44 Mother's letter: "...We are trying to carry out his Physical Rdg. given to him May 26, as well as we know how, but feel there may be some way we are not correctly interpreting its correct meaning. We are hoping so, that we may be able to keep our son home with us, and not have to send him back to any institution for nervous and mental diseases, as that only seems to retard his adjustments; and financially, we are unable longer to cope with a private hospital..."
6. 1/25/45 Mother's letter: "...We have tried our utmost to follow the Physical Rdg. we received for our son, but shortly before Christmas he had quite an upset in what seemed to be real progress, and then again 2 weeks ago. So in order that he receive as nearly as possible the treatment outlined, I took him to the ... Sanitorium (chiropractic). Dr. E. Howard Morris, D.C. there has read the book "There Is A River"... He also has another patient that has a Physical Rdg. from Mr. Cayce..."
7. 2/19/45 Mother's letter: "...Sometime when you are not so busy, I would like to know if Mr. Cayce ever advised any particular osteopathic or chiropractic hospital, as the next best thing to having the patient at home. We were not able to fulfill the Physical Rdg. for our son to the letter, as he became too upset, and our difficulty was in getting an attendant capable and conscientious enough."
8. 3/16/45 Mother's letter: "As we have had to take my son to ... Sanitarium, I am unable to have my money in the Association... As soon as my 1945 enrollment ends, I wish to subscribe to the Weekly Reading extracts again. Also, I wish to purchase some of the periodicals and books as I would like to please have a copy of all these that are available. Sometime when you are not busy, I would like to know if Mr. Cayce ever advised any particular, osteopathic or chiropractic hospitals as the next best thing to having the patient at home. We were not able to fulfill the reading for my son to the letter, as he became too upset and our difficulty was in getting an attendant capable and conscientious enough."
9. 3/26/45 GD's note: Returned money for the second Physical Rdg. and Life Rdg. not obtained, and gave her Still-Hildreth address: Still Hildreth Osteopathic Sanitarium, Macon, Mo.
10. 4/10/52 Notation by IMG: No record of verbal or written contact on this case since 3/16/45.

Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation