Edgar Cayce Readings, 5506-1

(Physical Suggestion)

TEXT

EC: Yes, we have the body here, Mrs. [5506]. Now, we find there are abnormal conditions with this body. These conditions have to do with specific conditions existent in the physical forces of the body and the effect this has produced on the functioning organs and upon the system in general. Many are the conditions as may be given as being unusual, out of the ordinary, with this body, in the mental and in the physical effect as is produced.
From some viewpoints (these, now, are not necessary to that condition as may be applied for the physical condition of the body, but rather as eccentricities, or conditions as exist in variations from the effects as nominally produced in other physical bodies, where the condition or pressure is produced in the same way and manner):
From the viewpoint of the psychiatrist this would be termed a mental condition. From the pathological it would be termed nerve affection. From the analytical it would be termed suppression. From that of the psychological it would be termed pre-possession, or the activity of cosmic forces manifesting in material sense through the incapacity of the mental image to hold self in accord with the physical being.
NOW, as for the conditions as to be met, that we may bring about better coordinations within the system, meeting the needs of those direct conditions - both physical, mental and pathological - that must be met would we bring about a bettered condition for the physical forces of the body:
There are seen many variations in the effect, and in the affect, of the condition as has been existent. The condition as exists, or as IS, must be met as it is at the present time. There has existed for times back a depression in the lower portion of the dorsal and the whole of the lumbar region, a condition wherein there has been distortion to the activity of those nerves sympathetically, and of the cerebro-spinal (now), that has caused improper incentives to various portions of the PHYSICAL organism. These, then, bring about - under the present strain - those lapses of sympathetic coordination with the cerebro-spinal activity of the physical being. Or the body automatically operates, and is not - in the manner - SENSING that through which the physical being is passing. Not that the body is demented. Not that there is dementia praecox. Not that there is even softening of the tissue in brain reflex; but that pressure to the sympathetic ganglions in lumbar and lower region causes an undue reaction IN the sympathetic to make what is automatic action sensitive, and sensitive action automatic, or that reflex that should be the NOMINAL manner becomes abnormal in its activity to the physical portion of digestion, of the functioning of the organs of digestion, to the liver, the kidneys, to the lungs, the blood supply, or the torso of the system; while the brain force in itself is NOT even SENSITIVE of that taking place! Hence even at times in the excretions from the system, they are not sensed even by the body, nor able to be even controlled BY the body. The body in the mental sense COULD have been directed in the manner wherein - here's where we find a variation in that as is presented through what may be termed the application of physical self and of will, to that as is predestined through that of the relationship of an individual to a universal force, or the difference between that of astrological and physical conditions existent: In the meeting then, through the needs of this body at the present time, were there applied the proper character of heat to the whole of the lumbar and the lower dorsal region - which, as we find, would be MUD, that would be made from Fuller's Clay - this warmed (not so it would BURN the body, but warmed) and applied, and allowed to stay OVER the night, see? In the morning it should be cleansed - sponged off, then thoroughly rubbing the body with equal parts of olive oil and tincture of myrrh.
Every SECOND day,after such treatment, there should be the GENTLE manipulations, until there is the proper accord set up in the system between the sympathetic and the cerebrospinal system. These may not be set up entirely until at least fifteen such GENTLE massages are given. THEN there would be necessary, AFTER that fifteenth treatment, those of the CORRECTIONS to be made under heat (that is, apply heat OTHER than that given in moist cloths, towels, wrung out of hot water, and make ADJUSTMENTS as will be found necessary) in the lumbar and in the lower dorsal region.
As to the diet of the body, with these various changes as come while these are being given, we will find these will of themselves change.
When these have been carried out, then we would give that necessary for the FURTHER correction of the nerve impulses as will be changed by these, for betterment of the body; for change of vibration must come to system, as well as in change of reaction to the body. Do this at the present. Ready for questions.
(Q) Has this body any psychic power -
(A) This is, as has been given, that as HAS existed. An abuse of same, or the non-activity of same, has left it without application in the present time. With the change of impulses we will find this returning to the body and it may be applied in the present physical condition of self, as well as toward others. Do that as has been outlined at the present time. Fuller's Clay, heated - see? applied of evening. In the morning cleanse same with the water, then sponge off and use equal parts of tincture of myrrh and olive oil - heat the oil, adding the myrrh. Only fix sufficient to treat each day, see? Massage this thoroughly into the lumbar - all of the lumbar and sacral and the lower dorsal. On each SECOND day, or every other day, give the gentle manipulation, until at least fifteen have been given, see? over the whole system. THEN begin with the application of HEAT when ADJUSTMENTS are given, and make the necessary corrections as will be found in this region. Do that. THEN we will give that as proper for further treatments for this body. We are through for the present.

BACKGROUND

10/25/28 Husband [5505]'s letter: "...I have been reading in the New-York American that Mr. Cayce intends to diagnose ailments by means of telepathy. I have been waiting for a long time for such an opportunity to perhaps get diagnosed the condition of my wife [5506] who is losing her memory and ability of thinking more and more while the physicians we consulted didn't seem to know what treatments to give her... I would like to know whether such mental help is within reach for a man with a very small income. So, will you kindly let me know what the fee will be and what we would have to do to accomplish the telepathic connection?..."
11/06/28 Husband [5505]'s letter: "...Enclosed you will find my application for membership for one year and money order for the amount of $20.00. Kindly send me application blanks for readings and let me know whether I can fill the blank out for my wife (who, as I already said in my first letter, forgets everything and gets confused if she does anything which requires thinking) or if she at least has to write her name herself in order to accomplish the connection with you for the reading. I would like to have a physical reading for her first and, as my income is very small, one for myself later on..."
11/18/28 Husband [5505]'s letter: "...Returning your appointment card in which my wife has put her name herself, I am glad to say that you set a convenient hour for the reading and that my wife is going to try to sit and concentrate on this matter especially from 11:00 to 12:00 on Thursday as much as she can. As to special questions, I should like to ask the following: My wife has often been told by clairvoyants that she is in possession of a great healing power which, however, never has been developed. If this should be true, would it be possible to use same in the effort to restore her own health, and could we perhaps, in this case, be given any such direction? In case my wife has to be under diet, would you kindly let me know as to how I could help her carry it out, as she seems to suffer with hunger all the time, as a result of her condition, and not only eats every one or two hours, but forgets always that she has eaten a while ago and feels offended when I tell her so, because she does not recognize and admit her condition at all, while she is getting the more forgetful and confused the more she is eating (she knows neither the day of the week or month nor the season of the year), or is there anything that could stop this constant hunger? Is it possible to learn, as to about when we can expect an improvement in my wife's present condition, if the directions given in the reading are carefully carried out?
"I hope strongly your kind willingness to help her will be successful, after years of suffering. I would feel extremely thankful to God and you..."

REPORTS

11/26/28 Husband [5505]'s letter: "...It seems difficult for me to state [in answer to form C] how nearly the reading fits the condition of my wife, as it does not say anything about the externally perceivable mental affects of the inner abnormal conditions which my judgment alone would depend on and which I have described in my last letter. However, I have no doubt that the diagnosis is correct and certainly will try to carry the suggestions out as good as I am able to, hoping that same will prove beneficial for my wife..." [He then asked many questions regarding details of the treatment which EC answered in his letter of 12/05/28.]
12/05/28 EC's letter to [5506]'s husband:
My dear Mr. [...]
Replying to yours of the 26th, I know the information given is a little bit hard to be understood, and I don't know that I could adequately explain it to you. That is the reason why we are building the institution, that such information may be studied under the direction of scientific, medical men, and applications made in accordance with same; for there have been so many wonderful results through such application that we feel we are justified in attempting to correlate the data for the human family.
Now, I will attempt to answer your questions as best I can. I don't know as you kept a copy of your letter, so I'll repeat the question, and tell you what I think about it personally.
1. Is the part of the body to be treated the backside from the hips down to the thighs? or higher up yet?
A. Yes, it is along the spine from the end of where the hips join to the end of the spine.
2. Is Fuller's Clay to be applied thickly or only in a thin layer?
A. Should be at least sufficient to cover that portion of the body to which it is applied. The Clay, I think, can be mashed out to where it is not overly thick, but should be sufficiently thick to cover the parts of the body. This should be applied directly TO the body, and not put on a cloth and put over the body; for you will remember the instructions are that this is to be cleansed off thoroughly and then the same portion of the body massaged thoroughly with equal parts olive oil and tincture of myrrh. You heat the oil and add the myrrh to same while the oil is warm. It is best not to make more than what is used at one time, which would be about a tablespoonful of each. If the Clay can be worked over it would be alright to use it the second time. I don't think it's overly expensive, and I don't think you would want to use it over. It is to be applied every OTHER night for a month. The sacrals are the joints from the point of the hip bone to the END of the spine. The manipulations or massage that are to be given every second day, they should be those as would be applied by a regular masseur, or osteopath.
3. What is meant by treatments of corrections to be made after a month under heat?
A. The heat as applied should be applied by large crash towels, or something of that nature, and the adjustments should be made by the osteopath, or chiropractor. Don't attempt to make the adjustments until after the other treatment has been kept up for about a month. Yes, another reading should be necessary to get the full understanding of that necessary for the complete correction of the conditions. I don't know how to explain to you, or how even to suggest that you go about to get her to take these treatments. Of course I know you can't force her into them and get any results at all, but apparently - from the reading - she, while forgetful, can still be REASONED with, and I think the applications would cause her (if she once begins them or tries them) so much help that she would want to carry them out for your sake.
Please don't think we ever tire of trying to be of help. We are only too glad to offer any suggestion whatever, or try to offer any suggestion, that will be helpful; for we know and realize that only by the cooperation on our part, as well as yours, can we expect to obtain results - and it's the results and the help that we want to give to your own mind and to your wife physically. So don't hesitate to call on us if our explanation hasn't been satisfactory. We will be glad to hear from you from time to time, and hope you will let us know how you get along with these treatments from time to time, and we will be ready to undertake it whenever you desire. My understanding, from the necessity of a second reading, was simply as to whether she WOULD respond to the treatment, or whether she would allow you to give them to her at all. Of course if she doesn't the second reading isn't necessary.
I certainly hope we may be of service, and with kindest personal regards, I am
Sincerely, Edgar Cayce EC:GD
1/30/29 Letter: "...In reply to your kind detailed letter of December 5th, I am sorry to say that we seem to have attained no results as yet, as far as I can judge. There is at least no improvement of my wife's memory and she feels as confused and weak as before, especially after eating too much, as happens almost every day.
"By telling her that her healing power would come back to her, according to the reading, as soon as she would regain her health and that your Association probably would like to develop and use it for the patients of your hospital (it was always her highest desire to help others) I could get her to yield to the treatment, and have applied the Fuller's Clay and afterwards the oil and tincture of myrrh - 16 times regularly, Wednesdays and Fridays for over five weeks - the applications carried out according to direction. For the general manipulations we went six times, always after the earth applications, to an elderly chiropractor, who sometimes did not seem to work so very gently, though I had given the reading to him to read it over. Then, my wife would not go there any more as there was not the slightest improvement yet. So, in order not to give up entirely, I bought a book describing how to do massages and tried myself as well as I could, until we finished the earth applications, but as I said, I see no results whatever, much to my regret and despair. I hope my wife is not too old with her sixty eight years?
"What can I do now? Supposing there has been a change for the better in the condition of my wife which we cannot notice, how could I go on with the treatments? Do you think that perhaps mustard plaster applied to the diseased parts every second day for a few weeks could bring about any improvement? I should like to try it.
"At any rate, for any helpful suggestions I could carry out myself in case I cannot get my poor wife again to go to a chiropractor, I would feel very grateful. Besides, the reading has helped to comfort me at least insofar as I know now that disease is not a softening of brain, as one doctor (a specialist!) tried to make me believe, and I am grateful for that, too... Do you think it would make any difference when the corrections under heat and adjustments would be carried out a little while after we stopped applying Fuller's earth, in case I could get my wife again to yield to such treatment by a chiropractor?..."
GD's note: When sending in his membership application, Mr. [5505] listed his own age as 54.
2/08/29 GD's letter to Mrs. [5506]'s husband:
New York City, N.Y.
Dear Mr. [...]
Mr. Cayce asked me to make another appointment for a reading on your wife, as per the enclosed card. He has been unwell himself of late and has not been able to attend to his correspondence as he would like to. We are making this appointment at our earliest open date, so that we might find out what else is now necessary for your wife's condition. In the meantime, I would suggest that you keep up the applications of the clay, with the olive oil and tincture of myrrh, and do the best you can with the massages. I am of the opinion that she should go to an OSTEOPATH instead of a chiropractor - one who will give the gentle manipulations as per directions and then the adjustments later, after the fifteen gentle treatments have been given. So, if in the next reading it still suggests the manipulations, we will give you the address of a good osteopath - one who will follow the directions in the reading, and one who is in New York. We will get the reading first, however, so that we will be sure to proceed in the right direction.
Please return the card to us, giving the address she will be at the time set. Also make any specific questions that you would like to ask concerning her condition.
Hoping that we may be of service, I am
Sincerely, Secretary to Mr. Cayce
2/15/29 Husband [5505]'s letter: "...I have received your letter of the 8th and was surprised that Mr. Cayce was going to give us another reading. I feel indeed grateful for such kindness and hope only that it will bring my wife on the road of recovery at this time. She will be at home ... and I would like to ask the following questions: Whether she will - in spite of her 68 years - perfectly regain her memory and clearness of thinking, when we go to an osteopath and the suggestions given are correctly carried out. If it will be sufficient and successful, when we go twice every week to the osteopath, as this would be easier for me. Whether there is any medicine - perhaps homeopathic, or any tea compound that would restore my wife's health and memory, in case I cannot get her to keep up with the osteopathic treatments?
"I would be glad to have the address of an osteopath who would follow the directions of the reading and if this could be a lady, it would be easier for me to get my wife to go there, as she does not like to go to a man.
"I found out that such a lady, a certain Mrs. Muriel Thorburn, lives quite in my neighborhood, 12 East 86th Street, that would be just ten minutes from our house. Do you perhaps happen to know her or to have heard about her?..."
2/26/29 EC gave the second reading - 5506-2.