There Is a River
Page 38
But on them, fortunately, Mr. Cayce does not have to depend. There are other cases, hundreds and hundreds of them, wherein the treatments have been faithfully followed, and the predicted results have been achieved. So that the reader may become acquainted with the step-by-step procedure in such cases, half a dozen typical examples have been selected from the files and are hereinafter set down.
I. EPILEPSY
The history of this case is best told through the correspondence. It is a typical example of the daily requests for help.
Sept. 25, 1939
Mr. Edgar Cayce
Virginia Beach, Va.
Dear Mr. Cayce:
Sometime ago, I read an article in the magazine “Health Culture,” on the wonderful work you have been doing for the past twenty-five years, diagnosing diseases through the subconscious mind. The article was from the pen of Dr. Thos. Garrett, N.Y.
The article was like a ray of hope for me. Briefly my case is this.
For the past twenty-five years, since my ordination to the priesthood in the Catholic Church, I have been engaged in the work of young missions.
About fifteen years ago, while at the altar, I suffered an attack that had all the appearances of epilepsy. There is no epilepsy to my knowledge in our family.
About every three to four years since that time, I have had (at the altar in all cases but one) a similar attack.
You can understand life under these circumstances is very trying, uncertainty of never knowing when an attack will come on makes life very trying. I feel like one caught in a trap. The attack is always preceded by a trembling of the hands and body, which I cannot control. Then follows a period of unconsciousness.
Knowing of the amazing gift which is yours, I am asking you to diagnose and cure my case.
Will you let me know what offering I can give you? I have very little money but will give what I can.
The article by Dr. Garrett has given me such hope. Will you kindly answer this letter at your earliest convenience? An early answer would be greatly appreciated by one who has been a constant sufferer from fear these past years.
Sincerely yours,
Sept. 27, 1939
Dear [name]—
I have yours of the 25th and sincerely hope that with His help I may be of a service to you. Thank you for writing me. I trust I may be of a service.
I would not have you pay me anything. I ask that you fill out the enclosed blank or give the information asked for on it, and if you wish to contribute anything say a Mass for my friend, a young Catholic who is in my home trying to regain his health. He was a schoolmate of my son. He is on the improve, slowly but surely, and is a lovely and competent young man.
I am sending you some data, Father. I hope you will enjoy reading it. I will appreciate any comment you may make.
Only two readings can be given each day. The time we have set for yours is the morning of the 6th of Oct., 10:30 to 11:30 EST. We ask that, if practical, you keep the hour in prayerful meditation. Please let me know if it is convenient for you to keep that hour.
Thanking you and sincerely hoping to be of a service, and asking that you remember me in your prayers, I am
Sincerely yours,
(Signed) Edgar Cayce
September 30, 1939
Dear Mr Cayce:
Your most welcome and cordial letter, together with the readings and case histories reached me this morning.
God has endowed you with an amazing power. I am seeking that power sincerely in the hope that by a permanent cure, I may be able to give my whole life to the work of helping humanity to a better knowledge of God. This has been my work through twenty-five years in the priesthood, young Catholic Missions, trying to lead people to God.
Let me thank you sincerely for your kindness in making me an Associate Member free of charge in the Association for Research and Enlightenment. Rest assured I will say Mass for your good friend. Rest assured also, Mr. Cayce, I will say Mass for you, and pray for you, to the end that God may give you, through your truly wonderful faculty, the power to restore me and others to good health and a better appreciation of life’s purpose.
On the morning of October 6th, I will spend the hour from 10:30 to 11:30 EST. in prayerful meditation. This is the hour you have set aside for my reading.
May God bless you. You have my sincere prayers and belief in your great work.
Sincerely yours,
The reading was given on the morning of October 6, 1939. The major portion of this reading follows:
“Yes, we have the body here [name]—
“As we find, the general physical forces are very good in many respects; yet there are disturbances at times which prevent the normal reactions in the body.
“These, as will be seen, arise under conditions where strain is brought on the physical forces of the body—through the very necessity of the period of consecration.
“This is a physical condition that, as we find, may be removed or eliminated; and thus removing from the system the causes of these disturbances, also removing the necessity or cause for fear of any nature in relationship to same.
“In times back, there were periods when there was a depletion of the physical forces through the lack of supplying full nutriment to the system. This caused, in those areas about the lacteal and umbilical plexus, a form of lesion—a tautness.
“Not that it affects, as yet, the liver or the spleen, or even the gall duct’s activity; though eventually, without its removal, it may cause disturbances through that area.
“But with the periods of activity in which there is the refraining from foods, this becomes a retroactive condition in the physical force of the body; thus producing a spasmodic reaction in the nerve forces about the area—causing a reaction through the sympathetic and cerebrospinal center, from the lower portion of the solar plexus center.
“Thus there is an inclination for the losing of control of the sensory forces; for it produces, from the reaction, a condition at the 1st cervical, or through the medulla oblongata—an unbalancing, as it were, of the reflexes to the sensory centers.
“This as we find also produces in the general elimination system the inclinations at times for the lack of proper or full eliminations.
“When there has been, and is, the better or perfect accord in this direction, there is not such a great stress upon this disturbance in the right portion of the upper abdomen—as has been indicated—about the umbilical and lacteal duct center. Here we would find, upon examination, a cold spot.
—
“In making applications for eradicating the causes, then:
“We would apply each evening, for two evenings, the heavy Castor Oil Packs; at least three thicknesses of heavy flannel, wrung out in Castor Oil, as hot as the body can stand same, and placed over the lower portion of the liver, gall duct and caecum area—this extending, of course, to the umbilical center. Let these remain for one hour at each application, keeping the Packs hot by wringing out of the hot Castor Oil two or three times during the application.
“After the two days of applying the Packs, we would begin then with the osteopathic adjustments—with particular reference to a subluxation as will be found indicated in the lower portion of the 9th dorsal center, or 9th, 10th and 11th. Coordinate such correction with the lumbar axis and the upper dorsal and cervical centers.
“There should not be required more than six adjustments to correct the condition.
“Two of the Castor Oil Packs should be sufficient, but if in the administration of the adjustments it is found that this has not relaxed nor removed the cold spot, then apply the Pack again.
“Then, be mindful that there are good eliminations, or a perfect or full evacuation of the alimentary canal each day.
“When necessary, use a vegetable compound as a laxative—such as——or that having a senna b
ase.
—
“These done, in the manners indicated, will eradicate the causes of the disturbance, and produce throughout the physical forces of the body a better and a nearer normal reaction.
“Keep that attitude of consistent help, aid for others. This is in keeping with the purposes, the desires, the heart of the entity.
“We are through for the present.”
October 9, 1939
Dear [name]—
I hope you find the information interesting and the suggestions as beneficial as so many hundreds have found them through the years. I do not know how to thank you for your letter. I can assure you that you have brought joy to the young man here, as well as to myself. We can only hope your experience with the information will be as helpful as our own has been.
I will appreciate hearing from you. Thanking you and trusting to have been of some service, I am
Sincerely,
Edgar Cayce
October 11, 1939
Dear Mr. Cayce:
Your reading and the suggestions for cure, also your personal letter came to me today. Thank God, and you through whom God is working, after all these years I have got, through your aid, at the root of the trouble and have had the remedies pointed out to me.
The osteopathic treatments can be secured here in——. I am just at a loss to know how to go about the application of the Castor Oil Packs. They should be applied by one who has a scientific knowledge of the areas mentioned in your reading. To go to a doctor here, who does not understand or who has no knowledge of your truly amazing power, would mean a refusal.
If you could suggest someone, who could apply those packs scientifically without the necessity of my going to a medical doctor, it would indeed solve my problem. I am so anxious to start the treatments at once.
I said Mass this morning for your good friend. I am saying Mass for you tomorrow that God may grant you many years of usefulness to mankind.
May I thank you again for your great kindness to me. I shall never forget you.
Sincerely,
October 14, 1939
Dear [name]—
Thank you for yours of the 11th. Let me tell you how appreciative my friend is for your saying Mass for him. I thank you also for your thoughtfulness of me.
Now don’t think you have need to be disturbed about the Castor Oil Packs. You can apply them more scientifically than anyone else. This is what you do. First get a large piece of flannel, such as part of a blanket. Have it sufficiently large so that when folded three times it will cover the area from the lower portion of your right rib to the point of the hip on the same side and to the center of the abdomen and half round the right side to the spine. Heat sufficient oil so that you can wring the folded cloth out in it. When the oil gets very warm it is messy. Then, after wringing out the flannel in the oil, apply it directly to the body. Have other cloths and a piece of oilcloth to cover the flannel, so that it may not spoil the bed clothing. Apply it as warm as you can stand it. Then turn on your electric pad, and lie still for the time indicated. I am sure you can do this.
Where this treatment has been recommended it has been most effective and I am sure it will prove so for you. When you are ready to take the Oil Pack off, sponge the area covered by oil with a little warm soda water. This cleanses very nicely.
If I haven’t been explicit enough, please don’t hesitate to ask me about it.
You know I will be anxious to hear how you come along with the osteopath.
We can give the osteopath many references here in the states if he wishes them.
Thank you again. I hope that I have been of help in His name.
Sincerely,
December 18, 1939
Dear Mr. Cayce:
I am so happy to report to you that I have taken the treatments indicated in your reading for my case. Today I finished my sixth osteopathic treatment. The osteopath thinks several more adjustments are necessary to fully restore my body to complete normalcy.
My Christmas greetings to you are these. May God spare you many more years to carry on the good work. I am deeply grateful to you for your kindness. I am sure as I read (and I do often) your letter (my reading) that now I can go on in the full hope that there will be no reoccurrence of the attacks that have made each day an uncertain problem.
Since I began this letter, I have received your lovely Christmas greeting. God bless you with continued health and usefulness. Merry Christmas to you and your family and a happy New Year.
Sincerely,
December 20, 1939
Dear [name]—
Thank you for yours of the 18th. To feel that I may have been privileged to be the channel for some help or aid to you, is indeed a real Christmas to me, and I can only give humble thanks for this opportunity. I sincerely hope you took sufficient of the Oil Packs to break up the adhesions which were described as the basis of the trouble. With this accomplished, the adjustments from the osteopath will really be more helpful.
I am enclosing two pieces of work by my friend. He is still with us, and is looking forward to having his wife and baby with him tomorrow through Christmas Day. He is very happy about this, to be sure. Slowly but surely he is improving, and if it be His will he will continue until he is again in normal health. He is capable of making so many people happy through his work.
Thanking you for your prayers and blessings, and wishing that all that is good and true be yours, I am
Sincerely,
Edgar Cayce
On April 25, 1941, a request was made for a report on the case. The following letter was received with the case report.
April 28, 1941
Dear Mr. Cayce:
I am just in receipt of your letter. Let me state that I am sure my cure is permanent. To say I am grateful to you is only half stating my feelings. I pray for you daily that God may extend your life into many years to be of service to mankind.
I did not write chiefly for two reasons. First, I wished the element of time to prove my cure was permanent. Second, I was engaged in war work that precluded many times the possibility of correspondence.
It must be a source of great comfort to you to know you are doing so much good for humanity. Let me tell you, I will never forget your kindness to me. May God bless you always.
Sincerely,
Individual Case Report:
Date of Reading October 6th, 1939. CASE NO. 2019
PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS CAREFULLY
(1) In your opinion did the analysis of the Reading cover the condition?
Ans. Yes.
(2) Give symptoms of the condition described.
Ans. Attacks over a period of nine years. These attacks looked like epilepsy. They occurred about twice a year for the period stated above.
(3) What was the physician’s analysis of this condition?
Ans. Attacks had all the appearances of epilepsy.
(4) Have the suggestions given in the reading been followed exactly as outlined?
Ans. Yes.
(5) For how long?
Ans. For the period stated in the reading.
(6) Describe the extent to which improvements have resulted.
Ans. Complete cure, as far as I can judge, after the lapse of almost two years.
(7) Comment.
Ans. I wish to state my deep gratitude to Mr. Cayce.
Date April 28, 1941. Signed (name)
Summary
This case is not presented with the idea of furnishing additional proof of the accuracy of the Physical Readings, for much of the information regarding the condition was given in the letter requesting the reading. Yet, detailed conditions described in the reading which were not given in the letters cannot be ignored—
(1) bad eliminations, (2) a cold spot about the umbilical and lac
teal duct center, (3) subluxations of the 9th, 10th and 11th dorsals.
The treatment outlined was simple and logical, evidently meeting this body’s specific needs.
A bridge of mental attunement was set up through the seeking on the part of the priest, the offering of this help by Edgar Cayce, and the prayer and meditation at the time the reading was given.
II. INTESTINAL FEVER
This is the case study of a young woman eighteen years old, who had a critical attack of Intestinal Fever.
Before her first emergency reading was given on September 21, 1935, she had had two previous physical readings: one in 1927, and another in February, 1935.
The request for this emergency reading was made by telephone. The condition at the time the reading was given was afterwards described in a report submitted by Miss L. K. We quote from this report:
“I was taken with chills and a high fever. Alter taking the medicine given by the physician for what he termed malaria, the condition became worse, causing excessive vomiting. I could not retain anything, not even water. Then, I began to suffer with pains in my chest, abdomen, and right side. There was such a burning sensation in my stomach that it felt as if it were on fire, and this condition spread up into the chest.
“The physicians diagnosed the condition variously as malaria fever, malta fever, colitis, gastritis, and typhoid fever. One of the physicians stated it was appendicitis but after we received the readings, we knew from them that it was the inflammation that was causing the severe pain in the right side in the region of the appendix.”
The telephone request indicated that this young woman was in a coma, and was not expected to live through the night. The seriousness of her condition was confirmed in the reading which follows:
First Reading
A.M. Sept. 21, 1935.
“Yes, we have the body here; this we have had before.
“Conditions are very serious in the physical forces of this body, and the causes are from temperature that arises from infectious forces.
“In the present we find the stomach is affected, or the duodenum . . . the infections from same to stomach. The greater distress is in the upper portion of jejunum, or in those cords that connect the intestines themselves through the lymph and emunctory circulation of same.