and tissues pulsating with energetic life. The processes and parts of our body require a fresh vocabulary to explain its workings, as we are approaching a whole new field of wonderment and exploration.
The health readings of Edgar Cayce add another dimension, another viewpoint, another level to our understanding and knowledge of our physical selves. They present, as stated in chapter 1, a holistic model of the body, interacting with and influenced by mind and spirit. This three-dimensional outlook, consistent throughout the readings, provides the dynamics upon which healing is based. When we take it upon ourselves to care for our bodies, no matter what health concern we are currently experiencing, we have a number of choices available to us to undertake this healing journey. Based upon a holistic concept, these choices include both allopathic and complementary therapies; thus, we can utilize the best combination of treatments from these two systems of medicine.
FURTHER REFLECTIONS ON CAYCE’S CONCEPTS
Through just a cursory examination of the Cayce physical readings (which, by the way, are often difficult to comprehend even by medical professionals), one gets a sense of what might be termed “the domino effect”—that a certain result will follow a certain cause. If dominoes, for example, are lined up in a row and the first one is tapped so that it falls, the rest will fall, one after the other. During the Cold War era of Communism, this description was sometimes used to explain the potential “fall” of certain nations to the effects of Communism’s influence, perhaps being drawn in to this sphere by neighboring countries whose governments had already collapsed to its evils. The Balkans, Southeast Asia, and Central America are some examples of regions where the spread of domination from one neighboring nation state to another was feared, and the effort to forestall this from happening legitimized U.S.-backed coups and other interventions. But the idea that one region or country influences another and may indeed have a direct effect upon another is reflected in our physical selves as well. This domino effect is indicative also of the holistic nature of our bodies: one area being healed or hurt affects another part.
Clients receiving massages at A.R.E.’s Health Center and Spa frequently report on feeling effects elsewhere in their body than where the therapist’s hands are working. While one client’s head and neck were being massaged, for example, she felt her toes tingle. Another client felt waves of energy going down his arms during his scalp massage. Another woman whose shoulders were being rubbed felt heat in both hips. Perhaps a release of energy took place that the body in its wisdom distributed to areas where it was needed. Of course, this energy could take the form of increased blood circulation, stimulation of nerve endings, relaxation of muscle tension, or simply an excess of healing energy from the therapist’s hands that the body then carried to deficient areas.
While this scenario of the domino effect probably occurs quite often as our physical bodies become more dis-eased over time, a number of play-by-play descriptions of this happening are offered in Cayce’s readings. Though the terminology may be a bit unusual and the syntax convoluted, the message of the domino effect process, however, can still be understood. While lengthy, the following excerpt is a representative sample of such a scenario:
In times back there were those reactions that have caused an unbalancing of the elements that go to make up what may be called a proper chemical balance necessary in the system. We had then an expression of what may be sometimes called a catarrhal condition, which developed in the sympathetic functioning system, by the amount of reduced circulation to the head, throat and nasal cavities. And this, tending to be of a drying nature, affected the muco-membranes especially in the upper portion, or in the head, antrum, nasal cavity, throat at times, the ears even. Not to the extent as to produce falling antrums or falling Eustachian tubes, yet these have been at times affected. This reducing then the quantity of the activity of the lymph circulation has caused lesions to form in various portions of the body, especially in the soft tissue; more adhesions than lesions, as related to muscular forces, though the toxic poisons that arise in the system from the poor eliminations (as it has affected throughout the system the lymph and emunctory circulation) cause the banking up of accumulations—or the lack of proper eliminations; affecting, to be sure, the blood supply, until we have an unbalanced condition in same, at times red blood running below normal and the white—especially in the leucocyte and the urea—making for lack of the quantity of blood in both its whole circulation and in its component parts. This is indicated by the character or type of distresses caused in same. For, at times we have had those experiences of a rash in the cuticle on various portions of the body. At other periods we have had occasionally a tendency for boils or abrasions, that cause considerable distress in portions of the system. At others we have found there were periods when the digestion was so upset as to find little that would assimilate properly with the body; tendency for keeping the body in rather a tautness. And lacking in replenishing powers made for these forms of adhesions in the antrum, the head, at times in the caecum—as we have at the present, and an action that has tended to cause the engorging of the colon; making for in the extremes, or in the lower portions of the body, not exactly rheumatic conditions nor wholly muscular reactions, but sciatic lumbago—these effects have been in the system at various times.
642-1
According to the above excerpt, then, this forty-three-year-old gentleman had earlier experienced a chemical imbalance that precipitated “a catarrhal condition,” an inflammation of the mucous membranes in the nose and throat areas. The eventual reduction in circulation produced a drying effect in the head, throat, ears, antrum (sinus cavity in the upper jaw), and nasal cavities. Lymph circulation was also diminished, causing lesions in some soft tissues—adhesions (fibrous tissue that abnormally joins body parts or tissues together) in the muscles. A buildup of toxins or poisons caused by poor eliminations created the backing up of more accumulations, a condition which affected the blood supply. Red blood and white blood supplies were at times below normal. This circulation imbalance resulted in a number of physical disturbances: a rash in the cuticles (outer layer of skin), boils, abrasions, and periodic digestive upsets, so that he could not properly assimilate his food. All of this kept him in a state of tension (“tautness”), his body was thrown out of balance, and his colon became congested (engorged), so that at various times he experienced what his reading called “sciatic lumbago,” or low pack pain.
The above reading was given on April 24, 1934, and Mr. [642] was present for it. He had heard about Cayce’s gift through an “automatic writer,” who had suggested that he study the A.R.E. group lessons, so he organized a Search for God Study Group for that purpose.
Immediately following his reading he said that “the information fitted his case perfectly and that there was no question in his mind as to its correctness. He lamented the fact that so little credence was given information of this kind, especially by the doctors.” (642-1, R-1)
Later, in July 1934, he wrote:
About three months ago, Mr. Cayce gave me a physical reading. At that time I was suffering from acute pleurisy, improper functioning of certain glands of the head and throat, aggravated by adhesions in nasal cavities, and a general rundown condition, with a record of fifteen years of semi-invalidism.
The reading fully covered the conditions existent and gave treatment and diet, accompanied with manipulations by osteopathy.
Today I am enjoying nearly perfect health. I have endeavored to stay closely by [the] diet recommended, have taken the osteopathic treatments, and can say I cannot remember having enjoyed such health, as at present.
My case, I feel, is an unusual one, inasmuch as I have during the past fifteen years had three major operations, a severe accident with nine bones broken, three attacks of influenza, and typhoid fever, all of which has left me in an anemic, rundown condition. The remarkable phase of it all is that I feel 95 percent
