Edgar Cayce (1877–1945) was an American known for his clairvoyant abilities, particularly his capacity to provide diagnoses and recommend treatments while in a trance state. Throughout his life, he gave thousands of readings that covered a wide array of subjects, including healing, past lives, nutrition, dreams, and prophecies. Cayce identified himself as a devout Christian and distanced himself from spiritualism. He is recognized as a significant figure in the foundation of the New Age movement, contributing many of its core beliefs. In 1931, he established the Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.) to further his work. His life and abilities were documented in a biography by Thomas Sugrue titled "There is a River," published in 1942.

Cayce's background was shaped by various traditions. He was raised within the Disciples of Christ, a denomination focused on restoring early Christian practices. His work also intersected with movements like New Thought, influenced by figures such as Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, and alternative medicine practices like homeopathy and osteopathy, which were common during his lifetime. While Cayce himself attributed his healing to osteopathic care and collaborated with an osteopath, his abilities were also noted in the context of broader psychic phenomena, drawing parallels to influences like Spiritualism and Theosophy, which explored concepts such as reincarnation and Atlantis.

Cayce's fame grew from his trance readings, which began locally after he reportedly lost his voice and regained it under hypnosis. He later claimed to diagnose illnesses and suggest remedies while asleep. His abilities were publicized in the New York Times in 1910, describing him as an "Illiterate Man Becomes a Doctor When Hypnotized." These readings extended beyond health to encompass topics like reincarnation, Atlantis, past lives, and future events. Cayce recorded between 13,000 and 14,000 readings in total, addressing subjects that became central to the New Age movement.

In 1931, Edgar Cayce founded the Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.) as a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the concepts presented in his readings. This organization aimed to facilitate research into psychic phenomena, healing, reincarnation, and other esoteric subjects. The A.R.E. became the primary custodian of his extensive collection of readings and continues to promote his work and legacy. Cayce spent the latter part of his life overseeing this institute in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

“The medical fraternity of the country is taking a lively interest in the strange power said to be possessed by Edgar Cayce of Hopkinsville, Ky., to diagnose difficult diseases while in a semi-conscious state, though he has not the slightest knowledge of medicine when not in this condition.”

“About four years ago I made the acquaintance of a young man 28 years old, who had the reputation of being a ‘freak.’ They said he told wonderful truths while he was asleep.”

“And truly, when it comes to anything psychical, every layman is a disbeliever from the start, and most of our chosen profession will not accept anything of a psychic nature, hypnotism, mesmerism, or what not, unless vouched for by some M.D. away up in the pro”