Envisioning and Leavening
with the Edgar Cayce Work
By Kevin J. Todeschi
A concept from the Edgar Cayce material that has frequently come to mind over the years states that through our activities we have the potential to "change the thought of humankind" in very positive directions. Although inspiring to consider, quite frankly the idea is challenging to comprehend. After all, how possible is it for a group—let alone an individual—to really change human thought or transform a long-held world view? Upon reflection, I have come to the conclusion that transforming human thought is made possible by personal activities that create a "leavening" influence inspiring others, or by creating a "vision" that catches the imagination of groups of people, inspiring them as well. Both of these approaches have been at the heart of Edgar Cayce's A.R.E. since its inception in 1931.
In terms of creating a vision, perhaps one of the best examples is that of Hugh Lynn Cayce who described what the work of A.R.E. might eventually entail. When writing to the 1944 A.R.E. membership Congress while he was stationed in England, Hugh Lynn spoke of various services that he could visualize being available one day to A.R.E. members: a membership magazine; a program of lectures around the country; an organized study group program; booklets on all subjects in the readings; one of the finest libraries in the world; books which expanded upon the biography, There Is a River; adequate space near the readings for students, conferees, and visitors; a complete indexing system for the readings; and more. It was an amazing vision of things to come, especially considering that in 1935, the A.R.E. had only 244 members and a mailing list of approximately 3,000. Even by 1955, membership had still not reached 1,000.
Today, the Edgar Cayce work has tens of thousands of members and programs and activities throughout the country. The Cayce readings have been thoroughly indexed and are available online as well as on a DVD-Rom in thousands of homes around the world. The A.R.E. Library now houses more than 60,000 volumes. There are hundreds of publications about Cayce's life and work. The A.R.E. is connected to regional and volunteer offices throughout the country, plus there are Edgar Cayce Centers in 35 countries and activities in more than 70 countries. Each day, more individuals around the world access insights from Cayce's work via the Internet than came to Edgar Cayce for readings in his entire lifetime! All this is evidence that Hugh Lynn's vision has been realized through the inspiration of countless individuals worldwide.
Repeatedly, the Edgar Cayce readings also encourage individuals to become a leavening influence in the lives of others. A 52-year-old editor, who asked about how she could be of service in her occupation, was told: "For, the entity is as the leaven that may leaven the whole lump. Here a little, there a little, does the entity influence those with whom it comes in contact day by day." (reading 2830-2) On another occasion, when a 49-year-old accountant asked how he could be of greatest service to humankind, Cayce's reply was simply that he begin working with the daily practice of prayer and meditation! (reading 270-33) Here again he was pointing out how even one individual can help change the thought of humankind.
In terms of our current vision for the future, we have broken ground on the new A.R.E./de Laski Family Foundation Education Center, which will house expanded space for Atlantic University, the Cayce/Reilly® School of Massotherapy, and the Edgar Cayce Foundation. In addition to educational outreach, much of what we do creates "community" in many different ways among our members and our constituencies. The changes to our grounds—changes that are occurring for the first time in more than 35 years—will go a long way to help us envision the future and provide a vibrational leaven to the world as a whole. [More information on the changes coming to our site can be found at: content.edgarcayce.org/educationcenter.]
As we collectively look toward the future—the future of our individual lives and the future of the world as a whole—let us not overlook the amazing impact each and every one of us can have in creating and changing that future.
