Edgar Cayce's near-death experiences

Edgar Cayce's

Near-Death Experiences

Induced using trance self-hypnosis

Edgar Cayce had more near-death experiences than anyone ever documented. Using hypnosis to induce a near-death experience, Cayce made over 14,000 journeys into the spirit realm and was able to access virtually unlimited information by visiting the so-called Hall of Records described by a large number of near-death experiences. Cayce revealed that his subconscious mind (which he identified as the "soul") would leave his body and explore the dimension where all subconscious minds are connected - a dimension similar in description to Carl Jung's Collective Unconsciousness. It is the realm of thought, imagination, dreams, after-death, and near-death states where all things are possible.

Edgar Cayce went on record three separate times to describe his out-of-body journeys to people. Here they are:

A Verbatim Account

of Cayce's Afterlife Journeys

The following is the only waking description of his journey in the trance state, taken verbatim from comments he made at a public lecture:

"I see myself as a tiny dot out of my physical body, which lies inert before me." [out-of-body] [orbs]

"I find myself oppressed by darkness and there is a feeling of terrific loneliness." [the void]

"Suddenly, I am conscious of a white beam of light, knowing that I must follow it or be lost." [the light]

"As I move along this path of light I gradually become conscious of various levels upon which there is movement." [the tunnel] [various afterlife realms]

"Upon the first levels there are vague, horrible shapes, grotesque forms such as one sees in nightmares." [hell realm]

"Passing on, there begins to appear on either side misshapen forms of human beings with some part of the body magnified." [another hell realm]

"Again there is change and I become conscious of gray-hooded forms moving downward. Gradually, these become lighter in color." [heavenly realm] [guides]

"Then the direction changes and these forms move upward and the color of the robes grows rapidly lighter." [higher heavenly realms]

"Next, there begins to appear on either side vague outlines of houses, walls, trees, etc., but everything is motionless." [I believe this realm is the physical realm which would appear outside of time.]

"As I pass on, there is more light and movement in what appear to be normal cities and towns. With the growth of movement I become conscious of sounds, at first indistinct rumblings, then music, laughter, and singing of birds. There is more and more light, the colors become very beautiful, and there is the sound of wonderful music. The houses are left behind; ahead there is only a blending of sound and color." [cities of light] [heavenly music]

"Quite suddenly I come upon a Hall of Records. It is a hall without walls, without ceiling, but I am conscious of seeing an old man who hands me a large book, a record of the individual for whom I seek information." [a good description of the Temple of Knowledge that people refer to in other NDEs]

Edgar Cayce's Journeys

to the Hall of Records

According to Cayce scholar Henry Reed's outstanding book entitled Edgar Cayce on Channeling Your Higher Self which describes Cayce's afterlife journeys, Cayce said he would feel himself to be like a bubble traveling through water to arrive at the place where he always got the information - the Hall of Records in heaven.

Edgar Cayce's Journeys

through the NDE Tunnel

Cayce scholar Henry Reed states that Cayce "went up and up through a very large column, passing by all the horrible things without coming in contact personally with them, and came out where there was the house of records. Cayce stated that as he ascended the column, there would be beings on either side of him calling out to him for help or trying to get his attention. Cayce knew that any deviation from the column and the beam of light would mean he would not be able to return to his body. It, the column, wound around on a wheel like the Rotarians have." [see the graphic above]

Cayce mentioned that he felt very secure traveling this way.

Edgar Cayce Meets

the Angel of Death

While preparing to undergo one of his otherworldly journeys, Edgar Cayce had lost consciousness and had a dream. Usually, he would travel through a tunnel toward the light. But in this instance, he met the so-called "Angel of Death" and learned about the silver cord. The following is his experience described in his own words:

As I went out, I realized that I had contacted Death, as a personality, as an individual or as a being. Realizing this, I remarked to Death:

"You are not as ordinarily pictured - with a black mask or hood, or as a skeleton, or like Father Time with the sickle. Instead, you are fair, rose-cheeked, robust - and you have a pair of shears or scissors."

In fact, I had to look twice at the feet or limbs, or even at the body to see it take shape. He replied:

"Yes, Death is not what many seem to think. It's not the horrible thing which is often pictured. Just a change - just a visit. The shears or scissors are indeed the implements most representative of life and death to man. These indeed unite by dividing - and divide by uniting.

"The cord does not, as usually thought, extend from the center - but is broken from the head, the forehead - that soft portion we see pulsate in the infant. Hence we see old people, unbeknowing to themselves, gain strength from youth by kissing there; and youth gains wisdom by such kisses.

"Indeed the vibrations may be raised to such an extent as to rekindle or reconnect the cord, even as the Master did with the son of the widow of Nain. For he did not take him by the hand (which was bound to the body as was the custom of the day), but rather stroked him on the head - and the body took life of Life itself!

"So, you see, the silver cord may be broken - but the vibration ..."

Kevin Williams Analyzes

the NDEs of Edgar Cayce

Edgar Cayce did not experience clinical or brain death, but he was able to control his mind to travel consciously through the identical process of the near-death state. This can be done by anyone, according to Cayce, if the proper attunement is made. Cayce also mentions that this is done by everyone when they fall asleep and enter the realm of dreams, only it is done subconsciously not consciously. The same is true for death.

Cayce's experience reveals more aspects about the nature of the tunnel so often described in near-death experiences and more about the structure of the afterlife. One of the afterlife levels that Cayce observed while in the tunnel appears to be like our own except it is motionless. In my opinion, this motionless afterlife level is our physical universe. While Cayce journeys through the tunnel and the eternal now, time on Earth stands still. This principle can even be found in Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity.

The afterlife level that Cayce saw where human beings appear with some body part magnified has been described in the Tibetan Book of the Dead and other religious traditions as being hell. It is a place where a particular desire has been overemphasized while in physical life. The level where hooded monk-like beings appear has also been described by many other near-death experiencers such as Dr. George Ritchie and Betty Eadie. Cayce was able to describe very accurately some of the various levels of the afterlife that appear in near-death accounts.

"Life is continuous, and is Infinite." - Edgar Cayce

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