The Outer Limits of Edgar Cayce's Power

Edgar Cayce, America's "sleeping prophet," was one of the most active and trusted psychics of the 20th century. Thousands of people relied on him for insights into their physical and emotional health, spiritual questions, business prospects, and dreams. His writings still inform us today. Cayce's readings were stunningly accurate -- about 85 percent of them hit the mark. But some cases seemed to be beyond his abilities. Why did his powers fail him at times -- if they in fact did? In "The Outer Limits of Edgar Cayce's Power," his sons, Edgar Evans Cayce and Hugh Lynn Cayce, investigate the questions that challenged the prophet's seemingly unlimited psychic abilities.

When Edgar Cayce died in 1945, he left a written legacy of more than 14,000 psychic "readings," many of which included treatments for a wide variety of illnesses and injuries or startling prophecies for the United States and the world. The passage of more than five decades and rapid developments in medical research have shown that Cayce had an estimated accuracy rate of an amazing 85 percent. Those "hits" have been sifted and analyzed at length in an effort to understand what he did and how he did it.

But what about the other 15 percent, the times when Cayce was unable to get information or the information was wrong? What can those "misses" tell us about the nature and limits of Cayce's psychic abilities -- and perhaps about the nature of psychic ability in general?

To answer those questions, Cayce's sons closely examined both the circumstances and subjects of these less-than-successful readings. The result of their investigation is an enlightening look at the readings that frustrated and confused their father and at Cayce's unflagging commitment -- even in the face of apparent failure -- to use his astonishing psychic gift to help others.