Born on this day on a farm in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Edgar Cayce (1877–1945) became known as the “Sleeping Prophet” and the “Father of Holistic Medicine,” offering guidance and spiritual healing through the thousands of trance readings he gave during his lifetime.

“I have nothing to sell and am seeking only to be of help,” he once said.

As a child, Cayce believed he could see and speak with those who had passed on. At age four, he witnessed his grandfather’s accidental drowning and later said the man would “visit” him. At 13, he reported an encounter with an angel who told him he would one day become a healer.

“Life as a whole is a continuous thing,” Cayce said, “emanating from power, energy, and God-consciousness.”

The clairvoyant went on to live a remarkable life. In his readings he offered counsel that attracted wide attention, even from figures such as Thomas Edison and Woodrow Wilson. Thousands sought his guidance and drew strength from his practical wisdom.

“For he that expects nothing shall not be disappointed,” Cayce said, “but he that expects much, if he lives and uses that in hand day by day, shall be full to running over.”

In 1931 he founded the Association for Research and Enlightenment in Virginia Beach to preserve and study his work. The organization later archived more than 14,000 trance readings. Cayce said he had no conscious control over them and was often able to help people hundreds of miles away.

“Patience is the lesson all souls must learn, not merely passiveness, but active patience. Patience allows us to learn from one experience and move on to another.”

His message carried a simple encouragement. Even if we have chosen the wrong road, the soul still has the freedom to turn around.