If you have not read any books about Edgar Cayce before--or if you want a clear and easy-to-read book about what he channeled about reincarnation--do not pick this book. A better choice would be "Many Mansions" by Gina Cerminara, which has well-defined topical sections and good explanations, as well as a short biography of Edgar Cayce. "Edgar Cayce's Story of Karma" is for those who already know quite a bit about both the Sleeping Prophet himself and the concept of reincarnation.

CHAPTER ONE attempts to explain karma and reincarnation, through excerpts from the Cayce readings. This could be a confusing beginning for some people. Editor Mary Ann Woodward doesn't stop to help define the frequently-used terms from the Cayce readings, like "Creative Forces." Neither does she explain the significance of the astrological and biblical terms. She presents excerpts from readings in their original form, quoting directly as often as possible. Though this is good because it allows the reader to freely interpret what Cayce really said and to experience the "flavor" of the readings, it could mean difficulty to readers unfamiliar with Cayce.

CHAPTER TWO is about how we develop the traits within us that are either "stumbling blocks" or "stepping stones" in our development. What I liked about this chapter--that I liked about all chapters--were the well-chosen and illuminating life readings that show how traits are nurtured through experiences in different lives. It took some concentration to wade through the vague language of the readings, though; and I wished that Woodward had given synopses for each. Please note that this chapter is very general. Feelings and attitudes are discussed together, not in separate, specific sections.

CHAPTER THREE is about physical karma. (Though there are sections for selected diseases, someone who wants more precise information should read "The Edgar Cayce Encyclopedia of Healing".) I also found fault with the arrangement of the cases in this chapter. As there are no subheadings to set apart the many people who have had the same disease, readers can start reading about [2671], while believing they are still with [3063]. To be fair, though, Woodward gives proper emphasis to how the mental and the spiritual affect the physical.

CHAPTER FOUR is about good karma: "Talents, Careers, Vocational Aptitudes." The stories here are wonderful! One of them is even about a boy who was Franz Liszt in a past life. (By this chapter, hopefully, the reader will have learned to be comfortable with the language of the readings.) Another good thing about this chapter is that it focuses on the advice Cayce gave people about how to follow their vocations and make full use of their gifts.

CHAPTER FIVE is about family relationships. Again, there are great stories/examples in this chapter. The most dramatic one (very, VERY interesting!) is told through excerpts from the Cayce readings, a letter from Gladys Davis (Edgar Cayce's secretary), and even a follow-up letter from the man who requested the reading. I only wish that Woodward had summarized all of Cayce's advice in a concluding paragraph--because it is excellent advice, but is scattered throughout the chapter. Special sections attempt to shed light on "Attraction of Souls", "Parents", "Home and Marriage", and "Divorce".

CHAPTER SIX is about group karma--and it has a delightful bonus: some of the history of Egypt before and during the recall of the priest Ra-Ta! It also discusses thoroughly the group karma of both the Healing Group and the Association for Research and Enlightenment (ARE).

CHAPTER SEVEN and the APPENDIX are about the deeper aspects of karma and reincarnation, such as opportunities, ideals, purposes, etc. I liked the way it stressed why it is important to pay attention to these things. The appendix specifically puts forward a "philosophy of reincarnation."

It does require a little concentration to get through this book, but the lessons to be learned from reading are well worth the effort.

Many Edgar Cayce's readings with some additional text from Mary Ann Woodward.
I found this book to be very helpful in understanding urges and understanding why people are who they are and how people relate to each other and other things in the environment.

The Edgar Cayce material was my first introdcution to the world of karma and metaphysics. I just love all of his books. Reminds me of Karma And Your Sun Sign by Joan Kilgen. Both are gentle approaches to the subject of Karma.

Cayce's predictions are hard to believe, but what if his claims are true. He tells of light beings visiting the earth before humans were around and getting trapped in flesh boddies. He takes the reader to the building of the pyrimids and much,much more. This is a very interesting book.

Many Edgar Cayce's Readings with some additional text added to help understand the readings better.
The book gives an overview of the Human Evolution / Development from the first time man was in the earth until the time of the final destruction of Atlantis and much on the earliest big advancements in Egypt brought about by people from Atlantis (some travelled to Egypt before Atlantis was destroyed).
A few comments were made in the book on present day, and future, activities in the earth...

There are already some long reviews written about this book. All I can add is this book is a wonderful read. Very hard to put down. A book WELL WORTH OWNING.I can't wait to start the follow up Atlantis re-visited.

The book basically contains 3 parts: Some of Edgar Cayce's readings related to Atlantis; The evidences both from a Geology and Archaeology viewpoint; and a brief history of the archaeology findings in both Egypt and Bimini. The book by no means shed more light onto this mystery. The book must be read with an open mind especially when Edgar Cayce spoke of the origin of humankind, nevertheless, it is always interesting to read other peoples' philosophy on matter such as this. The later two elements of this book (Geology, Archaeology findings) makes it worthwhile to read. The Author in every why he could, attempted to use these findings/evidence to support Edgar Cayce's views, however, these findings/evidence by no means confirm nor deny the existence of Atlantis.

Easy to read 200 page book that gives an overview of the Cayce readings about Atlantis. Considering how much garbage has been written about Atlantis just to sell books, this is an excellent place to start. Strength of the book is the author's attempt to present the Cayce readings objectively with comparisons to scientific thinking and that of other metaphysical writers on the topic, such as the Theosophists. The weakness is that some of the science is outdated, and it is presented incompletely.

There are compelling scientific arguments against a mid-ocean continent 50,000 years ago containing an advanced technological civilization. This makes Cayce more difficult to believe than is acknowledged here. But there are real reasons to take Cayce seriously, both metaphsical and scientific. One of Cayce's claims to fame is his statements that the Sphinx and the largest pyramid at Giza are much older than archeologists believe, and that there is now---some 70 years later--geologic and astronomical evidence to support these claims for an age of 12,400 years (though these claims are vociferously denied by Egyptologists).

An excellent book as a follow up to this one, exploring this geologic and astronomical (as well as common sense) evidence that support Cayce's claims for a vast age for some Egyptian monuments is "The Message of the Sphinx" by Hancock and Bauval. THAT book, about the ancient Egyptians, which gives Cayce credibility, is five stars.

This is an excellent book, but should be read after you read "Edgar Cayce on Atlantis". There is some redundancy but this book contains additional information and insight into the readings of Edgar Cayce, including an Afterward section that gives you a summary of recent archeological findings that support the readings of Edgar Cayce.

In this book, you will find an attempt to categorize this history of early ancient civilizations into three categories related to the partial or complete destruction of ancient civilization dating from 50,000 b.c., 30,000 b.c., and 10,500 b.c. According this book, we are living in the fourth time period dating from around 10,500 b.c. to the present. Explanations of the various types of people (and/or beings) are given. The "Dead Sea Scrolls" and even the "Bible" also support these descriptions to some degree.

If you are a hard-core evolutionist or creationist, this book will provide some support for both but you will quickly realize that a lot of what is taught in school, is not necessarily supported by recent archeological findings. You will also discover that we are all on a spiritual journey, possibly of our own choosing. The most interesting dilemma in the research in Egypt is that there seems to be an overwhelming amount of evidence that a "Hall of Records" that contains information about the architects of the Egyptian Pyramids, is buried under the Sphinx or nearby in a Pyramid "of it's own".

Why don't we go over there and dig up the records? Cayce's claim is that these things cannot happen until the right time or until we are ready for the "next evolution of mankind." If in fact these records exist, we would have to re-write history and it would probably have a radical affect on our society, both scientifically and spiritually. This book also paints a picture of our own future that is bleak (although I found this particular chapter to be a little speculative for my tastes.) The Afterward is good but you will want to read other books that support these writings since they are vague and only summarized.

Lastly, I have begun to really doubt the accuracy of Carbon-14 dating, not just from this book but from other archeological books I've read that draw conclusions based solely on dating research. The tests used to date the Pyramids, place the dates of the Pyramids 200 years before Kafu, the assumed builder of the Pyramids. Unfortunately, it also doesn't support the dates provided by Cayce either. The Carbon-14 dates really don't make much sense, especially if you consider that there are watermarks around the neck of the Sphinx, which can only be traced to the period between 8000 and 5000 b.c. The fact is, we still have a great deal to learn about the Pyramids and that the most incredible archeological finds, are still to be had right in Giza. Hopefully there is more to come.

This is the first thing I read of Cayce. It is all excerpts straight from the readings. There are no interpretations, conjecture or filtering through this relative or that author. This is straight from the mouth of one of the most documented psychics of the 20th century. I believe that what is in this book was transcribed from edgar cayce while he was in a trance. I may be gullible, but I would just rather believe in everything than pick one thing for life. The book is separated into several sections. For instance, "On Self and Others" and "On Choice and the Will." The excerpts are usually a short to medium paragraph. This is a pocket sized book, perfect for quick reads and bursts of insight. Here's one of my favorites: "For this entity should comprehend and know, and never forget, that life and its experiences are only what one puts into same! And unless the activities, the thoughts are continuously constructive, and the experience well-balanced, the entity cannot, will not fulfill the purpose for which it came into the present experience." - 1537-1 For those who havent read about Cayce its a great introduction to the man in his own words. For people who have already become intrigued with Cayce, this is a useful compendium of some of trance boy's most scintillating insights from beyond. % % % % 1/2 -Tom Cates