Edgar Cayce was born in the United States in 1877 and died in 1945. Because of his unique ability to put himself into some kind of self-induced sleep state or hypnosis, he has been called the Great Mystic of Our Time or the Sleeping Prophet. From this hypnotic state he could respond to various questions and he had a direct connection with two sources: the subconscious mind of the individual for whom he was giving the reading; and, the Akashic Records. Cayce considered this connection to be a gift from God and used it to help people. Both relatives and strangers asked for his help in diagnosing and treating their illnesses. When Cayce was in trance, his wife and a stenographer were present. No pre-arrangements were necessary. When he woke up, Edgar Cayce didn't remember anything he had said while in trance. This is why the stenographer wrote down everything said during a reading. The information spread and people from all over the US requested these readings. It was most unusual that Edgar Cayce only needed the patient's name and address to give a reading. Treatment suggestions were outlined also for illnesses that puzzled the medical doctors of the time. When he asked about the causes of the illness, terms like karma and reincarnation surfaced. New light was shed on lost cultures, unknown history and even the Bible. The psychic readings given by Cayce while in trance have been carefully numbered and filed. There are about 14,500 readings and they are available to researchers interested in the subject. The Association of Research and Enlightment, located in Virginia, is the centre for international information on Edgar Cayce.