For almost a century, Edgar Cayce’s theories concerning Atlantis have fascinated people and stimulated their imaginations by fusing mysticism with conjecture about archaeology. Despite the paucity of scientific evidence to back up his assertions, Cayce, also known as the Sleeping Prophet, continues to inspire alternative archaeological ideas and popular culture with his visions of an advanced ancient civilization. Despite what appear to be incorrect predictions, many still find Cayce’s writing on Atlantis interesting.
Overview
The American mystic and psychic Edgar Cayce (1877–1945) became well-known for his apparent ability to enter a trance-like state and give readings on a variety of topics, such as ancient history, spirituality, and health. He was born in Kentucky and became aware of his powers early in life. During his lifetime, he provided more than 14,000 recorded readings. His study grew beyond his initial focus on medical studies to encompass discussions of ancient civilizations, especially Atlantis (Cayce, Schwartzer, & Richards, 1997).
Between 53,000 and 10,000 BC, Atlantis was a highly developed civilization, based on Cayce’s readings. He characterized it as a highly developed technical society with flying vehicles, sophisticated medical techniques, and energy creation based on crystals. According to his visions, Atlantis was a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, with the main island positioned between the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. He asserted that the Atlanteans had created energy weapons and techniques for genetically modifying humans, among other amazing technological advancements (Cayce, 2010).
Cayce vs. Plato
Though they both depict an advanced civilization that ultimately suffered its demise, Cayce and Plato’s accounts of Atlantis differ greatly in a number of important ways. According to Plato’s description in his dialogues Timaeus and Critias (c. 360 BC), Atlantis is a sizable island situated beyond the Pillars of Hercules, or the Strait of Gibraltar as it is now. Plato characterizes Atlantis as a highly developed maritime force that attempted to subjugate Athens, but ultimately lost the battle, placing its existence around 9,600 BC. Plato depicts Atlantis as having intricate architectural characteristics, such as walls covered in precious metals, temples devoted to Poseidon, and intricate canal systems, encircling a central acropolis with concentric rings of land and sea. With its chariots, ships, and Bronze Age technology, the society he paints is more in line with ancient Mediterranean societies (Feder, 2017).
Cayce’s Atlantis, on the other hand, covers a significantly larger time period (53,000–10,000 BC) and has far more sophisticated technology, such as atomic energy, electricity, crystal power, and airplanes. Cayce concentrates on spiritual and scientific advancement, whereas Plato stresses political and military elements. Plato depicts a single catastrophic event in which Atlantis sank in a day and night, but Cayce’s account contains three episodes of destruction during which Atlantis fragmented into islands (Little, Little, & Van Auken, 2006).
With obvious political overtones that speak to his modern Greek audience, Plato tells the story of Atlantis as a warning against hubris and moral decay. Cayce’s version, which reflects early 20th-century interests in psychic phenomena and technical advancement, functions more as a narrative of spiritual development and technological accomplishment. Geographically, the two narratives also diverge. Cayce’s Atlantis stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to the Mediterranean, with colonies and influence extending worldwide, whereas Plato places Atlantis solely in the Atlantic Ocean beyond Gibraltar. The fact that they both portray Atlantis as a highly developed civilization that finally fell victim to a watery fate is their only noteworthy similarity.
Response to Predictions
Cayce predicted the discovery of evidence of the extinct civilization near Bimini in the Bahamas. He foresaw a rise of Atlantis in the vicinity of Bimini around 1968 or 1969. It’s fascinating to note that in 1968, pilots took pictures of what became known as the Bimini Road—a linear arrangement of limestone rocks underwater. Geologists typically believe these formations to be naturally occurring beach rock, although some see this as proof of Cayce’s prophesies.
The accuracy of Cayce’s Atlantis forecasts is still being debated. Although some devotees cite findings like the Bimini Road and other underwater formations off the Cuban coast as proof of his visions, professional archaeology has not confirmed these assertions as evidence of Atlantis. As previously mentioned, many of his precise predictions about the discovery of Atlantean records and the emergence of rising landmasses have yet to be fulfilled. His proponents counter that we may need to modify our interpretations of his timing or that some of his prophecies may still come to pass in the future (Andrews, 2013).
Cayce’s predictions about Atlantis have had a profound impact on popular culture, serving as the basis for a large number of novels, documentaries, and television shows. His ideas have influenced both the contemporary New Age movement and the ongoing interest in highly developed ancient civilizations. Cayce’s depictions of Atlantean technology and civilization have served as the basis for numerous science fiction works, including Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire and other works. His readings have also sparked numerous underwater excursions and archeological missions in the Bahamas and Caribbean.
Cayce’s Atlantis prophecies have elicited a variety of responses from both his supporters and detractors. Reinterpretation has been Cayce’s supporters’ most frequent response. Many followers reframed the prophecy by asserting that the discovery of the Bimini Road during this time period fulfilled the prophecy in a symbolic rather than literal sense when the anticipated 1968–1969 rising of Atlantis failed to materialize as planned. Some contend that the term rising did not refer to actual landmasses rising from the ocean, but rather to the finding of evidence.
Impact
Some proponents argue that although Cayce’s predictions were accurate, they misinterpreted the timing. They argue that sea level fluctuations and ongoing geological processes could potentially realize the forecasts in the future. Opponents and skeptics have used the failed forecasts to question Cayce’s overall trustworthiness. They contend that Cayce’s readings were the result of fantasy rather than true psychic insight, as evidenced by the unmet Atlantis prophecies. This has led to a closer examination of his other predictions and assertions (Joseph, 2008).
The group that conserves and disseminates Cayce’s work, the Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.), has adopted a more nuanced stance. Even though they admit that some of the forecasts haven’t come to pass as strictly stated, they nevertheless plan trips and research projects. They place a strong emphasis on reading Cayce’s readings as spiritual instruction as opposed to literal prophecies.
Curiously, the false predictions have sometimes spurred more thorough research efforts rather than lowering interest in Cayce’s work. By reinterpreting every new discovery through the prism of Cayce’s predictions, supporters continue to fund archaeological expeditions and underwater surveys, demonstrating how failed prophecies don’t always lead to a decline in belief but can instead result in more complex explanations and ongoing investment in proving them correct.
Conclusion
Despite the absence of scientific proof, Edgar Cayce’s theories regarding Atlantis have had a profound impact on alternative archaeology and popular culture. His evocative depictions of a highly developed ancient civilization nevertheless motivate both genuine and pseudo-scientific searches for archaeological evidence. Whether viewed as prophetic visions or works of creative fiction, Cayce’s Atlantis readings continue to significantly influence discussions about extinct civilizations and human history. This shows how appealing the Atlantis myth is to people today.
References
Andrews, S. (2013). Lemuria and Atlantis: Studying the Past to Survive the Future. Llewellyn Worldwide.
Cayce, E. (2010). Atlantis. ARE Press.
Cayce, E. E., Schwartzer, G. C., & Richards, D. G. (1997). Mysteries of Atlantis Revisited: The Century’s Greatest Psychic Confronts One of the World’s Oldest Mysteries. Macmillan.
Feder, K. L. (2017). Quest for Atlantis. The search for archaeological evidence of a legend. Leidschrift, 32(januari: Verzonken en verheven. Plato’s Atlantis van klassieke mythe tot nazi-utopie), 63-80.
Joseph, F. (2008). The Atlantis Encyclopedia. Red Wheel/Weiser.
Little, G. L., Little, L., & Van Auken, J. (2006). Edgar Cayce’s Atlantis. ARE Press.
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