Trance Channeling in the Cayce Tradition
Many people have asked me what I mean when I describe myself as a “deep-trance channeller working in the style and manner of Edgar Cayce.” To answer the many inquiries, I will describe my experiences in the trance channel state and provide an example of this kind of information I receive in this type of trance.
For the past eleven years, I have been putting myself into a deep state of meditation on an almost daily basis. Although it can be a dangerous practice (body functions are suppressed into an unnatural state, by lowering the respiration and blood pressure), it serves to remove the barrier between the contemplative mind and the rational mind—between the intuition and the intellect. Within this merger, a clear line of thought can be maintained on a specific subject or concern. The conscious mind can be set aside in this state, allowing one to delve into realms of ultra-consciousness.
At this level, fear must be dealt with quickly. If you fear you will slip into a dark abyss, never to return to light and life, the heart rate quickens and out of meditation you come, like a bubble rising to the surface.
When I do a Reading, I allow the higher aspects of my mind to be a vehicle or channel to communicate truth, intelligence and love from my “soul mind” to the “soul mind” of the person requesting the Reading. This is accomplished by using the Akashic Records, a timeless collective record of all soul minds.
While I am in the trance state, my wife, Karen, acts as the “conductor” by stating the prayer of protection and asking the questions. At the end of the session, she directs my bodily functions to return to normal and prays for healing and the release of any negative influences.
I begin each session by lying down in a recliner and breathing deeply and rhythmically in a way that begins to reduce my respiration and heart rate. First my feet and legs feel heavy and then I feel my pulse all over my body. Soon all sensations of weight and movement begin to dissipate. I continue to breathe slowly and “let go.” As the body slips into a sleep state, I look into my mind’s eye and perceive two luminous circles. I think, “hello my friends,” and they disappear. I have the feeling of moving forward and look to a horizon where I perceive a sky blue colour. I have a sensation of ascending, and on some occasions, I have gone through a blue ring.
In this state, I have often perceived other dimensions and have been able to look down from a great height and see my body, the conductor, and, if present, the person having the Reading. On one occasion, I recall listening to myself speak and reflecting on how strange it felt to watch my jaw moving and saying words while I was thinking something else.
Usually a feeling of great peace and tranquility accompanies the session, although I have sometimes taken on the aches and pains of the person receiving the Reading.
Upon ending the session, I again feel the weight of the body. When I awaken, I feel warm, but soon after, I become cold because my blood oxygen is diminished and my heart rate is still low. This condition does not last long, and I am soon my normal self.
What follows is a portion of an actual session:
Karen Cottrell: Please clear the mind and inform us when the mind is clear.
Douglas Cottrell: The mind is clear.
Karen: Dear Lord, please protect this entity from all negative influences, regardless of source, and give us the information we seek of this inquiring mind, through the manifestation of truth, intelligence and love. Amen. Would you please allow your mind to go to whom, to where, to what and to when it is directed. Please locate the form of (name address withheld).
Douglas: Yes, we have this one.
Karen: Would you please go over her physical form, indicating points of stress, giving causes and recommendations for treatment? Her main concern is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Douglas: We will examine the body. One moment.
Indeed, in examining the physical form, we find conditions here both pertaining to the skeletal and the glandular system in the body. As there is some degree of difficulty in the blood also, this would account for the substantial and sustained level of energy loss or inactivity.
To begin with, there should be the examination and manipulation of the lower part of the spine. Here we find a degree of difficulty. The first, second, third, and fourth lumbar would appear to be in normal proximity or location. There would not appear to be a problem with them, but in the fifth, there would appear to be a slight rotation and compression. This is largely due to the softening of the bone, which is causing a condensing of the vertebrae or the bones in this part of the spine. This is bringing pressure to bear upon the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, regularly affecting that of the reproductive and elimination centres in the body; to be specific, in the peristaltic movement in the large intestine or the colon itself. Here, as such, elimination is slow or sluggish. This is directly and indirectly affecting the body’s fatigue. As such, there should be a degree of manipulation or spacing the bones farther apart. This would relieve the pressure or condensation upon the bone on the vertebrae and allow the energy flows to be increased. This increase of nerve fluctuations—or impulses, as they might be called—will in turn cause the peristaltic movement to increase, bringing improvement in elimination and also to the endocrine structure of the glandular system. This would allow for the secretion in the pancreas and, in turn, the thyroid so that there would be improvement of headache or dullness felt in the front portion of the head. Even that dullness felt above the temples and above the eyebrows would be diminished and would leave. All dull sensations would be removed from the entity’s upper body or head. The osteopath or the chiropractor could be consulted to gently massage parallel to the spine, first to the right side, then the left side. If the right side upon the first lumbar is manipulated or massaged (this would be to the right side of the spine), then the second vertebra should be massaged on the left side. Here the intent is to slightly push the vertebrae towards a central line, first from the right, then from the left. Third would be from the right, fourth from the left. The fifth would be massaging directly both sides of the spinal column. This would subtly and directly affect the nervous system.
We would also suggest that before food is taken into the body, that there would be the consumption of a little grape juice—2 ounces mixed with 2 ounces of water. This should be sipped slowly. This will improve the bile secretion of the body, enhance elimination and bring mild degrees of improvement in assimilation.
There should be also mild manipulation of the third and fourth, as well as the fifth and sixth vertebrae. Also here into the neck, the second bone extending a little farther into the third and fourth cervical. The head is tilted back, so manipulation of the vertebrae or cervical area, and also a little tension or traction applied here while the body is in a reclining position, would allow here more flexibility or what you would call improvement in the neck. This would therefore slightly affect circulation into the brain itself, and would enhance the entity’s level of energy flows in the physical body.
We would also suggest that there be the addition of the mineral germanium into the diet, also that the entity refrain from those foods which are acid-producing. Attempt to eat more of the alkaline-producing foods. Also that the entity refrain from red meats; it would be better to eat of fish, fowl, and lamb, which should be baked, boiled or broiled.
The entity should understand that this physical body requires meat to add this physical strength to it. If it be a wilful act that the entity would deny the body meat, so be it. But allow a little of the broth or juices of the meat to be taken into itself, for this would be potent medicine for the entity indeed.
Take a little of the meat, especially of the muscle or the strength part of the animal. Cut it into a cube, about 2 or 3 ounces of meat with no fat upon it. Then place it in a jar and seal it (aluminum foil at the top of the jar would be good). Place this container in a pot of boiling water and cook to the third or fourth hour. However, it would be better to use a pressure cooker and cook for forty-five minutes, in about an inch or two of water. The broth in the jar would be sealed in this. However it is done, after the meat is cooked, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool, then open the jar, throw away the meat (for it is largely useless) and save the juice. Have the entity sip a little from a spoon each day. It will last about three days in the refrigerator. Then it should be discarded and the process repeated. At any time when the body is fatigued, then this “beef tea” should be taken (it can be “lamb tea” or whatever you wish). As such, this would be beneficial. This body would begin to feel the improvements and begin to add strength to its physical self.
Now as much as this would seem to be a contradiction, this body is in need of exercise. Walking is excellent for this physical body; rain or shine be persistent and consistent. Walk about 20 minutes in one direction and then return. Yoga would also be good as physical exercise to challenge the mind and regulate the body. In doing such, there would be improvements to the endocrine system. Fear at the pancreas is causing this entity difficulty. Fear is upsetting the thyroid. We would suggest the consumption of the Jerusalem artichoke for this body, specifically to aid the pancreas.
For improvements in elimination, there should also be the removal from the diet of syrups and sedentary products—specifically heavy cream which would not be good for this body, and cheeses. However, some milk could be tolerated and it would be better to drink goat’s milk than milk from the cow, as this tends to be mucous-building in the body. Eating more of the alkaline foods in the form of vegetables would also be excellent—one from below the ground and three from above. Of the three from above, two should be of the leafy variety, the other of the bean or the pod. Consume of the minerals here, for the body is lacking. It is also a little anemic. Call upon those substances that provide artificial iron. A copper/iron combination, along with a slightly reduced iron supplement consumed by this entity (a drop under the tongue) would be exceptionally helpful too. The body should be kept pure. No smoke, either from the cigarette or from smog or another’s cigar or pipe should enter the lungs here, for it does tend to affect the central nervous system rather dramatically.
We should address ourselves also to the problem of mind. There is a condition here in which the entity seemingly has low self-esteem. It allows itself to be somewhat convinced, even against its own mind, to do the bidding or the will of others. This is a creative mind that we have here. However, it needs to be not lazy. It needs to be tasked, to call into use its creative mind, for if this mind is not given a task, not given a problem to solve, or if it is not challenged to be creative, then it begins to wander. Here, have a singleness of purpose. Have that which ye would call ambition tempered with consideration and compassion, then say to the self, “We are the best we can be today.” This implies simply that the entity will work to the optimum level. And this will take the tiredness away. It will get the entity moving. The motto of this entity should be, “It is better to do something than to contemplate everything.”
Karen: Please remove all negative influences from this entity now.
Douglas: Yes.
Karen: Allow any healing which may take place to take place now.
Douglas: It is.
Karen: Begin raising body temperature and blood pressure to normal gradually now.
Douglas: It is.
Karen: Please awaken feeling refreshed and relaxed.
This article was originally published in Body Mind & Spirit magazine, May/June 1989