Edgar Cayce on Reincarnation

by Noel Langley, Hugh Lynn Cayce

The late Edgar Cayce's groundbreaking psychic work in nutrition, health, religion, ESP--and reincarnation--have made him the most respected clairvoyant of our time. Compiled from 2,500 of his extraordinary readings, this illuminating book unveils the reality of rebirth. Here are accounts of people who have lived before and remarkable evidence of a timeless, unifying force that pervades the universe.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Religion, Metaphysics, New Age, Philosophy

286 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Noel Langley (December 25, 1911 – November 4, 1980) was a successful novelist, playwright, screenwriter and director. While under contract to MGM he was one of the screenwriters for The Wizard of Oz. He was chosen for the job on the basis of his children's story, The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger — a children's classic which has seldom been out of print since it was first published in 1937. However, his finished script for The Wizard of Oz was somewhat revised by Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf, revisions that Langley himself strongly objected to, but which appear in the finished film. Langley is on record as saying that he hated the completed product, an opinion not borne out by the general critical and public consensus. The Wizard of Oz has become one of the best-loved films ever made. He attempted to write a sequel based on The Marvelous Land of Oz using many of the concepts he had added to its predecessor, but this was never realized.

Born in Durban, South Africa, he was first an author and a successful Broadway playwright. Langley began writing for films in the 1930s. After World War II, Langley worked on many British films including the film noir They Made Me a Fugitive (1947), the remake of Tom Brown's Schooldays (1951), the Alastair Sim Scrooge (1951), The Pickwick Papers (1952), Ivanhoe (1952) and the Technicolor The Prisoner of Zenda (1952). (His contribution to Zenda, however, was minimal, since the 1952 film followed the script of the 1937 film version, on which Langley did not work, nearly word-for-word.)

In 1964, Langley made a series of tapes for New York radio station WBAI, reading "The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger" in its entirety. He subsequently edited it down to fit on an LP, which was issued by the listener-sponsored station and offered as a fund-raising premium. Langley continued to write novels and plays throughout his life. He also wrote short stories for the Saturday Evening Post and other magazines.

Langley died in 1980 in Desert Hot Springs, California, United States.

Reviews

[The Toltec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding...I read it when I was around 13 or 14 years old. I am now 49....It has been an invaluable positive influence on my life for understanding the underlying causes to events in life that seem to justify expatiation or logic. It helped me to understand responsibility and the reason for living when at times living could seem futile and absurd. one of the best book I have ever read. Edgar Cayce along with Oprah Winfrey, Rudolf Steiner, Carlos Castaneda, Noam Chomsky and T. Lobsang Rampa are the biggest influences in my life.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This makes me want to read more Edgar Cayce research. Believable and interesting.

[Bruce Deming · Rating 3 out of 5]

I broke into a cold sweat when I read this book. Wild. Didn't know what to do after that. I had never heard the concept of reincarnation before it seems to resonate into my very bones.

[Lynn Rainsford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many cases were discussed. Some reasons were presented as to why we don't remember our previous lives. He gave examples of how we are all in learning processes over many lifetimes, and how those processes work through our times on earth. I found it fascinating.

[Paige Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edgar Cayce is humble and brilliant, so reading about him is always a pleasure.

[Mandi Almaguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

this one blew my mind. gave me a totally different look at "karma". instant fave.

[Dewin Anguas Barnette · Rating 2 out of 5]

More about the Bible than Edgar Cayce's readings.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confirmed my theories. Very revealing.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love anything and everything that connects to Edgar Cayce, an amazing man who had the gift of prophesy and I am so glad to see his good work continues through the foundation and family and friends.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all the book written in 1967 is old. A lot has changed since it was written. Second, Cayce had a deep christian belief which took the bible as historical fact, while multiple scholars since then have shown that the bible is deeply flawed and NOT history. e.g. Cayce claimed that the Sanhedrin urged the Romans to destroy the Essene settlement at Qumran where the Dead Seas Scrolls were found. Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 C.E. The Sanhedrin, the Pharisees, the Ebionites and just about everyone else not killed were fleeing the Romans. Qumran did not fall until 73 C.E. The Romans needed no urging from the Sanhedrin before they wiped out Qumran and finally Masada. Another example: In one of Cayce’s readings the “spirit” claimed that the person in question had lived another life in Egypt at the time of the Exodus. Historians and archeologists have now proven that the exodus did not happen. It is pure myth.

On pp. 132-134 we get a strange explanation from Cayce about how souls entered human bodies through the creation. The author paraphrases Cayce as having said, “Symbolized in Genesis as the creation of Adam, man appeared in his present form at five different places on the earth, and each of the five newly created groups was ethnically distinct from the others.” Our understanding of evolution discounts this completely.

Nevertheless, there is much helpful, interesting and enlightening about reincarnation in this book. But you do have to read with a grain of salt. On page 16 of Shirley MacLaine’s “It’s All in the Playing” she asserts, “There are pure channels (mediums) and there are channels who have so much emotional static of their own that the teachings from ‘the other side’ are quite garbled and even inaccurate.” In Cayce’s readings much of his christian doctrine does come through.

[Andreas Schmidt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Un altro volume che ispira molto poco, sembra più che altro prendersela con l'idea della Chiesa sulla reincarnazione, ma non ci prova nemmeno a mettere in discussione la Bibbia; parla di esseni ma è tutt'apposcht secondo Cayce anche dopo il Concilio di Trento con la revisione della Bibbia che la sposta molto lontano dal cristianesimo delle origini.
Alla fine il succo della questione è che in Atlantide c'erano i fauni, gli elfi, i centauri eccetera, ma causa arroganza il potere degli atlantidei è stato usato a scopo personale ergo la legge karmica di Dio li ha puniti per sempre.
E' una visione curiosa delle cose.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is pretty good. I thought there would be more stories of people's experiences with remembering past lives. There was too much about Jesus and "The Master." I skipped and/or skimmed a lot. I read some of his books many years ago. Maybe I'll read more. Eventually.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but be sure to always keep an open mind.

[Kevin McAvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes all kinds of sense. Enjoyed his many readings.
Fully believe he was a genuine psychic.
Helped thousands of souls back on their right track.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Dad wanted me to read this book. It's a very interesting viewpoint of our soul, our spirit. It's been about 20 years since I read the book, but I do remember there were some very vivid stories of people under hypnosis discovering who they were in past lives. The book talks about why we are reborn as the people we are, reincarnated to try finish healing a past trauma in many cases.

My primary question I was left wondering was: if we are souls reborn from past souls then were do the new souls come from? There are more people alive today than hundreds, or thousands of years ago. Not everyone can be reborn from the middle-ages. This was not something addressed in the book.

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't fall for his concept of life relived after death.

[Rea Gerber · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reincarnation is moontlik, want ons almal is stardust en daar waar jou stof gaan lê, tel Charles Darwin jou weer op. Maar Edgar Cayce se stories is bietjie dik vir 'n daalder.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting

[Rhonda Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was quite young when I bought this book (15)but still found it a fascinating/easy read.

[Jim McCulloch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating glimpse into the concept of reincarnation from a Biblical perspective. Both pre and post Constantine and Council(s) of Nicaea.

[Shaun McNamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book if you’re not bothered by its Christian overtones.

[Ehsan · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing man with amazing help to man kind..