The Program
Part I—Physical Applications

• The Diet
  
• The Acid–Alkaline Balance
  
• Atomidine
  
• Castor Oil Packs
  
• Wet Cell/Radial Appliance
  
• Spinal Manipulation
  

Cycles
Beyond the Program

Part II–Mental/Emotional Applications

• Meditation
  

Part III—Soul Applications

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Edgar Cayce says we are Body (Physical), Mind (Mental/Emotional) and Spirit (Soul), and must balance our three aspects to be healed. My recovery was on all levels, balancing the Physical and Mental/Emotional with an excess of Spirit. I will begin with a description of the Physical applications by which I was so greatly helped, after which I will touch on the Mind and Spirit aspects.

NOTE: This program works equally well for osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, though it will take longer with rheumatoid.

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In the fall of 1988, after a long period of deterioration, I collapsed and nearly died of complications of an ailment years later diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis. Medical doctors could or would not help. I was on my own. For years I sought solutions, applying many home remedies with varying success, achieving some symptomatic relief. When the rheumatoid factor appeared in my blood tests, my rheumatologist suddenly recognized my classic symptoms. Diagnosis: Rheumatoid Arthritis. I knew exactly where to turn for help.

Using the arthritis remedies brought to the world by the genius of Edgar Cayce, I organized the following program. I make no exaggeration when I say I found it to be a powerful cure if applied consistently and for long enough. I will have more to say about this later. In some severe cases, Cayce indicated great improvement could be achieved, but not complete cure.

I have organized the program on a 14-day, Daily Check List to make it easy to remember to perform each day's required therapies consistently over a repeating two-week cycle. It is located at the end of this article, along with information on sources for various products.

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It is extremely important to follow as closely as possible Cayce's dietary recommendations for arthritis. This was the most demanding lifestyle change I made, both in application and in battling psychological resistance. The only foods I like cause arthritis! But for the sake of healing, I was making radical changes. You may at first feel the diet is complicated, but it is not. Once you eliminate certain foods, and get used to certain combinations, it is simple.

Absorption of nutrients from food is called assimilation. In a healthy body, this process is efficient. Arthritics commonly do not absorb everything their bodies need from food. As a result, they experience frequent cravings and excess appetite. The Cayce Arthritis Diet corrects this assimilation problem. While on it full time, for the first time in memory I felt truly nourished.

Similarly, the process of releasing toxins and waste matter is called elimination. Again, arthritics do not release wastes as efficiently as do healthy individuals, which leads to a build up of toxins, and a slightly acid system. The Cayce arthritis diet aids eliminations and makes the body more alkaline, which is best for optimum health.

Internal organs must work well not only individually for optimum physiological efficiency, they must work in harmony with each other. When they do not, this is called incoordination. The Cayce arthritis diet corrects incoordination, along with elimination and assimilation, thus removing the cause of the illness and opening the way for the body to heal itself.

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• a) Eat liberal amounts of fruits and vegetables. Fresh if possible, frozen or dried second best. Include a large raw vegetable salad as one main meal daily, combined with gelatin. Dissolve and drink plain Knox gelatin in coffee, tea or broth, or prepare as a side dish, such as aspic.
  
• b) Watch acid-alkaline balance. Try to eat 80% alkaline to 20% acid foods. A list follows.
  
• c) Avoid certain food combinations: Do not eat starches (i.e. bread) with proteins (i.e., meat). Do not combine citrus fruits with whole grains, milk or milk products. Eat oranges alone.
  
• d) Balance foods grown above and below the ground. Eat 3 grown above ground to 1 grown below. Eat more leafy vegetables then pod-type.
  

Include the following foods in your diet:

• a) All kinds of raw vegetables, except cabbage. Include watercress, chard, mustard greens, kale, carrots, leafy lettuce such as Romaine, but no Iceberg.
  
• b) Black bread in moderation (i.e. pumpernickel, rye, whole wheat). Purchase in health food store.
  
• c) Nuts, especially almonds and filberts. Raw nuts are better than roasted or salted.
  
• d) Lamb, chicken and wild game.
  
• e) All kinds of fish and sea food.
  
• f) Vegetable and fruit juices, avoiding whole grains with citrus juices. No tomato juice.
  
• g) Fresh fruits, especially citrus fruits and berries, except those listed below.
  
• h) Cooked leafy vegetables, except cabbage. Include parsnips, potato peelings, but not the white part of the potato, and pieplant (salsify).
  
• j) Jerusalem Artichoke once each week. This is a root vegetable. Season is winter. Dried Jerusalem artichoke may be purchased from Home Health Products for use the rest of the year.
  
• k) Eat a great deal of watercress and beet tops. These especially help the eliminations.
  

Avoid the following foods:

• a) No apples, bananas, strawberries or tomatoes.
  
• b) No cabbage, eggplant, or pepper pods, such as red and green bell peppers.
  
• c) No starchy foods, white potato, white rice, white flour or legumes (i.e. peas, lima beans, beans).
  
• d) No beef, veal or pork.
  
• e) No malt drinks or carbonated water, such as in soft drinks.
  
• f) No sugar in any form, either raw, brown, molasses, malt, honey, maple syrup, or products made with sugar, such as jams, ice cream, candies and especially pastries.
  
• g) No chocolate.
  
• h) No alcohol or alcoholic beverages.
  
• I) No carbonated water or soft drinks.
  
• j) No milk or cream, except very small amounts of milk.
  
• k) No salt, except moderate amounts of sea salt.
  
• l) No fried foods.
  

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When a food tends to cause the system to produce acid, it is called acid reacting. When alkalinity results, the food is called alkaline reacting. The Cayce guideline for everyone, not just arthritics, is to strive to eat 20% acid reacting foods to 80% alkaline reacting, but to be sure to include some of both. Many people requested it, so the following list was compiled. It is a guideline only. There are many foods you may have which are not specifically listed. In applying the program diet, you will automatically greatly improve your acid-alkaline balance, so don't get crazy about this. I never achieved a perfect acid-alkaline balance, but the program worked just fine. If you like zucchini, eat zucchini!

The following list of foods is for all people. Edgar Cayce recommended proper acid-alkaline balance in everyone's diet to create a more normal condition in the body. Such a diet, he says, improves immune system functioning, and protects against disease and infection.


Alkaline Reacting Foods—80% (4 out of 5 portions):

All fruits, fresh and dried, except prunes, plums and cranberries

Apricots	Figs (Unsulphured)	Lemons	Peaches	Raisins
Berries	Grapefruit	Limes	Pears
Dates	Honey (Arthritics avoid)	Oranges	Pineapples

All vegetables, fresh and dehydrated, except rhubarb and legumes (peas, beans, lentils)

Asparagus	Celery	Lettuce	Parsnips	String Beans
Beets	Eggplant (Arthritics avoid)	Mushrooms	Radishes	Sweet Potatoes
Carob	Egg Yolks	Olives (Ripe)	Rutabaga	Tomato Juice (Arthritics avoid)
Carrots	Green Beans	Onions	Spinach
Cauliflower	Kohlrabi	Oyster Plant	Sprouts

Milk, all forms: cottage cheese, cheese (Arthritics may have only very small amounts).


Acid Forming Foods—20% (1 out of 5 portions):

Brains	Dried Beans	High Protein Foods	Nuts	Rhubarb
Cereal Grains	Duck	High Starch Foods	Nut Butters	Sweetbreads
Cereal Products	Egg Whites	Kidney	Organ Meats	Thymus
Chicken	Goose	Lamb	Plums	Turkey
Cranberries	Guinea Hen	Lentils	Prunes	Vegetable Oils
Dried Peas	Heart	Liver	Rabbit	Wild Game

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This is on the Daily Check List as a separate item because it is vital to include the combination of leafy lettuce, carrots, celery and, when possible, watercress, in combination with gelatin every day to correct assimilations and incoordination of function between the colon, kidneys, liver and pancreas. Romaine is a leafy lettuce, iceberg is not. Cayce generally recommended one meal a day of raw vegetables, so I made this salad my noon meal. I dissolved plain Knox gelatin in hot tea, broth or coffee. One packet is plenty. I used two.

Supplements As Needed

I had brittle nails and general evidence of the deterioration of my musculoskeletal system. I needed calcium. Cayce says oyster shell calcium is most compatible with the human body, so I purchased this plain, without additives. Also, Cayce formulated in the Readings an easily absorbed calcium supplement made from bone marrow called Calcios, which I included. Also, I took HNS Nutritabs, an excellent general vitamin formulated especially to build hair, skin and nails. Last, the gelatin Cayce recommended with the salad would also benefit my musculoskeletal system, I thought, and since this also aided nutrient absorption, and I was concerned about absorbing as much from these supplements as I could for rebuilding my bones, I decided to take a dosage of each with my salad and gelatin. I took them with other large meals, as well, to protect my sensitive stomach.

As indicated, this was recommended in several Readings to correct incoordination of functioning between the liver, kidney, pancreas and colon, along with particularly benefitting the pancreas. Major organs and body systems must function in harmony for the body's systems to work efficiently for optimum health.

Beef Juice, a Cayce formulation, tremendously aided in restoring my strength and stamina. Weakness and general debilitation were among my most enduring symptoms. Cayce indicated taking Beef Juice, "…three times a day will add strength, resistance and body building." [2551-2] On the Daily Check List, I have scheduled a day for making it and 3 days for consumption. Begin using it immediately after it is made. It must be made to exact specifications, and there is no substitute.

Beef Juice

To make this, I used a large, wide-mouthed peanut butter jar (any kind of wide-mouthed, glass jar will do), which nicely holds about 1 1/4 pounds of round steak, diced into1⁄2-inch or smaller cubes. Round steak, which was recommended by Cayce, is the best for this purpose. While bringing a 4-quart pot of water to a boil, I sliced the beef right in the package, and filled the jar. In order, I placed a circular ceramic disc in the bottom of the pot (optional), then a washcloth, then the jar, and last a small dessert plate on the top of the jar to cover it, but allow air flow. Do not seal the jar. The pot should be filled with enough water to come 3/4 of the way up the outside of the jar. Do not allow water inside the jar with the beef. Also, place the jar in the pot while the water is cold or still tepid so the jar will not break. Bring the water to a boil, then turn it down to low. Simmer the water for 4 1⁄2 to 5 hours, replenishing it with boiling water as needed. Strain the liquid beef extract into a jar and refrigerate it. Discard the beef.

Dosage: Three times a day for three days, take one tablespoon slowly sipped a few drops at a time for five to ten minutes. After three days, discard any remaining Beef Juice.

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This regimen of Atomidine therapy, followed by a bath and massage with specific oil combinations, was recommended so consistently, it is a cornerstone of the Cayce program for recovery from arthritis. I obviously wanted to include it, but it presented the greatest challenge because there are numerous combinations of timetables, oil and massage formulas, pounds of Epsom salts, and Atomidine dosages in the Readings. I poured over all of the information for hours.

The healing oils to be used for the massage were easy to select. Peanut oil, often in combination with olive oil, was most often recommended in the Readings to be massaged in during the bath for 20 to 30 minutes, with particular attention to the joints. In addition, varying combinations of oils were recommended for a full-body massage to immediately follow. One was the combination found in Penetrol, the massage oil produced for the A.R.E. by Home Health Products. Easy availability made this choice for me. If I needed one or more of the ingredients recommended in other oil-based formulas described in the arthritis Readings, so be it. I had no way of knowing. The Penetrol combination of oils was one of several Cayce formulated and often recommended for arthritis, so I felt it would meet my need. In this regard I again benefitted from the advance effort of an A.R.E. member, and am grateful. Penetrol has worked for me extremely well.

The amount of Epsom salts to use in x-number-gallons of bath water also varied widely. I selected an amount at the high end, eighteen pounds, partly because I do not know how many gallons of water my tub holds, and because I wanted maximum effectiveness from the Epsom salts, something I would not ingest, so felt could not be harmful. You must purchase a lot of Epsom salts, so arrange a lower price with your drug store and buy it in bulk. My Walgreens drug store allows me to pay $1.49 for each 3-pound box. They also let me take advantage of sales, and use one coupon to buy as much as I wanted. They have been wonderful! This way, I have paid as little as ninety-nine cents for each 4-pound box!

Next the Atomidine dosage. My many allergies make me cautious about what I consume, and I had once suffered terrible hives from eating seafood, a major source of iodine. I was worried about long-term use of Atomidine, the product stipulated by Cayce because it contains digestible iodine. Do not attempt to consume iodine from any other source. I recommend using it under the guidance of a Naturopathic Physician or allergist who is sympathetic to use of the Cayce remedies. My experience with professionals had been very poor, so I cautiously forged ahead on my own because I was determined, but am not suggesting you use my approach. I had previously swallowed some Atomidine, so knew I would be O.K. in the short term, and planned to discontinue it if necessary. I was so ill, I went ahead because of the frequency of this recommendation in the Readings. Common sense told me Atomidine would give me something my body needed, rather than the other way around.

In every recommended use of Atomidine, Cayce had said to slowly build up the number of drops taken to allow the body to adjust to this important medication. Specific amounts and schedules varied widely. I selected two. First, I took one drop daily for 9 days with 5 drops on the tenth day, following this on the eleventh day with my first Epsom Salts Bath with Massage. I left off for a few days or a week, then slowly built up to a higher dosage by taking one drop for five days, then two drops for five days, then three drops for five days, then four drops for five days, and finally five drops for five days over a total period of twenty-five days. The next day after the last dose, I took my second Epsom Salts Bath with Massage. After that, I settled into a routine bi-weekly dosage of 15 drops: 3 drops for 5 days.

In deciding my regular dosage I chose what seemed to approximate Cayce's average prescription. In this case I did not maximize because, for this program, maximize means to seek maximum benefit. I did not need the highest dosage of Atomidine. In fact, I might better have started out with the smallest recommended dosage, and built up from there. Wanting to follow the Cayce recommendations as closely as possible, I took an average.

In terms of healing, I greatly benefitted from this part of the program, but it also caused me the most difficulty, especially in side effects. Feeling hyper and having difficulty sleeping indicated the Atomidine was strongly affecting me. Also, after about two months, localized inflammation flare-ups which had me bedridden at least 50% of the time prior to the program became much more intense, though my pain level generally had reduced. Obviously, the Atomidine-Epsom Salts Bath regimen was pushing my system.

The Readings were helpful in this regard. In at least one Reading, Cayce said all inflammation experienced by an arthritic is the body's way of attempting to correct the illness. In another Reading, referring to use of the Atomidine and Epsom Salts Bath with Massage regimen, he said, "Then at times—just before the period for the sweats—the condition will apparently be more serious. But after the third of such sweats we find that improvement should come to the body." [3009-1] The Epsom Salts Bath causes one to sweat and throw off toxins through the pores. Finally, for another sufferer he clearly said she would experience a period of symptoms which may be hard on her, after which there would come much better conditions, and relief from pain. Cayce had warned of discomfort, but clearly indicated this was a healing process. Did he mean flare-ups like mine? Did he mean side effects like mine? The Readings do not always explain, or perhaps in 14,000 Readings there is an explanation I have overlooked!

I feel it is important to recognize that the Cayce cures, though usually extremely gentle in their action, sometimes may be deliberately designed to push the systemto cause improvement, with physical effects which can be unpleasant, but which must perhaps be tolerated within limits for complete healing to occur. I believe this was intended by Cayce's superconscious mind and, although he recommended specific timetables or other precautions to minimize these effects, clearly they could not always be avoided.

Two or three months of less frequent but intensified flare-ups and difficulty sleeping went on before I called Dr. William McGarey for a consultation. Dr. McGarey is a medical doctor and one of the founders of the A.R.E. Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona where for many years he has researched and applied the Edgar Cayce remedies with individuals who come from all over the United States and the world to find healing where medical science has failed. After I told him my symptoms, he reduced both my Epsom Salts poundage and number of Atomidine drops, but was reassuring that my side effects were not unusual, and my experience with intensified flare-ups was probably a normal healing process for me. This set my mind at ease. NOTE: Individual healing experiences vary. Many individuals heal without experiencing side effects or flare-ups.

My healing was major. I have been free of flare-ups for three years at this writing (January 1998). Because of this level of healing, I know I would not change a thing about what I did! By adhering to Cayce's instructions as closely as possible, I hit on an effective combination of Atomidine, Epsom Salts, and Massage Oils. Though not easy, I consider the problems I encountered to be very minor compared with the benefits.

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Begin your first series by taking one drop daily for four days. The number of drops may be slowly increased with each series. For example, next time take one drop daily for three days, then two drops on the fourth day. For the next series, take one drop for two days, and two drops on days three and four, until you have increased to between 6 and 8 drops spread out over four days, taking no more than two drops on any given day. Thereafter, continue at that level throughout the extended period you apply the entire program. For some individuals the Atomidine dosage may be increased slowly up to 10 drops total spread out over a period of five days, again taking no more than two drops on any given day. This method is not described in the Cayce Readings, but follows his instruction to increase the number of drops slowly. Your goal is to find the optimum dosage to minimize side effects while maximizing benefit. The Epsom salts bath is to be taken on the following day after the last dosage in the series.

NOTE: Use Atomidine only under the direction of a Naturopathic Physician. Individuals with high blood pressure or other medical conditions must be careful of the effects of medications or an extended hot bath, and are not advised to apply this portion of the program except with the approval of and under such professional guidance.

Directions: Daily for 4 to 5 days, 20 minutes before consuming anything else, take no more than 2 drops of Atomidine in 1⁄2 glass of water. On the day following your last dosage of Atomidine, take an Epsom Salts Bath with Massage as follows: Prepare a large glass of ice water to drink during the bath, or alternatively prepare an ice pack to be placed on your head throughout the bath. Dissolve 12 pounds of Epsom salts in a full bathtub of warm water. Sit in the water and turn on the hot water to raise the temperature to very warm, as warm as the body can comfortably stand. Be prepared to sweat. The duration of the bath is 20 to 30 minutes, all the while being rubbed with peanut oil by an attendant. The attendant does not have to be a professional massage therapist, but they must massage the oil into the joints particularly, as well as over the body generally. Ideally, they do this while holding a positive, loving attitude. Feel free to wear an old bathing suit during this bath as modesty dictates.

After the bath, dry off and immediately have a full-body massage of 30 minutes to 1 hour in duration, again using an attendant. For this massage, apply a combination of soothing and stimulating oils recommended by Cayce. The particular combination I selected for my own program may be purchase by mail from Home Health Products under the name Penetrol. It is a combination of mineral, olive, peanut, lanolin, pine needle and sassafras oils. It is best to purchase this product, because the instructions for making it are very specific, and it is not merely a mixture. Again, the attendant is to focus on joints, while giving a general, gentle massage and holding a positive, loving attitude.

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Daily use of Castor Oil Packs has been shown to dissolve arthritic spurs, but I used them to treat local inflammation. Before consulting with Dr. McGarey, I kept serious inflammation flare-ups under control the same way I had been doing for ten years, with Castor Oil Packs. I also applied ice, sometimes alternating the two with severe flare-ups. Ice alone is sufficient for minor flare-ups. Only once did Cayce recommend Castor Oil Packs for treating arthritis, but they had been extremely helpful, so I continued with them. The worst flare-up I experienced as part of my recovery involved my right hip, much of my pelvic area and my lower back. The pain was excruciating with even the slightest movement, so I only got out of bed to crawl to the bathroom. I was unable to walk for four days. My doctor would very likely have treated me with cortisone shots if I had called him. Cayce says clearly that anti-inflammatory medications are not helpful, and in fact make things worse. I felt cortisone shots would prevent the flare-up from carrying out its corrective purpose. I was right. Day and night for a week, I alternated castor oil packs with ice, noting gradual improvement. The hip not only completely healed, it ceased to trouble me thereafter.NOTE: There is a type of arthritis in which the joint flare-up is accompanied by an infection. This is not the type of arthritis I have, so would not recommend Castor Oil Packs in that case. Consult a doctor.

By mail order, purchase at least two quarts of castor oil, and the large rectangle of wool flannel available from Home Health Products. Soak the wool flannel in the castor oil until it is completely saturated, but not dripping. Fold the flannel in 2 to 4 layers. Cover the area you will sit on with a large plain plastic bag (no designs or print) and old cotton towels to prevent castor oil from seeping into bedclothes or fabrics you want to protect. Apply the flannel to the inflamed area, and cover with plastic. Next apply a heating pad set on medium, and wrap it all up with a towel to retain the heat. It should be as hot as the body can well stand, but not so hot it can burn the skin. If more heat can be tolerated, increase the heating pad setting to high as needed. Be careful not to burn the skin, or fall asleep with the heating pad in place. I have an ugly scar from making this mistake. About every 20 to 30 minutes, open the pack, massage the inflamed area, and add more castor oil. Replace the pack, heating pad and towels for another 20 to 30 minutes. Repeat this process for 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours total. Wipe the excess castor oil off of the skin with a mild baking soda solution made with 3 teaspoons of baking soda to one quart of water. This solution cuts the castor oil. Alternative: I often used a hot water bottle instead of the heating pad, omitting the plastic between the flannel and the hot water bottle, and putting new hot water in the bottle every 20 to 30 minutes.

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In many instances, Cayce said it is important for the arthritic to massage daily with specific oils, especially Peanut Oil. He indicated absorption would be most efficient if the oils were massaged in after a hot shower or bath when the pores are open. After every shower I used Peanut Oil over my entire body, Penetrol on the joints, and castor oil to reduce inflammation, also on the joints. I massaged it in until most of it seemed to disappear, and wiped off the excess with paper towels before getting dressed for the day. NOTE: Castor oil DOES NOT come out of synthetics! It may not come out of many natural fibers, as well. Do not get it on your clothes if you can help it. Washing a garment or towel twice in hot water and detergent, with baking soda in the second wash, often removes most of it from cotton. The soda cuts castor oil, but will not help remove it from a synthetic garment. Use a 100% cotton cloth and launder the cloth separately from other items.

In another Reading, Cayce recommended applying oil liberally and literally sleeping in it. Two or three times a week, I applied a lot of oil after my morning shower, put on a special full-length, cotton night gown I keep for this purpose, and allowed the oil to absorb in for over an hour or longer. I covered the bed with old cotton towels to prevent soiling, and watched my favorite morning news show. By the time I was ready to do something else, much of the oil had been absorbed, some remaining in the night gown. Here I maximized the Cayce suggestions.

Cayce said to include regular exercise in your program. On the advice of a physical therapist, I swam 3 times a week. This exercise is excellent for the arthritic because it is both aerobic and non-impact. Other forms of exercise, including Yoga, also work very well.

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NOTE: It is important to avoid alcoholic beverages or other strong stimulants, as in some medications, on days when you use these appliances. While they are entirely safe and beneficial with proper use, Cayce warned of possible nerve damage in the presence of strong stimulants.

Though I realized the importance of using either the Wet Cell Appliance or the Radial Appliance (a.k.a. the Impedance Device or Radio Active Appliance) because one or the other was mentioned in almost every Reading on arthritis, I included neither early in the program. When I spoke with Dr. McGarey, he encouraged me to use the Radial Appliance I had previously purchased, and I immediately included it in my two-week cycle of treatments.

Of the two appliances, Wet Cell or Radial, Cayce more often recommended the Wet Cell Appliance for arthritis, especially in severe cases. These appliances are available by mail both from The Heritage Store and Home Health Products. They are expensive but integral to the program, and very much worth the money. I do not personally have experience with the Wet Cell Appliance. Purchase this or the Radial Appliance and follow the instructions included. The Wet Cell Appliance uses a solution jar, and the Radial Appliance may be used with or without a solution jar. I used it without. The Radial Appliance without a solution jar is the most economical choice, but your particular needs may require the Wet Cell Appliance. I have scheduled four days in a row on the Daily Check List for use of either. If you decide to use the Wet Cell Appliance instead, schedule it in accordance with its enclosed instructions, if possible on these four days, omitting the Radial Appliance. The Radial Appliance may not be shared. It may be used only by one person exclusively. Individual appliances must be purchased for each interested family member.

My optimum length of time to remain attached to the Radial Appliance, which I determined through experimentation, was 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours. Cayce recommended as little as 30 minutes, or as long as overnight. Start out at the lower end and increase the time. You will find your own optimum interval. Four daily sessions constitutes one complete cycle of use of the Radial Appliance. At first, I scheduled time to use it each day for 8 straight days out of 14 on my Daily Check List to gain its benefits as quickly as possible. In one Reading, Cayce suggested daily use for at least sixteen days to see the beginning of perceptible benefits. He said elsewhere that, if properly applied, the appliance could be used twice in one day. Obviously I could not overdo it, so I was liberal. Today I use it less frequently, but obtain benefits.

It creates a peacefulness you must experience for yourself, helps with sleep, and balances circulation and nervous energy. It's wonderful! Cayce indicates that anyone would benefit from use of the Radial Appliance, but admonishes that if you wish to continue indefinite use, it would be best to find a way to dedicate a part your life to helping your fellow man!

Throughout the Readings, for a wide variety of ailments, Cayce recommended spinal manipulation to straighten the spine and relieve nerve pressure. I used a chiropractor regularly during my program, and obtained benefits until I was unintentionally injured. Generally, Cayce preferred the gentler Osteopathic adjustments then available, but finding an Osteopath today who practices the old-fashioned way is not easy. Also, some chiropractors recommend a complex variety of treatments which run up a tremendous bill very quickly. Be sure you have great insurance, or a lot of money, or know how to say "No!" Simple, gentle adjustments are all this program suggests. Never allow a chiropractor to adjust your neck with a sudden pulling and twisting motion. It is not safe.

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These are the physical applications recommended by Cayce which I organized into the program outlined on the Daily Check List which follows. Cayce advised a repeating cycle of treatments, so every therapy is included over a two-week period. Cayce also advised applying key therapies, - like the Atomidine Therapy with Epsom Salts Bath and Massage regimen and the Radial Appliance - on different days, so I scheduled them separately. It is all organized to make it easy. Make copies of the original Daily Check List for repeated use. Check off each daily therapy for two weeks, then start with a fresh copy, repeating the 14-Day Cycle over and over until you are well. At first the program seems like a lot to learn and apply, but it soon settles into simple routine and becomes very easy.

Cayce stressed repeatedly the importance of following the program consistently and persistently until well beyond the cessation of symptoms to assure deep healing of the condition. Continue the full program for at least six months beyond the cessation of symptoms. You did not develop arthritis overnight, and it will not leave overnight. Be patient. You will get there.

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After your health is restored, many of the physical therapies may be discontinued, but there are two things you must continue for life. First is the diet, though less strictly. Continue following its basic principles most of the time, according to your needs, including the Salad with Gelatin five days a week, and once a week a Jerusalem artichoke.

The Atomidine and Epsom Salts Bath with Massage regimen may be replaced by the weekly Peanut Oil Massage Cayce recommended for prevention of arthritis—a tip you may wish to pass along if this debilitating condition runs in your family. I still use Peanut Oil as a lotion, massaged in sparely after my shower several times a week.

The Wet Cell Appliance may be discontinued. Likewise the Radial Appliance, though you will probably miss it! Regular meditation, exercise and gentle spinal adjustment are lifestyle choices good for anyone, but optional after your health returns. Beef Juice is a potent body and blood builder! It may be discontinued, but has many applications for health.

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A statement made throughout the Edgar Cayce Readings is, "The spirit is the life; the mind is the builder; the physical is the result." [349-4] The Mind has the ability to direct the life force to create or change physical reality. It is true that nothing exists which does not first exist in mind. The cure of your arthritis came to you first in thought, as an idea. Now you seek to learn how to achieve that cure. Your level of determination to get well defines how serious you are. This is your purpose. In the Cayce readings, he says to approach your healing program with Singleness of Purpose! Focus your mind and intent upon the goal of being well, and persist toward it. Let nothing interfere!

Going within connects you with your spiritual heritage and increases your awareness of your eternal nature. It also relaxes you, and reduces the effects of stress. At first, meditation must be consciously learned and practiced. With experience, you train your mind to respond to a simple count down from 20 to 1, as with the technique presented here, and in the manner of Pavlov's slathering pups, you will automatically relax and enter a meditative state. Don't do the count-down while driving!

Sit or lie down, with spine comfortably straight. Close your eyes and relax your body progressively from head to toe, thinking of the number 20 as you relax your scalp and head, 19 as you relax your face, 18 your neck, 17 your shoulders, 16 your upper arms, 15 your elbows, 14 your forearms, 13 your wrists, 12 your hands and fingers, 11 your chest, 10 your diaphragm, 9 the long muscles of your back, 8 your abdomen, 7 your lower back, 6 your pelvic area, 5 your thighs, 4 your knees, 3 your lower legs, 2 your ankles, 1 your feet and toes. By intention, relax your entire body more, and visualize all tension flowing out through your fingers and toes, far away, never to return. Again, by intention, relax your entire body more, and visualize yourself surrounded by protective white light. Once relaxed, clear your thoughts and gently turn your attention to only your breathing. Breathing normally, count as you inhale, 1-2-3-4. Hold, 1-2. Exhale, 1-2-3-4. Hold, 1-2. Repeat. If your thoughts wander, gently guide them back to your breathing and counting. After twenty minutes, take a few moments to refocus to normal awareness, and open your eyes.

Emotion plays a vital role in illness, and is well-documented as a factor in rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study sited in Prevention Magazine'sbook, Emotions & Your Health. The study followed the lives of individuals, all of whom had inherited the rheumatoid arthritis gene. Yet, some individuals developed the illness, while others remained healthy. The identifying factor for those who became ill was profound emotional trauma and life disappointment. Those whose lives were basically happy remained free of illness! Even more striking, the arthritics who went into remission where those who achieved a peaceful resolution of longstanding emotional pain.

It is simple. If you or your relationships are troubled, you have deeply repressed or suppressed emotions which resulted from trauma. Releasing these toxic emotions is important to maintaining health or overcoming arthritis. I recommend Daily Meditation, and putting a Spiritual Ideal into practice as described in Part III. But if these are not enough for achieving inner tranquility, I strongly urge additional counseling, past life regression therapy and application of the principles of emotional healing described in John Bradshaw's Homecoming: Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child. Deep, painful, traumatic emotions are destructive and not worth holding onto just to avoid reawakening your memory of the original cause! Imagine the worst possible thing which can happen to any person. It cannot be worse than that, and it is in the past, so explore and clear it whatever it is!

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In the context of this article, the word spiritual refers to our true nature as individual souls who inhabit bodies. When an application for healing is made, whether physical, mental or spiritual, the vibration of the physical tissues is raised to a level which harmonizes with creative forces, and healing results. Effort is made by an individual in the right direction, and healing—a manifestation of spirit—is the reward.

Cayce had much more to say about manifesting spirit in our lives than I can summarize here, but two basic steps make a beginning. In Herbert B. Puryear's The Edgar Cayce Primer, he highlights the first with this Cayce quote, "The most important experience of this or any individual entity is to know what is the ideal - spiritually." [357-13] Cayce suggests you decide, "…whatever is the word which indicates to self the ideals spiritual." [5091-3]

The second step is to live your ideal, as Cayce advised, "Put into practice—day by day—that as is known. Not some great deed or act, or speech, but line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little." [257-78]

Putting spirit into practice in your daily life has the power to connect you with the Creative Force of the Universe—the God that is within each human being. Live your spiritual ideal, wether or not you are ill, and you will learn this. In my healing process, I did not always have the Cayce wisdom, line upon line, to guide me, but at the height of my suffering I made a simple decision to love people more, and to project this to every person I met. This pebble of a decision became boulders, then a landslide of change within my being to joy, harmony, peace and love. A few things you can do, simple in their essence, have unimaginably vast healing power:

• One, forgive everyone. Rage harms you, not the one raged at. That is why forgiveness is a gift you give yourself. Through forgiveness, release the past. Yes, someone hurt you. Decide to get over it. That is forgiveness.
  
• Two, cease to worry. Remember, mind is the builder. Your core beliefs and attitudes actually create your life! Rather than fear what may happen, choose an attitude of unconcerned optimism. When problems do arise, deal with them. You will be surprised at the power of an unworried attitude to attract goodness into your life.
  
• Three, be thankful. Embrace your life just as it is. Take your attention away from what is unfulfilled, and place it on what you have that you know is worthwhile. Count your blessings. They are your successes, and that is what your life is about, anyway.
  
• Four, help others. Edgar Cayce says seek to make the world a better place than it was when you arrived, and put joy in the lives of everyone you meet. To achieve this, do you have to be Mother Teresa? Of course not. Just help when the opportunity arises as you go on about your day. Carry a package. Offer a needed ride. Simple, random acts of kindness have the power to transform you, and transform the world.
  
• Five, love people. Sooner or later, you will come to understand that each and every other person is part of you. Their welfare is your concern, and yours is theirs. If you want love in your life, give it unconditionally, without expectation of getting anything back. People love to be loved. If you love them, most will love you back—know this!
  

The Edgar Cayce arthritis healing methods for me were a resounding success. After only 6 weeks, I noticed a greatly reduced need for toxic anti-inflammatorydrugs, and soon eliminated them altogether. Within a few weeks of my conversation with Dr. McGarey, all major symptoms suddenly subsided. The general pain in my body and joints was virtually gone, as were the flare-ups and swelling. I felt deep release from pain and the aggressiveness of the illness, as if the arthritis had been stopped and could not return unless I went back to old habits.

Edgar Cayce's remedies gave my body a life and vigor it had not known in more than a decade! I was continuing to heal when I foolishly allowed parts of the program to lapse. Had I followed the Cayce instruction of applying the full program persistently and consistently for a period of time well beyond the cessation of symptoms, I would today be in remission or completely cured. Nevertheless, three years later I remain in a much improved state of health, and completely free of the acute inflammation flare-ups by which I was literally crippled prior to the program. I fully credit Edgar Cayce's miraculous therapies for this dramatic and sustained improvement. Until I applied them seriously, I deteriorated. After I applied them, I improved rapidly.

Edgar Cayce's genius gave me back my life.

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Paula Sharp, RM, is a long-time A.R.E.® member who has pursued an understanding of the mind-body connection in healing for more than thirty-five years. This Odyssey of Healing, as she calls it, eventually led her to her life work. As a Reiki Master, she practices and teaches a Natural Method of Energy Healing. She is also a highly trained Hypnotist and experienced Past Life Regressionist. As a Life Counselor, she teaches what self change is about, and also cultivates a speaking and writing career. E-mail: salvara@ibm.net