Edgar Cayce, otherwise known as “The Sleeping Prophet”, mystified a lot of people in his lifetime, both figuratively and literally.

Born in 1877, he has come to be revered as one of modern history’s most famous mystics. Over six hundred books have been written about his life and philosophies, both of which — along with his predictions and insights — continue to be studied around the world.

As with all psychic phenomena, it remains entirely controversial. Even during his lifetime, though he was a devoted Christian himself, many Christians were unhappy with his teachings surrounding reincarnation and the Akashic Records. The mainstream medical community was also unsettled by his advocation of alternative medicine, and the skeptical community was obviously quite skeptical of everything about him in general.

The man did make some extraordinary claims. Known as the “Sleeping Prophet” because of the trance-like state he would lie down and enter before giving readings — of which he remembered nothing after the fact, and would often report having his own, separate dreams — everything from ancient giants to Atlantean death rays to polygenism emerged through his inert, supine body.

However, this Kentucky child labourer, who held only an 8th grade education and would grow to become a tobacco farmer, was somehow fluent in twenty-four languages while in trance (none of which he knew when awake), accurately diagnosed over fourteen thousand client afflictions from afar (with only a name and address to work from), and correctly predicted a number of world events such as the crash of the stock market and World War II. (All of this is documented for anyone who truly wishes to enquire).

A devoted husband and father, Cayce was reportedly very humble — even self-doubting — in his day-to-day life, speaking of the ever-shifting and unsure nature of the future and encouraging his subjects to put his readings to the test, not just take them on faith. Quite famous by the time of his death in 1945, he apparently never profited from his gift, founding the non-profit Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E) instead, and was far ahead of his time in introducing much of the mind-body connection that is now beginning to gain traction in the west.

In honor of his gifts, and the 40 years of readings he gave, here are 15 of The Sleeping Prophet’s most intriguing quotes on mind, body and soul.

• “Dreams are today’s answers to tomorrow’s questions.”

• “There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, it doesn’t behoove any of us to speak evil of the rest of us.”

• “All you may know of heaven or hell is within your own self.”

• “From what may anyone be saved? Only from themselves! That is, their individual hell. They dig it with their own desires.”

• “Mind is indeed the Builder… what is held in the act of mental vision becomes a reality in the material experience. We are gradually built to that image created within our own mental being… The spirit is life. The mind is the builder. The physical is the result.”

• “ …as we forgive, we are forgiven; as we condemn others, we are ourselves condemned. Thus in patience condemn not, neither find fault; not condoning, not agreeing, but let thine own life so shine that others, seeing thy patience, knowing thy understanding, comprehending thy peace, may take hope.”

• “This is harder than it first appears: Try in thine own experience, each; that ye speak not for one whole day unkindly of any; that ye say not a harsh word to any, about any; and see what [such] a day would bring to you . . .”

• “Tips for a long life: Keep sweet, keep friendly, keep loving, if ye would keep young.”

• “If you learn music you’ll learn most all there is to know.”

• “He who understands nature walks close with God.”

• “Actually, we have no problems — we have opportunities for which we should give thanks… An error we refuse to correct has many lives. It takes courage to face one’s own shortcomings and wisdom to do something about them.”

• “It isn’t always the individual that plans to accomplish some great deed that does the most. It is the one who meets the opportunities and privileges which are accorded it day by day. As such opportunities are used, there are better ways opened. For what we use in the way of helpfulness to others, increases in itself. Begin with what you are!”

• “It is not all of life to live, nor yet all of death to die. For life and death are one, and only those who will consider the experience as one may come to understand or comprehend what peace indeed means.”

• “Birth in the physical is death in the spiritual. Death in the physical is birth in the spiritual.”

• “The conquering of self is truly greater than were one to conquer many worlds.”