The readings on colonics are indexed in the A.R.E. library under “Intestines: colonics,” in the card catalog. About 1350 readings were given on colonic irrigation, 500 on colon problems, 1000 on enemas, 10 on diarrhea, 300 on colitis, 175 on constipation and almost 2900 on laxatives. Cayce obviously had a great deal to say about the importance of colon health.
For twenty years, colonics, massage, and other hydrotherapies were available at the A.R.E. Therapy Department, which opened in 1966. As you may know, it was directed by Dr. Harold J. Reilly, D.Ph.T., D.S., a physiotherapist (one who uses physical and mechanical remedies, such as massage, hydrotherapy, electricity, heat, etc. in the treatment of disease) who also held degrees in naturopathy and chiropractic, and completed two years of osteopathy. He studied with John Harvey Kellogg, M.D., of Battle Creek, Michigan, and owned the Reilly Health Institute in Rockefeller Center, New York City.
In January of 1920, a woman came to see Reilly, saying that she had been specifically referred by Cayce, in a reading, to have massage and hydrotherapy with Dr. Reilly. Reilly had never heard of Edgar Cayce, and could not understand how Cayce knew not only his name, but also the therapies he offered in his practice. The two finally met in person two years later and developed a close, working partnership. Reilly himself had several readings from Cayce, and learned that he had spent many past lives as a healer, working with massage and hydrotherapy. Reilly continued to work with the guidance given in the readings long after Cayce’s death, for he fully believed in drugless therapies that allow the body to heal itself. Reilly was a good example of health and productivity and lived well into his nineties.
Dr. Reilly “retired” from his practice in 1966, became Director of the A.R.E. Therapy Department and donated all of his equipment: Dierker colonic machines, massage tables, a whirlpool bath, and two porcelain Sitz baths.
In 1986, the Therapy Department closed and the Cayce/Reilly School of Massotherapy was founded. It offers both a 225-hour and a 600-hour program teaching the Cayce-Reilly method of massage, hydrotherapy, Cayce remedies, sports massage, anatomy/physiology, and related body therapies. In May of 1995, the Therapy Department was reborn as the Health Services Department of the A.R.E., offering massage, hydrotherapy (including colonics), and related services.
ONE
My Involvement
The body of each entity is the temple of the living God. There He has promised to meet the entity. To live, to be—and that activity—unto the glory of the Creative Forces is the purpose of the entrance of each entity into material consciousness.
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My involvement with colon health and colon irrigation began the day I was interviewed for the position of Supervisor of the A.R.E. Therapy Department. Along with 250 other members who were also nurses, I had received a letter saying there was a position available. It just so happened that I was going to be passing through Virginia Beach and could conveniently stop by.
I had only recently learned about Edgar Cayce and, just prior to this, had been reading everything I could find on Egypt, dreams, and spiritual subjects. But my knowledge of holistic health was still in its infancy. When I learned that my prospective job was to administer colonic irrigations and supervise the massage therapists, I had no idea what was required. Not wanting to risk losing the opportunity for employment, it seemed wiser to ask, “What’s a colonic?” before things got more complicated. This was to become a very familiar question over the years, for many people have very little knowledge about colon health and colonics. Though this form of hydrotherapy is recognized as a highly beneficial approach to alternative health care not only by Edgar Cayce, but also by such varied holistic health care professionals as osteopaths, naturopaths, chiropractors, acupuncturists, massage therapists, and many others, the medical profession seems to be either unaware or misinformed about colon irrigation. At any rate, a colonic sounded simple enough—it was some sort of internal bath that used a professionally designed machine to give a high irrigation of the colon, or large intestine. My background as a nurse was helpful, but not really necessary for certification as a colon therapist.
My first day at the A.R.E. was a memorable experience. It was not difficult to run the colonic machine, but actually giving a colonic was much more involved, for no two colons nor colonics are alike. My first client, who had never had a colonic before, was even more nervous than I was! We both lived through it, however, and he felt so much better he made another appointment. In contrast, my next client had been getting colonics as a health maintenance therapy for twenty years, and tried to teach me all about colon health as she directed her colonic, step by step. She also shared her struggles in trying to keep her colon healthy, which was an ongoing problem for her.
Suddenly, there was an urgent request for an appointment from an A.R.E. conferee. She had not had an elimination in four days, and was not feeling well. I was to learn that this is a fairly common problem when someone is traveling or on vacation. The combination of sitting all day, not drinking enough water, and not stimulating the lymph through exercise changes the patterned condition of eliminations.
And so the day went. I learned more about the importance of a happy, healthy colon in one day than I had in my whole lifetime.
Bursitis
Working at the A.R.E. was life-changing for me, as well. Apparently, I was not there just to help others. Within a month, I developed acute bursitis in my right shoulder, and it became hot, swollen, and painful. The accompanying discomfort in the muscles of my arm made the problem even worse. From a medical standpoint, bursitis generally results from a build-up of calcium deposits, and becomes painful when the shoulder is overused. The tendency is then not to move the arm, which can result in a stiff or frozen shoulder.
Bursitis tends to happen when we feel very stressed and overburdened with responsibilities we have “shouldered.” At that time, I was unaware that emotions had anything to do with the physical health of the body, and simply thought that I had moved the handle on the colonic machine too much.
A friend suggested that I apply castor oil packs (these will be explained in detail in Chapter 8) without heat, since the area was already hot and inflamed. This did bring a measure of comfort and relaxation to my shoulder muscles, but the problem remained. Someone in the department informed me that a local chiropractor always prescribed colonics for her bursitis patients—a series of two colonics a week for a three-week period because she recognized that bursitis is caused by colon problems as well as a poor diet. I had never had any colon problems, and at that point knew very little about diet, other than that it was something you went on occasionally to lose weight. Besides, what did the colon have to do with a shoulder problem? They weren’t even in close proximity to each other.
So, not understanding how the colon affects everything in the body, I decided to go for a cortisone injection that would really work. Much to my surprise, it only took away the sharp edge of the pain, leaving a dull ache. However, what helped the most was that the doctor actually massaged the muscles in my arm and shoulder for five minutes. It was the first time I had ever experienced any form of massage, and it made me realize how much of my discomfort had been caused by tense muscles. Nevertheless, the bursa was still painful and my shoulder could not be moved.
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