Meridian Institute Research ProjectsMeridian Institute has been engaged in numerous research projects which explore the spirit/mind/body connection. Click on one of the following projects for more information:
The purpose of this project is to develop and validate two psychometric instruments based on the Edgar Cayce material. The Cayce Comprehensive Symptom Inventory (CCSI) is a structured assessment instrument intended for use as an adjunct to traditional and alternative assessment procedures. The CCSI consists of a wide variety of signs and symptoms of physical and emotional distress. The items are arranged in scales, each scale representing a pattern of etiology (cause and effect) used by Edgar Cayce in his system of assessment and diagnosis. Individuals taking the CCSI are asked to rate the presence of the sign or symptom during the past twelve months. Some items are retrospective, requiring information preceding the previous twelve month period. Based on the responses, the CCSI calculates scores for each scale. Some of the CCSI scales (such as hypothyroid or calcium deficiency) are found in many symptom inventories. Other scales (such as "lacteal duct adhesions" or "high hepatic circulation") are distinctive to the Cayce material. The CCSI is intentionally designed to serve as an educational tool for
understanding the Cayce approach to anatomy and
The Approach To Life Inventory (ATLI) is a brief psychometric instrument for the assessment of psychospiritual functioning. The ATLI is based primarily on the philosophy of Edgar Cayce. The foundation of Cayce's holistic philosophy is the role of spiritual, mental, emotional, and interpersonal factors in health and healing. Individuals taking the ATLI are asked if they agree or disagree with items on each scale. The electronic version of the ATLI automatically creates statistics and graphics for each administration. An additional analysis generates a health index based on specific items that may be particularly relevant to the healing process (self-efficacy, neglect, social support, relation to the divine, locus of control). At this time the CCSI and ATLI are research tools intended to generate
hypotheses about the physical, mental, and spiritual
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The purpose of this study was to determine if a subtle energy device, the Cayce Radial Appliance, could improve circulation in the extremities. There were two aspects to the study: a double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment and a small clinical investigation. In the experiment, 30 subjects were selected for cold extremities, with the criterion that either the hands or the feet had to be below 80 degrees F during the initial measurement session. To measure improvement of circulation, we used digital thermometers to record the temperatures of the thumbs and big toes on both hands and feet. Subjects were instructed to use the appliance 16 times; laboratory measurements were taken during the 1st, 4th and 16th sessions. Skin temperature turned out to be a difficult variable to work with, due to the wide variability in temperature apparently not related to the experimental situation. The strongest results were observed in the 4th session. During the session baseline, the difference between hand and foot temperatures of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group (t(13,11) = 2.49, p = .02). The 16th session did not yield significant differences between the experimental and control groups. However, in the experimental group, there was a correlation of r(9) = -.56 (p = .07) of hand temperature increase with the number of days it took to complete the 16 sessions. That is, those subjects who were more consistent in using the appliance may have obtained better results, though statistically the result is only suggestive due to the small sample size. In contrast, in a clinical follow-up study with five subjects and no control group, we found that all subjects had a substantial increase in hand temperature following three sessions on the appliance (Mean increase = 8.4 degrees F, SD = 3.3). This increase was well in excess of that seen in either the experimental or control groups in the previous study. One important difference was that in the clinical study, use of the appliance was closely supervised, whereas in the blind study most of the appliance sessions were conducted by the subjects alone in their homes. For more information, click on one of the following topics:
Six individuals participated in a 10-day live-in instructional/treatment program in November, 1995, in which they were taught the elements of the Edgar Cayce therapies for Psoriasis. Utilizing Dr. John Pagano's ground-breaking work treating psoriasis with the Cayce approach, special attention was paid to intestinal permeability ("leaky gut syndrome"). The Cayce perspective on psoriasis is that this condition is usually caused by a thinning of the walls of the small intestines allowing toxins to leak into the circulatory system. The body reacts by eliminating the poisons through the skin producing psoriatic lesions. The treatment rationale was to heal the gut, decrease toxicity in the system, and provide symptomatic relief as needed. The therapies included dietary changes, colonic irrigations, castor oil packs, spinal manipulations, herbals teas and psycho-spiritual modalities to address the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of the disease. The participants then returned home to continue these therapies for six months, submitting daily logs of compliance with the protocol. Subjects returned after six months for follow-up assessment. Intestinal permeability assessments indicated that most of the subjects had abnormally leaky intestines. The subjects with leaky gut profiles also responded well to treatment. This pilot study is briefly described in an article titled, "Systemic Aspects of Psoriasis: An Integrative Model Based on Intestinal Etiology." This article has been submitted to a peer-reviewed medical journal and is currently in the review process. More recently, we completed another pilot study on psoriasis. Psoriasis Case Reports documents the very positive outcomes in this study. For more information, click on one of the following topics:
Five individuals participated in a 10-day live-in instructional/treatment program in April, 1996, in which they were taught the elements of the Edgar Cayce therapies for migraine. The Cayce perspective is that migraine is a consequence from problems in the digestive system and enteric nervous system, rather than the brain. The therapies included dietary changes, colonic irrigations, castor oil packs, and the Cayce radial appliance. The participants then returned home to continue these therapies for 6 months, submitting daily logs of compliance with the protocol. Migraine symptoms were evaluated at the beginning of the program and after 6 months. Overall, 4 of the 5 people obtained some improvement of their migraine symptoms. Improvement was clearly related to compliance with the protocol. Stressful life events for some of the participants exacerbated their migraines, complicating interpretation of the results. Based on the Edgar Cayce readings, the specific principles of interest included:
Three individuals participated in a 6-day live-in instructional/treatment program in March, 1996, in which they were taught the elements of the Edgar Cayce therapies for epilepsy. The Cayce perspective is that most epilepsy is a consequence of problems in the digestive system and enteric nervous system, rather than the cranial brain. The medical concept of "abdominal epilepsy" is a good model to represent the Cayce approach. The therapies included dietary changes, colonic irrigations, castor oil packs, and psycho-spiritual modalities such as prayer, meditation, and purposeful living. The participants then returned home to continue these therapies for 6 months, submitting daily logs of compliance with the protocol. Epilepsy symptoms were evaluated at the beginning of the program and after 6 months. One subject followed the protocol consistently and reported improvement in symptoms. There were no adverse effects of treatment reported by any of the subjects in this project. For more information, click on one of the following topics:
The multiple sclerosis project was our first attempt at researching nervous system rejuvenation employing subtle energy technology known as the wet cell battery. Edgar Cayce stated that most cases of multiple sclerosis are caused by improper assimilation of gold by the liver. The treatment protocol included treatments directed at improving liver function and also supplying gold via electrotherapy. A group of ten subjects attended an eleven-day conference in Virginia Beach in October, 1996. Comprehensive assessments were made and subjects were trained in the therapeutic modalities. Subject went home and worked with therapies. They returned in February, 1997 for follow-up assessment. See "Multiple Sclerosis: A Complementary Medicine Approach" for a complete description of this project. For more information, click on one of the following topics:
Ten individuals participated in a 10-day live-in instructional/treatment program in November, 1996, in which they were taught the elements of the Edgar Cayce therapies for Parkinson's Disease (PD). The project is based on the hypothesis that many cases of Parkinson's disease are associated with an incoordination within the nervous system. Although the pathology is within the nervous system, the initial problem may be traced to glandular dysfunction. The Cayce readings view the glands as playing a key role in helping the body maintain its health through regeneration. The use of the wet cell battery with gold and silver to stimulate glandular functioning and nervous system rejuvenation is the primary treatment modality. Massage is also an important adjunct therapy used in conjunction with the battery. Subjects returned in March, 1997 for follow-up assessment. Data was collected and analyzed resulting in a Research Report on Parkinson's Disease. For more information, click on one of the following topics: Six individuals participated in a 10-day live-in instructional/treatment program in April, 1997, in which they were taught the elements of the Edgar Cayce therapies for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Although CFS was not used as a diagnostic category during Cayce's lifetime, Cayce gave numerous readings for persons suffering from "neurasthenia." We used Cayce's suggestions for treating neurasthenia as the basis for the treatment protocol. Essentially, the treatment rationale was to detoxify the body, enhance immune system functioning, stimulate the glandular system and improve the superficial circulation. The therapies included dietary changes, colonic irrigations, castor oil packs, atomidine (an iodine supplement) and the Cayce radial appliance. The participants then returned home to continue these therapies for 6 months, submitting daily logs of compliance with the protocol. The subjects returned for follow-up assessment. The results are documented in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Case Studies. For more information, click on the following topics: Five individuals participated in a 10-day live-in instructional/treatment program in April, 1997, in which they were taught the elements of the Edgar Cayce therapies for asthma. The Cayce perspective is that many cases of asthma are caused by pressure on nerves in the upper portion of the spine (lower cervical and upper thoracic). These nerves innervate the respiratory system. Problems in the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract were also noted in several cases. The research project focused on relieving pressure on spinal nerves and cleansing the system, especially the GI tract. Symptomatic relief was also addressed. The therapies included spinal manipulations, dietary changes, colonic irrigations, castor oil packs, medicines recommended by Edgar Cayce (atomidine and calcidin), and the use of the electrically driven vibrator along the spine. Psychospiritual aspects of healing (prayer, meditation, relationships, purpose for healing, etc.) were also addressed. The participants then returned home to continue these therapies for 6 months, submitting daily logs of compliance with the protocol. The subjects returned for the follow-up. Data was collected and analyzed resulting in a report titled Asthma Case Studies.
Seven people participated in a recent project, testing the Cayce therapies for arthritis. They attended a 10-day, live-in treatment and training program in Virginia Beach, then returned home to follow the protocol for six months. At the end of the six months, five of the seven reported improvement. However, due to inconsistent compliance with the treatment protocol by some of the participants, it is difficult to fully evaluate the effectiveness of the Cayce recommendations. Three participants with hypertension spent 10 days in November, 1998 in Virginia Beach, receiving information and training in the recommended therapies, so that they could return home and successfully follow the treatment regimen. The treatment regimen consisted of a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables, with low fat, no fried foods, and little starch. It included occasional colonic irrigations, the radial appliance, and some chiropractic adjustments. Of particular importance was a focus on the mental and spiritual aspects of the treatment. Persons 1 and 2, neither of whom were using any medications, had major reductions in blood pressure. Person 3 had only a small reduction, but was able to decrease her medication, and felt better from less medication side effects. Four individuals participated in a 10-day live-in instructional/treatment program in May, 1999, in which they were taught the elements of the Edgar Cayce therapies for irritable bowel syndrome, and returned home to do the therapies. Three followed the protocol and returned in November, 1999 for a six-month progress assessment. We are currently recruiting subjects for the anemia project. This project will utilize a subtle energy device known as the radial appliance. Subjects will use this appliance for several weeks to see if blood iron levels are increased.
Meridian Institute is researching various aspects of manual therapy and its relation to the Edgar Cayce health information. Our intention is to seek to understand this material, develop research protocols to test its validity, and provide education and training opportunities to interested practitioners based on our findings. Utilizing a comparative study approach, we have accumulated considerable information on certain basic concepts such as general treatment, nervous system coordination, drainages, anatomy and physiology, and adjunct therapies. We will offer this information to practitioners for their written feedback. We will also provide opportunities for "hands on" application of the techniques at regularly scheduled seminars in the Virginia Beach area. Based on the written and verbal feedback we will put together treatment formats which are consistent with the Cayce approach. We will do further testing and validation of the formats in our ongoing clinical research projects. Our findings will be published and available to anyone interested in these topics. We intend to provide education and training to interested parties. For more information on manual therapy, click on one of the following topics: |