in such a manner as to keep clarified the assimilations, and aid the pancreas, the spleen, the liver and hepatic circulation, in keeping a normal equilibrium. These [properties] would be found in those of the ambrosia weed . . . This will aid the digestive system, will aid the whole of the eliminating system.
454-1
Readings indicating a need for liver toning suggest a variety of substitute formulas for a ragweed and licorice laxative still on the market at the time called Simmons Liver Regulator. While some of the simpler versions contain only ragweed extract and grain alcohol, others include additional ingredients such as licorice, sarsaparilla, and tolu balsam. The following comments apply to a formula in the more basic category:
. . . Where this {Liver Regulator} is given for anyone, the better preparation would be to make it out of the Ragweed, which is the basis of same . . .
And you have better than Simmons Liver Regulator for activity on the liver! This for anyone! This is the best of the vegetable compounds for activities of the liver. Of course, if made commercially we would add some few other things to it.
369-12
Finally, another highly recommended use of ragweed is as a toner of the appendix through its capacity to “. . . stimulate the gastric flow not only through the liver and gall duct but to cleanse those areas about the caecum and appendix.” (349-20) The readings regard this stimulating and cleansing effect as a powerful appendicitis preventive, stating: “If the most hated of the weeds were used {green} as a portion of the diet, it would never occur . . .” (644-1)
These are strong words of high praise for the lowly ambrosia weed, which could become one of our most loved if we gave it a chance.
Healing Lights
There’s a great term for health-enhancing uses of light that hardly anyone seems to know. Heliotherapy, derived from the Greek word helios or sun, literally means the treatment of disease using sun baths. By Cayce’s day, the heliotherapy options had expanded to include several different types of lamps that emitted parts of the sun’s spectrum. Evidently it was quite common for health professionals, such as the eminent Dr. Harold Reilly, to use these lamps in their practice, and the readings include them in hundreds of treatments. Two of the three main types are at least somewhat familiar today. Fans of color therapy, take note—there are some interesting statements to ponder here.
Infrared lamps, with the most recommendations, have long been valued for their deep-heating and muscle-relaxing properties. Their rays lie just beyond the red end of the spectrum we can see and are longer than visible light. Unlike the infrared heat feature that comes with many massage appliances today, the lamps familiar to Cayce were quite large and were aimed at the body from at least a few feet away.
Referring to these emanations as deep therapy, many readings found them the perfect warm up for a spinal adjustment or massage, either before or afterwards:
. . . {Use} the deep therapy, or the Infra-Red Light. This should be given after the deep manipulations—for these tend to relax and allow the activities of the blood supply through the disturbed areas; both the impulses of the circulation itself and the nerve flow.
920-11
Just before the osteopathic manipulations are given, then, relax the body thoroughly . . . with the use of the Infra Red Rays. This should be the deep therapy . . . that is more inter-penetrating, that gives . . . the ability to prevent the improper . . . setting of tissue through all portions of the circulation. It will aid in those places where healing has not been accomplished, and yet make the proper corrections where tensions have been set up in the sacral and the lumbar area.
1083-3
The benefits of infrared light are truly deep if they extend all the way to the bones, or what Cayce referred to as structural portions of the body:
. . . Hence the deep therapy of the Infra Red should release these activities through structural portions as to build for a better, more stable, near normal circulation . . .
808-5
. . . {Use} as a stimulation for the deep therapy produced to the structural portions along the rib area especially.
2456-2
. . . The Infra Red is for the deeper application, or for the bone or structural portions of the body as related to their activity with assimilations and eliminations, while the ultra-violet works with deeper and the superficial, see?
443-4
As with the ultraviolet lamp mentioned above, using a plate of heavy green glass to modify the frequencies may also be advisable with infrared:
. . . use between the red ray and the body the green light or glass, that will take from that portion of the ray itself that which would be destructive to tissue that would replenish or rebuild . . .
338-1
The more unusual blue glass has a different function:
. . . use a blue glass between the body and the source of the light or the light itself. This would make for such an effect upon the tissue as to retard the tendencies for infectious reaction, because of the lack of coagulation and the removal by the flow of impulse of disintegrations from the energies of the body-exercise; and would also tend to make for healing forces.
1525-1
The ultraviolet light is also regarded as a form of deep therapy, though with superficial benefits as well. More properly known as a mercury vapor lamp, it has several different names in the readings, including ultraviolet ray and mercury quartz (or quartz mercury) light. Here electricity discharged through mercury vapor in a vacuum tube (mercury arc) emits a light that’s rich in actinic and ultraviolet rays. Actinic rays, which consist of radiant energy, are found especially in the shorter light waves, and the ultraviolet are outside the visible spectrum at the violet end.
This lamp is not to be confused with the common sunlamp, which produces light in the ultraviolet spectrum as well. It is also quite different from a violet ray, a handheld device that emits static electricity when placed in contact with the skin.
Ultraviolet radiation is typically regarded as a circulation stimulant and infection fighter:
Use the deep therapy of the ultra-violet that we have indicated from the first. Not too strong, as to destroy tissue, but of sufficient strength that there may be the reactions from the flow of the stimulated circulations to those portions of the body that have been affected by the tendencies for the accumulation of infectious forces . . . This will relax the body.
632-10
As with the infrared, it is helpful in some cases to use this lamp in concert with tiny internal doses of animated ash so the “. . . circulatory forces—that are aided by the releasing of the oxygen for the system through the Ash itself—may have the effect of the deeper therapy . . .” (901-1) Other readings (or sometimes the same ones) advise using “. . . the Ultra-violet with a green light {glass} between same and body . . .” (632-2)
When asked to explain the purpose of the green glass, Cayce responded:
Breaks up the rays and rather than being of destructive natures, as it is in the destroying of tissue, it enlivens the good tissue and destroys the bad.
257-236
Blue glass might be of similar, or complementary, benefit to some, as in one reading advising the use of “spectro-chrome” therapy, or “. . . the ultra-violet ray broken up by the green and blue light {glass} . . .” (988-2)
Due to precautions respecting excess usage, ultraviolet light treatments must be carefully timed. Initial durations are often no more than a minute and a half to avoid burning the skin. Cayce also warned more than one enthusiast against conducting light treatments without the right expertise:
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