Edgar Cayce's A.R.E. Visitors Center in Virginia Beach: A Unique Metaphysical Experience

When people think of Virginia Beach, they envision the quaint little resort town surrounded by miles of sandy beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. But what most don't know is aside from the bustling resort strips and fabulous restaurants is a Mecca for spirituality and New Age living. At this place you'll find the likes of famous speakers and authors such as Wayne Dyer, James Ray and Deepak Chopra, as well as have access to the latest information in holistic and spiritual development. Only one block away from the North End Beaches is a greatly popular destination for metaphysical enlightenment: the Association of Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.) Visitors Center.

Built in 1927 by renowned psychic and seer Edgar Cayce, the A.R.E. Visitors Center is a cornucopia of information on metaphysical and spiritual topics. Home to one of the largest metaphysical libraries in the world, the A.R.E. Visitors Center is host to an enormous collection of spiritually-themed books as well as over 14,000 personal readings given by Edgar Cayce. And what can't be found in the library is sure to be covered in the in-house bookstore, which is filled with hundreds of titles in the fields of holistic health, inspirational reading, and life after death. But it is not just a place to educate through academics. The A.R.E. Visitors Center is also a place to come for a relaxing, positive experience if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of vacation life.

In the past year, I have had the pleasure of visiting the A.R.E. Visitors Center during three separate trips to Virginia Beach. Each time that I visited, I was greeted by a pleasant Visitors Guide who made sure to run down the agenda of free (that's right, free) activities for the day, including a viewing of The Edgar Cayce Legacy Movie shown from 2 - 2:30 p.m., which pays homage to the man behind the science of A.R.E.; a guided tour of the entire building from 2:30 - 3 p.m., and a free survey lecture from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. where topics focus on meditation, dream interpretation, astrology, and even the metaphysics of the universe. But it doesn't end there. On Saturday afternoons, the center offers an ESP demonstration where a qualified instructor will explain this unique phenomenon then quiz visitors on their level of telepathic ability. Also offered on Saturday afternoon is a meditation class where an instructor will discuss the necessity in this practice, then finish with a group meditation. Both the ESP demonstration and meditation class are free.

One of the major perks I've found in visiting the A.R.E. Visitors Center is "Yoga on the Beach," a free yoga class offered every Sunday morning from 7 - 9 a.m., located right on the sands of the Atlantic Ocean. There is no registration or special invitation required to attend - you simply show up on time with your large beach towel or yoga mat ready for an intense stretch with fellow A.R.E. visitors and Virginia Beach locals. Before my first session, I thought 7 a.m. was a little too early to try to rise and shine on a Sunday morning, but after being lucky enough to see the gorgeous crashing waves, glistening sun rays reflecting off of the water, and an unbelievably large school of dolphin swimming to their destination, I was more than happy that I chose to give myself to this incredible morning. The yoga instructor, Judith Stevens, is a wonderfully positive and loving woman with over 30 years of experience specializing in what she calls "Yoga for Health," which combines her advanced knowledge of yoga with medical guidance from local doctors to formulate a program that guarantees maximum physical health. I assure you, after two hours of her yoga instruction, and a long, relaxing bath, you will be more than ready to start your day.

If you're looking for a place to find peace and solace I highly recommend visitors see are the meditation room and meditation garden. The meditation room is located on the third floor of the center and is meant only for those who intend to have a serious meditation session. Sitting in the comfy meditation chairs opts you the privilege of looking out onto the beautiful Atlantic Ocean while focusing on world peace, inner peace, or that last piece of pizza (hopefully not the last though). The meditation room is also the location where the center's staff comes together for meditation everyday at Noon, and believe it or not, they open their arms to any visitors who would like to join them - just show up and participate. When you're finished meditating, you might want to see the beauty you just envisioned in your mind's eye. If this is the case, I suggest you venture to the meditation garden located outdoors along the west side of the Visitors Center. The garden is small but lovely, decorated with a flowing waterfall, gorgeous bamboo grove, and a Japanese bridge that overlooks a lily pond filled with unique goldfish. There are also benches available for meditating or simply being a spectator of the beauty.

In addition to all of its free services, the A.R.E. Visitors Center is home to the accredited Atlantic University, founded in 1930 by Edgar Cayce who wanted to create a center for learning that focused on spiritual development, transpersonal studies and the dimensions of human consciousness. Across the parking lot and up a few stairs you will find the accredited Cayce/Reilly School of Massotherapy, which focuses on teaching the Cayce Wellness Model of total health applications through a variety of massage treatments and chiropractic work. And the Health Services Department houses many graduates of the School of Massotherapy and offers massage therapy, hypnosis, reflexology, and more (not free of charge, of course).

The A.R.E. Visitors Center touts having ten of thousands of visitors each year. I must admit, every time I've visited, the center was definitely crowded with people ranging from the curious out-of-towner to the local regular. Luckily, no one is turned away from this unique experience as the center hopes to enlighten and spiritually-attune more people from around the world each year. Their staff is extremely friendly, most of their services are priceless (literally), and their schedule is vacationer-friendly (the center is open seven day/week except Thanksgiving and Christmas). So for those looking for a New Age metaphysical journey or just want to be in the company of spiritually-attuned, kind-hearted people, I recommend you make a detour to The A.R.E. Visitors Center.

For more information on the A.R.E. Visitors Center in Virginia Beach, visit www.edgarcayce.org.