Glad Helpers Healing Prayer Group

On 25 May 2010, I listened to Refections: The Wisdom of Edgar Cayce and heard an interview with David Riblet from the Glad Helpers Healing Prayer Group in Virginia Beach. He discussed the purpose of the group, how it was founded, and how they conduct their sessions.

The group was founded in 1931 and Edgar Cayce gave 65 readings for the group (the 281 Series). The group recently got funding to publish a Meditation book with those readings, and it should be available soon.

The group contains members from all over the world. David said that being a member means being of service to those who come seeking healing of different types (physical, financial, job seeking, looking for a house, and so on).

David described three types of prayer used by the group:

• Direct prayer--This is for those who ask directly for prayer of help.
• Surround prayer--Used when someone has a concern for someone else, where the person is not directly asking for prayer. They get surrounded by light. Sometimes people who ask for prayer directly get surround prayer. There was a case of a person suffering from addiction who was given direct prayer and they received so much energy that it magnified the problem. This can also happen with people suffering from alzheimers, so they get surround prayer also. When a person gets surrounded by light they can use it in any way that is best for them and do not get overpowered.
• Passed on prayer--This is for those who have passed on. It surrounds them and their families.

Many times the group does not want to know why someone is asking for help. What people have in the physical realm started spiritually or in their minds. The group prays that they get the healing they need, but they do not want to just pray for the condition.

I was interested in how the Glad Helper meetings are conducted compared to a study group and see many similarities. The meetings are held at the A.R.E on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 am, and they take turns facilitating. Visitors are welcome to attend. They begin the meeting by studying the 281 Series readings. David has been a member for three years and has just completed one pass through the readings. Sometimes they just discuss a paragraph and sometime they discuss a page. Around 10:00 am they prepare for meditation. They say the Lord's Prayer, chant ah-ray-ohm three times, and surround themselves with protection. Then they meditate for 10 minutes.

After meditation the group reads the names of those seeking help from a personal list and remember the helpers who are not present. They also have a compiled list of names of those who have contacted the A.R.E. There is a laying on of hands that also occurs.

The group asks those wanting prayer to also pray for someone else. This completes the circle. As we pray for others, we heal ourselves. David said the Search for God study groups are about the qualities of life and the Glad Helpers are about applying them.