The phrase "Earth Changes" was coined by the American psychic Edgar Cayce to refer to the belief that the world will soon enter on a series of cataclysmic events causing major alterations in human life on the planet.
This includes "natural events" (such as major earthquakes, the melting of the polar ice caps, a pole shift of the planetary axis, major weather events, solar flares and so on[1]) as well as huge changes of the local and global social, economical and political systems.
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Cayce himself also made many prophesies of cataclysmic events involving the whole planet.[2][3] He claimed the polar axis would shift and that many areas that are now land would again become ocean floor, and that Atlantis would rise from the sea.[3] The belief that the California coast would slip into the sea—a common feature of Earth Changes predictions—originated with Cayce's alleged prophecies. In more recent times, self-proclaimed psychic Gordon-Michael Scallion has issued a variety of prophecies centering on the concept of 'Earth Changes' and publishes a monthly newsletter, The Earth Changes Report.[4]
Cayce's term has been taken up in certain segments of the New Age movement,[5] often associated with other predictions by people claiming to have psychic abilities.[6] Belief in Earth changes is also found among Native Americans, some of whom refer to the concept as "the Great Purification."[7] These beliefs have occasionally been associated with Christian millennialism and beliefs about UFOs.[1] Some New Age adherents believe that Earth changes will preface a "Golden Age" of spirituality and world peace.[2][5]
Prophecies of Earth changes have been described as a form of scientism, in which terminology and ideas borrowed from science are used to rationalize non-scriptural apocalyptical thought based on visionary experiences.[6] David Spangler, a leader of the Findhorn Foundation spiritual community, described prophecies of Earth changes as an expression of collective fear and anger, rather than as foretelling of actual future events.[8]