The Association for Research an Enlightenment (A.R.E.) is an organization devoted to the American self-proclaimed psychic Edgar Cayce (1877-1945). Its headquarters are in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded in 1931, the A.R.E. now boasts several tens of thousands of members, and probably many more who participate in its activities in some way. While most of its members are American, the A.R.E. is represented in more than 60 other countries. The A.R.E. does not recognize that it is a church or a religion, though it recognizes that it is a spiritual organization. As its organizational mission, the A.R.E. aspires "...to help individuals change their lives for the better by exploring concepts and ideas found in the Cayce work."