Did Robert Jordan use Real world Prophets and prophecies when writing the WOT books?

[Jyrbian]

The other day I was watching a documentary on Edgar Cayce who is considered to be a Prophet.

I wasn't too interested at first, but then there were references that made me think of the Wheel of Time books.

The first similarity that I noticed is that Cayce uses a sleep induced method for performing his readings. This is very similar to what the Dream Walkers do. Cayce was even quoted as not being able to do more than two readings a day as this fatigued him, and more would kill him. As we know from the books, when in Tel'aran'rhiod you don’t feel refreshed as if you had been sleeping but without dream walking.

Cayce claimed to not recall anything from his readings. If I recall correctly this is similar to those who have the talent of Foretelling.

Cayce’s "readings" of Atlantis are what mostly reminded me or Randland.

According to Cayce, the Atlantean’s fell into two factions. A good faction called the "Sons of the Law of One", and an "evil" faction called the "Sons of Belial.”

While this may be me making bad assumption, I see similarities in these factions to the magic system and world building used by Robert Jordan.

The Sons of the Law of One
“The Law of One” sounds allot like the One Power
Are the “Sons of the Law of One” people who can channel?
“One” may be interpreted to a deity type being similar to “The Creator”

Sons of Belial
Be’lal is similar to Belial and he is one of the forsaken who are members of a Dark faction.
While not a direct association to the Sons of Belial feel similar to dark friends, shadow spawn and the Forsaken.

According to Cayce, the Sons of Belial used creatures that he termed as "Things". Things described are sub-humans with animal appendages with low intelligence. These sound allot like Trollocs.

Cayce also prophesied of a blue stone of Atlantean origin capable of healing. Is this the idea for Angreal, Sa'angreal and Ter'angreal came from?

Atlantis end was cause by the overcharging of a crystal that caused a massive explosion. Is this where the idea for Breaking of the World came from?
Has anyone else found other possible real world Prophets that Robert Jordan may have used when creating Rand Land?

[C Of K]

Welcome to Chronicles, Jrybian.

I'd say your theories have some merit. Robert Jordan has been known to borrow numerous iconic ideas from many cultures, both mythological or factual. I think he often incorporates familiar ideas so people will relate to/understand them easier, they're easier to come up with than something that is totally original, and because some of them just make for good storytelling.

Belial, for instance is an icon of evil in many cultures. It is also suspected that characters such as Asmodean derived his name from Asmodeus/Asmodai. Artur Paendrag Hawkwing is a definite throwback to Arthur Pendragon, otherwise known as King Arthur. Shai'tan is also likely derived from Shaitan. There are so many more references that could be made, but as I must leave soon...