In this issue we continue the study of the book Posthumous Works, published after Allan Kardec disembodied and containing texts written by him. The present work is based on the translation made by Dr. Guillon Ribeiro, published by the Brazilian Spiritist Federation.
Questions for discussion
60. What are Mediums (Psychics)?
61. What does it mean to develop a psychic faculty?
62. How is the relationship between Spirits and Mediums established?
63. Is the Medium’s will always necessary for the manifestation to occur?
64. Among the different Mediums, which are the main ones?
65. What are writing or psychographic Mediums or Psychics?
66. What are the differences between the types of Mediums?
67. What are healing Mediums?
68. In the fluidic action is the confidence of the patient important?
Answers to the proposed questions
60. What are Mediums (Psychics)?
Mediums are people able to receive the influence of the Spirits and convey their thoughts. Every person, who feels in some degree, the influence of the Spirits is, therefore, a Medium. This faculty is inherent in man, and therefore it is in no way a unique privilege and also there are very few people in which we do not find at least an embryo of mediumship. Therefore, one can say that everybody to a certain extent is a Medium; however, this designation is only usually applied to those in which the mediumship faculty manifests in an ostensibly manner and with certain intensity. (Posthumous Works, The Mediums).
61. What does it mean to develop a psychic faculty?
The psychic faculty is related to the more or less expandable nature of the perispirit of the Medium and to its more or less easy assimilation with the perispirit of the Spirits. Therefore, it is related to the body and can be developed when the principle exists, but it cannot be acquired when this principle does not exist. The psychic predisposition does not depend of gender, age, and temperament. Mediums are found in all different people, from an early age to the most advanced. (Posthumous Works, The Mediums).
62. How is the relationship between Spirits and Mediums established?
It is established through their perispirit. The easiness of these relationships depends on the degree of affinity that exists between the two fluids; there are some that are assimilated easily and others that repel each other; from which it follows that it is not enough to be a Medium to communicate indifferently with all Spirits; there are Mediums that can only communicate with certain Spirits, or certain categories of Spirits, and others that can only do it through a transmission of thought with no outward manifestation.
Through the assimilation of the perispiritual fluids, the Spirit identifies himself, so to speak, with the person he wants to influence; he not only transmits his thought, but can also exercise over this person a physical action, and make him talk, or talk according to his will, make him say things he does not want to say; in a word, he serves himself of this person’s organs as if they were his; finally, the Spirit can neutralize the action of the Spirit of this person and paralyze his free will. The good Spirits work this influence to do what is good, and the evil Spirits, to do evil. (Posthumous Works, The Mediums).
63. Is the Medium’s will always necessary for the manifestation to occur?
No, the Spirit, who wishes to manifest himself, looks for the person, who is able to receive his thoughts, and serves himself frequently without the person being aware of this. On the other hand, there are people that are conscious of their faculty and can cause certain manifestations. Therefore, there are two categories of Mediums: the unaware Mediums and the voluntary Mediums. In the first case, the initiative comes from the Spirit: in the second case it comes from the Medium. Voluntary Mediums are among the people, who have a more or less complete knowledge of the means to communicate with the Spirits, and may thus wish to use their faculties; unaware Mediums, by contrast, are among those who have no idea of Spiritism, or of Spirits, and this can be seen even among unbelievers, and they are used as a tool without being aware or wanting it. (Posthumous Works, The Mediums).
64. Among the different Mediums, which are the main ones?
There are Mediums of physical effects; sensitive or receptive Mediums; listening Mediums, speakers, seers, inspired, sleepwalkers, healers, writing or psychographic Mediums. (Posthumous Works, The Mediums).
65. What are writing or psychographic Mediums?
These are the names given to the person, who writes under the influence of the Spirits. In the same way as a Spirit acts over the speaking organs of a Medium, making him talk, he can also use the Medium’s hand to make him write. The psychographic Mediumship presents three very distinct types of Mediums: mechanical, intuitive and semi-mechanical. (Posthumous Works, The Mediums).
66. What are the differences between the types of Mediums?
Regarding the mechanical Medium, the Spirit acts directly over the Medium’s hand by means of a pulse. What characterizes this Mediumship is the absolute unawareness of what is written; the hand movement is independent of the Medium’s will. It goes on without interruption and only ends when the Spirit has nothing else to say. In the intuitive Medium, the transmission of thought is done through the soul or Spirit of the Medium. The outside Spirit in this case does not act over the hand to conduct it, but it acts over the soul with which it identifies himself and to which he transmits his will and ideas; the Medium receives the thought of the outside Spirit and transcribes it.
It is often quite difficult to distinguish the Medium’s own thought and the one that is being suggested to him, which leads many Mediums of this kind to doubt their own faculties. One can recognize the thought suggested in the fact that it is never preconceived; it is born as it is written and often it is contrary to the previous idea that was formed; it may even be out of the knowledge and capabilities of the Medium.
There is a great analogy between intuitive Mediumship and inspiration; the difference is that the first, most often, is restricted to current affairs, and can be applied outside the intellectual capacities of the Medium; a Medium can intuitively handle a subject which is completely out of his knowledge. Inspiration covers a wider field and usually comes in aid to the capacities and concerns of the incarnate Spirit. The features of Mediumship are then and there, generally less evident.
The semi-mechanical or semi-intuitive Medium is part of the other two types. In the merely mechanical Medium, the movement of his hand is independent of his will; in the intuitive Medium, the movement is voluntary and optional. The semi-mechanic Medium feels an impulse given to his hand, in spite of it, but at the same time, he is aware of what he writes as the words are formed. At first, the thought follows the act of writing; in the second, it precedes it; in the third case, he accompanies it. (Posthumous Works, The Mediums).
67. What are healing Mediums?
This type of Mediumship consists in the gift that certain people have of healing by touch, by the laying on of hands, by their gaze, even a gesture without the help of any medication. This faculty has its origin in the magnetic power; however, it is different because of the energy and its immediate action, while the magnetic healing requires a methodical treatment, more or less long.
All the magnetizers are almost able to heal if they know how to connect themselves properly; they have an acquired knowledge. In the healing Mediums this faculty is spontaneous and some have it without ever having heard about magnetism.
The gift of healing by laying on of hands has, of course, in its principle an exceptional power of expansion, but this power is still increased by various conditions, among which, we have to mention firstly the pureness of one’s feelings, the detachment, the goodness, and burning desire to relieve, the fervor in praying and trust in God; in a word, all moral qualities. (Posthumous Works, The Mediums).
68. In the fluidic action is the confidence of the patient important?
Yes, the fluidic action is powerfully backed by the patient's trust, and those, who have faith, are often rewarded by God with success. (Posthumous Works, The Mediums).
