Possession: a divine law

When speaking of obsession, the Spiritists are immediately reminded of Allan Kardec's consolidated classification of the generic term obsession in The Book of Mediums¹: simple, fascination and subjugation, these being the main varieties.

However, when one mentions possession, many have learned and still maintain an understanding of the nonexistence of this possibility, even so, something bad comes to mind in general, causing apprehension, since this condition is still associated with the final stage of a long harmful obsessive process. This understanding was suggested in the first fundamental work², when the Master of Lyon clarified that the use of the term subjugation in the place of possession was better.

Possession, according to the Encoder, might suggest the cohabitation of an obsessing disembodied Spirit in the body of a Spirit still incarnate. As we know, during reincarnation there occurs a molecule-molecule connection between the perispirit of the reincarnating Spirit and the body in formation; therefore, it would not be possible for another Spirit to bind by the same process to this same body – only if the “owner” of this body was definitively absent. As this last hypothesis, death, the body would disintegrate over time, preventing the obsessor's possession of it. Another justification would be to avoid the suggestion of the existence of a Spirit eternally turned to the practice of evil, possessing its victim, possibility without support in the eternal laws. Currently, the term possession is still widely used in various religions and means total control over a person's body and mind, usually by a so-called demonic entity.

However, it is interesting to note, that although Allan Kardec explained the convenience in the use of the term subjugation in the place of possession, he continued to use the words possession or possessiveness in: Practical Instructions of Manifestations; The Book of Mediums(where he mentioned again the impropriety of the use of the word possession³); The Gospel According to Spiritism; in texts collected from the Sage of Lyon after his disincarnating composing Posthumous Works, in addition to several quotations in the Spiritist Magazines. It is not surprising, for possessed is the word used since biblical times to designate an individual taken or possessed by the "devil".

Nevertheless, in Genesis, the last book of the Pentateuch, published in 1868, almost eleven years after the publication of The Book of Spirits, Allan Kardec reconsidered and recorded, in a basic work, the possibility of the existence of possession itself, but without the malicious, harmful character, as it appears in the following quotation:

In obsession there is always an evil Spirit. In possession it may be a good Spirit who wants to speak and who, to make a greater impression on the listeners, takes the body of an incarnate, who voluntarily lends it to him, as he would lend his clothes to another incarnate. This occurs without any disturbance or annoyance during the time when the incarnated Spirit is free, as in the state of emancipation, and the latter remains beside his substitute to hear it. ⁴ (Our emphasis)

The acknowledgment and checking of this possibility were given for the first time through the analysis of a case of possession mentioned in the Spiritist Magazine of 1863⁵. It is also worth noting the difference established between obsession and possession.

However, it is possible to presume that the Spirits, by answering Allan Kardec's many questions and after closely reviewing The Book of Spirits, first published in 1857, would be aware of the possibility of the Master of Lyon reshaping his opinion on the use of the word possession itself.

Therefore, we ask: Could it be that the Spirits left in some of their answers indications about the possibility of possession occurring in its absolute sense? In order to think about this question, let us read again the text in The Book of Spirits, included under the subtitle Possessed:

Can a Spirit temporarily take the physical casing of a living person, that is, enter into a live body and act instead of the other incarnate in this body?

A Spirit does not enter a body as you enter a house. It identifies itself with an incarnate Spirit, whose faults and qualities are the same as its own, in order to work together with him. But the incarnate is always the one who acts, as he wishes, over the matter that clothes him. A Spirit cannot substitute the one that is incarnated; this is why it must remain connected to its body until the end of the period determined for its material existence. ⁶ (Our emphasis)

What would be the purpose to identify oneself with the defects and qualities?Should we expect that an obsessor, scheming to dominate his victim, seeks to discover in him his qualities? It is perfectly understood that he searches for the defects, it is logic because these are the “plugs” where he will connect, flowing his thoughts and fluids, as electricity flows into an electrical circuit. It is even stranger to know that the obsessor searches for defects and qualities identical to his! What is the reason to identify common defects and qualities between victim and tormentor? Is it to use his own experience regarding these defects and qualities to better explore the condition of the victim? On the other hand, do obsessors often possess many qualities? And it is even more unusual to recognize that this quest is a condition for working together with the victim! To work or to act (in the French original it is mentioned to act) suggests two options: we can work or act constructively or destructively. Did the Spirits not have the intention of purposely suggesting two possible paths, one characterized by the possibility of a constructive possession, in which case, would the qualities be of interest? Didn’t this answer indicate the existence of the good possession, later recognized by the Encoder himself?

One can also see that, although the subtitle of the paragraph is Possessed, there is not in the question, nor in the answer, an evident indication of the existence only of the evil possession, harmful to the victim.

Let us now turn to the subsequent question, equally suggestive, which is contained in the same work:

Since there is no proper possession, that is, the cohabitation of two Spirits in the same body, can the soul be dependent on another Spirit, and it thinks it is subdued or obsessed to the point of imagining it is paralyzed?

No doubt. And these are the true possessed. But you need to know that this domination is never effected without the sufferer consenting to it, due to his weakness or because he wants it. Many epileptics or madmen, who needed more a physician than exorcisms, have been considered possessed.⁷ (Our emphasis)

Once again the Spirits mention the possessive condition, although they had already seen Allan Kardec, until that moment, defending the idea that it did not exist. They could have said, "Undoubtedly, and these are the true subjugates". In this answer, would we have the suggestion of a possible evil possession, or perhaps just subjugation?

The remarks pertaining to questions 473 and 474, mentioned above – let us emphasize - represent an attempt to show that Spirits are attentive to Allan Kardec's understanding of the question regarding the difference of concepts between subjugation and possession, and purposely left evidence of the existence of the latter. It is known that, later on, the thesis would also be observed by Prof. Rivail, leading him to reread this subject, demonstrating the true love of truth, a characteristic of the Gaulish Master.

It is also worthwhile mentioning question 515, registered under the subtitle – GUARDIAN ANGELS, PROTECTIVE, FAMILY, OR SYMPATHETIC SPIRITS, all suggesting only disincarnate Spirits, but the question was made considering incarnate Spirits:

What should we think about people who bind themselves to certain individuals to lead them to damnation, or to guide them through the right path?

Indeed, certain people act on others in a fascinating way that seems irresistible. When this happens in the sense of evil, they are evil Spirits; other also evil Spirits use to subdue them. God allows such a thing to happen to test you. ⁸ (Our emphasis)

In this question, Allan Kardec extends the concept of Spiritual subjugation to a possible reality among incarnates. The use of the word subjugation, instead of possession, is also emphasized, but the possibility of a beneficial and "useful subjugation" is perceived in between the lines, a concept hitherto not mentioned, after all we are analyzing The Book of Spirits, and the focus so far was only on evil subjugation. Therefore, this hypothesis is justified if there was no mention to the sense of evil in the answer; it is believed that there should exist by opposition, the possibility in the sense of the good. The latter could only represent good incarnate Spirits associated with other disincarnates who are also good using an incarnate to "subjugate" him by leading him to the path of goodness, as can also be deduced from the question itself. Perhaps it is necessary to employ or create another word in the latter case, for in the subjugation is implied the force or the threat, attitudes never employed by the good Spirits, in this case eventually the use of the expression possession would be indicated, but in the sense of a useful possession, as suggested by Allan Kardec in Genesis, mentioned above.

It is also worth to highlight Allan Kardec’s mentioning of the different concepts of subjugation and possession, now in the third basic work:

In this issue [lack of forgiveness] lies the cause of most cases of obsession, especially those of a certain importance, which are those of subjugation and possession. The obsessed and the possessed are therefore almost always the victims of revenge, and the reason is found in the previous life, and to which the sufferer has given place by its procedure.⁹ (Our emphasis)

There is nothing surprising in this, since The Gospel According to Spiritism was published in 1864, i.e., after the launching of the Spiritist Magazine of 1863.

In order to consolidate concepts we could conclude: there is subjugation and possession, the words are not synonymous, confirmed for the first time by Allan Kardec when he wrote: "Seeing only the effect, and not going back to the cause, this is why every obsessed, subjugated and possessed is considered insane"¹⁰.(Our emphasis)

It can be clearly seen in Allan Kardec’s text referring to three different ideas, varying according to the level of involvement or domination.

Moreover, in view of the above, it would be concluded that Spirituality left strong indicators in the first basic work suggesting that possession was a possible condition, well before Allan Kardec realized this fact when studying the case in the Spiritist Magazine of 1863; otherwise it is believed that if it is possible to conclude this, then it could also be concluded  – and this conclusion could be dangerous -  that the plenitude of enlightened Spirits commanded by the Spirit of Truth, Jesus - according to the understanding of many and ours too - deliberately left a record of an incomplete concept in the most fundamental work of all.

The Book of Spirits is extraordinary, and it is always challenging us to explore it to discover teachings that escaped in the first reading nevertheless there they are instigating us to uncover them.

These lessons should serve to keep us faithful to the Doctrine with special attention to the Fundamental Works, for they are and will be with us for a long time still, and at the moment with no need to be revised or updated, as least as long as we have not withdrawn from this seemingly inexhaustible reservoir of immortal lessons, all the teachings necessary to satisfy our insatiable hunger in learning the truth that frees us.

References:

¹Kardec, Allan. The Book of Mediums, translated by Evandro Noleto Bezerra. 2nd

Edition, 1st printing in Brasilia: FEB, 2013. Chapter XXIII, item 237.

² _____. The Book of Spirits, translated by Guillon Ribeiro. 93^rd edition, 1^st

Printing (Historical Edition) Brasilia: FEB, 2013. Question 474.

³ Kardec, Allan. The Book of Mediums, translated by Evandro Noleto Bezerra. 2^nd

Edition, 1st printing in Brasilia: FEB, 2013. Chapter XXIII, item 241.

 ___ ¬¬__¬¬. Genesis. Translated by Guillon Ribeiro. 53^rd edition, 1^st

printing (Historical Edition) Brasilia: FEB, 2013. Chapter. XIV, item 48.

⁵______. Spiritist Magazine: Journal of psychological studies. Year 6, 1863. Translated by Evandro Noleto Bezerra. 1st edition Rio de Janeiro: FEB, 2004. A Case of Possession - Miss Julia, page 499.

⁶ _____. The Book of Spirits. Translated by Guillon Ribeiro. 93^rd edition, 1^st

Printing (Historical Edition) Brasilia: FEB, 2013, Question 473.

⁷ _____.______. Question 474.

⁸ _____.______. Question 515.

⁹ _____._______. The Gospel According to Spiritism. Translated by Guillon Ribeiro. 131^stedition, 1^st printing (Historical Edition) Brasilia: FEB, 1/2013. Chapter X, item 6.

10 _____. Spiritist Magazine: Journal of psychological studies. year 6, 1863. Translated by Evandro Noleto Bezerra. 1st edition, Rio de Janeiro: FEB, 2004. A Case of Possession - Miss Julia, page 503.

  
Translation:
Eleni Frangatos - eleni.moreira@uol.com.br