We continue the methodical study of the Pentateuch Kardec, which focuses on the five major works of the spiritual doctrine, in the order they were first published by Allan Kardec, the Encoder of Spiritualism.
The answers to the questions suggested for discussion was the end of the text below.
Questions
A. What is the nature of the perispirit?
B. How can the Spirit, which is immaterial, act on the matter?
C. How is the phenomenon known as the "turning tables"?
D. How is the phenomenon of "table-turning"?
Text for reading
51. What is the need of the medium? Spirit could not act alone? The spirits then gave an explanation very different from imagined by Kardec, showing that their theory had nothing to do with the opinion of the encoder. (Items 72 and 73)
52. The fluid is not an emanation of the Deity: it is a creation of God. (Item 74, questions 1 and 2)
53. The universal fluid is the basic principle of all things. It is therefore the source of life but not intelligence. (Item 74, questions 3 and 6)
54. The state in which the universal fluid is in their simplicity is what is the environment of pure spirits. On Earth, it is more or less modified to form the compact matter that surrounds us. The magnetic fluid state animal is the closest to the simplicity found close to the pure spirits. (Item 74, in question 5)
55. The universal fluid composes the perispirit. (Item 74, in question 7)
56. To perform the movement of a solid object, combines the spirit of the fluid with the fluid universal which the medium outward, suitable for this purpose. (Item 74, in question 8)
57. When a table moves through the Spirit, is that it takes the element of the universal fluid that animates it with an artificial life. Being well prepared the table, he attracts and moves under the influence of fluid irradiated by its own will. (Item 74, in question 9)
58. These kinds of phenomena are always produced by inferior spirits, who are not yet entirely freed from the influence of material. (Item 74, in question 11)
59. The higher spirits could produce such phenomena, if they so wished? They have the moral strength, as others have physical strength. However, when the latter must serve themselves from the spirits who possess it. They are used in this way, inferior spirits as we avail ourselves of boots. (Item 74, in question 12)
60th. The density of the perisprit varies according to the state of the world, and it appears that also varies in the same planet according individuals. Among the Spirits morally advanced, it is more subtle and closer to perispirit of high spirits. Among the inferior spirits, by contrast, approaches the matter, and this is what makes such spirits for so long retain the illusions of terrestrial life. Think and act as if they were embodied, have the same desires, and we might almost say the same sensuality. (Item 74, in question 12)
Answers to questions
A. What is the nature of the perispirit?
Also called nervous fluid, if the perispirit eteriza as the Spirit purifies and rises in the spiritual hierarchy. Consisting of the fluid peculiar to the atmosphere of the globe that is tied, in the knowledge that housing is the key to a lot of problems so far unexplained. Its nature is fluid, but is also a kind of matter, which is proven by tangible apparitions of spirits. They became in fact, under the influence of certain mediums appear hands having all the properties of living hands, which are heat that can be felt, which provide the resistance of a solid body, in which insure that all of a sudden crumble like a shadow. The intelligent action of these hands, which of course obey the will to perform a certain movement, even playing an instrument arias, proves they are the visible part of an intelligent being invisible. Its tangibility, its temperature, the impression they make sense to prove they are a matter whatsoever. Its instantaneous disappearance test, however, that the material is eminently subtle and behaves as certain substances which can alternately pass from solid to fluid state and vice versa. (The Mediums' Book, item 57.)
B. How can the Spirit, which is immaterial, act on the matter?
The Spirit's action on the matter to conceive easily if you know the existence of perispirit. The Spirit draws from its sheath subtle, which is also of a material nature, as the man draws on his body. The direct instrument of the Spirit's action is therefore his perispirit. He has also, by an intermediary, the universal fluid, sort of vehicle on which we act as we act on the air to produce some effects with the help of expansion, compression, propulsion or vibration. The effects of this action, which once seemed supernatural, enter the order of natural facts, the cause of which lies entirely on the semimaterial properties of the perispirit. (Ibid., paragraph 58.)
C. How is the phenomenon known as the "turning tables"?
Give the name of those physical manifestations that result in appreciable effects such as noise, movement and displacement of solid bodies. Some are spontaneous, ie, independent of human will, others are caused. The simplest effect of the first and were observed in the circular movement is printed at a table. This effect also occurs with any object, but with the table on which he was most exercised, because it was more convenient, the name of turning tables prevailed to describe this kind of phenomena. You have to explain, however, that this phenomenon has already been produced before the advent of Spiritism. Tertullian speaks in explicit terms of the turning tables and speakers, which shows the antiquity of the fact. (Ibid., item 60.)
D. How is the phenomenon of "table-turning"?
First of all, there must be one or more mediums endowed with the special ability to produce physical effects. People sit around a table and land on your palms up, without pressure and without muscle tension. There needs to be gathering, a silence and patience, the effect is slow to produce. It may happen that this be given in a few minutes, as it can take half or an hour, this will depend on the psychic force of the participants. When the effect begins to manifest itself, one often hears a click on the table, feel a thrill that is the prelude of the movement, the table seems to make efforts to untie, the rotation is pronounced and accelerates to the point of acquire a speed such that the workers experience serious difficulties to accompany him. Once the move set, you can even get away from the table, which continues to move in different directions and without contact. In other circumstances, the Bureau stands firm and now a foot, then the other, then gently back to its natural position. Other times, balance to imitation of the oscillatory movement of a ship. At other times, finally, stands out completely from the ground and remains in equilibrium in space without support point, then descends slowly, swaying as you would a sheet of paper, or violently and falls and breaks, which evidence in a patent that is not the plaything of an optical illusion. (Ibid., items 61 to 63.)
