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. Why does the phenomenon of turning tables no more occurs?
B. What are the simplest spiritist manifestations?
C. What characterizes an manifestation as intelligent?
D. This intelligence is not due to the action of the medium?
Text for reading
61. The vital principle resides in the universal fluid and this fluid is that the Spirit takes the semi-material envelope which constitutes its perispirit. (Item 74, in question 13)
62. It is through this fluid he acts upon inert matter. It's like cheer the matter with a kind of artificial life: the material stands up for an animal life, and moving like an animal, obeys the command to be smart. It is then that pushes the Spirit, when the table gets up, is not the Spirit who lifts his arms: the table is excited that obeys the impulse given by the Spirit. (Item 74, in question 13)
63. What is the role of the medium in these phenomena? The medium provides its own fluid which combines with the universal fluid accumulated by the Spirit: it takes the union of these two fluids to give life to the table. This life, however, is momentary and quenched with action and often before the end of action if the amount of fluid is not sufficient to animate it. (Item 74, in question 14)
64. The Spirit can act without knowing the medium, that is, many people serve as auxiliaries to the spirits for certain phenomena, without realizing it. The Spirit takes them as a source, the fluid which animalized needs. (Item 74, in question 15)
65. The table, once animated by this fluid, do you? No. She does not think rather than the stick with which you make an intelligent signal. But the vitality of which is animated allows you to obey the impulse of intelligence. (Item 74, in question 16)
66. The predominant cause in the production of this phenomenon is the Spirit, the fluid is only the instrument, but the two things are necessary. (Item 74, in question 17)
67. Why do psychics have the same power to obtain these phenomena? Because this possibility depends on the body and the greater or lesser ease with which the combination of fluids can operate. Moreover, the medium more or less sympathetic with the spirits who see in it the strength needed fluid. (Item 74, in question 19)
68. The matter is not an obstacle to the spirits: they penetrate everything and, therefore, a part of your perispirit is identified, so to speak, with the object that penetrates. (Item 74, in question 21)
69. The perispirit fluid penetrates the material and identifies with it, animating it with an artificial life. Well! when the Spirit rests his fingers on the keys of a piano, actually lands them and even move, but not muscle strength that prints the key. He animates the key, which then obeys his will, it moves and touches the chord of the piano. (Item 74, in question 24)
70th. The explanations given by the spirits, underscores this crucial point: that the universal fluid, in which resides the principle of life, is the principal agent of the demonstrations and that this agent receives its impulse of the Spirit. In some people there like an emanation of this fluid, due to their organism: it is these which are, properly speaking, the mediums of physical effects. The issue of animalized fluid can be more or less abundant, their combination more or less easy, and then the mediums more or less strong. (Item 75)
Answers to questions
A. Why does the phenomenon of turning tables no more occurs?
Two causes contributed to the abandonment of table-turning, fashion to frivolous people, who rarely spend two seasons in the same fun, yet in this case you could spend three or four! For serious people and observers went something respectable, which prevailed, are discarded because they are turning tables moved to the consequences that resulted from the events: the alphabet left by science. Here's the whole secret of this apparent abandonment, which made so much noise the mockers. (The Mediums' Book, item 60.)
B. What are the simplest spiritist manifestations?
Of all the spiritist manifestations, the simplest and the most frequent noise and beats, but you must understand that the noise spiritualists have a particular character and have an intensity and varied tones, which make them easily recognizable and not confusing allow them with creaking wood, the crackling fire or the monotonous ticking of a pendulum. Strokes are dry, sometimes deaf, weak and mild, sometimes clear, distinct, sometimes estrepitosas, that change of place and repeat without a mechanical regularity. Of all the means of control, for certification of its truth, the most effective, who can not leave no doubt of its origin, is obedience to the will of the phenomenon. If the shots are heard in the place designated to respond to thought by their number or their intensity, they can not deny an intelligent cause, although the lack of obedience does not always constitute a proof to the contrary. We must refer the phenomenon to a thorough check to be sure that he is not the result of common causes or even practical jokes. (Ibid., item 83.)
C. What characterizes an manifestation as intelligent?
For one manifestation is considered intelligent, it need not be eloquent, spiritually or scholarly, is sufficient to prove a free and voluntary act, expressing an intention, or respond to a thought. We saw the table move, to rise, hitting himself, under the influence of one or more mediums. The first effect observed was that smart to see these movements obey an order. Thus, without changing place, the table stood standing alternately on the designated, then falling, hitting a certain number of blows, answering a question. Other times, the table, without contact from anyone, walking alone across the room, going right and left, backwards and forwards, performing various movements as assistants told. This is what gives character to the phenomenon referred to intelligent question. (Ibid., items 66 and 67.)
D. This intelligence is not due to the action of the medium?
At first, there was a system whereby the intelligence of the event would be from the medium, the interrogator or the assistants. The difficulty was to explain how this intelligence could be reflected in the result table and Stroke. However, as the blows were not given physically by the medium, were by thought. Behold, then, a phenomenon even more prodigious than hitherto observed: thinking unleashing blows!The experience was quick to show the error of this opinion. Indeed, the answers were very often in formal opposition to the thinking of wizards, out of intellectual reach of the medium and even in languages ignored by him, or reporting of all unknowns. The examples are so numerous that it is almost impossible for someone who went about spiritist communications has not been a witness of them often. (Ibid., item 69.)
