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 true starting point for the understanding of Spiritualism?
B. What about those who ascribe to the devil the spiritual manifestations?
C. What are the different types of mediums, psychics?
D. What are the spirits that produce the phenomena of physical effects?
Text for reading
205. The change of handwriting that you often see in the messages spelled psycho ¬ only occurs with the semi-mechanical and mechanical mediums, because in them is involuntary hand movement, which is addressed solely by the Spirit. Variation in the form of writing derived from a particular skill that not all the mediums are equipped. At that polygraphs are called mediums. (Item 219)
206. The college is subject to psychic flashes and temporary suspensions. When a medium is abandoned by the spirits, the most common cause is the use he makes of his college. If the medium is used for frivolous things of mediumship, or no longer meets the expectations of the Spirits, they move away in search of a more dignified protected, because college is not granted to the psychic medium for your delight and even less for satisfaction of their ambitions, but for their spiritual improvement and to give men the knowledge of truth. (Item 220, question 3)
207. The interruption of the college is not always a punishment, sometimes demonstrates the concern of the Spirit to the medium who devoted affection, aiming to provide you a home that material deemed needed, if that does not allow other spirits overwriting. (Item 220, question 4)
208. The suspension of the mediumistic faculty can be motivated by censorship or benevolence. How to know its cause? Interrogate the medium of their Awareness and ask yourself what use is made of your college, what good it has led to others, what good is taken of the advice that you have given and will have the answer. (Item 220, questions 8-10)
209. There is no relationship between mediumistic faculty and pathological state. There are mediums of robust health, the patients are from other causes. (Item 221, question 1)
210. Mediumship - especially the physical effects - causes an outflow of fluid, which brings fatigue, repairable at home. (Item 221, question 2)
211. There are cases where it is prudent, even necessary, to abstain from the exercise of mediumship, all depending on the physical and moral state of the medium. There are people for which it should avoid all causes overexcitation, and the exercise of mediumship is one. (Item 221, question 4)
212. Mediumship does not produce madness, when it no longer exists in embryo, there is this, common sense recommends that caution should be used for, from all points of view, because any shock can be harmful. (Item 221, question 5)
213. The practice of Spiritualism tactfully demand for the destruction of the plots of deceiving spirits. If these men made to deceive, it is clear that childhood and youth find themselves more exposed to suffer them. (Item 222)
Answres to questions
A. What is the true starting point for the understanding of Spiritualism?
It is generally believed that to convince someone is enough to show facts, yet experience shows that this is not always the best method because it is often people who see the facts more patents are not convincing at all. However, in the matter of Spiritualism Spirit is secondary and consecutive, this is not the starting point and there is precisely the mistake which often falls on certain people. Not being anything other than spirits the souls of men, the real starting point is thus the existence of the soul. In fact, as the materialist may admit that there are beings out of the material world, when he believes that he is nothing more than matter? How can you believe in spirits out of it, if you do not have a belief in itself? In vain will accumulate evidence before his eyes: he will contest all, why not admit the principle. Every school should methodically from the known to the unknown. To the materialist the matter is known, left, therefore, of matter and strive above all, making him observe, to convince you that it is something that escapes the laws of matter. In a word, before you make it spirit, Treat to make you spiritual. Before, therefore, to undertake to convince an unbeliever, even by the facts, should make sure your opinion regarding the soul, that is, if one believes in its existence, its survival in the body in its individuality after death. If your answer is negative, it will be labor lost to speak to him of Spirits. (The Mediums' Book, items 18 and 19.)
B. What about those who ascribe to the devil the spiritual manifestations?
At the time of Jesus the clergy also said that the so-called cures and miracles were produced by the Master "thing" of the devil. Those who spread such ideas do not know the responsibility they take: they can kill! Indeed, the danger is not only for the person but also for those who surround it and that can be terrified by the thought that your home is a haven of demons. It was this belief that caused so many acts of atrocities in times of ignorance. We know that accidents can cause fear and we would certainly be less reckless if we knew all cases of insanity and epilepsy that have their origin in the tales of werewolves and bogeymen. The Spiritist Doctrine, explaining us about the true cause of all these phenomena, this theory strikes the final blow. There are demons: far, because the thought of growing dark, we must, and this is a duty of morality and humanity, to fight it wherever it exists. (Ibid., item 162.)
C. What are the different types of mediums, psychics?
Without considering here the category of mediums inspired, which is a variety of intuitive mediumship, psychics, mediums can be mechanical, intuitive or semi-mechanical.
What characterizes the mechanical medium is the fact that the Spirit to act directly on his hand, completely independent of the will of the medium. Hand write without interruption, and only when the Spirit ends the communication. The mechanical medium has no consciousness of what he writes: this is what gave rise to the name of the college - mechanical or passive mediumship. This mode is precious, because that leaves no doubt on the independence of thought of the writer.
The medium receives intuitive thinking and communicating the Spirit passes through writing. In this situation, the medium is aware of what he writes, though not his own thoughts. The role of the medium is a mechanical machine, the intuitive, however, acts as an intermediary or interpreter would know and that are not preconceived ideas as they arise and are recorded on paper. Often the thought is contrary to your expressed and may be out of their knowledge and ability.
The medium semimecânico feel the momentum in your hand without the wish, but at the same time aware of what he writes as the words are formed. In so doing, a little of both modalities examined. The semi-mechanical mediums form the largest category of psychicographers. (Ibid., 179 to 181 items.)
D. What are the spirits that produce the phenomena of physical effects?
The spirits who produce these kinds of events are always inferior spirits that are not yet entirely freed from the influence of material. However, such phenomena, although executed by lower entities are often caused by spirits of a higher order, with the aim of convincing men of the existence of incorporeal beings and a power superior to them. (Ibid., items 74 and 91.)
