Pages

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Spirit Messages: Studies on Reincarnation (The Spiritit Magazine, February 1864)

The Spiritist Magazine, February 1864, Spiritist dissertations.
Spiritist Society of Paris, Medium: Mrs: A. C.

Limits of reincarnation

Reincarnation is necessary when matter dominates the spirit. But, from the moment the spirit has mastered matter and annulated its effects on moral, reincarnation has neither use nor reason to exist. In effect, the body serves the spirit in his progressive work, until he learns to manage the body, and project his will upon matter when the work is accomplished. Then another field of action is necessary for the spirit advancement toward the infinite way. Another circle of study is required, where gross matter of inferior spheres is unknown. Having purged and experimented all sensation on Earth or on similar worlds, the spirit is mature enough for a spiritual life and other studies. Having elevated himself above all bodily sensations, the spirit is free from all desires or necessities applicable to bodiliness: it is a spirit and lives only spiritual sensations that are infinitely more delightful than the most delicious bodily feelings.

Reincarnation and the aspirations of man

The soul's aspirations drive themselves to their realization which is accomplished during reincarnation, while the spirit is occupied with the material work. I explain. Let us take the spirit in the beginning of its human career. Foolish and unintelligent, he feels, however, the divine spark in himself, since he adores a material god in accordance to his bodiliness. In this being, still very close to animality, there is an almost unconscious instinctive aspiration toward a less inferior state. It starts by satisfying his material appetites and by envying those in a better situation. Then, in a following life, the spirit chooses by himself or is better pushed toward an improved body and always wishes, after every existence, a material improvement. Never feeling fully satisfied, the spirit wants to go up always, because the ambition for happiness is the great drive of progress.

As his bodily sensations increase in intensity and become more refined, his spiritual sentiments also awake and grow. Then, the moral work starts and the soul's urge for improvement follows the bodily aspirations to reach a superior state.

This state of equilibrium between body and spirit desires does not last very much, since the spirit will very soon elevate himself above matter and his wishes can no longer be satisfied. The spirit needs more, longs for something better; but then, having the body reached its sensitive perfection, it no longer can follow the spirit, which now dominates the body from which it increasingly detaches, as if dropping a useless instrument. The spirit then drives all its aspirations and longs for a superior state, he feels that material aspirations - a former source of happiness and amusement - are now a cause of annoyance and decadence, a sad demand from which the spirit hopes to set himsel free in order to enjoy, unimpeded, all spiritual luckiness he can now presages.

Action of fluids during reincarnation

Once the fluids are the agents of movement in their corporeal instrument, they are also the elements of our aspirations, since there are bodily and spiritual fluids and all must raise and join fluids of the same nature. These fluids compose the spiritual body of the spirit which, in the incarnated state, uses them to act upon the human machinery that the spirit is called to improve, since everything is a work of Creation and compete to general advancement.

The spirit has free-will and looks for what pleases and satisfies him. If he is a material and inferior spirit, he tries to satisfy himself in materiality when he boosts the material fluids which will dominate him, but make the spirit grow and improve materially. So, the desires of this incarnate will be material and, after returning to the spirit state, he will look for another incarnation in which he will satisfy his needs and material desires, since, note, the bodily aspiration cannot lead, as a realization, to anything different of a new materiality. But spiritual aspirations instead will only bind to the sensations of the spirit. This will be requested by the fluids that the spirit allow to materialize, and since in the act of reincarnation the fluids act to attract the spirit to the body that is formed, occurring then fluid attraction and fusion, the reincarnation takes place in accordance to conditions that satisfy the aspirations of the spirit's former existence.

However, when the spiritual has conquered the material, the spirit, which judges everything differently, will choose or is attracted to distinct sympathies. Since it needs depuration, which is only reached through work, the selected incarnations are progressively more grievous than the former ones, since, after the state of matter and fluid dominance, the spirit will fight to master the material. Therefore we see these painful existences that seem to be unfairly administered to such good and intelligent spirits. They are on the last corporeal phase and will enter, after leaving this world, the superior spheres where the high aspirations will finally be fulfilled.


Earthly affections and reincarnation

The dogma of indefinite reincarnations finds opposition in the incarnated and loving heart because, in the presence of infinite existences, each one producing bounds, he wonders with scare what would become the particular affections; if they would not melt in a single general love, destroying the persistence of individual relations. He wonders if these individual affections are only a way of advancement, and then despondency takes hold of his soul, because true affection expects the need of an eternal love, feeling that it would never tires of loving. The thought of those millions identical affections seem to him impossible, even admitting love to be the greatest of all faculties. 

The incarnated being who seriously studies Spiritism with no preconceived ideas on regard to a given system, will be attracted to a new existence by the justice that comes from spirit progress at each new life. However, when he studies from the point of view of his heart affections, he doubts and get astonished. Since he cannot cope with both feelings, he declares the presence of a veil on these matters, and his working thoughts calls the spirit's light to his help. 

I have already said that reincarnation ceases when materiality is abrogated. I showed how material progress in principle refines the bodily sensations of the incarnated spirit; whose spiritual progress, in the sequence, counterbalances the influence of matter and then subjects it to its will and that, by reaching the spirit degree, bodiliness has no reason to exist after the work has been accomplished. 

Let us now examine the issue of affections from the material and spiritual points of view.

To begin with, what is affection, love? Still fluidic attraction uniting two beings in the same sentiment. This attractiveness has two distinct natures, since the fluids have different natures. But, for affection to endure eternally it must be spiritual and uninterested; abnegation and devotion are necessary, no personal sentiment must be involved in such an appealing drift. Provided there is personality involved in the sentiment, there will be materiality. Now, no material affection persists in the spirit domain. So, any affection resulting from animal instinct and selfishness will be destroyed with earthly death. So, how many beings who proclaim themselves to be loved are forgotten in a short time after separation! You have loved them by yourself not by them who no longer live, since you have substituted and forgotten them. You have looked for consolation in oblivion, you are indifferent to them, you no longer love them. 

Contemplate Humankind and see how scarce are the true affection on Earth! So, one should not wonder the multiplicity of acquired affections. The true affections are a relative minority, but they exist and the real ones will persist and perpetuate under several forms; first on Earth, then in the spirit state, as a friendship or an unchangeable love that continuously grows and elevates itself even more. 

Let us now study the true affection, the spiritual love.

The spiritual affection is based on fluidic spiritual affinity and, acting alone, gives rise to sympathy. When this happens, the soul loves the soul, and this affection is only increased under the manifestation of soul's sentiments. Two spirits spiritually bounded seek one another and tend to approach one another. Their fluids are attractive. If they inhabit the same globe, they will be urged to each other. If they are separated by earthly death, their thoughts will be united in memory and meetings will be held during sleep. When the time of reincarnation arrives to one, the other will try to approach his friend, entering what can be called material affiliation. This will be even easier, the more affine is the perispiritual connection in the material body of the incarnate who give birth to the new being. So, a new addition of affection, a new manifestation of love. The spirit friend who has loved you as your dad will loves you as a son, a brother as again a brother and the bounds will grow at every new life and will be perpetuated in a unchangeable way until when, after the work is fulfilled, you live the life of spirit. 

But such true affections are rare on Earth and matter tends to slow them down, to cancel their effects as matter dominates the spirit. Since true friendship and true love are spiritual, everything concerning matter does not belong to its nature and nothing will contribute to spiritual identification. Affinity persists in a latent state until the spiritual fluid dominates and a new progress of affinities occurs. 

In summary, the spiritual affection is the only one enduring in the spirit domain. On Earth and on other spheres of corporeal work, it contributes to the moral advancement of the incarnate spirit who, under the influence of affinity, will work miracles of abnegation and devotion for his loved ones. Here, in the heavenly spheres, affection is the full satisfaction of all aspirations and the greatest happiness a spirit can enjoy. 

Progress blocked by indefinite reincarnations. 

Here reincarnation has been regarded too much prolonged. One has not considered that such duration of corporeity, even if less material, would lead however to necessities obstructing spirit advancement. In effect, admitting the persistence of new generations in the superior worlds, corporeal needs are associated to the incarnate spirit; material occupations and duties are given to the spirit, tasks that secure and detain the impulse for spirit studies. Why such handicaps are necessary? Can the spirit enjoy the happiness of love without body diseases ? Even on Earth, this sentiment exists by itself, quite independently of the material part of our being. No matter how rare they are, there are sufficient examples to show that it should be felt even more frequently among the most spiritualized beings. Reincarnation determines the union of two bodies. Pure love only determines the union of two souls. Spirits are bound through affections started on inferior worlds and they work together to their spiritual progress. They have a fluid organization that is totally distinct of those resulted of their corporeal instruments, their works are exerted on fluids and not on material objects. The spirits go to the sphere that have completed the material period, dematerialized places that have underwent a superior transformation, placing them in conditions to undergo new modifications, but in an entirely fluidic sense. 

Now you can understand the immense power of fluids, a power that you can only determine but cannot see or touch. In a less dense state than you are now, you will be capable of seeing, touching and working on this fluid which is the great agent of universal life. 

Why is then necessary for the spirit to enter a body for doing a job that is not the scope of bodily understanding? You would say that this body is in accordance to the new works the spirit must fulfill, but, admitting these works are entirely fluidic and spiritual in the superior spheres, why the difficulties of the bodily needs are necessary? Therefore, as I stated, reincarnation will always requires generation and nourishment, that is, the need to satisfy matter but, on the other hand, imposes barriers to the spirit. 

You should understand that the spirit must be free in his fly toward infinity; that having the spirit just stopped wearing the nappings of matter, he wishes, as a child, to walk and run unimpeded, and that such early necessities of the first childhood education are redundant to the grown up child and unbearable to the adolescent. 

Do not wish then to remain in childhood. Look yourselves as students who are in the last phases of school and eager to enter the world, to have in it your status and to start to work on another level resulted from your earlier lessons. 

Spiritism is the lever that will allow a spiritual jump to every incarnate who, understanding and practicing it well, will be able to dominate and annihilate matter, become its master. Every spirit of good will is capable of conquering the spirit state definitely after leaving this world. Faith and active will are only required. Spiritism provides plenty of both to those who want to understand its moral sense. 

The Medium's protecting Spirit. 

Observation: this communication has only the signature above, showing that, in order to dictate good things, no famous name is necessary.

We can note some similarity with Sen's communications and the first part of the message above which is surely more developed, but the fundamental idea about the need of reincarnation is the same. We cite both messages to show that the great principles of the Spiritist teachings are taught everywhere and that this is the way Spiritism will find its unity and strength. Such agreement is the best benchmark for truth. One should note that eccentric and systematic theories dictated by pseudo enlightened spirits are always circumscribed to an individual and limited circle, what constitutes the reason for their lack of preponderance. This is also the reason for not fearing them since they all have temporary existence, which fades away like a weak lamp in day light. 

As for the last communication, it would be dispensable to emphasize their range both in principle and in form. It can be summarized as follows:

Regarded from the point of view of progress, the Spirit's life has three main periods:

1. The material period: in which the influence of matter dominates the Spirit. This is the state of the brute and fleshly passions of men, of lustiness, whose aspirations are exclusively earthlike, bound to temporary goods or unruly to spiritual ideas. 

2. The period of balance, in which the influence of matter and spirit operates simultaneously; in which, while submitted to material needs, man feels and understands the spiritual state, when he works to emerge from the bodily state.

3. The spiritual state, in which, having completely dominated matter, the spirit no more needs an incarnation nor material work. His works are entirely spiritual instead. This is the state of the spirit in the higher worlds. 

The ease by which certain people accept the spiritist ideas, about which they seem to have an intuitive notion, shows that they are already in the second period; but between this phase and the other periods many degrees exist, that the spirit transposes rapidly as he approaches the spiritual phase. In this way, from a material world like Earth, he can inhabit a superior one like Jupiter, provided his moral and spiritual advancement is sufficient to exempt him from the intermediary stages. It depends therefore on man to leave Earth forever, as a world of tests and atonements, or to return to Earth in mission. 

Allan Kardec

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Spirit Message: Rebirth (by Urbain Grandier)


"Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep." (Luke, VIII, 52)


Humankind, to you I address these words! To you, who say lost, those who try to read you future! To you, annihilated by unbelief, frozen by skeptical selfishness, befogged by doubt! On you, poor daughter of Jairus, many exclaim: "No use calling, the girl is dead !!!"

But the Master gets in the house and moving closer says: "Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep!"

Humankind, near this deathbed, where passions bind you, the Master has deigned to approach and, followed by some of his dear ones, has extended to you his divine hands and said: "My child, get up and walk! Leave this lethargy, this apathy so common to those approaching death, get up and walk!"

Get up Humankind and leave this deathbed of agony, the cause of your sufferings! Leave selfshness that restricts and smothers your noble passions; leave your pride, the thirst of gold erasing the generous pulsation of your heart! Renounce hatred, the desire that binds you, get up! Shake the shroud that keeps you captive, ignorance and lack of faith!

Get up and awake with the mighty blow, the divine blow, and hey you are reborn, you are rewarmed, you are saved again. Now, is the material life far from you, because you are a soul, you are an intelligence that was brough back to life?

You are indeed so surprised with the aspirations you feel within, your amazed glance search for help and for a new pathway.

Here my daughter, here is the new path, the path of love, of hope and faith! Walk, the truth will be your guide, science will be your torch, compassion your support, perfection your goal!

Walk toward this light, the sunshine of a homeland, now reaching you. The light will lead you to this homeland where one lives by love, work and justice!

Walk, the spark of transformation has just fallen upon you, daughter of Jairus, poor humankind, and has made this obscure world a sun of truth, life and love!

Your day has come! In vain passions of despair fight to keep you captive, we extended our hands to you and neutrilized the effect, you can now shake the yoke!

This divine breath, this spark of life, this powerful hand extended to the Earth, you can now recognize my friends, it is Spiritism! This young, powerful and sound grafting coming out of the old trunk diverted; it is the sublime belief, such an enlightened and wise philosophy that will give devotion to the strong, help to the weak and happiness and piece to all!
Urbain Grandier (1, 2) 

August, 1874
References


(1) On the Spirit author: Urbain Grandier (1590-1634) was a French Catholic priest burned at the stake in the famous witchcraft case of the "Loudun Possessions". In fact he was a victim of the political turmoin in France at his time. His process was a fraud enacted  by Ursuline's nouns. More about Grandier can be read here. 240 years after his death, his spirit is back through Mrs. Krell as one of the authors in many Spiritualist articles about the future of Humankind and the new era of Spiritualism/Spiritism.

(2) Spirit communicaton by Mrs. W. Krell, "Rayonnements de la vie spirituelle". Original source and text in French:

Renaissance
Août 1874 « Cette fille n’est pas morte, elle n’est qu’endormie.» (St Luc).  
Humanité, c’est à toi que j’adresse ces paroles ! A toi, que disent perdue ceux qui essayent de lire dans ton avenir ! A toi, anéantie par l’incrédulité, glacée par le sceptique égoïsme, engourdie par le doute ! A toi, pauvre fille de Jaïre de laquelle chacun crie : « il n’est plus temps d’appeler, cette fille est morte !!! » 
Mais le maître entre dans la maison et s’approchant il dit : « non, cette fille n’est pas morte, elle n’est qu’endormie ! »  
Humanité, près de ce lit de mort où te retiennent les passions, le maître a daigné s’approcher, et suivi de quelques-uns des siens, il a étendu vers toi sa main divine en te disant : « ma fille, lève-toi et marche ! Sors de cette léthargie, de cette torpeur que tous prennent pour la mort, lève-toi et marche ! »  
Lève-toi, humanité, et laisse sur ce lit d’agonie les causes de ta souffrance ! Laisse l’égoïsme qui t’étreint et étouffe tes nobles aspirations ; laisse l’orgueil, la soif de l’or qui éteignent les palpitations généreuses de ton cœur ! Rejette la haine, l’envie qui te tiennent ; lève-toi ! Secoue le suaire qui te retient captive, c’est l’ignorance, c’est le manque de foi !  
Lève-toi, je t’ai éveillée par un souffle puissant, un souffle divin et te voilà vivifiée, te voilà réchauffée, te voilà sauvée. Loin de toi maintenant la seule vie matérielle, car c’est une âme, c’est une intelligence que je viens de rendre à la vie ?  
En effet, tu es surprise des aspirations que tu sens au-dedans de toi-même et ton regard, étonné, cherche un appui et un chemin.  
Voici ma fille, voici la voie nouvelle pour toi, la voie d’amour, d’espoir et de foi ! Marche, la vérité sera ton guide, la science ton flambeau, la charité ton soutien, la perfection ton but !  
Marche vers cette lumière, rayon du soleil de la patrie, qui arrive aujourd’hui jusqu’à toi, elle te reconduira vers cette même patrie où l’on vit d’amour, de travail et de justice !  
Marche, l’étincelle qui doit te transformer vient de tomber sur toi, ô fille de Jaïre, pauvre humanité, et faire de ce monde obscur un soleil de vérité, de vie et d’amour !  
Ton jour est venu ! C’est en vain que les passions luttent avec la rage du désespoir pour te retenir, en étendant la main vers toi j’ai neutralisé leur effet mortel et dès maintenant tu pourras secouer le joug !  
Ce souffle divin, cette étincelle de vie, cette main puissante étendue sur le monde terrestre, vous l’avez compris, ô mes amis, c’est le spiritisme ! C’est cette jeune greffe saine et vigoureuse, sortant du vieux tronc dévié, c’est cette croyance sublime, cette philosophie éclairée et sage qui donnera aux forts le dévouement, aux faibles l’appui, à tous, le bonheur et la paix !  
Urbain Grandier.