MEDIUMSHIP: HOW PHYSICAL MEDIUMSHIP WORKS
Introduction
|
What Makes Physical
Mediumship Possible? |
Other Important
Details
Other Important Details
The process previously described occurs whether the spirit is moving an object, rapping on an object, or articulating sounds in the air, in which it acts upon air as it does upon an object, to imitate the sounds. In any case, the presence of a physical medium is a necessary factor in the occurrence of such phenomena.
To this point, we add a few other important details:
1. Not all mediums have the same potential. The spirits clarify ("Mediums' Book"#74 Q.19):
"That depends on the organization, and on the greater or lesser facility with which the combination of fluids can be effected; moreover, the spirit of the medium has a greater or lesser affinity with the discarnate spirits, who do, or do not, find in him the necessary fluidic power.... There are persons whose animalized fluids are, in this respect, absolutely repelent; with others, the combination is only effected by an effort of their will, while there are others again with whom the combination takes place naturally, and so easily that they are not even aware of it, and who thus serve as mediums without knowing it."
2. There are spirits, always of little advancement, that do not understand these mechanisms, just there are men who do not understand the laws of acoustics by which they speak. This explains why they may tell you that they actually "use their own hands". The superior spirits explained to Kardec ("Mediums' Book"#74 Q.18) that "there are spirits so little advanced, and so material, as compared with elevated spirits, that they still retain the illusions of terrestrial life, and imagine themselves to be acting as they did when in the body.....The effect is produced by them instinctively, without their knowing how, and yet it is really produced by an action of their will."
3. Spirits sometimes call on other spirits to help them in producing this phenomena. In addition, the physical phenomena are always produced by inferior (though not necessarily malevolent) spirits, who are not yet entirely disengaged from material influences. While it's true that superior spirits care not to occupy themselves with such tasks, their perispirits also lack the density (related directly to the degree of moral evolution) of that of inferior spirits, which is what acts, for the latter, like a "muscular" force. Therefore, if an elevated spirit desires to produce effects of this kind, he employs spirits qualified for that kind of work, just as a man on Earth, who works more with his mind, calls upon another person of greater physical strength to take care of tasks involving heavy, manual labor.
4. As indicated previously, the will of the medium is not always indispensable. The spirits explain ("Mediums' Book"#74 Q.18) that the medium's will "adds to the power of the spirits, but iis not always necessary, for a given movement may be made to take place, against, and in spite of, the medium's will, which is proof that there is a cause at work that is independent of the medium." Such occurrences that take place without the voluntary will of the medium and quite often, without the medium even being aware of his contribution to the phenomena, are known as spontaneous physical manifestations (see "Mediums' Book" Ch. V, Spontaneous Physical Manifestations).
5. Physical effects, such as sounds and movement/transportation of objects are normally produced by spirits of a lower order and mediums of a less developed mode of mediumistic action. Still, all mediumship has its utility and is conceded for some beneficial purpose. These types of physical phenomena serve more to awaken the dormant faith of skeptics and others of a materialistic mindset ̶ those who must "see [or hear] to believe". Such was the case during the early days of Spiritism when rappings, table-turnings and other similar effects were used to call man's attention so that he'd eventually discover the intelligent force behind the phenomena. To a certain degree, such phenomena can be educational, but, Kardec says, "they rarely exist in connection with the more advanced means of communication, such as involuntary writing or inspirational speaking." Different from the sounds and dazzling visuals mentioned above, the physical phenomenon of the healing mediumship is executed by spirits of a higher order and has a very noble and charitable application.
Kardec, Allan. "Theory of Physical Manifestations." The Mediums' Book. 2nd ed (1st edition FEB). Trans. Anna Blackwell (translated 1876). Ed. Livraria Espírita Allan Kardec. Brasilia-DF, Brazil: Federação Espírita Brasileira [Brazilian Spiritist Federation}. 1986. 66-80.
Kardec, Allan. "Spontaneous Physical Manifestations." The Mediums' Book. 2nd ed (1st edition FEB). Trans. Anna Blackwell (translated 1876). Ed. Livraria Espírita Allan Kardec. Brasilia-DF, Brazil: Federação Espírita Brasileira [Brazilian Spiritist Federation}. 1986. 81-105.