What is the "Perispirit?"

What is the perispirit? 

Our brains create perceptions when we are in the material world (that tree is beautiful, the architecture is ugly, or we dislike someone instantly, but we not certain why).   Our perispirit connects the perceptions that are created by our brain to our other existences.  This was Kardec's 93rd question of The Spirit's Book:

Is the spirit, properly so called, without a covering, or is it, as some declare, surrounded by a substance of some kind?

"The spirit is enveloped in a substance which would appear to you as mere vapor, but which, nevertheless, appears very gross to us, thought it is sufficiently vaporous to allow the spirit to float in the atmosphere, and to transport himself through space at pleasure."

In other words, spirits are not abstract, vague, indefinable beings; nor are they only a brilliant light or flame.  They are very real beings possessing individuality and a determined form.  If you were a medium passing the spirit of your grandmother, she may appear as a bright light - or as you remembered her when you shared the existence in which she was your grandmother.  If she appeared to you as a young girl from that existence, you might not recognize her, as your memories of her are from when she was your grandmother.

Human beings are comprised of three essential things: 

1) The soul (or the spirit): 

This is our intelligence -  where our thoughts and moral sense reside.  The spirits can hear our thoughts, which is why silent prayers are effective. 

2) The body:

This is our coarse, material envelope.  Think of your spirit (or intellect) wearing different bodies over a very long lifetime - like clothing.  The body enables our spirit to relate to the material world

3) The perispirit: 

A fluid envelope that is the intermediary between the spirit and the body.  Your spirit will encounter many lifetimes.  How is it that some people might have an extreme fear of fire while others do not?  The perispirit connects your current body to your previous experiences from other existences. 

Death is just a transition in which the body no longer functions.  It collapses, and the spirit sheds the old, worn out envelope.  Only the body is left behind.  The spirit lives on, unencumbered by the matter that kept it tied to earth.  This metamorphosis is similar to the bark of a tree, or a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis.  The body is gone, but the spirit lives on. 

How does the spirit "live on" without a body? 

With the perispirit - the envelope of the soul (a semi-material body which unites the spirit to the material body). This was a breakthrough concept for Kardec, as the spirit was previously considered a separate "ghost".  In other words, we had a spirit and a perispirit, but they were not connected; they were two separate entities.  Kardec scientifically tested this theory. He studied the properties of what was called (at that time) "fluids" (now we would call it electricity, magnetism, and heat) and classified his research as "psychic" or "spiritual fluids". Both terms are still used (and abused) today.

We can see our bodies, so can we also see our perispirit?

The perispirit is usually invisible to us, but the spirit can modify and transform it so that it is accessible to our sight.  This is how mediums are able to see spirits.  If needed, mediums can describe the physical characteristics of what your grandmother looks like - even if the medium and your grandmotehr never met. 

The perispirit is similar to exhaling in the winter and being able to see your breath.  It's always there, but only the winter conditions allow you to see it.

So our perispirit is just an additional "home" for our spirit?

Just like our personality, our perispirit has many different aspects:

- It carries the memories from other lifetimes.  Our current spirit uses that as a way to connect our experiences in this lifetime to our brain (giving us our perceptions of things).  Do you like horses?  Perhaps you had a positive connection to that animal in a previous existence.

- The perispirit is enclosed (or part of) the spirit proper. They are attached, but they can separate.

- The perispirit give us our appearance - your material body description (thin, blond, etc). This appearance is drawn from your previous life (and your current state). 

- The perispirit also serves as a shape in which the spirits can see each other (by sending out "fluidic" emanations that can affect those around us). These emanations are often subtle (similar to us with our material world personalities sometimes).  This is why mediums are often able to perceive other mediums.

- The perispirit plays a key role in mediumship between the interaction of the perispirit of the medium and that of a disembodied spirit. Kardec explained that, "When invited to our plane of existence (Earth) by a medium, spirits who inhabit worlds...are obliged to clothe themselves with a garment composed of perispirit.  The most elevated spirits, when they come to visit us, assume a terrestrial perispirit, which they retain during their stay among us."

- According to Kardec, it is also through the perispirit that disincarnate spirits can move objects.

- Our perispirit is constantly under change, as the spirit progresses or it may eventually be harmed. 

From page 155 of The Spirits Book:

"A master who had been cruel to his slaves might become a slave in his turn, and undergo the torments he had inflicted on others. He who has wielded authority may, in a new existence, be obliged to obey those who formerly bent to his will. Such an existence may be imposed upon him as an expiation if he have abused his power. But a good spirit may also choose an influential existence among the people of some lower race, in order to hasten their advancement; in that case, such a reincarnation is a mission."

(Question: In the situation above, would that perispirit "remember" the previous incarnation?)

- The perispirit can leave the material body - while we undergoing an incarnation (in our material existence). The spirit, including its perispirit, can momentarily leave the material body while we are asleep or in a trance state.  The spirit still remains tied to the body through a fluidic chord.  In this case, the form represented is an exact copy of the material body, and can, if conditions permit, be seen by a medium.

(Question: Why is the perispirit is no longer necessary when a spirit attains perfection?)

References:

Allan Kardec (translated by Anna Blackwell): The Spirits' Book (1996). pp. 94, 117, 155, 93rd question

Allan Kardec: Spiritism in its Simplest Expression (2012). pp. 14-17

Florida, January 22, 2013

In attendance: Astrid, Gloria, Jeff, Nelson, Santiago and Tessa

 

As an educational topic before the start of the session, Nelson wanted to discuss the "perispirit"

 

- Gloria described it as a part of the body. We are a material body while we are here, and our perispirit exists here and travels with us in the spirit world

 

- Nelson saw the perispirit as "memory", but the ability to remember some events and circumstances for each individual would depend upon how far along we have advanced spiritually

 

- Astrid said that the perispirit keeps some of the physical features of the material body from lifetime to lifetime

 

- Santiago described it as "the hard drive of a computer"

 

We discussed some examples of the perispirit. Astrid said that any recollection from a prior life might be brief sometimes - such as speaking to a German woman just once for only ten minutes. Gloria said that seeing someone in a restaurant and not understanding why we are drawn to them might be another example.

 

(Confused?  Read more about the perispirit in the next post)

 

Spirit 1 (via Nelson ): Astrid read a prayer for Enrique's brother (José). Enrique and his brother both live in Argentina, where Enrique and his wife are both mediums at the spiritist center. Jose has in a coma, suffering from Septicema (a bacteria in the blood that often occurs with severe infections).  Nelson saw a microscopic animal - similar to a black leech - all over the body of Jose. Instead of sucking and removing his blood, these symbolic animals were putting the bacteria into his body. Gloria saw them giving him spiritual toxins to cause the infection. Nelson saw one of the leeches with a long, thin tongue. He seemed to be the group leader. Nelson wanted to try and eliminate these bacterial leeches, but he was warned that while some are spiritual, there is also additional bacteria present from the material world. Astrid reminded the group that we could help Jose's suffering, but his karma in the material world may have been predetermined.
Nelson said that it would be difficult to pass any sort of spirit, as the small creatures he saw he could not sit or talk. The tiny animals were accompanied by another spirit that was here to help. This spirit was also unable to sit at the table, but he would use Nelson as a method of transportation to travel from our table to the hospital. While this was happening, Astrid and Gloria prayed (in Spanish), and Nelson asked everyone to hold hands.  When he returned from his journey with the spirit guides, Nelson said he saw Jose in a coma in the hospital. He followed his spiritual guide into the hospital room, and he observed the good spirits removing the spiritual leeches (or bacteria) successfully. Jose's previous actions (karma) and his ability to fight the material bacteria will determine the extent of his further recovery. "We only get what we deserve," Nelson heard a spirit say.

Spirit 2 (via Nelson): Nelson described an angry, authoritative spirit who thought that our group (and other spiritist tables) were working contrary to what this spirit was trying to accomplish:

Spirit: You are trying to take my power. I do not like him. I do not like any of you.  I am not here because I want to be. You want to remove what gives me power (negative spirits)

Astrid: You do not use your powers for good.

Spirit: I know the purpose for bringing me here. I know my time has come. What I have to do now is not nice, it is my time to suffer. I did not want to come here.  If you could see what they are showing me...they are showing me my book of what I have done.  I'm sorry, I'm sorry. With me, there are so many others, and I am taking what belongs to me with me. I caused this. Forgive me, I am sorry.

 

Spirit 2 (Nelson and Gloria): Nelson asked Tessa if she and her husband had ever thought of adopting a child. She and her husband had already decided not to have children, either biologically or by adoption.  "It's not too late," Gloria heard a spirit say. Nelson saw the tiny fetus of a baby entering a tube shaped like a straw. It appeared that this baby was ready to be born, which meant that a spirit would be reincarnated. 

Gloria realized that the baby was entering a fallopian tube, and Nelson was shown that this tiny fetus was a baby girl. In a previous life, Tessa promised to bring this girl into this existence with her, and now the spirit of the baby saw this as a promise that was not fulfilled.

 

The fetus was unable to speak, but the spirit jumped into Gloria's body. Nelson realized that an extraction needed to be done. If not, the spirit would still try to use Tessa's body as a way to enter this existence - possible causing harm or death. Nelson asked Jeff to stand behind him as his spirit guide performed the extraction. Nelson fell to the floor, and Jeff caught him. The group determined that someone (a human, not a spirit) was sending Tessa the negative energy that led this spirit to Tessa.  Uncertain over who it might be, Tessa shared that her mother-in-law has been pressuring her and her husband to have a child. "It's hard to believe that someone could have brought us so much negativity because we made a decision to do  nothing," Tessa said.

 

Spirit 3 (via Gloria in Spanish): This was the spirit of a gynecologist/doctor from Puerto Rico.  He was the doctor who delivered Tessa, and when he was alive in this reincarnation, he was also her godfather. One of his medical accomplishments was the development of a process to reverse a vasectomy.

 

Santiago asked for a prayer for a recently departed friend named Dolores. Astrid read a prayer for her, and the group prayed silently for a peaceful transition.

 

Astrid closed with a prayer.

Florida - January 19, 2013

In attendance: Astrid, Jeff, Gloria, Gregory, Nelson and Santiago

 

In our previous session, we agreed to have an educational topic for discussion before each session.  The topic for this session was,"What is Spiritualism?"

 

Nelson: It's a way of living. Trying to be a better human every day. A belief in reincarnation.

 

Jeff: It's a system of beliefs that helps us make better choices while we are in the material world.

 

Gloria: Our spirit (energy and light) in the material body is the fuel that keeps the body functioning. We are more spiritual than material. We are always surrounded by spirits, and they are in continuous contact, attempting to communicate with us, in hopes that we will be encouraged to communicate with them.

 

Astrid: It's a way of living in the material world.

 

Gregory: He was curious about how to "let go" and channel spirits in an attempt to discover additional good spirits that may be around us. The group discussed the issue.

 

Santiago: He always tries to follow the Ten Commandments. After years and years of spiritualism and past lives, he often wonders how something so complicated could also be so easy.

 

Read more about the eight main points of spiritism that Kardec established here: 

http://nwspiritism.com/spiritist-knowledge/8-things-to-keep-in-mind-concerning-spirits-by-allan-kardec/

 

Spirit 1 (via Nelson and Gloria): Nelson had been experiencing lower back pain for three days before the session. Gloria saw something there as well, and Nelson began to feel cold and clammy, as if he were deceased. It was the spirit of Ivan (the longtime friend of Jeff and Nelson who passed away on September 11, 2011).  Gloria saw him as very pale, and Nelson described him as anxious. He wanted to speak before the good spirits who brought him took him away:

Spirit: This is right, this is important (referring to spirit sessions and hitting the table to empathize his point).  Not the house, or a job or the money, now I realize it is only this.

 

He spoke directly to Jeff, regarding the friendship that Jeff and Nelson shared with him, and he encouraged them to "be nice" to the people he left behind.  He described his transition from the material world into the spiritual realm:

Spirit: My grandmother kept reaching her hand out for me, and I finally took it. I was tired of the suffering and the constant pain. I am not in a bad place, but I am not in a great condition.

(Nelson's back pain was related to what this spirit was still feeling from his lung cancer in the material world)

Spirit: Many thanks (gracias - gracias - gracias). It was my time to go. They are taking me to that hospital to remove the pain in my body.

 

He explained that he didn't listen to some of the spiritual things that Nelson said to him while he was still in the material world, because:

Spirit: I was attached to so many things, I forgot what was important. This is what matters. Prepare yourself and the transition will be very easy. I am well protected and taken care of.

 

Nelson felt an easing of the back pain he had experienced, and Ivan promised to return to the group in the future to speak more about what we can expect when we pass. He hoped to educate himself so that one day he could offer his hand in guidance to others who are ready to pass on, in the same way that his grandmother helped him with his transition.  Ivan had donated his body to science, and it had not yet been returned to his family.  His spirit was looking for the body, and he described himself as, "only having a head."

 

The group discussed the "perispirit", with Astrid describing it as a fluid body or memory of what occurred in the material world. In Allan Kardec's The Book on Mediums, he described the perispirit in terms of a "fluidic body" with the following properties:

• It is made of the "Universal Cosmic Fluid", which in different densities and states, is the source of all matter;
• It enclosed the spirit proper;
• It gave the spirit an appearance drawn from his previous life and his current state, serving as a shape by which spirits saw each other;
• It sends forth "fluidic" emanations that can affect those around;
• Being "subtle" and semi-material, it was able to act as a bond between the physical body (material) and the spirit (immaterial);
• It allowed the spirit to act over matter other than that of its body, to some extent;
• It is constantly under change, as the spirit progresses and may eventually be harmed, even destroyed.
• It won't be necessary any more when all spirits attain perfection.

Spirit 2 (via Nelson, Gloria & Astrid): Several months ago, Gloria and Nelson saw a spirit attached to Gregory - a beautiful woman with long flowing hair, who was using her long hair and seductive dancing as a way to control him. She described herself as a mother from one of Gregory's past existences, but Gloria saw her as a lover - as her behavior was more seductive than parental.  She sat through Nelson:

Spirit: I am the special one in his life. I want him all to myself, with nobody else around him. Every night he would come to watch me dance and give me money. I am the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.  I love his long hair.  (Gloria saw this woman and Gregory in Europe, possibly in France.)

Astrid: Look at him now, he is not the same man you remember.

Spirit: They are putting my hair up. I cannot use it anymore to entice him. There is a gentleman who is taking me away. There are six of us, and now we are going to learn a new dance.

Astrid: There are some items left on the table.  Take those things with you.

(The items on the table were the skeletons of babies that had been aborted by the dancers).

Spirit: We had a good time. The show was good, but no more.

 

Spirit 3 (via Nelson): Nelson realized that Santiago also enjoyed similar dancers. Astrid described Santiago as "very proper now," so these dancers were from a past life. Nelson spoke with Santiago in Spanish, as he saw dancers resembling gypsies gyrating all around him.  One of the dancers moved into Nelson to speak:

 

Spirit (for Santiago): I hate him. We are all from the same large group. We are three dancers and sixteen men.  Do you know what he did to us?  He was young and he wanted to control us.  If we misbehaved, he would chop off the heads, arms or legs of our male relatives (husbands, fathers, brothers) with a scimitar.

(Note:  A scimitar was a sword with a curved blade, which was popular in Arabic countries of the Middle East, see below)

 

 

Astrid reminded the group that the Arab culture had a bloody history. Gregory described the culture as brutal with no remorse over any killing. The spirit of the dancer was persuaded to leave, but before she would go, she showed Nelson the male with missing limbs were left to die in some sort of cavern.  Santiago apologized for his role and the spirit moved on.

 

Spirit 4 (via Nelson): This message was largely in Spanish and it was for Gloria and Astrid. Nelson's spirit guide wanted the three of them to hold hands, as he spoke to them in Spanish.  The messages was from Nelson's spirit guide, and he also had some additional messages:

 

(for Jeff:) What you perceive as 'the luck of Nelson' is the price he is paying from his past - of all the work he has yet to do and all the work that he has in front of him.  He has a weight on his shoulders that was very heavy and he needs to work, because he still owes a lot and he must progress.  You see how easy I can change from Spanish to English. There are no language barriers here.

 

(for the group:) Continue to meet and work, while he (Nelson) is in Chicago.  In the next reunion, you (the other mediums) will work more, as Nelson is tired sometimes.

 

Spirit 5 (via Astrid): Gloria's mother spoke to her briefly in Spanish. She had been in the room, observing the entire session.  After she left, Gloria shared that she had asked for her mom to arrive today via Astrid.

 

Nelson closed with a prayer.

Florida - January 13, 2013

In attendance: Astrid, Jeff, Gloria, Gregory, Nelson and Santiago

 

Before the start of the session, the group discussed some new topics, based on recommendations from the US Spiritist Council: http://spiritist.us/business/formation-of-new-spiritist-centers/

 

1) We have a need for spiritual education within the group. The first 30-45 minutes at the table will be devoted to discussions and education regarding spiritualism

2) We will establish name for the group to make it easier for others to search for us on the internet

3) The notes for each session will now be in a shorter outline form, starting with this session 

 

Spirit 1 (via Nelson in Spanish): Two Indian tribes were at war with each other, and they wanted to put Gloria into the middle of their battle:

Spirit: We are using a grand fire, some poison and other weapons to finish her.  We are the spirits of many Indians, and our two tribes have fought each other for year and years.  Years! 

Astrid: Why do you want to involve her?

Spirit: She is the one keeping us from triumphing over the other tribe! (Gloria's spirit guide was an Indian, and he belonged to the other tribe)

Astrid: There is no reason for this fighting.  Why don't the tribes unite?

Spirit: We are throwing down our lances.  Enough!  We want a life of peace.  No more fighting, one tribe now.

 

As the Indian spirit left, Nelson saw him being presented with a large white feather headdress - given to him from the other tribe by Gloria's spiritual guide.

 

Spirit 2 (via Astrid): This spirit was present as soon as the session started. She was a teacher who spoke at a very rapid rate named Josephina Montessori.  The spirit said that she visited our table to reinforce our idea of spiritual education before each session.

 

Spirits 3 & 4 (via Nelson): Another spirit arrived, and he encouraged us to "keep the doors open with the group," and he offered a blueprint or floor plan of how he saw the group growing:

Spirit: If you look inside the floor plan, you will see people.  The walls for this floor plan will come with humbleness" (Note: Astrid and Gloria also felt this word)  Names are not important in the spiritual world. We just need a group that is strong, loving and confident.  Regardless if the group agrees or disagrees - there can be no conflict.  Love each other, help each other, call each other if needed.  I am a humble worker.

 

(Note: The spirit was Nelson's spirit guide, but at the time of this session, he did not present himself as such.  And our group never decided on a name.  He also had a direct message for Gloira in Spanish from another spirit)

 

Spirit: Forgive me for speaking both languages, but that barrier does not exist here. My name is hermano (brother) Polo, and this is not the first or last time that we will communicate. We are in the process of getting something done.

 

Nelson knew this person 36 years ago when he was alive. He was blind for 15 years and very humble. His name was Hipolito, but everyone referred to him as "Don Polo."  When Nelson was 15 years old, he asked this man to take his mediumship from him, and Polo explained to him at that time that with patience and maturity, Nelson would understand why this was not an option.

 

Gloria asked her grandson (Gregory) if he saw anything spiritually - and he said that he saw a little bit.  Gloria explained that Gregory would be the one to help his mother spiritually when she needed it.

 

Nelson's spirit guide returned to tell the table that we cannot wait so long to get together. He urged that we continue to meet on a regular basis, as a specific schedule helped the spirit side prepare the spirits. We discussed some of the medical issues that kept everyone from meeting in the past months.

 

Spirit 5 (via Gloria): This spirit offered blessings for the group: "New things, old things, everything is now in one pot.  Never be afraid - if we are living or dead, we are all one, and we all need protection.  May God continue to give you the knowledge of us."

 

Nelson closed with a prayer.  

Trust the Mediums? Trust the Spirits?

A common misconception is that people study Spiritism in order to learn how to become mediums.  Spiritism cannot create mediums.  It serves only to educate them.

Spiritism, with its scientific study and the practice of mediumship, demonstrates that communication with the beings of the spirit realm is a completely natural occurrence.  Spiritism is able to explain the physical and scientific mechanisms of how and why mediumship is possible.   

  

So why doesn't everyone follow the philosophy of Spiritism?  Some skeptics or critics distrust the practice of mediumship because they are very suspicious of fraud - either with the medium, or with identity of the spirit who is communicating.   We need to be rational and understand that there are deceptive people in all walks of life - and all kinds of activities -  and there are those who play with the practice of mediumship.  Some are not mediums at all, and they only want to put on a show or to make money at the expense of others.  Others may actually be mediums, but they use their abilities inappropriately, or mix truth with untruth out of self interest.  Mediums are not the only ones capable of giving unreliable information (for any reason), as deceit can also originate from the communicating spirits.  A true medium questions the spirits carefully before allowing them to sit. Deceptive spirits dislike intensive questioning.

So how can we protect ourselves against fraudulent practices and deceitful communication? 

True spiritist mediums:

• work without self-interest and work only with the intention of helping others
• do not charge for their assistance, for they work with humility and recognize that they are merely acting as an instrument for the message or the aid given to others 
• are taught how to guard and protect against the negative or deceitful influence of spirits, or those who may try to lead them astray 
• seek, through their own study and moral efforts, to work with higher spirits who communicate with seriousness and compassion, with the ultimate purpose of contributing to the moral and spiritual progression of humanity
• use no "visual aids" such as crystal balls, tarot cards, tea leaves, Ouiji Boards, etc., which are not necessary for the communication, and do not attract serious spirits   
• do not guarantee communication with any spirit, for they know that spirits communicate at will and according to their conditions at a specific time.  There is a trusted affinity between the spirit and the medium that is necessary for any communication to occur.  This affinity is very specific to each medium, and without it, the communication could be incomplete, false, or misleading.  Every medium develops this affinity over time.  Spiritism is believing that the person who is trusted will do what is expected (as with every other relationship we have in our lives).

Chicago - October 12, 2014

In attendance: Denise, Jeff, Nelson and Sonia   

After Nelson read the opening prayer, he felt compelled to read a selection related to mediums (see page 255 of Allan Kardec's The Mediums' Book or click below on the link).  http://www.ssbaltimore.org/PDF/Mediums.pdf 

As he was reading, Sonia envisioned Nelson as a young man.  Nelson explained that his spirit guide was boyish and young.  The table discussed the selection, and Nelson reiterated that his mediumship abilities were "not mine".  Nelson said that he often received "hints" or insight about a session, but he had not been given any indication of what to expect for this reunion.

Nelson asked Sonia about her niece in Puerto Rico.  Sonia said that there were mental health issues, and Nelson sensed that although she was never hospitalized for her condition, her mind had persuaded her that she was institutionalized in her own home.  Nelson saw "a bunch of nuts" around her, spirits who were making odd noises and pulling out their hair.  Denise felt the same presences.  There was one spirit who spent the day staring at nothing, and Sonia confirmed that her niece often exhibited the same behavior.  Nelson knew that no doctor would ever understand her situation if these spirits were not removed. Their behavior was horrendous, with one spirit who was crying in the corner and another who was eating his own feces.  A spirit was present who said, "She doesn't deserve this.  There have been prayers for her, and those prayers will now be answered. She has been crying for 17 years."

Spirit 1 (via Nelson):  Nelson began to cry as the spirit crying in the corner moved towards him, and he began to feel what the niece was experiencing.  "She wants to die," Nelson told the table, "And she doesn't want to be here if things have to be like this."  Nelson heard the thoughts of the niece when she said, "What an ugly thing I am."  The spirit arrived and sat through Nelson, as the conversation continued:

Spirit: I am her real mother.  The other one is not.

Sonia: Can't the two of you work together?

Spirit (making gagging noises and referring to the spirits around her): One jumps, another pulls hair...

Sonia: Take them out of that situation.  Come in peacefully.

Spirit: It's the time.  Time has arrived, and it's the time (repeated several times).  NO MORE OF THIS. No more suffering, no pain.  I don't want to feel like this any more.  I have been in the corner for so long, crying, asking, praying.  (Nelson tears up)  I never wanted to go and leave her alone, but they tell me for her to feel better, I have to go?  I've been listening to that lady who calls all the time (referring to Sonia's phone calls to her sister).  She's the one who convinced me.

Jeff: It's OK to go now...

Spirit: Do you want to know why I didn't want to leave her?  (looking at Sonia) You are a mother, you know it's hard to leave.  Will you watch over her?

Sonia: I will.  Thank you for being there for her.

Spirit: They say I have to tell you a little bit before I can move on.  The back of my neck hurts.  Really hurts.  She and I were supposed to come together.

Jeff: What happened?

Spirit: We couldn't come together, the place we were coming couldn't handle us.  My weight was too heavy, too hard.  I stayed in that corner.

Sonia: You will be released now.

Spirit: It's so hard to leave, but I want her to do well.  They tell me that one day I can see her - from a distance, in a little bubble.

Jeff: That would be wonderful.  Please take all the others with you.  How many will you take?

Spirit: 17 times two.  Plus one more - me.  She was my daughter...

As the spirit faded away, Nelson realized that the niece and this spirit were twins.  They were both supposed to reincarnate with similar mental issues, but this spirit was unwilling.  Sonia confirmed that her niece was a twin.  This spirit who remained behind believed that she was a mother for the niece.  Having a material mother and a spiritual mother only created more confusion for the niece.  Nelson advised Sonia to ask her sister if the niece ever mentioned her twin, as he was certain that she felt her presence.  Nelson also sensed that there was another twin in the family with the same circumstance.  Sonia explained that an older brother was also a twin with the exact same scenario - his twin stayed behind in the spirit world.  The table discussed the issue.  When they were both on the spiritual side, the brother had promised to help his sister in her current reincarnation.  The material world had left Puerto Rico, and he also left his sister and the memories of his own twin behind.  His prearranged responsibility cannot be avoided, and the spirit of a twin (his sister's twin or his own) will return.  A spirit will reincarnate soon through another family member (perhaps as a granddaughter), to give Sonia's nephew another opportunity to offer the care he promised when he was a spirit.  Nelson advised Sonia to ask her sister about when her son removed himself from the situation with his sister (and if he ever felt his own twin around him).

Nelson wondered if Sonia's parents were spiritists (and they were).  Nelson understood that this family came from a very long line of mediums, and some of them took the wrong path.  Sonia was experiencing a soft tapping in her ear, and Nelson explained that the tapping was a subtle message for Sonia to continue her own path of spiritual growth.   When Sonia's sister asks her if our group "did something today," in reference to her niece, Sonia should reply with, "I just did what was best for her." 

Spirit 2 (via Nelson):  Don Polo had arrived, and he spoke to Jeff from his position behind Nelson.  Jeff had often wondered about twins.  Why did two separate spirits need to look alike in the spirit world?  Don Polo explained that it had nothing to do with the material world.  These spirits had made a commitment to reincarnate together before arriving in the material world.  The spirits were not strong enough to reincarnate as individuals, so they had to come connected, as twins (or triplets, etc.).  Don Polo knew that Jeff had often thought that it might be interesting to have been a twin.  He told Jeff that if he had come as a twin, Jeff would have hated him, as Jeff liked, "his own individuality."  Don Polo also told Jeff that he could ask to be a twin in his next reincarnation, and that if he did, he would be "two of the same" (an identical twin, not fraternal).  Don Polo also explained that Nelson and his spirit guide were not twins, although they were as close as twins, and like twins, they often sensed and understood each others feelings.  Don Polo added that, "At this level, you can imagine how difficult it is with triplets (and other large groups of siblings that look identical but have different spirits)."  Don Polo knew that we had many questions about the spirits that we hoped would be answered, but we could not understand everything yet.  "Keep studying," he advised.

(Read more here: https://books.google.com.pr/books?id=RcbxlW0sAm8C&pg=PA134&lpg=PA134&dq=allan+kardec+on+twins&source=bl&ots=QWNgIAf4me&sig=pe-boWD-AAI5S2O0jUEgfrbSNYg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj06N_I36zKAhUE6yYKHbQjAX0Q6AEIJzAC#v=onepage&q=allan%20kardec%20on%20twins&f=false)

Spirit 3 (via Nelson):  Don Polo had brought the spirit of Nelson's grandmother with him.  They worked together in the material world, and now they were coworkers on the spiritual world.  She wanted to speak to Nelson, but her message influenced the entire table:

Spirit (for Nelson): I told you that everything would be OK.  Stop trying to make others do things.  Something is coming soon, and the gates will be opened.  Never forget where you come from, because that gives you the peace you are looking for.  It's a world of vanity and pride.  Be better than the others, as none of those things bring the happiness we are looking for.  It's been a long time.  I don't come around so often because they think I am coming to solve problems, and I am not here for that.  I am here to offer a hand to help take the right path.  Some things will come up, so keep your mind open.  We will tell him (Nelson) what he can do and what cannot be done.  Be prepared for the spur of the moment.  Do not make any long commitments for the next couple of months.  Things are moving fast.  Let me in when I am close by.  Sometimes you shake your head in disbelief asking, 'Is it really you?'

Spirit (addressing everyone):  He (Nelson) will remember many of us from the days of his development, as many of us from the material side are together on the other side.  We have lost many, for various reasons.  The material world is often seen as more interesting.  Do not be afraid or concerned, what is coming has been planned.  I knew he (Nelson) was something special.  He didn't want to come, but we convinced him.   It wasn't easy.  He is now in a process of interchanging mental messages.  Let him think about that.  (for Jeff)  Be kind to him.  Can you do that?  Be kind.  (for the group)  All of your lives are in transition.  A moment of moving to the next level.  For life to have meaning - it's right next to you.  Read, learn, grow.  If you can't find the answer, we're here.  Move to a level of spirits, not the material. 

Nelson's grandmother compared our material bodies to a car getting older.  The car still runs, but it constantly needed care and new parts.  She wanted us to "prepare for the real life" (the spirit life).  Her spirit quietly faded away as softly as she arrived.  Nelson's spirit guide wanted the table to know that when it was time, Nelson would not mind leaving the material world behind, because he and his guide would be together again.  Sonia described it as "a bond".

Spirit 4 (via Nelson): A group of soldiers were being ushered in by Nelson's spirit guide, and Nelson sensed that many of them needed to be removed.  Their influence had an effect on our material world, with a mentality of "not talking or thinking, just fighting."  Based on Nelson's description, Denise thought that these ancient soldiers might be part of the crusades.  Nelson described them further.  They were dressed as knights, wearing uniforms with gold crosses instead of red, with British accents.  Denise understood that they were the knights of King Arthur's round table, and these men were often monks.  Nelson saw them all as very well educated. 

Note: The Round Table was King Arthur's famed table, around which he and his knights congregated. King Arthur was a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries who led the defense of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. As its name suggests, the round table had no head seat, implying that everyone who sat there had equal status. The table was first described in 1155.  After the session, Nelson confirmed that the drawing of the table below matched what he was shown (and yes, I know the photo is not centered - I'm not sure what happened):

All of the knights were talking all at once.  One of them said, "Everyone has an opinion!" while another group debated, "How will we end the war?"  The knights were shouting out east and west as directions in which to march, and Nelson realized that some of them liked the king and his policies, while others did not.  A spirit removed himself from the noisy confusion and sat through Nelson:

Spirit: Who are you people?  Nobody!  Just caretakers.  Where is your armor?  Does the king believe in all this?  Witches!  What do they want from me?

Sonia: We want peace,and you can take the message back to the others.

Spirit: Peace?  Do you understand nothing else?

Jeff: It's important for your group to understand.

Spirit (to Jeff): Your accent is different, but you are well educated.  (pause)  They tell me that the accent is not important.

Jeff: It's not...we can still understand each other.

Spirit: They are telling me to put everything down so we can communicate.  They took my hat, so you can see my face.  (pause)  I'm gonna go back and convince the others.  I have nothing but peace in my heart now.  And some of them will listen, he (the spirit guide) said.

Jeff: How many will you take with you?

Spirit:  How many do you think will fit?  It's a very long table...

Jeff: Two thousand?

Spirit: That's too many...

Sonia: Hundreds?

Spirit: Yes.  I had to convince 214.  I will go back.  I will stand up and be quiet, and they will notice me.  (looks at Jeff)  You know why I spoke to you?  (looks at Denise and Sonia) I thought those women were just here to serve the wine...

After the spirit left, Nelson's guide wanted our group to know that there were no limitations on what our table could do.  "Don't be surprised," he said. 

Nelson closed with a prayer.

Families - The Law of Affinity

The Law of Affinity (from Kardec's The Gospel According to Spiritism) 

- Souls who are at the same level, with mutual affection and similar tastes, naturally gather together
- Souls more interested in doing harm are collected in darkened areas
- Souls who have respect and admiration for the achievements of each other are also grouped with one another in celestial cities.

 

Kardec explained why these affiliated souls (good or bad) tended to stay with each other:
“These spirits, happy at being together, seek out one another. Incarnation separates them only momentarily, because after their reentry into the errant state, they meet again like friends who have returned from a journey. Frequently, they even follow one another into incarnation, wherein they are reunited in the same family or the same circle, working together for their mutual advancement.”[1]

 

This tight cluster of souls will watch out for each other. While some are incarnates on earth, others will look on from the spirit side and help guide the material world spirits through their trials. Each side helps everyone in the group to advance together. As they become purer, their friendship becomes more concrete, as their bodies divest themselves of matter.

 

Kardec also stated, “There are no lasting affections except spiritual ones; physical affections die out with the cause that gave rise to them; but that cause no longer exists in the world of spirits, whereas the soul exists forever”.[2]

 

Are these souls a family?

Your parents were the method for you to be reborn into the material world.  So is the family we are born into will be the only family we ever have?  We always have our free will.  There are many other different types of family relationships, other than the family we are born into.  There are families who are together because of a purely physical connection. Or we might  marry or start a family, not because of true spiritual affection, but because of a sensual or monetary attraction.  And there are the families that we create for ourselves.

 

Regardless of how we became a family, we are surrounded by people who have been selected for us in order to experience the trials that we have selected for ourselves. We sometimes may not like them very much, but we will learn some lessons from them and for that, we should be grateful.  We may gravitate towards select members of our family and dislike others.  Those mistrustful relationships are usually in place for a reason.  Maybe the parents or other family members volunteered to help a soul improve, and they were unsuccessful.  That soul may be part of our family as a trial; someone that we somehow hurt in the past who is with us again as an opportunity for us to repair the damage we previously caused.

 

Kardec backed up this thought with;
“God, whose laws are all supremely wise, does nothing useless. Through reincarnation on the same globe, God has willed that the same spirits come in contact with one another again for the chance to repair their mutual offenses. Because of their previous relationships, God wishes furthermore to establish family ties on a spiritual basis and to support the principles of solidarity, fraternity and equality as a natural law.”[3]

 

Why do we need a family?

When we study the family from a Spiritist point of view, we see the family as part of our mission on earth:
- The family is a small scale workshop that God has placed us in so that we can learn the skills we need to live in the bigger world - the larger family called society.
- We find many different characters, traits and behaviors that we will encounter again in others as we age.  We may accept or challenge these family behaviors as we progress.
- Kardec explained that when we live in a family, we learn to break down our selfishness.  We learn how to take care (and how not to take care) of each other. We learn how to minimize our selfishness by sharing our belongings and our time.  The feeling of being very possessive and looking after only our personal interest turns to a familiar interest and a more collective growth. We are united in a family because we share common goals.
- At the same time, when we are interacting with our family group, we all have our own individual tasks and trials to work on from our past lives.

 

Is interesting to note that although spiritism emphasizes the importance of a commitment to each other, there is no specific marriage ceremony in spiritism (unlike most religious institutions).   With spiritism, God wishes all beings to unite themselves not only through the ties of the flesh, but more importantly through the ties of the soul.  Spiritism is a philosophy and a science, not a religion.  The mutual affection of one family member should be transmitted to all the others.  A family is composed of those who love and challenge you, but they always look after you to help you progress.

 

Our goal in the material world is to progress by learning to love with a purity of spirit.  Our spirit needs to advance to a level that allows us to no longer need the physical restrictions of the material world.  The goal of any family is to have shared experiences and beliefs, and a pure affection for each other.  The family members should want to reunite again in the spirit world; to talk more about what was learned and accomplished, and why there were failures.  A loving family should find everything forgivable.

 

ResourcesKardec, Allan (2008). The Gospel According to Spiritism.
 [1] Kardec, Allan, The Gospel According to Spiritism, EDICEI, p. 87
 [2] Kardec, Allan, The Gospel According to Spiritism, EDICEI, p. 87
 [3] Kardec, Allan, The Gospel According to Spiritism, EDICEI, p. 92
Foster, Brian (2014) The Case for Reincarnation – Your Path to Perfection.  

Chicago - October 5, 2014

In attendance: Denise, Jeff, Marisol, Mia, Nelson and Sonia 

 

After Mia read the opening prayer, Marisol offered an additional prayer for the spirits.  Nelson sensed a spirit who believed that everyone at our table was thinking of someone in need that they wanted to mention.  Sonia asked for prayers in regards to her niece who needed maturity.  Denise spoke about her mother, and hoped that her health would be steady and strong.  Marisol asked that her recently passed uncle (who was still in the process of transitioning) be given guidance. Nelson wondered how Marisol's son was doing.  Marisol said he was stable, but there was also a sadness in his eyes.  She sensed that he wanted (or knew) that his own transition back to the spirit world was not that far away. Nelson agreed, saying that the conflict was that his spirit did not want to go but, "his body cannot take it anymore."  His spirit understood the transitioning process, but Marisol's son was still was sad at the thought of leaving his mom.  Throughout their time together in the material world, Marisol had done everything necessary for her son, and Nelson saw that the eventual transitioning was a form of "relief" for both of them.   

 

Spirit 1 (via Nelson):  A strong, authoritative spirit sat through Nelson, and he spoke in Spanish.  This spirit was the former director of a spiritist center in Puerto Rico, and he wanted our group to know that he was around now to "help his disciple" (meaning Marisol's uncle).  He wanted Marisol to know that he was also frequently with her, and that she was not alone.  This spirit said that he had other spirits with him to assist Marisol and her uncle whenever they were needed.  The spirit sensed that he was in a slightly unfamiliar location at our table.  He promised to return again to become more familiar with our group.  He mused, "Observe...and then..." The spirit reminded Nelson that they had met before, at a center in Puerto Rico in the material world.  Because of his age, this spirit was no longer working as a medium at that time, but he remembered Nelson and his mother when they visited his center.  The spirit said they were seated in the back, and he said, "I am now going to do what you did earlier in my center - sit back and observe."  The spirit quietly moved away from the table.

 

Spirit 2 (via Nelson):  Nelson saw several different groups of Shamans (or male witches) near our table.  He sensed that they were there to practice some type of "white magic".  While some of the groups were positive, others were not.  One of the spirits stepped forward to clarify the situation, speaking from a position behind Nelson.  "We do what humans do," the spirit said, "Vengeance, and controlling the behavior of others.  We like to create things.  Chaos, fights.  More humans are on this dark side than the light."  Before we sat at the table, our group had a discussion about Argentina, and Nelson understood that this group of spirits was somehow connected to that conversation.  The language changed to Spanish, and we realized that these spirits were related to Marta's son, Sebastian.  Sonia told the spirit that his conversation needed to be positive at our table, as the spirit rocked back and forth with indecision over what to say.  The spirit explained that he was, "brought here to stop them, and I told them they must stop."  The spirit explained that there were many others with him, and these attached presences needed to realize that their behavior and influence over Sebastian were not acceptable.  The spirit banged loudly on the table, and said, "A family should be love, not conflict!"  The energy level of this spirit was very strong, so he was unable to sit.  Another spirit was speaking for him.  He wanted us to deliver a message to Marta.  She should not be close to her son at any time now.  Marta needed to wait until things calmed down and returned to normal.  She and her son are opposites in temperament and they cannot be together.  The spirit wanted our table to know that he had also undergone a transformation.  He told us his "work is for good now, not how it used to be."  As proof, he offered to take his group of 175 spirits away with him.  Nelson shivered, describing the group as "so cold," and Sonia added that they were "stone faced".

 

Spirit 3 (via Marisol):  Marisol had a message for Mia.  Despite her feelings of "espíritu de pánico" (panicked spirit), Marisol believed that Mia would one day be working as a medium.  She just needed to allow herself to be open to the spirits.  Nelson sensed that Mia hoped to be "the perfect medium," and he knew that before she worked, Mia would "need to be certain" of her abilities.  He saw her as a working "madame" in one of her previous lives, and he said that her uncertainty in working as a medium now was related to this past existence, when her skills were used for negative purposes.  Without realizing it, Miaa was apprehensive about taking the same path in this life.  Marisol offered an example of a tarot card reader.  They have a gift, but when they try to make money from their ability, the gift becomes negative.  Mia was advised that when she saw things, she needed to say them.  "You are a medium," Marisol told her, "and it's a process that comes with time, over meditation and being still.  It's scary, but open yourself."  Marisol added that the breathing involved with meditation changed our energy level, giving the spirits permission to come in.  Nelson encouraged Mia to establish a solid relationship with her spirit guide(s).  The table discussed the situation, encouraging Mia to continue her growth and development.

 

There was something related to one of Nelson's brothers, and Marisol was trying to discern the message.  One of the brothers saw Nelson's life as "easier," while he viewed his own life as misunderstood and lonely.  The table determined that these feelings belonged to Nelson's older brother, Junior.  He felt separated from his family, and Marisol sensed that he had recently been experienced some type of "enfermo" or illness.  She was correct, as Junior was still recovering from a fall.

 

Spirits 4 & 5 (via Marisol):  Marisol explained her process of passing spirits at the table.  She communicated with her guide first, and then a spirit would pass into her, almost as if her spirit guide acted as a secure gateway or guard for the spirit to pass.  As she was explaining the process, it was illustrated with an example, as an angry spirit moved into Marisol.  The spirit demanded to know, "Why was I brought here?"  He was agitated and upset, moving around in his seat as if he wanted to be freed.  The conversion continued:

 

Spirit: Dolor!  Dolor! (Spanish for pain)

Nelson: Be calm, you cannot push him (referring to his brother, Junior)

Spirit: Dolor!

Nelson (referring to his brother): What is your relationship with him?

Spirit: To be evil.  (There was a pause, as the spirit realized that his answer was not what we wanted to hear)  He's my friend (the spirit hit the table with his fist).  Huh!  Why all these questions?  Huh!  (Turning away, the spirit shook his head in frustration).  The memory remains from when we were friends.  Now he is a traitor (laughing).  Treason!  Traitor.  Who is next to him now?  NO ONE!

 

Nelson stood and walked over to Marisol in an attempt to calm the spirit.  "Betrayed!" the spirit said, "Dolor!"  Whatever pain this spirit experienced, he now wanted Junior to feel the same way.  There was silence as Nelson (and everyone else at the table) tried to remove the pain.  The spirit loudly cried out, "NO!" and his demeanor seemed to shift.  He asked for forgiveness.  Referring to Junior, the spirit said, "There is no reason for his spirit to be ill." The spirit began to realize that he was tired, and he asked for forgiveness again, as he slowly accepted that he was being called away.  The spirit had decided to leave, and as he departed, he said softly, "How beautiful it is!"

 

Marisol's "madame" spirit guide had brought this spirit to our table, and she had returned to cleanse Marisol.  As with so many spiritual situations, the passing of this spirit was not the only lesson.  Nelson understood that when Mia was able to one day work as a medium, the process that was shown to us today would be similar to how she would work.

 

Spirit 6 (via Nelson):  Earlier in the living room, Mia had updated the group on the health of her brother-in-law.  Nelson sensed a spirit who stressed that this individual was not okay, and he needed further testing.  "Don't wait too long," the spirit advised.  "Is he diabetic?  Check it.  Something is not right, and it needs to be discovered."  Denise felt as if someone was dizzy, and she thought it might be related to Mia's parents.  When she realized that the symptoms were not for them, Denise understood that the dizziness was related to Mia's brother-in-law.  Nelson saw a doctor with paper files saying, "Things are OK".  Standing behind the doctor was a spirit repeatedly urging him to "look deeper."  Nelson clearly understood that this doctor had treated his patient with extreme disrespect.  The spirit that was behind the doctor was now with the brother-in-law, and Nelson envisioned him as a solid military man, a father figure to Mia's brother-in-law.  "Look deeper," the spirit repeated.

 

Spirit 7 (via Nelson):  "This one is too close to me," Nelson said, and Marisol understood.  A group of spirits had arrived, and they were related to Jeff.  They were surprised to see Jeff as "not the man he used to be." This group was dancing and partying as the conversation continued:

 

Spirit (speaking to Jeff): What is wrong with you?

Sonia: He is not into that now.

Spirit: C'mon.  The party is in full throttle.  He liked to dance.

Jeff: The party has ended for me.  You need to find the same peace and contentment.

Spirit (dancing and moving in his seat): Let's get on top of the table and dance!

Denise: There are other ways to have fun.

Spirit: We don't like him anymore.  I don't like him.  He's not handsome anymore.  The nights, the weekends we spent together...

Marisol: He is no longer in your world.

Spirit: We were told there was a party.  We thought this table was a stage.  We had a good time!  Give him a microphone, and you will see!

Jeff: I have learned and moved on.

Sonia: Your spirit needs education now.

Marisol:  Do you have a body?  Look at yourself.

Spirit: We take over other peoples bodies.  (addressing Marisol)  We don't like you.  (noticing Sonia) We like her better.  They are telling us that this is the last party?
Sonia: Yes.  The last hurrah.

Spirit: We will leave a lot of our friends behind?  There is a different party?  Instead of what we like to drink, they are giving us plain water.  Where is the vodka?  (referencing Jeff) He is not that guy anymore?  I am taking the party with me.  Seventeen of us.  No more party.  I'm going with him.  I'm sorry, all we liked was the party.  (long pause)  Can I say something else?  And the boys!

 

After the spirit departed, the table discussed several topics.  Nelson's spirit guide was standing behind him, and he wanted the group to know that the work today would now continue, silently in the background.  He also wanted us to know that other spirits had been brought in to observe the work at our table today. 

 

Spirit 8 (via Nelson): Directing his attention towards Mia, Nelson's spirit guide told her, "You finally have a place where the knowledge is there for you.  Don't waste time.  Go directly from A to B, no longer routes.  Don't go all around the mountain to get to the top."  Noticing Denise, the spirit guide happily told her, "What a difference!  And it's not finished yet."  With Sonia, Nelson's guide wanted to know what was going on with the niece that was mentioned at the start of the session. Frustrated at having to speak from his position behind Nelson, the spirit guide decided to sit through Nelson:

 

Spirit: I always have to fight him.  For this one, I wanted to ask the questions myself. 

(in regards to Sonia's niece) What kind of action has been taken?

Sonia: Some spiritual, but it hasn't worked.

Spirit: This is a very delicate situation, my friend.  Where is she living?

Sonia: In Puerto Rico, with her mother.

Spirit: And her living situation?

Sonia: Terrible.

Spirit: Would her situation improve if she were to move?

Sonia: She has been told many times...

Spirit:  Real help will come for her now.

 

Nelson's spirit guide asked Sonia to phone her sister twice in the upcoming week.  She could talk about any topic except the niece.  The message was repeated (call twice within the week but do not discuss the niece), while the spirit guide swayed gently in his seat.  If the niece entered the conversation, Sonia should immediately change the subject.  The table understood that the two phone calls were a way for the spirit world to establish a connection.  "We will see what we can accomplish," Nelson's spirit guide said.

 

Nelson's guide also had a message for Nelson:  "Tell him it's okay for me to take a couple of minutes of time.  He thinks he is in control, and he is not.  He tries very hard, and he is a very good spirit.  A very good soul, but he still has a lot to learn."  Glancing towards Marisol, the spirit guide welcomed her to the table and gave Nelson more advice: "Use her to share your experiences.  He needs that.  Both of you will grow with the knowledge and the group will grow in size.  We need you.  Continue.  We are here."

 

Nelson closed with a prayer.