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The Mediums' Book THE MEDIUMS’ BOOK THE MEDIUMS’ BOOK or MANUAL FOR MEDIUMS AND EVOKERS Experimental Spiritism THE MEDIUMS’ BOOK or MANUAL FOR MEDIUMS AND EVOKERS Content SPECIAL TEACHING BY THE SPIRITS CONCERNING THE THEORY OF ALL THE GENRES OF MANIFESTATIONS, THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATING WITH THE INVISIBLE WORLD, THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDIUMSHIP, THE DIFFICULTIES AND PITFALLS THAT MAY BE ENCOUNTERED IN THE PRACTICE OF SPIRITISM Comprising the Continuation of the Spirits’ Book By Allan Kardec Translated by Darrel W. Kimble with Marcia M. Saiz Copyright © 2009 by INTERNATIONAL SPIRITIST COUNCIL SGAN Q. 909 – Conjunto F 70790-090 – Brasilia (DF) – Brazil All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private use without prior written permission of the publisher. ISBN 978-85-98161-82-2 Original Title: LE LIVRE DES MÉDIUMS OU GUIDE DES MÉDIUMS ET DES ÉVOCATEURS (Paris, 15 January 1861) Translated by Darrel W. Kimble with Marcia M. Saiz Cover design by: Luciano Carneiro Holanda Layout: Rones José Silvano de Lima Edition of INTERNATIONAL SPIRITIST COUNCIL SGAN Q. 909 – Conjunto F 70790-090 – Brasilia (DF) – Brazil www.edicei.com [email protected] +55 61 3038-8400 Sales: + 55 61 3038 8425 Third Edition 10/2011 INTERNATIONAL DATA FOR CATALOGING IN PUBLICATION (ICP) K27g Kardec, Allan, 1804-1869. The Mediums’ Book or Guide to mediums and evokers: experimental spiritism / by Allan Kardec; [translated by Darrel W. Kimble and Marcia M. Saiz]. – Brasilia, DF (Brazil): International Spiritist Council, 2011. 510 p. ; 21 cm Translated from: Le Livre des Médiums ou Guide des médiums et des évocateurs “The Spirits’ special teaching on the theory of all types of manifestations, the means of communication with the invisible world, the development of mediumship, and the difficulties and obstacles that may be found in the practice of Spiritism.” “It is the sequel to The Spirits’ Book” ISBN 978-85-98161-82-2 1. Mediums. 2. Spiritism. I. International Spiritist Council. II. Title. CDD: 133.9 CDU: 133.7 Contents Translators’ Preface ................................................................11 Anna Blackwell’s Preface ........................................................13 Introduction ..........................................................................19 PART ONE Preliminary Observations Chapter I – Are There Spirits? ...............................................27 Chapter II – The Extraordinary and the Supernatural ...........35 Chapter III – Methodology ...................................................47 Chapter IV – Theories ..........................................................63 PART TWO Spirit Manifestations Chapter I – The Action of Spirits upon Matter .....................87 Chapter II – Physical Manifestations and Turning Tables .....95 Chapter III – Intelligent Manifestations ................................99 Chapter IV – Explanation of the Physical Manifestations ...103 Movements and Suspensions; Noises ........................................103 Increase and Decrease in the Weight of Objects ......................115 Chapter V – Spontaneous Physical Manifestations ..............117 Noises, Racket and Disturbances .............................................117 The Hurling of Objects ...........................................................125 The Phenomenon of Apportation ...........................................131 A Spirit’s Dissertation on Apportation .....................................132 Chapter VI – Visual Manifestations .....................................143 Questions concerning Apparitions ..........................................143 Theoretical Essay on Apparitions ............................................152 Globular Spirits .......................................................................157 The Hallucination Theory ......................................................160 Chapter VII – Bi-Corporeality and Transfiguration .............165 Apparitions of Spirits of the Living ..........................................165 Spirit Doubles – St. Alfonso of Liguori and St. Anthony of Padua ......................................................................................169 Vespasian ................................................................................171 Transfiguration ........................................................................172 Invisibility ...............................................................................175 Chapter VIII – The Laboratory of the Invisible World ........177 Spirit Clothing; The Spontaneous Formation of Tangible Objects ...................................................................................177 The Modification of the Properties of Matter ..........................181 Curative Magnetic Action .......................................................185 Chapter IX – Haunted Places ..............................................187 Chapter X – The Nature of Communications .....................193 Crude Communications ..........................................................194 Frivolous Communications .....................................................194 Serious Communications ........................................................195 Instructive Communications ...................................................196 Chapter XI – Sematology and Typtology ............................199 Chapter XII – Pneumatography or Direct Writing Pneumatophony ..................................................................205 Direct Writing .........................................................................205 Pneumatophony ......................................................................209 Chapter XIII – Psychography ..............................................211 Indirect Psychography: Baskets and Planchettes ......................211 Direct or Manual Psychography ..............................................214 Chapter XIV – Mediums .....................................................217 Physical Effects Mediums ........................................................218 Electrical Persons .....................................................................222 Sensitive or Impressionable Mediums ......................................222 Hearing Mediums ...................................................................223 Speaking Mediums ..................................................................224 Seeing Mediums ......................................................................224 Somnambulistic Mediums .......................................................228 Healing Mediums ...................................................................230 Pneumatographical Mediums ..................................................233 Chapter XV – Writing or Psychographic Mediums ..............235 Mechanical Mediums ..............................................................236 Intuitive Mediums ..................................................................237 Semi-Mechanical Mediums .....................................................238 Inspired Mediums ...................................................................238 Prescient Mediums ..................................................................240 Chapter XVI – Special Mediums .........................................241 Special Aptitudes of Mediums .................................................241 Synoptic Table of the Different Varieties .................................244 Varieties of Writing Mediums ..................................................249 Chapter XVII – The Development of Mediums ..................261 The Development of Mediumship ..........................................261 Changes in Handwriting .........................................................274 The Loss and Suspension of Mediumship ...............................274 Chapter XVIII – Problems and Dangers of Mediumship ....279 The Influence of the Practice of Mediumship on the Health, the Mind and Children ...........................................................279 Chapter XIX – The Role of Mediums in Communications .283 The Influence of the Medium’s Spirit ......................................283 The Theory of Inert Mediums ................................................287 The Aptitude of Certain Mediums for Things They Do Not Know: Languages, Music, Drawing, etc. .................................288 A Spirit’s Dissertation on the Role of Mediums .......................292 Chapter XX – The Medium’s Moral Influence ....................299 Various Questions ...................................................................299 A Spirit’s Dissertation concerning Moral Influence ..................306 Chapter XXI – The Influence of the Surroundings .............311 Chapter XXII – Mediumship in Animals ............................315 A Spirit’s Dissertation on the Issue ..........................................317 Chapter XXIII – Obsession .................................................323 Simple Obsession ....................................................................324 Fascination ..............................................................................324 Subjugation .............................................................................326 Causes of Obsession ................................................................327 Means of Combating
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