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Livro Dos Espiritos – Third Edition – THE SPIRITS’ BOOK Spiritualist Philosophy THE SPIRITS’ BOOK Containing the PRINCIPLES OF THE SPIRITIST DOCTRINE CONCERNING THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL, THE NATURE OF SPIRITS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH HUMANKIND, MORAL LAWS, THE PRESENT LIFE, THE FUTURE LIFE AND THE DESTINY OF HUMANITY – ACCORDING TO THE TEACHINGS GIVEN BY HIGHLY EVOLVED SPIRITS THROUGH SEVERAL MEDIUMS – RECEIVED AND COORDINATED By Allan Kardec Translated by Darrel W. Kimble with Marcia M. Saiz Copyright © 2006 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 978-85-98161-18-1 Original Title: LE LIVRE DES ESPRITS (PARIS, 1857) 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 Spirits’ Book: Spiritualist Philosophy: Principles of the Spiritist Doctrine / by Allan Kardec; [translated by Darrel W. Kimble and Marcia M. Saiz]. – Brasilia, DF (Brazil): International Spiritist Council, 2011. 584 p. ; 21 cm. Translated from: Le Livre des Esprits “Concerning the immortality of the soul, the nature of spirits and their relationships with humankind, moral laws, the present life, the future life and the destiny of humanity – according to the teachings given by highly evolved spirits through several mediums” ISBN 978-85-98161-18-1 1. Spiritualism. 2. Spiritism. I. International Spiritist Council. II. Title. CDD 133.9 CDU 133.7 Contents Translators’ Preface .................................................................. 13 Anna Blackwell’s Preface to Her Version ...................................15 Preface to the Revised Edition ..................................................25 Introduction .............................................................................27 Prolegomena ............................................................................73 PART ONE First Causes Chapter I – God God and the Infinite ..................................................................79 Proofs of the Existence of God ...................................................80 The Attributes of the Divinity ....................................................82 Pantheism ..................................................................................83 Chapter II – The General Elements of the Universe The Knowledge of the Origin of Things ....................................87 Spirit and Matter .......................................................................88 The Properties of Matter ............................................................91 Universal Space ..........................................................................93 Chapter III – Creation The Formation of Worlds...........................................................95 The Formation of Living Beings.................................................96 The Peopling of the Earth: Adam ...............................................99 The Diversity of Human Races ..................................................99 The Plurality of Worlds ............................................................100 Biblical Considerations and Account concerning the Creation ... 102 Chapter IV – The Vital Principle Organic and Inorganic Beings ..................................................107 Life and Death .........................................................................109 Intelligence and Instinct ...........................................................111 PART TWO The Spirit World or the World of Spirits Chapter I – Spirits The Origin and Nature of Spirits .............................................117 The Primitive Normal World ...................................................120 The Form and Ubiquity of Spirits ............................................120 The Perispirit ...........................................................................122 The Different Orders of Spirits ................................................123 The Spirit Hierarchy ................................................................124 The Progression of Spirits.........................................................133 Angels and Demons .................................................................138 Chapter II – The Incarnation of Spirits The Purpose of Incarnation ......................................................141 The Soul ..................................................................................142 Materialism ..............................................................................147 Chapter III – The Return from the Corporeal to the Spirit Life The Soul after Death; Its Individuality. Eternal Life .................151 The Separation of the Soul from the Body ...............................153 The Spirit’s State of Confusion after Death ..............................157 Chapter IV – The Plurality of Existences Reincarnation...........................................................................161 The Justice of Reincarnation ....................................................162 Incarnation on Different Worlds ..............................................163 Progressive Transmigration .......................................................170 The Fate of Children after Death .............................................173 Gender in Spirits ......................................................................175 Kinship, Affiliation ..................................................................176 Physical and Moral Likeness .....................................................177 Innate Ideas ..............................................................................181 Chapter V – Considerations concerning the Plurality of Existences ............................................................................ 183 Chapter VI – Spirit Life Errant Spirits ............................................................................197 Transitional Worlds ..................................................................200 Perceptions, Sensations and Sufferings of Spirits .......................203 Theoretical Essay on Sensation in Spirits ..................................208 The Choice of Trials .................................................................215 Relationships beyond the Grave ...............................................223 Sympathies and Antipathies among Spirits. Eternal halves........227 The Remembrance of Corporeal Existence ...............................231 The Commemoration of the Dead. Funerals ............................235 Chapter VII – The Return to Corporeal Life Preludes to the Return ..............................................................239 The Joining of the Soul with the Body. Abortion .....................243 The Moral and Intellectual Faculties of Humankind ................247 The Influence of the Organism ................................................249 Mental Impairment, Insanity ...................................................251 Childhood ...............................................................................255 Earthly Sympathies and Antipathies .........................................258 Forgetfulness of the Past ...........................................................260 Chapter VIII – The Emancipation of the Soul Sleep and Dreams ....................................................................267 Visits between the Spirits of Living Persons ..............................274 The Concealed Transmission of Thought .................................276 Lethargy, Catalepsy. Apparent Death ........................................277 Somnambulism ........................................................................278 Ecstasy .....................................................................................283 Second Sight ............................................................................285 A Theoretical Summary on Somnambulism, Ecstasy and Second Sight ............................................................................287 Chapter IX – The Intervention of Spirits in the Corporeal World The Reading of Our Thoughts by Spirits .................................295 The Concealed Influence of Spirits upon Our Thoughts and Actions ..........................................................................296 The Possessed ...........................................................................300 Convulsionaries........................................................................303 The Affection of Spirits for Certain Persons .............................305 Guardian Angels: Protector, Familiar and Sympathetic Spirits ..306 Presentiments ...........................................................................318 The Influence of Spirits on the Events of Life ...........................319 The Action of Spirits on the Phenomena of Nature ..................324 Spirits during Battle .................................................................326
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