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Spiritism is a philosophical doctrine akin to Spiritualism, established in France in the mid nineteenth century. Spiritism investigates the survival of the souls after death and communications received from them. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Allan Kardec was a pseudonym of the French teacher and educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (Lyon, October 3, 1804 — Paris, March 31, 1869), who is known today as the systematizer of Spiritism. ... // By 1853, when the popular song Spirit Rappings was published, Spiritualism was an object of intense curiosity. ... For other uses, see Philosophy (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... // By 1853, when the popular song Spirit Rappings was published, Spiritualism was an object of intense curiosity. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In spirituality, a medium or spirit medium (plural mediums) is an individual who possesses the ability to receive messages from spirits (discorporate entities), or claims that he or she can channel such entities — that is, write or speak in the voice of these entities rather than in the mediums...

Allan Kardec (1804-1869). "Decoder" of Spiritism

Spiritism is based on books written by French educator Hypolite Léon Denizard Rivail under the pseudonym Allan Kardec reporting séances in which he believed to be conversing with incorporeal spirits. His assumption was neither original nor uncommon, as such beliefs had numerous followers then (among them many scientists and philosophers) and séances were carried on very often by his contemporaries, though usually for recreational purposes. His work was later extended by writers like Léon Dénis, Arthur Conan Doyle, Camille Flammarion, Ernesto Bozzano, Chico Xavier, Divaldo Pereira Franco, Waldo Vieira, Johannes Greber^[1] and others. Spiritist Allan Kardec 1804 to 1869 This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Spiritist Allan Kardec 1804 to 1869 This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Spiritist Codification is the customary name given by spiritists to the set of books written by Allan Kardec between the years 1857 and 1868 which are considered to contain the fundaments of Spiritism: // The Spirits Book First published in 1857, this book deals with the fundamentals of the Spiritist Doctrine... A pseudonym (Greek: , pseudo + -onym: false name) is an artificial, fictitious name, also known as an alias, used by an individual as an alternative to a persons legal name. ... Allan Kardec was a pseudonym of the French teacher and educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (Lyon, October 3, 1804 — Paris, March 31, 1869), who is known today as the systematizer of Spiritism. ... Look up séance in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus (breath). // The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus, meaning breath (compare spiritus asper), but also soul, courage, vigor, ultimately from a PIE root *(s)peis- (to blow). In the Vulgate, the Latin word translates Greek (πνευμα), pneuma (Hebrew (רוח) ruah), as... A séance (pronounced: ) is, on its most basic level, an attempt to communicate with the dead. ... Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, DL (22 May 1859–7 July 1930) was a British author most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, which are generally considered a major innovation in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger. ... Camille Flammarion Camille Flammarion (February 26, 1842 – June 3, 1925) was a French astronomer and author. ... Francisco Cândido Xavier Chico Xavier was a popular medium in Brazil´s spiritism movement. ... Waldo Vieira (1932 -) is a Brazilian medical practitioner who first proposed the theories of projectiology and conscientiology, two closely-related paranormal beliefs which concern the nature of human consciousness. ...

Spiritism has adherents in many countries throughout the world, including Spain, USA, Japan and Brazil -- the one with the largest proportion and the greatest numbers of followers.^[2]

Definition

In his introduction to The Spirits Book (the first volume of the Spiritist Codification series) Allan Kardec claimed to have coined the term "Spiritism" to name the movement he was initiating because "new things deserve new names".^[3] However, much like the word daemon (which in Greek mythology merely designated supernatural beings and spirits, and had no negative connotation), the word Spiritism was eventually appropriated by non-Spiritists as a derogatory term for the various movements and religions that practiced mediumship. Nevertheless, confusion with synergetic religions is less common today, as the followers of such creeds tend to emphasize their proper names. Examples of religions that were often called "Spiritism" in the past are Candomblé, Umbanda, Cao Dai, Santería, Quimbanda, Santo Daime and a host of animist cults. This article is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Spiritist Codification is the customary name given by spiritists to the set of books written by Allan Kardec between the years 1857 and 1868 which are considered to contain the fundaments of Spiritism: // The Spirits Book First published in 1857, this book deals with the fundamentals of the Spiritist Doctrine... Allan Kardec was a pseudonym of the French teacher and educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (Lyon, October 3, 1804 — Paris, March 31, 1869), who is known today as the systematizer of Spiritism. ... A neologism is a word, term, or phrase which has been recently created (or coined), often to apply to new concepts, to synthesize pre-existing concepts, or to make older terminology sound more contemporary. ... The term Daemon has several meanings: Daemon (mythology) - see also Demon Daemon (computer software), a background process Dæmon (His Dark Materials) in the Philip Pullman trilogy of novels His Dark Materials Daemon (Warhammer) Daemon (Warcraft) Daemon Sadi (SaDiablo) is a character in the Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop. ... Ilê Axé Iya Nassô Oká - Terreiro da Casa Branca Candomblé is an African-inspired or Afro-Brazilian religion or cult, practiced chiefly in Brazil. ... Umbanda is a religion that blends Catholicism, Kardecist Spiritualism, and Afro-Brazilian religions . ... Cao Dais Holy See, called the Tay Ninh Holy See, is located in Tay Ninh, Viet Nam Caodaism (Vietnamese:  ) is a relatively new, syncretist, monotheistic religion, officially established in Tây Ninh, southern Vietnam, in 1926. ... For other uses, see Santeria (disambiguation). ... Quimbanda is an Afro-American traditional religion found in Brazil. ... Santo Daime is a syncretic spiritual practice, which grew out of the Brazilian Amazonian state of Acre in the 1930s and became a worldwide movement in the 1990s. ... This article is in need of attention. ...

In opposition to some claims, Spiritism is part of the Spiritualist movement that emerged in the 1800s. In its broad sense, Spiritualism is any philosophical or religious movement that opposes materialism ^[4]. In its narrower sense, it is any movement that believes in spirits communication and mediumship. Therefore, Spiritism is Spiritualist and Kardec reaffirmed that on the cover of his groundbreaking work "The Spirit's Book". Another famous author in the Spiritualist movement, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle included a chapter^[5] about Spiritism in his book "History of Spiritualism" confirming that Spiritism is Spiritualist (but not vice-versa). As consequence, many Spiritualist works are widely accepted in Spiritism, particularly the works of scientists Sir William Crookes^[6], Sir Oliver Lodge and other intellectuals. Spiritualism is a religion in which contact with the spirits of the dead through a medium is central. ... Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (May 22, 1859 - July 7, 1930) is the British author most famously known for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, which are generally considered a major innovation in the field of crime fiction. ... Categories: People stubs | 1832 births | 1919 deaths | British scientists | English chemists | Physicists | Discoverer of a chemical element ... Vanity Fair cartoon. ...

In the early 20th century, the broad Spiritualist movement faded and the surviving ones in America and England reorganized themselves in a religious movement, incorporating many aspects of a church organization (mass, pastoral leadership, chants and donation baskets!). Mistakenly, in the USA the name Spiritualism has sometimes been used to address this group only.

Character of Spiritism

Spiritism itself is not a religion^[7]. It is a philosophy with scientific roots and moral consequences, which led to a religious aspect. It is also a science that studies the relationship between incorporeal beings (spirits) and human beings, as defined by Kardec in "What is Spiritism" book ("Qu'est-ce que le Spiritisme"). It is devoid of rituals except the ones required by any organised activity, as, for example, the ritual of preparation that a surgeon follows before the surgery (taking a shower, washing hands carefully with "holy" hot water, dressing a specially sterilised "blessed" garment, gloves and mask and lifting the hands high to protect them from contact with non-sterilised objects before the surgery). For an ignorant, the surgeon's ritual would look like a religious one.^[8]

The religious-looking aspect derives from praying to the God, the ultimate causal principle/source of all things and beings. In Spiritism, prayer is not a mere ritual, since no specific words or prayers matters, but only the quality of a person's thoughts and intentions matters. In accordance, three decades of experiments ^[9] have been validating the power of thoughts. Remarkably, it has also been shown that the power of thoughts/prayers is multiplied in group gatherings, in agreement with Spiritist studies.

The Spiritist moral principles are in agreement with the ones taught by prominent figures like Jesus^[10], Francis of Assisi, Paul, the Apostle, Buddha or Ghandi and are, therefore, universal. The philosophical side is concerned with the study of the moral aspects in the context of living an eternal life in spiritual evolution through processes of reincarnations, as revealed by a multitude of Spirits and indicated by a multitude of researches. The scientific indications of the Spiritist paradigm can be found in the works of Sir William Crookes, Ernesto Bozzano, the Society for Psychical Research, William James, Charles Richet (Medicine Nobel Prize), Prof. Ian Stevenson 's group at University of Virginia, and Prof. G. Schwartz at University of Arizona, among many others. A good account of the early works can be found in the recent book " Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death", from Deborah Blum. This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... Saint Francis of Assisi, St. ... A 19th century picture of Paul of Tarsus Paul of Tarsus (originally Saul of Tarsus) or Saint Paul the Apostle (fl. ... Media:Example. ... Gandhi redirects here. ... Categories: People stubs | 1832 births | 1919 deaths | British scientists | English chemists | Physicists | Discoverer of a chemical element ... The Society for Psychical Research (SPR) is a non-profit organization which started in the United Kingdom and later acquired branches in other countries. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Charles Robert Richet (August 26, 1850 _ December 4, 1935) was a French physiologist who won the 1913 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his work on anaphylaxis, his term for the sometimes fatal reaction by a sensitized individual to a second injection of an antigen. ...

The main characteristics of Spiritist movement is the emphasis on the study and investigation of the Spiritist Doctrine in its triple aspects, scientific, philosophical and moral.

Spiritism fulfills the role of the Consoler that was promised to mankind by Jesus (which interprets the Consoler as being a doctrine, not a person) to "reestablish all things in their truer meaning", since as a Science, Spiritism is in search of the truth of our spiritual nature, not biased by one person/prophet opinion only. Spiritism does not have believers, since everybody is invited to question its principles and it does not seek to convert any believers from other religions, since believers cannot reason. This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ...

Precursors

Developments leading directly to Kardec's research were the famous Fox sisters and the phenomenon of the Talking boards. The hype of Mesmerism also contributed to the early Spiritist practice. The Fox Sisters Sisters Catherine (1838–92), Leah (1814–90) and Margaretta (1836–93) Fox played an important role in the creation of Spiritualism. ... Ouija (pronounced wee-juh or wee-jee) refers to the belief that one can receive messages during a séance by the use of a Ouija or talking board and planchette. ... Hypnosis, as defined by the American Psychological Association Division of Psychological Hypnosis, is a procedure during which a health professional or researcher suggests that a client, patient, or experimental participant experience changes in sensations, perceptions, thoughts, or behavior. ...

Swedenborg

Main article: Emanuel Swedenborg

Emanuel Swedenborg, 75, holding the manuscript of Apocalypsis Revelata (1766).

Emanuel Swedenborg (help· info) (né Swedberg) (January 29, 1688 – March 29, 1772) was a Swedish scientist, philosopher, seer, and theologian. Swedenborg had a prolific career as an inventor and scientist. Then at age fifty-six he entered into a spiritual phase of his life, where he experienced visions of the spiritual world and claimed to have talked with angels, devils, and spirits by visiting heaven and hell. He claimed of being directed by God, the Lord Jesus Christ to reveal the doctrines of His second coming. Emanuel Swedenborg, 75, holding the manuscript of Apocalypsis Revelata (1766). ... from [1] The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... from [1] The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Image File history File links Sv-Emanuel Swedenborg. ... Here are some examples of French words and phrases used by English speakers. ... is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events A high-powered conspiracy of notables, the Immortal Seven, invite William and Mary to depose James II of England. ... is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1772 (MDCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the profession. ... A philosopher is a person who thinks deeply regarding people, society, the world, and/or the universe. ... Clairvoyance, from 17th century French Clair meaning clear and voyant meaning seeing, is a term used to describe the transference of information about an object, location or physical event through means other than the 5 traditional senses (See Psi). ... Theology is literally rational discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, rational discourse). By extension, it also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... Heaven and Hell can refer to: 1975 album Heaven and Hell by Vangelis. ...

From 1747 until his death in 1772 he lived in Stockholm, Holland and London. During these 25 years he wrote 14 works of a spiritual nature of which most were published during his lifetime. Throughout this period he was befriended by many people who regarded him as a kind and warm-hearted man. Many people disbelieved in his visions; based on what they had heard, they drew the conclusions that he had lost his mind or had a vivid imagination. But they refrained from ridiculing him in his presence. Those who talked with him understood that he was devoted to his beliefs. He never argued matters of religion, and if obliged to defend himself he usually did it with gentleness and in a few words. For other uses, see Stockholm (disambiguation). ... This article is about a region in the Netherlands. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Fox sisters

Main article: Fox sisters

The Fox Sisters. From left to right: Margaret, Kate, and Leah

Sisters Catherine (1838–92), Leah (1814–90) and Margaret (1836–93) Fox played an important role in the creation of Spiritualism. The daughters of David and Margaret Fox, they were residents of Hydesville, New York. In 1848, the family began to hear unexplained rapping sounds. Kate and Margaret conducted channeling sessions in an attempt to contact the presumed spiritual entity creating the sounds, and claimed contact with the spirit of a peddler who was allegedly murdered and buried beneath the house. A skeleton later found in the basement seemed to confirm this. The Fox girls became instant celebrities. They demonstrated their communication with the spirit by using taps and knocks, automatic writing, and later even voice communication, as the spirit took control of one of the girls. The Fox Sisters Sisters Catherine (1838–92), Leah (1814–90) and Margaretta (1836–93) Fox played an important role in the creation of Spiritualism. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Skeptics suspected this was nothing but clever deception and fraud. Indeed, sister Margaret eventually confessed to using her toe-joints to produce the sound. And although she later recanted this confession, both her and her sister Catherine were widely considered discredited, and died in poverty. Nonetheless, belief in the ability to communicate with the dead grew rapidly, becoming a religious movement called Spiritualism, and contributing greatly to Kardec's ideas.

Talking boards

Main article: Table-turning

Just after the news of the Fox affair came to France, people became even more interested in what was sometimes termed the "Spiritual Telegraph". In the beginning, a table spun with the "energy" from the spirits present by means of human channeling (hence the term medium). But, as the process was too slow and cumbersome, a new one was devised, supposedly from a suggestion by the spirits themselves: the talking board. Table Turning or Table Tipping is a type of seance in which participants sit around a table, place their hands on it, and wait for rotations. ... Channeling is the communication of information to or through a physically embodied human being, from a source that is said to exist on some other level or dimension of reality than the physical, and that is not from the normal mind (or self) of the channel. ... In spirituality, a medium or spirit medium (plural mediums) is an individual who possesses the ability to receive messages from spirits (discorporate entities), or claims that he or she can channel such entities — that is, write or speak in the voice of these entities rather than in the mediums...

Early examples of talking boards were baskets attached to a pointy object that spun under the hands of the mediums, to point at letters printed on cards scattered around, or engraved on, the table. Such devices were called corbeille à bec ("basket with a beak"). The pointy object was usually a pencil.

Talking boards were tricky to set up and to operate. A typical séance using a talking board saw people sitting at a round table, feet resting on the chairs' supports and hands on the table top or, later, on the talking board itself. The energy channeled from the spirits through their hands made the board spin around and find letters which, once written down by a scribe, would form intelligible words, phrases, and sentences. The system was an early, and less effective, precursor of the Ouija boards that later became so popular. A séance (SAY-ahnce) is, on its most basic level, an attempt to communicate with the dead. ... For the photographer, see Weegee. ...

Allan Kardec first became interested in Spiritism when he learned of the Fox sisters, but his first contact with what would become the doctrine was by means of talking boards. Some of the earlier parts of his Spirits' Book were channeled this way. The Fox Sisters Sisters Catherine (1838–92), Leah (1814–90) and Margaretta (1836–93) Fox played an important role in the creation of Spiritualism. ...

Franz Mesmer

Main article: Franz Mesmer

Franz Anton Mesmer

Franz Anton Mesmer (May 23, 1734 – March 5, 1815) discovered what he called magnétism animal (animal magnetism) and others often called mesmerism. The evolution of Mesmer's ideas and practices led James Braid (1795-1860) to develop hypnosis in 1842. Franz Anton Mesmer His Grave Franz Anton Mesmer (May 23, 1734 – March 5, 1815) discovered what he called animal magnetism and others often called mesmerism. ... Download high resolution version (1000x1335, 89 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (1000x1335, 89 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 8 - Premiere of George Frideric Handels opera Ariodante at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. ... This article is about the day. ... April 5-12: Mount Tambora explodes, changing climate. ... Animal magnetism (French: magnétisme animal) is also known eponymously as mesmerism after Franz Mesmer who postulated the existence of a magnetic fluid or ethereal medium as a therapeutic agent. ... There have been at least two notable people called James Braid: For the Scottish golfer see James Braid (golfer) For the Scottish physician who coined the term hypnotism see James Braid (physician). ... For the novel by Lucas Hyde, see Hypnosis (novel). ...

Spiritism incorporated and kept some practices inspired or directly taken from Mesmerism. Among them, the healing touch, still in Europe, and the "energization" of water to be used as a medicine for spirit and body. Hypnosis, as defined by the American Psychological Association Division of Psychological Hypnosis, is a procedure during which a health professional or researcher suggests that a client, patient, or experimental participant experience changes in sensations, perceptions, thoughts, or behavior. ... Faith healing is the use of supernatural or spiritual intervention to cure disease. ...

Doctrine

Spiritism blends together notions taken from Christianity, Positivism and Platonism. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... Positivism is a philosophy that states that the only authentic knowledge is scientific knowledge, and that such knowledge can only come from positive affirmation of theories through strict scientific method. ... Platonic idealism is the theory that the substantive reality around us is only a reflection of a higher truth. ...

Basic books

Main article: Spiritist Codification

The basic doctrine of Spiritism ("the Codification") is defined in five books written and published by Allan Kardec during his life: Spiritist Codification is the customary name given by spiritists to the set of books written by Allan Kardec between the years 1857 and 1868 which are considered to contain the fundaments of Spiritism: // The Spirits Book First published in 1857, this book deals with the fundamentals of the Spiritist Doctrine... Allan Kardec was a pseudonym of the French teacher and educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (Lyon, October 3, 1804 — Paris, March 31, 1869), who is known today as the systematizer of Spiritism. ...

1. The Spirits' Book — Defines the guidelines of the doctrine, covering points like God, Spirit, Universe, Man, Society, Culture, Morals and Religion.
2. The Book on Mediums — Details the "mechanics" of the spiritual world, the processes involved in channeling spirits, techniques to be developed by would-be mediums, etc.
3. The Gospel According to Spiritism — Comments on the Gospels, highlighting passages that, according to Kardec, would show the ethical fundamentals shared by all religious and philosophical systems. This may be the first religious book to acknowledge the existence of life elsewhere in the Universe, based on Jesus' saying "The houses in the realm of my father are many" (John, 14, 1-3).
4. Heaven and Hell — A didactic series of interviews with spirits of deceased people intending to establish a correlation between the lives they lead and their conditions in the beyond.
5. The Genesis According to Spiritism — Tries to reconcile religion and science, dealing with the three major points of friction between the two: the origin of the universe (and of life, as a consequence) and the concepts of miracle and premonition.

Kardec also wrote a brief introductory pamphlet (What is Spiritism?) and was the most frequent contributor to the Spiritist Review. His essays and articles would be posthumously collected into the aptly-named tome Posthumous Works. This article is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus (breath). // The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus, meaning breath (compare spiritus asper), but also soul, courage, vigor, ultimately from a PIE root *(s)peis- (to blow). In the Vulgate, the Latin word translates Greek (πνευμα), pneuma (Hebrew (רוח) ruah), as... For other uses, see Universe (disambiguation). ... Photograph of a nude man by Wilhelm von Gloeden, ca. ... For other uses, see Society (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Culture (disambiguation). ... Morality is a complex of principles based on cultural, religious, and philosophical concepts and beliefs, by which an individual determines whether his or her actions are right or wrong. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... In spirituality, a medium or spirit medium (plural mediums) is an individual who possesses the ability to receive messages from spirits (discorporate entities), or claims that he or she can channel such entities — that is, write or speak in the voice of these entities rather than in the mediums... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Heaven and Hell (Le Ciel et lEnfer in the original French) is a book published in 1865 by Allan Kardec, the fourth tome of the fundamental works of Spiritism. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... A miracle, derived from the old Latin word miraculum meaning something wonderful, is a striking interposition of divine intervention by God in the universe by which the ordinary course and operation of Nature is overruled, suspended, or modified. ... Look up Premonition in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... What Is Spiritism? (QuEst-ce Que le Spiritisme in French) is a brief introduction to Spiritism written by Allan Kardec in 1859, which is about a quarter of the length of The Spirits Book. ...

Doctrine

Main article: Spiritist doctrine

The five chief points of the doctrine are: The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

1. There is a God, defined as "The Supreme Intelligence and Primary Cause of everything";
2. There are Spirits, all of whom are created simple and ignorant, but owning the power to gradually perfect themselves;
3. The natural method of this perfection process is Reincarnation, through which the Spirit faces countless different situations, problems and obstacles, and needs to learn how to deal with them;
4. As part of Nature, Spirits can naturally communicate with living people, as well as interfere in their lives;
5. Many planets in the universe are inhabited.

The central tenet of Spiritist Doctrine is the belief in spiritual life. The spirit is eternal, and evolves through a series of incarnations in the material world. The true life is the spiritual one; life in the material world is just a short-termed stage, where the spirit has the opportunity to learn and develop its potentials. Reincarnation is the process where the spirit, once free in the spiritual world, comes back to the world for further learning. This article is about the theological concept. ...

Relationship with the teachings of Jesus

Jesus, according to Spiritism the greatest moral example for humankind, is deemed to have incarnated here to show us, through his example, the path that we have to take to achieve our own spiritual perfection. The Gospels are reinterpreted in Spiritism; some of the words of Christ or his actions are clarified in the light of the spiritual phenomena (presented as law of nature, and not as something "miraculous"). It's only because of our own imperfection that we can't achieve similar things; as we evolve, we will not only understand better, but we will be able to do similar things, for all spirits are created equal, and are destined for the same end. This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... For the genre of Christian-themed music, see gospel music. ...

Spiritual evolution and karma

Spiritist Doctrine stresses the importance of spiritual evolution. According to this view, we are destined for perfection; there are other planets hosting more advanced life forms, and happier societies, where the spirit has the chance to keep evolving both in the moral and intellectual sense. Although not clear from Kardec's works, later writers elaborated on this point further: it seems that we cannot detect more advanced life forms on other planets, as they are living in a slightly different "plane" from ours, in the same way the spiritual plane is superimposed over our own plane. There is no scientific evidence to back this claim, despite attempts to apply concepts from modern physics -- quantum theory, multiple universes and so on -- to explain it. Karma is a sanskrit term originated in eastern religions. ...

Mediumship

The communication between the spiritual world and the material world happens all the time, but to various degrees. Some people barely sense what the spirits tell them, in an entirely instinctive way, while others have greater cognizance of their guidance. The so-called mediums have these natural abilities highly developed, and are able to communicate with the spirits and interact with them by several means: listening, seeing, or writing through spiritual command (also known by Kardecists as Automatic writing). Direct manipulation of physical objects by spirits is also possible; however, for it to happen the spirits need the help (voluntary or not) of mediums with particular abilities for physical effects. In spirituality, a medium or spirit medium (plural mediums) is an individual who possesses the ability to receive messages from spirits (discorporate entities), or claims that he or she can channel such entities — that is, write or speak in the voice of these entities rather than in the mediums... For the article about the album by Ataxia, see Automatic Writing (album). ...

Spiritist practice

Main article: Spiritist practice

Kardec's works do not establish any rituals or formal practices. Instead, the doctrine suggests that followers adhere to some principles regarded as common to all religions. The religious experience within spiritism is, therefore, largely informal. Religious practice within Spiritism is mostly limited to praying. ...

Meetings

The most important types of practices within Spiritism are:

• Regular Meetings - with a regular schedule, usually on evenings, two or three times a week. They involve a short lecture on some subject followed by some interactive participation of the attendants. These meetings are open to anyone.
• Medium Meetings - usually held after a regular meeting, only those deemed prepared or "in need" of it are expected to attend.
• Youth and Children's Meetings - once a week, usually on Saturday afternoons or Sunday mornings, are the Spiritist equivalent to Christian Sunday schools.
• Healing
• Lectures - longer, in-depth lectures on subjects thought to be "of general interest" which are held on larger rooms, sometimes at theatres or ballrooms, so that more people can attend. Lecturers are often invited from far away centers.
• Special Meetings - special séances held in relative discretion which try to conduct some worthy work on behalf of those in need
• Spiritist Week and Book fairs.

Séances are carried on as a part of the regular practice of Spiritism. ... The pass (passe, in Portuguese) is one of the central tenets of Spiritism. ...

Organisation

Main article: Spiritist centre

Spiritism is not seen as a religion by its followers because it doesn't endorse formal adoration, require regular frequency or formal membership and claims not to be opposed to science, instead trying to harmonize with it. It should be noted, though, that there's no acceptance to Spiritism in mainstream science and that its belief system is largely coherent with the notion of religion (that doesn't include regular frequency, membership, formal adoration or declared opposition to science). A Spiritist Centre, also called Spiritist Society or Spiritist House, is the basic unit of organisation of Spiritism. ... A magnet levitating above a high-temperature superconductor demonstrates the Meissner effect. ...

Spiritism is practiced in different types of associations, formal or not, which can have local, regional, national or international scope.

Local organizations are usually called Spiritist centres or Spiritist societies. Regional and national organizations are called "federations", as the Federação Espírita Brasileira ^[11] and the Federación Espírita Española ^[12], while international organizations are termed "unions", such as the Union Spirite Française et Francophone ^[13]. A Spiritist Centre, also called Spiritist Society or Spiritist House, is the basic unit of organisation of Spiritism. ... A Spiritist Centre, also called Spiritist Society or Spiritist House, is the basic unit of organisation of Spiritism. ...

Spiritist centres (especially in Brazil) are also often active book publishers and promoters of Esperanto. This article is about the language. ...

History

Main article: History of Spiritism

Spiritism shares its roots with many other religions and denominations, mainly Christianity and Western traditions. It is unknown the extent of the influence of Hinduism, Buddhism and Shamanism over the doctrinal aspects of Spiritism, as set by Allan Kardec because the mentions of such religions are sparse in all his works. Kardec, however, acknowledges the influence of Socrates, Plato, Jesus and Francisco of Assis; as well as the religious tradition of Greek and Roman Paganism. Spiritism was founded by Allan Kardec in France in the middle of the XIX century, influenced by Franz Mesmer, the Fox sisters and the popularity of table-turning séances in his time. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages)[1] is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... A statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India. ... This article is about the practice of shamanism; for other uses, see Shaman (disambiguation). ... Allan Kardec was a pseudonym of the French teacher and educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (Lyon, October 3, 1804 — Paris, March 31, 1869), who is known today as the systematizer of Spiritism. ... Spiritist Codification is the customary name given by spiritists to the set of books written by Allan Kardec between the years 1857 and 1868 which are considered to contain the fundaments of Spiritism: // The Spirits Book First published in 1857, this book deals with the fundamentals of the Spiritist Doctrine... This page is about the Classical Greek philosopher. ... Platonic idealism is the theory that the substantive reality around us is only a reflection of a higher truth. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... The term Roman religion may refer to: Ancient Roman religion Imperial cult (Ancient Rome), Sol Invictus Mithraism Roman Christianity Category: ... Pagan and heathen redirect here. ...

Spiritism in popular culture

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Despite being little known by the population at large; many works or art contain allusions to facts, circumstances and concepts that resemble some spiritist beliefs: Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...

Films

• Ghost, with Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze was perhaps one of the earliest depictions of an after-life moderately similar to Spiritist teaching. It was highly popular among Brazilian Spiritists too. Swayze plays the role of man that is killed by a petty thief, leaving his wife (Moore). He, as a ghost, makes contact with a "psychic" played by Whoopie Goldberg and manages to help his wife before finally leaving earth.
• The Sixth Sense, starring Haley Joel Osment and Bruce Willis, is perhaps the better known film approaching the thematic of Spiritism. Cole Sear (Osment's role) is an infant medium facing the disbelief of everyone.
• What Dreams May Come, starring Robin Williams, Annabella Sciorra, Cuba Gooding Jr and Max von Sydow depicts an afterlife remarkably similar to the concept advanced by Spiritism, down to the tiniest detail. After his own death, Williams' character seeks to rescue his wife from damnation for committing suicide.
• Shutter depicts a passably accurate situation of obsession, complete with physical manifestations and materialization of a spirit.
• The Others (2001) depicts what it is believed what happens to spirits that do not realize that they are actually in spirit form according to the Spiritism doctrine.
• Sole Survivor a 1970 TV-film starring Vince Edwards and Richard Basehart. A B-24 "Liberator" bomber crashes in the Lybian desert during WW2 and all crew members die, except one ( the sole survivor ). Decades later the wreck is spotted and an USAF rescue team led by Vince is sent to investigate the crash site. The spirits of the dead bomber crew members, unknowing of their disincarnate condition, are still there, waiting for a salvage expedition to find them, but all communication attempts from them toward the living rescue team members fail, except for the sole survivor ( the navigator, played by Richard Basehart, that jumped off the plane without advising his flight companions and survived to become a high-ranking USAF general ). The behaviour of the dead is in good accordance with kardecist teachings and spiritist theory, as well in good accordance with information obtained from materialized spirits in actual ectoplasmic séances.

For other uses, see Ghost (disambiguation). ... Demi Kutcher (born Demetria Gene Guynes on November 11, 1962) is an American actress. ... Patrick Wayne Swayze (born August 18, 1952) is an American dancer, actor, singer and songwriter. ... After Life DVD cover After Life (Wandafuru raifu, lit. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Sarafina movie poster featuring Whoopi Goldberg Caryn Elaine Johnson, better known by her stage name, Whoopi Goldberg (born November 13, 1955 in New York City — although many sources indicate 1949), is a well-known American movie actress, comedian, and singer. ... For the ability sometimes referred to as sixth sense, see Extra-sensory perception. ... Haley Joel Osment (born April 10, 1988) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor. ... Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955 in Idar-Oberstein, Germany) is an American actor and singer. ... This article is about the film. ... For other persons named Robin Williams, see Robin Williams (disambiguation). ... Annabella Sciorra as Det. ... Cuba Gooding Jr. ...  , (born April 10, 1929) is an Academy-Award nominated Swedish actor, known in particular for his collaboration with filmmaker Ingmar Bergman. ... Shutter (Thai: ชัตเตอร์ กดติดวิญญาณ) is a 2004 horror film from Thailand starring Ananda Everingham, Natthaweeranuch Thongmee, and Achita Sikamana. ... Obsession is one of the cornerstones of the religious activity within Spiritism. ... The Others is a 2001 psychological thriller film by the Spanish director Alejandro Amenábar, starring Nicole Kidman. ... Sole Survivor (1970) (TV movie) A B-25 Mitchell bomber is discovered in the Libyan desert and an United States Air Force investigation team is called in to examine it. ...

Soap operas

In Brazil three soap operas have been produced entirely based on the concepts of Spiritism and one is currently being aired. Another soap opera, Terra Nostra included a subplot of a young man obsessed by the spirit of his mother's youth lover who had been killed by his grandfather. Terra Nostra is a Brazilian telenovela, which was produced by and broadcasted on TV Globo in 2003. ...

• "A Viagem" (The Journey), produced in 1976/77 by the extinct Tupi TV had a complex plot involving mediumship, death, obsession, reincarnation, etc. It was remade by Globo TV in 1994.
• "O Profeta" (The Prophet), produced in 1977/78 also by Tupi TV and also remade by Globo TV (2006/07) included spiritism as one of the philosophies trying to explain the main character's gifts, including being able to predict the future.

References

1. ^ http://www.johannesgreber.org
2. ^ HESS, David. Spirits and Scientists: Ideology, Spiritism, and Brazilian Culture, Pennsylvania State Univ Press, 1991
3. ^ KARDEC, Allan, The Spirits' Book ISBN 0-922729-27-1
4. ^ http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=spiritualism&gwp=13
5. ^ DOYLE, Arthur Conan. The History of Spiritualism. New York: G.H. Doran, Co. 1926
6. ^ CROOKES, William. Researches on the Phenomena of Spiritualism, Burns, London 1874
7. ^ http://www.answers.com/religion?cat=biz-fin&ff=1
8. ^ KARDEC, Allan, Book on Mediums ISBN 0-87728-382-6
9. ^ http://www.princeton.edu/~pear
10. ^ KARDEC, Allan, The Gospel Explained by the Spiritist Doctrine ISBN 0-9649907-6-8
11. ^ http://www.febnet.org.br
12. ^ http://www.espiritismo.cc
13. ^ http://perso.orange.fr/union.spirite

See also

• Allan Kardec
• The Spirits' Book
• The Book on Mediums
• The Genesis According to Spiritism
• Chico Xavier
• Karma in Christianity

Allan Kardec was a pseudonym of the French teacher and educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (Lyon, October 3, 1804 — Paris, March 31, 1869), who is known today as the systematizer of Spiritism. ... This article is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Francisco Cândido Xavier Chico Xavier was a popular medium in Brazil´s spiritism movement. ... Karma is a sanskrit term originated in eastern religions. ...

External links

Books and Video

• Chico Xavier on the Internet: The Messenger (Video Series)
• Spiritist.INFO Spiritist books for sale
• Spiritism Online offers book downloads
• The Spirits' Book in HTML format, translated by Anna Blackwell
• The Spirits' Book (pdf file);
• All Kardec's books and other related works.
• The Spirits' Book and other related works as translated by Allan Kardec Educational Society (AKES)

“PDF” redirects here. ...

Groups and societies

• International Spiritist Council
• Spiritist Society of Baltimore
• Allan Kardec Educational Society
• Spiritist Society of San Diego
• Maryse and John Locke, researchers in Transcommunication
• Spiritists in the Philippines Discussion Forum open to all Spiritists and students in English and Pilipino
• Federação Espírita Brasileira (Portuguese)
• Medical-Spiritist Association of the Porto’s Metropolitan Area(Oporto-Portugal). (Portuguese)
• Federación Espírita Española (Spanish)

Critical resources

Christian objections

• A review of Bible verses prohibiting psychic mediums and spiritists

Skeptical refutations

• Channeling - at the Skeptics' Dictionary;
• Medium - at the Skeptics' Dictionary;