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Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1866 > November > Spontaneous Mediumistic Somnambulism
Spontaneous Mediumistic Somnambulism
The last session of the Spiritist Society in Paris, before the holidays, was one of the most remarkable of the year, be it by the number and reach of the obtained communications, or by the production of a spontaneous phenomenon of mediumistic somnambulism. Around the middle of the session, Mr. Morin, member of the Society and one of the customary mediums, slept spontaneously under the influence of the Spirits, something that had never happened to him before. He then spoke with passion and eloquence about a very serious matter, of great interest, that we will deal with in the future.
The reopening session, on Friday, October 5th, presented a similar phenomenon, but in larger proportions. There were thirteen mediums at the table. In the first part, two of them, Mrs. C… and Mr. Vavasseur, slept, like Mr. Morin had done, without any provocation and without anybody thinking about it, under the influence of the Spirits. Mr. Vavasseur is the poet medium, that receives poetry with great facility, from which we have published several samples. Mr. Morin was also about to sleep. Here is what happened during their sleep, that lasted almost one hour.
Mr. Vavasseur said, with a grave and solemn voice: "All will, all magnetic action, is and must remain foreign to this phenomenon. No one should talk to my sister or to me.” Speaking of his sister, he referred to Mrs. C…, or his spiritual sister, because they are in no way related. Then, addressing Mr. Morin, placed at the other end of the table, and extending his hand towards him with an imperative gesture: "I forbid you to sleep." Mr. Morin, in fact, almost asleep, awoke of his own accord. Express recommendation is further made for nobody to touch either of the two mediums.
Mr. V. continued: “Ah! I can feel a bad fluid current here that tires me out… Sister, are you in pain too? – Mrs. C…, Yes. – Mr. V. Look! society is in large number tonight. Do you see – Mrs. C ... Not very clearly yet. - Mr. V… I want you to see. – Mrs. C… Oh! Yes, many Spirit! – Mr. V… Yes, there are many of them; they are uncountable! But, look, in front of you; see a more luminous Spirit, with a more brilliant halo… He seems to smile at us with benevolence! I am told that he is my benefactor (Saint Louis)… Come on, let's walk; let's both go to him… Oh! I have many faults to repair… (addressing the Spirit): Dear Spirit! when I was born, my mother gave me your name. Since then, I remember, that poor mother used to say to me every day: “Oh! my child, pray to God; pray to your guardian angel; especially pray to your patron. Later, I forgot everything… everything! Doubt, disbelief, pursued me; in my error I have misunderstood you, I have misunderstood the goodness of God ... Today, dear Spirit, I come to ask you for forgetting the past and for forgiveness in the present! O Saint Louis, you see my pain and my regret, forget and forgive. (These last words were said with a heart-breaking accent of despair).
Mrs. C… “We must not cry, brother… Saint Louis forgives and blesses you… Good Spirits have no resentment against those who abandon their mistakes. He forgives you; I tell you! O! this Spirit is good! See, he is smiling at us. (Raising his hand to his chest.) Oh! how it hurts to suffer like this!"
Mr. V… “He's talking to me… Listen! Courage,” he said to me, “work with your brothers. The year which begins will be fertile in great events. Around you will emerge great geniuses, poets, painters, literati. The era of the arts follows the era of philosophy. If the first has worked wonders, the second will perform miracles. (Mr. V… speaks with extraordinary vehemence; he is in the supreme degree of ecstasy.)
Mrs. C… “Calm down, brother; you set too much fire on it, and it hurts you; calm down."
Mr. V… (continuing): “But there begins the mission of your society, a very great and very beautiful mission for those who understand it… Home of the Spiritist doctrine, it must defend and propagate its principles by all means that it disposes. Besides, its President will know what needs to be done.
“Now, sister, he's going away; he still smiles at us; he waves goodbye… Come on, let's go up, sister; you must watch a splendid spectacle, a spectacle that the earthly eye has never seen… never, never!… Go up… go up… I want to! (Silence.) What do you see? Look at this Army of Spirits! There they are the poets that surround us… O! sing too, sing! Your songs are the songs of heaven, the hymn of creation! Sing! And their whispers caress my ears… and their chords put my mind to sleep… Can't you hear?”
Mrs. C… “Yes, I hear… They seem to say that with the Spiritist year that begins, a new phase begins for Spiritism… a brilliant phase, of triumph and joy for the sincere hearts, of shame and confusion for the proud and the hypocrites! For these, disappointments, neglect, oblivion, misery; for others, glorification."
Mr. V… “They have already said it, and it is true."
Mrs. C… “Oh! What a party! what magnificence! what a dazzling splendor! My eyes can barely sustain the glow of it. What sweet harmony is heard and penetrates the soul! See all these good Spirits that are preparing the triumph of the doctrine under the guidance of superior Spirits and the great Spirit of Truth! How resplendent they are, and how costly to them to come back and live in a globe like ours! It is painful, but this entails progress."
Mr. V… “Listen! Listen! Listen, I tell you!"
Mr. V… begins the following improvisation in verse. It was the first time that he did mediumistic poetry verbally. Up until now, communications of this kind had always been given spontaneously, in writing.
It was a stormy evening,
The sea rolled its dead,
Throwing to the shore
In gloomy accords! ...
A child, still young,
Standing on a rock,
Waiting for the dawn
Light to walk,
To go to the beach,
Seeking his sister,
Saved from the wreck,
Or… with a dazzled heart.
Could he, on the shore,
See her, as before,
Smiling and naive,
Rushing to his voice?
On that horrible night,
On those rhythmic waves,
The invisible hand
That separated them,
Will it bring them together again?
It was a hope, in vain!
The dawn was out, stunning,
But… it didn't show him anything.
Nothing ... just the sad wreckage
Of a destroyed ship!
Nothing ... but the wave that washes away
What was soiled at night!
The wave, with mystery,
Raising and sliding,
Foamy and light,
The threatening chasm
That hid its victims,
Stifled her cries,
Wanting its crime
To excuse the waves
To the plaintive breeze!
The child, tired of looking,
Running around the shore,
Couldn't walk anymore ...
Exhausted, out of breath,
Lame… bruised… broken…
Barely standing,
Resting on the scorching face,
Of an almost bare rock,
In prayer,
When a passing stranger,
Surprised, looks at him,
Praying with faith.
- Oh! child,
God bless you,
Stand up, he said!
This God that sees your tears,
Brought me here
To calm your scares,
And reach out to you!
Be afraid no more.
My home is yours
My family is yours
Your misfortune is mine.
Come, why you suffer, I must hear!
I will open my heart to you
And hope I will soon
Calm your fear.
(Addressing Mrs. C…) – Do you see? He stops… But he must continue… Yes, he approaches… The sounds are more distinct… I hear… ah!
This poor child… it's me!
This stranger… (addressing Mr. Allan Kardec) it's you,
Dear and honorable master!
You who made me know Two words:
Eternity And… Immortality!
Two names: one God, the other, soul!
One home, the other flame!
And you, my dear friends,
Gathered in this place,
You are the family
Where now quietly,
I must end my days!
Oh! Love each other always!
He's running away… Casimir Delavigne! Oh! dear Spirit… again! He is fleeing! Come on, I am not strong enough to attend this divine concert… Yes, it's so beautiful… it's exceedingly beautiful!
Mrs. C… He would speak again if you wanted, but your elation prevented him. Here you are, broken, bruised, panting; you can no longer speak.
Mr. V… Yes, I can feel it; it is still a weakness (with a strong feeling of regret), and I must wake you up!… too soon… Why not stay in this place forever? Why go back to earth again? Come on, since it is necessary, sister, it is necessary to obey without complaint… Wake up, I want you to wake up. (Mrs. C… opens her eyes) For my side, you can wake me up by waving your handkerchief. I am suffocating! air! air!”
These words, and especially the verses, were said with such an intonation, an outpouring of feeling and a warmth of expression of which only the most dramatic and moving scenes can give an idea. The emotion of the assembly was general, because we felt that it was not declamation, but the soul itself, freed from the matter, that spoke ...
Mr. V ..., exhausted by the fatigue, is forced to leave the room, remaining out for a long time, under the influence of a semi-sleep, from which he only comes out little by little, by himself, not wishing for any help.
These events confirm the predictions of the Spirits concerning the new forms which mediumship would soon take. The state of spontaneous somnambulism, in which both speaking and seeing mediumship develops, is in fact a new faculty, in the sense that it seems destined to generalize; it is a particular mode of communication, and that is more meaningful now than before.
Moreover, this phenomenon is much more to serve as a complement to the instruction of the Spiritists than for the conviction of the unbelievers who would see only a comedy in that. The enlightened Spiritists alone can, not only understand it, but discover in it the proofs of sincerity or charlatanism, as in all other kinds of mediumship; only they can extract what is useful from it, deduce its consequences for the progress of the science in which it makes them penetrate earlier. Also, these phenomena are generally only produced in the intimacy, and there, besides the fact that the mediums would have no interest in simulating a faculty that does not exist, the deception would soon be exposed.
The nuances of observation are here so delicate and so subtle that they require continual attention. In this state of emancipation, the sensitivity and the impressionability are so great that the faculty can only develop in all its brilliance under an entirely sympathetic fluidic influence; a contrary current suffices to alter it like the breath that tarnishes the mirror. The painful sensation felt by the medium makes him fold onto himself, like the sensitive plant at the approaching hand. His attention then turns in the direction of this unpleasant current; he penetrates the thought that is its source, he sees it, he reads it, and the more he feels it unfriendly, the more it paralyzes him. That gives an idea of the effect produced by hostile thoughts! Thus, these kinds of phenomena do not absolutely lend themselves to public exhibitions, where curiosity is the dominant feeling, when it is not that of malevolence. They require, moreover, on the part of the witnesses, an excessive prudence, because it should not be forgotten that, in these moments, the soul only holds to the body by a fragile bond, and that a shock can, at least, cause serious disturbances to the organization; an indiscreet and brutal curiosity may have the most dismal consequences; this is why excessive precaution is never too much.
When M. V., at the onset, says that "all will, all magnetic action, is and must remain foreign to this phenomenon," he makes it clear that the action of Spirits alone is the cause, and that no one could provoke it. The recommendation not to speak to either one was intended to leave them entirely in their ecstasy. Questions would have had the effect of stopping the outpouring of their Spirit, bringing them down to earth, and diverting their thoughts from the main object. The exaltation of sensitivity also made it necessary to recommend not to touch them. The contact would have produced a painful commotion and harmful to the development of the faculty.
We can understand, from this, why the majority of scientists called upon to observe phenomena of this kind are disappointed; it is not because of their lack of faith, as they claim, that the effect is refused by the Spirits: it is they themselves who, by their moral dispositions, produce a contrary reaction; instead of placing themselves in the conditions of the phenomenon, they want to place the phenomenon in their own condition. They would like to find there the confirmation of their anti-spiritualist theories, because for them, it is the only truth, and they are annoyed, humiliated for being denied by the facts. So, not getting anything, or getting only things that contradict their way of seeing, instead of revising their concepts, they prefer to deny, or to say that it is only an illusion. And how could it be otherwise with people that do not accept spirituality? The spiritual principle is the cause of the phenomena of a particular order; To seek the cause outside of this principle is to seek that of lightning outside of electricity. Not understanding the special conditions of the phenomenon, they experiment on the patient as on test tube with chemical products; they torture him as if it were a surgical operation, at the risk of compromising his life or his health.
Ecstasy, which is the highest degree of emancipation, demands all the more precautions since, in this state, the Spirit, intoxicated by the sublime spectacle before its eyes, generally asks for nothing better than to stay where it is, and quit earth altogether; often he even makes an effort to break the last bond which chains him to his body, and if his reason were not strong enough to resist temptation, he would gladly let himself go. It is then that we must come to his aid with a strong will and by pulling him out of this state. We understand that there is no absolute rule here, and that we must act according to the circumstances.
In this respect, one of our friends offers us an interesting subject for study.
It has unsuccessfully been tried to hypnotize him in the past; for some time now he has spontaneously fallen into hypnotic sleep under the influence of the slightest cause; it suffices that he writes a few mediumistic lines, and sometimes a simple conversation. In his sleep he has perceptions of a very elevated order; he speaks eloquently and delves into the most serious questions with remarkable logic. He sees Spirits perfectly, but his lucidity presents different degrees through which he passes alternately; the most ordinary is that of a semi-ecstasy. At certain times, he gets excited, and if he experiences a strong emotion, which is frequent, he cries out with a sort of horror, and this often in the middle of the most interesting conversation: Awake me immediately, something that would be unwise not to do so. Fortunately, he showed us the way of waking him up instantaneously, and that consists in blowing his forehead strongly, since the magnetic passes producing only a very slow null effect.
Here is the explanation given to us about his faculty, by one of our guides, using another medium.
“Mr. T's Spirit is hampered in his development by the material test that he has chosen. The tool that is his instrument, his body, in his current state, is not manageable enough to allow him to assimilate the necessary knowledge, or to use what he possesses himself, in the waking state. When he is asleep, the body is no longer an obstacle, becoming only the spokesperson of his own Spirit, or of those with which it is in relation.
The material fatigue, inherent to his occupation, and the relative ignorance that he endures in this incarnation, since he only knows, in terms of science, what he has taught himself, all that disappears to make room for a lucidity of mind, a breadth of reasoning, and an exceptional eloquence that are the result of a previous development of the Spirit. The purpose of the frequency of his ecstasies is simply to familiarize his body to a state which, for a certain period, and for a special purpose later, may in some way become normal. When he asks to be awakened promptly, it is for his desire to accomplish his mission without failing. Under the spell of the sublime images that are offered to him and of the environment in which he finds himself, he would like to set free from the earthly ties and remain definitively among the Spirits. His reason, and his duty that keeps him down below here, fight such a desire; and for fear of letting himself be dominated, succumbing to temptation, he cries out for you to wake him up."
Considering that these phenomena of spontaneous mediumistic somnambulism must multiply, the preceding instructions are intended to guide the groups where they could occur, in the observation of the facts, and to make them understand the need to use the most extreme caution in such cases. What must absolutely be avoided is to make it an object of experimentation and curiosity.
The Spiritists will be able to draw great lessons from them, suitable for enlightening and strengthening their faith, but, we repeat, they would be of no benefit to the unbelievers. The phenomena intended to convince the latter, and that may occur in broad daylight, are of another order, and among them, some will take place, and are already occurring, apparently at least, outside Spiritism; the word Spiritism frightens them; having this word not being pronounced, it will be one more reason for them to take deal with it; The Spirits are therefore wise when they sometimes change the label.
As for the special utility of this mediumship, it is in the tangible proof that it provides of the independence of Spirit, by its isolation from matter. As we have said, manifestations of this kind enlighten and strengthen the faith; they put us in more direct contact with the spiritual life. Who is the lukewarm or uncertain Spiritist that would remain indifferent in the presence of facts that make him, so to speak, touch the future life with his finger? Who is the one who could still doubt the presence and the intervention of the Spirits? What is the heart hardened enough not to be moved at the sight of the future, unfolding before him, and that God, in His goodness, allows him to foresee?
But these manifestations have another more practical, more current utility, because more than others, they will be of a nature to raise courage in the hard times that we have to go through. It is at the time of turmoil that we will be happy to feel invisible protectors near us; it is then that we will know the worth of this knowledge that raises us above humanity and the miseries of Earth, that appeases our sorrows and our apprehensions, by making us see only what is great, imperishable and worthy of our aspirations. It is a timely help that God sends to His faithful servants, and it is yet another sign that the times have come. Let us know how to use it for our advancement. Let us thank God for allowing us to be enlightened in time, and feel sorry for the unbelievers, for depriving themselves of this immense and supreme consolation, for the light has been shed for all. Through the voice of the Spirits that speak throughout Earth, He makes a last appeal to the hardened ones; let us implore His indulgence and mercy for the blind.
Ecstasy is, as we have said, a higher state of disengagement, of which the somnambulistic state is one of the first degrees, but that does not imply, in any way, the superiority of the Spirit. The most complete release is, undoubtedly, the one that follows death. However, now we see the Spirit preserving his imperfections, his prejudices, committing errors, deceiving oneself, manifesting the same inclinations. It is for the fact that good and bad qualities are inherent to the Spirit, and do not depend on external causes. The external causes can paralyze the faculties of the Spirit, that recovers them in the state of freedom, but they are powerless to give him those that he does not have. The flavor of a fruit is in the fruit itself; whatever we do, wherever we place it, if it is inherently tasteless, we won't make it tasty. That is how it is with the Spirit. If a complete detachment after death does not make him perfect, much less can he become so in a partial separation.
Ecstatic release is a physiological state, an obvious indicator of a certain degree of advancement of the Spirit, but not of absolute superiority. Moral imperfections, which are due to the influence of matter, disappear with this influence, which is why we generally observe in somnambulists and ecstatic more elevated ideas than in the waking state; but those that depend on the very quality of the Spirit continue to manifest themselves, sometimes even with less restraint than in the normal state; the Spirit, freed from all constraints, sometimes gives free rein to feelings that, as a man, he tries to conceal from the eyes of the world. Of all the evil tendencies, the most persistent and the ones that we confesses the least to ourselves, are the radical vices of humanity: pride and selfishness that give rise to jealousy, the petty susceptibilities of self-esteem, the exaltation of personality that are often revealed in the state of somnambulism. It is not the release that gives birth to them, it only uncovers them; from latent they become sensitive as a result of the freedom of the Spirit. We must not, therefore, expect to find any kind of infallibility, neither moral nor intellectual, in somnambulists and ecstatic; the faculty they enjoy may be altered by imperfections in their Spirit. Their words can reflect their thoughts and feelings; they can also suffer the effects of obsession, just as well as in the ordinary state, and be, on the part of the lighthearted or malicious Spirits, the plaything of the strangest illusions, as experience demonstrates.
It would therefore be a mistake to believe that visions and revelations of ecstasy can only be the expression of truth; like with all other manifestations, they must be subjected to the crucible of good sense and reason, to distinguish between good and bad, what is rational and what is illogical. If these kinds of manifestations are multiplying, it is much less with the objective of giving us extraordinary revelations, than to provide us with new subjects for study and observation on the faculties and properties of the soul, and to give us a new proof of its existence and its independence from matter.
The reopening session, on Friday, October 5th, presented a similar phenomenon, but in larger proportions. There were thirteen mediums at the table. In the first part, two of them, Mrs. C… and Mr. Vavasseur, slept, like Mr. Morin had done, without any provocation and without anybody thinking about it, under the influence of the Spirits. Mr. Vavasseur is the poet medium, that receives poetry with great facility, from which we have published several samples. Mr. Morin was also about to sleep. Here is what happened during their sleep, that lasted almost one hour.
Mr. Vavasseur said, with a grave and solemn voice: "All will, all magnetic action, is and must remain foreign to this phenomenon. No one should talk to my sister or to me.” Speaking of his sister, he referred to Mrs. C…, or his spiritual sister, because they are in no way related. Then, addressing Mr. Morin, placed at the other end of the table, and extending his hand towards him with an imperative gesture: "I forbid you to sleep." Mr. Morin, in fact, almost asleep, awoke of his own accord. Express recommendation is further made for nobody to touch either of the two mediums.
Mr. V. continued: “Ah! I can feel a bad fluid current here that tires me out… Sister, are you in pain too? – Mrs. C…, Yes. – Mr. V. Look! society is in large number tonight. Do you see – Mrs. C ... Not very clearly yet. - Mr. V… I want you to see. – Mrs. C… Oh! Yes, many Spirit! – Mr. V… Yes, there are many of them; they are uncountable! But, look, in front of you; see a more luminous Spirit, with a more brilliant halo… He seems to smile at us with benevolence! I am told that he is my benefactor (Saint Louis)… Come on, let's walk; let's both go to him… Oh! I have many faults to repair… (addressing the Spirit): Dear Spirit! when I was born, my mother gave me your name. Since then, I remember, that poor mother used to say to me every day: “Oh! my child, pray to God; pray to your guardian angel; especially pray to your patron. Later, I forgot everything… everything! Doubt, disbelief, pursued me; in my error I have misunderstood you, I have misunderstood the goodness of God ... Today, dear Spirit, I come to ask you for forgetting the past and for forgiveness in the present! O Saint Louis, you see my pain and my regret, forget and forgive. (These last words were said with a heart-breaking accent of despair).
Mrs. C… “We must not cry, brother… Saint Louis forgives and blesses you… Good Spirits have no resentment against those who abandon their mistakes. He forgives you; I tell you! O! this Spirit is good! See, he is smiling at us. (Raising his hand to his chest.) Oh! how it hurts to suffer like this!"
Mr. V… “He's talking to me… Listen! Courage,” he said to me, “work with your brothers. The year which begins will be fertile in great events. Around you will emerge great geniuses, poets, painters, literati. The era of the arts follows the era of philosophy. If the first has worked wonders, the second will perform miracles. (Mr. V… speaks with extraordinary vehemence; he is in the supreme degree of ecstasy.)
Mrs. C… “Calm down, brother; you set too much fire on it, and it hurts you; calm down."
Mr. V… (continuing): “But there begins the mission of your society, a very great and very beautiful mission for those who understand it… Home of the Spiritist doctrine, it must defend and propagate its principles by all means that it disposes. Besides, its President will know what needs to be done.
“Now, sister, he's going away; he still smiles at us; he waves goodbye… Come on, let's go up, sister; you must watch a splendid spectacle, a spectacle that the earthly eye has never seen… never, never!… Go up… go up… I want to! (Silence.) What do you see? Look at this Army of Spirits! There they are the poets that surround us… O! sing too, sing! Your songs are the songs of heaven, the hymn of creation! Sing! And their whispers caress my ears… and their chords put my mind to sleep… Can't you hear?”
Mrs. C… “Yes, I hear… They seem to say that with the Spiritist year that begins, a new phase begins for Spiritism… a brilliant phase, of triumph and joy for the sincere hearts, of shame and confusion for the proud and the hypocrites! For these, disappointments, neglect, oblivion, misery; for others, glorification."
Mr. V… “They have already said it, and it is true."
Mrs. C… “Oh! What a party! what magnificence! what a dazzling splendor! My eyes can barely sustain the glow of it. What sweet harmony is heard and penetrates the soul! See all these good Spirits that are preparing the triumph of the doctrine under the guidance of superior Spirits and the great Spirit of Truth! How resplendent they are, and how costly to them to come back and live in a globe like ours! It is painful, but this entails progress."
Mr. V… “Listen! Listen! Listen, I tell you!"
Mr. V… begins the following improvisation in verse. It was the first time that he did mediumistic poetry verbally. Up until now, communications of this kind had always been given spontaneously, in writing.
It was a stormy evening,
The sea rolled its dead,
Throwing to the shore
In gloomy accords! ...
A child, still young,
Standing on a rock,
Waiting for the dawn
Light to walk,
To go to the beach,
Seeking his sister,
Saved from the wreck,
Or… with a dazzled heart.
Could he, on the shore,
See her, as before,
Smiling and naive,
Rushing to his voice?
On that horrible night,
On those rhythmic waves,
The invisible hand
That separated them,
Will it bring them together again?
It was a hope, in vain!
The dawn was out, stunning,
But… it didn't show him anything.
Nothing ... just the sad wreckage
Of a destroyed ship!
Nothing ... but the wave that washes away
What was soiled at night!
The wave, with mystery,
Raising and sliding,
Foamy and light,
The threatening chasm
That hid its victims,
Stifled her cries,
Wanting its crime
To excuse the waves
To the plaintive breeze!
The child, tired of looking,
Running around the shore,
Couldn't walk anymore ...
Exhausted, out of breath,
Lame… bruised… broken…
Barely standing,
Resting on the scorching face,
Of an almost bare rock,
In prayer,
When a passing stranger,
Surprised, looks at him,
Praying with faith.
- Oh! child,
God bless you,
Stand up, he said!
This God that sees your tears,
Brought me here
To calm your scares,
And reach out to you!
Be afraid no more.
My home is yours
My family is yours
Your misfortune is mine.
Come, why you suffer, I must hear!
I will open my heart to you
And hope I will soon
Calm your fear.
(Addressing Mrs. C…) – Do you see? He stops… But he must continue… Yes, he approaches… The sounds are more distinct… I hear… ah!
This poor child… it's me!
This stranger… (addressing Mr. Allan Kardec) it's you,
Dear and honorable master!
You who made me know Two words:
Eternity And… Immortality!
Two names: one God, the other, soul!
One home, the other flame!
And you, my dear friends,
Gathered in this place,
You are the family
Where now quietly,
I must end my days!
Oh! Love each other always!
He's running away… Casimir Delavigne! Oh! dear Spirit… again! He is fleeing! Come on, I am not strong enough to attend this divine concert… Yes, it's so beautiful… it's exceedingly beautiful!
Mrs. C… He would speak again if you wanted, but your elation prevented him. Here you are, broken, bruised, panting; you can no longer speak.
Mr. V… Yes, I can feel it; it is still a weakness (with a strong feeling of regret), and I must wake you up!… too soon… Why not stay in this place forever? Why go back to earth again? Come on, since it is necessary, sister, it is necessary to obey without complaint… Wake up, I want you to wake up. (Mrs. C… opens her eyes) For my side, you can wake me up by waving your handkerchief. I am suffocating! air! air!”
These words, and especially the verses, were said with such an intonation, an outpouring of feeling and a warmth of expression of which only the most dramatic and moving scenes can give an idea. The emotion of the assembly was general, because we felt that it was not declamation, but the soul itself, freed from the matter, that spoke ...
Mr. V ..., exhausted by the fatigue, is forced to leave the room, remaining out for a long time, under the influence of a semi-sleep, from which he only comes out little by little, by himself, not wishing for any help.
These events confirm the predictions of the Spirits concerning the new forms which mediumship would soon take. The state of spontaneous somnambulism, in which both speaking and seeing mediumship develops, is in fact a new faculty, in the sense that it seems destined to generalize; it is a particular mode of communication, and that is more meaningful now than before.
Moreover, this phenomenon is much more to serve as a complement to the instruction of the Spiritists than for the conviction of the unbelievers who would see only a comedy in that. The enlightened Spiritists alone can, not only understand it, but discover in it the proofs of sincerity or charlatanism, as in all other kinds of mediumship; only they can extract what is useful from it, deduce its consequences for the progress of the science in which it makes them penetrate earlier. Also, these phenomena are generally only produced in the intimacy, and there, besides the fact that the mediums would have no interest in simulating a faculty that does not exist, the deception would soon be exposed.
The nuances of observation are here so delicate and so subtle that they require continual attention. In this state of emancipation, the sensitivity and the impressionability are so great that the faculty can only develop in all its brilliance under an entirely sympathetic fluidic influence; a contrary current suffices to alter it like the breath that tarnishes the mirror. The painful sensation felt by the medium makes him fold onto himself, like the sensitive plant at the approaching hand. His attention then turns in the direction of this unpleasant current; he penetrates the thought that is its source, he sees it, he reads it, and the more he feels it unfriendly, the more it paralyzes him. That gives an idea of the effect produced by hostile thoughts! Thus, these kinds of phenomena do not absolutely lend themselves to public exhibitions, where curiosity is the dominant feeling, when it is not that of malevolence. They require, moreover, on the part of the witnesses, an excessive prudence, because it should not be forgotten that, in these moments, the soul only holds to the body by a fragile bond, and that a shock can, at least, cause serious disturbances to the organization; an indiscreet and brutal curiosity may have the most dismal consequences; this is why excessive precaution is never too much.
When M. V., at the onset, says that "all will, all magnetic action, is and must remain foreign to this phenomenon," he makes it clear that the action of Spirits alone is the cause, and that no one could provoke it. The recommendation not to speak to either one was intended to leave them entirely in their ecstasy. Questions would have had the effect of stopping the outpouring of their Spirit, bringing them down to earth, and diverting their thoughts from the main object. The exaltation of sensitivity also made it necessary to recommend not to touch them. The contact would have produced a painful commotion and harmful to the development of the faculty.
We can understand, from this, why the majority of scientists called upon to observe phenomena of this kind are disappointed; it is not because of their lack of faith, as they claim, that the effect is refused by the Spirits: it is they themselves who, by their moral dispositions, produce a contrary reaction; instead of placing themselves in the conditions of the phenomenon, they want to place the phenomenon in their own condition. They would like to find there the confirmation of their anti-spiritualist theories, because for them, it is the only truth, and they are annoyed, humiliated for being denied by the facts. So, not getting anything, or getting only things that contradict their way of seeing, instead of revising their concepts, they prefer to deny, or to say that it is only an illusion. And how could it be otherwise with people that do not accept spirituality? The spiritual principle is the cause of the phenomena of a particular order; To seek the cause outside of this principle is to seek that of lightning outside of electricity. Not understanding the special conditions of the phenomenon, they experiment on the patient as on test tube with chemical products; they torture him as if it were a surgical operation, at the risk of compromising his life or his health.
Ecstasy, which is the highest degree of emancipation, demands all the more precautions since, in this state, the Spirit, intoxicated by the sublime spectacle before its eyes, generally asks for nothing better than to stay where it is, and quit earth altogether; often he even makes an effort to break the last bond which chains him to his body, and if his reason were not strong enough to resist temptation, he would gladly let himself go. It is then that we must come to his aid with a strong will and by pulling him out of this state. We understand that there is no absolute rule here, and that we must act according to the circumstances.
In this respect, one of our friends offers us an interesting subject for study.
It has unsuccessfully been tried to hypnotize him in the past; for some time now he has spontaneously fallen into hypnotic sleep under the influence of the slightest cause; it suffices that he writes a few mediumistic lines, and sometimes a simple conversation. In his sleep he has perceptions of a very elevated order; he speaks eloquently and delves into the most serious questions with remarkable logic. He sees Spirits perfectly, but his lucidity presents different degrees through which he passes alternately; the most ordinary is that of a semi-ecstasy. At certain times, he gets excited, and if he experiences a strong emotion, which is frequent, he cries out with a sort of horror, and this often in the middle of the most interesting conversation: Awake me immediately, something that would be unwise not to do so. Fortunately, he showed us the way of waking him up instantaneously, and that consists in blowing his forehead strongly, since the magnetic passes producing only a very slow null effect.
Here is the explanation given to us about his faculty, by one of our guides, using another medium.
“Mr. T's Spirit is hampered in his development by the material test that he has chosen. The tool that is his instrument, his body, in his current state, is not manageable enough to allow him to assimilate the necessary knowledge, or to use what he possesses himself, in the waking state. When he is asleep, the body is no longer an obstacle, becoming only the spokesperson of his own Spirit, or of those with which it is in relation.
The material fatigue, inherent to his occupation, and the relative ignorance that he endures in this incarnation, since he only knows, in terms of science, what he has taught himself, all that disappears to make room for a lucidity of mind, a breadth of reasoning, and an exceptional eloquence that are the result of a previous development of the Spirit. The purpose of the frequency of his ecstasies is simply to familiarize his body to a state which, for a certain period, and for a special purpose later, may in some way become normal. When he asks to be awakened promptly, it is for his desire to accomplish his mission without failing. Under the spell of the sublime images that are offered to him and of the environment in which he finds himself, he would like to set free from the earthly ties and remain definitively among the Spirits. His reason, and his duty that keeps him down below here, fight such a desire; and for fear of letting himself be dominated, succumbing to temptation, he cries out for you to wake him up."
Considering that these phenomena of spontaneous mediumistic somnambulism must multiply, the preceding instructions are intended to guide the groups where they could occur, in the observation of the facts, and to make them understand the need to use the most extreme caution in such cases. What must absolutely be avoided is to make it an object of experimentation and curiosity.
The Spiritists will be able to draw great lessons from them, suitable for enlightening and strengthening their faith, but, we repeat, they would be of no benefit to the unbelievers. The phenomena intended to convince the latter, and that may occur in broad daylight, are of another order, and among them, some will take place, and are already occurring, apparently at least, outside Spiritism; the word Spiritism frightens them; having this word not being pronounced, it will be one more reason for them to take deal with it; The Spirits are therefore wise when they sometimes change the label.
As for the special utility of this mediumship, it is in the tangible proof that it provides of the independence of Spirit, by its isolation from matter. As we have said, manifestations of this kind enlighten and strengthen the faith; they put us in more direct contact with the spiritual life. Who is the lukewarm or uncertain Spiritist that would remain indifferent in the presence of facts that make him, so to speak, touch the future life with his finger? Who is the one who could still doubt the presence and the intervention of the Spirits? What is the heart hardened enough not to be moved at the sight of the future, unfolding before him, and that God, in His goodness, allows him to foresee?
But these manifestations have another more practical, more current utility, because more than others, they will be of a nature to raise courage in the hard times that we have to go through. It is at the time of turmoil that we will be happy to feel invisible protectors near us; it is then that we will know the worth of this knowledge that raises us above humanity and the miseries of Earth, that appeases our sorrows and our apprehensions, by making us see only what is great, imperishable and worthy of our aspirations. It is a timely help that God sends to His faithful servants, and it is yet another sign that the times have come. Let us know how to use it for our advancement. Let us thank God for allowing us to be enlightened in time, and feel sorry for the unbelievers, for depriving themselves of this immense and supreme consolation, for the light has been shed for all. Through the voice of the Spirits that speak throughout Earth, He makes a last appeal to the hardened ones; let us implore His indulgence and mercy for the blind.
Ecstasy is, as we have said, a higher state of disengagement, of which the somnambulistic state is one of the first degrees, but that does not imply, in any way, the superiority of the Spirit. The most complete release is, undoubtedly, the one that follows death. However, now we see the Spirit preserving his imperfections, his prejudices, committing errors, deceiving oneself, manifesting the same inclinations. It is for the fact that good and bad qualities are inherent to the Spirit, and do not depend on external causes. The external causes can paralyze the faculties of the Spirit, that recovers them in the state of freedom, but they are powerless to give him those that he does not have. The flavor of a fruit is in the fruit itself; whatever we do, wherever we place it, if it is inherently tasteless, we won't make it tasty. That is how it is with the Spirit. If a complete detachment after death does not make him perfect, much less can he become so in a partial separation.
Ecstatic release is a physiological state, an obvious indicator of a certain degree of advancement of the Spirit, but not of absolute superiority. Moral imperfections, which are due to the influence of matter, disappear with this influence, which is why we generally observe in somnambulists and ecstatic more elevated ideas than in the waking state; but those that depend on the very quality of the Spirit continue to manifest themselves, sometimes even with less restraint than in the normal state; the Spirit, freed from all constraints, sometimes gives free rein to feelings that, as a man, he tries to conceal from the eyes of the world. Of all the evil tendencies, the most persistent and the ones that we confesses the least to ourselves, are the radical vices of humanity: pride and selfishness that give rise to jealousy, the petty susceptibilities of self-esteem, the exaltation of personality that are often revealed in the state of somnambulism. It is not the release that gives birth to them, it only uncovers them; from latent they become sensitive as a result of the freedom of the Spirit. We must not, therefore, expect to find any kind of infallibility, neither moral nor intellectual, in somnambulists and ecstatic; the faculty they enjoy may be altered by imperfections in their Spirit. Their words can reflect their thoughts and feelings; they can also suffer the effects of obsession, just as well as in the ordinary state, and be, on the part of the lighthearted or malicious Spirits, the plaything of the strangest illusions, as experience demonstrates.
It would therefore be a mistake to believe that visions and revelations of ecstasy can only be the expression of truth; like with all other manifestations, they must be subjected to the crucible of good sense and reason, to distinguish between good and bad, what is rational and what is illogical. If these kinds of manifestations are multiplying, it is much less with the objective of giving us extraordinary revelations, than to provide us with new subjects for study and observation on the faculties and properties of the soul, and to give us a new proof of its existence and its independence from matter.