Allan Kardec

~ The Book on Mediums ~

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BY LISA LEE HARP WAUGH

The Book on Mediums or Mediums and Evokers' Handbook (a.k.a. The Mediums' Book —Le Livre des Médiums, in French), is a book by Allan Kardec published in 1861, second of the five Fundamental Works of Spiritism — the spiritualist philosophy Kardec had been publishing — being the tome in which the experimental and investigative features of the doctrine were presented, explained and taught.

In Spiritism, "Perispirit" is the subtle body that is used by the spirit to connect with the perceptions created by the brain. The term is found among the extensive terminology originally devised by Allan Kardec in his books about Spiritism. Its first use was in a commentary (by Kardec) to the answer given by the spirits to the 93rd question of the Spirits Book: Is the spirit, properly so called, without a covering, or is it, as some declare, surrounded by a substance of some kind? "The spirit is enveloped in a substance which would appear to you as mere vapor, but which, nevertheless, appears very gross to us, thought it is sufficiently vaporous to allow the spirit to float in the atmosphere, and to transport himself through space at pleasure." As the germ of a fruit is surrounded by the perisperm so the spirit, properly so called, is surrounded by an envelope which, by analogy, may be designated as the perispirit. This was a breakthrough concept, as the spirit had not been thought of as usually from its form (the ghost one saw was considered "the ghost itself", not the appearance of a ghost).Kardec, then, was compelled to develop further the notion, especially by given "scientific" fundamentation to his theory. He studied the properties of what was then called "fluids" (electricity, magnetism, heat) and broadened the research towards those he termed "psychic" or "spiritual fluids". Both terms, especially the previous have stuck and are still used (or abused) up to now.

Allan Kardec is the pseudonym of the French teacher and educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (Lyon, October 3, 1804–Paris, March 31, 1869). He is known today as the systematizer of Spiritism for which he laid the foundation with the five books of the Spiritist Codification.

Allan Kardec

He was already in his early 50s when he became interested in the wildly popular phenomenon of spirit-tapping. At the time, strange phenomena attributed to the action of spirits were reported in many different places, most notably in the U.S. and France, attracting the attention of high society. The first such phenomena were at best frivolous and entertaining, featuring objects that moved or "tapped" under what was said to be spirit control. In some cases, this was alleged to be a type of communication: the supposed spirits answered questions by controlling the movements of objects so as to pick out letters to form words, or simply indicate "yes" or "no." At the time, Franz Mesmer's theory of animal magnetism was popular in the upper reaches of society. When confronted with the phenomena described, some researchers, including Rivail, pointed out that animal magnetism might explain them. Rivail, however, after personally seeing a demonstration, quickly dismissed the animal-magnetism hypothesis as being insufficient to completely explain all the facts observed (see Chapters VIII and XIV in the The Book on Mediums). Rivail was determined to understand exactly what was causing the physical effects popularly attributed to spirits.

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Le livre des esprits. Contenant les principes de la doctrine spirite: Recueillis et mis en ordre par Allan Kardec (French Edition)

As a teacher with some scientific background (he had never attended a university), Rivail decided to do his own research. Not being a medium himself, he compiled a list of questions and began working with mediums and channelers to put them to spirits. Soon the quality of the communications, allegedly with spirits, appeared to improve. Rivail used the name "Allan Kardec" allegedly after a spirit identified as Zefiro, whom he had been communicating with, told him about a previous incarnation of his as a Druid by that name. Rivail liked the name and decided to use it to keep his Spiritists writings separate from his work, basically books for high school students. In April 18, 1857 Rivail (signing himself "Allan Kardec") published his first book on Spiritism, The Spirits' Book, comprising a series of 1,019 questions exploring matters concerning the nature of spirits, the spirit world, and the relations between the spirit world and the material world. This was followed by a series of other books, like The Book on Mediums and The Gospel According to Spiritism, and by a periodical, the Revue Spirite, which Kardec published until his death. Kardec thus produced the books that form the Spiritist Codification. Allan Kardec coined the word "spiritism" and followed modern scientific methods in its study, which was recognized among others by Camille Flammarion, a famous French astronomer and author, who said "spiritism is not a religion but a science".

Heaven and Hell (Le Ciel et l'Enfer in the original French) is a book published in 1865 by Allan Kardec, the fourth tome of the fundamental works of Spiritism. Its name was intentionally taken from a previous book by Swedenborg, it was also subtitled "Divine Justice According to Spiritism". It is divided into two parts named "The Doctrine" and "The Examples". The first part explains the different view Spiritism has on the subject, stating that both "Heaven" (happiness in the after-life) and "Hell" (punishment in the after-life) are misconcepts, that the state of the spirits after their death is not definitive and that there is always hope, even for the crudest criminal. This is also where Kardec explains in detail why and how "good people" are doomed to suffer and why one should not take one's own life. The second part is a series of interview with spirits of deceased people, thus exemplifying the working truth of the doctrine previously detailed. Most of the examples cited are of people now long forgotten and have become quite useless. The books is most cherished, however, for the profound morality expressed in the first part. Heaven and Hell is the second most popular book among the Fundamental Works of Spiritism.

Having died due to aneurysm, Kardec is buried at the Cimetière du Père Lachaise. The eulogy was delivered by Camille Flammarion. Visitors from all over the world, especially from Brazil where his doctrine has millions of followers, come bringing flowers to his tombstone, which is reputed to be one of the most flowered at the Cimetière. The body of his wife Amélie Gabrielle Boudet is also buried there. At the top part of his burial chamber is written a sentence that became a sort of spiritist's motto: Naitre, mourir, renaitre encore et progresser sans cesse, telle est la loi ("To be born, die, again be reborn, and so progress unceasingly, such is the law.")

Spiritist Codification (or The Spiritist Pentateuch) is the customary name given by spiritists to the set of books codified by Allan Kardec. The books are a compilation of questions made by Allan Kardec and answers allegedly dictated by Spirits, between the years 1857 and 1868. The series contains the fundamental details of the Spiritism movement. So are called "The Five Fundamental Works of Spiritism" the collection of the first five books written and published by French teacher, educator and Spiritism codificator Allan Kardec. These books contain several explanations of the Spiritism Doctrine, as well about religious teachings and essays on the spirit world, mediumship, miracles, paranormal and supernatural phenomenona. Two other books were published in order to complement the teachings of Allan Kardec: Qu'est-Ce Le Spiritisme? ("What is Spiritism?") in 1859 and Oeuvres Posthumes ("Posthumous Works") in 1890.

The basic concepts presented by the book are: Monotheism Monism (i.e. there is only one Supreme Being, the source of all good and evil alike) Creationism (i.e. God created the principle of everything, not things as they are now) validity of Jesus' ethics and moral teachings survival of the soul (spirit) after death (disincarnation) Reincarnation of the souls (plurality of existences) inherent morality of God and His creation existence of life all over the Universe (plurality of worlds) progression of the soul towards perfection by experience through several lives migration of spirits from one world to another (transmigration) possibility of manifestation of spirits in the living world by means of mediums karma (not actually termed such) as an explanation for apparent injustices Good works are more important to spiritual realisation than faith itself

The Spirits Book is divided into four parts or "books", each one split into several chapters. Chapters are not regularly subdivided into sections — though most have titles marking the beginning of particularly sought subjects. Book 3's chapters, for some reason, are not numbered. 1. Book One (untitled) deals with the origins of the universe and the attributes of God. 1. Chapter 1 (God) is intended to clarify the true essence of God. 2. Chapter 2 (General Elements of the Universe) explains the difference between spiritual and material matter and why spirits are not believed by materialists. 3. Chapter 3 (Vital Principle) is about the differences between animate and inanimate beings, between the living and the dead and the features of intelligence compared to instinct. 2. Book Two (The Spirit-World) describes spiritual life. 1. Chapter 1 (Spirits) explains what spirits are, where they come from, what they are like, how they manifest, the purpose of their existence, and how people perceive them. 2. Chapter 2 (Incarnation of Spirits) is about why spirits incarnate in material bodies. 3. Chapter 3 (Return from Corporeal Life to Spirit Life) is about disincarnation (death). 4. Chapter 4 (Plurality of Existences) is about reincarnation. 5. Chapter 5 (Considerations on the Plurality of Existences) is an essay by Kardec meant to clarify the doctrine of the previous chapter. 6. Chapter 6 (Spirit Life) describes what exists in the afterlife, the spiritual world. 7. Chapter 7 (Return to Corporeal Life) explains how and when spirits come back to life by literally being born again. 8. Chapter 8 (Emancipation of the Soul) is about situations in which the spirit of a living person may be free to interact with the spirits of the dead, as in near-death experiences or during a deep sleep. This chapter does not cover waking mediumship. 9. Chapter 9 (Intervention of Spirits in the Material World) is about situations in which the spirits of the dead may, ostensibly or not, intentionally or not, have any form of influence on events of the living world. 10. Chapter 10 (Occupations and Missions of the Spirits) is an essay by Kardec on the different reasons why high spirits interfere with the world. 11. Chapter 11 (The Three Reigns) is about the differences between inanimate beings (mineral), plants, and animals and contains the standard spiritist doctrine on Metempsychosis. 3. Book Three (Moral Laws) contains what Kardec regarded as the kernel of his doctrine, the special and fair (in his view) moral laws that provided explanations and consoled people in moments of anger or grief. Such laws were actually the following: Divine Law The Law of Adoration The Law of Labour The Law of Reproduction The Law of Preservation The Law of Destruction Social Law The Law of Progress The Law of Equality The Law of Liberty The Law of Justice, Love and Charity Moral Perfection 4. Book Four (Hopes and Consolations) is about the most common doubts people have about religion in general and tries to solve the most sensitive ones under new light. 1. Chapter 1 (Earthly Joys and Sorrows) is about the meaning of the experiences we have on Earth, both good and bad. 2. Chapter 2 (Future Joys and Sorrows) is about the laws governing the future lives we are bound to live after we die. Basic concepts Some aspects of the doctrine contained in the book are: Man is a Spirit with a material body, i.e. our truer selves are not material, but spiritual. A living person is made of three entities: the spirit, the body and the spiritual body (the perispirit) that binds both. The perispirit is an original doctrine of Spiritism. Spirits pre-exist and will survive matter that was created. There are not angels or demons as separate orders in the creation, but only good and evil spirits. Even a beastly person will eventually attain perfection. All Spirits are created simple and ignorant. They gradually evolve intellectually and morally, so passing from an inferior order to more elevated ones until finally reaching perfection. All Spirits preserve their individuality, before, during and after each life (incarnation). However, the amount of memory one retains depends on one's level of spiritual progression. The different corporeal existences of the Spirit are progressive and not regressive. The pace of their progress, however, depends on the effort made towards betterment. Spirits can stagnate for so long that it seems to be an eternity and it can even appear that they have retrograded. Spirits pertain to various orders, according to the degree of perfection they have attained, in three major categories (with fluid limits and unknown number of subcategories): Pure Spirits, who have attained maximum perfection; Good Spirits, whose desire towards goodness predominates, and Imperfect Spirits, who are characterized by ignorance and evil impulses. The relationship of Spirits with Man is constant and has always existed. The Good Spirits do their best to lead us towards goodness and uphold us during our trials, helping us to support them with courage and resignation. By contrast, the Imperfect Spirits try to incite us toward evil. Jesus is the guide and model for mankind. The Doctrine which he taught and exemplified is the most pure expression of God's Laws. However, most of the traditional doctrine on him being the Christ (Messiah) is seen under a different light. Aspects regarded as keystones of faith by most denominations, like trinitarianism and the virgin birth are not seen as important, while his resurrection is explained in another way. His death also has a different interpretation (instead of a sacrifice to atone for our sins, it is an example of the importance of being coherent and resisting temptation. Man has free will, but must face the consequences of his deeds. The future life is in accordance to one's behavior and learning needs.

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Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A discussion of the means of communicating with the invisible world, the development of mediumship and the difficulties encountered inthe practice of spiritualism.

It is intended to be actual handbook for would-be mediums, containing doctrine and practices that one must master in order to become a medium, an elementary course on theories and basic methods to assess the new light that had never been tried by rational inquiry before: the interaction of the physical and spiritual worlds. The Book on Mediums set the bases and the terminology that guided Parapsychology and Paranormality for quite sometime. In its pages one will find a classification of paranormal phenomena, with a special focus on those capable of communicating messages, and thorough descriptions of the mechanisms that — according to Spiritism — were involved. It also contains serious warnings against unguided use of the gift of mediumship, especially without the necessary seriousness.

The book's signature is its focus on theory instead of practice: not a single line of ritual is given (Spiritists believe all rituals are superfluous), unless one consider recommendations for prayer (without giving formulae) as "ritual". In its first part, there is an overall introduction to the fundamental points of Spiritism. The following topics are examined within the book:

First Part (Preliminary Topics)

This part appears to contain a defense of Spiritism on empiric and logical grounds.

• Are there spirits?
• The difference between the extraordinary and the supernatural (with the apt conclusion that most things seen as supernatural are only extraordinary but natural phenomena).
• How to reason against those who, for several types of reasons, will not believe Spiritism.
• Exposition of the fallacies of most explanations of Spiritism.
• Cautionary exposition of some views of Spiritism that bordered on fanaticism, Obscurantism, polytheism or charlatanism.

This last aspect shows that ever since the beginnings of Spiritism there were "deviant" groups with a different interpretation, some of which tried to identify themselves with the term Spiritism, which Kardec claimed to be an original term created by him to avoid such confusion.

Second Part (Manifestations of Spirits)

This part first describes and categorises the kinds of phenomena that are related to spirits, like:

• Production or modification of matter
• Table-turning
• Incorporation of spirits
• Haunted houses
• Transfiguration
• Apparition
• Psychography
• Psychophony
• Telekinesis, which Kardec knew as Poltergeist

Then it goes into explaining how to deal with the intelligent manifestations ("communications"). It is noteworthy that very little is "taught" on how to produce the spiritist phenomena, as in Kardec's view these were natural and spontaneous. Kardec regards as more important the correct understanding and the tight control of conditions during and after the phenomeon took place. He thought it was wiser that the would-be medium knew what to expect and how to behave before he was given any instructions on how to engage on evocation. There were, apparently, some cases of mania or personality disorder related to prolonged infatuation with Spiritism, which he was careful to advise how to avoid.

Among the main advice we find:

• Do not believe the spirit to be who he purports to be unless there is evidence supporting his claim, but even then, wait till others confirm what one has said.
• Do not judge the spirits by their purported names, but by the quality of the morals and the philosophy found in their communications.
• Do not let yourself too entertained with the evocation or incorporation of spirits enough to disregard what is more important, like living your own life and helping your neighbour.
• Do not live by the spirits' advice: the communications from the spirits are to be studied and revered — but they should not be taken as the word-by-word expression of the ultimate truth.
• Do not judge the quality of the communication by the culture or the social status of the medium by which it was brought.

In the final chapters Kardec present the rules and the statutes of the Spiritist Society he had helped found in Paris, which he hoped could be useful as models to other societies worldwide.

Important concepts developed or introduced in this Book

The Book on Mediums repeats, develops and extends into detail some broad concepts about Spirits found in the Spirits' Book. It also introduces some new ones.

• Perispirit: The Perispirit, a semi-material envelope (or body) which is the link between pure spirit and pure matter. Such envelope is called Perispirit (from Greek, meaning Outer Spirit or Around the Spirit) and is renewed each time a spirit reincarnates. The perispirit has roughly the same appearance of the spirits' last incarnation and is what we actually see in apparitions.
• Serfdom in the Spirit World: Lower spirits, especially those in penance are often hired by higher spirits as their apprentices or even serfs. Weak spirits of low morals may be even enslaved by strong, evil others, especially if they were enemies when incarnated.
• The cause of Poltergeists: The perturbation popularly named poltergeist is caused by an evil or clueless spirit taking advantage of an untrained natural medium. If the medium learns how to control his/her powers he will not be disturbed by it. Sometimes the medium loses his/her powers after puberty.
• Mind over matter: Spirits are capable of moving, transporting, dematerialising and rematerialising inanimate objects, with the help of mediums
• Instrument or Medium?: Throughout the book Kardec used both terms interchangeably, but he prefers to use instrument instead of medium when talking to spirits.
• Sleep is the emancipation of the mind: While we are asleep our spirit loosens its ties to matter and wanders the spiritual world. Because of it, it is theoretically possible -- although uncommon -- to see the spirit of a living person as an apparition.
• Sometimes it is just an illusion: Kardec admits that often people who report apparitions or poltergeist are victims of delusion, hallucination or are just lying.
• The spiritual world is a mirror of the material world, except for the lower spirits (for whom it is something not unlike hell) or the higher ones (for whom it is ideal, immaterial).
• Haunted houses are haunted all the time, not only at night: But it is much easier to hear and to see spirits when it is quiet and dark.
• Because spirits are of varied degrees of knowledge and morality, their communications are also diverse, ranging from inane, stupid, common-place, common sense, elevated but lacking originality to name a few. Only a small portion of the communications are worth keeping record of. Technically, nothing prevents a spirit from producing communications of pornographic nature, if he/she is so inclined. The only way to select the quality of communication is by sympathy: spirits are drawn by similar tastes, so each medium will attract spirits that share his interests or know his weaknesses.
• There are different types of mediums, as many as the different types of phenomena spirits can produce. A few mediums can produce more than one type of phenomenon, in that those who see/hear cannot produce physical effects, those who write cannot see, and so on. The most common types are: physical effects, seer, hearer, psychographer, sensitive, incorporative (talkative), sleepwalking, healer and intuitive.
• Mediumship can be tiring, painful or even downright dangerous to the health of the body or of the mind.
• Most mediums are under the risk of being overwhelmed by evil spirits and made their puppets. The only way to prevent this is to lead a saintly life.
• Kardec's technique for perfecting psychographic mediumship is strikingly similar to what most creative writing teachers tell their students.
• No medium can produce phenomena at will, but only when some spirit is willing to.
• Animals are mediums too: they can see spirits, hear them or even be haunted by them.
• A large amount of the evil that exists in the world is the work of lower evil spirits that obsess the minds of the weak of will.

See also

• Spiritism
• Spiritist Codification
• The Spirits Book

External links

• The Spirits' Book codified by Allan Kardec (PDF); or as HTML
• The Book on Mediums by Allan Kardec (PDF)

References

• Allan Kardec (translated by Anna Blackwell): The Spirits' Book.
• Carlos S. Alvarado : "Human Radiations". In :- JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR PSYCHICAL RESEARCH. Vol. 70.3; No. 884. http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/personalitystudies/publicationslinks/alvarado-human-radiations-jspr-2006.pdf

 

Customer Reviews

A Guide for Serious Scientific Study of Mediumship
Spiritism is fairly unknown in the USA, but well known in some European countries and in Latin America. Hippolito Leon Denizard (Allan Kardec's real name) was a pioneer in his field. He applied the scientific method to study spiritual phenomena and encoded his findings into what is known as Spiritism.

This book continues his work begun in the Book of Spirits where, this time, he devotes his studies to the medium and the nature of communications between the material and spiritual world.

Kardec's science provides tools to study spiritual phenomena and to de-mystify them. As a member of an Institution who follows Kardec's and other Latin-American spiritist's work, This science provides rational explanations to phenomena once thought to be supernatural. Supernatural phenomena doesn't exist, there are only natural laws, which many are unknown to us. Spiritism also helps to shed light in a scientific manner to explain so-called miracles and expose many beliefs in organized and dogmatic religions which only serve to control others and hinder their spiritual growth. The Introduction is an excellent explanation to put atheistic and religious skeptics to rest.

If spiritual awakening is to continue, Kardec's work helps us begin to understand the true nature of the spiritual world and how its study will help us evolve into a more spiritual world free of the dogmatic controls of some religions and free of a materialistic world view were survival is the only purpose of life. Buy this and other Kardec books. I assure you that you wont regret it.

An unsurpassed classic
I have read dozens of books about mediumship and perhaps several hundred on psychical research and the paranormal. It's astonishing, and a little depressing, that this -- in my judgment among the best studies of mediumship and communication with the "other side" -- was written almost a century and a half ago! Despite much important research since by the Society for Psychical Research and many others, this is a field in which substantive knowledge grows very slowly.

The Book on Mediums isn't scientific in the modern sense. Nothing in it can be objectively proven under laboratory conditions, which is the gold standard and the reason that phenomena such as mediumship are very hard to investigate in a way that will answer the objections of skeptics. If you are doubtful about mediumship (and you have every right to be, until you are convinced), reading this isn't guaranteed to change your mind.

Nevertheless, I think it's a work of extraordinary quality, especially when compared with the large amount of flim-flam and rubbish that exists on the subject. Based on Allan Kardec's many years of experience with mediums and mediumistic circles, and conversations with spirits of a high moral and intellectual caliber (many excerpts of which are transcribed in the book), this text is logically sound and intuitively feels right to me.

I don't actually know that much about Kardec other than a few basic facts, such as that he was a 19th century Frenchman who founded a movement called Spiritism (not to be confused with the church of Spiritualism). It is evident from his book that he was, if not formally a scientist, nevertheless a man who approached mediumship in a scientific spirit. He did not rely on only one discarnate source for information, but collected and compared data from numerous sources and mediums.

Although obviously convinced of the reality and importance of communication with spirits of those who have passed out of physical life to a nonmaterial plane, Kardec did not take anything at face value. He emphasizes again and again that spirits are not necessarily wise or ethical. Newcomers to psychic readings are usually concerned about whether the medium is honest. (The great majority are, although some are more talented than others.) As Kardec makes clear, the much greater cause for concern is whether the spirits who come through are to be trusted. A great many of them are foolish, trivial time-wasters who delight in pretending to be famous historical figures or founts of spiritual knowledge.

Kardec probes deeply into the different types of mediumship, the best conditions for mediumship, and the best ways to relate to spirits that come through. There are, he shows, many good and wise spirits who are willing to connect with you through mediums -- but they will not waste their efforts if they sense that you are seeking them out as a game, to test them or to obtain information for improving your finances or gaining power.

For anyone just beginning to explore the subject of mediumship and communication with spirits, The Book on Mediums (and very likely the companion volume, the Book on Spirits, which I haven't read) seems to me an ideal place to start. But even those who are well seasoned in the literature of psychical research should find this extraordinarily rewarding.

The translation dates from the 19th century and the style is a bit formal by modern standards, but presents no difficulties.

The Genesis, Miracles and Premonition According to Spiritism (La Genèse, les Miracles et les Preditions selon le Spiritisme in the original French) was the last book published (1868) by Allan Kardec, just before his death. It tries to reconcile science and religion and develops a series of important scientific and philosophical topics, relating them to Spiritism.

The Genesis According to Spiritism

The Genesis, Miracles and Premonition According to Spiritism (La Genèse, les Miracles et les Preditions selon le Spiritisme in the original French) was the last book published (1868) by Allan Kardec, just before his death. It tries to reconcile science and religion and develops a series of important scientific and philosophical topics, relating them to Spiritism.

The Genesis contains diverse articles on the creation of the universe, the formation of the world, the origins of spirits and the role of divine intervention in the order of nature. It is divided into three parts, each apparently unrelated to the others: The Genesis According to Spiritism (12 chapters) Miracles According to Spiritism (3 chapters) Predictions According to Spiritism (2 chapters) The final chapter ("The Time is at Hand") is not related to either of the three parts. The mentioned division is an indication that the three parts were meant to be published as separate works, but ended up together for some reason, maybe because Kardec realised that he was not going to have enough time to finish them.

The first, and longest, part tries to reconcile religious tradition about the creation with recent discoveries of science regarding the universe and the origin of life. The convergence proposed by Kardec is not far from Intelligent Design, though Kardec never claimed that any actual "signature" of the Creator had been or could ever be found. However, he uses a lot of space (the first six chapters) to introduce Spiritism itself as a religion. The chapters of the first part are: Character of Spiritist Revelation Kardec argues that Spiritism is a "third" revelation (the first being that of God to Moses and the second, the coming of Christ), though it possesses some novel features that make it "more than just a religion". This first chapter is a thorough rationalisation of the Spiritist theory and an attempt to justify it in face of harsh criticism: "They accuse it [Spiritism] of relationship with magic and sorcery; but forget that Astronomy has Astrology as an elder sister, not much removed from us." (#19) This whole chapter takes for granted that Spiritism has become a widely-known and widely-criticised movement. God More about the Spiritist view of God. Good and Evil Good and evil are seen as inherent to human nature because they are both manifestations of our pursuit of perfection. "Good" things come from the use of intellect while "bad" things come from the prevalence of instinct; which leads to the conclusion, not present textually in Kardec, that nature, being unintelligent is inherently "evil" (or at the very least, unmoral). The role of science in the Genesis Argues that scientific advancement is ultimately a human attempt to understand God and that the conflict between religion and science exists because most religions have surrendered to the will of power while science is blind to the spirituality of man. Preconizes a harmony of science and religion. Ancient and modern views of the world Explains that the (mis)conceptions about the world originated from the scarcity of information available to man in the past and that, as science advances, our worldview will change dramatically, affected by it. General Uranography An essay, attributed to the spirit of Galileo and signed by "C.F." (probably Camille Flammarion) presents a description of the universe as understood at the time. Contains some interesting insights which were either original or very novel: that there are regions in space that are empty of stars (the space between the galaxies, which is called "deserts of space"), that countless of other planets existed beyond our solar system, that the Milky Way was only one of many other galaxies, that most planets, if not all, were inhabited; that planets are not immutable, but change over long periods of time and eventually disappear. General Geological Sketch of the Earth Attempts to reconcile the then recent science of geology with legends from the Bible and from other ancient peoples. Accepts the flood as fact and ignores ice ages, actually attributing as evidences of the former. Theories on the formation of the Earth Challenges, debunks or doubts many other oddball theories that circulated among theosophists and occultists of the time. An entire section is dedicated to explain that the Earth does not have a "soul" (which apparently was a notion quite accepted then). Revolutions of the Globe Describes cataclysms that affected life overall, failing to mention any that was not already known at the time. Genesis of Life Describes how life on Earth could have formed. This chapter is particularly sore for Spiritists because it actually accepts spontaneous generation as fact: a phenomenon that took place every day (which was according to mainstream scientific thinking of that time, only to be displaced decades later by the work of Louis Pasteur). Genesis of Spirits Explains how spirits were (and are) created and to what purpose. Moses' Genesis Explains why the tale of the creation found in the Book of Genesis is contradicted by science. The Miracles The second part explains what a miracle is and discusses under which conditions it should happen. Character of a Miracle After describing what a "miracle" should be (both according to the popular conception and the theology of Christianism, Kardec argues (with the Spirits on his side) that such a thing does not and cannot exist: "...considering that God does not do anything for fancy, we are inclined to the following opinion: As miracles are not necessary for the glory of God, nothing in the Universe ever goes against the laws of nature. God does not work miracles because, as His laws are perfect, He has no reason to derogate or suspend them. If facts are found that we cannot understand, it is just because we are in want of the knowledge necessary to understand them." Regarding miraculous cures, Kardec wisely states that these, if frequent enough, would have been a hindrance to the development of mankind: if people could be miraculously cured man would not pursue knowledge. Therefore, as man is steadily progressing towards more and more knowledge, Kardec infers that these miracles are rare indeed (as they are not affecting the march of scientific progress). This reasoning is used as an explanation to the observed scarcity of true miracles. Finally, Kardec argues that most people claiming to work miraculous cures are charlatans. The Fluids According to contemporary science, there was a third nature, besides matter and energy, that was both immaterial, undetectable and capable of acting upon both matter and energy; as energy is capable of acting on matter and matter, of affecting energy. Such third kind was the basis for most religious theories and this theory was the bond that still allowed science and religion to have some common ground. In this chapter, Kardec explains "fluids" according to Spiritism and uses them to explain how spiritual phenomena worked. Miracles of the Gospels Why and how did Jesus work wonders. This chapter states that most of the "miracles" narrated by the gospels were either natural phenomena or manifestations of spirits. The Predictions The third and shortest part deals with the possibility of foretelling the future, its possible consequences for mankind, and why God would allow it to happen. Theory of Prescience What is and what is the purpose of. Predictions in the Gospels This chapter looks quite sketchy, merely presenting the predictions picked from the gospels without much elaboration on their purpose or interpretation. The Time Is at Hand The final chapter, one of the last things Kardec published in life, is in itself a sort of prophecy about the future of Spiritism, containing the following claims: That the world was (is) going to suffer the most dramatic change it ever experienced, and that this change would not be a cataclysm but the complete disruption of the beliefs of man, prompting for the establishment of a new faith, capable of harmonizing with science, to prevent science "alone" from leading mankind to madness. That the changes would affect the world as a whole and blur the borders between nations and peoples. In this point, as many others, Kardec seems to propagate the notion of the white man's burden. That the crisis would lead to great advancement of mankind, eliminating most causes of suffering and turning our planet into a higher type of world (most Spiritists believe our world is one of punishment for morally debased, but intelligent spirits). The crisis will prompt for a redefinition of many keystones of man's political organizations in terms of ethics. After the crisis (or as a consequence of it) man will be bodily different from its current shape. Considering the increase of the average human height since Kardec's time this can be argued as likely to become true. After the crisis there will not be any organized religions left, people will be all either free-thinkers or theists and most will believe the central tenets of Spiritism. We won't be able to detect the changes while they happen because they will be deep, but slow, and will take centuries to fully develop. Future generations will look unto us as an era of permanent turmoil, but not all of us will live realizing this.

Most of the push for the change will not come from scientific improvement, but from moral progress.

The book suggests a large amount of research effort on the part of Kardec and is generally considered the best written of his books, despite being dated in a number of places, especially where it accepts as final truth the established scientific knowledge of its time. Spiritists tend to regard The Genesis as the most complex of Kardec's works, and the one most demanding from the reader. Its popularity is a matter of dispute, as some publishers do not include it in their catalogs.

ABOUT

The Book on Mediums

Description
This book is an authoritative manual about the relation between the "living" world and the spiritual world. Since these two worlds are closely related, one would say that they interpenetrate themselves, the book is not intended exclusively to mediums and invocators, but anyone interested in discriminating between good and bad spirits in our constant relation with the spiritual world. For a beginner, I would strongly recommend the Spirit's Book as an introduction to the Spiritism.

The Gospel According to Spiritism (L'Évangile Selon le Spiritisme in French), by Allan Kardec is a book published in 1864 that relates the teachings of Jesus to Kardecist Spiritism, the moral and religious philosophy that Kardec had been publishing. It is intended to demonstrate that Spiritism clarifies and extends the most important teachings of Jesus. It is one of the five fundamental works of Kardecist Spiritism. The book attracted a lot of reaction from the Catholic Church and was indexed (added to the 'List of Prohibited Books'). The first edition had been titled Imitation de l'Évangile (An Imitation of the Gospels), but the third, and definitive edition (1865) had the book renamed and profusely corrected (mostly typos or supposed mistakes in channeling), edited and expanded.

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• Main Allan Kardec article, in Portuguese
• Allan Kardec Educational Society
• ALLAN KARDEC: spiritisme, spiritism...
• Allan Kardec Biographic Information
• The Spirits' Book by Allan Kardec
  • Le Livre des Esprits (PDF file)
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  • The Gospel According to Spiritism by Allan Kardec (PDF file)
• Works by Allan Kardec at Domínio Público

A short story “The Strange Case of the Lovecraft Café” cowritten with DF Lewis and Jeff VanderMeer was mentioned in The Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror: Twenty First Annual Edition.

His webpage is http://mfkorn.com.

His literary blog is http://www.mfkorn.blogspot.com. 

His myspace page is http://www.myspace.com/mfkorn

His facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/mf.korn

His twelfth novel, CREATURE FEATURE is coming out in February 2010, cowritten with David Mathew of Britain.

 About THE AUTHOR of twelve novels and 240 published stories:

Three of MF Korn's books, CONFESSIONS OF A GHOUL AND OTHER STORIES, and ALIENS, MINIBIKES AND OTHER STAPLES OF SUBURBIA, and also SKIMMING THE GUMBO NUCLEAR were mentioned in The Year's Best Fantasy & Horror: Fifteenth Annual Collection. CONFESSIONS OF A GHOUL AND OTHER STORIES was mentioned in The Mammoth Book Of Best New Horror edited by Stephen Jones. RACHMANINOFF'S GHOST was also mentioned in The Mammoth Book Of Best New Horror edited the following year.
 

Korn's twelfth novel, CREATURE FEATURE cowritten with David Mathew of Britain is going through required rewrites by a publisher. The cover has not been chosen yet. Currently they are at work on another novel via correspondence. He just finished writing a screenplay with another writer who just got a movie deal on another project. He turned over the first draft to his coauthor who is to do a second draft.In other news, Korn's four books with Silverlake press are out of print in paperback but available in Kindle or as ebooks at Fictionwise and most ebook outlets.

NOVELS AND COLLECTIONS: SWAMP WITCH PIQUANTE AND SCREAM QUEEN BISQUE --   (OUT OF PRINT IN PAPERBACK, AVAILABLE IN KINDLE, EBOOK) By M.F. Korn Format: Cover art by Jason Just $13.95 Horror Collection 196 pages 63,900 words   ORDER at Amazon.com for 11.16. Or $12.55 at Barnes and Noble. Two short novels. In "The White Trash Witches Coven", Keith Ogden accidentally meets a witch in a Super-Usav-Mart. When she invites him to join the coven, he accepts, thinking of fun sorceries and lots of whammies. The gaggle of chatty women he encounters severely disappoints, with their baby pictures, recipes, and addictions to trashy afternoon TV. Is this "coven" just a group of wannabes, or is something more sinister lurking underneath the chicken grease? In "Pavane for a Scream Queen", Jeff Vincent, freelance writer for Filmland Magazine and as-of-yet-undiscovered novelist, has landed the interview of a lifetime with cult favorite Aurora Sterling, scream queen of the 1950's classic B-movies. But when Dame Aurora cancels and those who worked with her die or go into hiding, Jeff finds himself in the middle of a mystery. What is the secret behind this gorgeous, elegant woman? Is it just Hollywood hype, or something else much older and eternal? RACHMANINOFF'S GHOST (OUT OF PRINT IN PAPERBACK, AVAILABLE IN KINDLE, EBOOK) Available at Amazon.com for 10.36. Available at Shocklines bookstore, it's available at Barnes and Noble for 11.65. Product Details: Format: Paperback, 160pp. ISBN:1931095418 Publisher: Silverlake Publ Pub. Date: January   2003 Korn's first horror novel, Rachmaninoff's Ghost, (51,000 words, 160 pp) written eighteen years ago. History: Sold to Papercapers, resold to Silverlake Publishing:   Silverlake under new mgt, resold again to Silverlake publishing. A blandishment about Korn's first novel written eighteen years ago: "...Michael Korn has fed upon Poe, Lovecraft and Richly Sinewed Music, but above all upon  himself! I thought the first two-thirds of RACHMANINOFF'S GHOST splendid, but its last third of Jungian nightmare literally took my head off. If Korn's photo is not on the front of TIME magazine, as a result, injustice will sure be done..." -- D.F. Lewis ALL THE MUTANT TRASH IN ALL THE GALAXIES four novels by M. F. Korn   ORDER at Amazon.com for 11.87. Or $14.49 at Barnes and Noble. A collection of four novels by M F Korn, describing lovesick stalkers, synthetic tramps, abused robots, conmen, robber barons, oilfield and nuclear blue collar workers off-world, schizophrenic aliens, video outlaws, rednecks, thieves, indentured androids, barflies, pharmaceutical overlords, squatters, smut merchants. Each novel has a separate introduction from one of these writers: D.F. Lewis, Sherry Decker, Jeffrey Thomas, H Chimera (book size: approx 145,000 words). Four novels by M. F. Korn ORDER at Amazon.com for 11.87. Or $14.49 at Barnes and Noble. The Man Who Loved in Light Years (a very early first SF novel): A drug-addled philosophy professor stalks a pheromoned person through known space. Movietone Mars: Cinema is illegal—Movie stars purged—everyone has his own television show. Tilting Planet (The Trouble with Xenodes): Terran shrinks sent to cure schizophrenic artistic alien race, but who caused the outbreak? Galactic Smut Merchants: Alien pay-per-view –something new for grunts on mining planets—But could they conquer the Terran pay-per-view market? SKIMMING THE GUMBO NUCLEAR Out by Eraserhead Press. Available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon. Available at Shocklines bookstore. Regular Price $16.95. At Amazon for $11.87. Format: Paperback, 292pp. ISBN: 0971357269 Publisher: Eraserhead Press Pub. Date: November  2001 A grand epic wasteland of surreal pandemic plague. Pollution quotient in the southern delta nether regions of the state of Louisiana, the dustbin of the Mississippi river and the nation, whose motto is the "Sportsman's Paradise", a paradisio of colorful denizens all grappling for a slice of lassez bon temps roule, "let the good times roll", but now all are grappling for their very lives. Nature had to fight back sooner or later, and now what will happen to this tourist state gone amuck with middle-ages plague? ISBN: 0-9713572-6-9 — 292 PAGES — Regular Price $16.95. At Amazon for $11.87. 14.95 at Shocklines. Confessions of a Ghoul and Other Stories (OUT OF PRINT IN PAPERBACK, AVAILABLE IN KINDLE, EBOOK) Format: Paperback, 122pp. ISBN: 1931095175 Publisher: Silver Lake Publishing Pub. Date: January  2001 Order from (at 10.75)Barnes and Noble,   (11.95) or from Amazon. 9.56 or (11.95) at Shocklines bookstore. Introduction by D. F. Lewis Cover art by Lawrence D. P. Miller Trade Paperback $11.95 CD $9.95 Disk $5.95 Download $3.95 Horror Collection 120 pages 50,000 words   Aliens, Minibikes and Other Staples of Suburbia (OUT OF PRINT IN PAPERBACK, AVAILABLE IN KINDLE, EBOOK) Format: Paperback, 114pp. ISBN: 1931095272 Publisher: Silver Lake Publishing Pub. Date: January  2001 Out in paperback (at 14.95) at Amazon(11.95). Available at Barnes and Noble. 14.95 "While reading, you'll be picked up and dropped straight into your own history while visiting various, imaginary neighborhoods...It's nostalgia at its finest." --Sherry Decker, from the Introduction  "M. F. Korn's richly detailed, highly idiosyncratic portraits of America call to mind a Bradbury on magic mushrooms...he's a Norman Rockwell speaking in tongues with a voodoo doll in one hand and a flaming paintbrush in the other."        --Jeffrey Thomas, author of Punktown  Trade Paperback $11.95 CD $9.95 Disk $5.95 Download $3.95 Speculative Fiction Collection 114 pages 47,000 words   DIE EARTHMAN DIE: TALES OF HORROR AND SF -- 34 STORIES OF HORROR AND SCIENCE FICTION by Cosmic Eyeball Press Order at Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble. Cover art by Rafael Maza $16.40 Horror and Science Fiction Collection ISBN 1-4116-4129-9 Cosmic Eyeball Press 270 pages 80,451 words Thirty Four Stories by Four Talents in the Horror / Science Fiction Field DF Lewis - Winner of the British Fantasy Award and 1500 stories, editor, Nemonymous M Philbin - author of 100 stories and several novels David Mathew - former reviewer, Interzone; author, several novels, 400 stories MF Korn - Louisiana author of twelve novels and 240 short stories The Less Fashionable Side of the Galaxy by M. F. Korn, D. F. Lewis, and H Chimera $2.25, 24 pages NO ISBN From Eraserhead Press. Order from Shocklines bookstore. Three masters of bizarre speculation combine talents to create five experimental tales of insane fiction. Featuring M. F. Korn, author of Skimming the Gumbo Nuclear, H Chimera, author of SZMONHFU, and the king of the weirdmongers, D. F. Lewis.       The White Trash Witches' Coven  Tanjen Ltd, Paperback, April, 99: CANCELED. Sold to Gargadillo, CANCELED. SOLD. Even Shakespeare had his "Pericles"...       Movietone Mars: Hartwick Electronic Press, 1994 Translated into Russian after was sold to Baziat Literary Agency in 1993, Russia CANCELED.  The Trouble with Xenodes (Tilting Planet), serialized, Weird Stories The Man Who Loved in Light Years: D&S Associates, (Electronic) 1994 Galactic Smut Merchants, Tanjen, Ltd. paperback, 2000 CANCELED.    Alone Against a Revolution Golden Meteorite Press, hardback, 1997, Library Binding - 89 pages (August 1, 1996) Golden Meteorite Press Limited; ISBN: 1895385539               Stygian Relics of the Lachrymose Golden Meteorite Press, limited edition. 1998 Hardback collection of short stories:  Library Binding - 178 pages (January 1, 1998) Golden Meteorite Press Limited; ISBN: 1895385636             The Spectral Carnival Show and Other Stories Golden Meteorite Press, 1998, limited edition,  Library Binding - 140 pages (January 1, 1998) Golden Meteorite Press Limited; ISBN: 189538561X   Pavane for a Scream Queen, SOLD. SHORT STORY ACCEPTANCES: Two to Vision Magazine Tome Dark Tome FEAR magazine Forty stories in P L Potent Aphrodisiac Sweet Dreams Baby Left-Footed Wombat a mag named "V-Pulp" A forgotten small mag out of New York City 2 to Premonitions Zero Hour Killer Frog Anthology Spider Eyes Fast Lizard Lost Genrere Cacophony Cacophony Hardback Anthology Project Mars Two to Razor Two to Blue Lady Seven to Silver Shadows Two to Taler's Tale The Ultimate Unknown Hundredth Anniversary Lovecrafter Louisiana State University magazine Delta Sixteen stories to Fading Shadows Pulps Weird Stories Startling Science Stories Forbidden Lines a few to House of Pain Cosmic Visions Midnight Gallery Classic Pulp Stories DREAD Artstar Journal Northern Fusion Sinister Dark Corridors (can't confirm) Australian paperback AntipodeanSF LC-39 A few to Brazilian magazine Megalon Iconoclastia (wordhunger) Words (mag whose charity is London's St. Mary's Hospital) 3AM Publishing (wordhunger) Winedark Sea paperback (Vol 3) w/ DF Lewis and H Chimera The Dream People Chapbook Five stories to Gathering Darkness w/ DF Lewis and H Chimera Grail paperback anthology w/ DF Lewis and H Chimera The Ministry of Whimsy EOTU 21st Century Bitch Goddess Imaginary Worlds (wordhunger) SteelCaves Spooky's F.O.D. w/ DF Lewis Ministry of Whimsy (also a review of GHOUL Collection) Driver's Side Airbag w/ H himera Three stories with H Chimera to REDSINE paperback anthologies Alternate Species (w/ Dave Mathew and H Chimera) E-GENRE Planetmag Apocalypse Fiction Magazine w/ H Chimera Thomas Deja's Underworlds Anthology w/ H Chimera and Dave Mathew Three to UNDERWORLDS w/ H Chimera another to The Dream People w/ H Chimera another to UNDERWORLDS w/ DF Lewis and H Chimera sale to German May-2002 anthology SPLATTERPUNK:A NEW GENERATION w/ H Chimera The Dream Zone w/ Dave Mathew another to Apocalypse Fiction magazine w/ H Chimera HORRORFIND The Storyville Anthology Eleven story run of "Eli" series to Apocalypse Fiction w/ H Chimera Frightwriters, w/ DF Lewis and H Chimera story w/ Dave Mathew to "Flesh and Hunger" anthology Five stories at Tland horror site sale to Muse Apprentice Guild sale to Thomas Deja's Amicus paperback anthology wrote dozens of stories w/ DF Lewis, a collective called WORDHUNGER (collection now w/ Double Dragon Books) sale to anthology GHOSTBREAKERS: Sinister Sleuths (w/ Dave Mathew and H Chimera) sale to Thomas Deja's anthology about Warren Zevon sale to Cpulp Halloween paperback anthology article for Wicked Writers Carnival sale to "Trip the Light Horrific" anthology(w/ H Chimera) sale to "Travel a Time Historic" anthology sale to "Grave Tappings" anthology sale to "Mind Scraps" anthology sale to "Vintage Wine: Werewolves and Vampires" anthology sale to Scattered, Smothered, Covered anthology, collab w/ Jeff VanderMeer and DF Lewis sale to RED SCREAM (w/ David Mathew) sale to "NEW WRITINGS IN THE FANTASTIC" anthology(w/ H Chimera RIP) sale of "Weird Western" story collab w/ DF Lewis to DEVIL'S GULCH paperback anthology sale to DEAD ENDS Anthology by Screaming Dreams Publ reprint of collab w/ Jeff VanderMeer and DF Lewis in German collection by J VanderMeer reprint of collaboration "The Strange Case of the Lovecraft Cafe" (mentioned in Year's Best Horror: 21st Annual Edition) w/ Jeff VanderMeer and DF Lewis in A SURGEON'S TALE Twisted Twins German: Masters of Unreality anthology NVH Magazine Fear On Demand Podcast Edited by Sidney Williams MARGINALIA: Eleven volumes of Epistolary Discourse A screenplay, "The Revival Theatre" Best Stories of the Year by P L Mag, 1998 Honorable Mention by the Soft Science Fiction Writers Association for story "The Old Man and the Cyborg" , 1996 Won a category of Killer Frog Contest, approx. 1992 Best Stories of the Year by P L Mag, 1990 During College, wrote Science Fiction novella, now lost mss Wrote numerous stories for High School Literary Magazine, now lost Wrote novelettes as a teen, now all mss lost M F Korn's books are at Fictionwise, Double Dragon Books, and ebook outlets.

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