The Spirits' Book

Allan Kardec

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431. What is the source of a somnambulist’s innate ideas, and how can they accurately discuss things that they are unaware of when awake, and that transcend their intellectual capacity?
“Somnambulists may possess more knowledge than you give them credit for, but this knowledge is dormant when awake because their envelopes are too fawed to remember everything they know as spirits. However, what are they, essentially? They are spirits who incarnated for a mission, and somnambulism awakens them from their lethargic state. We have repeatedly told you that we are reborn many times. This succession of lives causes somnambulists to lose sight, in a new existence, of what they may have known in a previous life. When a crisis starts, they recall what they knew once, but sometimes only partially. They have knowledge, but they do not know where it comes from or how they came to possess it. When the crisis is over, their memories fade from consciousness as they re-enter the physical life.”


Experience shows us that somnambulists also receive communications from other spirits, who tell them what to say and fll in the blanks of what they are missing. This is often witnessed in medical consultations. The spirit of the somnambulist notes a disease and another spirit indicates the remedy required. This dual action is often obvious to witnesses, and is frequently revealed by the somnambulist through expressions such as, “I am told to say,” or, “I am forbidden to say.” In the event of the latter, it is always dangerous to persist in trying to obtain information from a somnambulist because we then open the door to fippant spirits, who rattle on about everything in complete disregard for the truth.

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