The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1863

Allan Kardec

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Identity of an incarnate Spirit

Mr. Delanne, who is traveling, sent us the following report about the evocation of the Spirit of his living wife that remained in Paris.

“… On December 11th at 11:30pm I evoked the Spirit of my wife. She told me that one of her lady relatives had casually slept over with her. I was not convinced about it because I did not believe it to be possible but two days later I received a letter from her confirming the event. I attach my account of this story. It does not not contain anything private but it does offer a proof of her identity.

  • Are you here, my dear? – A. Yes, my “Chubby” (her favorite term).
  • Do you see the objects around me? – A. I see them well. I am happy to be near you. I hope you are warm enough! (It was 11:30pm, I had just arrived from Arras; there was no heating in the room; I was still wearing the traveling coat and my shoulder cape.
  • Are you happy to have come here without your body? – A. Yes, my friend. Thank you. I have the fluidic body, the periSpirit.
  • Is it you that makes me write? Where are you located? – A. I am close to you. Your hand certainly still has some difficulty in writing.
  • Are you deeply asleep? – A. No, not much yet.
  • Is it your body that holds you back? – A. Yes, I feel that it keeps me. My body is a bit sick but my Spirit feels nothing.
  • Have you had an intuition during the day that I would evoke you? – A. No, however, I could not discern what you were telling me. (At this point I had a coughing fit). You are always coughing, my friend; take care of yourself a little.
  • Can you see my periSpirit? – A. No, I can only distinguish your material body.
  • Do you feel freer and better than with your body? – A. Yes, because I suffer no more. (In a subsequent letter I learned that she had been effectively ill).
  • Do you see Spirits around me? – A. No, although I wish I could.
  • Are you afraid of being alone at home? Adélia is with me (That relative never sleeps over; we rarely see her).
  • How come Adélia is with you? Has she slept over? – A. Yes, by chance.
  • Is that really you talking to me, dear wife? – A. Yes, my friend. It is me.
  • Do you see everything clearly here? – A. Yes, everything is better illuminated than with your weak lamp. (All I had was a candle in a large room).
  • Do you communicate with me by intuition or mechanically? – A. I act more influence upon your brain where it is easier to communicate and at the same time I influence your hand.
  • How can you tell that my brain is able to receive Spiritist communications? – A. It is by the development recently acquired by your organs, demonstrating that it was possible… (At this moment the clock strikes midnight and the Spirit stops).
  • Can you hear the clock striking? – A. Yes, but I am still impressed by this unusual sound. It is like the celestial music I heard in my dreams. (In fact just before my departure she had had an incredible dream in which she had heard a singular music. At that point, I am certain that I was not thinking about her dream which I had completely forgotten. Hence it could not have been a reaction to my thoughts since nobody else knew anything about it and I alone was at the moment where I saw a proof of identity with the spontaneous revelation of my wife. The Spirit spontaneously ends the statement initiated above)… much power in such a short time.
  • Do you want me to evoke my guardian angel to control your identity? Would that bother you? – A. You can go ahead and do it.
  • (To my guardian angel) – Is that really the Spirit of my wife that has just talked to me? – A. It is your wife talking to you and she is glad to see you.
  • (To my wife) – Have you seen my guardian angel? – A. Yes, his light is magnificent. He just appeared and disappeared.
  • Has he seen you? – A. Yes, he looked at me with eyes of a celestial clemency and I, confused, was overcome by him. So long my “Chubby”, I feel forced to leave you.
  • Are you here? – A. Yes. I will tell you what is worrying you. It is Adélia. Right? Yes, she really slept over with me, I swear.
  • Is your body better? – A. Yes, that was nothing.
  • Do you see Spirits near you today? – A. I still don’t see anything but I feel the presence of someone; I feel a certain uneasiness for being alone.
  • Pray my good friend and you shall perhaps better. – A. Yes. That is what I am going to do. Say with me: “My God, great and just, bless us and forgive us for our iniquities; forgive the children that love you; mercifully inspire your virtues in them and give them the remarkable grace of one day being among the elected ones. May the worldly pain signify nothing to them when compared to the happiness that you reserve to those who sincerely love you! Pardon us, Lord, and spread your benefits through the intercession of our pure and angelical St. Mary, mother of all sinners and the incarnate mercy.”


OBSERVATION: If this incident had only involved the guardian angel, it would have been insufficient to determine if this was a real event as it would have been necessary to identity of the guardian angel, as a deceiving Spirit could have taken the name. There is nothing in his simple statement that reveals the accuracy of this event. In similar cases it is always preferable to manage with a independent medium who is not under the same influence. The evocation of a Spirit to control another one does not always offer sufficient guarantee particularly when the person involved is asked to give permission. In the case above we find a proof in the description that the Spirit gives of the guardian angel. A deceiving Spirit could not have taken that celestial appearance. As a matter of fact, there is a character of truth in all answers that could not be simulated by charlatanism.



Next evening session

OBSERVATION: This prayer improvised by the Spirit is of a touching simplicity. Mr. Delanne knew nothing about Adélia beyond what the Spirit had told him and that was exactly the reason for his doubts. He sent his wife a letter about it later on received the following reply:

“…Adélia really came over yesterday in the afternoon, by chance. I invited her to stay not out of fear because that makes me laugh but to be with me. As you see she stayed and slept over with me. I was confused these last two nights; I felt sick. An irresistible force made me sleep. I felt like crushed. I feel so happy, though, for having gone and seen you! ...”



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